Rice on a roll

HE WAS just a social player eight months ago.

David Rice (pictured) continued his remarkable season with victory in a February half-term holiday competition at Salisbury Snooker Club.

The 20-year-old from Fordingbridge won two of his three group matches at the Cuestars Snooker Day and admitted he had the “run of the balls” in a 2-0 last-four victory over his 17-year-old brother Anthony.

Ally Pollard took the first frame of the final on the blue but Rice leveled on the pink.

In the decider, Rice fluked a snooker on the blue and pounced on a loose safety shot that left the black over a pocket.

He said: “I’ve been practising a lot more recently and I’m starting to see improvements in my game.

“In the final, Ally deserved to win because I played not so good against him. But I just potted the key balls.”

Pollard, 18, said: “Dave is a good player and I knew it was going to be a tough match because he’s one of the best (on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour) and should go up to Silver next season.

Kaine Petty, beaten 2-1 by Pollard in the semi-finals, recorded the day’s top break of 39.

Since taking up the game seriously, Rice has increased his high break to 32, made the last-four on his Bronze Tour debut in Bournemouth in October, finished runner-up in Woking in January and won the Plate in Swindon earlier this month.

Now ninth in the rankings, he also impressed the coaches at the Cuestars Under-21 Skills Challenge at his home club just before Christmas, finishing second amongst the Bronze players and third overall.

RESULTS

GROUP A: 1st, Anthony Rice; 2nd, Ally Pollard; 3rd, Albert Warren; 4th, Rob Warren.

GROUP B: 1st, Kaine Petty; 2nd, David Rice; 3rd, Keegan Reed; 4th, Tom Dudfield.

SEMI-FINALS: D Rice 2 A Rice 0, Pollard 2 Petty 1.

FINAL: D Rice 2 Pollard 1.

Picture by John Hunter, report by Tim Dunkley.