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MARK King ended the dreams of a fairytale return to Wembley for Jimmy White with a 6-2 victory at the Wembley Arena
While there were no mealworms, witchety grubs etc on the menu tonight Jimmy was made to suffer a defeat that must have tasted as bad as the notorious bushtucker trial.
Both players looked nervous in the opening frame and it was King who managed to string enough points together with runs of 29 and 33 to settle the butterflies at the London showpeice venue. With an audience that was certainly pro Jimmy, it was Mark who showed the more fluency as he opened up a lead of 56 in frame two - only to see his break end prematurely with a missed black off the spot. Jimmy though was not out of the frame and replied with an effort of 20, but must have thought he had kissed goodbye to the frame when he left the final red sitting over the "yellow" pocket. A glorious chance, but it was to be spurned as King thumped the red into the pocket- and then had to stand and watch the white follow it in. With just the colours remaining and the cue ball in hand Jimmy had no trouble in dispatching them with a break of 27 to snatch the frame and level at 1-1.
The last thing Mark needed was to allow Jimmy to establish a rhythm and he swiftly re-established his advantage with a break of 64 to lead 2-1. Soon it was 3-1, and King had Jimmy to thank for his generosity when after allowing the Whirlwind in - but it was to cost him only eight points, before a howler of an error when Jimmy missed a straightforward red to the corner. Hardly believing his good fortune it was Mark who stroked in a break of 56 to put himself in a commanding position in the frame. But still he was giving away chances and Jimmy countered with 38 before missing the final blue along the top cushion. And after a brief safety duel it was King who knocked in the blue and pink to lead 3-1 at the interval.
But Jimmy was not going to go away as he dominated the fifth frame. As King bungled his break off he left Jimmy with a mid length red to the corner. Dispatching the red Jimmy made a break of 48. King fluffed a chance to counter when he missed a red with the rest on 21 and it was White who stepped in to put the frame beyond doubt and close to 3-2.
Mark, though was unruffled as he controlled frame six with a run of 56 and then added the secenth to lead 5-2. This time it was a missed black that was to cost Jimmy dear as King stepped in an mopped up with an 85 to put him 5-2 up. Jimmy now needed the lot if he was going to stay in the competition.
But King was made to sweat a little longer as he allowed two good chances to go begging- with just the colours left on the table Mark's safety game forced Jimmy into two decisive errors as he left the yellow sitting over the corner pocket. Dispatching the yellow Mark still needed the green. Left a long green by Jimmy Mark cued the green perfectly and it flew into the "yellow" pocket. The brown followed, with the blue and put paid to the hopes of the gallant Jimmy White.
Suzy Jardine
While there were no mealworms, witchety grubs etc on the menu tonight Jimmy was made to suffer a defeat that must have tasted as bad as the notorious bushtucker trial.
Both players looked nervous in the opening frame and it was King who managed to string enough points together with runs of 29 and 33 to settle the butterflies at the London showpeice venue. With an audience that was certainly pro Jimmy, it was Mark who showed the more fluency as he opened up a lead of 56 in frame two - only to see his break end prematurely with a missed black off the spot. Jimmy though was not out of the frame and replied with an effort of 20, but must have thought he had kissed goodbye to the frame when he left the final red sitting over the "yellow" pocket. A glorious chance, but it was to be spurned as King thumped the red into the pocket- and then had to stand and watch the white follow it in. With just the colours remaining and the cue ball in hand Jimmy had no trouble in dispatching them with a break of 27 to snatch the frame and level at 1-1.
The last thing Mark needed was to allow Jimmy to establish a rhythm and he swiftly re-established his advantage with a break of 64 to lead 2-1. Soon it was 3-1, and King had Jimmy to thank for his generosity when after allowing the Whirlwind in - but it was to cost him only eight points, before a howler of an error when Jimmy missed a straightforward red to the corner. Hardly believing his good fortune it was Mark who stroked in a break of 56 to put himself in a commanding position in the frame. But still he was giving away chances and Jimmy countered with 38 before missing the final blue along the top cushion. And after a brief safety duel it was King who knocked in the blue and pink to lead 3-1 at the interval.
But Jimmy was not going to go away as he dominated the fifth frame. As King bungled his break off he left Jimmy with a mid length red to the corner. Dispatching the red Jimmy made a break of 48. King fluffed a chance to counter when he missed a red with the rest on 21 and it was White who stepped in to put the frame beyond doubt and close to 3-2.
Mark, though was unruffled as he controlled frame six with a run of 56 and then added the secenth to lead 5-2. This time it was a missed black that was to cost Jimmy dear as King stepped in an mopped up with an 85 to put him 5-2 up. Jimmy now needed the lot if he was going to stay in the competition.
But King was made to sweat a little longer as he allowed two good chances to go begging- with just the colours left on the table Mark's safety game forced Jimmy into two decisive errors as he left the yellow sitting over the corner pocket. Dispatching the yellow Mark still needed the green. Left a long green by Jimmy Mark cued the green perfectly and it flew into the "yellow" pocket. The brown followed, with the blue and put paid to the hopes of the gallant Jimmy White.
Suzy Jardine
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