Pankaj displayed one of
the best billiards to reach into Finals
07 April
2012
In one of the
best recent encounters between two former world champions, Pankaj
Advani of India and Praput Chaithanasukan from Thailand, a classic
display of champagne billiards that had the packed audience at the
Clube Tennis De Gaspar Dias Miramar, Goa virtually on their toes as
they awaited the outcome with baited breath. Finally Pankaj managed
to outwit Praput by 5 games to 4 in the second semi final of the 11th
ONGC Asian Billiards Championship..
Right
from the outset, the match which was billed as the ‘clash of
titans’, expectantly through and through the nine games, it was
a sheer toss up between the two highly skilled cueists. Pankaj was
the first to gain the required high level of concentration while
chalking up an unfinished break of 102 to take the first game.
Praput exhibiting matching skill and temperament rallied superbly to
take the second and third in which he piled up an unfinished 99
break for an early 2-1 lead. Not to be outdone, Pankaj bounced back
with an unfinished 100 break leaving Praput stranded without
scoring. Continuing his fine form Pankaj was once again a picture of
poise and determination as he uncorked 97 in the process of taking
the fifth game to nose ahead by 3-2.
At this stage
the home supporters of Pankaj were thinking that from hereon their
favourite would run away with the match, but the Thai player was not
finished yet. Playing in his usual carefree manner, Praput struck
once again to notch an unfinished 102 restoring parity at 3-all.
The crucial
seventh game was the most pulsating one as Pankaj began piling point
over point after having traded a couple of safety exchanges with his
rival in a patient methodical and calculated manner to reach 96
points, but just when he
needed only four points to close the game, he went out of position.
Having a difficult choice of going for a wild attempt or to play
safe, he pondered and paused before choosing to opt for the second
alternative putting the balls in relatively safe position. But it
was here that Praput showed why he is such a feared opponent, when
he exhibited monumental focus and unmatched craft for an unfinished
break of 101 to gain a vital 4-3 lead.
Had it been any
other lesser mortal he would have succumbed to this pressure
situation, but then Pankaj who is surely made of much sterner stuff,
once again gathered his wits around him to unleash another
unfinished century break to bring the match on a decisive juncture.
The ninth and
deciding game, which was full of tension, anxiety and adroitness
Pankaj scored an useful 71 break in reply to the 46 points gathered
by Praput at the given stage. Subsequently, playing with utmost care
and caution, Pankaj finally closed shop with a well executed cannon
when just requiring one scoring stroke to win.
However,
Thailand had the satisfaction of winning the other semi final match
when Thawat Sujaritthuarkarn from Thailand completely white-washed
the challenge of the other Indian, Devendra Joshi 5 games to nil.
Thawat in fact
has been one of the most consistent and steady performer among all
the contestants on view in this particular championship and it would
be absolutely unwise to right-off this dodgy exponent of the three
ball game when he faces Pankaj in the Billiards final. One can
safely predict a high class contest between the two cueists who will
be on display on Sunday morning.
Earlier
in the afternoon session of quarter final matches in the 13th
ONGC Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship 2012, Zhou Yelong of China
was the toast of the admiring crowd present at the venue even as he
plundered two century breaks, a 111 in the second and a 102 in the
eighth and winning frame to outclass Mohd. Lababi of Iran.
Top seeded and
reigning IBSF World Snooker Champion, Hossein Vafaei of Iran was
hardly in trouble while playing his compatriot Amir Sarkhosh 5-2.
Amir had good chances of winning atleast a couple of more frames but
fumbling on vital occasions he allowed Hossein to comeback and
completes the rout.
In another
match second seeded Noppon Saengkham blanked out the hopes of India
as he thrashed the national junior champion Laxman Rawat by 5-0 in a
tie which saw Laxman reduced to a virtual spectator as Noppon potted
with a degree of aplomb in the process of winning this encounter to
enter the semi final along with Anda Zhang (China), Hossein (Iran)
and Zhou (China).
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