Date:07/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/07/stories/2008030757642300.htm

Sport - Billiards & Snooker

Advani advances

Special Correspondent

MUMBAI: Nagpur’s Shravan Mohta stretched India no. 1 Pankaj Advani to the decider before going down 2-3, Yasin Merchant overcame setbacks in the second and third frames against Lucky Vatnani of Hyderabad before winning the decider in pre-quarterfinal clashes at the Khar Gymkhana-Shyam Shroff Memorial Open Snooker on Thursday.

The results: Group A: Neeraj Kumar (Bihar) bt Kamal Chawla (Rlys) 15-60, 32-61, 66-42, 84-40, 55-46; Pankaj Advani (PSPB) bt Shravan Mohta (Nagpur) 59-36, 67-54, 34-61, 23-59, 76-31.

Group B: Faizal Khan (Rlys) bt Ashok Shandilya (Rlys) 65-50, 72-63, 13-67, 60-28; Aditya Mehta (Mumbai) bt Nikhil Ootam (Mumbai) 65-2, 74(73)-8, 42-66, 78(64)-12.

Group C: Yasin Merchant (Mumbai) bt Lucky Vatnani (Hyderabad) 65-14, 24-67, 1-67, 54-41, 65-17; Rafath Habib (Rlys) bt Hasan Badami (Mumbai) 60-17, 62-42, 58-50; Manan Chandra (PSPB) bt Hasan Badami 67-27, 83(66)-33, 51-55, 89-1; Manan Chandra bt Lucky Vatnani 40-63, 70-5, 95(61)-0, 16-100, 68-39.

Group D: Marzdi Kalyaniwala (Mumbai) bt Sarang Shroff (Mumbai) 101-5, 39-70, 66-42, 64-28; Sourav Kothari (PSPB) bt Rishabh Pandya (Mumbai) 61-28, 21-61, 69-52, 59(41)-62(50unf), 62(48)-30.