Elliott Morris Devred greets a sell-out attendance at Sport Wales National Centre when he played for Welsh Wizards.

Elliott’s Welsh Wizards Hit The Road For PSL Clash

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Cardiff’s Elliott Morris Devred is a Wizard when it comes to squash and he underlined that on his Premier Squash League debut.

The 20-year-old, who joined the professional World tour this year, defeated Coolhurst’s Nick Mulvey 12-10, 11-5 in his opening match for Welsh Wizards and makes his second appearance against Trads@RAC in London this evening (6.30pm).

Morris Devred took over from World number three Marwan ElShorbagy against Coolshurst at the Wales National Sports Arena after the Egyptian had to return home because of a family illness.

“I was called five days before the match and couldn’t have been happier to be given my chance.” said Morris Devred. “To replace the World number three in our team and win.

“It was fantastic to be involved in the opening Wizards match. The team is great for squash in Wales.

“The crowd were brilliant and it was an unreal experience.”

Emyr Evans, Tesni Evans and Morris Devred were the Welsh Wizards winners against London club Coolhurst. PSL matches do not count towards World-ranking points, but Morris Devred, currently at 326, gained major confidence from beating World number 170 Mulvey.

“Playing for Welsh Wizards is the best of both Worlds,” he says. “Team squash and quality opposition. All the players get on great and most of play for Wales. I love it.”

Morris Devred, who won the Wales under-19 title three times, works with coach Nic Birt at Cardiff Squash Club and has since he was nine-years-old.

Wales player-coach David Evans talks to Peter Creed and Tesni Evans.

He joined UNSQUASHABLE in 2018 and uses their Tour-Tec Pro racket.

Wizards play the second fixture of their Premier Squash League season when they take on Trads@RAC in London this evening (Tuesday, 6.30pm).

There are four Welsh players in the Wizards line-up. Tesni Evans, fresh from her success at the US Open when she stormed into the semi-finals, takes on England’s Alison Waters, the former British champion who is just above the Welsh number one in the World rankings at number nine.

Caerphilly-born Peter Creed, who plays out of Rhiwbina SRC, is at number one, Morris Devred plays third string and former British Open champion David Evans will be at four.

David takes on George Parker, the inaugural Rhiwbina Welsh Open champion in 2017.

2017 Welsh Open squash champion George Parker plays David Evans this evening.

Matches for the Trads@RAC v Wizards match tonight (RAC players first): Paul Coll v Peter Creed, Daryl Selby v Edmon Lopez, Ben Coleman v Elliott Morris Devred, George Parker v David Evans, Alison Waters v Tesni Evans

One second round match was played last Friday when Coolhurst were 4-1 winners against Bexley.

Welshman Joel Makin, from Haverfordwest, plays for Birmingham this evening having claimed the biggest scalp of his career in a dramatic straight games victory over World number one Mohamed ElShorbagy at the Channel VAS Championship in Weybridge.

World champion Elshorbagy was fresh from his US Open, but was under pressure from the start as world number 33 Makin combined his typically strong retrieval skills with fine touches at the front of the court.

After conceding the opener, ElShorbagy showed more of his usual aggression as he came back from 9-4 down in the second to force a tie-break, but it spilled over as he received a conduct stroke against him after a disagreement with a refereeing decision, which handed the game to Makin.

That moment proved pivotal as Makin fought back from three game balls down in the third to complete the sensational 12-10, 13-11, 12-10 upset.

Welshman Joel Matkin, from Haverfordwest, plays for Birmingham this evening.

Makin showed great athleticism and strength, both mentally and physically. One brutal rally last four minutes eight seconds – and ended in controversy (see video coverage below).

“It’s massive,” said Makin. “I had a lot of belief and knew exactly what I needed to do. I really had to be disciplined and I didn’t think about his form, just focused on the process.

“If I was going to get into the match, I had to switch it and keep getting the height. I had to be positive and my short balls were better today than they have been. 

“I’ve been working on them for a long time, but they came together. They were three really tight games.”

Makin’s opponent this evening in the Birmingham v Newcastle match is Australian Cameron Pilley.

Results: 

Coolhurst 4 (11), Bexley 1 (3)

1 Greg Lobban 0-2 Mazen Hesham

2 Adrian Waller 2-0 Olli Tuominen

3 Vini Rodrigues 2-0 Bradley Masters

4 Karim Ibrahim 2-0 Curtis Malik

5 Donna Lobban 2-1 Misaki Kobayashi

The rest of the second round fixtures are being played this evening.

Follow the matches on the PSL Scoreboard, with reports to follow at the end of play.

PSL second round, one result and five fixtures:

Friday, October 19:

Coolhurst 4-1 Bexley (11-3)

Greg Lobban 0-2 Mazen Hesham

Adrian Waller 2-0 Olli Tuominen

Vini Rodrigues 2-0 Bradley Masters

Karim Ibrahim 2-0 Curtis Malik

Donna Lobban 2-1 Misaki Kobayashi

Tuesday, October 23:

Trads @ RAC v Welsh Wizards

Paul Coll v Peter Creed

Daryl Selby v Edmon Lopez

Ben Coleman v Elliott Morris devred

George Parker v David Evans

Alison Waters v Tesni Evans

Chichester v St George’s Hill

Tim Vail v Mohamed ElShorbagy

Kyle Finch v Tom Richards

Miles Jenkins v Charlie Lee

Jared Carter v Matthew Broadberry

Alison Thomson v Jasmine Hutton

Bristol v Warwick/Kenilworth Squash

Youssef Soliman v Raphael Kandra

David Baillargeonv Iker Pajares

Mike Harris v Baptiste Masotti

James Peach v Harry Falconer

Joshna Chinappa v Julianne Courtice

Nottingham v Pontefract

Nick Matthew v James Willstrop

Declan James v Chris Simpson

Richie Fallows v Patrick Rooney

Lewis Walters v Abhay Singh

Coline Aumard v Laura Massaro

Birmingham v Newcastle

Joel Makin v Cameron Pilley

Jan Van Den Herrewegen v Alan Clyne

Stuart Macgregor v Rob Downer

Josh Owen v Owain Taylor

Millie Tomlinson v Lisa Aitken

PSL first round results:

September

Tuesday 25: Warwick/Kenilworth v 3 (10), Birmingham 2 (5); Welsh Wizards 3 (9), Coolhurst 2 (4); Pontefract 4 (11), UWE/Elite Sport Bristol 1 (3); St George’s 3 (10), RAC@Tradition 2 (7); Newcastle 0 (0), Northumberland Club/Nottingham University 5 (13); Bexley 4 (11), Chichester 1 (5).

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