Biology homework. Check. First half-century. Check.

IT’S unclear whether completing his biology homework on the train from Portsmouth spurred Olly Clark to compile a long overdue first half-century break.

But after being stuck in the 40s since Christmas Eve 2011, the 14-year-old posted a 52 against Gary Tomkins in the second week of Open Series 15.

Clark catches the Gosport Ferry and two trains to Chandler’s Ford SC every Saturday.

“The feeling on the train on the way back was a bit different to the one on the way there when I was doing my biology homework!” he declared.

The break came in the third frame of the final.

“I didn’t feel much when I potted the blue for 51,” he explained. “It was the previous shot where I knew I’d made it.

“I’d left myself dead straight on a red to the middle pocket. When I saw it was going in, I knew I was perfect on the blue and it was going to happen.

“I could not have been happier. I just played the blue without even thinking.”

Clark sunk the next red, missed a thin black and lost the match 3-2.

He said: “I don’t mind losing to Gary because he’s a great player and a nice guy.”

Clark will step up from the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour to Gold this coming season and will again compete on the EASB Regional Junior Tour.

Picture by Tim Dunkley