Ronnie in seventh heaven
CHIPSTEAD’S snooker wonderkid Ronnie Sullivan ended his victorious season on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour with a seventh winner’s trophy.
The rankings champion beat nine-year-old O’Shay Scott (Eastleigh) 2-0 in the final of the tenth and last leg at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.
But the 13-year-old was forced to battle back from 20 points behind on the colours in the second frame to deny first-time finalist Scott.
“I’m good under pressure,” explained Sullivan. “I just wait for my chance and take it when I get it.”
The talented Londoner compiled 12 breaks of 20 or more, including five in the 30s and his highest Cuestars break of 47, in his ten frames during the event sponsored by Pitman Training Southampton
“I made a couple of breaks and did OK,” he admitted in his usual understated way.
Sullivan heads to Swindon on May 20 in a bid to claim the rankings and championship double during finals day. And he will play professional Billy Castle in an exhibition frame.
“I’m looking forward to playing Billy and I’ll try to give him a run for his money,” he said.
Beaten semi-finalist Riccardo Drayton (Chandler’s Ford) secured the runner-up spot.
Louie Leighton was rewarded for making the long journey south from Basildon by beating his highest break twice.
He had a 36 in the group stages against Taylor Elliot (Swindon) and a 38 against Samuel Laxton (Portsmouth) in the quarter-finals.
This has been by far the strongest Bronze Tour in Cuestars history.
As an example of the ridiculously high standard, Laxton had a 35 break against Leighton and still lost the frame. Tough school!
And the top two in the rankings will become the first players to be promoted straight to Gold – missing out Silver entirely – something that has never happened before.
The 16 players returned 24 breaks of 20 or more, including nine in the 30s and two in the 40s.
For more information about Pitman Training Southampton, go to www.pitman-training.com/our-centres/england/southampton.
BREAKS
Ronnie Sullivan: 47, 39, 35, 31, 30, 30, 29, 29, 24, 23, 22, 20.
O’Shay Scott: 40, 22.
Louie Leighton: 38, 36, 28, 21.
Samuel Laxton: 35.
Oliver Cooper: 30.
Mason Wilson: 25, 22, 22.
Riccardo Drayton: 24.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, O’Shay Scott (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Mason Wilson (Academy, Basingstoke); 3rd, Owen Jenkins (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 4th, Thomas McEvoy (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Riccardo Drayton (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Samuel Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 3rd, Ben Crump (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Oliver Cooper (Frames, Coulsdon).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Louie Leighton (Rileys, Benfleet); 2nd, Zak Truscott (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 3rd, Will Forster (Mayfair, Gosport); 4th, Taylor Elliott (147, Swindon).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Ronnie Sullivan (Frames, Coulsdon); 2nd, Dean Russell (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 3rd, Jaydon Elliott (147 SC, Swindon); 4th, Thomas Sharp (Waterlooville Sports Bar).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Scott 2-0 Russell, Drayton 2-1 Truscott, Leighton 2-0 Laxton, Sullivan 2-1 Wilson.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Scott 2-1 Drayton, Sullivan 2-0 Leighton.
FINAL (25/18 points): Sullivan 2-0 Scott.
Picture by Tim Dunkley. Paul Lawrence (operations manager of Pitman Training Southampton) and Ronnie Sullivan.
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)