ENGLISH EFFICIENCY EGYPTIAN ELEGANCE?
of recent years due to them having learned something from the English?
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surfaces which provide true bounces that allow them to strive for a textbook technique.
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Environmental Factors Be sure that these same principles of learning can be applied to squash. Playing on dusty courts in Cairo would produce a slightly different style of movement most evident in the manner in which Egyptians can slide into the front corners and be constantly ready to adapt to odd bounces. These dusty conditions and irregular bounces may also encourage players to play shots of more variety, as the likelihood of reaping rewards as shots skid on slippery walls and floors allows them to get the upper hand.
Young English squash players practise and compete on very true playing courts and are encouraged much more than their Egyptian counterparts to play line and length first in order to build the rally and ensure a territorial advantage before attacking to the front of the court.
There is currently plenty to boast about (pun intended) for the fans of English squash, particularly in view of Nick Matthew being crowned World No.1. There are differences in approaches and styles between the two nations that have been discussed, debated and even argued about by squash supporters in both countries. Egypt’s ‘big three’, Karim Darwish, Ramy Ashour and Amr Shabana have all been ranked World No.1.
Let’s be clear that these types of arguments are not isolated to our sport. Turn on the television to watch any sport and commentators will talk about the differences in approach used in different parts of the world and pose the same questions.
In cricket it is asked “how does the subcontinent produce more ‘skilful’ batsmen and bowlers?”, whilst in football it is often debated “how can South America produce such artistic dribblers and passers?”
Performance Directors in National Governing Bodies repeatedly ask why their sports are not creating such players despite better facilities – perhaps herein lies the problem.
Spend any time in India and one will notice games of cricket being played in every available space, with genuinely fast bowlers delivering bouncers on dusty, rocky and most certainly uneven surfaces. Ever stopped and wondered whether this would enhance the skills and reactions of batsmen whom traditional English coaches might consider as having a “too wristy and unreliable technique”?
In South America children are on the streets kicking footballs out of melted down plastic carrier bags, or anything they can find that will resemble a football, on all sorts of challenging surfaces. Surely these “inadequate facilities” promote skills and reactions in a different way to the UK? At the same time young English cricketers play and practise on perfect playing
www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine 14 | September 2010 INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE
With the latest scientific input from physical conditioners, an attitude can develop of “why should I risk playing into the front and hitting an error when I can lengthen the rally and wear down my opponent?”. The assumption is then made that when an Englishman plays an Egyptian he will aim to always lengthen the rallies and try to cut down the angles with accurate length, width and tight hitting. Sound like a match-up often seen at the British Junior Open?
Cultural Differences We all know that different cultures produce different outlooks. Talk to Jonah Barrington about what makes Mohamed El Shorbagy, and other Egyptians, so hard to play and he is convinced that it is the lack of any obvious pattern to his game. Watch players from other countries and you will be able to make out patterns in shot selection from certain
Is the Egyptian success
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