KG “Italian Stallions’ displayed solid grit and determination to emerge Mumbai Snooker League champions. Stallions maintained a decent steady performances to overcome KG ‘Avengers’ in the grand finale of the PJHG Global Ocean Group-Mumbai Snooker League (MSL) – 2015, being played at the Wilson Jones Billiards Hall at the P.J. Hindu Gymkhana, late on Friday evening. The MSL is being conducted by the BSAM (Billiards and Snooker Association of Maharashtra).
KG ‘Italian Stallions’ winners of Snooker League, receiving their award and cash prize of Rs 75,000 from Chief Guest Brijesh Lohia, M. D. of Global Ocean Group .
Taking optimum advantage of the difference in the handicaps, Stallions’ cueists Arjun Tejwani (+45) and skipper Rishabh Thakkar (+35) held their nerves and played confidently to put it across their more established opponents Shivam Arora (+5) and Yasin Merchant (scratch) respectively.
In the first frame Tejwani after trailing at the start recovered well against Arora before he managed to pull through at 90-85 to give Stallions a 1-0 lead. Later, Thakkar put up a strong challenge to overcome Yasin by a close 78-68 margin and put Stallions 2-0 ahead.
In the third frame, Stallions doubles combination of Sagar Kanjani and Mohit Lalwani (+50) managed to down Avengers teenage pair of 16-year-old Sparsh Pherwani and 17-year-old Harmehr Mago (+48) 91-82 to complete their victory.
Chief Guest Brijesh Lohia, Managing Director of Global Ocean Group, presented the Champions Plaque and cash award of Rs 75,000 to Stallions captain Thakkar and the teammates. He also awarded runners-up plaque and cash prize of Rs 45,000 to Avengers’ skipper Yasin Merchant and his team.
The losing semi-finalists, KG ‘Fanatics’ and Santacruz ‘Sunrisers’ received a purse of Rs 20,000 each while the losing quarter-finalists, NIA ‘Quarter-Pillars, PJHG ‘Hustlers’, PG ‘Cues’ and IG ‘Shockers’ got Rs 10,000 each.
The award for the highest break was won by Rahul Sachdev of PJHG ‘Golmaal’, who had compiled a century break of 102 during the first phase of the competition.
Results – Semi-finals: KG ‘Italian Stallions’ beat KG ‘Avengers’ 3-0 (Arjun Tejwani (+45) bt Shivam Arora (+5) 90-85, Rishabh Thakkar (+35) bt Yasin Merchant (scratch) 78-68, Sagar Kanjani/ Mohit Lalwani (+50) bt Sparsh Pherwani/ Harmehr Mago (+48) 91-82.
Awards: Winners (Rs 75,000): KG ‘Italian Stallions’.
Runners-up (Rs 45,000): KG ‘Avengers’.
Losing semi-finalists (Rs 20,000 each): KG ‘Fanatics’ and Santacruz ‘Sunrisers’.
Losing quarter-finalists (Rs10,000 each): IG ‘Shockers’, NIA ‘Quarter-Pillars, PJHG ‘Hustlers’, PG ‘Cues’.