IT IS not every day that a world number-one sportsman takes to a local sporting arena. But at Kings yesterday, the squash courts resounded to the thud of John White’s shots.

White, born in Australia but now playing for Scotland, treated juniors to coaching clinics and seniors to 15min. matches before facing David Evans – a former British Open champion – in an exhibition match yesterday evening.

‘We are doing this for the sport, to develop both the junior and senior level,’ said Evans.

‘It’s a great way to relax away from the tournament circuit and it helps spread an interest in the sport,’ said White, 30.

The senior local players who had a brief time on court were left breathless and sweating, while the professional pair were still pretty fresh even after three matches.

Well, they are at the top of their profession for a reason.

Both men are tall and lean, natural attributes that allow them to retrieve shots out of the reach of normal mortals. White also has an added weapon in his armoury.

He is reputed to hit the squash ball harder than anyone else in the sport. Unofficially, it has been timed at more than 170mph. The ball is a blur until it hits the front wall. And all with the minimum of effort and maximum of technique.

The pair have been in Jersey for a similar exhibition and coaching visit.

Although they are both sponsored by Prince, this was a private clinic, organised thanks to Evans’ link with island squash development officer Peter Bridgeman, who came to Guernsey from Cardiff, where Pontypool-born Evans, 29, is now based.

White’s journey has been somewhat longer. Born in Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia, he moved to Belgium to coach, was based in the Netherlands for a while before he adopted Scottish nationality – his father is a Scot – and then went to live in Nottingham with his wife.

The two players agreed that the British Isles were the ideal base.

‘Lottery funding makes a huge difference. Having access to physios and coaches makes life so much easier for us,’ said White.

‘All the time I was living in Australia, I was in the UK for 10 months of the year anyway.

‘It’s been the case for a while. All the best Australians and New Zealanders years ago were living in the UK for most of the year.’

‘The leagues are based in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, France, so it makes sense to be here,’ he added.

‘In Wales we have had our own lottery funding for the past seven or eight years,’ said Evans.

Victory in the 2000 British Open launched Evans up the world rankings to third, though he has since slipped back.

‘You put pressure on yourself; it’s your living. We’ve all got to pay the bills. You set your own goals,’ said Evans.

‘My aim at the moment is to get back up the rankings because I have slipped down a bit.’

During their exhibition trips, they have been impressed with the level of interest in the sport, though both feel disappointed with the media coverage.

‘It is hard to get the sport on television,’ said Evans.

‘If anything does get shown, it is usually a couple of weeks after the tournament is finished,’ added White. ‘They’ve got to squeeze it in around all the football matches.

‘It’s the same in national papers: if they have 20 pages of sport, 19 of those will be on football.’

The two have had plenty of exposure to other sports. Evans was even an age-group rugby player for Wales at scrum-half.

‘I played rugby until I was 18 or so, then had to make a decision as I was getting injured. So I chose squash,’ he said.

White’s parents, Ian and Lynne, owned a squash club in Australia, but he said that the sport was not pushed too hard at him. He also played cricket and soccer.

‘They had the club from when I was 11 till I was 17, though it was not really thrown at me; I always had a choice. It was not until I was 19 or 20 that I went single-handed on squash.’

White has two young children, but will give them both the opportunity to experience as many different sports at they want.

‘My lad does everything. I will not push him in sport until he knows what he wants to do. I’ve seen enough half-hearted kids who are playing squash only because their parents want them to.

‘By the time he’s 10, he’ll have a better idea.’

During their travels, they have come across a wide variety in the standard of clubs, mostly down to which have received lottery funding, said White.

The pair agree, however, that the sport is well served by club managers and coaches.

‘The time and effort that these people put into the sport with little support are great to see,’ said White.

So, the big question. Who would win a match between the two?

Immediately each said he would, though White was a fraction of a second quicker in declaring his superiority.

‘We would not play all-out,’ said White.

‘It is an exhibition match.’

‘Though it would be different if there was money on the table,’ said Evans.