WITH Evesham unable to field a full team, the advantage was with Malvern from the start - and did they need it!

MALVERN SQUASH CLUB 3, EVESHAM II 2

George Leeds was never able to subdue the mobile Richard Chinn and Robin Broad now playing at number three found himself matched with Gray Wilson, normally an ally in the county vintage team. Given the quality of squash served up by the Evesham man it was indeed surprising to find him so low in the order, for he absorbed Robin's game with ease and produced devastating winners of his own. Many an opponent can testify to the ferocity of his reverse angles from deep in the back hand corner.

So it was left to the home team's top two, Kevin Sandercock and Nigel Long to revive Malvern's flagging fortunes. Kevin looked decidedly rocky as Martin Whiting took the second game 9-5, but his energy and determination got him back on track to a 3-1 victory.

And then, finally, Nigel Long played Martin Kiff, a supremely fit and fast opponent and their match produced some of the best squash seen this season. Time and again Martin engineered winning positions only to find Nigel flying across to turn the tables.

In the second game some taxing rallies saw Nigel retrieving from all parts of the court as Martin built up a 6-2 lead but all confidence evaporated as that advantage was whittled away. Having lost that game 9-6 Martin had little more to offer.

RESULTS: Nigel Long bt Martin Kiff 9-5, 9-6, 9-2; Kevin Sandercock bt Martin Whiting 10-8, 5-9, 9-5, 9-6; Robin Broad lost to Gray Wilson 7-9, 2-9, 0-9; George Leeds lost to Richard Chinn 1-9, 1-9, 0-9; Lorraine Wilde - Walk over.