Surrey County Veterans, captained by Bourne Club member Steve Jackson, recaptured the National Inter-Counties title they lost last year, after a string of six successive victories.

Surrey overcame Durham & Cleveland in their semi-final to earn a place in the final against Yorkshire, who had beaten Middlesex in their semi.

The final was played at Abbeydale Club in Sheffield and proved to be a nail-biting affair. Surrey were two matches down after strings 4 and 5 lost to their opposite numbers.

Surrey No 1 Hiddy Jahan was in imperious form at the scene of his world championship triumph over squash legend Geoff Hunt. He despatched former Army champion, and long-time Aldershot resident, Robbie Robinson, for the loss of a few points.

Steve Jackson upset the form-book when he narrowly beat former England ranked player, Richard Mosley, 9-7 in the fifth, to keep the match alive.

It fell to Surrey No 2 Andy Wilde to defeat Ian Parke, father of English No 1 Simon Parke.

It looked as if Surrey would slide to a quick defeat when Wilde went 2-0 and 7-3 down in the third set.

However, Wilde staged a stirring fightback to triumph 9-6 in the fifth, and Surrey had recaptured their veterans' title.