Amateur Billiards Circuit: Leeds

Star Snooker and Social Club. Leeds

Sponsored by Websters Brewery

8th December, 1991

Crosland beats Goodwill The very best of Amateur Billiards

The fourth, "Amateurs Only," held in Leeds, attracted 38 players and produced billiards epitomising the very essence of the Amateur game, indeed the very essence of billiards itself. Close matches, fighting come-backs, big breaks, and all in a great sporting spirit. The Star is an excellent venue for such a tournament though, oddly enough, there was no significant local entry. Considering the nearness of Christmas and some foggy weather, the turnout was not at all bad. The A.B.C. circuit will surely become - together with the English Championship - the major platform for the Amateur game.

The draw threw together two of the best players in Ken Shirley and Peter Shelley, Shelley, in great form, coming out on top this time. An interesting game was that between top amateur Brian Harvey and 18-year-old Jamie Moore of Nottingham. Harvey won by only 63 and praised his young opponent. Moore plays in the Notts Institutes League, he is a rapidly improving player and off his league handicap is very difficult to beat. Of his last three games with the B.Q.R, editor he has won two.

The B.Q.R. Editor might have provided the upset of the round if he had any brains. He played a rather good cannon which brought the balls very nicely to a middle pocket. Only twenty or so behind and with just minutes to go there was an excellent chance of snatching the game except that, as the balls just about finished rolling, a bell sounded. The foolish person poked the balls away as he turned to shake hands with his opponent only to be told that the noise was that of a nearby telephone and not the bell and that he had made a foul stroke. There was a fine game between David Causier and Bill Andress. Causier made a 165 in a total of 449, but the redoubtable Bill had a couple of breaks and scored over 300 himself in a match aggregate of 768. The closest game was that in which Malcolm Pilkington beat Graham Willis by just 7. Phillip Johnson had a nice 51 against Gerry Tutt from Nottingham.

Amateur Champion Martin Goodwill put the brakes on David Causier, whilst Causier's Teesside companion Lee Beck gave Malc. Pilkington a fright by coming back from well over one hundred behind to lose by just 9. There were other close games. Crosland, the eventual winner, had an 84 break but won by only 14 against Leeds Alan Orton, whilst there was not a lot between Harvey and Ridlington.

The match of the round was that between Harvey and Shelley. The Stoke man made all the early running and got a good lead, but Harvey fought back strongly to lose by a mere 10. Ellis Lloyd's win over Alan Firth was even closer, just 7 despite a 73 from Ellis. Crosland and Goodwill were both, "On song," making century breaks, Goodwill two.

Goodwill was expected to beat Ellis Lloyd and duly obliged. Lloyd had had a good tournament. Shelley - Crosland was anybody's game on paper but, in the event, Crosland was a comfortable winner.

As often happens in one-day events, the final did not quite live up to expectations, especially in view of the finalists' form in previous rounds. Both players failed when in position and neither had a particularly good run of the balls. Steve Crosland just came out on top this time.

Leeds Plate

It was not Arthur Johnson's day - a loser by 4

A century break in the Plate is quite unusual, this time there were two as travelling companions Andress and Watts both topped the hundred. There were some close games, young Moore came a cropper against Benny Veriato.

There were no great surprises. Phil Welham had a good score as did Bill Andress. Dick Watts had more good breaks.

Both games were right in doubt to the very last shots; both were very good games, hard fought in a great sporting manner.

Andress v Watts must have played each other dozens of times down in the West-Country, but in a one-day competition plate final, has this happened before? All the way from Exeter to Leeds is a long way for a half-hour game, but when it's a Final - well! And what a game. It was very obvious that neither of them wanted to lose this one. Hard fought all the way it was Bill who came out on top but by a mere 18 points. These two would face the long journey home well satisfied.