Rice makes 60 break and loses frame

A FORDINGBRIDGE teenager recorded his highest competitive break of 60 on his Cuestars South Wilts Snooker League debut – and still lost the frame.

Anthony Rice reckons he was a “little unfortunate” to have left Salisbury Snooker Club empty handed after his 5-0 whitewash in the season opener.

Neil Herd (Frome, Somerset) took that particular frame by clearing the colours and winning a re-spotted black.

“He out match-played me and deserved the win,” admitted Rice.

“(But) I do feel that I could have won a few frames and was perhaps a little unfortunate not to.”

The 17-year-old added: “He really is a phenomenal player. However, I have learned a valuable lesson that at this standard a 60 does not necessarily seal the frame.”

Meanwhile, newcomer Richard Swaffield (Salisbury) fired a shot across defending champion John Hunter’s bow by seeing off Martin Hill (Durrington) 5-0 with breaks of 30, 32, 69 and 78.

“I can play like that sometimes,” said the 42-year-old. “It just seems to have clicked recently.

“I had to get a new cue a few weeks ago as my original cue that my dad bought me when I was 17 had worked its way down to a 7.5mm tip.”

Swaffield added that he was “disappointed” not to have hit a century after breaking down on 78 with two reds left in the third frame and 69 with three reds remaining in the fourth.

Hunter (Andover) chalked up breaks of 64 and 59 in a 5-0 drubbing of Trevor Pittman (Salisbury).

Ally Pollard (Alderholt, near Fordingbridge) put a 3-2 defeat by Callum McDonald (Bishopdown) down to his opponent “just potting the key balls”.

Alex Thorn (Shrewton) let slip a healthy lead in a fifth-frame decider against Steve Ashton (Salisbury) to lose 3-2 on the black. It was the third frame of the match settled on the final ball.

“The decider smarts a bit,” said Thorn. “But when it’s that close, anything can happen.”

And Richard Arnold (Salisbury) said there was nothing “remotely memorable” about his 3-2 defeat by Paul Burt (Britford).

Results: Alex Thorn 2 Steve Ashton 3, Richard Arnold 2 Paul Burt 3, Richard Swaffield 5 Martin Hill 0, Ally Pollard 2 Callum McDonald 3, Anthony Rice 0 Neil Herd 5, John Hunter 5 Trevor Pittman 0. Highest break: Richard Swaffield 78.

Report by Tim Dunkley.