Harrogate and District Championships

Nicola Pratt came within a whisker of creating history when she came close to winning a squash championship.

For schoolteacher Nicola was competing in a traditionally all-men's competition and she would have run up a bill for additional engraving for the trophy had she taken the title against Ripon player John Bailey.

"The trophy clearly says it's for the Harrogate and District Men's Championships," explained league secretary Dave Cockle. "Until recent years women never entered the competition but of course there is nothing to stop them from doing so. Had Nicola won we would have made amendments saying it was the men's and women's trophy," said the league official.

In a tremendous see-saw battle for the Division Two trophy Bailey took the match 3-9, 9-4, 10-8, 9-10, 9-3.

Division One: Semi Finals: Simon Myring (Harrogate Squash) beat Tony Nowakowski (Harrogate Squash) 9-0, 10-8, 4-9, 10-9; Mark Ambler (Headingley) beat Cameron McMaster (Nomads) walk-over. Final: Myring beat Ambler 9-5, 9-6, 9-4.

Division Two: Semi Finals: Nicola Pratt (Harrogate Squash beat Nigel Lister (Moortown) 9-4, 9-4, 2-9, 9-10, 9-7; John Bailey (Ripon) beat Colin Wilding (Harrogate Squash) 9-3, 9-3, 9-5. Final: Bailey beat Pratt 3-9, 9-4, 10-8, 9-10, 9-3.

Division Three: Semi Finals: Tony Rennison (Ripon) beat Steve Morley (Moortown) 9-3, 9-3, 9-5; Simon Davies (Moortown) beat Paul Fairhurst (Harlow) 9-7, 3-9, 9-6, 9-5. Final: Rennison beat Davies 9-2, 9-3, 8-10, 9-4.

Veterans: Semi Finals: Geoff Mortimer (Moortown) beat Jonty Hawkes (Ilkley) 9-5, 9-1, 9-1; Anthony Kettlewell (Collingham) beat Roger Calvert (Harlow) 2-9, 9-4, 9-6, 9-2. Final: Kettlewell beat Mortimer 9-7, 9-2, 6-9, 1-9, 10-8.

Hambleton Ales North Yorkshire League

Bedale face a tough fight in their bid to win the League's Cup. They have been drawn at home to face holders Harrogate Squash who whitewashed Pateley Bridge 5-0 in the quarter finals.

Squash did not drop a game in their rampage against their Nidderdale foes.

Bedale were skippered to their last eight success by Alan Peirson, who along with Dave Horner and Steve Anderson secured the three rubbers to plot the downfall of neighbours Thirsk 3-2. Steve Snodgrass and Nigel Laws were Thirsk's winners.

Bedale face a mighty task if they are to dislodge the cup holders whose success against Pateley Bridge was achieved with the following scorelines.

Scores: (Harrogate names first): Paul Hotchkiss beat Ben Bolton 9-7, 9-3, 9-6; Dave Townsend beat Steve Ball 9-0, 9-6, 9-5; Mark Harding beat Chris Lennox 9-6, 9-7, 9-2; ;Nigel Heward beat Andy Winspeare 9-5, 9-1, 9-4; Colin Wilding beat Dave Mann 9-5, 9-4, 9-4.

Wensleydale slumped to a 5-0 home defeat against Harlow, only one of their matches going to five games.

Scores: (Harlow names first): Tom Ellis beat Nick Brown 9-1, 9-0, 9-3; Ross Knellor beat Dave Booth 4-9, 9-7, 9-1, 8-10, 9-3; Warren Cunningham beat Gary Hynes 9-4, 9-3, 9-2; Nigel Chambers beat Kevin Solly 9-6, 9-1, 10-8; John Graham beat Adrian Tapling 9-4, 9-4, 9-1.

Harrogate Squash B, who were runners-up last year, were given a walk-over by RAF Leeming in their quarter final, Squash Club's rivals being unable to raise a team.

The semi finals will be played on February 22 with Harlow entertaining Squash B and Harrogate Squash travelling to Bedale.

In the Group Two contest Bedale won 5-0 at Harlow, Dave Wheatley, Andrea Offord, John Nattrass, Simon Phillips and Phil Matthews taing the rubbers.

Harlow beat Squash 3-2, Martin Hall, Sophie Jacob and Nick Hart tipping the match in Harlow's favour. Paul Duncalf won for Squash who also had a walkover.

Wensleydale B went through to the semi-final with a 4-1 away win at Knaresborough and their C team also qualified for the last four with a 4-1 home win against Thirsk.

In the Group Two semi finals Wensleydale B face Bedale while Wensleydale C are away to Harlow, also on February 22.