European Champions Barker & Matthew To Decide Dunlop PSL Title? by Howard Harding 5 May 2014 -
Just three days after steering England to success in the European Team
Championships in Italy, team-mates Nick Matthew and Peter Barker could
find themselves going head-to-head to decide the 2014 Premier Squash
League (PSL) title.
For the second year in
a row, Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets and Benz-Bavarian
Duffield will contest the final of the world's most prestigious squash
league, supported by Dunlop. But this year, Croydon club Surrey Health
arguably have home advantage when they face the Derbyshire club
tomorrow (Tuesday 6 May) at the Surrey Sports Park in Guildford.
Barker, the world No8
from London, is hoping to lead Surrey Health to title success for a
record fifth successive year - but Duffield, PSL champions in 1998,
2006 and 2007, have the sport's two world champions in their squad -
Matthew and women's world champion Laura Massaro.
"The PSL final this
year is going to be an incredible evening," said Surrey Health team
manager Pete Smith, whose team first lifted the PSL trophy in 2008.
"Two great teams, a great venue, a packed audience and two World
Champions ... what more can a squash fan ask for?
"It is fantastic for
our club Virgin Active Surrey Health & Racquets Club to reach the
PSL Final again this year for the sixth time - and to win the title
again for the sixth time would be an incredible achievement by the team
and a testament of the spirit we have for the PSL competition.
"We are up against a
very strong Duffield team playing with Nick and Laura, the two current
World Champions - but we will approach the match very motivated and we
will want to do well for our travelling supporters. The team are very
excited about the evening and we hope it will be a fantastic advert for
team squash."
The defending
champions will be led by England internationals Barker, Adrian Grant
and Alison Waters - ranked 7, 24 and 6, respectively, in the world -
while Matthew and Massaro, both ranked two in the world, spearhead the
Duffield attack.
Final line-up: Benz-Bavarian Duffield v Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets Nick Matthew v Peter Barker Stephen Coppinger v Adrian Grant Joel Hinds v Adrian Waller Andy Whipp v Davide Bianchetti Laura Massaro v Alison Waters
