Jeraj emerges as Bronze favourite

TOOTING’S budding snooker star Zain Jeraj has emerged from a tightly-grouped pack and is heading for home on the Cuestars Under-21 Bronze Tour.

The 11-year-old followed up his success in Coulsdon in January with his second winner’s trophy of the season in the fifth leg at Fareham Snooker Club.

But it was close. Jeraj beat first-time finalist Dylan Beer (Fair Oak) in two black-ball games

Jeraj said: “It was very intense. It was hard to beat him.”

Looking back over the day, he added: “I started off not very good at all. I wasn’t playing my best – awful, actually. I wasn’t putting away my chances and I scraped through the first couple of matches.

“The round-robin is quite pressured because it’s only one frame. It’s the hardest part of the whole tournament.

“After qualifying (for the knockout), I got a bit more into the zone.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Walter knocked in his highest competitive break of 28 against Matthew Jameson (Brighton) in the group stages. The consistent Portsmouth lad, who is third in the rankings, has now qualified for the knockout in the last six tournaments that he has entered.

Jeraj defeated second-placed Thomas McEvoy (Warminster) 2-0 in the last-four to stretch his lead to 17 points. In the second semi, Beer knocked out leg-four winner Ayan Roy (Forest Hill) 2-0.

For more information about the event sponsor, Fareham Snooker Club, go to www.farehamsnooker.co.uk.

Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, hosts the sixth leg of eight on Sunday, April 3.

BREAKS

Daniel Walter: 28(PB).
Dylan Beer: 22, 21, 20, 20.
Zain Jeraj: 22, 20.

BRONZE RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Ayan Roy (Frames, Coulson); 2nd, Zain Jeraj (London Snooker); 3rd, Adam Abbas (Castle, Brighton); 4th, Alex Evans (Castle, Brighton); 5th, Casey Turner (Castle, Brighton).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Thomas McEvoy (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Dylan Beer (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Ellise Scott (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Samuel Walter (Mayfair, Gosport); 5th, Jaydon Elliott (147, Swindon).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Finn Kirby (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, Daniel Walter (Mayfair, Gosport); 3rd, Ryan Spratt (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Tyler Beer (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Matthew Jameson (Castle, Brighton).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Will Kempson (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Caden Read (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, George Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 4th, Rhys Pearce (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 5th, Louie Ayling (Castle, Brighton); 6th, Gus Holdway (Castle, Brighton).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): D Beer 2-0 Kempson, Jeraj 2-0 Kirby, McEvoy 2-1 Read, Roy 2-0 D Walter.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): D Beer 2-0 Roy, Jeraj 2-0 McEvoy.

FINAL (25/18 points): Jeraj 2-0 D Beer.