Alok Kumar overcomes Kamal Rohmetra

By M.C. Raman

CHENNAI, FEB. 25. Twice National champion (1992 and 1994) and twice runner-up (1991 and 1995) Alok Kumar can shake anybody's world upside on his day. So when the spectacled man from Punjab suddenly lost his rhythm and was in the `red' against a lowly Kamal Rohmetra of J & K it was a bit of a surprise for the spectators. But the former champion, who was not well, managed to ward off the threat to win 61-22, 52-53, 72-5, 39-45, 42-54, 60- 20, 77-20 in Group C of the Khel.com National men's snooker championship at Wild West, Spencer Plaza, here on Sunday.

Alok is an unlucky man. A pretty good player with excellent potting with which he stole the show in the ITC international tournament here. Yet his semifinal loss in the National billiards championship recently made him sad as he could not lift his game against the irresistible Ashok Shandilya. Still, there is some consolation for him. As he has finished fourth it may help him take a trip to the World championship in New Zealand if it comes through.

Alok says he has almost two free days to recover and come back fitter to challenge the current frontliners. But the match was dull and every frame was taking a lot of time. Both Kamal and Alok showed no urge. However, the Punjab star was playing at his own pace confidently.

Kamal, a handsome young man, was in no mood to waste the opportunity either. As Alok's breaks were small and the game was in a limbo and Kamal seized every opportunity to stretch the tie. In fact, Kamal fought well against Saleem of Tamil Nadu in the evening too, taking the State No. 1 to sixth frame. Saleem made two good breaks of 54 anad 63 yet he could not wrap up the match. Finally, Saleem recorded a 94-21, 92-15, 70-41, 55-56, 18- 55, 54-22 victory.

Alok was down 2-3 and it looked as if the man would give up because he could only take a few points here and there. However, the former champion's game picked up in the sixth frame as he struck rhythm with a few 20 and 30 plus breaks.

The results:

Group A: Yasin Merchant (Maha) bt Vishal Patel (Guj) 54-19, 74- 17, 66-30, 71-7, B.V. S. Murthy (Kar) bt Vishal Patel 60-21, 57- 26, 61-33, 82-1

Group B: Harish Gandhi (MP) bt K. D'Cruz (Bih) 58-22, 57-20, 58- 13, 66-23, Rupesh Shah (Guj) bt Harish Gandhi 57-30, 69-34, 115- 1, 71-25

Group C: Saleem (TN) bt Kamal Rohmetra (J & K) 94-21, 92-15, 70- 41, 55-56, 18-55, 54-22, Alok Kumar (Pun) bt Kamal Rohmetra 61- 22, 52-53, 72-5, 39-45, 42-54, 60-20, 77-20

Group D: Shankar (AP) bt Rajkumar (Kar) 67-52, 69-33, 44-70, 66- 26, 31-71, 68-32, bt Sanjeev Gupta (J & K) 29-51, 65-5, 60-16, 62-26, 48-54, 58-50, Devendra Joshi (Maha) bt D. Rajkumar 12-59, 70-19, 65-1, 65-24, 69-60, bt Kankan Shamshi (UP) 73-46, 73-21, 86-12, 73-26, Sandeep Dugal (Chand) bt Sanjeev Gupta 52-29, 20- 56, 54-28, 67-27, 62-31, Kankan Shamshi bt Sandeep Dugal 62-22, 50-64, 48-44, 51-63, 16-64, 68-27, 53-45

Group E: Sarang Shroff (Maha) bt George Joseph (Ker) 60-20, 85- 11, 101-18, 72-36, Rishab Thukral (Del) bt George Joseph 9-24, 87-13, 106-23, 98-3, M.C. Manoj (TN) bt Dhruv N. Patel (Guj) 89- 28, 29-56, 69-21, 30-73, 51-49, 66-29

Group F: Manoj Kothari (Beng) bt Mohan George (Ker) 48-41, 79-29, 76-2054-66, 65-20, Omar Balsara (maha) bt Jaswinder Singh (Raj) 56-15, 61-49, 68-39, 65-22, Dharminder Lilly (Pun) bt Srinivasa Rao (AP) 59-20, 68-38, 54-68, 69-10, 72- 30

Group G: Manan Chandra (Del) bt Ravinder Singh (Raj) 76-35, 100- 9, 71-37, 67-34, Antim Singhi (Rlys) bt S.H. Kamaraj (TN) 45-55, 60-20, 78-1, 72-52, 57-13, bt Ravinder Singh (Raj) 65-14, 70-47, 64-10, 68-32

Group H: Rafat Habib (Rlys) bt Chirag Ramakrishnan (TN) 62-19, 61-47, 67-61, 65-60, Md. Asim (Beng) bt Ritesh Shah (Maha) 35-98, 69-61, 42-55, 52-42, 66-27, 69-41, Ritesh Shah bt Manan Nagpal (Har) 61-21, 55-10, 72-37, 66-30, Chirag Ramakrishnan bt Manan Nagpal 67-30, 64-13, 50-69, 50-34, 42-64, 59-51.

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