Talmondt edges closer to title

MIKE Talmondt’s line that John Hunter “can’t have it all his own way” on the Cuestars South of England Seniors (40+) Tour has not backfired.

There may have been a smile on the ex-professional’s face when he said that after his victory in Fareham last month but the smile was even wider in Woking.

A second successive tournament win has blown the rankings title-race wide open.

Talmondt (pictured), based at Copnor Snooker Club, Portsmouth, defeated Hunter 2-1 in the final of the fifth and penultimate leg.

The 42-year-old recorded seven breaks of more than 40, including the day’s highest of 82, during the event at Woking Snooker Centre which attracted a field of 19.

Hunter – bidding for a fourth successive rankings title, although he was a joint winner with Wayne Muddiman last season – leads Talmondt by ten points with only next month’s last leg in Newbury to play.

He said: “In the final, Mike continued the good form he showed throughout the day. I’m looking forward to duelling with him at the final event for the title.”

Scott Compton, also from Copnor SC, produced the performance of the day by reaching the semi-finals for the first time. He hadn’t qualified for the knockout in his previous two outings in his debut season.

Hunter, from Andover, defeated Compton 2-0 but said: “To get to the semis was a good achievement and, to be fair to him, I needed a lot of luck to beat him.”

Remarkably, Talmondt and his Copnor clubmate Mark Tillison have been draw together in the same round-robin group in all five legs this season.

The sixth and final leg is at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, on Sunday, April 26.

BREAKS

Mike Talmondt: 82, 78, 63, 58, 51, 48, 45.
John Hunter: 59, 48.
Richard Swaffield: 55, 55, 52.
Scott Compton: 51, 50, 48.
Paul Lawrence: 48.

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS

GROUP A: 1st, Mike Talmondt (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Neil Herd (Frome, Somerset); 3rd, Mark Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, David Stewart (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Conservative Club).

GROUP B: 1st, Richard Swaffield (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Chris Stocker (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 3rd, Paul Lawrence (Park Gate RBL, Southampton); 4th, Neil Carroll (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Jasbir Bansal (Woking SC).

GROUP C: 1st, Scott Compton (Copnor SC); 2nd, Wayne Muddiman (Chandlers Ford Central Club); 3rd, Paul Bateman (Crucible, Newbury); 4th, John Monckton (Woking SC); 5th, Peter Chin (Woking SC).

GROUP D: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Crowthorne RBL); 3rd, Nick Miles (Ashlett Club, Fawley); 4th, Bob Toulouse (Sovereign SC, Farnborough).

KNOCKOUT RESULTS

QUARTER-FINALS (£10, 12 pts): Swaffield 2 Muddiman 0, Hunter 2 Herd 0, Compton 2 Stocker 1, Talmondt 2 Wallace 1.

SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 pts): Hunter 2 Compton 0, Talmondt 2 Swaffield 1.

FINAL (£75/£35 25/18 pts): Talmondt 2 Hunter 1.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.