Shandilya, Praprut in summit clash

The Shandilya-Shroff encounter was a one of attacks and counter-attacks as each player took the lead only to find the other catch up.

Shroff took Shandilya’s challenge from the very first frame as he tried to get the initial lead. Having lost the first frame rather meekly at 38-64, an edgy Shandilya regained his composure to take the battle to Sharoff’s door. The burly railway cueist blasted away Shroff taking the next three frames in a row for a frame score of 3-1 in his favour.

But after the Asiad double gold-medallist’s fireworks it was Shroff’s turn todisplay the pyrotechniques. Shandilya tried to hang on as Shroff turned up the gas taking the next two frames at 68-39, 47-62 and level scores and hint to take the match to the maximum nine frames.

Shroff maintained the tempo in the next frame. A big break seemed very much on his hands on 33 but he miscued a red at the top left pocket.

Not one to forego his share of limelight, Shandilya retaliated with a 34 which ended while trying for an ambitious shot for the black though the pink looked in a better position to be pocketed.

Nevertheless, that proved the turning point of the match as Shroff already a frame down started feeling the heat. A few easy misses and a foul and miss later it was his rival who looked to have taken the upperhand in the match which was evenly poised till then.

Shroff failed to score a single point in the frame thereon as Shandilya took the seveth frame with a comfortable 83-16 margin.

A frame down at 3-4 and that too against Shandilya was never going to be a comfortablesituation. But Shroff tried not to make it easy for his more renowned rival even after the latter had taken a 20 point lead. In fact at one point of time Shroff managed to make it 29-all. But that was the best he could do. A couple of hasty shots did not help his cause too as Shandilya coasted to a frame score of 62-34.

The earlier semi-final proved to be a one-sided affair with Gilchrist failing to live upto the occassion. He never was in the thick of things against Praprut except for the first frame when the Briton pulled himself back when down 37-59 to clear the table and win 60-59. Praprut was a trifle unfortunate as he erred with a few shots in the first which he had almost pocketed.

But that was the day’s only good luck quota for Gilchrist as the Thai sweeped him off his feet. Praprut may not have been at his best today but was enough to down the Englishman.

Results

Snooker (SF): C Praprut (Thai) bt Peter Gilchrist (UK) 5-1 (59-60, 73-62, 75-31, 64-46, 58-49); Ashok Shandilya bt SarangShroff 5-3 (36-64, 83-16, 67-9, 76-21, 39-68, 47-62, 83-33, 62-34)