Marco Fu shapes Hong Kong's triumph

BANGKOK, JULY 15. Riding on a superlative performance by World No. 17 Marco Fu, Hong Kong beat a spirited Malaysia 4-3, to clinch the Asian team snooker championships here on Sunday.

Marco Fu set the ball rolling for Hong Kong with an emphatic 75- 13 victory over Ooi Chin Kay of Malaysia in the first match. Fu then went on to win the doubles and the crucial decider to seal the victory for his team.

Opening for the first time in the championships, Fu laid to rest the aspiration of Kay with a flourish. It was a bitterly fought frame where seizing the initiative was psychologically important.

Veteran Malaysian Sam Chong, who was seen taking snooker lessons from Indian coach Michael Ferreira just few hours before the final, gave a refreshing performance, beating Chan Kwok Ming, the 1998 Asian Games bronze medallist, to draw parity.

Chong was caught in a cluster of red balls when he tried a difficult red pot in the centre and came out with a break of 52.

The third frame was a battle of nerves between Ng Ann Seng of Malaysia and Au Chi Wai of Hong Kong. The former was extra cautious when he resorted to defensive play instead of going for a slice pot red in the centre.

His cue ball touched the jaw and his opponent gleefully accepted the gift and the game to make it 2-1 for Hong Kong.

In the crucial doubles encounter, Marco Fu and Au Chi Wai took on Sam Chong and Ng Ann Seng with the match delicately poised at 2- 1.

Fu's deft touch was in evidence, when with an individual burst he carried the entire frame on his shoulders. With commendable tenacity, he fired an exhilarating break of 84 and in a hurry he made a foul when his shirt touched the yellow. Otherwise this break would have assumed enormous proportions.

Chong was reduced to watching the proceedings helplessly from the sideline as hong Kong made it 3-1.

In the fifth match, Ng Ann Seng of Malaysia forged ahead of his opponent Chan Kwok Ming and hung on to win a black ball sixth frame. Malaysia was trailing Hong Kong 2-3.

Tension was palpable when Malaysia foughtback to make it 3-3 when Ooi Chin Kay scored a victory in the seventh against Au Chi Wai.

In the decider, when Ng Ann Seng took an imposing lead of 61 points against his more famous adversary Marco Fu, the whole atmosphere became charged with emotions. But, Ann Seng missed a sitter red out of sheer complacency. Fu surveyed the situation and after making quick calculations, came out with an amazing clearance of 62.

The scores: Hong Kong beat Malaysia 5-3 (Marco Fu (Hk) bt Ooi Chin Kay (Mal) 75-13; Chan Kwok Ming (Hk) lost to Sam Chong (Mal) 38-72; Au Chi Wai (Hk) bt Ng Ann Seng (Mal) 59-49; Marco Fu/Au Chi Wai (Hk) bt Sam Chong/Ng Seng (Mal) 84-4; Chan Kwok Ming (Hk) lost to Ng Ann Seng (Mal) 53-60; Au Chi Wai (Hk) lost to Ooi Chin Kay (Mal) 14-76; Marco Fu (Hk) bt Ng Ann Seng (Mal) 64-63).

- PTI

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