Zain close to Bronze title
TOOTING’S Zain Jeraj is homing in on the Cuestars Under-21 Bronze Tour rankings title.
The 11-year-old collected his third winner’s trophy in four events at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth.
He overcame Dylan Beer (Fair Oak), who was appearing in his second successive final, 2-0 after fluking the black to take the lead.
Jeraj didn’t drop a single frame all day but he admitted: “I felt guilty because I don’t like winning that way.”
The talented youngster came into the event with his confidence boosted after making his first century on the line-up practice routine the previous day at Cue T’s Social & Snooker Club, Marchwood,
He takes a 30-point lead over Daniel Walter (Portsmouth) and Thomas McEvoy (Warminster) into the final two tournaments.
Clinching the title after narrowly losing out to Asten Sahota (Southampton) in the 2020/21 campaign is now within Jeraj’s grasp.
He said: “Last season I missed a tournament and finished second. So this would be even more meaningful.”
Beer made a personal best 38 break in his 2-1 last-eight victory over Lennon Savage (Southampton) before overcoming Caden Read (Chandler’s Ford) 2-0 in the semi-finals.
Jeraj defeated the consistent Walter 2-0 in his last-four match.
For more information about the event sponsor, Greenbaize Snooker Club, go to www.greenbaizesnooker.com.
Chandlers Ford Snooker Club hosts the seventh leg of eight on Sunday, April 24.
BREAKS
Dylan Beer: 38(PB), 29, 20.
Caden Read: 37, 22.
Zain Jeraj: 25, 25, 25.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Zain Jeraj (London Snooker); 2nd, Lennon Savage (Chandlers Ford SC); joint 3rd, Will Kempson (Salisbury SC), Ayan Roy (Frames, Coulson) and Christopher Woodward (Chandlers Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Caden Read (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Thomas McEvoy (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Tyler Beer (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Ryan Spratt (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Adam Abbas (Castle, Brighton).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Dylan Beer (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Daniel Walter (Mayfair, Gosport); 3rd, George Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 4th, Chris Bennett (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Samuel Walter (Mayfair, Gosport).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Jeraj 2-0 T Beer, D Walter 2-0 McEvoy, Read 2-0 Laxton, D Beer 2-1 Savage.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): D Beer 2-0 Read, Jeraj 2-0 D Walter.
FINAL (25/18 points): Jeraj 2-0 D Beer.
Picture, from left: Zain Jeraj, event sponsor and Greenbaize SC owner Debbie Ealy, Dylan Beer.