Amateur Billiards Circuit

The Clubhouse In Cue Gardens, Bradford (Sunday 12th September, 2004)

A near-record entry of 61 players gathered at Bradford's Odsal Top for the first senior tournament in the EABA calendar. Added sponsorship from Carlsberg Breweries gave a prize-fund of £580, easily the best for an event of this kind in recent years.

The event saw some fine performances on the tables, not least of which came from Jim McCann the reigning Grand Masters Champion, as he came through six-hours of competitive play to take the first prize. In the final he met Anthony Bishop who is better known in his native Teesside for his snooker play. However, he demonstrated that he was also no mean exponent of the three-ball game, recording the highest one-hour aggregate of 500 in the preliminary round, followed by victories over such notable players as Martin Goodwill and Stephen Crosland, and also making one of only five centuries seen on the day in his win over ex-professional, David Rees.

Martin Goodwill, three-time English Amateur champion in the 1990's, made a welcome re-appearance on the English circuit at Bradford. He is now resident in England after a nine year absence working in the Middle East. Although lacking in match-practice he still managed to progress to the quarter-finals and made two century breaks, 119 and 129, the latter being the best seen for most of the day.

Despite the lateness of the hour, the final proved to be one of the best games of the day as McCann took an imposing lead with a fine all-round break of 116 at his fifth visit to the table. Undaunted, Bishop steadily closed down his opponent with a series of useful breaks, the last of which brought him to just nine points in arrears. McCann who had barely threatened a break in double-figures during this period, then rose to the challenge by producing a run of 129 which equalled that by Martin Goodwill as the highest of the tournament. Although doing little else of note, McCann had no trouble in defending this lead and completed a victory by 122 points, returning the very respectable average of 16.4.

Proceedings concluded at 9.45 p.m. with a presentation of prizes, McCann receiving £160 as winner and Bishop £80 for runner-up. Proportionate prizes were awarded down to £10 for the losers in the last 16. Bob Slee capably deputised for Derick Townend as tournament director, the latter being regrettably hospitalised for a routine operation.

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