ADAM Shorto has created snooker history by sensationally becoming the first Guernsey player ever to hit competitive back-to-back century breaks in the island. Witnesses have described his cue-ball control as the best ever seen on these shores and the player has described his double-ton feat as the highlight of his 16-year snooker career.
Having lost the first frame of his Guernsey Snooker Association individual league match at the Gremlin Club on Thursday night to Tom Brock, he responded remarkably with 103 in the next and 101 in the third frame.
‘To make a bit of history and be the first person to make back-to-back centuries is really special to me and I feel really chuffed,’ said the 26-year-old, who works for the Environment Department.
‘It’s something that won’t come along very often. Any professional would be happy with back-to-back centuries. To go one better and do three in a row would be something else,’ he said.
‘I have never played better over two frames and I’m very proud to create some history.’
Shorto, who has played the game since he was 10, scored 117 last year in a match, although he has hit 142 in practice.
‘It came as a bit of a surprise. The first frame was pretty poor and gave me a bit of a kick up the backside. In the second frame I hit 103 and missed the black for 110,’ he said.
‘The most pleasing thing was that when I have made a century in the past, you concentrate so hard and ease off a bit when you have done it. To go and make another in the frame straight after was really pleasing. I was on for a big one and I missed the black on 101 and had another red on the table so was on for 143. It was a tricky black with quite a thin cut and I was trying to kiss the red out. I just wobbled the red. It would have been nice to clear.’
‘In terms of standards I have reached, I don’t think I have ever played better than that for a sustained period. It was faultless for two frames and I did not do anything wrong,’ he said.
For the record, he won the match 4-1.
Snooker has been going strong in the island since the early 1900s.
‘It’s undoubtedly an excellent achievement. To get a century at any level is an achievement in itself but to get back-to-back centuries is fantastic,’ said GSA vice-president and fixtures secretary Martin Robert.
‘Adam has spent a lot of time in the last few years in the shadow of Martyn Desperques, who has become more known for the big breaks. Martyn did hundreds in competitive matches a couple of years ago, but this is the first time we have had back-to-back centuries in a competitive match,’ he confirmed.
‘His opponent Tom Brock said his positional play was the best he had ever seen. It’s hard to see it being bettered locally.’
Article posted on 27th October, 2007 - 12.00am
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