October 2023

The Prize Pairs 2023 final promised to be a thrilling pot-fest between two pairs of potting giants, namely Shiv Sibal and Jas Bhamra against James McManus and Dave Tierney. Will the giants stand tall or fall  short of their billing? 

As is often the case where one team took a good handicap lead into the match (18 in this case to McManus and Tierney), the match began very cagily. Neither team wishing to let the other impose themselves at the start.  The encirclement of the black and pink by red balls, and the somewhat below par play by all players, also didn’t help the potting flow.

And then, out of the blue (well yellow actually) the snooker hall was suddenly a buzz.  It came from the next table when attention happened to be drawn to an emaculate three cushion escape from a snooker on the yellow and the yellow was potted. The room exploded with applause.  This excitement and the freeing up of the black, ignited some better play from Tierney and McManus – both players striking some good red/black combos.

Sibal and Bhamra were 30 points behind with only a few reds left on the table. These last reds provided S&B with several opportunities to even up the score up. They were not taken full advantage of and most of the colours were required by S&B.  Sibal potted a good green and a fabulous brown from distance with the cue ball badly hampered by the black.  S&B were now only 6 points behind and your money was probably on them to play safe for the rest of the match and force T&McM into errors with safety play on the three remaining colours.   However, it was the other way round.  Tierney was left a half chance on the blue, which he calmly potted; clinching victory with a follow up pink. A 60 to 43 pt win, with black left un-potted, was recorded for Tierney and McManus.

Winners: James McManus and Dave Tierney

Bennett v McManus 25 October 2023

A mere 5 point handicap lead for Bennett, combined with McManus’s recent good form, including the bagging of the Prize Pairs trophy meant the bookies had McManus as slight favourite to win the Tony Stone Handicap this year.  Tight safety play dominated the start.  Then Bennett increased his lead with a couple of good breaks.  No need for McManus to panic and sure enough he returned the compliment with similar point scoring himself.  It was nip and tuck throughout, though both players deny any cosmetic surgery was involved. 

Only one point between them after all the reds were down, created a tense atmosphere on the colours.  It was too close to call.  McManus scored more heavily on the low scoring colours, leaving Bennett having to pot pink and black and McManus only needing the pink.  A half chance on the pink was just missed by Bennett and worse, the cue ball was perfect for the black.  Bennett’s head in hand, play continued until he played a very good safety with almost full table distance between the white (top cushion) and the pink on the baulk cushion.  Against the odds, McManus doubled the pink into the top corner pocket and the match was over.   Well played James and Ed.

Winner James McManus with Adrian Nock (President) and runner up Ed Bennett