Snooker champion wins billiards

Press, 26 June 1987, Page 6

Snooker champion wins billiards

Peter de Groot (Richmond), who has been a New Zealand snooker champion, won his first Canterbury title when he beat Sid Baker (Boon Hay), 905-692 in the billiards final last evening. It was, however, a much closer game than the score might indicate. Only in the final 30 minutes of the fourhour contest did de Groot slip clear. The first two hours were very even. Baker, thanks to an early break of 54, Jed for most of the session, his biggest margin being 353-274 with 15 minutes remaining. De Groot had a very good break of 89 early in the second session and this put him ahead, 525-456, but Baker who was the more consistent scorer of the two

fought back well and two breaks in the 40’s had him in front 603-602. with slightly more than half an hour to Play. But from then on it was all de Groot. He capitalised well on a mistake by Baker to slip clear with a break of 70 and he had extended his lead to 100 as the game went into the final 15 minutes. De Groot’s fresh confidence was obvious in this period and he produced his best form of the night with a splendid break of 103 just before the bell. In it he showed himself a dab hand at top of the table shoring and his potting, which had been indifferent for most of the evening, suddenly took on a new certainty. Top breaks: de Groot 89, 70, 103. Baker 54 and 50.