Anant Mehta and Sagar Desai, both from NSCI scored hard-fought wins to confirm their berths in the 32-player snooker main draw of the BSAM Maharashtra State Senior Snooker & Billiards Selection (leg-2) Championship 2018.
Anant Mehta of NSCI defeated Suraj Rathi of Otters Club 3-2 in a snooker third and final qualifying round match of the BSAM Maharashtra State Senior Snooker & Billiards Selection (leg-2) Championship 2018
In the third and final qualifying round matches, Mehta got the better of Suraj Rathi of Otters Club by a narrow 3-2 (58-31, 66-53, 38-73, 13-54 and 74-43) frame scores at the Bombay Gymkhana billiards room.
In the other match, Desai managed to overcome fancied Taaha Khan of Pune, also winning by a close 3-2 ((61-47, 63-25, 22-80, 52-73, 50-33) score line.
Ajinkya Yelve, a billiards marker with NSCI, also progressed to the round-robin league phase of the competition. The experienced Yelve staved off a strong fight from Khar Gymkhana’s 14-year-old Sumehr Mago before going on to register tense 3-2 (30-65, 67-26, 37-29, 16-61 and 54-51) victory.
In another absorbing and closely contested encounter, Bombay Gymkhana’s Abhishek Bajaj prevailed over Sumit Saldurkar (KVSC) by a narrow 3-2 (31-49, 76-52, 67-44, 27-60 and 70-29) margin.
Meanwhile, Poras Shah of Matunga Gymkhana had a relaxed time as he breezed past Hindu Gymkhana’s Hitesh Kotwani winning in three strainght frames at 3-0 (65-28, 53-16 and 64-23).
Results – Snooker qualifying (Round-3): Abhishek Bajaj (Bombay Gym) beat Sumit Saldurkar (KVSC) 3-2 (31-49, 76-52, 67-44, 27-60, 70-29);
Poras Shah (Matunga Gym) beat Hitesh Kotwani (Hindu Gym) 3-0 (65-28, 53-16, 64-23);
Anant Mehta (NSCI) beat Suraj Rathi (Otters Club) 3-2 (58-31, 66-53, 38-73, 13-54, 74-43);
Ajinkya Yelve (NSCI) beat Sumehr Mago (Khar Gym) 3-2 (30-65, 67-26, 37-29, 16-61, 54-51);
Sagar Desai (NSCI) beat Taaha Khan (Pune) 3-2 (61-47, 63-25, 22-80, 52-73, 50-33).