White lost to Ricketts for the second year in a row

Local hope John White was beaten in a five-game thriller by Australian Anthony Ricketts in the second round of the British Open Squash Championships.

Sixth seed White fell to Ricketts, ranked 11, for the second year in a row at the Nottingham event.

Twice behind in the marathon match, White fought back to forge a 5-1 lead in the fifth game decider.

But Ricketts regained the initiative and, after two match balls, sealed the third to win 11-7 6-11 11-7 6-11 11-9.

"I just made too many errors," said White.

"I was 4-0 up in the third, and 5-1 up in the fifth and I let him back. I just lacked patience at those points and virtually beat myself."

Ricketts now meets Frenchman Thierry Lincou after the second seed beat England's 10th seed Adrian Grant, the Yorkshire-based Londoner 11-6 11-6 11-9.

Egypt's world champion Amr Shabana found his best form to fight back from a game down and beat Canadian Graham Ryding 9-11 11-6 11-9 11-5.

Shabana, who has never before progressed beyond the first round, now meets England's fourth seed Nick Matthew for a place in the semi-finals.

Matthew ended Mohd Azlan Iskandar's maiden run in the event, beating the unseeded Malaysian 11-2 11-9 11-10.

England's Cassie Jackman advanced to the semi-finals with a straight-sets verdict over compatriot Linda Elriani.

The former world number one from Norwich came back from 4-8 down in the opening game to win 10-8 9-3 9-2 to reach the semis for the sixth time since making her debut in the event in 1987.

With a rest day before playing her semi on Friday, Jackman will be a guest of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth when she receives an MBE for services to squash at Buckingham Palace.

On her return, second seed Jackman will face Natalie Grainger, the fourth seed who despatched Egypt's world junior champion Omneya Abdel Kawy 9-0 9-6 9-2.

Grainger, the US number one fighting back to top form after an eight-month lay-off, was in sparkling form.