I had lost my way,but squash changed me

Squash can change your life,just ask Englishman Joey Barrington. Only seven years ago,Barrington was struggling to cope with...

Squash can change your life,just ask Englishman Joey Barrington. Only seven years ago,Barrington was struggling to cope with an alcohol problem that had virtually ruined his life at the University of Birmingham.

He would get up,just get through the days proceedings and go to bed high. It got so bad that the university warned him hed be kicked out. That changed everything. Barrington took to squash and hoops,and starting from scratch,he is now ranked 26th in professional squash.

I had lost my way completely, the 29-year-old told The Indian

Express after going out of the PSA Masters 10-12 11-9 7-11 11-9 11-9 to Ong Beng Hee in the opening round at the Bombay Gymkhana on Sunday. Then my father,Jonah,who is a legendary squash player,told me to try the sport again, Barrington said.

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That did the trick. Squash is quite competitive and I love that. I had almost lost interest in life,but squash has changed me. It is a great lifestyle sport and it gives me the opportunity to travel, Barrington said.

The English player also has degrees in Sports and Exercise Science and Philosophy,but squash is closest to his heart. I used to play squash as a kid and I played some junior event from ages 9 to 11,so it was possible for me to get back to it, said Barrington,who had also played cricket for the under-15 England school team. I toured West Indies once with the England school team. I used to be a fast bowler and then come batting at No 6,which allowed me to hit hard.

Then a back injury ended his association with cricket suddenly. It troubled me that I had to give up playing, Barrington said.

Squash,though,has turned his world upside down from the time he begun taking it seriously in 2002. But his world No 26 ranking doesnt satisfy Barrington. My best ranking so far has been 24,in January 2007. But my aim is to break into the top 20.

Ritwik crashes out

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Ritwik Bhattacharya,it seems,has found playing the dual role of an organiser and player difficult to carry out to perfection. While he has succeeded in bringing the thrill of a big squash event to India,he said goodbye to the tournament as a player on Sunday. The world No 148 went down tamely to No 13 Englishman Alister Walker 11-4 11-5 11-3.

I wasnt very quick today, Bhattacharya said. I think I fell short on practice due to my other responsibility as an organiser but I did manage to deliver on that front, the 30-year-old said.

Earlier,top seed Frenchman Gregory Gaultiers poor luck continued as he went down to Englands Daryl Selby 10-12- 11-1 13-11 6-11 6-11.