By JULIE ASH
Australian David Palmer, the British Open squash champion, and New Zealand's world No 1 Leilani Joyce lead a star-studded lineup in Saturday's transtasman doubles test in Auckland.
Joyce will pair with former world No 30 Glen Wilson in the mixed doubles. Palmer is expected to compete in both the
men's and the mixed doubles.
The test will involve eight mixed, four men's and four women's doubles matches. In a series lead-up, the two countries will take part in a doubles training camp starting today.
New Zealand team manager Wayne Werder said the week would be used as a buildup to next year's world doubles championships in England and the Commonwealth Games.
"There are not that many doubles tournaments around so this will give us the chance to build combinations, improve tactics and provide us with valuable match play."
He said Australia had sent a very competitive men's team.
"It is a very strong lineup. In fact it will be the strongest men's team they have brought over here in ages."
The Australian men's team features several players ranked in the world's top 30.
Palmer is ranked third in the world, Paul Price fifth, Stuart Boswell 17th, John Williams 21st, Anthony Ricketts 25th and Joseph Kneipp 26th.
In comparison, the most experienced player in the New Zealand men's lineup is Wilson.
In the women's competition New Zealand could have the edge with Joyce and world No 20 Shelley Kitchen.
The notable player in the Australian women's team is world No 19 Natalie Grinham. Australia's world No 3 and British Open champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald has commitments in the United States.
The test will be played at the Howick Squash Club, one of only three centres in New Zealand to have movable walls.
The technology allows for a wall to be moved out 1.2m to create the space for doubles.
The New Zealand team:
Men: Glen Wilson, George Crosby, Alan Crome, Nathan Sneyd, Callum O'Brien, Willie Bicknell, Mike Weston, Rick Cartmill.
Women: Leilani Joyce, Shelley Kitchen, Sarah Cook, Lara Petera, Angie Toal, Fiona Dean, Natasha Fowles, Rachel Baker.
