A match-up between two of squash's top stars was supposed to be the highlight of the Docksiders World Class Exhibition but local boy Nick Kyme did his best to grab the limelight.

At a sold-out Bermuda Squash Racquets Association on Friday night the crowd, it is not unfair to say, had turned out to see the main event, world number two Dave Palmer against number three John White, rather than the warm-up act of Kyme against Gary Plumstead.

But Kyme, in his first year as a professional, made sure he would be talked about afterwards after overcoming his long-time adversary Plumstead for the very first time.

Plumstead is the Caribbean champion and Kyme has never beaten the South African in around 20 meetings, both official and unofficial.

After losing the opening game 13-15 it seemed like the match might go true to form but Kyme fought back and prevailed in the next three 15-11, 15-12, 15-7.

“I was fired up,” said a delighted Kyme afterwards. “I knew I could do it, I just had to concentrate.”

In the Caribbean final in Barbados in August, the 22-year-old had taken one game off Plumstead in a losing cause and he said he used this is as catalyst in front of a home audience on Friday.

“I've been close to him before but only in practice and to take a game off him in the Caribbean gave me a big boost of confidence because I didn't think I played that well down there,” he said.

“I had a definite game-plan, but I've always had one when I play him, it's just that I didn't have any mental breakdowns which normally hamper me from implementing the game plan,” Kyme added.

“I was able to play my game and so I didn't have to try to play balls that he was hitting comfortably. I was keeping him under pressure.”

Some might say that Plumstead simply had an off day and to some extent Kyme agreed, though he believed he played a major part in that.

“I would say that I've seen Gary play better, but I know his game so I knew that if I could make him rush his shots then he would make mistakes,” he said.

At the end of the day it was only one match and there was no silverware to show for it, but for Kyme it was a result of significant importance.

“The result means a lot because beating Gary any time is huge,” he said. “You know that he is always going to give one hundred percent and he really hates to lose, but also it proves to me that I have been making progress and that I am on the right track training wise.”

Meanwhile, Australian Palmer, a Bermuda resident, and White, an Australian who represents Scotland, put on a performance just as good as the opener.

Palmer, who missed out on playing in the Bermuda Open last year after going down with appendicitis, rushed into a 2-0 lead over White, beaten semi-finalist in that event. But White fought back to level to set up an intriguing deciding game which Palmer eventually won 15-14.