Return Of The Snooker World Cup

SWC in sport usually stands for the Speedway World Cup, but today marked the return of the Snooker World Cup taking place in Bangkok, Thailand. It's been fifteen years since we saw the last tournament and it's good to see it back. Twenty nations take part each with two players representing them. The teams are split into four groups of five and the top two progress to the quarter finals. Each team plays four matches which consist of five frames and are played much like a Davis Cup match in tennis. The top players from each team go head-to-head before the second players in a single frame shoot-out. The third frame consists of a doubles frame where alternate shots are enforced before the single matches are reversed. Every frame counts as each frame won constitutes to a point in the group.

Group A consists of Wales, Egypt, Pakistan, Germany and Republic of Ireland. Wales are one of the favourites as Mark Williams and Matt Stevens are representing them. ROI look a strong side with Ken Doherty and Fergal O'Brien and will be tipped to progress with Wales. Germany are a wildcard entrant and would probably be tipped to finish third with possible star of the future Patrick Einsle and Lasse Munstermann representing them. Both Egypt and Pakistan qualified and are virtually unknown with Wael Talat and Yasser El-Sherbini playing for Egypt and Sahid Aftab and Muhammad Sajjad for Pakistan. Today saw both Doherty and O'Brien secure centuries against Pakistan but unbelievably ended up losing 3-2 with Pakistan never breaking higher than twenty-five. Meanwhile Egypt beat Germany by the same scoreline.

Group B consists of China, Thailand A (they get two teams as they are the hosts), UAE, Malta and Australia. China will be fancied to win this group with Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo playing for them. Australia will probably be tipped for second with former World Champion Neil Robertson playing alongside amateur Steve Mifsud. However Malta have veteran Tony Drago with Alex Borg and Thailand A have former world number three James Wattana with Dechawat Poomjaeng and could both be dark horses in this competition. UAE, like Malta, had to qualify and are represented by Mohammed Mustafa Shehab and Mohammed Al Joaker. Today saw Australia beat Thailand A 4-1 and China beat Malta 3-2.

Group C consists of England, Brazil, India, Belgium and Northern Ireland. Again England are part favourites with Wuxi Classic finalists Mark Selby and Ali Carter joining forces. Northern Ireland are likely to progress with Mark Allen and Gerard Greene at the table. Belgium would be my tip to finish third as sixteen year-old prodigy Luca Brecel will playing alongside Bjorn Haneveer. Brazil are wildcards and are represented by Fabio Luersen and Noel Rodrigues while India qualified and are represented by Aditya Metha and Pankaj Advani. Today saw Brazil surprisingly beat Belgium 3-2 but Northern Ireland did as expected with a 4-1 win over India.

Group D consists of Scotland, Thailand B, Afghanistan, Poland and Hong Kong. Scotland are clear favourites in this group and possibly the overall tournament with John Higgins and Stephen Maguire playing for them. Hong Kong would probably be tipped for second with Marco Fu playing alongside Fung Kwok Wai, but qualifiers Poland could be dark horses being represented by fifteen year old Kacper Filipiak and Krzystof Wrobel. Thailand B and Afghanistan will probably be fighting it out for the bottom two places being represented by Passakorn Sunwannawat and Thepchaiya Un-nooh, Mohammad Rais Senzahi and Saleh Mohammad Mohammadi respectively. Today saw Thailand B beat Afghanistan 3-2 and Poland surprisingly beat Hong Kong by the same score.