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ENGLISH PRO TICKET 3
KULDESH JOHAL WINS NORTH
ADAM WICHEARD SOUTH
BOTH LEAD RANKINGS
North – Northern SC, Leeds
Kuldesh Johal, Huddersfield on the Main Tour last season defeated ex pro Jamie O'Neill, Wellingborough 5-3 to win Event 3 from 55 players to lead the regions rankings.
Johal heads Antony Parsons who has reached the last four in the three events staged, O'Neill climbs up to 3rd place, Event 2 winner David Lilley drops from 1st to 4th, David Craggs Event 1 winner is now 5th, from the home club 6th Jonathan Bagley, 7th James Welsh and 8th Robbie Williams.
The weekend's winner opened the final with a 55 break, O'Neill countered with 42 and led 2-1, Johal 53 for 2-2 and led 3-2 the crucial 7th frame won on the black, Johal ended the match with a run of 58.
From 2-1 down Johal potted breaks of 85,80 and 79 to beat Richard Binns 4-2 gained revenge on David Lilley for his defeat in the previous final 4-2 and thumped runaway PJT leader Stephen Craigie 4-0 no score information available from either match.
He made breaks of 63 and 62 to beat Stuart Carrington 4-1 and finally from 2-0 up edged Kyren Wilson 4-3 after the Kettering teenager led 3-2 with a 53, Johal 69 for 3-3 winning the decider easily.
O'Neill reached the final by defeating Ryan Clark 4-1, 57 break, Allan Taylor 4-3 from 3-2 down mirrored the feat in the next round over Jeff Cundy came back from 2-0 down to James Welsh winning 4-2, 61 for 3-2 the 6th frame on the black and also in the semi final 2-0 down to Antony Parsons, O'Neill 110 for 2-2.
Wilson high on the PIOS rankings scored well all weekend from 3-1 down to Damien Anderson fired in a 90 break to finish, James McGouran 4-1, 51,76 and 75 plus runs of 82 and 56 to beat Ian Glover 4-0.
Stuart Carrington made breaks of 104,53 and 76 to beat Lee Shanker 92 and 63, 4-2, Sam Craigie despite scores of 111 and 70 lost 4-3 to Cundy and former North West junior Robert Valiant playing again after a long absence made breaks of 93,76,115.78 and 59 before losing 4-3 to Parsons in the last eight.
South – Woking SC
Adam Wicheard, Trowbridge claimed pole position from 4th in the Southern rankings with a hard fought 5-4 win over the home towns Sean Bullock who leaps up to 7th from 19th from 48 players in Surrey.
Event 1 winner Rob James drops to 2nd, World Amateur Champion Alfie Burden is 3rd, now twice semi finalist Mitchell Mann is 4th, Ben Harrison Event 2 winner 5th, Matt Wilson 6th and Elliot Bastable 8th.
The first four frames of the final shared, Wicheard won the 3rd frame on the black, Bullock led 3-2 and 4-3, Wicheard squaring the match each time with breaks of 72 and 71 wining the final frame 67-33.
Wicheard had a walk over against Alex Davies then won his next four matches 4-2, Steve Martin, Jamie Walker opening with a 70, Leo Fernandez and Martin O'Donnell from 2-2 making breaks of 72 and 68.
Bullock defeated Burden 4-2, Callum Downing 4-0, 57 twice, Richard Somauroo 4-2 and Mitchell Mann 4-1, 54 and 73.
Jamie Walker edged Kristian Willetts 4-3 on the black after trailing 3-1, Phil Parkin made breaks of 89,58 and 61 to beat Brian Cox 4-2 then lost 4-1 in the next round to Maria Catalano who climbs up to 16th place, Reanne Evans slips to 24th, James ended Catalano's run 4-0 in the last 16.
James lost 4-3 in the quarters to O'Donnell despite breaks of 58,57 and 54, O'Donnell 87 to finish.
Greg Batten led Mark White 3-1 and made a 54 break in the decider only to lose.
The 4th and final event of the first stage is to be played 23-24 January the top 16 from each region then play a further two events to produce England's No 1 nomination for pro status the English Amateur points are still to be included in the two area's rankings.
The remaining place will be played for May 29-30.
Malcolm Thorne
English Snooker