Devendra Joshi enters semifinals

By Avinash Nair

BANGALORE, FEB. 19. The pretenders from the achievers were demarcated, with the sole exception of defending champion Ashok Shandilya. But then Devendra Joshi had other ideas here on this day, in the Lachmandas V. Kalro National snooker championship at the KSBA hall.

Joshi pitted against Ashok Shandilya in the pre- quarterfinals had more than a point to prove. And this he did it in style albeit a slight hiccup. But then the nerves would tell even on the best of the protogonists.

If the defending champion could be brushed aside with a jiffy in the morning the fate of last year's runner-up in the evening was also up for grabs. And Sarang Shroff, of Maharashtra was at the receiving end. Joshi the soft-spoken Bharat Petroleum Senior Officer, made short work of the favourite Shroff at 5-3. Joshi won 78-59, 71-46, 38-60, 48-36, 13-69, 66-10, 38-67, 77-02.

Yasin Merchant, the favourite for the title now brushed aside the challenge from Rafath Habib of Railways 5-1, while Alok Kumar (Punjab) and Rupesh Shah of Gujarat took the dificult route to the semifinals with an odd frame in nine win over Delhi's Manan Chandra and Punjab's Dharmendra Lily, respetively.

Joshi in the morning playing Shandilya the defending champion was in good touch. But the match was earmarked for below par performances from both. What the two would have achieved nine out of ten times was missed, and the blatant misses proved costly for Shandilya in the end.

lThe results:

Senior snooker (quarterfinals): Yasin Merchant (Mah) bt Rafath Habib (Rlys) 5-1 (73-47, 85-8, 19-76, 71-19, 81-6, 119-6); Devendra Joshi (Mah) bt Sarang Shroff (Mah) 5-3 (78-59, 71-46, 38-60, 48-36, 13-69, 6-10, 38-67, 77-2); Alok Kumar (Pun) bt Manan Chandra (Del) 5-4 (20-48, 27-84, 37-60, 70- 5, 62-23, 66- 39, 39-52, 74-30, 65-55); Rupesh Shah (Guj) bt Dharmendra Lily (Pun) 5-4 (25-85, 71-41, 0-85, 65-26, 14-59, 105- 1, 59-30, 45- 59, 74-64);.

Pre-quarterfinals: Alok Kumar bt Pankaj Advani (kar) 4-0 (65-10, 63-37, 63-31, 78-72); Yasin Merchant bt Omer Balsara (Mah) 4-1 (26-57, 70-11, 60-16, 73-62, 74-2); Sarang Shroff (Mah) bt SIddarth Anand(Del) 4-1 (70-47, 78-34, 36-75, 73-17, 68-33); Manan Chandra (Del) bt Antim Singhi (Rlys) 4-3 (26-59, 67-4, 56- 34, 54-35, 17-49, 22-61, 57-36); Dharmendra Lily (Pun) bt Siddarth Rao (TN) 4-1 (50-73, 63-37, 62-23, 57-56, 73-49); Rafath Habib (Rlys) bt A. Haque (Ori) 4-1 (72-65, 40-61, 70-34, 89-23, 91-24); Devendra Joshi (Mah) bt Ashok Shandilya (Rlys) 4-2 (71- 62, 86-41, 51-23, 44-52, 15-62, 58-40).

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