The concluding events of the Derwent Valley Asbestos Removals and Demolition Services summer league were completed at the United Club, Workington.
The defending Division One and Knock-out champion Kevin Basnett rounded-off his season by taking the Handicap Singles Knockout.
However it wasn’t before an early set-back against Division Two’s Geoff Smith. The evening had got off to a cautious start from both finalists.
Early on in the opening frame, Basnett (Scr) took the first red, but then wobbled the black, leaving it sitting nicely over the pocket. Smith (+60) capitalised with the next red and the black.
Two good baulk cushion safety shots from Basnett made things awkward for Smith, however, luck was on his side as the Workington player fluked a canon and maximised his score with another black.
With a sixty point start, Smith was already 76 – 1 up, meaning the Seaton player needed to maintain his cautious approach as the handicap made things an equal challenge for both competitors.
From that point it was one-way traffic as Basnett made a number of small contributions to claw his way into the frame and was left with a fine cut on the black into the middle pocket to force a re-spotted black.
Being conscious of the in-off Basnett overcut the black and after a couple of misses by both players, the former county champion potted the black with the rest to force the re-spotted black.
An initial solid safety shot from Basnett placed the black on the side cushion, but Smith opted to take on the double and sunk the black to take the opening frame 93 – 86.
In the second frame Smith again earned a maximum return by taking the black with the opening red.
Basnett, in attempting a safety shot, inadvertently potted a red through a reverse-double making nine, followed by a further six off a long red.
He then opted to turn down a tempting double for the security of a good safety shot into baulk.
Faced with a good safety Smith caught the pack too thick leaving Basnett the perfect opener into the middle pocket.
From this Basnett’s angle on the black into the same pocket created a natural canon into the pack allowing the Division One champion to construct a fine break of 71, making the score 88 – 68 in his favour.
After further safety play Smith unintentionally snookered himself from the pot. Basnett cleared the pink to level the match with a 97 – 84 score line.
In the third frame, a tight snooker behind the green from Basnett was followed by several misses and replacements for Smith. This eventually provided Basnett with the opportunity he was looking for and compiled a frame winning break of 66.
With Smith now 32 points behind, another series of fouls and misses ensured the gap was too great to close. Basnett was now 2-1 up with a 114 – 64 third frame win.
With one hand firmly on the trophy, Basnett made an early twenty break, but was prevented from a greater contribution as his deep screw off the red failed to significantly split the pack.
Shortly after, a break of 49 from the Seaton player made the frame 76 – 60 in his favour. With Smith being constantly pinned back, another series of fouls and misses ensued with the frame being eventually closed out at 94 – 61 to the defending champion and a 3-1 victory.
The match was followed by buffet and prize-giving by DVARD co-directors Andrew Carter and Stephen Jackson.
The West Cumbria Snooker League would like to thank Derwent Valley Asbestos Removals and Demolition Services for their league sponsorship and the United Club for their hospitality and buffet provisions.
DVARD league role of honour week 22:
DVARD League One; Winner K. Basnett, runner-up P. O’Hagan, third A. Mitchelhill.
Highest Break; K. Basnett 111, Highest Aggregate; K. Basnett 1,430
DVARD League Two; Winner A. Moore, runner-up D. Lawson, third S. Jackson
Highest Break; C. Hunter 43, Highest Aggregate; A. Moore 124
DVARD singles knockout trophy; Winner K. Basnett, runner-up G. Smith, semi-finalists; R. Kirkham and K. Kirkham
Best handicap beating performance ; K. Basnett 88 pts ahead (Week 17, frame 2, DL v KB, 45 -133)
Best underdog frame performance; C. Hunter 78 pts ahead (Week 2, frame 5, CH v KB, 62 -34)
