Bob Selby, Wrington Vale Billiards league select team, reported that it was with some trepidation as to what they might be letting themselves in for as the made their way down the M5 towards Exeter to compete in the first ever Billiards match against the Exeter & District Billiards & Snooker League. They need not have been concerned for they played their part equally well in what was to turn out to be a superb day for all. The venue chosen for the match was the Sidwell Snooker Club.
Proprietor Bill Wheland as always, pleased to host such an event. The teams consisted of selected players with handicaps ranging from owe 110 to receive 70. Not planned, but as an indication of the level of importance, sincerity and commitment, both teams fielded their respective President, Chairman and Secretary. These officials along with players of varying ability and age proved to be a recipe for a delightful day of entertaining Billiards.
Twenty five games of 150 up took place with the best breaks coming from Rueben Hurse (Wrington Vale) 66, Peter Wide (Exeter) 63 and 48. Also two eight shots were recorded, in the same game between Syd Snow and Simon Cambridge. As for the result, Exeter 16 games (3405 points) beat Wrington Vale 9 games (3171 points). A snippet from a local report of the match read:- "We feel there were no losers. To be able to meet and play English Billiards against fellow exponents of the game in such a friendly atmosphere was reward in itself."
Wrington Vale kindly donated a fine trophy to be presented to the victors whenever the two leagues meet to play Billiards. A return match is due to take place during the early part of this year and it is hoped this will be a regular fixture on the calendar.
Midsomer Norton's Michael White took the first prize in a one-day Open Billiards Tournament at Keynsham Snooker Centre on Saturday, 3rd March, defeating Chippenham's Phil Davis in the Final. Michael made the tournament's highest break of 96 in this match. Earlier in the day White had recorded victories over Marlyn Howell (Wrington) 257-118, Derek Ellis (Bristol) 339-79 and Tim Bristow (Radstock) 224-175 in the one-hour games. The Keynsham Club plan to stage more one-day Open Billiards events and any interested players can contact Derek Curnow on 01179-861375.
Menheniot's trio of Dave Clue, Barry Hill and Derek White secured the Cornwall Team Billiards Championship when they defeated Looe SC by two games to one in the final. Derek White defeated Peter Booth in the deciding game of 250-up, running out with a break of 100 unfinished.
Bude's Dave White produced an outstanding display of billiards to lift County individual trophy for the fifth time in the last 10 years. He made three century breaks on his way to an 800-373 win over Dave Clue (Menheniot) in the final match at the Bodmin & Wadebridge Electric Social Club, Bodmin on March 7th 2001.
White, who previously won the title in 1991, 1992, 1997 and 1999, was soon into his stride, making a break of 72 at his second visit to the table. He passed the 300 mark with a fine 104 break. Clue, who was champion in 1969 & 1972, replied immediately with a 69, his highest of the match, but was unable to equal White's consistency.
The Bude player enjoyed his most prolific scoring spell both sides of the mid-match interval when he knocked in breaks of 125, 74 and 108—a total of 307 points in three successive visits. His break of 125 fell just three points short of this season's highest in County competition, which was made in an earlier round by Charlie Gay (Redruth RBL). Mr. Cecil Brown, President of the County Association, presented trophies.
The annual Cornish Masters Billiards "Open" was staged at Grants Snooker Club, St Austell on Sunday 18th March with entries from Cornwall, Devon & Somerset. Twelve players played a "round robin" stage split into 2 groups of six players, each game being 45 mins duration, the winners/runner up in both groups progressing to the knockout phase.
After completing 5 matches in the "round robin" stage, Robert Marshall (Devon) qualified as Group A winner with 4 wins, and Dave White (Bude) finished as runner up on a better points aggregate than Bill Andress & Charlie Gay all of whom won 3 games. Brain Harvey (Somerset) qualified as Group B winner, and Derek White (Menheniot) runner up, both players having won 4 games, but, Brian Harvey having a superior net points aggregate.
In the semi final Brian Harvey defeated Dave White 224 (76, 44) -156, after being neck and neck with 5 mins to go. In the other semi final Robert Marshall defeated Derek White 267 (42, 44) - 176. Theoretically, the final should have produced a close contest, but nothing could have prepared the audience for the events that took place.
Robert Marshall only required seven scoring visits during the 45 minutes, (including runs of 63, 98, 46, and 170) to win 438-103. Brian Harvey's total also included a break of 65. On the day there were five centuries, Robert Marshall making 170, 163 & 125, Dave Clue a 131 and Derek White a 114.