HE IS renowned for his potting and fluent breaks, but it was his safety play which was key for Martyn Desperques in his 4-2 triumph in this year’s island snooker final. The fast, neutral table at North Legion provided its own problems for the finalists who, between them, seem set to dominate the game for years to come.
But Desperques, who was appearing in his fifth straight final, deserved his latest success and not even the runner-up was prepared to deny it.
‘He was a worthy winner,’ said Adam Shorto.
And on the question of the frequent flukes which often left the other snookered, Shorto was phlegmatic.
‘The flukes even themselves out over a match and when you are playing better than the other player, you tend to get the rub.’
Desperques needs little luck to dominate at this level and he put his friend and rival under pressure with some superb safety play.
‘My safety has improved 100% and that was probably the difference,’ said the newly crowned champion.
‘I’m relieved to get my name back on that trophy.’
A frame down early on, Desperques led 2-1 before Shorto pegged him back to 2-2 at the interval.
But after 20 minutes’ rest, Desperques came back and produced some classic potting.
The early play had been typical of an island final, nervy and scrappy. The opening frame lasted 35 minutes with the balls not rolling for either.
Desperques was 21 points up going into the colours but Shorto fluked the yellow and a 27 clearance put him ahead.
It was soon 1-1.
Desperques produced early breaks of 20 and 28 to put him in control and although he went in off the final red, by then the left-hander was requiring snookers and did not get them.
There was a particularly cagey start to the third frame, but ultimately Desperques took control of it with a fluent, confident 50 which came to an end when he snookered himself on the final red and proceeded to foul.
He need not have worried. Shorto could not take the minimal chance he had of rescuing the frame and it was 2-1 to the challenger.
The fourth was most remarkable for the number of misses called and points conceded in fouls - 48.
At 41 apiece and 67-64, it was anyone’s frame with just four colours left.
But Shorto, reprieved when his rival missed the yellow, calmly rolled in the brown, blue and pink to square the match at the interval.
Within five minutes of the restart, Shorto knew he was a frame down again, only this time he would have to win the final two to retain the crown.
With the reds opening appetisingly, Despereques immediately went about gorging himself.
In no time he was 72 to the good and, although he was to miss a long black, just four reds remained and Shorto simply took the opportunity for some potting practice before calling it a day.
The sixth opened with Shorto quickly amassing 22 but when he unluckily went in-off Desperques, he was freed from his early nerves andquickly made 24 before missing a comfortable black as another big score beckoned.
Both men had their chances and it was all to play for with one red remaining. It was still open with just the colours left, but a superb snooker laid on the yellow by Desperques created the opening from which he cleared and secured a 90-60 frame win and the title.
Article posted on 14th April, 2007 - 12.00am
Loading ...
Most Commented: