Harrison could soon be feeling grand
WILTSHIRE snooker ace Ben Harrison is now favourite to collect a £1,000 sponsorship to World Snooker’s Q School.
Harrison leads the Q School Preparation Series at the South West Snooker Academy in Gloucester after a semi-final appearance in the second leg of four.
The 19-year-old from Hawkeridge near Westbury, who reached the final in the first tournament last month, insists he will not sit on his laurels.
“I can’t think like that,” he said. “I’ve got to wipe the slate clean and concentrate on doing even better in the last two events. And make sure I finish number one.”
The top four after all four events in Gloucester receive the sponsorship. Then, the semi-finalists at each of the four Q School tournaments in Sheffield earn places on the professional circuit.
Harrison kicked off another high-scoring weekend with a 70 break in a 4-1 win over Oliver Brown (Derbys).
And he compiled a 60 in a “very tough” 4-2 victory against former Scottish professional Fraser Patrick.
Runs of 50 and 60 were added in a 4-1 last-16 success against Seb Worrall (Swindon).
In a repeat of the event-one quarter-finals, Harrison disposed of England Men’s skipper Michael Wild 4-3. He clawed back a 2-1 deficit with efforts of 66 and 130, the tournament’s highest break.
But Liverpool’s James Welsh ended Harrison’s bid for successive appearances in a final.
Speaking after a 4-1 defeat, Harrison said: “He played quite well but I played terrible. I think I wanted to win too much and tried to force it.
“But never mind. It was another good weekend and I can’t get much higher than I am now!
“I can win the rankings. It shows that my ‘B’ game has got much stronger and I can win those tight frames and matches that last year I would not have been able to do.