BOURNE Club’s Steve Jackson was trying to add to the three titles he has captured in the Over-60s age group when he competed in the 2016/17 Surrey Closed Squash Championships.

The tournament attracted 120 players to The Wimbledon Club, which lies adjacent to The All England Tennis Club. Together with the main event and age-group categories, there were events for players of all standards.

After a particularly hard semi-final, with Jackson squeezing home 15-13 in the fifth, he met old rival David Clarke in the final.

Clarke had cruised through his semi 3-0 and had beaten Jackson last year, but it was the Bourne man who had the edge in the first two games.

Clarke upped the pace in the third to get back into contention and in the fourth, leading 14-9, he needed only one point to level the match.

But that point proved elusive and Jackson won the next seven to take the match and the title.

Kirkland wins clash of number ones

BOURNE Club first team, the halfway leaders in the Surrey Squash League Division 4B, continued their strong form with victory against Dorking II.

Darren Brown, Kevin Ryan, Richard Hargreaves and Mike Perring all recorded comfortable wins for the visitors, but captain Richard Housley lost a long tussle to Scott Sullivan, 15-11 in the fifth. However, the two points he gained ensured 18 out of a possible 19 and consolidated Bourne’s lead at the top of the table.

Bourne’s second team, struggling in Division 6R, desperately needed a win away to Oxshott II.

Both teams were at full-strength and the signs were ominous as Bourne’s David Henderson (3) and Allan Davison (4) succumbed 3-0 and 3-1 respectively.

Could Bourne come back and win the other three matches? Number 2 Steve Jackson, moving up the order, won a close encounter 3-1 and John Mehenick (5) was on sparkling form as he dispatched a handy opponent 3-0.

The match of the night was between the number 1 players, Dan Kirkland for Bourne and James Shattock for Oxshott. Using his mobility and speed, Kirkland came from a game down to master his opponent 3-1.

This clinched only Bourne’s second win of the season and lifted them out of the bottom two.