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ANTHONY Rice returned to the scene of his greatest green baize triumph and picked up another piece of “unexpected” silverware.
The 20-year-old from Fordingbridge insisted girlfriend Steph has been partially responsible for his recent good form.
Last month, Rice won the final EASB Regional Junior Tour event of the season at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, to earn promotion to the national under-21 circuit.
And now he has claimed the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour Championship on the same tables.
“I’m delighted but it was unexpected,” he said. “I’ve had some really unexpected results recently.
“It’s been unbelievable really. I haven’t been practising due to having a job, exams and meeting a lovely girl.”
Rice, who finished sixth in the Cuestars rankings, progressed through the group stages at the end-of-season finale and beat Callum Browne (Trowbridge) and Aidan Murphy (Bristol) by 2-0 scorelines in the knockout before edging Bradley Cowdroy (Bournemouth) 2-1 in the final.
Cowdroy, 15, who overcame rankings winner Mark Lloyd (Gosport) 2-1 in the second semi, had won the Greenbaize Section championship and collected his trophy from World number 37 Mark Davis.
It was Rice’s fifth regional tournament win and a fourth at Jesters. He won his first Gold Tour ranking event in 2014 and a second following a “desperate” two-year wait.
His only other success was on the Regional Junior Tour in Coulsdon last season.
“I’ve only ever won a tournament at one other club,” he said. “Maybe it’s horses for courses. I think it’s just made me believe I can win again.”
The event was sponsored by the home club. For more information about Jesters, visit www.jesterssnooker.co.uk.
BREAKS
Bradley Cowdroy: 55.
Oliver Sykes: 49.
Anthony Rice: 48, 48.
Aidan Murphy: 46.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Aidan Murphy (Fishponds Cons Club, Bristol); 3rd, Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 3rd, Olly Gibbs (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Jamie Wilson (Waterlooville Sports Bar).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Anthony Rice (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ronnie Bake (Frames, Coulsdon); 4th, Arron Smith (Selsey RBL, Chichester).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, James Budd (Fareham SC); 3rd, Adam Stacey (Legends, Leytonstone); 4th, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS: Murphy 2 Joyce 1, Lloyd 2 Budd 0, Cowdroy 2 Benzey 1, Rice 2 Browne 0.
SEMI-FINALS: Cowdroy 2 Lloyd 1, Rice 2 Murphy 0.
FINAL: Rice 2 Cowdroy 1.
First major title for Pringle
CHANDLER’S Ford teenager Charlie Pringle has secured his first major title at the end of a trophy-laden season on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour.
The 15-year-old defeated Harry Jones (South Croydon) 2-0 in the final of the championship play-off at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon.
Pringle, who had lost 2-1 to Jones in the group stages, said: “I played okay in the groups but towards the end of the day I seemed to hit a little bit of form.”
It was his eighth trophy of the season. He reached the final in seven of the ten legs, winning two, and finished runner-up to clubmate Ryan Hughes.
Reflected on the 2016/17 campaign, he said: “It was a lot tougher than I was expecting. Ryan really improved and then got better and better as the season went on.”
And he added that he faces plenty of “hard work during the summer” to prepare for his debut on the Gold Tour in September.
Jones had knocked our Hughes 2-1 in the last four. Pringle overcame Evan Plummer (Coulsdon) 2-1 in the second semi.
Group stage casualty Nat Kidner (Ferndown), who went on to win the Six-Reds Championship, knocked in his highest break of 46 against Greenbaize clubmate David O’Callaghan (Bournemouth).
The event was sponsored by the home club. For more information about Jesters, visit www.jesterssnooker.co.uk.
BREAKS
Nat Kidner: 46.
Evan Plummer: 39, 35.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Evan Plummer (Frames, Coulsdon); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 4th, Brett Wallace (Fareham SC); 5th, Bowen Zhu (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Harry Jones (Frames, Coulsdon); 3rd, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 5th, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC).
SEMI-FINALS: Pringle 2 Plummer 1, Jones 2 Hughes 1.
FINAL: Pringle 2 Jones 0.
Callum bowled over by Bronze title
A TRAINEE decorator from Havant painted the town red after turning down the chance to make his debut for the Hampshire under-25 bowls team.
Instead, Callum White opted to compete in the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour championship play-off and walked off with the winner’s trophy.
The 17-year-old said: “I woke up that morning and thought this is my day.”
And, rather philosophically, he added: “The ball rolls as the ball rolls.”
White finished second in his round-robin group at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, to his sister Chloe, the women’s world number 45.
He then overcame rankings winner Riley Ellis (Wootton Bassett) 2-0 in the last-four and Ronnie Sullivan (Coulsdon) 2-0 in the final.
White tipped Sullivan to do well when the new campaign starts in September.
“Next season, he could be a title contender,” he insisted.
Based at Copnor Snooker Club, Portsmouth, White is taking a painting and decorating course at Highbury College.
He recently qualified for the county under-25 bowls team but requested one Sunday off to attend the Cuestars end-of-season finale.
“I didn’t want to miss finals day,” he explained. “And it’s actually quite good that I didn’t miss it because I wouldn’t have won the championship.
