Snooker: Boteju, Thasleem, Aslam and Rikas reach Nationals quarter-finals

The completion of the pre-quarter-final encounters of the 63rd National Snooker Championship played at the Otters AC and Automobile Association billiards tables on Saturday (17) saw three cueists from YMCA, two each from AAC and one each from MSC and Army winning their matches to advance to the semi-finals.   Defending champion Susantha Boteju (YMCA) along with team mates T. Thanji and S. M. Zulficar, M.J.A. Thasleem and Anil Rohana both of AAC, S.H.M. Aslam MSC and M.M. Mubeen (Army) were the players to qualify.   The matches played in the morning session saw Boteju coasting to an easy 4-0 win over M. Akiel (AAC), Thasleem overcoming T.H.M. Farshad (MICH) 4-2, Aslam defeating M.S.M. Rasheed (MICH) 4-1 and Rikas getting the better of M.R.T. Chandana (AAC) 4-3.   In the matches played in the evening session saw Zulficar getting the better of Ryan Somaratna (OC) in a thrilling match while Rohana, Thanji and Mubeen recorded wins over H.A.M. Rimzan (Army), Infiyaz Farook (MICH) and M.Z.A. Zulfy (MSC) respectively.   The semi-finals are scheduled to be played on Sunday (18) from 3.00pm onwards at the Otters AC billiards table and the final is slotted to be played on Monday (19) from 2.00pm over two sessions at the same venue.   Pre-quarter-final results:   M.J.A. Thasleem (AAC) beat T.H.M. Farshad 4-2 (69/34, 38/53, 69/49, 13/48, 68/40, 51/37).   S.H.M. Aslam (MSC) beat M.S.M. Rasheed (MICH) 4-1 (57/25, 01/64, 51/40, 557/30, 55/09).   M. Rikas (MICH) beat M.R.T. Chandana (AAC) 4-3 (81/43, 39/48, 51/42, 54/15, 53/69, 42/46, 50/37).   Susantha Boteju (YMCA) beat M. Akiel (AAC) 4-0 (84/40, 68/51, 72/62, 61/07).   S.M. Zulficar (YMCA) beat Ryan Somaratna (OAC) 4-3 (60/14, 59/29, 54/61, 52/42, 48/55, 28/48, 62/32).   Anil Rohana (AAC) beat H.A.M. Rimzan (Army) 4-1 (58/53, 41/63, 58/36, 69/40, 60/27).   T. Thanji (YMCA) beat Infiyaz Farook (MICH) 4-2 (55/31, 16/49, 63/35, 66/36, 43/55, 63/33).   M.M. Mubeen (Army) beat M.Z.A. Zulfy (MSA) 4-2 (54/72, 69/45, 75/59, 03/50, 67/48, 73/10).