Bradford's Richard Lodge has been beaten in the semi-finals of the English Billiards Champion-ship.

The 54-year-old left-hander fell to Phil Welham (Norfolk) by some 300 points at the Whitworth Centre, Darley Dale, Derbyshire.

Welham went on to win the title by defeating Peter Shelly (Stoke), and Lodge had mixed feelings about the tournament as a whole.

"I had a superb tournament, and did well to defeat Neil Rewhorn in the last 16, but once the holder Lee Lagan was disqualified for arriving late there were seven or eight who could have won it, and I was one of them," said Lodge.

"With half an hour to go I was about 270 behind against rew-horn, but Lagan is head and shoulders about everybody else. He is a 'pro' who won't turn pro.

"I earned about 40 ranking points from the tournament and am set to finish in the top eight of the Amateur Tour, which will automatically guarantee me an England place.

"For the last two years I have played in all the Tour events and reckon I have improved by 20 or 30 points a break."

Lodge defends his Bradford title against Paul Devitt a week tomorrow at Lilycroft WMC (7.45).

Brian Mullaney won a thriller to help Bradford's billiards team to a 5-2 victory over Leeds No 1 at Lilycroft WMC.

He made a 60 break to go into a 93-22 lead, only for David Barker to hit back and lead 170-159.

From then on it was anybody's match, but with the score tied at 198-198, Mullaney potted his opponent's white to win 200-198.

Andy Armitage had trailed Harry Whitby 65-38 in the opener, but took command with successive breaks of 66 and 30 to lead 134-77, eventually triumphing 200-103. There were no breaks of over 30 in the final match, Roy Pudsey defeating Devitt 200-157.

Bradford's snooker team were also playing their last home game of the season - this time against Selby - and won 5-1.

Wayne Cooper's 55 break was instrumental in giving him the first frame 68-38, but Steve Wadsworth hit back in the next for Selby, a 45 break helping him level at 81-34.

From then on it was all Brad-ford, however, Kevin Firth having a 40 in the first in beating Richard Knapp 80-37, 64-19, matthew Holt having efforts of 39, 32 and 62 in seeing off Kevin Hawksworth 60-21, 95-5.

Cooper is the only member of the Bradford team through to the semi-finals of the Bradford Championship.

He meets another former champion in Sajid Khan. First-time semi-finalist Paul Benn faces Howard Mawson in the other clash, which is also being played at Lidget Green Con Club on Sunday (7.30). Both matches are over the best-of-seven frames.

The first Bradford final is next Thursday - the E Rosse Hopkinson Plate at Lidget Green Con Club (7.45).

Semi-finals, second legs (tonight): Wibsey Libs A v Victoria Cons B, Undercliffe Cricket Club B v Clayton Cons.

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