Whaley celebrates back-to-back Silver wins
KINGS Cross potter Lee Whaley has made it two wins out of two on the Cuestars Under-21 Silver Tour.
The 17-year-old admitted he “still can’t believe it” after following up his success in Salisbury with victory in the second leg at Waterlooville Sports Bar.
Whaley defeated his Hurricane Room clubmate Elliott Johnson (Sutton) 2-0 in the final.
“We always have a great game together,” he said.
Whaley leads Johnson by 17 points at the top of the rankings and is the early favourite to claim the title.
“I still can’t believe it,” he added. “But I’m proud that I’ve accomplished this.
“I’ve always wanted to win a title. Let’s see what happens.”
Whaley dropped only one frame out of 13 all day and that was to Samuel Laxton (Portsmouth) in an epic last-four clash which he clinched on the final black.
Mason Wilson (Basingstoke), who lost 2-0 to Johnson in the second semi, earlier compiled a personal best 54 break against Nat Kidner (Bournemouth) in the quarter-finals.
Wilson and Riley Ellis (Clyffe Pypard, North Wilts) are joint third, three points adrift of Johnson.
The event was sponsored by the Waterlooville-based snooker accessory supplier snookercrazy.com and Waterlooville Sports Bar.
Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, hosts the third legs of ten on Sunday, November 3.
BREAKS
Mason Wilson: 54, 50.
Riley Ellis: 37, 35.
Alex El-Deweiny: 30
Elliott Johnson: 38.
Simon Bubb: 37, 33, 30, 30.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Lee Whaley (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 2nd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); joint 3rd, Owen Jenkins (Waterlooville Sports Bar) & Callum White (Waterlooville Sports Bar).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Riley Ellis (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Samuel Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 3rd, Will Forster (Mayfair, Gosport); 4th, Ben Crump (Mayfair, Gosport).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Mason Wilson (Academy, Basingstoke); 2nd, Thomas Sharp (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 3rd, John Donovan (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 4th, Alex El-Deweiny (Castle SC, Brighton).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Simon Bubb (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 2nd, Elliott Johnson (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 3rd, Oliver Cooper (Frames, Coulsdon); 4th, Dean Russell (Waterlooville Sports Bar).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Whaley 2-0 Sharp, Laxton 2-1 Bubb, Johnson 2-1 Ellis, Wilson 2-0 Kidner.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Whaley 2-1 Laxton, Johnson 2-0 Wilson.
FINAL (25/18 points): Whaley 2-0 Johnson.
Picture by Tim Dunkley
From left: Lee Whaley, Steve Wilson from Waterlooville Sports Bar, Elliott Johnson.
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)