Squash: The Marshall plan

PETER MARSHALL is so keen to maintain his climb up the world rankings in the Pakistan Open starting here today that he is prepared to make another trip to the city where he was taken ill on his only previous visit, writes Richard Eaton from Karachi.

The 21-year-old British national champion is ranked seventh and another good tournament could carry him even higher. He has partly been persuaded by the high- quality accommodation available in Karachi and the fact that other European players have travelled here without being sick. 'If they can do it, so can I,' Marshall says.

What no Englishman has been able to do since the mid-1980s, however, is reach the world's top four and this week's draw offers Marshall the possibility of progressing to the semi-final, just as he did in the European Open three weeks ago.

Marshall is seeded to reach the quarter-finals where he should play Brett Martin, a member of Australia's world title-winning team but an opponent whose brilliant stroke-play he may nevertheless be able to wear down.