Day 7 of Senior CASA XVI – Barbados and Bermuda top Men’s Squash Pools

On the third day of the team competition in the 16th biennial Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Championships played yesterday (Thursday) at the Liguanea Club in Kingston, Jamaica the Men”s and Veterans teams from Barbados continued to do well.

There were three ties played yesterday in the Men”s Team Pools A and B. Barbados topped Pool B by defeating Trinidad and Tobago 4-1 with only newly crowned Caribbean Men”s Champion, Gavin Cumberbatch, narrowly losing to Trinidadian teenager Josh Pinard in the #2 position in five grueling games. With the T&T #1 Colin Ramasra sitting out the tie with the flu the Barbados #1, Shawn Simpson, defeated Paul DeVerteuil 3-1. At #3, Barbados”s current U-19 champion, Bryant Cumberbatch, defeated Ryan Abraham 3-1, while at #4 and #5 Mark Sealy and Fabian Goodridge dispatched their respective Trinidadian opponents in straight games for a combined total of eight points. The other tie in Pool B saw Cayman claim third spot in the pool with a 3-2 victory over the OECS. In Pool A, Bermuda, the Men”s team champions in 2003, defeated the defending Men”s team champions Jamaica 3-2 in a close encounter. In the semi-final ties scheduled for today (Friday) Bermuda will face T&T while Barbados will take on Jamaica to determine which of these four teams will advance to the Men”s team finals scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

In the Veterans Team competition there are six teams competing, once again in a straight round robin format. Defending champions Barbados had to fight hard to beat a strong Trinidad and Tobago team by three matches to two. In winner?s circle for Barbados were over-40?s Nigel Griffith and Sonia Perkins who defeated Richard Hart and Michelle Corneliac respectively in straight games. After the Bajan over-50?s, Leon Truss and Elizabeth Johnson both lost to John Holley and Sonia Carrington respectively it was up to the oldest player in the tournament, Errol Pilgrim, playing in the over-60 slot for Barbados, to seal the victory with a confident 3-0 perfomance over T&T?s Victor Thong. In the other tie played Jamaica defeated Cayman by four matches to one to keep up the pressure on Barbados at the top of the table. All the veterans? teams are supposed to play once a day until Saturday evening, weather permitting. The last tie should effectively be the veteran?s team final between Barbados and main rivals Jamaica.

In the Ladies Team competition there were only four teams participating and the defending champions Barbados had the day off again as the team from the OECS was in the process of leaving Jamaica ahead of the impending arrival of Hurricane Dean. Barbados” main challenge for the Ladies title this year, Jamaica, looked in impressive form once again, whipping Trinidad and Tobago by five matches to nil with the loss of only one game in total. The ladies team final between Barbados and Jamaica will also be played on Saturday afternoon weather permitting.

Match results were as follows (N.B. The full playing schedule can be downloaded by clicking on the link below):

Men”s Pool B

Barbados def. Trinidad and Tobago (4-1). Match scores were as follows, B?dos players mentioned first.
#2 Gavin Cumberbatch lost to Josh Pinard (2-3) 10/8, 5/9, 9/0, 0/9, 4/9
#4 Mark Sealy def. Mark Pontifex (3-0) 9/2, 9/0, 9/1
#1 Shawn Simpson def. Paul DeVerteuil (3-1) 9/5, 9/5, 3/9, 9/6
#5 Fabian Goodridge def. Peter Pirtheesingh (3-0) 9/1, 9/2, 9/2
#3 Bryant Cumberbatch def. Ryan Abraham (3-1) 7/9, 9/1, 9/2, 9/3

Men”s Pool B

Cayman def. OECS (3-2). Match scores were as follows, Cayman players mentioned first.
#2 Alain Mudeen lost to James Bentick (0-3) 4/9, 6/9, 6/9
#4 Cameron Stafford def. Mike Adamson (3-2) 7/9, 9/1, 9/7, 4/9, 9/6
#1 Gabe Rabess def. Charlie Sonson by default
#5 Dean Smith def. Kevin Bailey (3-1) 8/10, 10/9, 9/7, 9/8
#3 Jake Kelly lost to Shane Slater (2-3) 9/1, 2/9, 0/9, 10/8, 8/9

Men”s Pool A

Bermuda def. Jamaica (3-2). Match scores were as follows, Bermudian players mentioned first.
#2 Patrick Foster def. Wayne Burrowes (3-2) 8/10, 9/2, 9/3, 1/9, 9/6
#4 Michael Shrubb def. Chris Bicknell (3-0) 9-2, 9-1, 9-7
#1 Nicholas Kyme def. Chris Binnie (3-0) 9-5, 9-1, 9-7
#5 Richard Van Liendon lost to Dane Schwier (0-3) 5/9, 3/9, 9/10
#3 Melrindo Caines lost to Bruce Bicknell (0-3) 0/9, 2/9, 3/9

Ladies Round Robin

Jamaica def. Trinidad and Tobago (5-0). Match scores were as follows, Jamaican players mentioned first.
#2 Karen Anderson def. Kimberly Farah (3-0) 9/0, 9/0, 9/2
#4 Stephanie McConnell def. Nicole Currie (3-1) 9/2, 9/6, 7/9, 9/1
#1 Marlene Rabess def. Rhea Khan (3-1) 9/2, 9/0, 9/2
#5 Tracy Binnie def. Amy Gillezeau (3-0) 9/4, 9/3, 9/3
#3 Anita Bicknell def. Nakita Poon Kong (2-0) 9/6, 9/0, conceded.

Veterans Round Robin

Barbados def. Cayman (4-1). Match scores were as follows, B?dos players mentioned first.
Men 50: Leon Truss lost to John Holley (0-3) 3/9, 1/9, 2/9
Ladies 40: Sonia Perkins def. Michelle Corneliac (3-0) 9/0, 9/0, 9/3
Men 40: Nigel Griffith def. Richard Hart (3-0) 9/0, 9/7, 9/6
Ladies 50: Elizabeth Johnson lost to Sonia Carrington (0-3) 1/9, 0/9, 2/9
Men 60: Errol Pilgrim def. Victor Thong (3/0) 9/0, 9/2, 9/0

Veterans Round Robin

Jamaica def. Cayman (4-1). Match scores were as follows, Jamaican players mentioned first.
Men 50: Patrick Chin lost to John MacRury (0-3) 0-9, 1-9, 4-9
Ladies 40: Dingle Spence def. Marian Goodall (3-0) 9/3, 9/0, 9/2
Men 40: Warren Burrowes def. Jeff Broderick by default
Ladies 50: Gill Binnie won by walkover
Men 60: Douglas Beckford won by walkover

Senior CASA XVI Team Playing Schedule (Aug 14-18, 2007) – file no. 1