Fisher sails into final in style

By Avinash Nair

BANGALORE, AUG. 25. It will be Steven Bennie of Scotland vs Luke Fisher of England in the final of the Kheladi.com 12th World under-21 Snooker championship on the morrow.

At the KSBA hall here today, in a best of 15 frames semifinals, Steven Bennie shattered the aspirations of Northern Ireland's Rory McCarrell 8-3, while Luke Fisher, fought off his own uncertainties rather than Kiwi Ben Farnworth's challenge for an 8-2 verdict.

Luke began with a bang and ended on the same note. The third seed from England came into the championships, with a reputation as wide as his smile. And today with the balls rolling well for him, the English lad who intends turning professional in a year or two's time, had enough and more reasons to smile.

Ben Farnworth, from the Kiwiland, the most experienced of the semifinalists with four World under-21 championships already under his belt earned a high seeding of No. 2 for this event, more due to his unbeaten record in the league phase. But then Ben had a relatively easier pool to qualify from. But then the way he warded off the resurgent Thai Kobkit Palajin in the quarters with a black ball play-off in the decider showcased his resolve to succeed at the highest level.

But on this day Ben was clearly outclassed by a player, who displayed a more positive approach with a potting capability, that's second to none in this championship. And Luke likes it when cornered.

Not that he was in any kind of pressure, today. But then the English lad came out firing more in order with the stage of the championship. For a berth in the final of the World event, in itself is a podium that the best two will figure in.

Luke began with a 54 in his very first visit even before the sparse crowd could settle down. And then came up with a clearance till blue for a break of 44 to settle the first frame well in his grasp at 120-1.

A fitting 45 to Ben's 39, followed by a 23 clearance and Luke was on a roll going up 2-0. Ben stood up to the challenge in the third. With some shrewd `safeties' and a couple of breaks of 20's, helped him pull one back. But this was the only frame he won in the six frame first session. For Luke gave nothing to chance. Steady potting by Luke coupled by some uncharacteristic misses by the New Zealander saw Luke go 3-1 and 4-1 up.

In the sixth frame Luke messed up with a pink on the top left pocket which terminated his break of 37. Ben came up with his own clearance of the colours but was baulked by the blue, and Luke wasted no further chance pocketing both the blue and the pink to win the frame and gain a psychological advantage of 5-1 lead going into the break.

On resumption, Ben looked all charged up. After a few unprogressive safety play by both the players, Ben compiled a steady break of 48 in his 13th visit to reduce the margin (2-5). But that was as far as he could go. Though the clean shaven Ben had his chances failed to capitalise while Luke on the other hand improved upon his `snooks' while also showing consistency in potting in good measure to wrasp up the next three frames at a canter. An unhurried 70 (seven blacks) break which Luke missed furthering with a pink on the centre pocket, and Ben congratulated the winner.

The first semifinal looked like going the distance. That was until Steven Bennie the Scottish top seed, decided otherwise. But Rory McCarrell, the unheralded Northern Ireland teenager, playing his first major semi finals, was unfazed and fought for all his worth. By his own admission, Rory played a poor first session. ``I missed a few easy pots and against a player of Steven Bennie's class, one can't afford it.`` True, after rattling up a fine break of 72 in the very first frame which he won 73-17, Rory went into a slumber. And by the time he woke up Steven was 3-1 up.

A 45 in the second was followed by a superb 104, his seventh century break of the championship, and Steven looked unstoppable. His 104 which came in the fifth visit included eight blacks, a blue and a pink alongwith 10 reds was followed by the colours and Rory stifled a grin. A 58 came in the next frame, as easily as one would imagin and Steven was 3-1 up.

The fifth frame encountered some fight. Rory went ahead with a break of 38 and when Steven missed a straightforward red, it looked like Rory would cruise through. But a missed `green' by Rory helped Steven claw his way back into the frame with a 28 and then a superb snook on brown saw Rory `foul and miss'. Steven inched closer with nitty breaks and when Rory missed the yellow, Steven did not. But on the next visit, Rory fouled on green pocketing the pink instead and Steven had nosed ahead. The top seed then got a long brown followed by the blue and pink for the frame at 67-58. With Rory unable to do anything of note in the sixth frame Steven won it with little fuss to enjoy a 5-1 healthy lead at the end of the first session.

In the second as in the first, Rory began with a flourish but could not sustain it much further. Although he won the frame, dropped the next before making amends in the ninth.

But that was as far as he could go, for Steven piled on the pressure with a 39 in the tenth and 49 in the eleventh frames. A despearate 65 by Rory could not alter the course.

lThe results (semifinals): Steven Bennie (Sco) bt Rory McCarrell (N. Ireland) 8-3 (17-73, 79-0, 104-29, 66-24, 67-58, 57-25, 20- 97, 62-48, 56- 64, 62-42, 70-68); Luke Fisher (Eng) bt Ben Farnworth (NZ) 8-2 (120-1, 75-53, 4-69, 86-5, 66-24, 75-37, 7-77, 69-37, 61-48, 70- 0).

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