Squash: Bannister back in Top 16

Rod Bannister Photo/File

Wanganui's Rod Bannister helped his Doyle & Associates Accountants team to a 3-0 win in the second round of the Inspire Net Premier Squash Series in Palmerston North on Wednesday night.

Bannister had won his opening game last week but Doyle still lost the tie to Inspire Net 2-1.

On Wednesday, it was clean sweep against Higgins Contractors, who were victorious the week before, with Bannister convincingly beating Wanganui-based tennis professional Victor Romero 11-5 11-2 11-5.

Bannister is the No1 seed at this weekend's Central Masters Squash Open, being held at the Kawaroa Park Squash Club in New Plymouth.

The open is a selection tournament for the upcoming NZ Masters champs being held at Palmerston North in seven weeks' time.

This week, Bannister received an official Top 16 senior men's ranking on the Squash NZ list, some 28 years after last appearing there.

Round 3 of the Premier Squash Series is at the Wanganui Squash Club next Wednesday at 7pm.

Results:

MacDougalls bt GSA Design 2-1.

Stephen Bennett lost to Corbin Faint 11-7 11-3 7-11 8-11 6-11; Blake Koolan bt Brandon Keenan 11-7 13-15 11-6 11-13 11-7; Taylor Leabourn bt Mark Gunning 13-11 11-7 12-10.

Doyle & Associates Accountants bt Higgins Contractors 3-0.

Rod Bannister bt Victor Romero 11-5 11-2 11-5; Min Bristol bt Rebecca Barnett 11-5 9-11 11-7 11-4; Cameron Foster bt Geoff Spence 9-11 11-9 11-6 11-13 12-10.

More FM lost to Inspire Net 2-1.

Ben Calvert lost to Kashif Shuja 9-11 10-12 11-6 3-11; Danielle Fourie bt David Greer 11-7 11-2 11-7; Daniel Foster lost to Brent Foster 9-11 1-11 7-11.

Points: Doyle & Associate Accountants 20, Inspire Net 18, MacDougalls 16, GSA Design 13, More FM 13, Higgins 13.