Round the Regions: County News

The B.&S.C.C Inter Counties Team Billiards Championship 1991

Cleveland take Title in a great day's competitive billiards

The Semi-Finals and Finals were held on Saturday, 6th April, 1991, at the Echo's Snooker Club, Loughborough. The first semi-final saw Yorkshire v Cleveland, two very strong sides, with the Yorkshiremen possibly slight favourites. It didn't work out that way, Cleveland won the match by nearly 400 points.

Yorks v Cleveland (yorkshire names first)

Cleveland beat Yorkshire 803 - 431

The second semi-final started with Wessex strong favourites to beat Merseyside. Chris Lloyd gave the Widnes men an excellent start and there was little in the match between Tony Done and Mick White. Paul Dunning went into the final hour with Brian Harvey with a 149 points advantage. Brian Harvey made ground but Dunning held on and a fine 80 break just about clinched the matter but not before Harvey played out time with 88* to reduce the gap to 64.

Merseyside v Wessex (merseyside names first)

Merseyside beat Wessex 794 - 730

The Final was quite an exciting affair. Lloyd was not able to give his team the start that he had done in the semi going down to Cuthbert by 189. David Causier played well enough but Tony Done had a great game and won by 104 to give Paul Dunning a fighting chance in the last game. Dunning responded with breaks of 79 and 50 in a 46 point win over Tony Mackinder. It was just not quite enough, Cleveland taking the championship by just 39 points.

Cleveland beat Merseyside 830 - 791

North-West Team Billiard

No holding the WSC

The Widnes Snooker Centre won the competition beating Liverpool's St. Sylvester in a good final at the Liverpool Snooker Centre. Format 5 games of 150. Widnes men Graham Lloyd and Elwyn Roberts beat St. Sylvester's Malcolm Riding and Frank Church whilst WSC's Tom and Dave Barton were beaten by Tom Burke and John Sweeney. Arthur Johnson won the last game against Joe Maloney with consecutive breaks of 38 and 43* to give Widnes the Championship.

The Merseyside Championship

Close Calls for Seddon

There was a very pleasing entry of 36 players. S. Wilkinson (134), P. Dunning 109), and G. Seddon (119.142) made century breaks. The event was won by Geoff Seddon but not without some difficulty. Geoff beat Paul Dunning by only 29 in the Semi and, though having a break of 142 in the Final, beat Tom Burke by only 13.

Notts Amateur

Tom Martin of the Sherwood Institute beat the B.Q.R. Editor. T. T. opened well enough with 72 and 60 to take a good lead but Martin fought.back well to take the Title 500 - 380.

Lincolnshire Championship 90/91

Father v Son Final

This must be unique. Has any reader ever before heard of a Father v Son county billiards final?

Last year's Lincolnshire Championship was played over the season on a home-and-away basis and attracted only 5 entries.

It was won by Mike Leach of Spalding. This years tournament was played off in one day, 24th Feb, at the Boston Snooker Centre, and there were 12 entries. Arthur Reeve had twice before been in the Final losing both to Bill Watson. Arthur's son Andy was playing in the event for the first time; both Reeves are well-known on the Mini-Prix circuit.

Southern Counties Billiards League

Colby sets the pace

The League seems to have got off to a good start. Trinity Hall Club, Henley, are making the early running with captain Terry Colby having already made two centuries, 161 and 104. G. Willis (Banbury) R. Watts (Exeter) John Smith and T. Scott (Wyvern) have all had 90 breaks. There are eight teams in the League. Teams comprise three men playing matches of one-hour on a round-robin basis.

Derbyshire

Consolation for McCann : Beetham still winning

Jim McCann had an unhappy time against Peter Shelley in the English Amateur but gained some consolation by successfully defending his Derbyshire Amateur Title beating Malcolm Gregory at the Clay Cross Snooker Centre.

They have a Plate Competition in Derbyshire which was won by - yes Herbert. Beetham's range of Championship triumphs is pretty wide to say the least. From the World Amateur to the Derbyshire plate is a long way but where there is billiards there you will find Herbert Beetham and long may it be so. Derbyshire Plate H. Beetham 300 - M. McArthur 183 What - Snooker as well! (By just one point) In the Derbyshire Combined Doubles Jim McCann has been on the winning side 7 times. Three times with Malc. Gregory, three with Nigel Bond, and one with Mick Hill. It seems that Herbert thought that it was about time that a stop was put to all this. Together with partner Ray Murfin of Derby he reached the final to confront the mighty McCann and partner Hill. Murfin beat Hill 60 - 32 in the first frame. McCann beat Beetham 200 - 150 in the billiards. Jim's partner thus went into the second frame with a 22 point lead. It all depended on the last two colours. Murfin got them to win the match by a single point.

Derbyshire Combined

Snooker

R. Murfin (Derby) beat M. Hill (D. Dale) 60-32. 63-40.

Billiards

Beetham and Murfin beat McCann and Hill 273 - 272.

The Midlands Amateur Billiards Championship

A welcome revival of the Midlands Championship which has not been held for a good few years. Midlands Area billiard players should be grateful for all those involved in the revival including particularly John Smith of Cheltenham, The Warwickshire and Midlands Association, and Malcolm Lax for the bright idea of staging the Finals at Cubbington (together with various Midlands Area snooker finals) in the week following the Amateur Championship. There was an excellent entry of 26 players and this number is certain to increase next year. Competition details will be published in the B.Q.R. at the appropriate time.

With Peter Shelley and Ken Shirley in the field the tournament was not going to be an easy one to win.

Congratulations to Malcolm Lax on being the first, "New" Midlands Champion. One way or another Malcolm has had a pretty good year.

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