England survived a nervous start in the opening tie in the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment World Junior Women's Squash Championship before crushing Zimbabwe 3/0 today (Wednesday) to maintain an unbeaten run in the in biennial World Squash Federation event in Hong Kong.

England, five-times champions from 1987 to 2001, were originally named as fifth seeds in Hong Kong.  But after impressive runs by members of the squad in the earlier World Individual championship, the team were promoted to second seeds.

However, in the first qualifying clash in Pool B, England were fully stretched by Canada, the tenth seeds.  Sarah-Jane Perry, the 17-year-old second string from Kenilworth in Warwickshire, put England into the lead with a 9-5, 9-6, 9-6 win over Sarah Parsons. 

But Canada drew level when 18-year-old squad No1 Victoria Lust, the British Junior Champion from Maulden in Bedfordshire, lost 9-2, 6-9, 0-9, 2-9 to Canada's Laura Gemmell.

It took a courageous display by Kimberley Hay to give England a 2/1 victory.  The 15-year-old from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who was promoted to third string after reaching the individual event's last sixteen, fought back from 2/1 down and battled for 82 minutes to overcome Jackie Moss 10-8, 7-9, 6-9, 9-7, 9-6.

A straightforward 3/0 win over Japan led to today's third tie against Zimbabwe, the 18th seeds.  A rested Hay led the way, beating Michelle Williams 9-2, 9-2, 9-0, before Victoria Lust clinched victory with a 9-1, 9-2, 9-0 dismissal of Catherine McTaggart

Squad number four Victoria Bell, 17, from Carlisle, made it a maximum points win by beating the Zimbabwean No3 Stacey Plenderleith 9-0, 9-3, 9-1.

In tomorrow's final qualifying tie, England will face pool rivals Germany, the No7 seeds who today lost 2/1 to Canada.

1st Qualifying rounds, Pool B:
[2] ENGLAND bt [10] CANADA 2-1
Sarah-Jane Perry bt Sarah Parsons 9-5, 9-6, 9-6
Victoria Lust lost to Laura Gemmell 9-2, 6-9, 0-9, 2-9
Kimberley Hay bt Jackie Moss 10-8, 7-9, 6-9, 9-7, 9-6 (82m)

[2] ENGLAND bt [15] JAPAN 3-0
Sarah-Jane Perry bt Ikuko Tao 6-9, 9-2, 9-3, 9-3
Victoria Lust bt Misaki Kobayashi 6-9, 9-5, 9-1, 10-8
Victoria Bell bt Mayu Yamazaki 9-0, 9-2, 9-0

[2] ENGLAND bt [18] ZIMBABWE 3-0
Kimberley Hay bt Michelle Williams 9-2, 9-2, 9-0
Victoria Lust bt Catherine McTaggart 9-1, 9-2, 9-0
Victoria Bell bt Stacey Plenderleith 9-0, 9-3, 9-1