Snooker heaven for Beaven

A WET and windy day in Woking was brightened by the smile of an 11-year-old potter from Banstead.

James Beaven (pictured) collected his first winner’s trophy after defeating Jasmine Bolsover 2-0 in the final of the fifth leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour.

“I’ve never won anything before,” declared Beaven. “It feels great.

“I have won a few handicap tournaments but they don’t really count.”

The demon left-hander, who is based at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, took the opening frame at Woking Snooker Centre on the black and left home player Bolsover chasing snookers on the colours in the second.

Earlier, he won his round-robin group – despite a 2-1 defeat by Keegan Reed (Salisbury) – before accounting for leg-two winner Aidan Murphy (Bristol) 2-0 in the last-eight and his Frames clubmate Evan Plummer 2-0 in the semi-finals.

Reflecting on his day’s performance, he said: “It’s been good. I played pretty well.”

A Year 6 pupil at Priory Preparatory School, Beaven first picked up a cue four years ago. He climbed to seventh on the Cuestars rankings and also competes on the EASB Regional Junior Tour South.

The previous day, Bolsover, 16, lost 3-0 to ten-time women’s world champion Reanne Evans in the semi-finals of the Connie Gough Memorial in Dunstable.

Only 15 points (a semi-final place) separate the top five in what is proving to be a very close title race. In fact, each of the five legs has produced a different winner.

Last season’s Bronze rankings winner Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford) maintains his six-point lead over Murphy. The top two both made quarter-final exits. Beaten semi-finalist Connor Benzey (Eastleigh) is three points further back in third. Olly Gibbs (Gosport) is fourth, one point ahead of David Rice (Fordingbridge).

The sixth leg of eight is at Fareham Snooker Club on Sunday, March 13.

BREAKS

Jasmine Bolsover: 45.
Oliver Sykes: 40.
Connor Benzey: 38, 36, 32.
Charlie Pringle: 37.
James Beaven: 34.
Aidan Murphy: 32.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Drew Hampshire (147 SC, Swindon); 2nd, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 5th, Harry Cook (Woking SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, James Beaven (Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon); 2nd, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, David Rice (Salisbury SC); 4th, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 5th, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC); 2nd, Aidan Murphy (Bristol Conservative Club); 3rd, Olly Gibbs (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Harry Jones (Frames, Coulsdon); 5th, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Evan Plummer (Frames, Coulsdon); 3rd, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Plummer 2 Hampshire 0, Beaven 2 Murphy 0, Bolsover 2 Hughes 1, Benzey 2 Pringle 0.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Beaven 2 Plummer 0, Bolsover 2 Benzey 1.

FINAL (25/18 points): Beaven 2 Bolsover 0.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley