11:50am Wednesday 29th April 2009
By Richard Bakes
Right on Cue
Wibsey Liberal Club player Alex McCann has made it through to his first Bradford Snooker Championship final – days before being admitted to hospital for open heart surgery.
McCann defeated Jason Walton of Shipley Club 4-2 at Great Horton Conservative Club in a semi-final which was brought forward to accommodate his operation.
Walton took a nervous opening frame, before McCann hit back to win the next two and looked like establishing a 3-1 advantage, only for his opponent to dig deep and level the match at 2-2.
There were plenty of chances to win the next frame by both players but it was McCann who again took the lead.
It appeared the match was heading for 3-3 after Walton built up a good lead, only to see his rival fight back into contention.
With only pink and black on the table and Walton leading by 15 points, McCann played the shot of the night by taking the white off four cushions and tucking right up behind the black.
Walton failed to get out of the snooker and McCann eventually potted the pink, leaving himself perfect on the black off its spot.
Nerves crept in as McCann missed the black and Walton’s attempted safety shot was then too hard, leaving the crucial ball over the pocket, which McCann duly potted.
This was not a classic in the sense of attacking snooker but a keen and closely contested match, keeping a decent crowd entertained.
The final will be delayed until McCann is fit enough to play and could possibly be played as a curtain-raiser to next season. Everyone connected with the game wishes him all the best for a quick recovery.
McCann’s opponent in the final is yet to be decided, with Mark Slater (Great Horton Cons) due to take on Ilyas Khan (Cuedos Snooker Club) in the coming weeks. A date and venue was unconfirmed at the time of going to print.
Khan defeated clubmate Sajid Khan 4-1 in their quarter-final, playing solid all-round snooker to make his second semi in the last three years.
Slater had knocked out Mick Bedford (Manningham Ward) by the same score the previous week.
Meanwhile, tomorrow sees the final of the Flexprint Services-sponsored HEY’S TROPHY at Undercliffe Cricket Club (7.30pm), with holders Laisterdyke Cricket Club taking on Cuedos Snooker Club B.
The final of the E ROSSE HOPKINSON PLATE competition will be contested next Thursday between Manningham Ward and Little Horton Unity Club at Great Horton Conservative Club (7.30pm).
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