- Home
- Other Sports
- Welsh Wizards: “We’Re Going For Premier Title Glory”
Welsh Wizards will be back with more depth and extra quality for the 2019-20 Premier Squash League season.
PSL is the strongest club squash league in the World and Cardiff-based Wizards finished third in their first season, clinching their place with a 3-2 home win against Bexley.
That is a hugely creditable finish for a new team and Squash Wales official Mike Workman said: “We will be back next season – and we’ll be in it to win it.
“Our target is to recruit a team capable of winning any match we go into.
“The support for Wizards in our first PSL season has been immense, both from sponsors and spectators. The atmosphere at home fixtures has been astonishing.
“Now we are planning to step things up again next season – and the work on our team starts now.”
There is a rich Welsh tradition in PSL squash. Leekes Welsh Wizards and Maesteg have both been crowned champions in the past – and now the 2019 Wizards are planning to weave their magic.
Team manager David Evans had a difficult first season with the top signings, Marwan ElShorbagy and Gregory Gaultier, both ruled out over the first half of the season.
Egyptian ace ElShorbagy, a former World number three and currently ranked 11, was able to play in three matches, while French former British Open champion Gaultier missed the whole season because of injury.
Welsh number one Joel Makin, who is ranked 15th in the World, will surely be a target to play for Wizards in 2019-20.
Makin, from Haverfordwest, currently plays PSL squash for Birmingham.
ElShorbagy was joined by four Welsh players for the match against Bexley with Newport teenager Lewis Poole, the number one players at under-19 level in Wales, making his debut.
Poole, aged 17, gained invaluable experience against England’s Jack Mitterer and led 5-4 in the first. He was also close in the second before being edged out.
All of the Wizards players joined in a coaching clinic for 25 children prior to the PSL match before spectators were treated to some World class squash.
World number nine Tesni Evans defeated Elise Lazarus in straight games, while Emyr Evans and Elliott Morris Devred both won.
ElShorbagy was edged out by Bexley’s Josh Masters in a close match, although by then Wizards were 3-1 ahead and assured of victory.
Welsh Wizards 3, Bexley 2
Wizards players first
1 Marwan ElShorbagy (Egypt) lost to Josh Masters (England) 0-2 (11-13, 10-12)
2 Emyr Evans (Wales) beat Diego Gobbi (Brazil) 2-0 (11-5, 11-7)
3 Elliott Morris Devred (Wales) beat Ted Jeal (England) 2-0 (11-6, 11-3)
4 Lewis Poole (Wales) lost to Jack Mitterer (England) 0-2 (6-11, 8-11)
Ladies: Tesni Evans (Wales) beat Elise Lazarus (England) 2-0 (11-6, 11-5)
Other PSL results last night: Coolhurst 1, St George’s 4; Bristol 3, Nottingham 2.
PSL play-off semi-finals: Warwick/Kenilworth v St George’s Hill; Tradition@RAC v Pontefract.
