The below table shows results of the squash matches that have
been played to date in 2007. This is a record of the ongoing
squash contest between Austen and Mark! Squash Match Results menu.
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Squash Games Won |
Squash Match Victories
Running Total |
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Date |
AJ |
MB |
AJ |
MB |
Squash Match
Comments |
18/12/07
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3
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0
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20
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18
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As you can see I've not been as good at keeping up with the squash match result updates as I should have been... so what happened? In a nutshell... we removed the headstart that Mar was getting as his shoulder was (temporarilly) better, I started playing more consistently, Mark's shoulder got worse and he came back too early from a cold. A bit of a disappointing end to the squash year for both of us I think but I'm sure that 2008 will be a different story. Have a good Christmas ;-)
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21/08/07
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0
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3
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13
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17
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I cycled 20 miles to squash rather than the normal 9miles and I was on my racer too which is geared for speed not hills so my legs had had quite a workout by the time that I arrived. That said I don't think it was my movement round the court that let me down it was my shot accuracy (or rather inaccuracy) and general sloppiness which allowed Mark to look really rather good to the point that my score of nil squash games was probably flattering! I have a big bike ride on 2nd Sept (100 miler!) so I'll not be playing squash next week and maybe after that (if I can still walk) I'll be able to settle down into more of a routine rather than trying to push myself training-wise and playing squash too, we'll see! It's looking like 2007 is Mark's now... he has a four game lead with a max of about 14 games left (given holidays etc)... which for me to disappoint him would mean I would need to turn my 'winning streak' of 27% (ha!) over the last 18 games into an authoritative 71% for the remainder of the squash matches... all betting is now closed!
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14/08/07
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1
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3
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13
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16
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Weather man was sure of heavy rain so I didn't cycle (and the skies were clear!)... Mark played with his plan B squash racket and I played with my broken squash racket (out of choice cos it was still better than any of my others!). The strings got a bit spongey towards the end which didn't help... but I'm just making excuses... I missed quite a few 'bread n butter' shots and the 'tin man' wasn't quite as tinny as he could have been (darn!). Good run around though and finished with plenty of energy to spare... think I should have cycled! Mark suggested that we make the squash games up 10 points (rather than 12) and that he gets 2 points head start (instead of 4)... not sure, maybe see how the next game goes.
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09/08/07
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2
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3
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13
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15
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Legs too achy to even contemplate cycling, but felt ok once on the squash court. A very scrappy squash game... i don't think we've had a squash match with so low a shot to serve ratio as this one... maybe this was due to tiredness or just that the serves / returns of serve were so good they couldn't be replied to!? Except for the fourth game when Mark became the 'tin man' he played consistantly and accurately... I did my best to keep the ball in play but there's only so much a guy can do! Despite the score line I think this was another quite comfortable win for Mark who has now won nearly 70% of our last 16 games. My squash racquet broke during the match (THAT'll be why I lost!) in exactly the same place as Mark's broke the match before... I think these liquid metal racquets have a built-in weak-point AND a predefined lifespan! (But I'm getting the same racquet again cos they are light and great!).
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07/08/07
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2
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3
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13
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14
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On the bike again this week but legs feeling tired from Sunday's ride... once I got warmed up at squash though I felt ok but I don't like these 5-gamers when I got to cycle back after! Mark made fewer mistakes than usual and while the overall quality wasn't brilliant we had some good rallies and we both covered a fair bit of distance. Lost the plot in the last squash game and I think it finished 12-4 (or worse?)... maybe I was feeling sorry for Mark having managed to shear his raquet! Legs felt very heavy the day after, even climbing stairs hurt, not been like that for a while! Enjoyable squash contest though!
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31/07/07
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3
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2
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13
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13
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Cycled to cleck again this week for squash... felt good but a little tired, once I got warmed up I felt pretty spritely and fine, Mark had had a late tea which I think benefitted me, think I'll order take aways to be deleivered to his house 8:30pm every Tuesday... some good squash rallies and a bit of back and forth score wise... but, and I think Mark would agree, he gave the last game away with lots of unforced errors. I thought after a 5 squash game session the ride home would be a nightmare... but it wasn't too bad... midnight is a bit late for finishing exercising though!
