(Bridgetown, Barbados – August 16, 2014) – Despite some impressive performances from the top seeds, Barbados enjoyed mixed fortunes on the opening day of the 22nd Senior Caribbean Squash Championships.
Playing at the Barbados Squash Club, seven-time national champion Shawn Simpson advanced to the third round with a comfortable 11-1, 11-7, 11-3 victory over Andrew Boyce of Bermuda, while Gavin Cumberbatch also booked his place in the Final 16 with a commanding 11-4, 11-2, 11-8 performance against Brendan Mounter of Guyana.
Cumberbatch will now face Chris Binnie of Jamaica, the four-time defending champion, who yesterday defeated Jason Doyle of St. Vincent 11-6, 11-5, 11-2, while Simpson will oppose Doyle’s compatriot Jules Snagg who beat Robert McDavid of Guyana 11-3, 11-9, 8-11, 11-4.
Local hopes were further boosted late in the evening with Rhett Cumberbatch recording a hard-fought 6-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-7 victory over James Bentick of St. Vincent in the second round. He now awaits the winner of a match between Jason-Ray Khalil of Guyana and Colin Ramasra of Trinidad and Tobago.
In contrast, nine local players – Zaki Williams, Matthew Mackenzie, Shemane Griffith, Mark Gilkes, Khamal Cumberbatch, Copeland Straker, Ryan Foster, Mark Sealy and Leon Truss – made their exit after the first round. Stewart St. John of Barbados also suffered an 11-2, 12-10, 11-9 loss to Kevin Hannaway of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the second round.
Other top seeds advancing to the third round include Kale Wilson of Trinidad and Tobago, Micah Franklin of Bermuda, Richard Chin and Alex Arjoon of Guyana, Cameron Stafford and Julian Jervis of the Cayman Islands, along with Ashante Smith of Jamaica.
Among the local ladies, twelve year-old Megan Best marked her senior national debut with a 11-5, 12-10, 11-5 victory over Lauren Mahfood of Jamaica, while Nadia McCarthy also secured a berth in the second round with an 11-4, 5-11, 11-9, 11-7 victory over Rachel Barnes of Bermuda.
Also scheduled to make an appearance in the second round was local squash queen Karen Meakins and Alex Jordan.
