Sotonsnooker

Snooker Bonanza 2010

Summer Bonanza

IT WAS a “brave decision” but one that paid off for Park Gate Reserves in the 31st Summer Bonanza final. (Tim Dunkley reports)

Team captain Paul Tavender, who hadn’t won a frame in his three finals in four years, nominated himself to play the decider against Bitterne RBL A.

And the left-hander rose to the occasion on the match table at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

“I can play a little bit when I get going,” he smiled.

With the score locked at 2-2, Bitterne RBL A captain Bill Anderson picked in-form Dave Neary to play the tie-break.

Neary added to his eight-point start and at one stage led by 21 points.

But a 32 break by Tavender shifted the balance of the final.

And he got his hands on the famous old trophy for the first time with a thin-cut brown into the green pocket. 

Tavender had toyed with nominating the reliable Kevin Vane to play Neary.

“Kev’s played in loads of finals,” he explained. “He’s quality. He’s an excellent match player. He’s been a diamond.

“But I’m not going to get the opportunity to play in too many more.

“Someone said ‘you can’t be the Jimmy White of this tournament all the time’.”

Vane, Southampton’s Town Champion in 1999 and 2005, said: “It was a brave decision - but justified.

“It was probably the best 32 he’s ever made.”

Tony Aldridge, the MC for the evening, said: “It was (Paul’s) choice and it was a brave decision.

“Paul really turned it on well with that timely break.

It was “just like old times” for Aldridge who dreamt up the idea for the Bonanza, which is now sponsored and run by Chandler’s Ford SC, while watching the Mexico World Cup in 1978.

The charity chosen by the winning team, who are based at Park Gate RBL, to receive all of this year’s entry fees is Friends of PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care Unit) at Southampton General Hospital.

Tavender, whose son Matthew died there in 2006 aged 18 days, said: “It’s an amazing charity that supports people when they are trying to cope with the most traumatic experience one can ever encounter.”

Frame scores, Park Gate Res first (h/caps): Del Webb (12) 63-29 Rick Everson (30), Paul Tavender (12) 24-68 Scott Anderson (30), Kevin Vane (-10) 87-53 Bill Anderson (30), Lee Ashbolt (-10) 22-71 Dave Neary (20). Decider: Tavender (12) 70-56 Neary (20).

Breaks: Vane: 40, 26; Tavender: 32; Webb: 21.

Officials: Tony Aldridge, Dave Mumford, Phil Budden.

Park Gate Reserves lift the trophy after the 2010 Snooker Bonanza Final at the Chandlers Ford Snooker Centre Monday 23rd August.

With scores leveled at 2 frames apiece, it all came down to the single frame decider. Dave Neary was quickly chosen by the Bitterne RBL captain after his convincing win over Lee Ashbolt. Paul Tavender had a choice, he had lost his own frame to the "semi-final hero", Scott Anderson. He had seen Kevin Vane wipe off a handicap deficit with a timely 40 break, and he would have noticed that "Del" Webb had won by 34 points in the first frame on table no. 6.

But waver he did not. Taking the "bull by the horns" Captain Paul Tavender stepped forward for this crucial single frame decider. The man was so relaxed, the occasional aside, an odd jovial remark during the game as the first 5 reds disappeared. Then bang, a timely 32 break, 4 reds 4 blacks and a "what if", just failing to canon the cluster and narrowly avoiding the in-off, Tavender was in control.

Another nail-biting moment when 21 ahead, with 22 left on, reminded the captain of some earlier match where things had gone wrong. But no, not this time. Neary soon required two snookers, forced to pot the blue, and when the scores stood at 70 - 50 the Bitterne man accidently potted the pink and it was game over.

Earlier reports

Paul Tavender's Park Gate side stormed through to the final, winning 3 - 0 in double quick time. Kevin Vane scoring a 32 break as he beat Paul Lawrence 77 - 44, Paul Tavender, with a determined 35 break, won 68 - 27 against Joe Finch and Del Webb took out Ian Finch (PG Tips) 72 - 29. Graham Leech salvaged the final point for the losers by beating Lee Ashbolt on the black.

The other Semi was all about "Mr. Snooker Bonanza" Dave Mumford, and whether or not he could reach his sixth final in this 31 year old competition. Bitterne RBL, under the captaincy of Bill Andersen, had different ideas. Bitterne's Ricky Everson beat Paul Solloway in the first frame, Mumford addressed the balance with a superb 51 break in the second to beat Scott Andersen. The third frame saw high value colours run safe, not giving Mitch Wade a chance to pull back the handicap deficit as he lost out to the Bitterne captain. At 2 -1 down, it was up to young Shane Castle to level and he did just that against Dave Neary. High value colours with practically every red saw him home and dry on the green after conceding 35 points on handicap.

