Reanne Evans won an unprecedented 4th World title in succession! Extraordinary achievement, especially as she only dropped 2 out of the 28 frames played in the competition. Well done, Reanne!

QFs
Reanne Evans (England)4–0 Chitra Magimairaj (India)
Jaique Ip Wan-In (Hong Kong) 3–4 Emma Bonney (England)
Katie Henrick (England) 1–4 Maria Catalano (England)
Tina Owen-Sevilton (England) 0–4 June Banks (England)
Semis
Reanne Evans 4-0 Emma Bonney
Maria Catalano 2-4 June Banks
Final
Reanne Evans 5-2 June Banks

The other competitions:
 
World Snooker Plate Championship
Champion: Emma Bonney (England)
Runner-up: Eva Palmius (England)
World Billiards Championship
Champion: Emma Bonney
Runner-up: Eva Palmius
World Junior Championship
Champion: Hannah Jones (England)
Runner-up: Joanne Davies (England)
World 40(+) Championship
Champion: Christine Sharpe (England)
Runner-up: Małgorzata Sikorska (Poland)
World Doubles Championship
Champions: Jaique Ip Wan-In (Hong Kong) & Pam Wood (England)
Runners-up: Christine Sharpe (England) & Laura Alves (England)
World Mixed Doubles Championship
Champions: Reanne Evans & Neil Robertson
Runners-up: Leah Willett & Joe Perry .
Asia’s top cueists have been battling for honours in the 24th Asian Snooker Championship at the Dubai Police Officers’ Club. An exceptional moment: Pakistan’s Saleh Mohammed made a maximum break. Huge disappointment for Thailand, who launched the Asian Snooker Championship in 1984 in Bangkok and dominated the competition by winning a dozen titles: no Thai player in this year’s Last 16…

QFs
Khurram Agha (Pakistan) 3–5 Jin Long (China) 
Moh Keen Hoo (Malaysia) 5–2  Fung Kwok Wai (Hong Kong) 
Pankaj Advani (India) 5–2  Ah Bulajiang (China) 
Muhammad Sajjad (Pakistan) 3–5 Aditya Mehta (India)   
Semis
Jin Long 6–3 Moh Keen Hoo
Pankaj Advani 1–6 Aditya Mehta

We’ll soon know who the champion is.

Later edit: the new champion is Jin Long (i.e the 2005 champion  ), who beat Aditya Mehta 7-3 to win the final.

Welcome back on the MT, Long!

(I hope Aditya has a good chance to be nominated for the Asia discretionary spot…)

A friendly China vs Great Britain soon in Heifei: on May 14, the capital of China’s Anhui province will host the 2008 Huangshan Cup Snooker All-Star Game. The first two days will see the Chinese top 16 players (including Ding Junhui, Liang Wenbo and Liu Chuang) compete for the 4 places in the international phase of the tournament, where the four qualifiers will have the chance to play against big stars like Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and Mark Williams.

 Joe Perry: Pressure is a funny thing. It can overwhelm some people and make them fall apart but I’ve been a professional snooker player for 17 years and I’ve just learnt to deal with it. I became a father 20 months ago and that has given me perspective and made me realise there are more important things in life than snooker. I’ve coped with pressure a lot better since then.

(The day before yesterday, in the Wisbech Standard)

Lovely pic, lovely little princess! 

CJW

 2008 Q Club ProAm – a real feast of Irish snooker last weekend, with the likes of Ken Doherty, Joe Swail, Fergal O’Brien, Michael Judge and many other fine players competing for the title. Well done, Mick Judge for the victory and Rodney Goggins for the high break of the event – an 118.

QFs
Ken Doherty 5–2 Jason Watson
Rodney Goggins 5–4 Fergal O’Brien
Martin McCrudden 5–1 Joe Swail
Michael Judge 5–2 Joe Delaney
Semis
Ken Doherty 5–4 Rodney Goggins
Martin McCrudden 4–5 Michael Judge
Final 
Ken Doherty 4–5 Michael Judge.

 After having cast some doubt on his involvement in this year’s Worlds, Graeme Dott has confirmed that he will be part of the Crucible field.

“It’s the toughest decision of my career, but I’m going to play. I didn’t want to let myself down in Sheffield, it’s been a really bad year for me and I have felt so very low at times. I also didn’t want to let my fans down and also Joe Perry. I desperately wanted to play, but I’ve not been in the right frame of mind for quite some time, my results have shown that. However, hope-fully I will be able to cope with Sheffield. I’m not going there with any expectations.”  (Today’s Scottish Herald )

CJW

John Higgins had to dig deep to win last night’s final of the Scottish Open Championship. The event was organised by Scottish Snooker and took place at the Craigpark Masters Snooker Club, in Glasgow. Marcus Campbell kept hitting back so the game was a real nail-biter. A good competition but what I’d like to underline is the remarkable progress made by the Polish players who had a pretty good run at the European Under-19 & European Team Championships as well.

QFs
Bobby Cruickshanks 0-5 Ian Wells
Bartłomiej Zacniewski 1-5 Marcus Campbell
James McBain 0-5 John Higgins
Scott MacKenzie 5-1 Billy Reid
Semis
Ian Wells 1-5 Marcus Campbell
John Higgins 5-3 Scott MacKenzie
Final
Marcus Campbell 4-5 John Higgins

Highest break : a 141 from John Higgins.

Otherwise, Higgo issued the same statement-warning  : “If I get the call, even if I’m one frame away from winning the world title, I’ll down my cue immediately. I don’t care if it costs me a title. Family comes first. If anything were to happen to Denise or the baby and I’m playing snooker instead, I’d never forgive myself. I never understood why the Liverpool footballer, Xabi Alonso, got so much stick for choosing to be beside his wife in labour rather than play football. To me it’s a no-brainer.” (Saturday’s Daily Mail). 

Malta’s Alex Borg won his 8th national title (the 6th in a row) after a clear 7-3 victory in the final over Simon Zammit, last Friday, but what Alex wants is to get back on the Main Tour. “In June, there’s the European Championships and Polish Open in Warsaw,” he said. “I’m training hard for the tournaments as I know that victory in one of the two events could mean automatic entry for the WSA Main Tour. I’ve won the championships in 2005 and 2006 and my aim is to do well again to secure my place in the professional tour.” (Yesterday’s Times of Malta).

CJW

Joe Perry might get a w/o: Graeme Dott has been diagnosed as suffering from depression. (Today’s  Irish Independent, Daily Mail, Evening Echo).

The 9th Under-21 Asian Snooker Championship, Kandawgyi Palace Hotel. Five snooker players from host Myanmar, three each from China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Thailand, and two each from Iraq, Malaysia, Qatar, South Korea and United Arab Emirates took part in the event. This year’s champion of the continent comes from China. His name: Li Hang. I’d like to remind you what Geet Sethi wrote about him three years ago, when the lad was competing in the World Under-21 Championship, in Bahrain:  “Li Hang […] has provided evidence of possessing the potential to be a World-class player. He has the rhythm and approach of a professional cueist.” (The Hindu, August 26, 2005).
 
Semis
Li Hang (China) 5-0 Chinnakrit Yaowannasri (Thailand)
Li Yuan (China) 5-1 Sorrawit Thiraphongpaiboon (Thailand)
3rd place Play-Off
Sorrawit Thiraphongpaiboon (Thailand) 3-2 Chinnakrit Yaowannasri (Thailand)
Final
Li Hang 6-2 Li Yuan

Communication with Myanmar has been very difficult. No full results yet. More info > Xinhua net and GCSC.

CJW

Pot Black Open 2008. This first national ranking event in the Australian snooker calendar took place at the end of March.

QFs
Aaron Mahoney 3-1 Paul Thomerson
Rudy Sulaeman 2-3 Robby Foldvari
James Mifsud 3-0 Joe Minici
Daryl Tippett 0-3 Steve Mifsud
Semis
Aaron Mahoney 3-0 Robby Foldvari
James Mifsud 3-2 Steve Mifsud
Final
Aaron Mahoney 4-2 James Mifsud

Full results > http://www.absc.com.au/

2008 European Team Championships, Glasgow. Very solid teams in all three events but quite severe scores in the finals.

MEN
Semis
Ireland1 10-7 Ireland 2
Scotland4 3-10 England
Final
Ireland1 10-3 England

Champions: David Hogan, Brendan O’Donoghue, Martin McCrudden
Runners-up: Andy Lee, David Grace, Craig Steadman

LADIES
Semis
England 5-1 Russia
France 3-5 Poland
Final
England 6-0 Poland

Champions: Reanne Evans, Emma Bonney
Runners-up: Hanna Mergies, Małgorzata Sikoska

40(+)
Semis
Wales 7-1 England
Ireland1 7-6 Scotland1
Final
Wales 8-0 Ireland1

Champions: Darren Morgan, Phil Williams
Runners-up: Brendan Cooney, Joe Delaney
 
Full results > GSC and http://www.snooker.pl/turnieje/2008/dme/en/dmem_2008.php

Playing snooker is not without danger: heavy rains spell trouble in Pakistan as the roof of a newly built snooker club collapsed injuring five people (including the owner). (The Post)

New kid on the block. On the Main Tour, I mean: Stephen Craigie, the youngster who made history a few years ago by entering a tournament at the age of six (he competed with raised shoes to help him reach the table! ) and, if I’m not wrong, also made a century break at about 8 (in practice, but it did sound very promising). So Stephen won this year’s European Under-19 Championship.

