Sunday 12 December 2010

Mosconi Cup: Day 4, Afternoon Session

The 2010 Mosconi Cup reaches its final day with the score at 8-6 to Europe. The format now becomes all singles matches and are extended back to race to six. The first match saw Morris take on Immonen, Morris was unusually looking subdued and it showed in his pool. Morris won the lag and made two balls from the initial break before electing for a push out. He went on to miss the two to allow Immonen to take the first rack. Immonen cut and run in the second rack with two balls down and a bank of the one ball on his way to taking the 2-0 lead. Morris came up dry in the third which decided to push out from. Morris missed the jump pot but Immonen also failed to pot the one, allowing Morris to pull one back. Immonen regained momentum with another cut and run in the fourth to make it 3-1 and the edgy Morris missed a safety attempt to leave Immonen a clear up to make it 4-1. Immonen's flawless breaking continued as he made it to the hill and wasted no time in winning the game 6-1 when Morris missed the three ball twice after a nice 3-5 combination. Making it 9-6 to Europe.

The second saw Archer participate in the must win game against Boyes. Archer won the lag but came up dry. A nervous Boyes fouled on the three, leaving Archer to take the rack. Boyes' nerves fared no better after he scratched on his break to allow Archer a 2-9 combination to make it 2-0. Archer stamped his authority with a cut and run to get halfway to the vital point and made it 4-0 when Boyes missed a safety on the one ball. Archer cut his own momentum by making an illegal break to give Boyes a rack back with the clear-up. Boyes then made a superlative jump bank pot on the three before missing an average four with his next shot. Allowing Archer to get to the hill at 5-1. Archer couldn't seal it in the next rack as he came up dry yet again, Boyes cleared up which included a 1-7 combination. Boyes pulled another rack back in the eighth with a cut and run. With Archer on the back foot he snookered himself on the two after his next break, allowing Boyes to be within one of The Scorpion. Boyes then levelled after Archer surprisingly scratched on the six. But he managed to stumble over the line with a final cut and run to win 6-5. Making the score now 9-7 to Europe.

The final game of the session saw Hatch take on Van Den Berg. Van Den Berg won the lag but scratched off the break to leave Hatch with a clear-up. Hatch doubled his lead with a cut and run before Van Den Berg scratched for a second time off the break. Van Den Berg had a chance to pull a rack back but he missed the six to give Hatch a 4-0 advantage. It started to turn in the fifth as Van Den Berg made a cut and run before Hatch scratched off the break to make it 4-2. Van Den Berg followed up with another cut and run with Hatch then scratching again to leave a 5-9 combination for Van Den Berg. Van Den Berg made two off the break in the ninth but had to play safe. Hatch then made an unsporting intentional foul to tie up the three, four and five. However karma came around and allowed Van Den Berg to clear-up to make it 5-4 to the Dutchman. Hatch replied instantly with a cut and run to take it into the final rack where Van Den Berg would be breaking. It turned into a safety duel with Van Den Berg potting the one and Hatch potting the two. Van Den Berg then fouled on the four after being snookered to give Hatch the clear-up and to win the game 6-5. Making the score 9-8 in favour of Europe going into the final session tonight.

No comments:

Post a Comment