Otters Club emerge Mumbai Snooker League champions
Mumbai: Hosts Otters ‘Rockets’ (Otters Club) emerged champions of the Otters Club-Mumbai Snooker League (MSL) – 2017.
Playing on their home table, Otters Club displayed solid resilience and exhibited strong fighting qualities as they recovered for a 0-2 deficit to dethrone defending champions ECC ‘Elfies Hornets’ (Elphinstone Cricket Club) by a 3-2 margin in the final of this competition, conducted by the Billiards and Snooker Association of Maharashtra (BSAM) and played at the Otters Club billiards hall, late on Sunday evening.
The Champions, Otters Club received the glittering MSL Trophy and a cash award of Rs 75,000 from Otters Club President, Mustafa Arsiwala. ECC ‘Elfies Hornets’ were presented with the runners-up trophy and a cash prize of Rs 45,000.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Thakkar, shone the brightest by winning both his matches, including the fifth and deciding frame, in which he compiled a break of 53, to enable Otters Club cross the winning line. Thakkar won the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
ECC started with a flourish by winning the opening two frames and looked good to retain their crown. Rushabh Gohil (+55) held his nerves and stayed focused to snatch a close 106-104 win against Otters Club’s consistent player Abhimanyu Gandhi (+20) in the first frame. Later, ECC skipperFarhad Tengra and Vilas Upsham (+20) combined nicely to tame the Otters pair of Zenul Arsiwal and Yudhishthir Jaising (+27) by 75-48 points to give ECC a solid 2-0 advantage.
However, Thakkar turned things around when he defeated Pramod Pol (+50)105-98 in the third frame before Gandhi got the better of Gohil scoring a comfortable 108-63 win to level the frame scores at 2-all. In the decider, Thakkar was on song and signed off in grand style by constructing a neat run of 53 as he coasted to 116-44 win against Vilas Upsham (+40) to secure Otters triumph.
Meanwhile, Rahul Sachdev of KG ‘G.S.T.’ (Khar Gymkhana) who had made a 109 break in the league phase won the ‘Highest Break’ award.
Sparsh Pherwani of Khar Gymkhana bagged the ‘Most Promising Player’ award, while Zenul Arsiwala of Otters Club won the ‘Best Player’ award in the senior category.
The four losing quarter-finalists -- CCI Snooker Kings, KG Wanted, Malabar Matka Kings and NSCI Seniors, received a prize of Rs 10,000 each, while the two losing semi-finalists -- KG Dirty Half Dozen and KG Pocket Rockets, received a prize of Rs 20,000 each.
Results – (finals): Otters ‘Rockets’ beat ECC ‘Elfies Hornets’ 3-2 (Abhimanyu Gandhi (+20) lost Rushabh Gohil (+55) 104-106; Zenul Arsiwal/Yudhishthir Jaising (+27) lost Farhad Tengra/Vilas Upsham (+20) 48-75; Rishabh Thakkar (+30) bt Pramod Pol (+50) 105-98; Abhimanyu Gandhi (+20) bt Rushabh Gohil (+55) 108-63; Rishabh Thakkar (+30) bt Vilas Upsham (+40) 116(53)-44).
Other awards:
Highest break: Rahul Sachdev (KG G.S.T.).
Most Promising Player: Sparsh Pherwani (KG Dirty Half Dozen).
Best Player - Senior: Zenul Arsiwala (Otters Club).
Prize Money Break-up – Champions: Otters Rockets – Rs 75,000;Runners-up: ECC Elfies – Rs 45,000; Losing semi-finalists: KG Dirty Half Dozen and KG Pocket Rockets – Rs 20,000 each; Losing quarter-finalists:CCI Snooker Kings, KG Wanted, Malabar Matka Kings, NSCI Seniors – Rs 10,000 each.