Squash: England aim for a medal

ENGLAND yesterday selected the team who will be expected to win a medal at next month's World Championships in Karachi, writes Richard Eaton. Included in the squad, who are seeded to reach the final, is Phil Whitlock, who became the national champion in a boycotted event in February, and Peter Marshall and Chris Walker, who said they would not play for England unless the boycotters had their way.

The England manager, Paul Wright, and the coach, Jonah Barrington, believe there will be no problems with team spirit even though last season Whitlock was briefly ostracised by some of the rebels. Since then the Squash Rackets Association has agreed that England selection should not depend on participation in the nationals and the SRA's chief executive, Chris Gotla, has departed.

The fourth member of the squad is the former world junior champion, Simon Parke, the only Englishman still playing to have beaten the world champion, Jansher Khan. Another fine performance against Pakistan will be needed because the World Squash Federation has upgraded the host country two places to avoid a meeting between them and the holders, Australia. The former world champions are now with England, Finland and the Netherlands in the strongest group.