The draw for the 2006 Brit Insurance Super Series Finals sees Australia's No1 seed David Palmer, the world No2, launch his title challenge against England's No8 seed Nick Matthew in the tournament's opening Fleet Group match at London's Broadgate Arena on Monday 8th May.

Palmer boasts a fine record at the event. The 29-year-old finished runner-up to Peter Nicol on his debut appearance in 2001 before taking the title at his second attempt in 2002. He returned to Broadgate in 2005 after an absence of two years, narrowly losing to eventual champion Jonathon Power in a marathon, 100-minute, semi-final clash.

Matthew will be making his third appearance at the event. He made a stunning debut in 2004, aged 23, trouncing Power and Nicol on consecutive nights in the group stages before going on to take fourth place overall.

Their match on May 8th will mark the sixth occasion on which the pair have faced each other on the PSA Tour - their last meeting being in the qualifying rounds at last year's Brit Insurance Super Series Finals. The current head-to-head tally stands at 3/2 to Palmer.

Joining Palmer and Matthew in the Fleet Group are France's Thierry Lincou, the 2004 Super Series Finals Champion, and Egypt's Amr Shabana, the reigning world champion and current world No1.

Australia's Anthony Ricketts, the 2005 British Open Champion and No2 seed, tops the Harrow Group and is drawn alongside three Englishmen. The 26-year-old faces former world No1 Lee Beachill in his first group match before taking on Peter Nicol on Tuesday, then James Willstrop, England's highest-ranked player, in his final group match on Wednesday evening.

Peter Nicol will be making his farewell appearance at the Super Series Finals in what is his 11th consecutive appearance at the event. Victory would see him equal Jansher Khan's record of four Super Series Finals titles - and earn the 50th PSA Tour title of his career

The draw for the 2006 Brit Insurance Super Series Finals is as follows:

FLEET GROUP HARROW GROUP
David Palmer (1) Anthony Ricketts (2)
Thierry Lincou (3) James Willstrop (4)
Amr Shabana (5) Peter Nicol (6)
Nick Matthew (8) Lee Beachill (7)

Match Schedule:

Monday 8th May
5pm David Palmer v Nick Matthew
6pm James Willstrop v Peter Nicol
7pm Thierry Lincou v Amr Shabana
8pm Anthony Ricketts v Lee Beachill

Tuesday 9th May
5pm Anthony Ricketts v Peter Nicol
6pm James Willstrop v Lee Beachill
7pm David Palmer v Amr Shabana
8pm Thierry Lincou v Nick Matthew

Wednesday 10th May
5pm David Palmer v Thierry Lincou
6pm Peter Nicol v Lee Beachill
7pm Anthony Ricketts v James Willstrop
8pm Amr Shabana v Nick Matthew