INDIVIDUAL BILLIARDS
CHAMPIONSHIP
Lee Lagan and Tony Mackinder will provide a
replay of their 2000 CIU Individual Billiards final,
the North Ormesby pair again making it through to
the deciding match which will be held at their home
Club on 6th July.
However, Mackinder barely scraped through the semi-final against
Jack Hedley which was held at Leicester Railwaymen’s Club on 27th
April. Mackinder had taken an early lead in this match with a run of 95
and moved almost 200 in front before Hedley produced his highest
break of 63. With the pace of the match slowing in the second session,
Hedley gradually recovered the deficit, eventually edging ahead in the
last few minutes. With 30 seconds on the clock, Mackinder, trailing by
seven points, was given a final chance. Spurred on by a speed born of
desperation, he managed to advance his score by nine as the bell sounded,
winning by just two points!
Although Lagan is now professional, he will be allowed to complete his
involvement in this year’s CIU competition. His semi-final against
Peter Shelley seemed as though it could be a much more difficult prospect
than Mackinder’sLagan having struggled to narrowly defeat the Stoke
player in last year’s final. But he was to make light of his task, winning
convincingly 1,312-668. An early advantage of 63 points for Shelley
was overturned by a single contribution of 192 and Lagan further
increased his lead with another run of 155 just before the interval. Over
300 points in front going into the second session and on 59 unfinished,
Lagan settled the match by taking this to a massive 318. Breaks of 65,
45 and 99 by Shelley could make no impression on Lagan who responded
with his own contributions of 109, 69 and 83 to conclude a comfortable
644 point win.
Quarter Finals
| Neal Rewhorn (Unicorn Social Club) | 343 | Peter Shelley (Ball Green WMC) | 500 | ||
| Bem French (Boston Railwaymen’s SC) | 396 | Tony Mackinder (North Ormesby Inst.) 58, 53unf | 500 | ||
| Lee Lagan (North Ormesby Institute) 102, 66, 52 | 500 | Tony James (Throckley Union Jack Club) 55 | 322 |
Jack Hedley (Maidenhead Ivy Leaf Club) received a bye
Semi Finals (3 hrs)
20th April – Arden Road Social Club, Halifax
| Lee Lagan 318,192,155,109,83,69 | 1312 | (28.5) | Peter Shelley 99,65 | 668 | (14.8) |
27th April – Leicester Railwaymen’s Club, Leicester
| Tony Mackinder 95 | 590 | (7.6) | Jack Hedley 63 | 588 | (7.5) |
With the entry forms for the next Championship having been sent out,
there is some concern at CIU Headquarters that this years event may
well be the last. Their rules state the minimum number of entries is 20,
which was a figure barely reached in this seasons total. So this historic
event which was first played in 1920, could be on the brink of extinction
unless further support is forthcoming.