Advani reigns supreme
PSPB’s Pankaj Advani thumped B Bhaskar of Karnataka 5-0 in quick time to retain the National billiards championship crown here at the PYC Hindu Gymkhana on Friday.
Eager to kick-start the new season on a high note following a lacklustre 2011, the seven-time world champion was at his brutal best, sweeping aside Bhaskar to seize his sixth national billiards title in the best-of-five frames 150-up encounter.
In top gear right from the outset, Advani hardly allowed the momentum to slip, scoring century breaks at will as Bhaskar finished bridesmaid for the second year in succession to the 26-year-old.
Advani opened with a 151-point break to take the first frame 151-31, before a sedate 59 gave him the seond 152-26 for a 2-0 lead. The Bangalorean then uncorked his second 151 to nail the third frame 153-0 before smashing a 150 to seal the fourth. Advani then wrapped up the issue, winning the fifth 150-36.
Results:
Men: Billiards, final: Pankaj Advani (PSPB) bt B Bhaskar (Kar) 5-0 (151 (151)-31, 152 (59)-26, 153 (151)-0, 150 (150)-0, 150 (62)-36).
Third-place play-off: Sourav Kothari (PSPB) bt Alok Kumar (PSPB) 2-1 (150 (59)-107, 62-150 (111), 150 (70)-45).
Ladies: Snooker, pre-quarterfinals: Arantxa Sanchis (Mah) bt Jagruti Patel (Mah) 2-0 (52-51, 44-31); Varsha Sanjeev (Kar) bt Judy Walia (Kar) 2-0 (49-36, 67-31); R Umadevi Nagaraj (Kar) bt I Lahari (AP) 2-0 (70-9, 54-9); Chitra Magimairaj (Kar) bt Renu Barkatiya (MP) 2-0 (78-19, 55-15); Heena Khandelwal (Mah) bt Suniti Damani (Ben) 2-0 (60-1, 66-39); Keerath Bhandaal (Del) bt Amee Kamani (MP) 2-0 (54-50, 47-36); Meenal Thakur (Mah) bt Arya Pimpale (Mah) 2-0 (57-13, 86-20); Neena Praveen (TN) bt Indira Gowda (Kar) 2-1 (41-50, 58-7, 62-39).
