Right on Cue

Simon Bedford slipped two places to fourth in the overall rankings after winning just two matches in event five of the Pro-Ticket Tour at Pontins in Prestatyn.

The Bradford potter began with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over fellow top-eight ranked player Jeff Cundy of Scunthorpe.

Bedford followed up with a comprehensive 4-1 win against Bury-based Stephen Kershaw but then crashed 4-0 against Lee Farebrother of Westcliffe-on-Sea.

The winner of the event was Peter Lines of Leeds after a 6-5 outcome in a top-class final against Welshman Daniel Wells, a player awarded the inaugural Paul Hunter Scholarship earlier this season.

Lines follows on this season's tradition of Yorkshire winners after Bedford, Kuldesh Johal (Leeds), Paul Davison (Pickering) and Matthew Couch (Scunthorpe).

Such is the competition for places that none of the top-eight ranked players made it past the last 32, with Lines storming up to third from 20th overall.

Wells' reward for a place in the final lifted him seven places to second, with Johal still in top spot.

With three events to go in the New Year, things could not be tighter but the West Yorkshire-based trio remain in a healthy position.

  • The first round of the Flexprint Services-sponsored Heys Trophy has now been completed and all results have been received.
  • The second round is to be played on January 10 and 24 with the following matches: Fields B v Cuedos A; Birkenshaw Libs B v Cueball Snooker; Cuedos B v East Ward A; Lilycroft A v Undercliffe Cricket B; Manningham Ward A v Great Horton Cons A; Northcote Cons v Lilycroft B; East Ward B v Laisterdyke Cricket A; Thornton Cons A v Laisterdyke WMC A.
  • With all teams now having played in the Heys Trophy, those that lost their first match went into the E Rosse Hopkinson Plate.
  • This will also be played on January 10 and 24, with the preliminary-round matches as follows: Tong Libs B v Manningham Ward B; Queensbury Cons A v Little Horton Unity; Great Horton Cricket v Eccleshill Victoria Cons; Undercliffe Cricket A v Eccleshill WMC B; Laisterdyke Cricket B v Buttershaw Lane WMC; Fairweather Green WMC v Queensbury Cons B; Great Horton Cons B v Birkenshaw Libs A.

Wibsey Libs A, East Bowling Unity, Crofts Social, Harold Club, Fields A, West Bowling Social, Wibsey WMC A, Low Moor WMC B and Eccleshill WMC A all receive byes to the first round to be held in February.

  • Sheets for all competitions should be with all clubs mentioned above by this weekend.

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