Sport
-
Billiards & Snooker
Shandilya is champion
By Kirti Patil
AHMEDABAD, FEB. 1. Asian Games champion Ashok Shandilya won the National billiards title for the fifth time, beating Alok Kumar in one of the most ordinary summit clash ever witnessed in the premier championship.
There was just one century break by each player, as both Shandilya and Alok Kumar played under self-imposed pressure. While Alok had the eye on achieving a snooker-billiards double, Shandilya wanted to regain his throne, especially after Geet Sethi had been defeated.
Early lead taken by Shandilya came in handy as both players struggled to lengthen their visits in the later stages before the time ran out. Shandilya defeated Alok Kumar 1149-899, in a four-hour-long match played in two sessions.
Alok did keep pace with Shandilya till the eighth visit, but the Railways' cueist broke free with his only century break, worth 130 points, and gradually build his score on it.
Later in the afternoon, Devendra Joshi of Maharashtra had the consolation of beating World Champion Geet Sethi, in the play-off for the third place.
Joshi, the champion in 2001, cracked three century breaks, 164, 104, 111, on way to a 735-698 triumph over Sethi. The seven-time World Champion played well, crafting a double century, 209, and 102, but it seemed his heart was not in the game.
Advani achieves grand double
Pankaj Advani completed the formality of beating Mudit Poddar of Bengal, in his last league match of the snooker final and ended the 26th Junior National championship with hand full of trophies. The 16-year-old Advani, emulated the feat achieved in the recent past by Manan Chandra, in 1999, of a green baize double.
Advani's win was all the more special as it came with impressive 3-0 record in the four-player league final, in both billiards and snooker championships.
The results:
Final: Ashok Shandilya (Rly) bt Alok Kumar (Pun) 1149- 899.
Play-off for third position: Devendra Joshi (Mah) bt Geet Sethi (Guj) 735-698.
Junior snooker: Final (round robin league): Pankaj Advani (Kar) bt Mudit Poddar (Ben) 74-42, 62-23, 54-39, 29-60, 67-48.
Ashok Shandilya, who won the National billiards title for the fifth time, beating Alok Kumar in the final in Ahmedabad on Friday. - Photo: Paras Shah
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Sport
|
