Defending champion Davis leads Seniors rankings

PAUL Davis has hit the front in his bid to defend his Cuestars Seniors (40+) Tour title.

The Wareham cueist won his first tournament of the season in the fifth leg at Salisbury Snooker Club.

He collected £120 in prize money after making a 66 break in the deciding frame of the final against Poole-based Anthony Cutler.

World Women’s Seniors champion Tessa Davidson (Banbury) impressed by making the semi-finals on her debut. She put together a 51 and Cutler made two runs of 40 in a high-scoring match.

Jason Pusser (Bournemouth) took the high-break honours with a 90, just shading the 89 recorded by Ireland’s Adrian Morrissey, who was over here for the World Seniors Championship event in Newbury.

Matt Ford (Bracknell), who lost 2-0 to Davis in the last-eight, drops to second place.

Neil Herd (Frome) made the last-four for the first time this season on the Seniors Tour.

The 27-strong field returned 16 breaks of 40 or more.

Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, hosts the sixth leg of nine on Sunday, February 23.

BREAKS

Jason Pusser: 90.
Adrian Morrissey: 89.
Matt Ford: 71, 53, 51, 51.
Paul Davis: 66, 60.
Tessa Davidson: 65, 51, 50.
Neil Herd: 64, 49.
Anthony Cutler: 48, 40, 40.

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS

GROUP A: 1st, Matt Ford (Sunninghill Comrades Club); 2nd, Adrian Morrissey (Bree Billiards & Snooker Club, Ireland); 3rd, Darren Johnson (Petersfield Bowls & Snooker Club); 4th, Peter Ebbins (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

GROUP B: 1st, Tessa Davidson (Fast Eddie’s, Banbury); 2nd, Paul Davis (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd; Garry Coulson (St James Institute, Bournemouth); 4th, Neil Carroll (Chandlers Ford SC).

GROUP C: 1st, Steve Wheatland (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Shane Hellyer (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Dave Stockwell (Salisbury SC); 4th, Martin Wallace (Crucible, Newbury).

GROUP D: 1st; Jimmy Johnson (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Jason Pusser (St James Institute, Bournemouth); 3rd, Alex Greenham (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Matt Callow (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Gavin Rogers (Branksome Cons).

GROUP E: 1st, Neil Herd (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Shane Hatfield (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Bob Toulouse (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 4th, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 5th, Daryl Sims (Woking SC).

GROUP F: 1st; Anthony Cutler (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Franco Carchedi (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Shaun Rooney (Ilminster Bowling & Tennis Club); 4th, Steve Read (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Simon Jones (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

KNOCKOUT RESULTS

LAST-16 (10 points): Ford 2-0 Greenham, Davis 2-0 Carchedi, Herd 2-0 Hellyer, J Johnson 2-0 Rooney, D Johnson 2-1 Wheatland, Cutler 2-0 Hatfield, Pusser 2-0 Morrissey, Davidson 2-0 Toulouse.

QUARTER-FINALS (12 pts, £10): Davis 2-0 Ford, Herd 2-0 J Johnson, Cutler 2-0 D Johnson, Davidson 2-0 Pusser.

SEMI-FINALS (15 pts, £20): Davis 2-1 Herd, Cutler 2-1 Davidson.

FINAL (25/18 pts, £120/£60): Davis 2-1 Cutler.

Picture: Paul Davis (left) and Anthony Cutler