Goa: Two former world champions Praput Chaithanasukan of Thailand and Rupesh Shah of India played an exciting match on day four in the ongoing 11th ONGC Asian Billiards Championship being held at the Clube Tennis De Gaspar Dias Miramar, Goa.
It was Rupesh who took the lead by clinching the first game with the aid of a break of 58 but Praput was quick to strike back with a break of 55 to win the second and level scores at 1-1. Keeping up the pressure, Praput also took the third. Never the less, Rupesh touching a high level concentration, produced vintage billiards, especially on top of the table, to crack a century break followed with an equally competent break of 96 to pocket the fourth and fifth games nosing ahead by 3-2.
Yet it was the crucial sixth game which actually turned the tide in favour of the Thai. Playing in a slow, calculated and methodical manner, Praput was able to prevail over Rupesh in the sixth game. Rupesh did attempt to make the most of the chances that came his way in the deciding seventh game, but having made 59 attempted to go for a rather difficult cross angular red pot into the top pocket instead of the better option of playing it safe. Praput not the one to let go of such a chance at a vital stage of the match, displayed nerves of steel and a sincerity of purpose in the process of piling point over point in a steady manner for a well compiled unbeaten century break sealing the fate of Rupesh.
On the other table in a match of no consequence, Pham Hoai Nam of Vietnam, nonetheless gave a creditable account of his billiards skills to get past Sasan Lashkari of Iran. Sasan did have his chances when trailing by 1-2 but Pham chipped in useful small breaks to wrest the fourth game and take a vital 3-1 lead. Sasan did well to pocket the fifth game with a break of 49 but soon lapsed into errors. Pham made no mistake in securing the sixth with a good in-off play and spot potting from the red spot to complete the tally.
In the 13th ONGC Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship 2012, taking inspiration from the performance of famed compatriot Hossein Vafaei, Iranian cueist Mohammed Lababi gave an exhibition of solid potting and good safety play to completely outclass Indian youngster Himanshu Jain in straight frames by 4-0. A lot was expected from Himanshu who has been improving by leaps and bounds in the last two months, but up against a very capable opponent, Himanshu had no answer to the game plan of Lababi. As the scores suggest, Lababi was in total command of the situation right from the start, hardly giving any chance to the Indian.
Results (Under-21 Snooker)
Man Ming Wa (Hong Kong) beat HAM Rimzan (Sri Lanka) :: 4-3 (awarded first frame for opponent being late, 16-61, 27-58, 64-08, 29-70, 69-61, 58-26)
Mohammad Lababi (Iran) beat Himanshu Jain (India) :: 4-0 (57-10, 61-36, 73-41, 75-00)
Amir Sarkhosh (Iran) beat Ratchayothin Yotharak (Thailand) :: 4-2 (01-81, 66-53, 42-62, 85-55, 85(53)-00, 57-15)
Mundir Sherazi (India) beat Omer Ahmed Hashem (UAE) :: 4-1 (22-65, 81(65)-00, 72(64)-01, 72-09, 74-21))
Zhou Yuelong (China) beat Khalid Kamali (UAE) :: 4-2 (67-44, 52-66, 126(55)-17, 63-61, 52-60, 83-50)
Results (English Billiards)
Praput Chaithanasukan (Thailand) beat Rupesh Shah (India) :: 4-3 (46-102(58), 100(55)-11, 102-60, 00-100, 00-100(96), 101-89, 101(101)-59)
Pham Hoai Nam (Vietnam) beat Sasan lashkari (Iran) :: 4-2 (58-101, 102-43, 101(79)-55, 100-86, 41-100(49), 103-27)
Dhruv Sitwala (India) beat Suriya Suwannasinh (Thailand) :: 4-0 (102-68, 101-15, 100-15, 100-82)
By Indian Sports News Network
