Ashok Shandilya posts win

MUMBAI, APRIL 8. In the end, Ashok Shandilya strutted like a champion cueist, though at 104-397 it seemed curtains for him against Rupesh Shah in the qualifying round of the Mega Ace World Professional billiards championship. Shah's steady hands produced small breaks that became bigger in the two-hour entry point match round at the Bombay Gymkhana on Sunday.

But the neat collection of points that put Shah ahead by almost 300 points at one stage was not significant to unnerve a seasoned player such as Shandilya who eventually buried Shah's total with scores of 159 and 248 in two successive visits. Shah hit back with a quick 86, but in the touch and go match, Shandilya was home by 18 points which gave him a place in the main draw of the championship.

lThe scores: Ashok Shandilya 573 (159, 248) bt Rupesh Shah 555 (50, 67, 99, 86); Dhruv Sitvala 484 (80, 79, 55) bt Arun Agrawal 408 (55, 50).

Preliminary round: Dhruv Sitvala 646 (57, 60, 58, 61, 94) bt Ishmit Malik 287.

- Our Special Correspondent

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