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24/07/07
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1.5
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3
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12
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13
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(forgive the break in updating the squash results... I'm still blaming TalkTalk broadband but latterly it's been down rubbishness on my part if I am to be wholly honest). We've played three squash matches in the interrim ALL of which Mark has won with varying degrees of ease / convincingness. Mark was quick to point out that there have been a few 12-1's against me... hey ho, started cycling to Cleck again so that accounted for relative apathy during one match... the rest I have to put down to Mark's shot accuracy - like I've said before when he's good he's great!
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07/06/07
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3
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2
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12
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10
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(forgive the break in updating the squash results... blame TalkTalk broadband!!! Anyway I think we've played 7 squash matches since the last update and of those Mark has won 4 and I've won 3... if I'm wrong I'm sure Mark will correct me). Barring the two squash games where I completely folded (didn't get above 1 solitary point!) this was a very tasty match which could in all honesty have gone either way (and probably should!). We had some great squash rallies and we both wanted to win possibly more so than usual which made for a good squash contest. I managed to come from 6-11 behind in the final squash game to win 12-11 (but no unforced errors from Mark when he was on match point!). This was a very long a grueling squash match but very enjoyable, more so than for a while and I'm not saying that because I won.
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17/04/07
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3
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2
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9
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6
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A long hard slog of a squash match this week on a court that appeared to have been preheated by boiling sweaty socks - I guess it wasn't much cooler, or less smelly, after we'd finished! Mark tried playing squash with his glasses on this week, he seemed to be a bit wasteful with his shots at times, I don't know if this was down to his glasses or the ball being faster than normal due to the heat, either way I think it's fair to say that Mark lost this squash match rather than I won it. I just plodded on and got there in the end, I managed to win the last game 13-12 coming back from 1:9 down... bit of a nail biter - I would have been happy about the win if I'd not been so wasted!
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10/04/07
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1
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3
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8
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6
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Well we went from three squash matches in one week to one squash match in three weeks... I know which I prefer! This was an unusual squash game, there wasn't really much in the way of rallies which meant that we got through the series of squash games in pretty much record time. I didn't seem to get started and felt lethargic and badly co-ordinated straight from the off and I struggled to find any motivation. Mark capitalised well and played some good little touches despite being a little careless at times (not that I had ANY room to talk) especially towards the end - a worthy victor! So the 'gap' narrows... hopefully we can get back into playing squash games more regularly now.
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22/03/07
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2
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3
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8
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5
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Wow, the third squash match of the week in as many days! I certainly tired quickly and started the game feeling sore across my chest, shoulders and upper arms from the exertions of the previous two days. I had a good couple of comebacks and think I played pretty well but when mark started to corners (between the wall and floor) then I didn't really have much of a reply. He seemed to be coping better with my serve which added to my woes! Maybe we're better off playing less frequently so he doesn't get used to my game quite so much! Very enjoyable though.
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21/03/07
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3
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2
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8
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4
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A very tight squash game this one, I think both of us were suprised with how energetic we were given that we had played the day before. I aced quite a few squash serves which I think definitely helped my corner.
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20/03/07
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3
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1
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7
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4
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Again quite a close squash match but not as close as last week, this could quite easily have gone to five sets but Mark losing his mark in the fourth set and hitting some 'gimme' shots just out (and I mean 'just' out!). Mark's shoulder seemed to be affecting his play this week too which probably didn't help matters, not for him anyway!
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13/03/07
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1
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3
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6
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4
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A much closer squash match although I'd be stretching the truth if I said it could have easily have gone either way. When Mark's in an 'accurate patch' there's not really much I can do beyond pass the ball back to him so he can serve again! Glad that Mark's now over the flu and his shoulder didn't seem to be acting up as much as it has done recently.
