Right on Cue

Yorkshire and Bradford champion Wayne Cooper had a good run in the third event of the PRO TICKET CHALLENGE TOUR in Newmarket.

Cooper started with a first-round win over Matthew Jelley by four frames to three, making breaks of 110 and 100 in the process.

His opponent in the second round was Craig Steadman, a current England international who recently captained his country to victory in the Home International Series in Prestatyn.

Having also made the final of the last tour event, Steadman would have expected to do well again but Cooper was in top form and came out a deserved 4-2 winner.

Next up was former professional and highly-rated player Paul Sweeny, who took the first two frames by making breaks of 118 and 115.

Cooper drew level, knocking in a 106 himself, and the next two frames were shared, with Sweeny making a 137 and Cooper levelling again thanks to a 69.

The deciding frame was tense but Sweeny was unstoppable and made breaks of 53 and 83 to take the match 4-3.

The next tour event is on February 23-24 in Leicester - coincidentally the same weekend as the TELEGRAPH & ARGUS SNOOKER CLASSIC at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre, featuring John Parrott and Mark Williams.

It is doubtful whether Cooper will be available that night with his commitments on the tour, so is unlikely to feature in the one-day knockout arranged by the Bradford Snooker and Billiards Association.

As reported previously, this tournament will take place on Sunday, January 27 at Cue Gardens in Odsal, with the two finalists earning the privilege of performing in front of the sell-out crowd against the two former world champions.

Entry is free on the day, with registration taking place between 9.30-10.00am. All matches will be the best of three frames playing off level.

This competition will be featured in next Thursday's column, with more details for anyone wishing to participate.

Bradford No 2 were in action at the weekend and drew their rearranged YORKSHIRE INTER-DISTRICT LEAGUE fixture with Leeds No 1.

Boover Singh lost the opening frame of the night but drew level with a break of 41.

Captain Hanif Rafiq eased Bradford in front but his opponent levelled the match again, fluking the pink and doubling the black the full length of the table for one of the most outrageous shots of the night.

Debutant Gareth Green stepped in for the absent Mick Bedford and showed no nerves as he won his first frame with a 50 clearance, only for his opponent to make the final score 3-3 with an excellent 64 break.

The Bradford side travel to Sheffield No 2, who lie one place above them in the Division Two table, on Saturday.

The Yorkshire district qualifiers for the ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIPS take place at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds on Sunday.

Cooper, Green and Sajid Khan are competing with 34 other players for six qualifying places.

Cooper takes on Thomas Saddington in his first match, with Green playing James Murdoch and Khan facing Matthew Samples.

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