Wrangle over record

Press, 6 December 1977, Page 42

Wrangle over record

A snooker break, of 128 made by Brian Kirkness, of Christchurch, at the international tournament in Christchurch on Sunday may qualify as a world amateur record.

According to the handbook of the billiards and snooker control council, England — long recognised as the sport’s international governing body — the record by an amateur in a world tournament is 122, made by Ratan Bader (India) in 1964. There are, however, complications. Although the council has bestowed its blessing on the tournament and the more important world billiards championship

being played in association with it, there is some doubt whether the council has, or will, sanction the championship as a world open event. The understanding at present is that the council sees the two tournaments as no more than an international invitation event.

The billiards championship has been officially sanctioned as a world open contest by the International Billiards and Snooker Federation, a comparatively’ new body which has challenged the traditional authority of the English council, and by the professional players’ association, which tends to support the federation.

This power struggle could result in Kirkness’s breaf being recognised as a world record by one body but not the other. There are cases on record of amateurs scoring higher breaks than 128 in international play and the federation may be inclined to put them ahead of Kirkness’s total. Nevertheless the New Zealand Amateur Billiards Association intends to proceed with an application for the break to be considered as a world amateur record. Whatever the outcome, Kirkness can rest assured that it will be recognised as a New Zealand record.