Stars come out in Fareham
ALEX Dunkley “blew away” ex-professional David Gray to claim the £300 first prize at Fareham Snooker Club’s Open Classic tournament.
Gray, who lost his Main Tour place last year, potted just two balls in the first two frames.
Although the 32-year-old former Scottish Open champion rallied to win three frames on the spin, Dunkley cleared the colours to level at 3-3 and wrapped up the decider on the final black with a 34 clearance.
Dunkley’s coach and tournament director Derek Clark was “delighted” with the 23-year-old’s performance.
He said: “David Gray is a class player and Alex just blew him away. He was fearless.”
Clark, 76, who remarkably won both the Southampton and Portsmouth individual championships in 1969, said the tournament was “very successful” again.
He added: “The standard was very high. I watched most of the players and I thought the best two reached the final.”
Dunkley pocketed a staggering £570 in four tournaments in eight days. He picked up £200 on the EASB Pro-Ticket Tour, £50 at the Chandler’s Ford SC Roll-Up, £300 at Fareham and £20 at the Cuestars event in Swindon.
Dunkley, from Bursledon, said: “It’s nice to do well in front of Derek, especially in a tournament he’s running.”
In the last-four, Dunkley beat Southampton’s Town Champion Mike Finn 3-2 with breaks of 67 and 78.
Meanwhile, in the second semi, Billy Castle (Marchwood) led Gray 2-0 and then missed a red on a run of 57.
“After that, he had 88, 80 and 59 so there was not much I could do,” said the 19-year-old.
Clark said: “David Gray was playing at his best against Billy Castle. His cue-ball control was fantastic and he was a deserved winner.”
In the previous round, Castle had beaten his 13-year-old cousin Shane Castle 3-2 from 2-0 down.
Joining the cream of the South’s cuemen in a 25-strong high-quality field were former professional Les Dodd, the 1998 IBSF World Champion Luke Simmonds, who pocketed £50 for the day’s highest break of 97, and Welsh international Duane Jones.
RESULTS (BREAKS)
First round: Adam Nash (Southampton) 3 Adam Bobat (Fareham) 0, Shane Castle (Marchwood) w/o Davis Hui (Southampton), Paul Norris (Brighton) 3 Jordan Winbourne (Southampton) 2, Billy Castle (Marchwood) 3(61) Mark McLean (North Baddesley) 2, Duane Jones (Wales) 3(76) Pete Devlin (London) 0, David Gray (London) 3 Andy Boulton (Portsmouth) 2, Pete Furguson (Portsmouth) 3 Ben Finch (London) 0, Luke Simmonds (IoW) 3 Pete Oughton (Portsmouth) 2, Les Dodd (Southport) 3 Phil Watson (Fareham) 0.
Second round: Shane Castle 3(86, 71) Nash 2, Billy Castle 3(61, 59) Norris 0, Gray 3(70) Jones 2, Simmonds 3(56) Furguson 0, Mike Finn (Eastleigh) 3(66) Dodd 0(50), Colin Norton (Waterlooville) 3 Ricky Hong Chin (China) 0, Alex Dunkley (Southampton) 3(60) Ryan Mears (Aldershot) 1, Paul Oatley (IoW) 3 Ben Tanner (Eastleigh) 1.
Quarter-finals: Billy Castle 3(88) Shane Castle 2, Gray 3(87) Simmonds 2(97), Finn 3(93) Norton 2, Dunkley 3(77) Oatley 1.
Semi-finals (£40): Gray 3(88, 80, 59) Billy Castle 2(57), Dunkley 3(67, 78) Finn 2.
Final (£300/£100): Dunkley 4(59) Gray 3(63). Frame scores: 91-7, 87-0, 9-64, 73-80, 13-61, 74-58, 65-62.
High break (£50): Simmonds 97.
Picture by Kevin Legg