Harvey Round Motors Wanganui is still top of the heap after the fourth round of the Central Premier Squash series.
On Tuesday, the Wanganui premier side travelled to Palmerston North to take on Squash Gym Gold with current New Zealand No 3 and four time national champion Kashmir Shuja asits No 1.
First up for Wanganui was Steven Bennett against A-grader Regan Smith and this was a close match with Smith winning in four sets 11/5, 9/11, 17/15, 11/7. Next up for Wanganui was Arno Benadie who easily accounted for Manawatu farmer Richard Syme in three sets 11/3, 11/4, 11/9.
The No 1s for both sides took to the court with Matt Ratcliffe moving up to play in the top spot ahead of Bennett who had replaced injured Rod Bannister in round three. Ratcliffe had a hard task in front of him, Shuja taking control early. Ratcliffe did fight back in the second set, but still lost in three sets 11/3, 11/8, 11/2.
It was then up to Ant Rountree to level the score against Tyrone Fourie. This was always going to be an evenly matched game. Rountree took the first set easily 11/3. In the second, Fourie came back winning 11/9, before Rountree took control in the third and fourth sets winning 11/3, 11/8.
With the matches tied at 2-all, it came to a points count back with Wanganui winning 126-102.
Harvey Round takes on second placed Tararua on its home courts next Tuesday in the final round of pool play.
