The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Cue ace Mark Gray is ready to help steer Europe to victory over the USA in the Mosconi Cup 2014.
His second appearance in the team comes six years after the first – an 11-5 win for Europe in Malta in the annual event.
Gray, who is the resident professional at Bourne Snooker Centre, and plays for them in Spalding and District Snooker League, is currently ranked number two on the Great Britain 9 Ball Tour and is ranked second on the European Tour.
His was the first name on the squad sheet.
“Matchroom Sport run this event and they do various criteria to get in team Europe,” said Gray. “I earnt my spot through the Euro Tour. They did a points system from the last five Euro Tour events and whoever topped that would get the first spot in the team.
“I placed third in Italy, ninth in Cyprus, fifth in Austria and Slovenia and then, finally, won the recent Holland Euro tour.”
Other players in Europe’s team are England’s Darren Appleton and Karl Boyes, current World 9 Ball champion Niels Feijen (Holland) and Greece’s Nikos Ekonomopoulus.
This is the 21st year of the event. USA have won 11 to Europe’s eight with one draw. Europe have dominated in recent years and won 11-2 in Las Vegas last year.
The action gets under way at the Tower Circus in Blackpool on Monday and the four consecutive nights will be screened live on Sky Sports.
Gray is thankful to Travis Perkins for sponsoring him in the Mosconi Cup.
