The First Leg of the Second Series (1993) Radiant Grand Slam took place at the Trident Hotel, Madras, April 3rd - 5th. The preliminary rounds of this tournament were held in Sheffield in September of last year and the finals were provisionally scheduled for Bombay, December. Qualifying players were Geet Sethi, Ian Williamson, Peter Gilchrist, Subhash Agarwal, Robby Foldvari, Devendra Joshi, Mike Russell, and Mark Wildman.
"On current form and Confidence, and notwithstanding his loss to Australia's Robby Foldvari in the Final of the Strachan U.K., Geet Sethi has to be firm favourite. His quarterfinal opponent is Ian Williamson who seems to be struck rigid just on hearing Geet's name. If Williamson's arm is conditioned by what is going on in his mind, Geet should waltz into the Semi-Final where he will meet the winner of Agarwal and Peter Gilchrist both of whom have reason to view the prospect with anything but enthusiasm. In the lower half Foldvari meets Joshi, while Mark Wildman takes on Mike Russell. Unless Joshi plays out of his mind, it looks very much like a Russell/Foldvari semi-final. Foldvari's tenacity and determination versus Russell's flair and panache would be worth going miles to see. My book reads even-money on Geet, about one-and-a-half to one on Foldvari or Russell, and anything you like on the others.
As a player, it is heartening that a company of the stature of ITC has entered into a fairly long term arrangement in support of the green baize game. It has always been my contention that if government is unable to fill the gap left by the passing of the Maharajas who patronised sport in literally a princely manner, industry must step in, and it is the job of the government to make such intervention worthwhile in terms of tax and other incentives."
Most people would have agreed with Ferreira's forecast, not least because of Sethi's home advantage. However, Russell's win was not all that much of a surprise, he is, after all, taking into consideration the era in which he plays, one of the best players of all time. What was surprising was the extent and manner of his victory.
There is industrial sponsorship of sport here in England Michael, and there are tax incentives and advertising potential, one has only to think of Embassy. Billiards is fortunate (from the professional point of view) that there is support for the game over in India. In England, if a game is not popular T.V. entertainment then the situation is well nigh hopeless. Quite recently I had a tip to the effect that a well-known national brewery had a bit of cash that they were willing to put out in sponsorship. I made an approach - for quite a small amount - with a view to putting on (In conjunction with, "Snooker Scene,") a National Handicap, the matches to have been held in clubs up and down the country. This would have resulted in some publicity at least for the product. I was turned down flat though sponsorship from this same company has been given to, amongst other things, darts. Will it ever change?
| thi
| 4 | Williamson
| 0 |
Sethi started with a run-out in the first game. Williamson had a 91 in the third which ended in a cover but was otherwise never really in it.
| Gilchrist
| 4 | Agarwal
| 1 |
The personable Teessider breezed his way past Agarwal as if he were playing in a friendly knockabout. Agarwal played like a man trying to find some form and he still lost the game in which he made his best break - 92.
| Foldvari
| 4 | Joshi
| 2 |
Ferreira - Times of India:
"It is never easy to play on a brand new cloth, and when the situation is compounded by carelessness which the younger Indian pros cannot seem to get rid of, you have a pretty sticky situation. This is precisely the situation in which Devendra Joshi found himself in the opening match of the Gold Flake Grand Slam series. Joshi has been playing well recently, coming to terms with the atmosphere of the professional ranks - so different from the amateur scene - and one rather fancied that he would give Foldvari something to remember. But the tournament-hardened Australian, scrapping for his livelihood, did him in. I think I would choose Foldvari if I wanted someone to play a billiard match for my life. He led 2 - 0 after 85 minutes and though Joshi took the third, pinched the fifth, and made a 73 in the sixth to get to 105, it was too late. Foldvari's qualities of determination, concentration, and application spelt out the difference between the two players."
Well, there aren't too many players who could take a couple of games from Foldvari when he is after the money.
| Russell
| 4 | Wildman
| 3 |
Mark Wildman, finding a little of his old form, did so well to take Russell the full distance and very nearly brought off what would have been a major upset.
Ferreira - Times of India:
"Nobody gave Mark Wildman a prayer against the second seed Mike Russell. But billiards, and indeed any sport, can play some amazing tricks. When Wildman took the second game to make it 1 -1, the spectators shifted comfortably in their seats pleased that they had witnessed one more game than expected. Wildman, resplendent in a many-hued waistcoat, had evidently decided that he was damned if he had flown 5000 miles to go down tamely, Mike Russell or no Mike Russell. And his opponent seemed to want to help him along with a series of amazing lapses, including two missed centre-pocket in-offs. Shaking his head in disbelief as much at himself as at Wildman's resistance, Russell saw himself staring down the barrel of an ignominious defeat as his opponent ran up a 3 - 1 lead. Could the older man do it? Self-belief is so important, the will to grind your heel into an opponent's face is so necessary in professional sport, Wildman is too nice a guy and Russell too proud a player for the impossible to happen."
| Russell
| 5 | Foldvari
| 3 |
Ferreira - Times of India:
"In a pulsating match, Mike Russell stormed into the final of the Grand Slam with a richly deserved 5-3 victory over Australia's Robby Foldvari. It was a triumph of flair over grim determination. When Russell was at the table one could almost hear the strains of the, "Nutcracker Suite," in the background; with Foldvari the music was positively Wagnerian. Going to bed at 4.30 in the morning is not exactly what I would have thought was the best preparation for a match against an opponent who is threatening your world ranking, but I suppose that at 23 you can afford to break the rules. It certainly did not prevent Russell from jumping into a 2 - 1 lead despite an opening 110 unfinished from the doughty Australian. Foldvari, who must surely have had his full quota of sleep, struck right back with a 143 unfinished only for Russell to forge ahead again with a 99 and a 51 unfinished. The last three games gave us the opportunity of seeing Foldvari's character under stress and, finally, the brilliant response of Russell. At 3 -2, and with the score 147 - 64 in his favour, Russell played a safety shot that went wrong. Leaping at his chance, if that expression can be used of someone who moves like Foldvari, the Australian, all furrowed brow and jutting jaw, carved out a 76 unfinished to make it 3 - 3. In case any scoffers should suggest that any decent club player can make a 76, let me tell them that at that stage in such a match, even a 30 break assumes Himalayan proportions.
