Advani cues to glory and gold, Shandilya takes Silver

Doha, Dec 5 (UNI) Displaying clinical precision, former world champion Pankaj Advani decimated compatriot Ashok Shandilya 3-1 on the green baize and cued to glory and Gold in the English Billiards event at the Asian Games here this evening.

This was India's second Gold in the Games, after Koneru Humpy's triumph in the women rapid chess yesterday.

Twenty one-year-old Bangalore-based Advani, after losing the first frame, staged an incredible fightback which left his 38-year-old rival bemused and bewildered.

Advani rallied to win 76-101, 101-40, 100-0, 100-32.

Shandilya who had scalped former world champion Peter Ghilchrist 3-0 in the semi-finals just could not fathom what hit him as Advani ruled the table.

In the all-Indian affair, both the players started cautiously and the first frame saw a neck and neck battle between Advani and Shandilya.

Both were content with breaks of 20s and 15s but after the score reached 76, Shandilya steadied his game and with a break of 25, won the frame to take 1-0 lead.

Startled by this loss of frame, Advani fought back and what a come back it was as Shandilya was left wondering and watching while the former World Champion collected points in a break neck speed.

The second frame started with Advani having a break of seven points and Shandilya replied with a break of 40 and that was all he could do as the Bangalore cueist came back and with a unfinished break of 94 won it to make it 1-1.

The third frame was even worse for Shandilya as his rival visited the table and at one go scored unfinished 100 to win it to take a 2-1 lead without giving the Railway official a chance to visit.

In the fourth frame, Advani came with a break of 83 and then with another break took the score to 95 while Shandilya who had a break of 15 added 17 more to his total in his second break before Advani came to finish the frame and the match.

Though Shandilya, before the tournament had claimed, that his game suited this system but it was Advani who proved that he is the master of the green baize be it a English Billiards or a time format Billiards or a snooker.

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