Squash: Khans lord it over England

The mighty Khans of Pakistan ended England's hopes of reaching the world team final despite two wonderful performances by Peter Marshall and Chris Walker yesterday, writes James Leigh from Karachi. The home country went through to meet Australia, the title-holders in the final with a 2-1 victory, but there was 82 minutes of tenacious defiance from Marshall against the world champion, Jansher Khan, and a 101-minute win for Walker over the British Open semi-finalist Zarak Jahan Khan. Marshall recovered from 3-8 down and saved three game points in the second game before losing 9-4, 9-10, 9-2, 9-1, but Walker recovered from the disappointment of losing a two-game lead and going 4-5 down in the final game against Zarak. The Essex left-hander won 9-5, 9-1, 7-9, 5-9, 9-5 to level the contest at one match all. That left the national champion, Phil Whitlock, with the unenviable task of taking on Jahangir Khan, but even though Jahangir had his right thigh heavily strapped, he was still lively enough to overcome Whitlock in straight games. England play Finland for the bronze medal tomorrow.

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