Last night?s Men’s semi-finals in the 16th biennial Caribbean Squash Championships at the Liguanea Club in Kingston, Jamaica began with a match between #5 Shawn Simpson of Barbados and #7 Colin Ramasra of Trinidad and Tobago. The second rally of the match lasted 100 shots and was a portent of things to come. It ended with a tight shot against the side wall that Simpson swung on and missed. This one long rally seemed to take its toll on Simpson as he lost the next 7 points straight to go down 1/7. This game was a truly tactical one as Ramasra had a plan and he stuck to it. He gave Simpson no pace on the ball, kept the rallies on the left-handed Simpson?s backhand side, and was extremely patient. Ramasra won the first game 9/1. The second game was more of the same. After trading points to get to three all, Ramasra ran off six straight points to win 9/3. The final game was more evenly contested with Ramasra going up 5/3 but Simpson rallied back to go up 6/5. There were then a few handouts and Simpson capitalized to go up 7/5 but that was as far as he got as Ramasra stuck to his game plan and reeled off four straight points to win 9/7 in the third.
The second semi-final between #3 Chris Binnie of Jamaica and #6 Gavin Cumberbatch of Barbados was a more even contest. Binnie got down early in the first game 0/7 by making too many errors and not attacking the ball. However after a number of service changes, Binnie fought his way back into the match by stepping up and attacking, using his drops to effective use and battled to equalize and pass Cumberbatch to win 9/7. Binnie continued his attacking tactics and took a 4/0 lead in the second, but lost his way as Cumberbatch started to use his drops and drives, both crosscourt and straight to devastating use. Binnie got only one more point in the second as Cumberbatch won the next 5 points to win 9/5. Binnie seemed very frustrated in the third and got down on himself. He would create openings but could not capitalize on them. He started to make mistakes again which cost him the game 9/2. The fourth game was a more even contest with Binnie going up 7/3, and serving for the game twice, but eight service changes later, Cumberbatch caught up and won the match 10/9 to secure a place in the final today (Monday) against Trinidad?s Colin Ramasra. This will be a repeat of last year?s Southern Caribbean Squash final in Barbados that Cumberbatch won in four games. It is also Cumberbatch?s 24th birthday today and he will want to make it a day to remember!
The Ladies semi-finals had none of the drama of the Men’s matches. The first one was between Barbadian compatriots, Karen Meakins the top seed, and the reigning Caribbean U-19 champion, Cheri-Ann Parris (#4). Parris started off very aggressively and attacked any mistakes that Meakins made. The Barbadian teenager continued her aggressive ways and went up 6/5 before some costly and unforced errors cost her the first game, 9/6. Parris fell behind early in the second but valiantly fought back, but it was not enough, and she lost that game 9/4. Meakins then used her experience over the powerfully built teenager, who turns 17 today (Monday), and dominated the third by volleying any loose shots. Parris never seemed to get going and lost the game 9/0.
In the second semi-final Karen Anderson (#2) of Jamaica, jumped to an early 6/0 lead against Rhea Khan (#3) of Trinidad. But Khan who started off very nervously regrouped and with a few mistakes from Anderson, came back to 4/6. Anderson got to 7 before Khan stepped up and started cutting off and volleying shots from Anderson and equalized at 7-all. However, Anderson kept her composure and stuck to her plan of playing Khan deep and then opening up the court with the drop or the mid-court boast and closed out the first, 9/7. The second game started with Anderson going up 3/0 before Khan again volleyed aggressively and attacked any shots that were mid-court and loose. Anderson again went back to moving Khan front and back to close out the second, 9/2. The third game was more of the same with the service changes occurring at the same point that they did in the second. Khan seemed to tire and Anderson seized the opportunities presented and won the third, 9/3.
Final matches start this afternoon at 5 p.m. at the Liguanea Club, with the third place playoffs for men and women followed by the ladies and then the Men’s finals. The team competition begins on Tuesday, August 14th with the preliminary round robins between the participating eight teams. Team semi-finals will be on August 17th and all finals will be held on August 18th. The Barbados team returns home on Sunday August 19th on Caribbean Airlines #415 at 6:45 p.m. The full results from Day 3 of CASA XVI are as follows:
Ladies Semi Finals
#1 Karen Meakins (Bar) d. #4 Cheri-Ann Parris (Bar) 9/6, 9/4, 9/0
#2 Karen Anderson (Jam) d. #3 Rhea Khan (T&T) 9/7, 9/2, 9/3
Men’s Semi Finals
#7 Colin Ramasra (T&T) d. #5 Shawn Simpson (Bar) 9/1, 9/3, 9/7
#6 Gavin Cumberbatch (Bar) d. #3 Chris Binnie (Jam) 7/9, 9/5, 9/2, 10/9
Ladies Consolation 3rd Round
Anita Bicknell (Jam) d. Stephanie McConnell (Jam) 9/3, 9/5, 9/5
Kimberly Farah (T&T) d. Lilianna White (Bar) 9/6, 5/9, 3/9, 9/7, 9/6
Jennifer Armstrong (Bar) d. Sherian Slater (OECS) 8/10, 9/7, 9/3, 9/6
Nadia McCarthy (Bar) d. Tracy Binnie (Jam) 6/9, 9/4, 8/10, 9/4, 10/9
Ladies Consolation – Semi Finals
Jennifer Armstrong (Bar) d. Kimberly Farah (T&T) 9/5, 4/9, 9/7, 9/5
Anita Bicknell (Jam) d. Nadia McCarthy (Bar) 10/8, 9/0, 9/4
Men’s Consolation – 3rd Round
Bryant Cumberbatch (Bar) d. Mark Sealy (Bar) 5/9, 9/3, 9/4, 9/3
Bruce Bicknell (Jam) d. Jake Kelly (Cay) 9/6, 9/5, 9/6
Josh Pinard (T&T) d. Julian Chin (Guy) 9/7, 3/9, 3/9, 9/0, 9/0
Ryan Abraham (T&T) d. Robert McDavid (Guy) 9/7, 7/9, 9/1, 9/0
Men’s Consolation – 4th Round
Nicholas Kyme d. Ryan Abraham (T&T) 9/0, 9/0, 9/1
Paul Deverteuil d. Bryant Cumberbatch (Bar) 9/7, 9/1, 6/9, 9/6
Charlie Sonson (OECS) d. Bruce Bicknell (Jam) 2/9, 10/9, 9/5, 2/9, 9/1
Josh Pinard (T&T) d. Wayne Burrowes (Jam) 9/10, 9/1, 9/7, 4/9, 9/7
