The combined efforts of skipper Karl Vaz and Vinod Nair helped Catholic Gymkhana team CG ‘Derek Decapitare’ clinch decisive 3-2 home and 3-1 away wins against Elphinstone Cricket Club’s ‘ECC Elfies Super Stars’ in the concluding Section-C league matches during the third week of the Billiards & Snooker of Maharashtra organized Otters-BSAM Mumbai Snooker League 2019.
Catholic Gymkhana skipper Karl Vaz rose to challenge and came out trumps in leading his team to crucial wins against ECC ‘Elfies Super Stars’ in Section-C and qualify for the next round.
Meanwhile, Chembur Gymkhana’s CG ‘Gladiators’ looked invincible as they finished with a 100 perfect win record having won all their six matches in Section-B and topped the section with 15 points, including 3 bonus points. They defeated Bombay Gymkhana’s BG ‘B’ 3-1 and 3-0 in the final round.
Vaz produced a solid dogged display to rescue Catholic Gymkhana from the jaws of defeat, in the home encounter. After ECC raced to a 2-0 lead by winning the first two frames, Vaz (+45 handicap) rose to the challenge as he put up a gutsy, determined approach and overcame ECC’s seasoned cueist Anurag Bagri (+30) 95-66 to win the third frame. Later, Nair (+50), who had narrowly lost the first frame to Shubam Randhe (+45) 111-118, seemed to be inspired his captain’s success as he went on to tame ECC’s Sunil Jain (+25) 104-35 to pocket the fourth frame in favour of Catholic Gymkhana and level the match scores at 2-all. Catholic Gymkhana had earlier lost the doubles second frame.
In the deciding fifth frame, Vaz slowly and steadily came from behind to pull off another win against Bagri by a close 94-83 point margin and secure a tight win for his team.
In the away fixture, Nair played a responsible role winning both his frames as CG Decapitare defeated ECC Elfies Super Stars 3-1. Catholic Gymkhana’s doubles combination of Vaz and Ralph Fernandes won the doubles frame to complete the win.
In another match of the same section, Islam Gymkhana’s IG ‘A’ defeated Andheri Recreation Club’s ARC ‘Cheetahs’ 3-0 and 3-2. Both Catholic Gymkhana and Islam Gymkhana finished with identical 9 points and qualified for the knockout phase. Catholic Gymkhana with a better frame win-loss difference finished at the top.
Defending champions Otters ‘Rockets’ after a successful five-match winning streak finally tasted defeat losing the away tie to CCI ‘Royal Strikers’ by a 1-3 margin. They had blanked the CCI team 3-0 in the home match. Otters (12 points) and CCI (9 points) finished first and second in Section-A and they both progressed to the next round of the competition.
Results – Section A to H:
Section-A: Otters ‘Rockets’ Vs CCI ‘Royal Strikers’ – (3-0, 1-3); Dadar Club ‘Mercenaries’ Vs MG ‘Lollipops’ – (3-0, 3-0).
Section-B: MBPT Sports ‘A’ Vs Radio ‘Tigers’ – (0-3, 1-3); BG ‘B’ VS CG ‘Gladiators’ – (1-3, 0-3).
Section-C: IG ‘A’ Vs ARC ‘Cheetahs’ – (3-0, 3-2); CG ‘Derek’s Decapitare’ Vs ECC ‘Elfies Super Stars’ – (3-2; 3-1).
Section-D: GCH ‘Graceful Garware’ Vs ECC ‘Elfies Old Foxes’ – (3-1, 1-3).
Section-E: MIG ‘Saints’ Vs CCI ‘Jedi’s’ – (3-1, 0-3).
Section-F: JVPG ‘Mafia’ Vs DG ‘Fighters’ – (3-1, 3-0)
Section-G: PJHG ‘Snookin Shooters’ Vs JVPG ‘Tigers’ – (3-0, 3-1).
Section-H: KG ‘Vanar Sena’ Vs JVPG ‘Cue Masters’ – (3-1, 3-0).