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Mumbai :: 17 August 2014
Patel fires two
century breaks
Shooters blank Scorpions
Former world professional No. 7 Nalin Patel fired two impressive century
breaks for an explosive start to the inaugural Videocon Billiards Premier
League, organized by the Billiards & Snooker Association of Maharashtra,
at the Bombay Gymkhana on Sunday.
Patel, the captain of Tigers, kicked off his team’s campaign with a
delightful break of 115 against Prashant Mhatre of SP Young Guns who later
rallied to a 3-1 lead to ensure a win, before Patel, playing with a
handicap of -175, hit 116 against Kishore Laungani in the fifth and final
tie. SP Young Guns earned four points, while Tigers earned two.
In other matches, V. ‘Raja’ Subramanian of RK’s 7, The Rakish Kings
snatched a shock 100-95 win over World Team Championship gold medallist
Ashok Shandilya of SPG Billiards Punters in a thrilling decider, while
Prabdeep Singh stunned Nalin Patel in the decider to lead WJ Genii to
another pulsating 3-2 win over Tigers.
Patel’s effort and a 122 by Australian Open bronze medallist Siddharth
Parikh of RRockets, lit up an opening day of largely one-sided encounters
as MB’s Shooters were the only team to win all their five ties that earned
them a maximum eight points including two bonus points for a clean sweep
against Scorpions.
Playing with a handicap of -20, Kirit Rayani gave MB’s Shooters just the
start they needed when he rallied from a 40-point deficit with a crucial
break of 31 to beat Loukic Pathare in the 100-up opener.
It was MB’s Shooters all the way but not before they endured
come-from-behind wins in the exciting doubles and final singles ties.
Scorpions pair Farhad Tengra and Philip Daniel frittered away a winning
opportunity in the second tie when they needed just three points before
Amit Sapru and Shekhar Krishnan, needing 15 points, changed the script.
Tengra potted the white to remain one point away from a win before he
double baulked Sapru, who sneaked out with a side-cushion cannon that
paved the way for an unfinished break of 15.
World Team Championship silver medallist Dhruv Sitwala returned from
Glasgow to beat Aditya Agrawal to make it 3-0, while Vishal Madan hit a
break of 69 to prevail over Sanjiv Bijlani for 4-0. Trailing by 40 points
in the decider, Sitwala also sneaked past Tengra.
Needing 19 points, Tengra double baulked Sitwala who returned to pot the
red from the cushion and went on to fire a decisive unfinished break of 61
with a slew of brilliant shots to leave Tengra stranded.
Results: MB’s Shooters bt Scorpionas 5-0; Tigers
bt SP Young Guns3-2; SK’s Kannon Kings bt SPG Billiards Punters 3-2; WJ
Genii bt Race for Gold, The Team 4-1; RRockets bt RK’s 7, The Rakish Kings
4-1; MB’s Shooters bt SK’s Kannon Kings 3-2; RK’s 7, The Rakish Kings bt
SPG Billiards Punters 3-2; Race for Gold, The Team bt Scorpions 3-2; SP
Young Guns bt RRockets 4-1; WJ Genii bt Tigers 3-2.
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News Desk
Cue Sports India
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