Right On Cue

Wayne Cooper and Lee Atkinson won both their frames as Bradford No 1 enjoyed an excellent 5-1 victory over Division One leaders Sheffield No 2 in the Yorkshire Inter-District League.

Sheffield arrived for the game at Undercliffe Cricket Club with a strong line-up and, as expected, there was a blend of attacking play mixed with mutual respect from both sides.

Cooper got the home side off to a good start, taking the first frame 58-36 against David Portman before a solid break of 44 helped claim the second 70-23.

Atkinson continued his good form for the team by winning a black-ball decider in his first frame to beat Damien Anderson 52-38, then making a 36 break to comfortably win his second 72-12.

Captain Kevin Firth extended Bradford’s lead to 5-0 with a blistering performance, making breaks of 70 and 35 in a breath to win his opener 105-8.

But opponent Wayne Wootton gained some respectability for the previously unbeaten Sheffield team, making a 45 break on his way to a 62-17 success.

The 5-1 result in Bradford’s favour leaves them second in the Northern Snooker Centre-sponsored league, two points behind Sheffield No 2, who have played a game more.

Bradford’s Damian Wilks gave a good account of himself before losing to Jimmy White MBE during the latest Players Tour Championship event in Prague.

Fresh from his World Seniors Championship success at Cedar Court in Bradford, the ‘Whirlwind’ was expected to win comfortably.

But Yorkshire under-19 champion Wilks kicked off the match by taking the first frame with a 50-point winning margin.

White then found some rhythm and won the next three frames, including a break of 82, but despite looking like wrapping up the match at 4-1 with a lead of 38 points when only 43 remained, Wilks clawed his way back and snatched it on the black.

In frame six, Wilks was 30 behind but made a good break of 52 before rattling a long green, White then clearing to win the match 4-2.

Wilks’ QTips clubmate Matt Yeadon had a tough encounter with six-times Belgian champion Bjorn Haneever and, despite a couple of close frames, lost 4-0.