Squash: Australia made to fight for world title

Australia completed a successful defence of the world team title when they beat France 3-0 in a final with an ill-tempered climax in which two players almost came to blows.

The world No 6, Anthony Ricketts, won the decisive encounter, 9-4, 7-9, 9-2, 8-10, 9-0, against the world No 11, Gregory Gaultier, but the Australian almost lost control in his determination to prevent the Frenchman from blocking his path to the ball.

There were repeated bouts of pushing and shoving and eyeballing, and when Ricketts bundled Gaultier across the court to the wall at 8-9 in the fourth game he was handed a code of conduct warning.

Ricketts and Gaultier then became involved in a wrestling match as to who should get out of the door first at the end of the fourth game, an incident which alarmed the referee, Wendy Danzey, enough to force her from her seat in the gallery on to the floor of the arena.

Danzey spoke to both coaches and then accompanied Ricketts for the length of the court warning him not to be so physical, for which he apologised.

It also appeared to do the 24-year-old's squash some good, because he lost only one rally in the final game as he completed the champions' 2-0 winning lead.

"It was just stuff which happened in the heat of the moment," Ricketts said. "We were both feeling the pressure. I think he was blocking me. But I think I got my point across."