Radiant Grand Slam

First Series - Third Leg

Fine Performances from Agarwal and Patel

Baulkline Rule thwarts Chapman's chance of sensational victory

The Concluding legs of the First series Grand Slam and the First leg of the second series got under way at the Radion Plaza Club, Sheffield, 2nd - 4th September. The format was the best of 7 games - 150 up. A 100 point baulkline rule was introduced for these matches. This meant that during the course of a century break, the cue-ball had to be played over the baulk line and a stroke played from hand did not count. Thus, if a player complied with this rule with his very first scoring stroke, for example by making a cannon which caused the cue-ball to go over the line, then, in general terms, he could continue the break to 100 before having to cross again. The referee was obliged to warn the player when he had made eighty points without a crossing. It is possible to envisage some hairsplitting situations but in general the rule worked well enough. Its introduction was an attempt to curb the 150 run-out and make the games more interesting. In practice it had little effect on the results except in one remarkable instance where it likely prevented the biggest upset of the week. In his deciding game against Geet Sethi, Roxton Chapman embarked on a top-of-the-table run which promised to oust the World No.l who had not looked quite his dominating self. The Peterborough professional was warned at eighty but left his attempt at crossing to the last permitted stroke. He attempted to pot the red, take the cue ball into baulk leaving what would have been a simple in-off into a top pocket followed by a drop-cannon. Chapman was playing so well that he would have been odds-on to run out. The cue ball just stopped short of the line thus constituting a foul stroke. A much relieved Sethi had the balls spotted and ran to game to avert this potential remarkable upset, keeping himself on course for a hat-trick of Radiant victories and the attendant bonus. Indian players Subhash Agarwal and Nalin Patel performed excellently to beat respectively Close and Dagley.

Results

Second Series - First Leg

Alex Higgins showed rather better form in his second game making his withdrawal from the World Championship all the more the pity. Norman Dagley was again beaten, Agarwal playing very well. David Rees had another disappointing match and has yet to show anything of his ability. Scottish Professionals Hugh Nimmo and David Seddon performed creditably, Seddon doing particularly well to beat John Murphy. Wildman made a great comeback to beat Bob Close. Nalin Patel was never really in it against Russell but had a stroke of bad luck in the fourth game. In complying with the baulk line rule, Patel, at 90, took the cue ball round the table from a pot red only to see the white find a top pocket for a six-shot. With the object ball in top-of-the-table position there was little on from hand. Patel attempted - and just missed - the kiss-cannon.