Pontins KO's
Pontin’s
round-up
By
Tim Dunkley
NICK
Jennings has won the latest round in his battle with England under-19
international Michael Wasley.
In
their fourth meeting in two months, the Otterbourne teenager beat his Gloucester
rival 4-3 in the first round of the Pontin’s World Pro-Am Series event five in
Prestatyn, North Wales.
The
previous week in Leeds, Jennings lost to Wasley in the semi-finals of the EASB
Premier Junior Tour.
The
17-year-old, from Churchills in Eastleigh, went out 4-3 in the next round to Lee
Farebrother (Southend).
In
the first round of the Pontin’s International Open Series event four, Jennings
was disappointed to lose 4-2 to Darren Cook (Hartlepool).
ARRON
McIntyre “battered” first-year professional and European under-19 champion
Stephen Craigie for two frames in the last 32 of the Pontin’s Open in
Prestatyn.
“His
head was all over the place,” said the 20-year-old from Hiltingbury who was
receiving an 18-point start.
“I
battered him, first two frames. In the third frame I went for a silly red –
and missed it.”
Craigie
(Newcastle) made 68 and ran out a 3-2 winner.
In
the Under-20s, Nick Jennings (Otterbourne) beat Twm Sion Jones (Cardiff) 3-0,
Shahrukh Nasir (Birmingham) 3-0, Jack Lisowski (Gloucester) 3-1 and rookie
professional Craigie 3-0.
The
17-year-old took the first quarter-final frame, with a 48, but lost 3-1 to
Michael Wasley (Gloucester).
He
pocketed £25 and an additional £50 following a 2-1 defeat by former pro Stuart
Mann in the Open Plate semi-final.
Scott
McGaw (Calmore) suffered 3-1 first-round exits to pros in both competitions. The
22-year-old lost in the Open to Dave Grace (Leeds) and in the 20/40 to world No
57 Paul Davies.
In
the third round of the Open, Lee Roling (C/Ford) lost 3-0 to European under-19
finalist Anthony McGill.
Mike
Finn (Eastleigh) went down 3-0 to world No 35 Ricky Walden in the last 64.
earlier news
Otter
Potter Trumps England captain Mann – Pontin’s U21
NICK
JENNINGS thanked world No 45 Judd Trump after beating England under-16 captain
Mitchell Mann for the first time at the Pontin’s, Prestatyn, Businessland
under-21 tournament.
Playing
on the pro-standard tables that he loves, the Otterbourne teenager was finally
stopped in the semi-final by Scottish under-19 champion Anthony McGill.
Jennings,
16, who travels to Keynsham for midweek practice sessions with Trump, said:
“Playing against Judd has really helped me.
After
whitewashing Tom Brown (Chesterfield) with breaks of 54, 61 and 81, Jennings,
known as ‘The Otter Potter’ after his family’s pub, needed two frames to
qualify for the knockout stage in the final group match against Mann, 15.
He
won 3-2 with breaks of 70 and 52.
Jennings
said: “I’d played him six times before and hadn’t beaten him.”
The
next day, he saw off Ben Harrison (Trowbridge) 3-0, Mark Axworthy (Merseyside)
3-1 and Darren Lock (Plymouth) 3-2 with a 54.
Despite
taking one frame with a 63, Jennings lost 3-1 to 16-year-old McGill (Glasgow) in
the semis but pocketed £150.
Alex
Dunkley (78) beat Tom Kevern (Plymouth) 3-0, Sam Throsby (Merseyside) 3-0 and
scored a 55 in a 3-0 victory over Kristof Vermeiren who represented Belgium at
the 2007 IBSF under-21s.
The
19-year-old from Bursledon lost one group match, a 3-2 defeat by England star
and eventual tournament winner Jack Lisowski (Gloucester).
Dunkley
beat Luke Higginbotham (Birmingham) 3-2 on the final black in the last-32 but
went out 3-2 to England men’s international Sam Baird (Devon) to earn £40.
Will
Baird (Eastleigh) scored a fine 3-2 victory over Bedford century-breaker Sam
Harvey.
Dunkley recorded his 500th half-century match break, an 86, in a Southampton Premier league match.