P.J. Hindu Gymkhana’s Anand Raghuvanshi fought back and recovered from the brink of defeat to turn the tables on Vignesh Sanghvi of Pune by snatching a come from behind 4-3 win in a nerve-wracking pre-quarter-final match of the BSAM Maharashtra State Senior Snooker & Billiards Selection (leg-2) Championship 2018, at the Bombay Gymkhana billiards room on Tuesday.
Anand Raghuvanshi of Hindu Gymkhana defeated Vignesh Sanghvi of Pune 4-3 in a pre-quarter-final snooker match of the BSAM Maharashtra State Senior Snooker & Billiards Selection (leg-2) Championship .
Sanghvi made a bright start by taking the first two frames and after Raghuvanshi won the third, he won the fourth to come within striking distance of clinching the match. But, Raghuvanshi with a nerve-say-die attitude showed tremendous fighting spirit and with some calculated play went on to pocket the last three frames to snatch a rewarding 37-52, 53-67, 54-43, 35-62, 70-21, 64-39 and 66-50 victory and a place in the last eight.
Sparsh Pherwani, winner of the first leg, Nikhil Ootam and Mukund Bharadia, all from the Cricket Club of India, advanced to the quarter-finals.
Pherwani was in his elements and outplayed Anant Mehta of NSCI winning straight frames, at 4-0 (80-05, 62-24, 77-1 and 58-35). Seasoned Ootam dropped just one frame as he defeated Nashik cueist Pankaj Khatri 4-1 (66-18, 59-51, 59-56, 47-61 and 68-13, while Bharadia beat back a spirited challenge from Bombay Gymkhana’s Sanjay Gamre winning 4-2 (72-29, 26-63, 66-31, 00-71(46), 66(61)-19, 63-34) to also progress to the last 16.
Results –
Pre-quarter-finals: Nikhil Ootam (CCI) beat Pankaj Khatri (Nashik) 4-1 (66-18, 59-51, 59-56, 47-61, 68-13);
Krieshh Gurbaxani (Khar Gym) beat Ajinkya Yelve (NSCI) 4-3 (66(60)-13, 29-69(36,32), 67-35, 54-58, 56-64, 62(33)-6, 53-25);
Yasin Merchant (Khar Gym) beat Rayaan Razmi (ECC) 4-3 (16-43, 67-38, 69(31)-59, 44-52, 92(50)-13, 36-37, 67-14);
Sparsh Pherwani (CCI) beat Anant Mehta (NSCI) 4-0 (80-05, 62-24, 77-01, 58-35);
Mayank Bhavsar (KVSC) beat Sumher Mago (Khar Gym) 4-1 (69(68)-8, 66(44)-11, 69(41)-09, 36-68, 71(35)-22);
Anand Raghuvanshi (Hindu Gym) beat Vignesh Sanghvi (Pune) 4-3 (37-52, 53-67, 54-43, 35-62, 70-21, 64-39, 66-50);
Mukund Bharadia (CCI) Beat Sanjay Gamre (Bombay Gym) 4-2 (72-29, 26-63, 66-31, 00-71(46), 66(61)-19, 63-34);
Shivam Arora (Khar Gym) beat Manav Panchal (MHC) 4-3 (65-55, 47-77, 01-60, 42-66(38), 56-44, 72(54)-11, 44-25).