RESULTS:  British National Squash Championships, National Squash Centre, Sportcity, Manchester

Men's quarter-finals:
[4] Adrian Grant (Kent) bt [8] Simon Parke (Yorks)                          8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 (60m)
[2] John White (Scotland) bt [5] Peter Barker (Essex)                     11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 6-11, 11-3 (54m)

Women's quarter-finals:
[4] Alison Waters (Middx) bt [7] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (Middx)    9-7, 9-4, 3-9, 7-9, 9-0 (70m)
[5] Laura-Jane Lengthorn (Lancs) bt [2] Vicky Botwright (Lancs)    9-4, 9-5, 9-5 (42m)

Lancashire's Laura-Jane Lengthorn landed her maiden appearance in the semi-finals of the British National Squash Championships when she upset her second-seeded county colleague Vicky Botwright in tonight's (Friday) women's quarter-finals at the National Squash Centre in Manchester.

The 23-year-old fifth seed from Preston was in sparkling form, beating local star Botwright, the world number seven from Manchester, 9-4, 9-5, 9-5 in 42 minutes.

Lengthorn secured her career-first win over her north west rival in last November's Wolverhampton Open -  but then lost in straight games to Botwright in January in New York, where she was playing her first tournament after a 6/7 week layoff due to an ankle injury.

"That win in Wolverhampton gave me a lot of confidence - and, under the circumstances, I felt my loss to Vicky last month was a really positive result!

"I've been working hard on my short game recently - and it's really paying off," added the world No11. 

The defeat was a major blow to Botwright, the England No2 on whom local hopes have been pinned for many years - and who has now failed to get past the quarter-finals on five occasions since 2001.

Lengthorn will face Alison Waters in the semi-finals on Saturday.  The fourth seed survived a marathon encounter with Middlesex county team-mate Dominique Lloyd-Walter to reach the last four for the third year in a row. 

The 22-year-old, from Southgate in north London, squandered a 2/0 lead to allow Lloyd-Walter to draw level.  But Waters composed herself in the decider and romped to a 9-7, 9-4, 3-9, 7-9, 9-0 victory over the No7 seed after 70 minutes.

"In the fifth, I had to get in front and stay in front," said a relieved Waters afterwards.  "We play each other a lot and are good friends.

"There are five players left in the event who are capable of winning the title - any one of us has a chance.  I'd love to win the National title - any British player would!"

The two men's quarter-finals produced the predicted semi-final between Scotland's second seed John White and England's No4 seed Adrian Grant.

Former champion Simon Parke, the 34-year-old Yorkshireman who has already spent 169 minutes on court fighting through two rounds to get to the last eight, added another 60 to his tournament tally in tonight's quarter-final battle with Grant.

The champion in 1998, Parke was celebrating the 20th anniversary of his first appearance in the Nationals in December 1987 - as a 15-year-old.  Two decades later, he has notched up 15 Championships' appearances - and his clash with Grant marked his 47th match.

But it was the fourth seed from London who ultimately prevailed, coming back from a game behind to beat Parke 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8.

"I think he was really up for it tonight," said Grant of his opponent. 

"Parkey's biggest strength is being able to raise his game when he's behind - and that’s what makes him so difficult to beat," explained the 26-year-old world No14 who is based in Halifax in Yorkshire.  "He plays his best squash when he's down.

"My focus was to keep up the pressure through the rallies - then I tried to become more aggressive in my play."

White, the game's hardest-hitter, was in powerful form against England international Peter Barker, the fifth seed from Essex.

White led throughout most of the opening game, but his left-handed opponent saved four game-balls to force a tiebreak - which the Scot won. 

At 0/2 down, Barker established a healthy lead in the third game and went on to reduce the deficit - but White, a former world No1 now ranked ten, reclaimed the initiative to run out an 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 6-11, 11-3 victor in 54 minutes.

"I fell asleep at the end of the first game and was lucky to get it in the tie-break," said the self-deprecating Scot, who has never before lost to the Englishman.

"It was definitely the toughest game I've played against him - he's had some good results recently and he's a bit of a danger."

"It would be nice to get another British title under the belt - it would be good for the confidence," said the US-based 33-year-old who won the title in 2004.

Men's semi-final line-up:
[1] James Willstrop (Yorks) v [3] Lee Beachill (Yorks)
[2] John White (Scotland) v [4] Adrian Grant (Kent)

Women's semi-final line-up:
[6] Jenny Duncalf (Yorks) v [3] Madeline Perry (Ireland)
[5] Laura-Jane Lengthorn (Lancs) v [4] Alison Waters (Middx)

For up-to-the-minute news, visit the official website: www.nationalsquashchamps.co.uk