“I enjoy snooker a little bit more because I’ve been playing it longer.”
The event was sponsored by the home club. For more information about Jesters, visit www.jesterssnooker.co.uk.
BREAKS
O’Shay Scott: 24, 22.
Riley Ellis: 24.
Callum White: 22.
Shane Kearns: 21.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Riley Ellis (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Ronnie Sullivan (Frames, Coulsdon); 3rd, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Will Forster (Mayfair, Gosport); 5th, Riccardo Drayton (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Chloe White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Callum White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 3rd, Shane Kearns (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, O’Shay Scott (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Arnie Petty (Salisbury SC); 6th, Kyle Carter (Jesters, Swindon).
SEMI-FINALS: Callum White 2 Ellis 0, Sullivan 2 Chloe White 1.
FINAL: Callum White 2 Sullivan 0.
Two out of three reasons for Kidner to be cheerful
IT WAS an up and down and up sort of day for a Ferndown teenager at the Cuestars end-of-season finale.
Nat Kidner recorded his highest break and won the Six-Reds Championship at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon.
The 13-year-old was unlucky to be drawn in the same round-robin group as both finalists in the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour championship play-off.
He knocked in his highest break of 46 in a 2-1 victory over his clubmate David O’Callaghan from Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth, and beat Kaine Petty (Fordingbridge) by the same scoreline.
But he lost 2-0 to the eventual champion Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford) and to runner-up Harry Jones (Coulsdon). That meant he was one win short of qualifying for the knockout
Into the Six-Reds Championship and Kidner won through three rounds before overcoming Ally Pollard (Alderholt) in the final. He received his trophy from world number 37 Mark Davis.
Kidner made his Cuestars debut in March, 2013, and spent just over a year on the Bronze Tour. He finished his third season in Silver ranked seventh. His best performance was reaching the semi-finals in Fareham in February this year.
The event was sponsored by the home club. For more information about Jesters, visit www.jesterssnooker.co.uk.
SIX-REDS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (ONE-FRAME MATCHES)
PRELIMS: Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Adam Stacey (Legends, Leytonstone), Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Arron Smith (Selsey RBL, Chichester), Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth) beat Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth), Riccardo Drayton (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC), Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Will Forster (Mayfair, Gosport), Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC) beat O’Shay Scott (Chandler’s Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS: O Sykes beat D Sykes, Kidner beat Drayton, Pollard beat Hughes, Kyle Carter (Jesters, Swindon) beat Arnie Petty (Salisbury SC).
SEMI-FINALS: Kidner beat O Sykes, Pollard beat Carter.
FINAL: Kidner beat Pollard.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
The 20-year-old from Fordingbridge insisted girlfriend Steph has been partially responsible for his recent good form.
Last month, Rice won the final EASB Regional Junior Tour event of the season at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, to earn promotion to the national under-21 circuit.
And now he has claimed the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour Championship on the same tables.
“I’m delighted but it was unexpected,” he said. “I’ve had some really unexpected results recently.
“It’s been unbelievable really. I haven’t been practising due to having a job, exams and meeting a lovely girl.”
Rice, who finished sixth in the Cuestars rankings, progressed through the group stages at the end-of-season finale and beat Callum Browne (Trowbridge) and Aidan Murphy (Bristol) by 2-0 scorelines in the knockout before edging Bradley Cowdroy (Bournemouth) 2-1 in the final.
Cowdroy, 15, who overcame rankings winner Mark Lloyd (Gosport) 2-1 in the second semi, had won the Greenbaize Section championship and collected his trophy from World number 37 Mark Davis.
It was Rice’s fifth regional tournament win and a fourth at Jesters. He won his first Gold Tour ranking event in 2014 and a second following a “desperate” two-year wait.
His only other success was on the Regional Junior Tour in Coulsdon last season.
“I’ve only ever won a tournament at one other club,” he said. “Maybe it’s horses for courses. I think it’s just made me believe I can win again.”
The event was sponsored by the home club. For more information about Jesters, visit www.jesterssnooker.co.uk.
BREAKS
Bradley Cowdroy: 55.
Oliver Sykes: 49.
Anthony Rice: 48, 48.
Aidan Murphy: 46.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Aidan Murphy (Fishponds Cons Club, Bristol); 3rd, Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 3rd, Olly Gibbs (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Jamie Wilson (Waterlooville Sports Bar).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Anthony Rice (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ronnie Bake (Frames, Coulsdon); 4th, Arron Smith (Selsey RBL, Chichester).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, James Budd (Fareham SC); 3rd, Adam Stacey (Legends, Leytonstone); 4th, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS: Murphy 2 Joyce 1, Lloyd 2 Budd 0, Cowdroy 2 Benzey 1, Rice 2 Browne 0.
SEMI-FINALS: Cowdroy 2 Lloyd 1, Rice 2 Murphy 0.
FINAL: Rice 2 Cowdroy 1.
First major title for Pringle
CHANDLER’S Ford teenager Charlie Pringle has secured his first major title at the end of a trophy-laden season on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour.
The 15-year-old defeated Harry Jones (South Croydon) 2-0 in the final of the championship play-off at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon.
