Boteju survives a thriller
19th title win for Boteju - FILE
In a fitting final of the 65th National Snooker Championship which was played at the Moors SC billiards, Susantha Boteju of Sea Endless regained the title which he surrendered in 2015 with a thrilling six frames to five win against defending champion M.F.M. Fazil of The Cue in the 11-frame final.
In the process Boteju clinched the national snooker title for a record 19th occasion.
The two cueists had their supporters on the toes with Boteju going into the lead by taking the first frame and Fazil making it quits by winning the second.
Even though Boteju went into a clear lead by taking the third, fourth and fifth frames, young Fazil bounced back to grab the sixth, seventh and eighth frames.
The experienced Boteju made it 5-4 in his favour with a comfortable ninth frame win but Fazil matched him by taking the tenth frame to make it five each.
Boteju sealed the game in the deciding frame and even though Fazil was leading his crucial 59 break was too much and with only the colour balls remaining, Fazil surrendered the win to Boteju who in fact is taking sweet revenge of having undergone back to back defeats in last years championship where he lost to Fazil in the round robin and quarter final encounter.
Result of the final:
Susantha Boteju (Sea Endless) beat M.F.M. Fazil (The Cue) 6-5 (58/26, 12/96, 73/64, 55/52, 69/7, 48/52, 31/64, 50/54, 73/0, 55/58, 65/13).