Sporting Digest: Squash

The Welsh No 1, Alex Gough defeated England's Tony Hands, the world No 31, in the final of the Expo 98 Squash Cup in Lisbon, Portugal yesterday. Hands, who defeated the world champion, Rodney Eyles of Australia, in the semi-finals, lost in four sets in a 100-minute final. Gough was ranked 31 in the world a year ago but his rise to number six dates from his move to Nottingham as a training base. The 27-year-old from Newport, who is the highest-ranked Welsh player in the history of the professional game, reached the semi-finals of the World Open in Malaysia last year.

EXPO 98 CUP (Lisbon, Por): Final: A Gough (Wal) bt T Hands (Eng) 9-15 15-13 15-10 15-8.

NSC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (Kuala Lumpur, Mal): Final: S Macfie (Sco) bt H Van Hoorn (Neth) 9-5 9-3 9-4.