Brabiner flying high in Fareham

And the 44-year-old (pictured) was certainly flying as he saw off two powerhouses of the circuit in the final stages of the third leg at Fareham Snooker Club.

Brabiner – who is based at the First Tower Institute Billiards & Snooker Club in St Helier, Jersey, and lives in St Lawrence – defeated the 2011 rankings winner Colin Norton 2-1 in the last-four and John Hunter, last season’s winner, by the same score in the final.

“To beat Colin in the semis and John in the final must mean I am doing something right, so I am really delighted,” he said.

Making his fourth Cuestars outing, Brabiner had polished off Norton (Fareham SC) with a 35 clearance in the decider and he kicked off his match against Hunter (Salisbury SC) with a run of 88.

“I made a couple of 80 breaks on the day but it’s a good feeling when you make a clearance to win,” he said.

“I am very pleased to win my first Cuestars event. When I have played in previous events, I have run out of steam when the knockout stages have started. But this time I tried to stay as relaxed as possible and save myself a bit mentally to give myself a better chance of playing well.

“However, most of my remaining energy went into making an 88 break in the first frame of the final and after that I felt pretty tired.

“I am not totally sure how I won the last frame. I was just focused on not making any mistakes and it was a relief to finally pot the pink to win.”

Rankings leader Hunter said: “I would just like to mention how well Dave played.”

Brabiner, who lost in the semi-finals of the 2009 European Masters Championship in Belgium, flew into Southampton on the Saturday and returned to Jersey on the Monday.

The 19-strong field was the biggest entry since the record 23 at the same venue just over a year ago.

Nick Birney (Liberal Club, High Wycombe), who won the previous leg in Swindon, was beaten 2-0 by Hunter in the semi-finals.

Third-placed Alan Thomas (Jesters, Swindon) failed to qualify for the knockout for the first time this season.

Hunter, also runner-up in Swindon, leads Birney by nine points. Thomas is two points further back.

The fourth of the six legs is at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, on Sunday, February 24.

Colin Norton: 113, 63, 50.

David Brabiner: 88, 83, 67.

John Hunter: 68, 67.

Wayne Muddiman: 56.

GROUP A: 1st, Nick Birney (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 2nd, Steve Allen (Totton Recreation Club); 3rd, Paul Burt (Salisbury SC); 4th, Alan Thomas (Jesters, Swindon); 5th, David Stewart (Odiham).

GROUP B: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Wayne Muddiman (Chandlers Ford Central); 3rd, Steve Tonks (Ashlett Club, Fawley); 4th, Neil Carroll (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Ray Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough).

GROUP C: 1st, Colin Norton (Fareham SC); 2nd, Gary Hart (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Richard Arnold (Salisbury SC); 4th, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 5th, Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Cons).

GROUP D: 1st, David Brabiner (First Tower, Jersey); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Colours, Reading); 3rd, Nick Miles (Ashlett Club, Fawley); 4th, Mike Thatcher (Shirley Cons, Southampton).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points, £10): Birney beat Wallace 2-0, Hunter beat Hart 2-0, Norton beat Muddiman 2-1, Brabiner beat Allen 2-0.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points, £20): Hunter beat Birney 2-0, Brabiner beat Norton 2-1.

FINAL (25/18 points, £75/£35): Brabiner beat Hunter 2-1.