Tweet
IT’S Birmingham v Rochdale in the final of the English Under-14 Snooker Championship.
Hamim Hussain, a budding star from the West Midlands, and Lancashire lad Ben Murphy qualified from the last-16 knockout at the Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds.
Hussain said he was “extremely happy” and “over the moon” to reach the final.
Although admitting to finding it difficult to get going in his first two matches, the 12-year-old started cueing well in the last-four.
He dispatched Jamie Wilson (Portsmouth), Kayden Brierley (Manchester) and Riley Parsons (Cannock) - who the following day reached the Under-16 final - all with 4-1 scorelines.
Last season there was disappointment when he failed to qualify for the knockout. However, brother Halim made it to the quarter-finals.
Hussain, who has knocked in more than 20 centuries in practice and is currently eighth on the EASB Regional Junior Tour Midlands, returned to his home club - the Golden Cue in Bilston - and won an adult handicap tournament the day after his exploits in Leeds.
Meanwhile, Murphy edged past Adam Stacey (London) 4-3 and last season’s runner-up Chae Ross (Leicester) in the match of the day that also went to a seventh-frame decider. And a 4-1 victory over Ryan Davies (Oldham) booked the 13-year-old a summer trip back to Leeds.
He said: “I played quite well on the day, beating two lads that played for England and then had another good win against Ryan Davies to get to the final.
“I had a really tough two matches, especially the one against Chae Ross. Even though I missed a few balls here and there, I’m really pleased to be in the final.”
Murphy had also qualified for the last-16 of the English Under-16 Championship the following day but was knocked out 4-2 in the last-16 by the eventual finalist Lewis Gillen (Leeds).
Brierley claimed the highest break of the day, a 54 in his defeat by Hussain.
The best-of-nine-frame final will be at the Northern Snooker Centre during the EASB finals weekend on June 7-8.
Tim Dunkley
EASB Media Officer South and World Snooker coach
The English Association of Snooker & Billiards is the national governing body for the amateur game in this country. For more information about competitions, rankings lists and results, see www.easb.co.uk.
Hamim Hussain, a budding star from the West Midlands, and Lancashire lad Ben Murphy qualified from the last-16 knockout at the Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds.
Hussain said he was “extremely happy” and “over the moon” to reach the final.
Although admitting to finding it difficult to get going in his first two matches, the 12-year-old started cueing well in the last-four.
He dispatched Jamie Wilson (Portsmouth), Kayden Brierley (Manchester) and Riley Parsons (Cannock) - who the following day reached the Under-16 final - all with 4-1 scorelines.
Last season there was disappointment when he failed to qualify for the knockout. However, brother Halim made it to the quarter-finals.
Hussain, who has knocked in more than 20 centuries in practice and is currently eighth on the EASB Regional Junior Tour Midlands, returned to his home club - the Golden Cue in Bilston - and won an adult handicap tournament the day after his exploits in Leeds.
Meanwhile, Murphy edged past Adam Stacey (London) 4-3 and last season’s runner-up Chae Ross (Leicester) in the match of the day that also went to a seventh-frame decider. And a 4-1 victory over Ryan Davies (Oldham) booked the 13-year-old a summer trip back to Leeds.
He said: “I played quite well on the day, beating two lads that played for England and then had another good win against Ryan Davies to get to the final.
“I had a really tough two matches, especially the one against Chae Ross. Even though I missed a few balls here and there, I’m really pleased to be in the final.”
Murphy had also qualified for the last-16 of the English Under-16 Championship the following day but was knocked out 4-2 in the last-16 by the eventual finalist Lewis Gillen (Leeds).
Brierley claimed the highest break of the day, a 54 in his defeat by Hussain.
The best-of-nine-frame final will be at the Northern Snooker Centre during the EASB finals weekend on June 7-8.
Tim Dunkley
EASB Media Officer South and World Snooker coach
The English Association of Snooker & Billiards is the national governing body for the amateur game in this country. For more information about competitions, rankings lists and results, see www.easb.co.uk.