Jones wins exhibition snooker match
By a staff reporter
In an entertaining and absorbing snooker exhibition at the Great Eastern Hotel on Wednesday night. Wilson Jones beat Tom Cleary (Australia), by seven frames to six.
As both Jones and Cleary approached the table with an open mind for three – quarters of the tough 13, frame schedule breaking the pyramid quite freely and early, many useful breaks were the feature of the match . It was only in the closing stages of the game, from about the tenth frame, that caution chept into both men’s play at the start of each frame.
Then the frames developed into a tense and exciting battle Cleary made a fine recovery when he trailed Jones by two frames to level the scores by winning the 12th frame. In the last and deciding frame. Cleary made up a big leeway in points – he trailed Jones 0.36- but luck deserted him in the middle of making what looked linke a winning break. He started his break when there was one red on the table and seemed well on the road to clearing all the colours when he missed an easy pot on the blue. He left the pocket and Jones gratefully accepted this opportunity to win the last frame by 61-33.
The most exciting frame of the evening was the eighth. Neither Jones nor Cleary could gain a fairly good lead there being a difference of only one point between them at 31-30 in favour of the Australian.
Finally a break of 22 put jones ahead of Cleary at 53-47 but he downed the white ball when attempting to put the pink and the penalty of six points levelled the scores. At this stage there was only the pink and black on the table. Jones got the pink but he broke down in attempting to pot the black. Leaving the ball hanging over the pocket. Cleary, who could have potted the black with his eyes closed. Seized the heaven – sent opportunity to win the frame by one points – at 60-59. In the same frame a mis-cue , with the white ball jumping off the table, cost Jones seven points when trying to pocket the black so in all he lost 13 points.
Highlights of first session of six frames, which ended with the honours shared were Cleary’s break of 42 in the fifth frame and Jones ’mastery over the cue-ball to snooker Cleary thrice in the fourth frame.
A break of 32- three blacks, one pink and five reds – by Cleary before Jones had opened his account put the Australian in an advantageous position in the fourth frame. He made good use of this lead to be ahead by 63-34 when only the black, pink and blue were left on the table.
Then a tense battle of positional play followed and Jones definitely came out on the top when he thrice snookered Cleary behind the black ball to earn 15 valuable points and be in a position to go for the balls as the score was 63-49 in favour of the Australian.
Jones then went for the blue ball but a difficult pot along the cushion ended in disaster. The ball hit the edge of the jaw and lay there practically suspended by an invisible thread over the pocket. Cleary took it and the pink to win by 74-49.
It was Jones turn to build a small lead in the fifth frame but in attempting to pot the black he missed narrowly and left a fairly open table for Cleary’s visit. The Australian polished off six reds, three blacks, three blues to record a break of 42 – the highest of the match. This shot Cleary into the lead – 51-20- and he never looked back to win the frame by 69-37.
Scores (Jones first) ,- 41-48; 82-51; 69-37; 49-74; 37-69; 70-27; 82-18; 39-60; 63-48; 67-45; 33-46; 32-80; 61-33
Breaks (Jones) – 28,25,34, 39, 22,35. Cleary – 32, 42,29,22,31,27.
Today’s Snooker
M. J. M .Lafir (Ceylon) v L. Driffield (England) 5-30 and 8-30 p.m.
By a staff reporter
As both Jones and Cleary approached the table with an open mind for three – quarters of the tough 13, frame schedule breaking the pyramid quite freely and early, many useful breaks were the feature of the match . It was only in the closing stages of the game, from about the tenth frame, that caution chept into both men’s play at the start of each frame.
Then the frames developed into a tense and exciting battle Cleary made a fine recovery when he trailed Jones by two frames to level the scores by winning the 12th frame. In the last and deciding frame. Cleary made up a big leeway in points – he trailed Jones 0.36- but luck deserted him in the middle of making what looked linke a winning break. He started his break when there was one red on the table and seemed well on the road to clearing all the colours when he missed an easy pot on the blue. He left the pocket and Jones gratefully accepted this opportunity to win the last frame by 61-33.
The most exciting frame of the evening was the eighth. Neither Jones nor Cleary could gain a fairly good lead there being a difference of only one point between them at 31-30 in favour of the Australian.
Finally a break of 22 put jones ahead of Cleary at 53-47 but he downed the white ball when attempting to put the pink and the penalty of six points levelled the scores. At this stage there was only the pink and black on the table. Jones got the pink but he broke down in attempting to pot the black. Leaving the ball hanging over the pocket. Cleary, who could have potted the black with his eyes closed. Seized the heaven – sent opportunity to win the frame by one points – at 60-59. In the same frame a mis-cue , with the white ball jumping off the table, cost Jones seven points when trying to pocket the black so in all he lost 13 points.
Highlights of first session of six frames, which ended with the honours shared were Cleary’s break of 42 in the fifth frame and Jones ’mastery over the cue-ball to snooker Cleary thrice in the fourth frame.
A break of 32- three blacks, one pink and five reds – by Cleary before Jones had opened his account put the Australian in an advantageous position in the fourth frame. He made good use of this lead to be ahead by 63-34 when only the black, pink and blue were left on the table.
Then a tense battle of positional play followed and Jones definitely came out on the top when he thrice snookered Cleary behind the black ball to earn 15 valuable points and be in a position to go for the balls as the score was 63-49 in favour of the Australian.
Jones then went for the blue ball but a difficult pot along the cushion ended in disaster. The ball hit the edge of the jaw and lay there practically suspended by an invisible thread over the pocket. Cleary took it and the pink to win by 74-49.
It was Jones turn to build a small lead in the fifth frame but in attempting to pot the black he missed narrowly and left a fairly open table for Cleary’s visit. The Australian polished off six reds, three blacks, three blues to record a break of 42 – the highest of the match. This shot Cleary into the lead – 51-20- and he never looked back to win the frame by 69-37.
Scores (Jones first) ,- 41-48; 82-51; 69-37; 49-74; 37-69; 70-27; 82-18; 39-60; 63-48; 67-45; 33-46; 32-80; 61-33
Breaks (Jones) – 28,25,34, 39, 22,35. Cleary – 32, 42,29,22,31,27.
Today’s Snooker
M. J. M .Lafir (Ceylon) v L. Driffield (England) 5-30 and 8-30 p.m.