BSAM Senior snooker report

by Suman Gupta

Panchal, Sharma snatch hard-fought victories

Mumbai, September: Malabar Hill Club cueists Manav Panchal and Rajeev Sharma, both ground out hard fought victories in their respective round-robin league matches of the Senior men’s snooker event of the BSAM organized Maharashtra State Junior Snooker and Senior Snooker & Billiards Selection (leg 1) Championship – 2019, played at the Bombay Gymkhana billiards room.

In a Group-F encounter, Panchal lost the first two frames but recovered in splendid fashion to pocket the next three frames to put it across Dombivali Gymkhana’s Aashit Pandya and record a fighting 3-2 (18-75, 44-70, 59-52, 86-18 and 92-25) win. Panchal had earlier defeated Pune’s Rajwardhan Joshi 3-1.

Sharma produced a late fight to overcome Nashik’s Pankaj Khatri by a tight 3-2 frame scores in a Group-E contest. Khatri potted consistently to win the first and third frames while losing the second by a slender 1-point to take a 2-1 lead. Sharma showed great character and fighting spirit to closely win the last two frame to clinch a satisfying 41-72, 68-67, 22-70, 59-50 and 54-51 victory. Khatri had earlier recorded a similar 3-2 win agsinst Vishal Gehani (Park Club).

Khar Gymkhana’s Sahil Kakad lost the opener but struck form in the nick of time as he bounced back to overcome Pune’s Shivam Arora 3-1 (38-58, 48-33, 83-62 and 79-62) to register his first win in Group-D. Kakad went down tamely to Hassan Badami of CCI 0-3 in the previous match.

Meanwhile, Radio Club’s Rayaan Razmi, Maharashtra’s number one ranked junior player, constructed a break of 68 in the second frame and went on to defeat Sanjay Gamre of Bombay Gymkhana 3-1 (63-38, 69-09, 44-59 and 76-24).

Results – Group-A: Adit Raja (JVPG) beat Ibrahim Sheikh (KVSC) 3-2 (09-66, 55-27, 36-66, 67-61, 91-35);

Group-B: Sarang Shroff (NSCI) beat Avenish Shah (MCF) 3-2 (54-11, 51-54, 28-51, 76-73, 56-51);

Sarang Shroff beat Anand Raghuvanshi (Hindu Gym) 3-2 (77-24, 76-40, 22-59, 59-71, 58-50);

Group-C: Vishal Vaya (KVSC) Beat Kiran Chheda (DOM) 3-2 (09-58, 37-68, 65-23, 70(39)-01, 55-2).

Group-D: Sahil Kakad (Khar Gym) beat Shivam Arora (Pune) 3-1 (38-58, 48-33, 83-62, 79-62).

Group-E: Pankaj Khatri (Nashik) beat Vishal Gehani (Park Club) 3-2 (57-49, 36-60, 64-28, 83-18, 61-34);

Raajeev Sharma (MHC) beat Pankaj Khatri (Nashik) 3-2 (41-72, 68-67, 22-70, 59-50, 54-51).

Group-F: Manav Panchal (MHC) beat Aashit Pandya (Dombivali Gym) 3-2 (18-75, 44-70, 59-52, 86-18, 92-25).

Group-G: Rahil Patel (JVPG) beat Karan Chugh (NSCI) 3-2 (36-62, 72-33, 61-16, 40-57, 67-33)

Group-H: Abhishek Bajaj (BG) beat Sanjay Gamre (BG) 3-2 (53-06, 63-32, 37-41, 47-69, 49-32).

Rayaan Razmi (Radio) Beat Sanjay Gamre (BG) 3-1 (63-38, 69(68)-09, 44-59, 76-24).sa