England claim silver at the WSF Men's World Team Squash Championship

Howard Harding reports

England claimed silver at the 25th WSF Men's World Team Squash Championship at Salle Vallier in Marseille on Sunday.

Favourites Egypt defeated defending champions England in the final of the WSF Men's World Team Squash Championship at Salle Vallier in Marseille to reclaim the World Squash Federation title they lost to England four years ago in Mulhouse, also in France.

England reached the final for the ninth time since 1983 in comfortable style and presented a line-up for the final boasting three players with more than 300 international caps between them - probably the most experienced team ever to represent the country in the 50 years of the tournament!

By contrast the four-man Egyptian squad only included one player who had ever competed in the championship before - yet the three-man team in the final all had rankings within the world top five.

With the agreed playing order being 1, 2, 3, title-holders England presented three-time world champion Nick Matthew, the 37-year-old world No.6 appearing in the event for the seventh time since 2003, to face 26-year-old world No.4 Karim Abdel Gawad, a championship debutant.

Matthew was clearly not the player who despatched Australian number one Ryan Cuskelly in straight games just 24 hours earlier. The Yorkshireman was forced to take a three-minute 'self-inflicted injury break' midway through the second game - and it later transpired that he had suffered a minor recurrence of his old ankle injury during the warm-up for the match.

After just 34 minutes, Egypt took the lead when Gawad claimed an 11-9, 11-3, 11-7 victory.

Egyptian number two Ali Farag was also making his debut in the final - while English opponent James Willstrop was not only celebrating his fifth successive World Team Championship battle against an Egyptian opponent since 2003, but also his 156th cap for his country.

Former world number one Willstrop, 34, did what he could to keep his 24-year-old opponent at bay - but Farag was clearly on a mission and after 36 minutes clasped his face in his hands as he celebrated his championship-winning 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 triumph.

Nick Matthew had much praise for England's successors: "They were quality opponents tonight - especially Ali against James.

"We knew we had the experience and we hoped that would carry us through, but I didn't quite get into the match.

"We felt we had more to give. We were playing guys at the pinnacle of their careers. We wanted to push them to their absolute limits - we knew we had the best opportunity now before they dominate for perhaps the next decade.

"But we're proud that we are still second best in the world."

On his injury, Matthew explained:

"It was in January 2015 that I was told I needed surgery on my ankle - as a result of which I changed my whole life around: I changed everything on the back of that - my training, my diet, my playing.

"The way I played in the semis against Australia was some of the best squash I've played this season. But I felt a twinge during the warm up. The manner of my defeat gave them the momentum going into the second match."

"But I don't want to overshadow their dominant form tonight."

Commenting on the team's performance, National Coach David Campion said,

"Egypt proved to be too strong. We were looking to Nick to take the opening tie against Gawad to put Farag under pressure. Unfortunately, he sustained an injury which hampered his movement going forward. Farag was faultless against James, they fully deserve their success. We gave everything this week, so we can be very proud of our efforts, but ultimately the Egyptian team is full of quality, therefore congratulations to them!"