CIU INDIVIDUAL BILLIARDS

Semi-final: Neal Rewhorn v Paul Bennett

Batley Carr WMC, Dewsbury

Saturday 7th March 1998

A pre-match examination of the table at Batley Carr WMC raised expectations for an high scoring game, with pocket openings which would still have been considered generous if they were a quarter of an inch smaller! However, an inordinate number of "kicks" and a pronounced "skid" from the newly covered cushions caused both players major problems and brought a premature end to many a promising opening.

With the constant "kicks" reducing the game to something of a lottery, it was Neal who negotiated the conditions the better of the two, and with early breaks of 62 and 68 opened a lead of over 100 points. Paul pulled back with some consistent scoring, including breaks of 50 and 61, and looked like completing the first session with a small advantage. However, with a late break of 81, it was Neal who finished with a lead of 47 points at the interval.

In the second session Paul—with the help of a 62 break— again pulled back the deficit, and by the mid-point had opened a gap of 113 points. But just as it looked as though he may run away with the match, Neal responded with a 90 break to put him right back into contention. Paul again pulled clear with a 53 break, but a final effort from Neal saw him produced the highest break of the match with fine 118, which was all the better in that it had to survive a number of "kicks" in its compilation. This was completed with just 10 minutes to go, leaving Paul 42 points in arrears and facing a double-baulk. In attempting to score, he left Neal with an opening which resulted in another solid break of 49, effectively ending any lingering hopes of a Bennett recovery.

Neal Rewhorn (left) with Paul Bennett and match referee, Eric Hodgkinson.

Semi-final: Darren Kell v Tom Hodby

South Bank SC, York

Saturday 28th March 1998

Darren Kell, who was accompanied by his usual bus full of supporters from the Beechwood Club, took immediate control of the match with several good breaks, including one of 63, to open an early lead of over a hundred points. Tom Hodby seemed to be struggling with the fast table and a sequence of twenty visits from him produced a total of just 25 points. With little opposition forthcoming, Darren pulled away aided by further breaks of 64 and 61 to finish over 300 points in front at the interval.

By the start of the second session, the early speed of the table had slowed noticeably, but rather than signalling an Hodby come-back, this seemed more to the liking of Kell as he began to play even better, displaying the sort of form which won him the title last year. Refreshed by the mid-match buffet, Darren's first visit to the table produced a break of 123, which proved to be the highest of the day. At one stage the break looked like threatening Paul Bennett's 139, made in an earlier round, which still remains the highest of the competition so far.

The contest continued to be disappointingly one-sided with Darren adding breaks of 89, 50, 69 and 64 to record a very respectable average of 23.8 for the second session, and a massive 797 point aggregate win.Tom Hodby seemed unable to produce any sort of form throughout the day, and a break of 32 in the second session was his best in the match.

Interestingly, Kell's match average of 18.2 was identical to that recorded by Neal Rewhorn in the other semi-final, giving rise to the prospect of a closely contested final, which will take place at Greasborough WMC, Rotherham, on 25th April.

Darren Kell (left) with Tom Hodby and match referee, John Saunders.