Competitions - Open Singles 2022/23

[tommo III]

Open Singles (Neutral table, double leg games decided by highest total score).

The winner of this competition will be offered the chance to represent the league at the All England singles event

Preliminary Round, to be played by 29/11/2022

Jim Balchin lost to Colin Robbins @ South Park CC

Gary Powell bt Roland Musk @ Salfords Club (LH table)

Dave Constable bt Geoff Jukes @ Garland

Tony Cross bt Genette Nicholls @ Horley CC


Results please to Terry Oakley, Competitions Secretary

[magners]

Wins for Colin against Jim and Gary against Roland (fortunate).

[tommo III]

Open Singles

(Neutral table, double leg games decided by highest total score).

1st Round (to be played by 24th January 2023)
Tony Cross lost to Laurie Roberts @ Salfords Club (Right Hand table)
Colin Robbins bt Gary Powell @ Old Oak
Michael Wilson lost to Abbey Balchin @ Salfords Club (Left Hand table)
Joe Elleson bt Neil Palmer @ Jolly Brickmakers
Alex Hornby bt Tom Pearse @ South Park C.C.
Tracy Guy lost to David Jones @ Garland
Dave Constable lost to Martin Pellett @ Merstham Village Club
Denise Wills lost to Mark Fraser @ Horley C.C.

Results please to Terry Oakley, Competitions Secretary

[billiardsmichael]

Michael Wilson (1710,0*) 1710 - 5400 (3710*,1690) Abbey Balchin

After Abbey had provided a killer blow to Michael to knock him out of the AEBBA U35s tournament in November '22 the Nomads teammates had developed a fierce rivalry. When they were drawn to play in the Redhill Singles their was one thing on Michael's mind... revenge.

Abbey had remarked before the game that the game was going to be played on her "least loved table" but an opening break of 1.5k suggested otherwise. Michael got the break back twice but two sloppy one up shots - leaving them short on both occasions - meant he hadn't caught Abbey. Abbs was next to get the break back and once again accumulated well with a break, "sussex one-up" and then tap-tap in the 50s to add another one and a bit k. At this point Michael was just about 2000 behind but he eventually got the break and the one-up and started about catching Abbey. 100 splits were flying in but at 2.8k he got greedy with a 100 split, miscued it and contrived to plough through the white peg. No worries though, Michael had his break to come...

Abbey had had an excellent first leg, taking her chances and capitalising on Michael's mistakes to get a 2000 lead, but she knew it could be all over in a matter of minutes. Michael started in fine form with splits flying in - the only question was when to tap up and make the game safe? 6k came and Michael started tapping to the 50, but having got both balls down he decided to carry on. 7k and the 100 split whipped - thankfully it avoided the white pegs. Again Michael tried to gently tap up to the ball down the back, but he cleared them and the break was back again. At this point flashbacks to the U35s were creeping in and this caused a mistake, the white whipping out the 50 on the break and landing on the cushion behind the hole. Michael went super passive, having failed in his tap up attempts before, but didn't realise that the RH side of the table (in front of the 50) suffers with a viscous half ball roll to the left... (something which caught both Michael (again) and Tupps out at the Redhill Invitational the following day). This was enough to catch the rim of the 50 and slip pass the white on the cushion! Disaster, 8.5k lost! No matter, there was still nine minutes to go and Abbey now had the pressure on her shoulders to see it over the line. Both players were nervous and were only adding bits, with just a minute to the bar, Abbey held an 80 point lead in the frame, 2080 in total. But then Michael went to mad mode, getting the balls back and flying. he added 1480 as the bar went, and had seven balls left to make 600 points. The split shot was left and six whites were in the tray so after a lot of deliberation Michael played the 200 split then put the break down two more times for another 200 points. So the diff was 200, it was all-or-nothing... for the draw. Despite regularly playing the 200 in practice - often against Abbey - Michael struggled to find the right line, but he then settled for a spot... it was too shallow, far too shallow and the final ball clattered into the black. The onlooking Sleezy looked like he may have seen a ghost, Abbey didn't know whether to be delighted or gutted and Michael decided that he never wanted to draw Abbey again...

Well done to Abs, she took her chances and kept them and deserved to progress - a great win for a player who has had an excellent season and seems to be gaining confidence with every week! As for Michael, well, he took out his frustration with the table by putting up 9.5k and successfully touching against Tupps the next day, a bitter-sweet triumph.

[tommo III]

Open Singles (Neutral table, double leg games decided by highest total score).
The winner of this competition will be offered the chance to represent the league at the All England Individuals event

Quarter-finals, to be played on Tuesday 07/03/2023
Mark Fraser lost to Alex Hornby @ Salfords Club (Right Hand table)
Joe Elleson lost to Colin Robbins @ Salfords Club (Left Hand table)  - p'pd, played Fri 17/3
Abbey Balchin lost to David Jones @ Jolly Brickmakers
Laurie Roberts bt Martin Pellett @ Horley CC



Results please to Terry or Sue Oakley

[Martin Pellett]

Laurie beat Martin

[tommo III]

Open Singles (Neutral table, double leg games decided by highest total score).
The winner of this competition will be offered the chance to represent the county at the All England Individuals event

Semi-finals, to be played on Tuesday 11/04/2023

Colin Robbins bt Alex Hornby 15k-13k @ South Park CC
David Jones bt Laurie Roberts @ Merstham VC


FINAL - played on Tuesday 30th May 2023 (8.30pm)

Colin Robbins bt David Jones  @ Salfords Club, L.H. table

[geoff]

Colin won the toss at South Park and put Alex in. A very steady break and Alex was just under 13 k up after
the first leg. Nicely done. Colin needed to virtually play out the second leg and he did, finishing up with 15k.
Colin through to his first open singles final. A cracking semi, both of them played well. One go each...

[cross]

Dave Jones beat Laurie Roberts Dave through to is first singles final should be a good final .