Two world marks lowered against Maung Hman
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Magnificent run in second session
By a Staff reporter
England’s Leslie Driffield was in devastating form in the World’s Amateur Billiards Championship at the Great Eastern hotel on Monday night and defeated the Burmese champion, Maung Hman, by 2,154 points to 532 in four hours.
Driffield charmed the crowd with a delightful display of all- round billiards, his game being marked by such uncanny control of the balls as to suggest that they came to rest just where he wanted them. He made it quite clear that he had lost even a fraction of the skill and craft that made him world champion in 1952.
Of particular interest in Driffield’s technique was his ability to play several useful ‘kiss’ cannons which enable him to retrieve position. He played hazards with his usual aplomb and was well skilled in the mechanics of top – table play although he was never in a great hurry to get this area. Two of his breaks topped the 300 mark – each a master – piece of concentration.
Against such opposition the Burmese player could do little but he pegged awaygamely, came up smiling with the odd good stroke and had the satisfaction of making atleast one century break.
Two world marks were broken in this match., both by Driffield. His match average of 79.7 surpassed that of Bob Marshall ( Australia ) who set up a record of 67.89 in 1951. His average for the second session 109.8, beat the previous session average record of 101.6 set up by Bob Marshall in 1938.
Early pattern
The pattern of the game took shape early when Driffield made a break of 214 on his first visit to the table. Beginning the break with a losing off the white he steered the object ball up the table to join company with the red and then proceeded to pile on the points.
In the seventh visit Driffield made his night’s biggest break of 321. On reaching this figure he just failed when playing a tricky cannon off the side rall with the breaks awkwardly placed near the spot end of the table. At the end of an hour Driffield led by 550 points to 113 and when the interval came he led by 939 points to 248 with 116 in play .
On resumption he took this figure to 139 before missing a seemingly easy side – pocket hazard off the white. In his fourth visit of this session he piled up 306 and had a magnificent run of big breaks in his last three visits, topping the two – hundred – mark on each occasion. When the game came he had an unfinished break of 209. Maung Hamn had earlier made a fighting break of 102.
Breaks :
Driffield – First session – 214, 321, 101, 130, 59. second Session – 139, 306, 91, 203, and 209 (Unfinished ), Maung Hman – First session – 71. Second session – 86, 102.
Today’s match
Tom Cleary (Australia – World champion) v Wilfred Axiak (malta) – 5.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m.
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Magnificent run in second session
By a Staff reporter
Driffield charmed the crowd with a delightful display of all- round billiards, his game being marked by such uncanny control of the balls as to suggest that they came to rest just where he wanted them. He made it quite clear that he had lost even a fraction of the skill and craft that made him world champion in 1952.
Of particular interest in Driffield’s technique was his ability to play several useful ‘kiss’ cannons which enable him to retrieve position. He played hazards with his usual aplomb and was well skilled in the mechanics of top – table play although he was never in a great hurry to get this area. Two of his breaks topped the 300 mark – each a master – piece of concentration.
Against such opposition the Burmese player could do little but he pegged awaygamely, came up smiling with the odd good stroke and had the satisfaction of making atleast one century break.
Two world marks were broken in this match., both by Driffield. His match average of 79.7 surpassed that of Bob Marshall ( Australia ) who set up a record of 67.89 in 1951. His average for the second session 109.8, beat the previous session average record of 101.6 set up by Bob Marshall in 1938.
Early pattern
The pattern of the game took shape early when Driffield made a break of 214 on his first visit to the table. Beginning the break with a losing off the white he steered the object ball up the table to join company with the red and then proceeded to pile on the points.
In the seventh visit Driffield made his night’s biggest break of 321. On reaching this figure he just failed when playing a tricky cannon off the side rall with the breaks awkwardly placed near the spot end of the table. At the end of an hour Driffield led by 550 points to 113 and when the interval came he led by 939 points to 248 with 116 in play .
On resumption he took this figure to 139 before missing a seemingly easy side – pocket hazard off the white. In his fourth visit of this session he piled up 306 and had a magnificent run of big breaks in his last three visits, topping the two – hundred – mark on each occasion. When the game came he had an unfinished break of 209. Maung Hamn had earlier made a fighting break of 102.
Breaks :
Driffield – First session – 214, 321, 101, 130, 59. second Session – 139, 306, 91, 203, and 209 (Unfinished ), Maung Hman – First session – 71. Second session – 86, 102.
Today’s match
Tom Cleary (Australia – World champion) v Wilfred Axiak (malta) – 5.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m.