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07/03/07
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3
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0
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6
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3
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After a long 'recovery period' for Mark after his man-flu he ventured onto the squash court and quickly realised that he should have extended it by a further week. Mark spent more time trying to show me the inside of his lungs and / or stomach than he did playing so this was a very hollow victory. I am advised that he feels much better now and so the next squash match should be a proper contest.
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13/02/07
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0
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3
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5
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3
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Err... this finished 3:0 to Mark... I think I blanked this match from my mind v quickly but from the little I do recall it was a frustrating game (for me!) being on the end of a whipping that I couldn't avoid. A squash match best forgotten I think. Move on Jones!
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06/02/07
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1
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3
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5
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2
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An enjoyable squash match, Mark was back to his old self, finding deft shots with ease and making me do lots of running. I missed a lot of 'easy' shots that a fortnight ago I would have put away and I also tended to opt for more elaborate shots (which didn't work out!) rather than my 'bread n butter' shots, making this more of a one-sided affair than it might have been. The fourth, and unfortunately final, squash game went to the wire and I thought I was going to pull it back from 8-0 down but I was pipped to the post on Mark's *fourth* set point... either he didn't want to win or he was just toying with me! I don't think missing weeks helps my squash game, and certainly not if I play badminton instead as limp-wristed shots aren't a good combo for squash!
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25/01/07
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3
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2
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5
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1
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We tried the 12 point squash game option with Mark starting on 4 points... a very competitive, close and long squash match was the result... I enjoyed it very much and the full hour was played at high tempo which I think did us both some good (well I slept well anyway!). I must add that Mark beat (ok, hammered) me 12:0 in the second game... not a pleasant experience to be on the receiving end of! We're going to stick with the existing squash handicap scoring and see how it goes.
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23/01/07
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3
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1
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4
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1
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Sorry that Mark's shoulder is affecting his squash game but pleased that Mark (and his doc) have agreed it's good for him to carry on playing squash, to even things up though we've introduced a handicap system which this week started with 3 points per game. Starting each game trailing 3 points seemed to focus my mind more on each point and make me play more aggressively, I think I played pretty well and I think Mark did too but he was clearly hampered by his shoulder. To make sure each squash game is a reasonable length I think we should adjust the endpoint upwards i.e. play to 12 points and give Mark a 4 point headstart which in % terms is the same as 3 out of 9 but we'd still get to play at least 9 points when Mark wins (rather than only 6)... this would also mean that Mark gets warmed up sooner through the match and would benefit from the 'late flurry' that he usually enjoys! What do you think Mark?
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18/01/07
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3
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0
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3
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1
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Mark's sore shoulder didn't loosen up for him tonight and this resulted in him missing the ball / mishitting the ball quite frequently which would explain the first squash game ending 9:0. We didn't have many long squash rallies but I still got a good run around! Mark found some form after the best of five and won three games on the trot... I think the last game (the sixth), that went to 10:8, was the best and most enjoyable one of the evening. Mark, get a doc to look at your shoulder...
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16/01/07
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3
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2
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2
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1
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A close squash match and lots of running around but not a very good one. Mark was feeling dodgy from the third game onwards which meant there was lots of stopping and starting towards the end. Had Mark have been feeling better I think this might have been a comfortable win for him. The squash game fixed my cold at least.
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10/01/07
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3
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0
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1
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1
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Well I won my first squash game of the year and match too as it turned out. Some good rallies and an enjoyable encounter but there seemed to be more failed returns of serve from both of us than I can remember and this wasn't because we were serving well... maybe we're just shaking off the last of the Xmas cobwebs!
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02/01/07
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0
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3
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0
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1
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I'd planned to gift Mark this match as I'd been struggling with a cold for far too long and was feeling rubbish and thought that a good runarround would 'kill or cure'. To be fair though once I got on the squash court (dosed up with ibuprofen) I felt absolutely fine and my cold didn't affect my energy level, alertness or game (much as I would like the excuse) so this was a solid victory by Mark and a great way to start the year... for him anyway!
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