BIG BILLIARDS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 73, 27 March 1930, Page 7

BIG BILLIARDS

M'CONACHY V. NEWMAN

PINE ALL-ROUND PLAY

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LOND.ON, 13th February. On Saturday night the fortnight's match between M'Conachy and Newman at tho Holborn Billiard Hall came to an end with the New Zealandcr 933 points to the. good. As jM'Couachy was over 3000 points in front early in the game, the recovery made by Newman was a good one. When the flual day's play was begun M'Conachy was leading by 1008, so there was very little doubt about the result. Having the better of some very good play in tho afternoon, M'Conachy increased his lead, to 1235, scoring 1136 for an average of 113, while Newman made 909 for an averago of 91. M'Conachy did not start very well, but after a little safety play he made a good break of 171, which included 48 cannons, and, although Newman played for safety again, M'Conachy added a run of 79 before he missed a thin loser. At his fifth visit Newman made up for these runs on the part of his opponent by showing capita] form in a break of 369, making runs of 07 and C 8 close cannons. M'Conachy, however, maintained his big advantage easily by making breaks of 255 and 455, in each of which he scored at the top of the table with great skill. Before the session was concluded Newman added, a break of 345, which included 63 cannons, but his highest runs afterwards were 4-1 and 31, while his opponent's best were 101 and 45. Although Newman had the better of the play in the evening, he did not stand any real.chance of success. Newman scored 1106 for an average of 138, while M'Conachy made 804 for an average of 89. Newman made most of his points at two visits to the table, when he made breaks 0f,453 aiid 417. Newman played very well right up to the end, but, although he had the satisfaction of reducing his opponent's lead considerably, M'Conachy always had the result quite safe. In his two big breaks Newman played very steadily, making some clever runs of cannons, of which the highest was 55, and his form, particularly in view of the fact that his opponent had led practically all through the game, was very good . indeed. During the finalsession Newman made other runs of 68, 58, and 103, while M'Conachy's chief runs were 174, 106, 131, 90, 240, and 56 (unfinished). The result was: M'Conachy 23,780; Newman, 22,853. Regarding some of the earlier play, "Sporting Life" said of tho break of 1739 that M'Conachy showed his usual wonderful control of tho balls, his losing hazard striking at long range being exceptionally accurate. Tho effort included sequences of 40, 42, and 48 close cannons. The break stood at 855 unfinished in the afternoon, and in the evening M'Conaehy, by converting it into 1739, creatod. a personal record, his previous best being 1630, made at Grimsby earlier this season. Tho innings lasted 1 hour 50 minutes, and terminated at failure over a loser off the white ball when using the spider rest. Regarding the s;-ie clay's play, "The Times" says: "M'Conachy's display was a remarkably line exhibition of clever stroke play.. Ho experienced a number of difficulties, and the brilliant way in which he overcame them created a good deal of enthusiasm. At 943 M'Conaeliy lost position, and had to make a cross-loser, a wide cannon and a screw loser, all of them awkward strokes, to regain it. When the break had reached 956 a drop cannon resulted iv the balls being nearly, covered, but a run-through cannon'made the position clear again and M'Conachy' reached four figures with a fine stroke, a run-through cannon and a red winner. At 1056 he- had to make a difficult masse stroke owing to the balls covering again, and at 1268 he asked the referee to adjust the lighting shade while he made a very thin cushion cannon when using the long rest. M'Conachy made a few strokes from the balk end of the table periodically, but his great strength was the accuracy with which he played the top-of-the-table game. The break was comparable with any of the big runs which, have been made during the season. M'Conaehy did. not score so quickly as Lhidrum- does, . but the :variety of stroke? introduced was remarkable. Lindruui made ..his great break of 3262 in two ho'.urs' and three minute's, and M'Conachy had been playing altogether for :an hour and 50 minutes beforo he missed r a 'white loser when using the spider. He had played so well all through that his failure came as a surprise. With the exception of three comparatively short runs of cannons, M'Conachy made little use of this form of scoring. His previous highest break was 1630."