The Hindu : Sport : Manan Chandra on song

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 25, 2004

Sport

Sport

Manan Chandra on song

By Michael Ferreira

EINDHOVEN (HOLLAND), NOV. 24. Wednesday morning at the IBSF World snooker championship dawned crisp and sunny, adjectives that perfectly described Manan Chandra's 4-0 demolition of Raymond Fung (USA). The highlight of this Group C match was an imperious first frame clearance of 131.

Almost simultaneously on the adjoining table, David Lilley (Eng), the man who beat Manan on Monday was also on a big break against Malaysian Moh Keen Ho, and the two finished potting the black at the same time. One small difference was that the Englishman scored one point more, his effort of 132 propelling him to pole position for the bonus that awaits the compiler of the highest break in each group.

Fung, a native Hong Kong Chinese who has been living in Brooklyn, New York for the last 15 years, proved that he is no mug with the cue when, down 8-40 in the second, he compiled a good-looking run of 39 to yank himself back into the frame. An error on an easy pink however was his undoing as Manan proceeded to secure the frame 87-47 with a 22 followed by a green to black clearance.

Manan carelessly lost position after making a scant 16 in the third, but atoned for his lapse one visit later with a terrific 72 clearance to blue for a 3-0 lead. Manan completed a great morning's work with a 58 in the fourth, a missed blue off the spot spoiling what could well have been a century. His timing and rhythm were just about perfect and if he keeps up this kind of form, he should go far in the championship.

Alok beaten

The Indian camp's exhilaration at Manan's performance was dampened somewhat in the second session of the day when national champion Alok Kumar, who has been going great guns despite being distinctly under the weather, was beaten 0-4 by 2002 world champion Steve Mifsud (Aus) in a vital Group B match.

Mifsud has been in particularly good form, producing a series of substantial breaks in his previous matches including a 138, the highest of the championship to date.

And indeed, in contrast to his earlier matches, he could hardly do anything right. To compound matters, the Aussie was in splendid touch especially in the first two frames which he took with consummate ease with 75 and a brilliant 87 clearance. Alok got off to a decent start in the third, and in fact was well placed at 61-33 on the colours, but a fluked yellow followed by a tight snooker brought Mifsud to 61-39 on the green

Manan downs Thompson

Earlier late on Tuesday, striking a rich vein of form at long last, Manan Chandra warmed the cockles of Indian hearts with a stirring 4-1 victory against Welshman Darren Thompson.

Meanwhile the senior event was set alight by the pyrotechnics of veteran Aussie Robby Foldvari who had 104, 128 and 91 in disposing of Daniel Poly (France) 3-0. Foldvari felt hard done by as according to him, the referee miscounted the last break that should really have been another century. If true, this would be remarkable even by the highest professional standards.

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