Date:02/01/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/01/02/stories/2003010203622200.htm

Sport - Billiards & Snooker

Yasin Merchant exhibits his brilliance

By Kirti Patil

Yasin Merchant of Maharashtra in action in his Group C match against Shivam Arora of Bihar in the 69th senior National snooker championship in Jammu on Wednesday. — Photo: Sandeep Saxena

JAMMU JAN. 1. Former Asian champion Yasin Merchant warmed up for the challenge ahead with two table clearances as the 69th National snooker championship came to life with the top league players putting up their show at the Hari Niwas Palace here on Wednesday.

The aristocratic Merchant made few mistakes as he studied the centre table, on which already two century-breaks have been attained.

Opening with a break of 46, Merchant set himself to dominate the proceedings against Bihar's Shivam Arora, in Group `C'.

The Maharashtra cueist exhibited his brilliance in the top table game and the art of breaking the red bunch, immaculately. He potted the black from the spot as a force of habit.

Merchant came up with his first half-century break in the second frame as he decided to clear the table when he led 33-17.

After a black, pink and blue each, Merchant finished the remaining two reds at the top table by supplementing them with two blacks.

He had nicely reached near the baulk line to clear the early colour balls and then moved up to clean up the table. The next was a regulation frame which included, a six-black and a pink compilation for a break of 55.

The former champion was in a full flow from then on. Merchant punctuated a break of 63 from the middle of the table and on the next chance made a table clearance with a 49, for a 90-10, 97-17, 78-1, 112-15 win against Arora.

Also taking part in the show was the defending champion, Alok Kumar.

A key member of the Indian team to the Busan Asian Games, the Cairo World snooker championship, and the Sydney World billiards championship, Alok was in fine touch without even much of practice.

Alok has remained a major force in the Indian arsenal ever since he showed his mettle in both the versions of the game.

Alok had reached both the finals in the Ahmedabad Nationals but was subdued in billiards by Ashok Shandilya.

On Wednesday, the 34-year-old Alok Kumar asserted his class with an opening break of 64, which was later matched by Merchant — the highest so far in the senior tournament.

For his 64, Alok Kumar had seven blacks and a pink as his opponent, Abhimanyu Arora of Jammu and Kashmir, tendered little fight, in a Group `A' league match.

He won the next two frames with ease. Abhimanyu tried to snook the cue ball and even won eight away points. But, that was all the leverage Alok allowed.

He made a break of 53 with five blacks and two blues, and all but won the frame. Arora tried in vain to force more snookers as Alok won 83-11, 57-11, 66-3, 73-28.

Elsewhere, Junior National snooker runner-up Sourav Kothari of Bengal won his second straight league match and primed himself for a knock-out qualification from Group `G'.

After having taken Sandeep Duggal apart on Tuesday, Sourav thrashed Neeraj Kumar of Bihar 4-1 on Wednesday.

Son of former World champion, Manoj Kothari, Sourav has shown immense calibre in both snooker and billiards.

Should Sourav, who made it to the main draw as a qualifier, progresses further, it would give him a big boost. Sourav won 69-28, 73-83, 62-20, 54-10, 60-9.

Fourth seed Rishabh Thukral of Delhi and sixth seeded Shyam Jagtiani of Railways also won their opening league matches. Jammu and Kashmir's Kamal Rohmetra had to fight a long battle to outscore Farooq Ibrahim of Andhra Pradesh, 67-42, 41-74, 28-82, 43-55, 54-38, 74-5, 72-33.

The results:

Group A: Alok Kumar (Pun) bt Abhimanyu Arora (J & K) 83-11, 57-11, 66-3, 73-28; Kanishk Jhanjharia (MP) w/o Parthiv Jhaveri (Guj).

Group B: Jaswinder Singh (Raj) bt Deepak Goel (Har) 71-29, 74-24, 61-18, 24-63, 63-24.

Group C: Kamal Rohmetra (Mah) bt Farooq Ibrahim (AP) 67-42, 41-74, 28-82, 43-55, 54-38, 74-5, 72-33; Yasin Merchant (Mah) bt Shivam Arora (Bih) 90-10, 97-17, 78-1, 112-15.

Group D: Rishabh Thukral (Del) bt Manav Dhawan (Chd) 62-69, 68-8, 83-2, 78-2, 68-6.

Group E: Lucky Vatnani (AP) bt S. T. Bhutia (Ben) 59-18, 44-39, 73-31, 84-28.

Group F: Ashish Dhanda (Pun) bt Anuj Uppal (Del) 55-38, 79-42, 22-66, 60-51, 25-58, 61-56; Shyam Jagtiani (Rly) bt Vinay Katrela (Kar) 87-0, 63-55, 64-45, 70-0.

Group G: Sourav Kothari (Ben) bt Neeraj Kumar (Bih) 69-28, 73-83, 62-20, 54-10, 60-9.