Boteju defeats Fazil to retain number one spot
Reigning national snooker champion Susantha Boteju of YMCA continued his dominance as retained the number one sport when he defeated a gritty youngster M.F.M. Fazil of MICH in the final of the ranking tournament played at the Automobile Association Club AAC) billiard table.
Boteju who came out on top with a six frames to four of the 11 frame final did not have it easy as he was given some anxious moments by the 17 year old Fazil.
Boteju an experience campaigner in fact was given a shock by Fazil as he took a two nil lead before his opponent was able to win the third frame. But Fazil came back to extend his lead by taking the fourth frame while Boteju took the fifth frame before the game was stopped for a break with Fazil leading 3-2.
The resumption saw Boteju making it three each with an easy sixth frame win. Even though Fazil managed to win the seventh frame he was unable to achieve anything more as Boteju who used his experience to the hilt sealed the game by taking eighth, ninth and the tenth frame to emerge the champion.
Credit cannot be taken away from Fazil as he is one of the young cueists who was nurtured by the international famed world champion Mike Russell who in the early stages of the tournament overcame some of the experience players to reach the final and has showed that he is going to be a player to take note of.
Result Final:
Susantha Boteju (YMCA) beat M.F.M. Fazil (MICH) 6-4 (84/21, 74/0, 27/69, 65/35, 29/79, 26/79, 54/12, 40/80, 22/60, 45/56).