Lots of talented players but I must confess I rooted for Scotland’s Anthony McGill , who had a wonderful week winning 37 frames out of 40 (prior to the final) and firing the highest break of the competition – a superb 140 total clearance. But he lost the final. Better luck at the European Championships, Ant!

QFs
Vincent Muldoon (Ireland) 5-3 Michael Smyth (Northern Ireland)
Stuart Carrington (England) 4-5 Stephen Craigie (England)
Anthony McGill (Scotland) 5-0 Michael Collumb (Scotland)
Austin Smith (Scotland) 1-5 Adam Duffy (England)
Semis
Vincent Muldoon 0-5 Stephen Craigie
Anthony McGill 5-1 Adam Duffy
Final
ANTHONY McGILL 2-6 STEPHEN CRAIGIE

Full results > GCSC (Thanks, Janie!) and http://www.snooker.pl/turnieje/2008/me19/en/me19_2008.php (Thanks, Darek!)
Cliff Thorburn is making an appearance in Old Swan next Wednesday as one of Liverpool’s finest snooker centres celebrates its 25th Anniversary. (Today’s Liverpool Daily Post)

CJW

  Scotland’s Stephen Maguire claimed the China Open with a dramatic 10-9 victory over Shaun Murphy on Sunday. Mags scored a maximum in his semi-final win over Ryan Day. What a week! What a win!

Glasgow’s Craigpark Masters Club is currently hosting this year’s European Team (with Men’s Ladies’ and Over-40’s events) and Under-19 Championships. Lots of formidable players, lots of hard fought battles in sight. Maybe some surprising results as well. Snooker keeps teaching us that the only thing we should expect is the unexpected…

Mark Selby will make a guest appearance at Sheffield Hallam University to talk about his passion for the sport and how he prepares for big tournaments on April 7 (Today’s Sheffield Telegraph)

Cliff Thorburn will show off his best trick shots at Toronto’s Valley Fields Family Restaurant, next Saturday, to raise money and awareness for Renascent, which helps families break the cycle of addiction. (Today’s Toronto Star)

The echoes of the latest O’Sullivan incident have not yet died down. Ronnie’s inappropriate comments and suggestive handling of the microphone might have gone unnoticed and unreported by the Chinese press, but his behaviour has landed him in trouble with WSA and has been widely reported in the British papers (who, everybody knows, this sort of thing). The sensible fans are sad and embarassed. The other fans, pretty aggressive and defiant. A matter of taste. Sir Rodney Walker apologised last Friday, but Ronnie O’Sullivan is the one who should apologise. Soon. Very soon. Like yesterday soon.

CJW

The brakes and suspension of Jimmy White’s £120,000 Bentley had been tampered with: “It wasn’t the normal kind of wear and tear you’d expect. I can’t think of any enemies who would want to harm me but the police are involved now,” Jimmy said. He had taken the car for a routine service which revealed what seemed to be a deliberate damage that could have caused such a serious accident!

A friend of his said: “Jimmy was stunned when he was told. Anyone who tampers with suspension and brakes clearly wants to do some serious harm. He’s racking his brain to think who might have done this.” (Today’s People)

Jimmy did cheat death two years ago, when his Aston Martin exploded in a fireball.

CJW

PIOS 6. Kuldesh Johal is now sure to join the main Tour big boys next season as he won the 6th event of the series – after having won the 2nd, last August. I watched the final on the GCSC: a very good match indeed.

QFs
Jeff Cundy 1-5 Simon Bedford
James Leadbetter 5-2 Michael Georgiou
Lewis Roberts 3-5 Stephen Craigie
Liam Highfield 1-5 Kuldesh Johal
Semis
Simon Bedford 5-1 James Leadbetter
Stephen Craigie 0-5 Kuldesh Johal
Final
Simon Bedford 5-6 Kuldesh Johal

(Full results on GCSC.)

Lt Col Walter Rowley Star of the Future Junior Festival. The crème de la crème of the next generation of snooker stars gathered at Pontin’s between 9 and 15 February. Hopes and excitement, a few tears here and there, parents and grandparents more nervous than the young players they had come to support – a great festival. Among the budding talents on display – Blaine Hendry, who qualified for the knock out stage but lost in the Last 16 of his age group. The champions: 

8-11 age group
Semis
Shane Castle 2-1 Darryl Hill
Ieuan Davies 2-0 Adam Bobat
Final
Shane Castle 2-1 Ieuan Davies 

12-15 age group
Semis
Duane Jones 3-2 Shalruch Nasir
Jason Devaney 3-2 Sam Craigie
Final
Duane Jones 0-3 Jason Devaney

16-20 age group
Semis
Adam Duffy 3-1 Daniel Wells
Stephen Elllis 3-1 Anthony McGill
Final
Adam Duffy 4-1 Stephen Ellis

(Full results on GCSC.)

The RIBSA have recently appointed Carlow’s PJ Nolan as their full time National Development Officer/Coach. PJ returned from five years coaching in Qatar and was keen to join up with the national association yet again this time in a full time paid role.

2008 Snookerstars’ Exhibition Tour. Three world champions – Steve Davis, John Higgins, Shaun Murphy – plus Ryan Day will be heading to Europe for three exhibition evenings: Prague (Sporthalle Sparta Prag, February 22), Hamburg (Bullenhalle, February 23) and Munich (BallhausForum Unterschleißheim, February 24). Also featured in the German events: the national champs Lasse Münstermann, Sascha Lippe, Itaro Santos and Patrick Einsle. 

CJW

Championship League Snooker (CLS). The seven players confirmed to compete in Group 1 (February 25 and 26) are Ken Doherty, Ali Carter, Ryan Day, Barry Hawkins, Joe Perry, Matthew Stevens, and Mark Williams. Four of them (the losing finalist, beaten semi-finalists and the man coming in fifth place will advance to Group 2 (February 27 and 28) where they will be joined by three new players – Anthony Hamilton, Joe Swail plus one player still to be confirmed.

Dave Harold wants things to move a little faster – who doesn’t?!… “ […] ideally we should be getting at least one a month throughout the season. When I was coming through the ranks, there were probably 11 or 12 a year. It all comes down to finances, but they are looking at staging one in Dubai or Bahrain and hopefully that will happen next season. That’s only the start though - we need a minimum of 10 tournaments to make it a truly global sport and to give everyone a fair crack of the whip.” (Yesterday’s Sentinel) Hear, hear!

South Coast Classic. Emma Bonney put an end to Reanne Evans’ string of 35-match victories but Reanne made a superb clearance of 140.

QFs
Reanne Evans 3-0 Suzie Opacic
Emma Bonney 3-1 Maria Catalano
Katie Henrick 3-0 Janny Poulter
June Banks 3-0 Christine Sharpe
Semis
Reanne Evans 2-3 Emma Bonney
Katie Henrick 2-3 June Banks
Final
Emma Bonney 3-2 June Banks

(Results courtesy of Mr Tim Dunkley)

Maltese fans get ready to welcome the snooker stars. Mrs Catherine Cortis is one of these fans. No age limit to our love for the greatest sport in the world!

CJW

Matchroom Sport 2008 Premier League calendar announced:

September : 11, 18, and 25
October : 2, 9, 23, and 30
November : 13, 20, and 27
December : 6 – semis and 7 - final

Matchroom Sport Championship League Snooker, announced last December will be staged over 20 days between February and May 2008, solely broadcast on and funded by internet distribution.

Calendar:
Group 1 - February 25 & 26
Group 2 - February 27 & 28
Group 3 - March 10 & 11
Group 4 – March 12 & 13
Group 5 - April 14 & 15 
Group 6 – April 16 & 17
Group 7 - May 12 & 13
Group 8 (Winners Group) May 14 & 15

Peter Ebdon will soon record a charity single with Sixties pop star Steve Ellis. The new version of Everlasting Love, which topped the charts for Ellis’ band Love Affair in 1968, will raise cash for the Teenage Cancer Trust and the Harrow hospital unit where Ellis’ son was treated.

Peter: “I went to a friend’s birthday party and Steve was singing live. He has a phenomenal voice and is enjoying a comeback. It’s a thrill to be able to work with someone of his talent.” (Today’s Daily Mail)

(I remember an interview published in the Independent, two years ago, when he said that he was contemplating the idea of a new single: “I wouldn’t discount doing another single or maybe even an album in the future. I love my music and whilst unfortunately I don’t have the voice of Andrea Bocelli, I can “hold a note”, as my ex-manager, the former pop-singer Troy Dante, once commented. We didn’t release the last single and it ended up being something that we put together for the BBC. I was very proud of it and really enjoyed the whole process.”  )
Bad news for York (good news for Telford?… ): the long-awaited redevelopment of the Barbican Centre has been delayed again. But operators Absolute Leisure said that the revamp was now “imminent”. That’s something, isn’t it…   (Today’s Barbican &
tomorrow… er… the day after tomorrow’s Barbican).

CJW