So close

Egypt took second place in the World Team Squash Championship. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab reviews a good month for the country

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England won the final of the Men's World Team Squash Championships in Islamabad, Pakistan. The 2-0 success over second seeded Egypt marks the first time England have won the biggest team prize in world squash since 1997, and the first time that Peter Nicol has played a part in an England world championship triumph. Nicol defected from Scotland four years ago to join England's lottery-funded World Class Performance Programme.

It was 22-year-old James Willstrop who set up England's victory on the all-glass court at the Mushaf Squash Complex in Islamabad. The new world number two, who led the England squad for the first time, fought back from a game down to claim a sensational 4-9 9-6 9-3 9-1 win over world champion Amr Shabana in the 63-minute clash between the countries' first strings.

Nicol, who won a Commonwealth Games gold medal for England in 2002 in Manchester, then faced Egyptian number three Mohamed Abbas for the title. Despite scoring only three points, Abbas kept the world No 8 on court for 44 minutes before Nicol raised his arms in triumph after the 9-0 9-2 9-1 win which earned England their third title since 1995. "This is my way of repaying England for all the support they have given me over the years -- the programme, the funding, the coaching, and everything else," said the jubilant former Scot afterwards. "I really wanted this victory badly and am really pleased to have done it," added Nicol, who now holds two world titles this year after winning the World Games trophy in Germany in July.

France clinched third place after beating Canada 2-1. World number one Thierry Lincou was in fine form as he dispatched Canada's Jonathon Power 9-4 9-2 9-2 to extend his unbeaten record in the championships. But Shahier Razik brought Canada back into contention by defeating Renan Lavigne 9-7 7-9 9-7 6-9 9-3 in a 116-minute marathon. However, Frenchman Gregory Gaultier made sure of his country's second best ever finish in the event when he beat Toronto's Graham Ryding 9-2 9-4 9-1 in the decider.

Australia won the play-off for fifth place, beating sixth seeds Malaysia 2-0. The sixth place finish marks Malaysia's best-ever position in the event in 12 appearances since 1979.

Hosts Pakistan also finished on a high, winning the play-off for seventh place by beating Wales 2-1, marking their best finish since 1997.

Also noteworthy was the 11th place conclusion by a young India team appearing in the event for the first time since 1995 when they finished in 28th place.

The US are also celebrating in Islamabad. Seeded in the 19/22 group, the team coached by England world championship hero Chris Walker, beat Scotland 2-1 for 13th place, recording their best finish in 22 years.

The young Kuwait squad, appearing for the 14th time in the event with a squad aged 21 and younger -- finished in a commendable 16th place, their highest ever.

Jack Herrick, chairman of the Professional Squash Association (PSA), announced that the 2005 men's circuit had set another record for prize money. The announcement was made in Hong Kong following the final of the Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Privilege World Open Championships, the tour's premier event.

"The PSA Tour has seen 20 per cent growth for the second consecutive year," Herrick said. "Our tour has easily broken the $2,000,000 barrier and will end 2005 at over $2,100,000. 2006 looks even better to continue this growth rate," he added.

The year reached an unprecedented climax with the three PSA Super Series events taking place in one month -- the $125,000 Qatar Classic in Doha in November, followed by the $170,000 World Open in Hong Kong and the new $127,500 Saudi International which started in Al-Khobar on Tuesday. The Saudi International is the second richest PSA Tour event of the year.

"We are enthused by our results, and our players are especially energised by the prospects for 2006," PSA Chief Executive Gawain Briars said. "The number of players on the circuit is at an all-time high of almost 400, as are the number of tournaments, which now average about three per week."

The battle for New Year's honours took an unexpected turn in the second round of the Saudi International when both David Palmer and Amr Shabana failed to make their seeded positions.

Palmer, the sixth seed from Australia who currently heads the provisional January list, lost out 11-3 11-10 7-11 11-5 in 56 minutes to an inspired display by Egypt's Karim Darwish, the 10th seed. "I think this victory is the best performance of my career," the 24-year-old from Cairo said.

Shabana, the fourth seed playing in his first PSA Tour event since lifting the World Open title for the second time earlier in the month, was unable to master England's Nick Matthew and went down 11-8 11-2 6-11 11-2 to the 11th seed in 41 minutes.

Shabana later admitted that he had twisted his left ankle in the previous round against Welshman Alex Gough. "Today it was very sore and when you play against a player such as Nick, you've got to be 100 per cent to beat him," said the deflated world champion.