Hunter one hand on fourth Masters title

JOHN Hunter has one hand on his fourth successive Cuestars Masters title.

The 57-year-old from Andover won the sixth leg of the Snooker Hub-sponsored midweek tour for players aged 55 and over at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth.

Rankings leader Hunter beat second-placed Phil Butler (Bournemouth) 2-0 in the final. He secured his fourth victory of the season with a nervy 29 clearance that kicked off with a risky free-ball blue.

Losing semi-finalists Dennis Tristram (Croxley Green) and Mark Thomas (Chorleywood), who are both based at Shots Watford, were both denied a first appearance in a final.

Steve Russell (Harrow) achieved a personal best Cuestars break of 54 in the first frame of his quarter-final defeat by Tristram.

The large field of 21 players – two fewer than the record 23 in Woking in March last year – were lucky to be playing on fantastic tables as the club had recently recovered them all for the Dorset Open.

The event was sponsored by Tiverton-based Masters and Seniors player David Brock.

Woking Snooker Centre hosts the seventh leg of nine on Wednesday, March 13.

To find out more the amateur game, visit snookerhub.co.uk.

BREAKS

John Hunter: 66, 57, 50, 44, 42, 42.
Steve Russell: 54.
Steve Allen: 53, 41.
Mark Thomas: 44.
Mark Burrell: 44.
Bob Toulouse: 40.

RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, David Brock (Exeter SC); 3rd, Ray Grall (Hayes WMC); 4th, Malcolm Slark (Salisbury SC); 5th, Nick Miles (Romsey Comrades).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Phil Butler (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Steve Russell (Eastcote Billiards Club); 3rd, Andy Darken (Feltham Constitutional Club); 4th, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 5th, Mick Jeyes (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Mark Thomas (Shots, Watford); 2nd, Bob Toulouse (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 3rd, Shaun Hayman (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Neil Carroll (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Gareth Owen (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Dennis Tristram (Shots, Watford); 2nd, Mark Burrell (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Steve Allen (Totton Rec); 4th, Paul Burt (Salisbury SC); 5th, Stephen Hills (Northfleet Traders Club); unplaced, Mike Smith (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

QUARTER-FINALS (£10, 10 pts): Hunter 2-1 Toulouse, Tristram 2-1 Russell, Butler 2-1 Burrell, Thomas 2-0 Brock.

SEMI-FINALS (£25, 15 pts): Hunter 2-0 Tristram, Butler 2-0 Thomas.

FINAL (£80/£40, 25/18 pts): Hunter 2-0 Butler.

Picture: John Hunter (left) and Phil Butler.