Pascal and Chloe in the pink

THEY’VE met their target three years early.

Pascal Richard and Chloe White, last year’s runners-up, turned the tables on the defending champions to clinch the Portsmouth league’s scratch pairs title.

The Copnor Snooker Club double act, resplendent in matching pink waistcoats, defeated ten-time world billiards champion Emma Bonney and her boyfriend Nigel Ward 3-2 in the final of the Alan Betteridge Cup at The North End Bowling & Social Club.

Richard, who used to partner Bonney in this competition, was full of praise for his 14-year-old teammate.

“Chloe is a pleasure to have as a doubles partner because she is entirely sensible and reliable with her approach and shot selection,” said the 36-year-old.

“She doesn’t attempt to play shots that she cannot yet play, and doesn’t get flustered easily. You won’t see her taking on crazy, deep screw backs or silly, risky 1-in-20 long pots like some people do because she just knows she won’t get them.

“Also, she almost never gets angry and just has a frustrated slap at a ball. Instead, she picks off what she is capable of picking off, plays a decent safety, and then tries to repeat the trick.”

Indeed. Safety shots by White were followed by breaks 33 and 63 and a green to black clearance by Richard in the three frames they won.

Former Town Campion Richard and White, who is currently third on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour, won The Sid Matthews Cup, a handicapped doubles competition also run by the Portsmouth District Billiards & Snooker Association, in 2012/13.

Richard said: “When Chloe first took up snooker, we entered the handicap pairs as a bit of fun just to encourage her to play – but then won it the first year.

“So then we set ourselves the target of winning the scratch version before she was 18.”

Picture by Steve Toms