Sunday 20 November 2011

2011 Power Snooker: Quarter Finals

First to the table today were Mark Selby and Mark Allen. Selby broke off and quickly potted the first Power Ball of the day and quickly secured over fifty points during the Power Play. Selby missed a red at 65 to allow Allen his first pot of the match. Selby was back in control with Allen only managing to score eight and after clearing up to the black the score stood at 101-15 to Selby at the end of the first frame with 23:25 remaining. Allen made a brilliant recovery pot from his unfortunate break and was able to pot the Power Ball but missed the subsequent red to give control away. Selby took full advantage of the gift to lead 155-45 but he missed the final red at 162. Allen then also missed it and Selby wasn't going to miss twice but then potted the cue ball off the green. Fortunately for Selby, Allen couldn't take advantage and the pair became embroiled in a brown ball chess match. The clocked ticked down and Selby looked more and more like the victor as he kept refusing to pot the brown ball. The Jester From Leicester finally potted the brown but again allowed Allen to pot the black, the score 190-56 with 10:32 left as we entered a third frame. But Selby had the break and potted the Power Ball with his first shot and used the whole of the Power Play to almost put himself in the final four. Selby then missed the final red again but Allen couldn't pot it and another chess match ensued. The final nail in coffin was a foul from Allen and Selby was able to pot the red and clear the colours to make it 327-56 with 4:03 left of Allen's tournament. Allen couldn't restore any pride in the next frame and Selby was amongst the balls once again. He potted the Power Ball with just under a minute left of the match and the final score Selby 398 Allen 56.

Selby would take on the winner between Martin Gould and Stuart Bingham in the semi-finals. Gould got us under way and potted the Power Ball with his first shot after the break. But Gould missed a black with a minute of the Power Play remaining and the score was 30-28 to Gould at the end of the Power Play before Bingham missed a red with the following shot. Gould then snookered himself on the final red but was able to get out of it unscathed but Bingham did pot the red however. Bingham cleared the table to take a 64-50 lead at the end of the first frame with 24:29 remaining. Bingham broke off in the second frame and found a pot to get him going before being able to pot the Power Ball. Bingham was forced to play safe with a minute of the Power Play remaining but Gould still found a pot, making the score 102-82 to Bingham at the end of the Power Play with Gould still at the table. The match hit a scrappy patch with two reds left on the table and the score 102-90. Bingham surrendered one of the reds and Gould re-took the lead, clearing up to blue. Gould was able to pot the blue after a safety exchange and he was able to pot the black with 13:30 left on the clock and the score 131-102 to Gould. Gould had the break in the third frame and immediately potted the Power Ball. Gould missed a black at the end of the Power Play but Bingham rushed the red before Gould returned the favour. Bingham couldn't capitalise however and Gould was straight back into the potting game. Gould played strategically by keeping the final black on the table before finally potting it to lead 238-108 with 6:05 minutes to play. Bingham had the break but couldn't stay on the table courtesy of a misjudgement on a red. Gould was eventually back among the reds after a defensive exchange but still kept his defensive head on to force a foul from Bingham, almost finishing him off. Bingham played the last minute and half without pressure and made the Power Ball to accumulate as much as possible. The final score 247-180 to leave Gould facing Selby in the semis.

The third quarter-final saw Trowbridge lad Stephen Lee take on Australian Neil Robertson. Robertson started the match but quickly allowed Lee to the table, facing a snooker. Both players missed tough shots on the Power Ball before Lee played a carom shot to pot a red, then finally potting the Power Ball. But Lee could only manage 37 and Robertson had a portion of the Power Play left. Robertson couldn't find a pot and the game remained a little scrappy. Robertson finally found his feet but was still forced to play safe and Lee ended up fouling, conceding eight points. Robertson did take the lead but missed the yellow and another safety duel took place. Lee finally dispatched the colours and ended the lengthy first frame, Lee lead 65-46 with only 16:16 left. Lee squandered his break and Robertson could finally get some rhythm in the match. Robertson potted the Power Ball a little while later with four other reds on the table, he managed a century break before Lee left the brown and then found himself snookered. Robertson missed the pink and Lee finally potted the two remaining balls to make it 160-86 in Robertson's favour with 7:15 remaining. Robertson couldn't make anything off his break but Lee left a red in the Power Zone to get Robertson started and the Aussie potted the Power Ball. The balls were kind and Robertson used the full two minutes of the Power Play before missing a blue with three minutes remaining. Lee fluked a black into the right baulk pocket after aiming into the bottom left pocket. Lee again potted the final pink and black to make it 251-125 with 1:15 left, surely not enough time to change the result. Lee didn't have a good break and Robertson potted the Power Ball to end the match in a Power Play. Final score 269-125 to Neil Robertson.

Graeme Dott and Ronnie O'Sullivan battled it out for the chance to play Robertson in the semi-final. The first to potted in the match was the Power Ball, courtesy of O'Sullivan and made 54 from it. Dott was left to clear up and the score was 54-37 at the end of the first frame with 21:39 left. Ronnie then potted from the break shot but wasn't left on a colour. Dott potted the second Power Ball of the match but missed the pink to give Ronnie the opportunity but he missed a black. It was a very sloppy Power Play with very few points being scored before Dott found a little rhythm after the Power Play to take the lead. He made a carom pot, potting the red after clipping the blue but couldn't carry the momentum forward and then potted the cue ball to allow Ronnie in with a chance of a coloured clear-up. O'Sullivan uncharacteristically missed the green and Dott did the job to make it 107-66 in the Sctosman's favour with 13:58 left on the clock. Dott made the break and potted the Power Ball immediately. Dott used the full two minutes to extend a decent lead, making it 182-66 before playing a safety shot on the final red. But Ronnie made a snooker of his own and Dott couldn't hit it, allowing Ronnie to pot. O'Sullivan stood 100 points behind with colours remaining. The score at the end of the third frame: 182-109 with 6:22 remaining. But O'Sullivan fought all the way back to win 185-182 to face Robertson in the semi-finals.


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