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Success for Nottingham and Leeds Teams in First English League Snooker Championship Qualifier
Nottingham Snooker and the Leeds Billiards & Snooker Organisation (LSBO) Absolute Dream Team became the first two teams to reach the finals weekend of the English League Snooker Championship after a successful qualifying event at Landywood Snooker Club.
The English League Snooker Championship is a groundbreaking new event which sees snooker league teams from across the country competing for the title and a total prize fund of over £3,500.
A total of 18 teams have entered the inaugural event, which is being held across three weekends between April and June at Landywood Snooker Club. Six teams were involved in the first of two qualifying weekend’s which will narrow the field down to eight for the finals weekend on 29-30 June.
The first qualifying event saw the six teams face each other twice across the weekend, ‘home and away’, with the top two finishers qualifying for the next stage while third-place must await the outcome of the second qualifying event in May to see if they rank as one of the two best third-placed teams.
History was made on the opening day when James Brown, captain of the Staffordshire & West Midlands Billiards & Snooker Association (SWMBSA) ‘B’ team which also featured former English Amateur champion Paul Deaville, compiled the first century in the event’s short history with a break of exactly 100.
By the close of day one, however, SWMBSA ‘B’ found themselves outside of the qualifying spots as Nottingham Snooker – a team featuring World Abilitysport bronze medalist Dave Bolton – opened up a five point lead at the top of the table overnight.
With one point awarded for each frame won in the five-frame contests, as well as a bonus point for a match victory, it remained all to play for heading into the final round of matches on the final day as just five points separated the teams in first and fourth.
The top two teams, LSBO Absolute Dream Team and Nottingham Snooker, faced off in the final round with both top spot and qualification still to play for.
The team from Leeds, captained by the recent English 6-Red Championship semi-finalist Mark Ball, held a two-point lead over Nottingham Snooker ahead of the final match. However, it was the Nottinghamshire outfit who secured a 3-2 victory to pick up the bonus point and secure top spot courtesy of the head-to-head.
LSBO Absolute Dream Team, which featured the weekend’s ‘MVP’ Lewis Harper – who won nine of his ten frames played, would also secure their qualification for the finals weekend though following a dramatic conclusion to the contest between Byfleet League and SWMBSA ‘B’.
SWMBSA ‘B’ opened up a 3-1 lead, meaning that whoever took the fifth and final frame would secure third spot and keep their hopes of reaching the next stage alive. In hugely dramatic circumstances, the frame came down to the final black and it was the Byfleet League team who managed to pot it to claim third place.
Final Standings
- Nottingham Snooker (39)
- LBSO Absolute Dream Team (39)
- Byfleet League (37)
- SWMBSA ‘B’ (36)
- Yeovil & District Snooker League (18)
- West Wilts ‘B’ (11)
Nottingham Snooker and LBSO Absolute Dream Team will be involved in the English League Snooker Championship finals weekend on 29-30 June, while Byfleet League could still join them if they finish as one of the two best third-placed finishers following the second qualifying event on 4-5 May.
Learn more about the English League Snooker Championship.
