Rafiq Dina takes two frames off Hirjee
By a staff reporter
The challenge of Bombay’s Wilson Jones for the National snooker title became more pronounced on Wednesday night when he defeated the qualifying round winner, A.K.Das in straight frames at the Great Eastern hotel.
The scores were : 80 -18, 85 -27, 58- 45.
The former champion thus played his way into the semi-final round where he meet the holder. .M.J.M. Lafir from Ceylon. This match which is scheduled to the played on Republic Day should be one of the most absorbing in the whole tournament.
As the score indicates Jones ran away with the first frame which took only 17 minutes. The balls were scattered early and Jones took advantage of the fine positioning to knock up Sizable scores. By the time all the reds had gone he was well in the lead and he finished the frame by sinking the brown, blue and pink in a row.
The second frame took 16 minutes and here Jones scored 60 points before the Das had opened his account. When the last red had been sunk, Jones was once again in a very sound position and he finished the frame by potting the blue, pink and black in a row.
Das took an early grip on the third frame and produced some good shots but Jones recovered sufficient well to take the lead. Then Das scored nine to lead 27 – 25 and with all the reds down the score came to 34 all.
At this stage Das began to make a fight of it but had bad luck when, after he had potted the yellow, he sent the cue ball into the pocket while sinking the green. This ball was spotted again and potted by Jones who give away four when he was snookered on the brown. Das got the brown and Jones the blue which brought the score to 45 all.
Das then tried to leave Jones safe by pushing the pink against one of the side rails but Jones brought off a magnificent ball- and – cushion shot to send the pink down and doubled the black off two cushions to end the frame and the match.
HIRJEE EXTENTED
Giving a highly improved display Bombay’s Rafiq Dina caused a mile surprise later in the evening when he took Chandra Hirjee to five frames, the scores being (Hirjee First): 35-87, 99-16, 38-66, 73-29, 117-13. Hirjee meets Selvaraj in the semi- final.
As the scores indicate Rafiq won the first and third frames comfortably and in these he made Hirjee fight for almost every points he earned. Rafiq himself played a very steady game and must be commended for the number of times he extricated himself from snooker. Strangely enough the man who sank the first red won the frame.
The first frame was fairly close as long as the reds were on. As the reds begin to thin down Hirjee fell into arrears and after being snookered on the last red hit the blue to concede five points. When Hirjee sank the last red he trailed 33-53 and seemed set for a big score when he potted the yellow from long range.
But a miscue on the green enabled Rafiq to sink this ball and the brown and Hirjee had little hope when he went in off the blue soon after.
Concentrating on the black ball. Hirjee scored breaks of 17 and 33 and took a lead of 70 points to one in the second frame. When the reds had gone he led 72-16 and after he has sunk the yellow, green, brown and blue in a row , Rafiq conceded the frame.
Hirjee’s winning lead in the third frame was neutralized by Rafiq who scored 19. Later Hirjee had bad luck when he knocked the black into a pocket in playing a red and Rafiq led 38-24. Despite giving away four twice, Rafiq sank the last red and put down the yellow, then the green following up with the brown and blue. At this stage Hirjee conceded the frame.
Hirjee was well away in the fourth frame leading 59-16 with all the reds down got the colours from the yellow to the blue in a row leaving Rafiq only two balls on the table. Making breaks of 16, 26 and 37, Hirjee eliminating all the colours from the green to the black in a brilliant finale to leave his opponent far behind.
Today’s Billiards semi- final – c.
Hirjee v Rafiq Dina (5.30 p.m. and 8 p.m.)
By a staff reporter
The challenge of Bombay’s Wilson Jones for the National snooker title became more pronounced on Wednesday night when he defeated the qualifying round winner, A.K.Das in straight frames at the Great Eastern hotel.
The scores were : 80 -18, 85 -27, 58- 45.
The former champion thus played his way into the semi-final round where he meet the holder. .M.J.M. Lafir from Ceylon. This match which is scheduled to the played on Republic Day should be one of the most absorbing in the whole tournament.
As the score indicates Jones ran away with the first frame which took only 17 minutes. The balls were scattered early and Jones took advantage of the fine positioning to knock up Sizable scores. By the time all the reds had gone he was well in the lead and he finished the frame by sinking the brown, blue and pink in a row.
The second frame took 16 minutes and here Jones scored 60 points before the Das had opened his account. When the last red had been sunk, Jones was once again in a very sound position and he finished the frame by potting the blue, pink and black in a row.
Das took an early grip on the third frame and produced some good shots but Jones recovered sufficient well to take the lead. Then Das scored nine to lead 27 – 25 and with all the reds down the score came to 34 all.
At this stage Das began to make a fight of it but had bad luck when, after he had potted the yellow, he sent the cue ball into the pocket while sinking the green. This ball was spotted again and potted by Jones who give away four when he was snookered on the brown. Das got the brown and Jones the blue which brought the score to 45 all.
Das then tried to leave Jones safe by pushing the pink against one of the side rails but Jones brought off a magnificent ball- and – cushion shot to send the pink down and doubled the black off two cushions to end the frame and the match.
HIRJEE EXTENTED
Giving a highly improved display Bombay’s Rafiq Dina caused a mile surprise later in the evening when he took Chandra Hirjee to five frames, the scores being (Hirjee First): 35-87, 99-16, 38-66, 73-29, 117-13. Hirjee meets Selvaraj in the semi- final.
As the scores indicate Rafiq won the first and third frames comfortably and in these he made Hirjee fight for almost every points he earned. Rafiq himself played a very steady game and must be commended for the number of times he extricated himself from snooker. Strangely enough the man who sank the first red won the frame.
The first frame was fairly close as long as the reds were on. As the reds begin to thin down Hirjee fell into arrears and after being snookered on the last red hit the blue to concede five points. When Hirjee sank the last red he trailed 33-53 and seemed set for a big score when he potted the yellow from long range.
But a miscue on the green enabled Rafiq to sink this ball and the brown and Hirjee had little hope when he went in off the blue soon after.
Concentrating on the black ball. Hirjee scored breaks of 17 and 33 and took a lead of 70 points to one in the second frame. When the reds had gone he led 72-16 and after he has sunk the yellow, green, brown and blue in a row , Rafiq conceded the frame.
Hirjee’s winning lead in the third frame was neutralized by Rafiq who scored 19. Later Hirjee had bad luck when he knocked the black into a pocket in playing a red and Rafiq led 38-24. Despite giving away four twice, Rafiq sank the last red and put down the yellow, then the green following up with the brown and blue. At this stage Hirjee conceded the frame.
Hirjee was well away in the fourth frame leading 59-16 with all the reds down got the colours from the yellow to the blue in a row leaving Rafiq only two balls on the table. Making breaks of 16, 26 and 37, Hirjee eliminating all the colours from the green to the black in a brilliant finale to leave his opponent far behind.
Today’s Billiards semi- final – c.
Hirjee v Rafiq Dina (5.30 p.m. and 8 p.m.)