Inter-Club Mumbai League for Billiards & Snooker

Report

Malabar Hill Club supreme again
Pradeep Vijayakar

Mumbai: Last year a string of flukes had helped Malabar Hill Club beat superior opponents Islam Gymkhana for the BSAM's league title. This time skipper Rajeev Sharma was determined to win it convincingly. But his side was involved in a cliff-hanger with hosts Cricket Club of India on their home tables on Wednesday night. A packed Wilson Jones billiards hall at the CCI saw both teams being tied 2-all.

CCI's Nikhil Ootam and Malabar Hill Club skipper Rajeev Sharma were involved in a battle of wits. Ootam gave Sharma any number of snookers.Sharma did well to get out of some but when he saw a few difficult pots he was brave enough to go for them. That allowed him to clear the last two reds and with a fine long pink take a lead of 20 points. Ootam whittled it down to two with two colours remaining. At this stage Ootam left the pink on when attempting  safety. Sharma took the offering to clinch the tie and enable his side to retain the title they had won last year  beating Islam Gymkhana. The two met, this time in the semis and Islam lost tamely.

Manav Panchal played the stellar role for the winners winning both his snooker ties. CCI's  two wins came in the snooker doubles and billiards where skipper Kekoo Nicholson beat Kunal Gandhi. Said an elated skipper Sharma: "We had just five players (Adil Engineer didn't play the finals) and in the league we used just four and topped our section. We beat Spring Club 3-0, Bombay Gymkhana 3-1 and Islam Gymkhana 3-1 in the knockout rounds."

The CCI's Badal Mittal was the chief guest. Kekoo Nicholson, the CCI's billiards secretary,hopes cue sports would come into the Olympic Games and give India the gold just as Abhinav Bindra had won at Beijing.''

Malabar Hill Club bt CCI 3-2:

Manav Panchal (plus 45) beat Nikhil Ootam (25) 94-79; Raajeev Sharma / Aditya Kapoor (48) lost to Manish Adnani /Karan Dharnidharka (55)  67-110; (Billiards) Kunal  Gandhi (65) lost to Kekoo Nicholson (65) 106-150; Manav Panchal (35) beat Karan Dharnidharka (50) 104-87; Raaheev Sharma (45) beat Nikhil Ootam (25) 109-92.
 

Semifinal 1: CCI A bt Catholic Gymkhana A 3-2:

 N.Ootam (25) bt Melwyn Mascarehas (45) 96-82; Manish A /Karan D (48) bt Alex D'Cruz/Karl D'Cruz (48) 103-73; Kekoo Nicholson (65) lost to Derek Sippy (65) 107-150; Karan D (50) bt Melwyn M (45) 72-111; N. Ootam (25) bt Karl D (45) 96-68.
 

Semifinal 2: Malabar Hill Club bt Islam Gym  3-1: Manav Panchal (35) bt Hasan Badami (25) 94-80; Raajeev/Aditya lost to Sahil Khan/Abdul Rehman (50) 64-110; Vijay Ahuja (66) bt Haji Usman (60) 150-122; Manav Panchal (35) bt Hasan B (25) 89-74.