Zain’s first Silver success tasted even sweeter

ZAIN Jeraj secured his first winner’s trophy on the Cuestars Under-21 Silver Tour by beating the player he’s looked up to for three years.

The 12-year-old from Tooting defeated seasoned campaigner Samuel Laxton (Portsmouth) 2-0 in the final of the fifth leg at Waterlooville Sports Bar.

Last season’s Bronze Tour rankings champion, who had lost to Laxton in the round-robin group stage, explained why the success tasted even sweeter.

“It really means a lot to me,” he said. “I know how good Samuel is.

“Ever since I started on the Bronze Tour, he’s been in Silver. I’ve looked up to him for a long time and thought I want to be like that one day. To beat him was like a dream come true – especially in a final.”

Laxton, 17, who has reached the final in four of this season’s five tournaments, had the consolation of taking an outright lead in the rankings over Asten Sahota (Southampton) into the second half of the eight-month tour around central southern England. Jeraj climbed to third, five points ahead of Mason Wilson (Basingstoke).

Ayan Roy (London) qualified from his group for the first time since earning promotion at the end of last season.

The event was sponsored by www.snookercrazy.com and Waterlooville Sports Bar (www.facebook.com/Wsportsbar).

Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, hosts the sixth leg of ten on Sunday, January 29.

BREAKS

Mason Wilson: 42, 31, 30.
Samuel Laxton: 33, 30.
Zain Jeraj: 30.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Samuel Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, Zain Jeraj (London Snooker, Tooting); 3rd, Tom McEvoy (Salisbury SC); 4th, Daniel Walter (Mayfair, Gosport).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Mason Wilson (Crucible, Newbury); 2nd, Ayan Roy (Frames, Coulsdon); 3rd, Ryan Spratt (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Dylan Beer (Chandlers Ford SC).

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Jeraj 2-0 Wilson, Laxton 2-0 Roy.

FINAL (25/18 points): Jeraj 2-0 Laxton.