Russell, by now quite clear of early morning wooziness, rattled off a 126 to come within one game of the match. But the Australian refused to lie down and die. He picked his way through a careful 127, and just when he looked like making it 4 - 4 he broke down. A couple of visits later, and with the scores at 134 - 20, Foldvari miscued on a simple screw shot. In a great exhibition of nerve, the young Englishman held himself together to run out with a 130 to take his place in the final."
The comments on Russell's late night reminds me of a story concerning the great American Golfer of years ago - Walter Hagan. An important tournament had to be decided by a play-off and on the eve of the match Hagan was to be found playing cards into the small hours. When someone remarked that his opponent would already have been in bed for some hours, Hagan replied, "sure, but he isn't asleep." Ed.)
| thi
| 5 | Gilchrist
| 1 |
Ferreira - Times of India:
"Current World Champion Geet Sethi prevailed over an uncharacteristically listless Peter Gilchrist. I would not say that Sethi played at his best to achieve that scoreline, it was more like Gilchrist was unable to take advantage of the many, and I mean many, chances that came his way. If Gilchrist had played like he did against Agarwal it might have been a different story. But billiards, as indeed life, is not about, "Ifs," and, "Buts," and "Maybes," all that matters is the here and now, and the bottom line is that Gilchrist did not perform when he had to - there let the matter rest."
It is reported that Sethi had 68 and 82 unfinished in the second (19 minutes,) 95 and 47 in the third (20 minutes,) 72 and 79 unfinished in the fifth, and 105 in the sixth. Gilchrist made a 133 in winning the fourth. The Middlesbrough player had a century in the sixth which ended when he committed a foul by failing to cross the baulkline. Those figures do not suggest that Gilchrist did anything other than play reasonably well - but statistics do not always tell the whole story.
| Russell
| 7 | Sethi
| 1 |
Ferreira - Times of India:
"The Final of the Grand Slam was eagerly looked forward to by billiards fans in India, for it featured the two players who are currently ruling the billiards roost. After recent defeats by Geet Sethi, Mike Russell was thirsting for the Indian's blood and any needle match tends to titillate the fancy.
Nobody, however, would have dared predict the crushing 7 - 1 defeat which Russell inflicted. It was a story of relentless, consistent pressure by Russell combined with too many missed chances by Geet. At this level, and in the short format, if you do not take full advantage of every opportunity then you might as well kiss everything good-bye. The former world champion had a tremendous opening spurt as he rocketed to a 5 -1 lead. The tone of the morning session was set when, after a couple of nervy misses by both players, Russell made a 117 unfinished. One of the features of Russell's play is an enviable ability to be quick of the mark, a result no doubt of being brought up on the short format as opposed to older professionals like myself who are accustomed to four-hour matches. (I think the Mini-Prix might have played a part somewhere along the line. Ed.) Sethi started well in the second with a 70 before losing position when Russell pounced with 152 unfinished - a copybook floating white effort. The third also saw Sethi start well with 73 and when he missed saw the balls run very safe indeed. However, the luck usually favours the man who is playing well. Russell had an outrageous fluke which had the normally sphinx-like Indian rolling his eyes to the heavens. Adding insult to injury Russell ran out with 142 unfinished. Russell twisted the knife in the fourth with breaks of 62 And 85 unfinished to take a 4 - 0 lead. At this point Geet Sethi was not the only worried party. The organisers and Gold Flake, who had over two hours of prime TV. time booked for seven games, were afraid that the final session would hardly consist of more than three or four games.
Sethi started the second session well taking the fifth with a 111 unfinished, but Russell took a scrappy sixth to go to the interval with a 5 -1 lead.
Everybody knows that a match is not over until it is won, but it was imperative that the Indian take the opening game of the final session to have any chance at all. Quite early in the game Russell missed two simple in-offs and looked a little vulnerable for the first time. Sethi was unable to take advantage and for some ten minutes we had the incredible spectacle of the two top seeded players muffing the simplest of shots. It was almost as if each wanted the other to take the game. It was a classic case of, "Pehe aap*" if ever I saw one. Eventually Russell seemed to have had enough of this nonsense and after taking the seventh, ripped off the eighth with a 148 unfinished to take the title. He is now in line for the £3000 bonus that awaits a winner of all three legs of the Grand Slam series."
* Michael Ferreira explains that this expression in Hindi means, "after you," and is very appropriate in this case. During the war there was a famous radio programme called, "TMA. "n this show there were two characters called Claude and Cecil who weekly tried to outdo each other in politeness. Their, "catch-phrase," was very well known at the time, "After you Claude. No, after you Cecil." seems that this could be a good colloquial translation of "Pehe aap."
Russell is reported as saying that his victory was due to, better concentration and hard practice after losing to Sethi in the World Championship last year. I mainly concentrated on remaining still while taking shots. Must be a lesson there somewhere.