Pringle, who had lost 2-1 to Jones in the group stages, said: “I played okay in the groups but towards the end of the day I seemed to hit a little bit of form.”
It was his eighth trophy of the season. He reached the final in seven of the ten legs, winning two, and finished runner-up to clubmate Ryan Hughes.
Reflected on the 2016/17 campaign, he said: “It was a lot tougher than I was expecting. Ryan really improved and then got better and better as the season went on.”
And he added that he faces plenty of “hard work during the summer” to prepare for his debut on the Gold Tour in September.
Jones had knocked our Hughes 2-1 in the last four. Pringle overcame Evan Plummer (Coulsdon) 2-1 in the second semi.
Group stage casualty Nat Kidner (Ferndown), who went on to win the Six-Reds Championship, knocked in his highest break of 46 against Greenbaize clubmate David O’Callaghan (Bournemouth).
The event was sponsored by the home club. For more information about Jesters, visit www.jesterssnooker.co.uk.
BREAKS
Nat Kidner: 46.
Evan Plummer: 39, 35.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Evan Plummer (Frames, Coulsdon); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 4th, Brett Wallace (Fareham SC); 5th, Bowen Zhu (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Harry Jones (Frames, Coulsdon); 3rd, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 5th, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC).
SEMI-FINALS: Pringle 2 Plummer 1, Jones 2 Hughes 1.
FINAL: Pringle 2 Jones 0.
Callum bowled over by Bronze title
A TRAINEE decorator from Havant painted the town red after turning down the chance to make his debut for the Hampshire under-25 bowls team.
Instead, Callum White opted to compete in the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour championship play-off and walked off with the winner’s trophy.
The 17-year-old said: “I woke up that morning and thought this is my day.”
And, rather philosophically, he added: “The ball rolls as the ball rolls.”
White finished second in his round-robin group at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, to his sister Chloe, the women’s world number 45.
He then overcame rankings winner Riley Ellis (Wootton Bassett) 2-0 in the last-four and Ronnie Sullivan (Coulsdon) 2-0 in the final.
White tipped Sullivan to do well when the new campaign starts in September.
“Next season, he could be a title contender,” he insisted.
Based at Copnor Snooker Club, Portsmouth, White is taking a painting and decorating course at Highbury College.
He recently qualified for the county under-25 bowls team but requested one Sunday off to attend the Cuestars end-of-season finale.
“I didn’t want to miss finals day,” he explained. “And it’s actually quite good that I didn’t miss it because I wouldn’t have won the championship.
“I enjoy snooker a little bit more because I’ve been playing it longer.”
The event was sponsored by the home club. For more information about Jesters, visit www.jesterssnooker.co.uk.
BREAKS
O’Shay Scott: 24, 22.
Riley Ellis: 24.
Callum White: 22.
Shane Kearns: 21.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Riley Ellis (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Ronnie Sullivan (Frames, Coulsdon); 3rd, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Will Forster (Mayfair, Gosport); 5th, Riccardo Drayton (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Chloe White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Callum White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 3rd, Shane Kearns (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, O’Shay Scott (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Arnie Petty (Salisbury SC); 6th, Kyle Carter (Jesters, Swindon).
SEMI-FINALS: Callum White 2 Ellis 0, Sullivan 2 Chloe White 1.
FINAL: Callum White 2 Sullivan 0.
Two out of three reasons for Kidner to be cheerful
IT WAS an up and down and up sort of day for a Ferndown teenager at the Cuestars end-of-season finale.
Nat Kidner recorded his highest break and won the Six-Reds Championship at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon.
The 13-year-old was unlucky to be drawn in the same round-robin group as both finalists in the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour championship play-off.
He knocked in his highest break of 46 in a 2-1 victory over his clubmate David O’Callaghan from Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth, and beat Kaine Petty (Fordingbridge) by the same scoreline.
But he lost 2-0 to the eventual champion Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford) and to runner-up Harry Jones (Coulsdon). That meant he was one win short of qualifying for the knockout
Into the Six-Reds Championship and Kidner won through three rounds before overcoming Ally Pollard (Alderholt) in the final. He received his trophy from world number 37 Mark Davis.
Kidner made his Cuestars debut in March, 2013, and spent just over a year on the Bronze Tour. He finished his third season in Silver ranked seventh. His best performance was reaching the semi-finals in Fareham in February this year.
The event was sponsored by the home club. For more information about Jesters, visit www.jesterssnooker.co.uk.
SIX-REDS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (ONE-FRAME MATCHES)
PRELIMS: Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Adam Stacey (Legends, Leytonstone), Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Arron Smith (Selsey RBL, Chichester), Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth) beat Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth), Riccardo Drayton (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC), Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Will Forster (Mayfair, Gosport), Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC) beat O’Shay Scott (Chandler’s Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS: O Sykes beat D Sykes, Kidner beat Drayton, Pollard beat Hughes, Kyle Carter (Jesters, Swindon) beat Arnie Petty (Salisbury SC).
SEMI-FINALS: Kidner beat O Sykes, Pollard beat Carter.
FINAL: Kidner beat Pollard.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)