Lilly completes Seniors hat-trick

DHARMINDER Singh Lilly has now won all three of the events he has entered on this season’s Cuestars Seniors (40+) Tour.

The 50-year-old from Fareham climbed to second place in the rankings after completing his hat-trick in the sixth leg at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon.

Lilly overcame rankings leader Paul Davis (Wareham) in a close but free-flowing frame on the final black.

Due to both finalists having early Monday morning starts, they agreed to split the £130 prize pot and play a single frame to decide the ranking points.

A strong quarter-final line-up saw Davis, Simon Dent and Jason Pusser all completing 2-0 wins over their opponents Andy Darken, Martin Wallace and Neil Jefferis respectively. Lilly defeated Neil Carroll 2-1 in the fourth match.

A 2-0 win for Davis against Dent and victory for Lilly against Pusser by the same scoreline set up the high-quality final.

Dent (Shoreham-by-Sea) recorded the day’s highest break of 77 in his group-stage match against Steve Ashton (Salisbury).

Davis has a 25-point lead over Lilly going into the final three events. Matt Ford drops to third. Jason Pusser (Bournemouth) moves up to fourth.

The event was sponsored by home player Franco Carchedi. Organisers thanked the Jesters staff for looking after them throughout the day.

Salisbury Snooker Club hosts the seventh leg of nine on Sunday, March 23.

BREAKS

Simon Dent: 77, 45.
Franco Carchedi: 74.
Dharminder Singh Lilly: 69, 66, 43, 41.
Jason Pusser: 58.
Frank Gumbrell: 58.
Anthony Cutler: 52.
Matt Callow: 48, 41.
Paul Davis: 48.

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS

GROUP A: 1st, Paul Davis (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Neil Jefferis (Ightham Club); 3rd, Matt Callow (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Steve Wheatland (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Andy Savage (The Reardon, Stoke-on-Trent).

GROUP B: 1st, Neil Carroll (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Crucible, Newbury); 3rd; Anthony Cutler (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Frank Gumbrell (Salisbury SC); 5th, Peter Ebbins (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

GROUP C: 1st, Jason Pusser (St James Institute, Bournemouth); 2nd, Andy Darken (Feltham Constitutional Club); 3rd, Franco Carchedi (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Shane Hellyer (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Steve Read (Chandlers Ford SC).

GROUP D: 1st, Simon Dent (Castle SC, Brighton); 2nd, Dharminder Singh Lilly (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Darren Johnson (Petersfield Bowls & Snooker Club); 4th, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 5th, Daryl Sims (Woking SC); 6th, Kieran O’Donovan (Frames, Coulsdon).

KNOCKOUT RESULTS

QUARTER-FINALS (12 pts, £10): Davis 2-0 Darken, Dent 2-0 Wallace, Lilly 2-1 Carroll, Pusser 2-0 Jefferis.

SEMI-FINALS (15 pts, £20): Davis 2-0 Dent, Lilly 2-0 Pusser.

FINAL (25/18 pts, £65/£65): Lilly 1-0 Davis.

Picture: Dharminder Singh Lilly (left) and Paul Davis

By Tim Dunkley and Chris Wyatt