Advani, Mehta to clash for CCI snooker crown

Ace cueists Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta, both of ONGC, stormed into the final of the CCI All India Open Snooker Championship here Monday.

In semi-final encounters, the top-ranked Advani maintained his cool composure to overcome the challenge from Malkeet Singh of Railway, snatching a 6-2 victory in the best -of-11-frame match.

Playing on the side table, India's third ranked Mehta struck top form to dash the aspirations of national runner-up and second ranked Indian Laxman Rawat 6-3 in the other semi- final.

Advani, the national snooker champion and winner of multiple world titles, was tactical in his approach and compiled breaks of 68, 84 and 45 to register a 10-65, 75-36, 56-78, 63-21, 134-0, 56-19, 85-21 and 54-47 victory.

Mehta was in cracking form and rolled in a break of 73 in the first frame and followed it up with another 73 effort in the fifth and 81 in the eight before signing off with a composed 71 in the ninth to pull off a 73-30, 67-45, 40-63, 44-71, 112-0, 15-81, 58-14, 88-25 and 75-16 win and secured his place in the final.

Results Semi-finals: Aditya Mehta (ONGC) beat Laxman Rawat (Indian Oil) 6-3 (73(73)-30. 67-45. 40-63, 44-71(65), 112(73)-00, 15-81(66), 58-14, 88(81)-25, 75(71)-16); Pankaj Advani (ONGC) beat Malkeet Singh (Railways) 6-2 (10-65, 75(68)-36, 56-78(62), 63-21, 134(84)-0, 56-19, 85(45)-21, 54-47).

Quarter-finals: Malkeet Singh (Railways) beat Ishpreet Singh Chadha (Mumbai) 5-4 (76-39, 1-69, 72-02, 52-69, 29-80(64), 66(55)-26, 75-65, 0-85(76), 65-30); Aditya Mehta (ONGC) beat Himanshu Jain (Telangana) 5-3 (56-66, 35-65, 67-49, 70-48, 66(60)-1, 12-69, 68(62)-22, 67-9).