Home sweet home for Williams
FORMER England under-19 captain Nathan Williams chalked up a first Cuestars Open tournament win of the season on his home tables at Salisbury SC.
Forced to concede a 35-point start in the final, scratch-player Williams, who used to compete on the Challenge Tour, defeated Mark Silvester (Cowplain Club) 3-0.
In fact, Williams dropped just one frame in four matches – against Reading’s Dean Matthews in the last four. He climbed to second in the rankings.
The sixth event of ten across the South of England attracted a 24-strong field
Silvester jumped to ninth after overcoming Liam O’Shea, from Jesters, Swindon, 3-0 in the second semi.
Rankings leader Neil Craycraft, the only scratch player in the tournament apart from Williams, won the Plate after a first-round exit to beaten finalist Silvester.
The 35-year-old overcame the 28-point handicap difference to beat Cuestars newcomer Simon Webb 2-0 in the final.
Williams became the sixth different winner of Cuestars Open events this season. Craycraft, James Sumner, Sebastian Worrall, Billy Castle and Shane Castle all have one victory each.
RESULTS:
LAST 32 (three points): Liam Tinne (Salisbury SC) bt David Volante (Jesters SC, Swindon) 3-1, Dion Baker (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) bt Simon Webb (no club provided) 3-0, Liam O’Shea (Jesters SC, Swindon) bt Dennis Hushley (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) 3-0, Josh Fryer (Salisbury SC) bt Peter Stevens (no club provided) 3-1, Daniel Watkiss (Colours, Reading) bt Alan Childs (Salisbury SC) 3-1, James Bolton (Salisbury SC) bt Sam Jefferson (Jesters SC, Swindon) 3-0, Nat Day (Rileys, Reading) bt Alan Mitchell (no club provided) 3-0, Mark Silvester (Cowplain Club) bt Neil Craycraft (Jesters SC, Swindon) 3-2.
LAST 16 (five points): Baker bt Tinne 3-0, O’Shea bt Fryer 3-1, Bolton bt Watkiss 3-1, Silvester bt Day 3-1, Gareth Harris (The Academy, Basingstoke) bt Duncan Humphreys (Salisbury SC) 3-2, Nathan Williams (Salisbury SC) bt Ron Ellis (Burgh Heath, Surrey) 3-0, Steve Girling (no club provided) bt Fred Pearce (Burgh Heath, Surrey) 3-0, Dean Matthews (Rileys, Reading) bt Ekrem Vatansever (no club provided) 3-2.
QUARTER-FINALS (eight points): O’Shea bt Baker 3-2, Silvester bt Bolton 3-2, Williams bt Harris 3-0, Matthews bt Girling 3-1.
SEMI-FINALS (12 points): Silvester bt O’Shea 3-0, Williams bt Matthews 3-1.
FINAL (25/18 points): Williams bt Silvester 3-0.
PLATE:
LAST 16: Childs bt Jefferson 2-0, Hushley bt Humphreys 2-1, Webb bt Vatansever, Volante bt Stevens 2-1.
QUARTER-FINALS: Hushley bt Childs 2-0, Webb bt Volante 2-1, Pearce by Mitchell 2-0, Craycraft bt Ellis 2-1.
SEMI-FINALS (one point): Webb bt Hushley 2-1, Craycraft bt Pearce 2-0.
FINAL (five/three points): Craycraft bt Webb 2-0.