2014 Commonwealth Games: Australia’s Palmer, Grinham make history

Squash mixed doubles duo upsets Pilley, Brown to reach final.

GLASGOW:

David Palmer and Rachael Grinham became the most successful Commonwealth Games squash players of all time after they upset top seeded Australian compatriots Cameron Pilley and Kasey Brown to make the final of the mixed doubles in Glasgow on Saturday.

The pair each had six medals before the tournament began and are now guaranteed a silver or gold apiece after Pilley and Brown were seen off 11-7, 11-4 in just 29 minutes.

Grinham later admitted she was not even aware that history had been made.

“Really? Is that true? Wow! I never knew, no one told me,” she said.

“I think Grinham dominance was the real standout today [Saturday],” said Palmer.

“I thought she played perfectly, she really dominated. Obviously the girls had most of the balls and she really dominated on the forehand side there.

“It’s hard playing your other teammates. We’re happy but disappointed for them as well and it’s a shame we ended up in the same half of the draw. It would have been nice it that was a final match, but we had to get on there and do our job.”

India fightback sets up Australia final

India will face Australia in a repeat of the Commonwealth Games men’s hockey final from four years ago in Dehli after producing a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to beat New Zealand 3-2 on Saturday.

Earlier, Australia had secured their place in a fifth successive Games final with a 4-1 rout over England.

New Zealand had won all four of their matches in the pool stages and looked well on course for the final, thanks to early goals from Simon Chile and Nick Haig.

However, India rallied just before half-time with a penalty stroke being awarded when the ball had been illegally blocked on the New Zealand line from a penalty corner and captain for the day Rupindeer Singh slotted home.

And the game was turned on its head during a five minute spell early in the second-half as Ramandeep Singh skillfully flicked home a low cross before Akashdeep Singh blasted high into the roof of the net to give India a deserved victory.

Meanwhile, top seed PV Sindhu of Indian was beaten in the semi-finals of the women’s singles as Michelle Li of Canada broke British and Asian dominance at the Commonwealth Games badminton on Saturday.

The 22-year-old was elated after coming through 22-20, 22-20 in a closely-contested match where her policy of relaxing paid off.

“I’m kind of speechless,” said the third seed. “I don’t think we’ve won a medal since 1994 so I’m really happy.”

And, Singapore top seed Gao Ning came back from 3-2 down to make the Commonwealth Games table tennis men’s final with an exciting 11-8, 11-13, 14-12, 6-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-6 win over England’s Liam Pitchford.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2014.

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