The Hindu : Shandilya emerges winner

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 25, 2002

Sport

Sport - Billiards & Snooker

Shandilya emerges winner
By Avinash Nair

Pankaj Advani (left) and Ashok Shandilya pose with the runner-up and winner's trophies respectively, at the conclusion of the Om Kotak Mahindra second Asian billiards championship in Bangalore on Sunday. - Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash.

BANGALORE, MARCH 24. Ashok Shandilya is the new Asian billiards champion. The Railway cueist, the current National champion crowned himself with some impeccable top of the table game to weather a fighting teenager Pankaj Advani at 5-4 to claim the Om Kotak Mahindra second Asian billiards title and the winner's purse of $600, at the well attended KSBA hall here on Sunday. Shandilya triumphed 0-102, 28-100, 100-0, 101-6, 2-100, 100-0, 102-0, 29-102, 100-10.

Pankaj Advani, the 16-year-old prodigy from Bangalore and a wild card entrant in the championship, fought for all his worth and at the end sported a smile. Pankaj was beaten by a better player on this day, but surely not overwhelmed. Pankaj emerged richer by the experience and $400.

Going into the final, the burly Shandilya had a score to settle. For it was Pankaj who inflicted the lone defeat on the Railwayman in the league stage. And the way Pankaj started off today, one expected an encore.

It was largely a day of big breaks. And coming as it did in the final (best of nine frames), the excitement was missing. But it must be said that Shandilya recovered and did it well.

Pankaj began with an unfinished 98 in the second visit to blank the champion in the first frame. And in the second too, Ashok rarely looked settled missing a long red and Pankaj seized the chance with a 80 to go 2-0 up.

Ashok had to do something and like a true champion the 33-year-old came up with an unfinished 102. Going for the baulk- line clearance Ashok muffed up at 88 in the next frame but Pankaj could hardly make his mark in the fourth as well. With the frames tied 2-2, the players took a break and that momentary distraction probably told on Ashok. A difficult in-off miss was capitalised by the Bangalore boy who came up with a 65 in his second visit. Ashok answered back in the next with a flawless unfinished 89 and the frames were again tied at 3-3. It was indeed turning into a hot contest.

A steady unfinished 102 in his second visit by Shandilya left Pankaj twiddling in his corner and for once Ashok looked the `master' to lead 4-3.

Pankaj was however not finished. A lucky roll-in by red in the centre right gave the First Pre University student from Frank Anthony Public School (FAPS), a chance to consolidate a break of 77 unfinished, what would have otherwise been terminated at 53. And Shandilya broke into a sweat as a collective gasp showed who the crowd fancied.

The decider however turned a no-contest as Shandilya gave nothing to chance with some masterful touch at the top of the table. The 93 in the second visit by Shandilya virtually took the fight out of the teenager who missed an easy red on the centre. Shandilya was home and dry but the bear-hug that he engulfed Pankaj with said it all. ``He's a champion material. For someone so young the remarkable aspect is his nerves and level of concentration,`` lauded Shandilya about his rival. If he continues this way, there is no two opinion... we have a world champion in our midst,'' praised the Asian champion.

Pankaj too took his defeat in his stride. ``I played my best. But the way he recovered to make it 2-2 and continued the same way, showed he was on top,`` admitted the Bangalore boy.

Earlier, Geet Sethi restored some lost pride with a 3- 1 defeat of Devendra Joshi in the third place play-off. Sethi's 101-77, 101-2, 27-100, 101-87 win fetched him $300 while Joshi, who had a remarkable run in the league but faltered in the semis, earned $200, for his week-long effort.

lThe results: Final: Ashok Shandilya (Ind) bt Pankaj Advani (Ind) 5-4 (0-102, 28-100, 100-0, 101-6, 2-100, 100-0, 102- 0, 29-102, 100-10).

For third place: Geet Sethi (Ind) bt Devendra Joshi (Ind) 3-1 (101-77, 101-2, 27-100, 101-87).

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