The Hindu : Sport / Billiards & Snooker : Manan sweeps past Thawe Oo

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 29, 2005

Sport

Sport - Billiards & Snooker

Manan sweeps past Thawe Oo

Michael Ferreira

Manan finally found decent rhythm in the fourth frame regaling the spectators with some spectacular shots in a break of 57.

BANGKOK: : With most of the qualifiers in the 2005 Sangsom Asian snooker championship already decided, interest in the last day of the league phase centred chiefly on the tussle between Thailand's Nittiwat Kanjanasri and UAE's Mohammed Jokar who were vying for the top spot in Group A, and, certainly from the Indian standpoint, how Manan Chandra would play in his last match against debutante Nay Thawe Oo of Myanmar.

Much was expected from the veteran UAE champion who showed pleasing form throughout the event. However, it was an anti-climactic finish with the 20-year-old Thai sweeping to an imperious 4-1 win. Weighing in with a 53 en route to capturing the opening frame, Nittiwat was on course with an early 53 in the second, but Jokar hung in there, taking the frame with 20 and a gritty 39 clearance in succession.

No century break

We were hoping that Manan would take advantage of what was virtually a practice match to unleash some heavy break building — none of the Indians has made a century so far — but it was not to be. In the first frame which he won 75-4, Manan hit the ground running with a 48, but missed a comfortable red with the magic ton beckoning invitingly.

The second (62-7) saw the balls awkwardly placed for a big break and Manan had to be satisfied with picking off whatever was on offer, while 31 and 25 were all he could manage in the third (65-8).

But he finally found decent rhythm in the fourth (73-17), regaling the spectators with some spectacular shots in a break of 57.

Knockout draw

The luck of the draw found Pankaj Advani and Manan Chandra in the same — and arguably tougher — top half.

On Friday, Pankaj squares off against fourth seed Saleh Mohammed (Pakistan) with the winner meeting either fifth seed Keith Boon (Singapore) or Mohammed Yousuf (Pakistan).

Manan meets eighth seed Chan Kwok Ming (HK) first off, with the winner facing either top-seeded Nittiwat or Jin Long.

If Pankaj manages to repeat his 2003 IBSF world final performance by quelling Saleh, a second match success against either Keith or Yousuf would see him through to the semis, where he runs into Nittiwat, Long or, in a dream scenario for India, his own roommate.

Important results:

Manan Chandra beat Nay Thawe Oo (Myanmar) 4-0 (75-4, 62-7, 65-8, 73(57)-17); Nittiwat Kanjanasri (Thai) beat Mohammed Sultan Al Jokar 4-1 (80(53)-21, 65-53(53), 99-28, 63-49, 82(82)-2); Noppadol Sangnil (Thai) beat Tayef Qader (BD) 4-0 (80(58)-8, 63-27, 61-38, 61(53)-22); Cai Jianzhong (CHN) beat Walid Al-Hatem (Kuw) 4-2 (51-42, 33-53, 33-62, 63-0, 76(72)-16, 62-79).

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport