YAWAR Abbas returned to his home area to lift the men's title at last weekend's Durham and Cleveland county closed championships for the tenth time since 1984.

The ex-Yarm player, who now lives in Cheshire, turned the tables on young David Woodman, who beat him last year.

He used all his experience to triumph 9-7 5-9 10-8 10-8 over the Cambridge University undergraduate in the final, which took one hour and 23 minutes at Nunthorpe SC.

The defending champion from Durham had upset the seedings last year in a five-set final, but Abbas did the same this time, showing good form throughout the tournament.

It was a good effort as most of his time these days is taken up by his duties as squash co-ordinator for Manchester City Council and the Commonwealth Games.

Abbas had comfortably beaten third seed Gareth Lumsdon in the semi-finals, while Woodman knocked out fifth seed Michael Grehan.

Second seed Katy Burgin took the women's title by beating defending champion Katie Clark in a reversal of last year's final.

The teenager added to her ten junior titles with this first senior crown. Veteran Jacky Gardner from Redcar, four times senior champion, was no match for the 17-year-old in the semi-finals.

Results. - Men's final: Y Abbas (Grove Park) bt D Woodman (Camb Univ) 9-7 5-3 10-8 10-8; semi-finals: Woodman bt M Grehen (Army) 9-1 10-8 9-1, Abbas bt G Lumsdon (Sed) 9-7 9-5 9-4; quarter-finals: Woodman bt N Harrison (Nun) 4-9 9-0 9-0 9-4, Grehan bt M Cinderey (Nun) 9-0 9-0 9-2, Lumsdon bt A Ross (Dar) 9-1 9-1 9-1, Abbas bt M Hockburn (Nor) 9-2 9-1 9-4.

Women's final: K Burgin (B'tyne's) bt K Clark (Red) 9-7 9-1 9-7; semi-finals: Clark bt F Sinclair (Sed) 9-5 9-4 9-1, Burgin bt J Gardner (Red) 9-0 9-3 6-9 9-1

Men's plate final: Leon Kirton (Dar) bt M Leech (Nun) 3-2; women's plate final: S Sinclair bt S Hirst 3-1.