Teenager Rayaan Razmi exhibited great composure and high confidence levels as he once again played the lead role in shaping the fortunes of Radio Club team Radio ‘Dragons’. The 16-year-old Rayaan won both his frames defeating Cricket Club of India’s accomplished cueist Rahul Sachdev to lead Dragons to a 3-1 win against CCI ‘Royal Strikers’ in the best-of-five-frame pre-quarter-final match of the Billiards & Snooker Association of Maharashtra organized Otters-BSAM Mumbai Snooker League 2019 and played at the Otters Club billiards room.
Teenager Rayaan Razmi led from the front and helped Radio Dragons defeat CCI Royal Strikers 3-1 in a round of 16 match in the BSAM organized Otters-BSAM Mumbai Snooker League 2019.
On an adjacent table, Catholic Gymkhana’s team CG ‘Derek Decapitare’ struck good form and took complete advantage of their handicaps to record a stunning 3-0 win against the fancied CCI ‘Jedi’s’ in another last 16 encounter.
Vinod Nair (+45 handicap) set the ball rolling for Catholic Gymkhana as he defeated CCI’s top gun Hasan Badami (+10) 85-72 in the 15-red singles first frame. Later, Catholic Gymkhana’s duo of Melwyn Mascarenhas and Ralph Fernandes (+27) combined effectively to tame the CCI pair of Sidraj Shah and Giriraj Goglani (+27) 80-42 in the 9-red doubles second frame. Catholic Gymkhana sustained the winning momentum as captain Karl Vaz (+45) played brilliantly to pull off a win against Maharashtra No. 2 Mukund Bharadia (+10) coasting to a 82-66 win to complete the sweep.
The tall and lanky Rayaan (+20 handicap) was in complete control as he faced off against Sachdev (scratch handicap) in the 15-red singles opening frame. He potted steadily and opened up quite a sizeable lead of about 40 points, but with just a couple of reds remaining he got into a sticky situations and gave away some negative points, which allowed Sachdev to narrow the lead. But, the youngster managed to stay focused and maintained the advantage before going on to complete a 88-62 win.
Later, Suraj Chhabria who replaced Shahyan Razmi who is attending the National Under-16 selection camp in Delhi lost the second singles frame. Chhabria (+45) lost to Shahbaz Khan (+15) 86-97.
Dragons regained the lead when the doubles combination of Neville Razmi and Anuj Mahajan (+23) comfortably defeated CCI duo of Nishant Dossa and Kanish Jhanjharia (+18) 70-40 before Rayaan for the second time came good against Sachdev posting an easy 75-27 win in the fourth frame to seal the win for his team and a place in the quarter-finals.
In the third match of the day, JVPG ‘Mafia’ defeated Santacruz ‘Sunrisers’ 3-1 to also progress to the last eight.
JVPG ‘Mafia’ and Radio ‘Dragons will clash in Thursday’s quarter-finals, while Catholic Gymkhana will meet NIA ‘Surgical Strikers’ in the other last eight match.
Results – Pre-quarter-finals: JVPG ‘Mafia’ beat Santacruz ‘Sunrisers’ 3-1 (Asutosh Padhye (+10) lost Akshay Talwar (+55) 27-105; Rahil Patel/ Adit Raja (+24) beat Kalpesh Mevada/ Amit Makhija (+26) 69-57; Krishna Saraf (+40) beat Alpesh Dedhia (+40) 119-85; Adit Raja (+40) beat Amit Makhija (+50) 123-80).
Radio ‘Dragons’ beat CCI ‘Royal Strikers’ 3-1 (Rayaan Razmi (+20) beat Rahul Sachdev (SCR) 88-62; Suraj Chhabria (+45) lost Shahbaz Khan (+15) 86-97; Neville Razmi/ Anuj Mahajan (+23) beat Nishant Dossa/ Kanish Jhanjharia (+18) 70-40; Rayaan Razmi (+20) beat Rahul Sachdev (SCR) 75-27).
CG ‘Derek Decapitare’ beat CCI ‘Jedi’s’ 3-0 (Vinod Nair (+45) beat Hasan Badami (+10) 85-72; Melwyn Mascarenhas/ Ralph Fernandes (+27) beat Sidraj Shah/ Giriraj Goglani (+27) 80-42; Karl Vaz (+45) beat Mukund Bharadia (+10) 82-66).