Round the Regions

Merseyside Billiards Championship 1991-92

Excellent win for George Tinsley

This year's Merseyside Championship attracted 32 players. With entrants of the class of Tony Done, Geoff Seddon, and Bill Dennison, amongst others, George Tinsley did very well indeed to take the title. The prize money was a not inconsiderable £100 for the winner, £59 for the Runner-up. £25 for the semis and £10 for the highest break which was won by Geoff Seddon with an effort of 108.

Congratulations to George Tinsley

Notts Amateur Championship

Tom Terry gets lucky

This championship is invariably won by Tom Martin, Malcolm Pilkington, or Tom Terry. This year was the BQR Editor's turn when he beat Tom Martin of the Sherwood Men's Institute 500 - 385 at the Potters Club, Rainworth, Notts. The game was fairly even until Terry by a series of incredible flukes scored 112 and 50 in consecutive visits for a comfortable win. There was a very poor entry and it is hoped that this championship may go open next year if a bit of sponsorship can be obtained from somewhere or other.

The Sandford Orcas Billiards League

The news from Dorset is very encouraging. The Sandford Orcas league is still going strong with some 80 players regularly taking part. The playing format is quite interesting. The games are of 150 up and a player scores 1 point when he reaches 100, a second point at 120, a third at 130, a fourth at 140, and a fifth for 150 i.e.for a win. The total possible number of points a team of four players can score is therefore 20. For a 20 - 0 win all the players in one of the teams would have to score less than 100. This hardly ever happens. The league is run on a handicap basis and handicaps are adjusted - plus or minus 5 - after every league game. League secretary Roy Foster would be interested in scoring and handicapping formats from other leagues and BQR will be pleased to publish details.

B.&S.C.C. County Championship

Yorkshire again

The B&SCC County Championship Finals were played at the Spondon Snooker centre on Sunday, February 23rd.

The event was won by Yorkshire and, in the light of recent events, Yorkshire may well be the very last winners of this event. It is possible of course that the County Championship may re-emerge, "under new management."

Yorkshire beat Cleveland.;Wessex beat Cornwall

Yorkshire 890 beat Wessex 552. Yorks lost the first game by 82 points but Steve Crosland won by over 200 to give Mark Hirst a 148 start on Brian Harvey in the last game (1 hour.) Harvey is a quick scorer but it was a tall order against a player of Hirst's ability. The Yorkshireman played a very solid game to see the Tykes home.

Southern Counties League

As reported in the last issue, the League was won by Exeter. The Southern Counties Individual Championship was held on February, 16th, and won by Martin Goodwill. There was a high quality field many of the best amateur players in the country taking part. Phil Davis did very well to get to the final having a particularly good win in the semi beating Dick Watts who had had two centuries in earlier rounds. Goodwill was a little too good for Phil and the Amateur Champion had a fairly comfortable win. Goodwill's semi v Dave Burgess is described by Tony Glew as the match of the day. Terry Colby took the plate prize against some pretty tough opposition.

Watts and Andress had century breaks. The match between Clarke and Beard could hardly have been closer. Terry Colby is a good player but had a bad draw.

The Plate was won by Terry Colby who beat David Bean 278 (97) - 143.

Midland Counties League

Results to March 14th show Stafford leading with 22 points from 3 matches. Wyvern have 21 from 4. Next best is Rugby with 12 from 3. Stafford have a very strong team, Peter Shelley, Ken Shirley, and Tony Keeling. Wyvern are themselves pretty strong with Terry Scott, John Smith, and Mick Painter. The Midland Counties does not perhaps have the strength in depth of the Eastern Counties but many well known amateur players are competing. These include - amongst others - Richard Ingram, Neil Rewhorn, Dick Hashman, Malcolm Lax, and Ellis Lloyd. John Smith reports:- The latest round of matches saw favourites Stafford beat their nearest Challengers Wyvern 6-3.

Wyvern looked like providing an upset when they led 3 - 1 and took the lead in games 5 and 6.

Consistent scoring from Peter Shelley and a break of 107 from Tony Keeling squared the match after which Stafford took control to win 6 - 3. It was a fine match with two hundred breaks and nine other breaks over 50.

Wyvern's hopes of a big win over Nuneaton were thwarted mainly by league newcomer Neil Rewhorn who had breaks of 104,71 and 62 to win all of his games.

Rugby and Wyvern fought out a tough match the visitors eventually winning by 5 games to 4. Though Ellis Lloyd and Trevor Scott both had breaks in the eighties neither of them won the match in which the break was made.

Banbury's 5-4 win over Shrewsbury was largely due to Graham Wills being unbeaten, Roger Davies won two games for Shrewsbury and had a 74."

Best individual performances to date are by Peter Shelley with 9 wins from 9 games, and John Smith with 9 from 12. Highest breaks - Ken Shirley 116. Tony Keeling 107, Peter Shelley 107, Neil Rewhorn 104.

BQR suggested that a match between representatives of the Eastern Counties league and the Southern Counties league would be interesting and could be billed as for the, "Champion League." It seems that this match will take place and details will be published. It is possible that the Midland Counties, and the Yorkshire league will want to have a say in this next year.

Teesside

Michael Westthorp came within seven points of beating the 16-year-old record score of 349 when he amassed a half-hour total of 342 including a break of 89. The Teesside boys goes from strength to strength and the latest venture is that of making a visit to Clacton, Mike Russell's base, to play a snooker match against players from the Clacton Snooker Centre. It's a safe bet that there will be a little billiards played as well.

Lucky Lee Lagan

One of the most promising of the present crop of Teesside boys is Lee Lagan of the Ormesby Institute. The Cleveland County Council Community Development Grant Sub-Committee have a pot of £10,000 which is used to aid promising youngsters in their chosen sport. Lee made an application which was supported by the Boys Billiards League and became the lucky recipient of a £1000 grant which will provide him with funds to cover coaching and entry fees and travelling expenses to competitions. Lee's half-hour match average this season stands at 247 - an average which many players would regard as not too bad for hour games. He hold the 15-year-old record half-hour score of 404 made in December 1990. Lee is a regular century break maker and his ambition is eventually to become a professional player. All enthusiasts will wish him the best of luck.

Well there you are, Good luck to Lee Lagan. All sorts of people get grants these days for all sorts of differing activities in the arts and in sport - so why not billiards? Lee has played in one or two Mini-Prix and has been a semi-finalist. We shall probably be seeing much more of him now. (Ed.)

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