Yasin Merchant Doubles Classic Snooker Tournament

Islam Gymkhana - Mumbai

14-21 February 2008

Advani sizzles under Pressure

Pankaj Advani addressing Spectators at Prize Distribution Ceremony

Mumbai: Had Lalit Modi been there at the Islam Gymkhana on Thursday evening he would have been converted to snooker and visualised an Indian Snooker League. Four of India's top-ranked cueists produced world-class snooker during a nail-biting final of the inaugural Yasin Merchant Classic Invitation Snooker Doubles Tournament, organized by the Yasin Merchant Fan Club, at the Islam Gymkhana on Wednesday.

Stalwarts Devendra Joshi and Ashok Shandilya, dubbed Dynamic Duo, had put Young Turks Pankaj Advani and Manan Chandra put through the wringer and were leading by 4-3 points in the best-of-nine frame (point-a-frame) final. At this stage ex-world champion Pankaj Advani showed the stuff champs are made of. In the eighth frame he produced a break of 82. Under the tournament rules a 75-plus break earned a bonus of five points (a fifty-plus break had two) which helped Young Turks leapfrog to a 9-6 lead being down 4-6. As if that was not enough Pankaj rammed home the advantage with a break of 72 in the decider for a 12-6 win which gave them Rupees One Lakh prize money.

It was tough luck for Dynamic Duo who had produced classic snooker, both in its positive and negative forms to keep at bay two of the most attractive contemporary players. While Shandilya was laying accurate snookers, Joshi, runner-up to Advani in the recent PSCB event, was in sublime touch with precise potting and positional play.

When Manan Chandra blew a chance to move to 4-2 from 2-all it was Joshi who did so with a 52 clearance to make it 5-2 from 3-2.

Report :: Pradeep Vijayakar