Dharminder unbeaten during busy weekend

DHARMINDER Singh Lilly is turning into a winning machine.

The 48-year-old from Fareham won two snooker tournaments during a busy weekend on the green baize.

He kicked off with a 3-2 victory over Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford) in the final of an EPSB Open Series event at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury.

And the following day Lilly – who missed the trips to Woking, Bournemouth and Waterlooville – clinched his fifth straight success on the Cuestars Seniors (40+) Tour in a run that stretches back to May last year.

The 2-0 win against Neil Craycraft (Didcot) in the final of the sixth leg at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, took the former World Masters champion up to third place in the standings.

Lilly was pleased to meet – and beat – front-runner Wayne Townsend (Northolt) in the last-four as he has his eyes set on the £250 prize awarded to the overall rankings winner.

A total of 22 breaks of 40 or more were recorded. Townsend topped the list with a 108.

Home player Franco Carchedi did well to qualify for the knockout on his debut. But that was at the expense of Mark Thomas (Chorleywood) who can consider himself a tad unfortunate to win four of his five matches and finish third in the round-robin group.

Townsend has a nine-point lead over Jason Pusser (Bournemouth) with three tournaments remaining. Lilly is nine points further back.

WPBSA and SightRight coach Mark Ringham, from event sponsor South West Snooker Coaching, presented the trophies.

Discover more about South West Snooker Coaching at southwestsnookercoaching.co.uk.

Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, hosts the seventh leg of nine on Sunday, March 26.

BREAKS

Wayne Townsend: 108, 86, 68, 57, 51, 48.
Dharminder Lilly: 80, 74.
Martin Wallace: 76, 47.
Neil Craycraft: 58, 56, 47, 45, 40.
Paul Lawrence: 57.
Jason Pusser: 56, 48.
Mark Thomas: 50.
Neil Jefferis: 47.
Paul Morrison: 46.
Darren Johnson: 43.

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS

GROUP A: 1st, Wayne Townsend (Hayes WMC); 2nd, Neil Craycraft (Oracle, Abingdon); 3rd, Paul Morrison (Staines Cons); 4th, Kevin Collins (Jesters, Swindon); 5th, Dennis Tristram (Shots, Watford); 6th, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC).

GROUP B: 1st, Jason Pusser (St James Institute, Bournemouth); 2nd, Neil Herd (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Neil Carroll (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Paul Lawrence (Park Gate RBL); 5th, Andy Darken (Feltham Constitutional); 6th, Peter Ebbins (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

GROUP C: 1st, Martin Wallace (Crucible, Newbury); 2nd, Franco Carchedi (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Mark Thomas (Shots, Watford); 4th, Graham Leech (Crucible, Newbury); 5th, Ray Grall (Hayes WMC); 6th, Steve Boterhoek (Park Gate RBL).

GROUP D: 1st, Dharminder Lilly (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Neil Jefferis (The Ightham Club, Kent); 3rd, Justin Eggins (Chichester City Club); 4th, Dean Sycamore (Chichester City Club); 5th, Darren Johnson (Petersfield Bowls & Snooker Club); 6th, Peter Chin (Crucible, Newbury).

KNOCKOUT RESULTS

QUARTER-FINALS (12 pts, £10): Townsend 2-0 Carchedi, Lilly 2-0 Herd, Pusser 2-1 Jefferis, Craycraft 2-0 Wallace.

SEMI-FINALS (15 pts, £25): Lilly 2-1 Townsend, Craycraft 2-0 Pusser.

FINAL (25/18 pts, £100/£50): Lilly 2-0 Craycraft.

By Tim Dunkley

Picture, from left: Dharminder Lilly, Mark Ringham, Neil Craycraft.