Nap hand for Masters champion Hunter

JOHN Hunter set off “like an express train” in the eighth leg of the Cuestars Masters Tour before hitting leaves on the line and arriving late at his destination.

The 58-year-old from Andover eventually beat Dennis Tristram (Croxley Green, Herts) 2-1 in the final at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.

It was the rankings champion’s fifth success this season on the Snooker Hub-sponsored midweek circuit for players aged 55 and over.

Hunter made a 114 (plus a 77), which equalled the record Masters break made by Ashley Beal in Woking last month, in his first round-robin group-stage match against Salisbury club-mate Malcolm Slark.

“It was a very long day,” he said. “I’m definitely going to make two-frame matches for groups of five players an option for tournament organisers from now on.

“I started the day like an express train. Things didn’t go so smoothly from then on.

“Steve Ashton and Dennis Tristram made Mark Williams-type clearances to take me to deciding frames. And Mark Burrell played a perfect first frame in our semi-final match. I needed two 40-plus breaks to turn that one in my favour.”

In the second semi of the event sponsored by Terry Teeman from snookerz.co.uk, third-placed Tristram turned over Mark Thomas, his pal from Shots Watford, 2-1.

The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, hosts the ninth and final leg on Wednesday, May 15.

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

BREAKS

John Hunter: 114, 77, 48, 42.
Dennis Tristram: 48.
Mark Thomas: 48, 42.

RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Neil Carroll (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Mark Thomas (Shots, Watford); 4th, Malcolm Slark (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Steve Russell (Eastcote Billiards Club); 2nd, Phil Butler (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Ray Grall (Hayes WMC); 4th, Paul Burt (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Dennis Tristram (Shots, Watford); 2nd, Mark Burrell (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 4th, Andy Darken (Feltham Constitutional); 5th, Nick Miles (Romsey Comrades).

QUARTER-FINALS (10 pts): Hunter 2-1 Ashton, Burrell 2-0 Butler, Thomas 2-0 Russell, Tristram 2-1 Carroll.

SEMI-FINALS (£15, 15 pts): Hunter 2-1 Burrell, Tristram 2-1 Thomas.

FINAL (£70/£30, 25/18 pts): Hunter 2-1 Tristram.

Picture: John Hunter (left) and Dennis Tristram