Castle two matches from English Amateur title

CUESTARS Championship Tour winner Billy Castle is through to the southern final of the English Amateur Championship.

The 24-year-old from Reading compiled a brilliant 91 break to wrap up an 8-7 victory from 7-5 down against Zack Richardson (Brighton) at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester.

“It was a great game,” said Castle.

Earlier, he beat Darren Bond (Tiverton) 5-1 in the last-16 and Gary Miller (Birmingham) 5-0 in the quarter-finals.

The former England international won the southern championship in 2015 and now wants to go one step further and land the national title.

“I’d be the only person from around our area to do that,” he said.

“I’m playing as well now as I did when I got to the world amateur quarter-finals (in Bulgaria in 2002).

“I’m winning the big games as well this year and I’ve got confidence going into Q School.”

Castle takes on former professional Andrew Norman (Bristol) for the southern crown during the English Association of Snooker and Billiards finals weekend on June 24-25 back in Gloucester and the winner then faces the northern champion.

Picture by Tim Dunkley

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)