England end India's campaign ends at World Team Squash

NEW DELHI: India bowed out of the WSF World men's team squash championship after a 0-3 defeat against defending champion and second seed England in Marseille today.

India No.1 Saurav Ghosal put up a good fight in the opener and stretched the world number six Nick Matthew to five games but eventually the British National prevailed.

At two games all and 9-9 in the final game it could have been anybody's match but a wonderful boast by Nick put him ahead and then a 'stroke' felled Ghosal.

The final score read 11-6, 6-11,11-7, 10-12, 11-9 in Matthew's favour.

Harinder Pal Sandhu, who took the court next, could do little against experienced campaigner Daryl Selby. The Englishman gave little away and posted a convincing 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 win to seal the tie for England.

In the dead rubber, James Willstrop doused the enthusiasm of Vikram Malhotra 11-4, 9-11, 11-8.

India will now play for the 5-8 placings matches.

Late last night, Mahesh Mangaonkar did the star turn to help eighth-seed India upset seventh seeded Germany 2-1 to qualify for the quarterfinal

Mahesh, 23, had come on to the court when the score read 1-1 and everything depended on him if India was to progress.

Facing an unsure opponent in Valentin Rapp, Mahesh controlled the volleys and varied the drives to eventually carve out a comfortable 11-6, 11-7, 11-4 win yesterday in 31 minutes to bring joy to the Indian camp.

After Vikram Singh had put India one up with his fluent 11-8, 11-1, 11-8 win over Rudi Rohrmuller, the focus shifted to the clash between the two number one players Saurav Ghosal and Simon Rosner.

It was a close battle with fortunes oscillating either way. Both players traded two games each and in the decisive fifth game, Ghosal looked a spent force.

Rosner ran away with the game and the match 11-9, 4-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-3 to restore parity.