Defending champions Otters ‘Rockets’ took a step closer towards the defence of their crown as they zoomed into quarter-finals of the Z3 Zodiac Clothing & Otters Club sponsored Otters-BSAM Mumbai Snooker League 2018. Playing in familiar surroundings and on their home tables, Otters Club team ‘Rockets’ brooked little opposition from Dadar Club ‘Punters’ and cruised to an authoritative 3-0 victory in a last 16 round match, at the Otters Club, Billiards Room.
Abhimanyu Gandhi played the lead role in steering Otters ‘Rockets’ to a thumping 3-0 win against Dadar Club ‘Punters’ in a pre-quarter-final match of the Otters-BSAM Mumbai Snooker League 2018 .
Rockets’ charge to a quick win was fuelled by Abhimanyu Gandhi (+15 handicap), who with a clever tactical approach outplayed Dadar Club’s Viraj Joshi (+50) 106-50 in the opening 15-red singles frame. Gandhi started off positively and on his first visit to the table played a ‘plant’ to make a red pot and then launched into a break. But after scoring 38 points he got into a bad position and without much hesitation, played a safety shot sending the cue to the bottom of the table. Joshi left with no openings was unable to do much and could only watch Gandhi construct two more decent breaks of 32 and an unfinished 45, and in about seven minute went on to pocket the frame, which set the tone for Rockets surge to a quick win.
Later, Nabil Lakdawala (+35) also had things much his own way and overpowered Siddhesh Muley (+50) romping to a 122-71 win without much ado, in the 15-red singles second frame. Otters Club captain Zenul Arsiwala and partner Rishabh Thakkar (+18) wrapped up the match by defeating Dadar Club’s duo of Dhiraj Goplani and Naman Agarwal (+27) 71-60 in the 15-red doubles frame.
In another last 16 round encounter, Chembur Gymkhana’s CG ‘Titans’ recovered to win the last two frames and clinch a narrow 3-2 win against Matunga Gymkhana’s MG ‘A’ to also advance to the quarter-finals.
Chembur Gym lost the first and third singles frames as Megh Shah (+45) lost to Poras Shah (+35) 80-116 and later Nikhil Lalwani (+50 met with the same fate losing to Darshan Shah (+40) 69-100. In between, the Chembur team’s doubles combination of Dhiraj Kamble and Calvin Monteiro (+33) managed to overcome Ankit Thakkar and Devendra Joshi (+15) 76-65.
Trailing 1-2, Titans staged a solid fight back winning the next two frames. Dhiraj Kamble (+55) sidelined Poras Shah (+35) 99-66 in the fourth frame and in the decider Megh Shah (+45) found his winning touch and defeated Ankit Thakkar (+35) 98-49 to secure Chembur Gym’s victory.
Results (pre-quarter-finals): Otters ‘Rockets’ beat Dadar Club ‘Punters’ 3-0 (Abhimanyu Gandhi (+15) bt Viraj Joshi (+50) 106-50, Nabil Lakdawala (+35) bt Siddhesh MMuley (+50) 122-71, Zenul Arsiwala/Rishabh Thakkar (+18) bt Dhiraj Goplani/Naman Agarwal (+27) 71-60).
CG ‘Titans’ beat MG ‘A’ 3-2 (Megh Shah (+45) lost Poras Shah (+35) 80-116, Dhiraj Kamble/Calvin Monteiro (+33) bt Ankit Thakkar/Devendra Joshi (+15) 76-65, Nikhil Lalwani (+50) lost Darshan Shah (+40) 69-100, Dhiraj Kamble (+55) bt Poras Shah (+35) 99-66, Megh Shah (+45) bt Ankit Thakkar (+35) 98-49).