Billiards CANTERBURY TITLE

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29865, 4 July 1962, Page 15

Billiards CANTERBURY TITLE

Fifth Win For T. Yesiierg

The defending champion. T. Yesberg, of the Richmond Workingmen s Club retained the Canterbury amateur billiards title last evening. In the final he beat K. Murphy, of the Woolston Workingmen's Club, who two weeks ago won the Canterbury snooker championship. by 666-525 Yesberg. a former New Zealand snooker and billiard* champion, has now won the provincial billiards title five times His victory was decisive enough, but the youthful Murphy pressed him hard until the last 15 minutes of a game which lasted three hours and a quarter

The standard of play was not good, both players missing a number of easy shots. Yesoerg showed adventurous and open "ffecUve form in round-the-table score* and was more accurate with sucking and cushioning. Murphy made two or three brilliant shots off the cushion, but his strong point was the middle pocket. In a break of 54 (the highest of the evening), he scored more than 30 ooints off the red into the middle pocket, showing excellent control of pace.

Twice. Yesberg went into the lead by more than 70 points, but each time Murphy doggedly climbed back and went ahead himself. When Yesberg moved away for a third time, with five breaks of more than 2o each. Murphy answered with his 54 but Yesberg clinched mattars with a brisk 27. Best breaks over 20 were Yesberg. 50. 38. 36 ( 2). 23. St ’3l. 37. 22. Murphy. 54. 43, 38. 35 . 24 . 22.

Yesberg is now eligible to contest the New Zealand billiards title, whose next holder will represent the Dominion at th* Commonwealth Game* In Perth.