Essex pair Peter Barker and Daryl Selby clinched a semi-final meeting in the Bluenose Classic, when both won their quarter-finals in the $50,000PSA International event in Halifax, Canada, last night.
The England team-mates ensured a first Tour encounter since the NetSuite Open over a year ago, after second seed Barker defeated Australian Cameron Pilley 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 in 66 minutes and third seed Selby overcame Botswana’s Alister Walker 13-11, 6-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5 in a 102-minute marathon.
The Essex pair have met nine times on Tour, with Barker leading the head-to-head 5-4, but Selby has won their last four matches, including their 2010 Bluenose Classic semi-final. However, Barker triumphed in their most recent competitive encounter – in the Premier Squash League semi-finals in April.
England’s other representative in the Halifax tournament – Surrey’s Tom Richards – bowed out after a battling performance against Spanish favourite Borja Golan.
The world no.33 edged a hard-fought first game 14-12, but the top seed rallied to claim the next three games 11-7, 11-8, 11-2 and win the 69-minute tussle.
