GALLERY – Championship finals weekend sees success for new and old

in Snooker, Sport 20/03/2024

Jason Bates lifted his ninth Snooker Scratch title on Saturday night after seeing off Pyramid’s Jason Green 4-2 in the show-piece match of the Spalding and District Snooker and Billiards League’s finals weekend.

Bourne Snooker Centre’s Bates, who first lifted the President’s Cup back in 2000, beat Green 4-2.
The top team trophy up for grabs at the Springfields Events Centre-hosted weekend ended up at Bourne Pyramid, as Spencer Dawkins, Jason Green and Reegan Cooke-Holmes beat Holbeach A (Sean Swinburn, Stuart Atkin and Wayne Dent) 4-2 to secure the Norey Cup.
Dawkins starred taking the deciding frame and knocking in a 58 break in what was the final game of the weekend.
The action got under way on Friday night, with brothers Darren (O42) and Mark Woodberry (O56) of Consti taking on Services’ Nigel Cherry (O7) and Jordan Philpott (R7).
The Woodberrys started well with Darren beating Cherry and Mark getting the better of Philpott.
They prevailed in the pairs frame, taking the spoils – and the title – 64-56.
Cherry and Philpott took the final two frames but it was too little too late for them.
Saturday morning kicked off with the Billiards Handicap which saw Bourne SC’s Oliver Player (R40) beat Donington’s Jim Thompson (R60) in a game that finished 200-102.
There was a new name on the Snooker Senior Masters trophy after Donington’s Shaun Pickering (R21) defeated Pyramid’s Marcus Hamilton (O28) 2-1.
It came down to the black in the Snooker Mixed Pairs, as Rachel and Dan Mayfield (Holbeach) made it a fifth title win, beating Michella and John George (Donington).
The 2013 winners took the victory 94-89.
Next up was the Snooker KO Cup final, which went with the form book as first division team Bourne SC A defeated Division Two side Pyramid A 3-2.
Pyramid got off to a good start with wins from Victor Rouse (R7) and Michael Twell (R7) but Bourne SC hit back with Mark Gray (O98) knocking in breaks of 46 and 41 in his victory over Matthew Chapman (O14).
Ian Clare (scr) and Carl Gibson (O28) went on to take their frames and seal the win for Bourne SC.
League legend Mick Cooper was the first of Sunday’s winners as he beat league chairman Neil Reynolds in the Billiards Scratch.
Cooper lifted the crown for a third time since 2016.
Next was the snooker pairs which saw Donington duo Shaun Pickering and Gavin Lewis take on Vince Fitter and Chris Dunmore from Services.
In a close game it was the pair from Services who lifted the trophy.
The Snooker Handicap final saw Bourne Pyramid’s Tony Curry (O21) beat Donington’s Mick Pearl (O21) for his first success in the competition.
Pyramid pair Jason Green and Spencer Dawkins have their name on the Snooker Scratch Pairs trophy for the second time, seeing off Holbeach pair Sean Swinburn and Wayne Dent.
Swinburn and Dent took the first frame but the opposition proved too strong in the end.