2 - 2 and time for the single frame decider, a feature within this Summer tournament, which has kept players and spectators involved until the final ball is potted.

The Chandlers Ford Longshots put in Shane, while Bitterne chose Scott Andersen. Six blacks and a pink by Shane for a 56 break wiped away the handicap, but Scott hung in there, slotting home a couple of tricky long pots, and the scores were virtually level with one red left on the table. A snooker, an in-off, and a missed green and the game slipped away from the youngster. Scott pots green, brown and blue and one snooker is required. Two mins later the pink disappears and Bitterne are through to the Final.  

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Final takes place Monday, 23rd August at the Chandlers Ford Snooker Centre...  "Master of Ceremonies" for the evening, Tony Aldridge, who is standing in for Jim Everett.

Quarter-final first-leg results (h/caps): Eastleigh WMC C (38) 1-3 C/Ford Longshots (10), Ashlett Masters (20) 1-3 Bitterne RBL A (30), Brook Social (20) 2-2 Park Gate Res (12), PG Tips (Park Gate) (20) 3-1 Rileys (20).

DAVE Mumford rolled back the years with a 97 break in the final round-robin matches of the 2010 Summer Bonanza.

The 41-year-old World Snooker coach admitted he “couldn’t remember” when he last made a higher break.

Mumford, who missed a tricky yellow, led Group A winners Chandler’s Ford Longshots to a 4-0 victory over Netley Central B.

Their star player has been Mitch Wade, who remained unbeaten throughout the group stages.

THE 2010 Summer Bonanza has reached the knockout stage.

In a change to the published draw, PG Tips will be at home in their quarter-final first-leg tie against Rileys on Monday to avoid a fixture clash with the second Park Gate RBL side.

Revised quarter-final draw: Eastleigh WMC C v C/Ford Longshots, Ashlett Masters v Bitterne RBL A, Brook Social v Park Gate Res, PG Tips v Rileys.

WEEK-SEVEN RESULTS (H/CAPS)

Group A: C/Ford Longshots (10) 4-0 Netley Central B (20), Rileys (20) 3-1 Sarisbury Greens (16), Ashlett Masters (20) 3-1 Park Gate Res (12), Bitterne RBL B (34) 1-3 Woolston T&L (26).

Group B: Hythe B (28) 1-3 Bitterne RBL A (30), Botley Snookerettes (16) 1-3 Lyndhurst Stags (32), PG Tips (Park Gate) (20) 4-0 Brook Social (20), Eastleigh WMC C (38) 3-2 C/Ford Suzie Qs (20).

WEEK-SIX RESULTS (H/CAPS)

Group A: Bitterne RBL B (34) 0-4 C/Ford Longshots (10), Rileys   (20) 2-3 Ashlett Masters            (30), Woolston T&L (26) 1-3 Park Gate Res (12), Sarisbury Greens (16) 3-1 Netley Central B (20).

Group B: Eastleigh WMC C (38) 2-2 Hythe B (28), PG Tips (Park Gate) (20) 3-1 Botley Snookerettes (16), C/Ford Suzie Qs (20) 2-3 Lyndhurst Stags (32), Brook Social (20) 3-2 Bitterne RBL A (30).

BROOK Social have hit the front in Group B of the Summer Bonanza after their fourth straight win, 4-0 at Chandler’s Ford Suzie Qs.

WEEK-THREE RESULTS (H/CAPS)

Group A: Rileys (20) 0-4 C/Ford Longshots (10), Woolston T&L (26) 2-3 Sarisbury Greens (16), Bitterne RBL B (34) 1-3 Park Gate Res (12), Ashlett Masters (30) 4-0 Netley Central B (20).

Group B: PG Tips (Park Gate) (20) 3-1 Hythe B (28), C/Ford Suzie Qs (20) 0-4 Brook Social (20), Eastleigh WMC C (38) 3-1 Lyndhurst Stags (32), Botley Snookerettes (16) 3-1 Bitterne RBL A(30).

Original Snooker Bonanza introduced by Tony Aldridge at Bitterne Park Social in 1979. Sponsors have included Patstone and Cox Sports, Lawson Tools, Castle Club Snooker and Chandlers Ford Snooker Centre