Kirkness wins billiards

Press, 26 June 1978, Page 6

Kirkness wins billiards

By KEVIN McMENAMIN Brian Kirkness added the Canterbury billiards title to his national crown when he beat Ken Giles convincingly, 1410-876, in the final yesterday. It is the third time that Kirkness has won the championship. Although Giles, a somewhat 'surprising finalist, got away to a : useful early lead there was never much doubt about the outcome. Kirkness was in splendid form throughout the tournament: the 1585 points he scored against Bill Adams in the quarter-finals on Saturday is a New Zealand record for four hours of plaj, beating the 1557 made by another (Canterbury cueist, Dave Meredith, last year. j In this game Kirkness also (made a break of 289, which beat I the national record of 280 but fell short of the 304 Kirkness compiled in the world open I championship at Ilam last year ; and which is awaiting ratlfiea- ■ tion as a New Zealand record. j The 304 is being challenged in (some quarters because of the wide-mouth pockets used for the I world event. However, the 289 (was made on the regulation (tables of the Post Office rooms

and if the 304 fails the 289 must surely be accepted.

The 289 naturally constitutes a Canterbury record, beating the 284 Meredith made when beating Kirkness in the 1976 final. A further record is probably the scoring of 15 century breaks during the championship. It was a tine feat by Giles just to reach the final. An A-grade player in his youth, he returned to the grade only three ( years ago after an absence from the sport of more than 25 years. He scored his first competitive century break only this year. He got another in the early stages of yesterday's final, a 110 which put him almost 150 ahead. Kirkness recovered with a 140 break but again Giles went clear with another century break, a 117. However. Kirkness gradually made up the deficit and a 148 towards the end of the first session left him ahead. 700-469, at the interval. Kirkness extended his advantage to more than 400 tn the first hour of the second session and to 600 in the second hour when both players, free of 'pressure, scored attractively and (well.

Giles in particular lifted his (play considerably in the dying | stages, scoring 20s and 30s at

just about every visit to tl.e table. But Kirkness was not 'o be outdone and was in full flight at the bell. Both men won their seml-finala In similar style: getting on top in the final stages. Kirkness and the defending champion. Mere dith, had a rather cat-and-mouse battle, each being wary of giving the other chances. As a result the game w as a low scoring one, iwith a break of 123 15min. from the end giving Kirkness a lead he was able to retain. Giles faced Eric Simons, 10 times winner of the title, and they, to®, were evenly matched until the last 30min, when Giles sharpened his play to pull away and win handily. Results.

Quarter-finals. G. Giles 948 71, 57) beat L. Adams 917 <Bl. 59. 78'; E. Simons 1157 (81. 54) beat W. Burney 786 (85); D. Meredith 1095 (129. 59. 89. 52, 94) beat G. Foa ter 755 <lO6. 51): B Kirkness 1585 <289. 110 145 . 64 . 84) beat W Adams 658.

Semi-finals: Giles 1106 <5O, 94> beat Simons 837 (100): Kirkness 984 <B3. 114, 66. 67. 123) beat Meredith 844 (93. 53. 68>

Final: Kirkness 14t0 <l4O, 65. 164. 79. 148. 62, 92. 137. 71) beat 'Giles 876 <llO, 117. 58).