Top Essex junior Elise Lazarus, who has taken a short break from tournament squash over recent months, will be wearing county colours again this weekend when she plays at the Premier Inter-County Finals at Wimbledon Racquets Club.
The Redbridge player, currently ranked England number one Under-15, will line up alongside captain Lauren Briggs, Sophie Lemom, Keeley Taylor, Sarah Neller and Lauren Selby at the two-day event where eight men’s and eight women’s teams represent their county in a monrad tournament to see who will be crowned Kings and Queens of County Squash.
Essex also has a current junior player in the men’s event. Richie Fallows who became European Under-19 Champion last month. He’ll play two string behind Ben Coleman while Jack Jago, Rory Pennell and Youssef Abdalla make up the team.
Here’s a preview currently running on EnglandSquashAndRacketball.com
Men’s Teams:
Durham & Cleveland, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Oxon, Surrey, Sussex, Yorkshire
Surrey, playing in their back yard; will be aiming for an unprecedented fifth consecutive title and an incredible 13 wins out of 15; and with Joe Lee ranked in the World top 30 and Charles Sharpes British Under 23 Champion, they seem well equipped to do so.
Hertfordshire could be their closest rivals headed by World 26 Adrian Waller and the experienced Chris Ryder. Richie Fallows, part of the recently victorious England side in the Junior European Team Championships will be 2nd string for Essex, behind World 79 Ben Coleman. Kent look strong throughout with Ben Ford and Steve London leading the way.
Veterans bolster the other teams, Scott Handley and Mark Cairns for Oxon, the two Tims’ Garnerand Vail for Sussex, with Simon Parke for Yorkshire.
Durham & Cleveland could find the going tough at this level but will look to Yawar Abbas andAndrew Cross at the foot of their order to get points on the board.
Women’s Teams
Cheshire, Essex, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire, Surrey, Warwickshire, Yorkshire
It could be double delight for Surrey as their Women will be one of the favourites, despite their tender years. Nada El Kalaawy (18) –England team mate of Richie Fallows leads the line, with Harriet Ingham, (22) and up and coming junior Alison Thomson (18) backing her up.
Holders Cheshire also look strong with a mixture of youth and experience led by World 27 Emily Whitlock and captained by stalwart Kirsty West. Essex are led by Lauren Briggs and will showcase one of our brightest junior prospects Elise Lazarus who plays with a maturity way beyond her 14 years.
The Holt sisters Leonie and Jemma form the backbone of a Warwickshire side that could well be in the mix as could Gloucestershire led by Julianne Courtice. Yorkshire will rely on experience withKirsty McPhee, Claire Walker and Andrea Santa Maria. Another talented youngster Lily Taylorheads Leicestershire.
Kent could well struggle in this company despite having U19 nationally ranked 3 and 10 Georgina Kennedy and Amelia Henley at the top of the order.
Match Times:
Saturday
Round One from 10.00
Round Two From 15.30
Sunday
Play Off from 10.30
Finals 12.30
With free admission this is a wonderful opportunity to watch a very high standard of team squash
Wimbledon Racquets Club, Cranbrook Road, Wimbledon SW19 4HD
http://www.wimbledonclub.co.uk
