Wilson in national final

HE is one step away from being crowned the best young player in the country.

Jamie Wilson (pictured) is through to the final of the English Under-14 Championship.

After qualifying via a regional event the previous week, along with four other Cuestars members, the 12-year-old from Havant progressed through three knockout rounds at the Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds.

He faces Oldham century-breaker Ryan Davies, 13, who competes on the EASB Premier Junior Tour, for national glory during finals weekend in June.

Wilson, who has been based at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club for more than four years, defeated his Cuestars Gold Tour rival Bradley Cowdroy (Bournemouth) 4-1 in the last-16 and Halim Hussain (Birmingham) 4-2 in the quarter-finals.

He then clawed back a 28-point deficit in the deciding frame of his last-four match to account for Paul Deaville (Merseyside) 4-3 on the final pink.

Neil Johnson, Deaville’s coach, described Wilson as “without doubt the best 12-year-old in the country”.

Wilson’s mum Suzy, a hairdresser, said: “His potting was absolutely fantastic. We couldn’t have asked for more from him.”

Davies knocked out two Cuestars players. He had an 81 break in a 4-0 semi-final victory over James Beaven (Banstead). And he beat Eastleigh’s Connor Benzey, 14, who is sponsored by Pitman Training Winchester, by the same score in the last-eight. Mickey Joyce, 12, from Basingstoke, lost in the last-16 to Deaville.

Report by Tim Dunkley.