England's emphatic success

Squash

England's women captured their 20th successive European team championship, defeating Germany 3-0 in the final in Odense, Denmark, last night.

Led by the British champion, Sue Wright, of Kent, England completed their task of again dominating the 17-strong field without dropping a single game. In the final, Wright beat Sabine Schone 9-6, 9-6, 9-5; Linda Charman, from Sussex, defeated Sabine Baum 9-5, 9-3, 9-2, and Jane Martin beat Karin Beriere 9-0, 9-1, 9-1.

England reached their the final by comprehensively defeating a Dutch team coached by Jonah Barrington, the president of the English Squash Rackets Association.

The Irish play Italy for 11th place and the Welsh face Norway for 15th position. Scotland lost 1-0 to the Netherlands in yesterday's third-place play-off.

England's men will meet Wales today, in pursuit of a 22nd win in the 25-year-old championship. It is the first time Wales have reached a European final, and they did so by coming through a strong field of 22 teams. The Welsh have been coached for the last two years by Australia's former world No 2, Chris Robertson.

Wins from Alex Gough, David Evans and Gareth Davies put Wales in with a chance of repeating Scotland's feat, in 1992, and Sweden's in 1983, of denying the Englishmen their title.

The Irish and Scottish men face each other in today's ninth place play- offs.

As Wales' women battled to avoid bottom place in the 17-strong field, the men defeated France 3-1 in yesterday's semi-finals.

Results, Digest, page 28