CARDIFF & DISTRICT SNOOKER ASSOCIATION

Ben Griffiths of Fairwater Cons has won the delayed 2020 Cardiff and District Snooker Association Handicap Singles tournament by beating Kevin Davies four frames to nil. Both players had a handicap of +14 therefore the final was played off scratch. Impressive runs to the final from each player were secured 20 months ago; Kevin having wins over Mike Pardoe, Darren Gill, Satinder Singh, Steve Wellbeloved and Steffan Davies; and Ben besting the likes of Rhys Carpenter, Lee Cornock, Rob Hayes and Dave Earls. Despite the emphatic 4-0 scoreline, there were certainly a couple of close frames that Kevin could’ve pinched to prolong the match.

The match started in a fairly scrappy manner with both players exchanging half chances and modest scoring visits. Ben was able to edge 16 points ahead with three reds remaining and an impressive 20 break put him 36 ahead on the yellow, which was enough to take the opener. 1-0 Griffiths.

Frame two had a very cagey start resulting in a cluster of reds forming beneath the black spot, Ben was able to fashion a 30 break from the only four loose reds which gave him a commanding 40 point lead. An impressive long distance plant followed by a black looked to wrap up the frame for Ben, but he would give Kevin one final opportunity with two reds remaining, a misplaced positional shot followed by a missed pink allowed Ben to seal the frame. 2-0 Griffiths.

The third frame was the most free flowing of the match with Ben taking control thanks to two 20+ visits. As with the previous frame Kevin had an opportunity to clear with two reds remaining; two very good pots on each red followed by blacks got him back in to the frame, but a tricky missed green halted the clearance attempt at 18. A good safety shot from Ben created the chance for frame ball green, which he took. 3-0 Griffiths.

Ben looked to be cruising to a comfortable victory in frame four going 20 points ahead with pink and black out of commission. However, six reds and six blues across two visits for Kevin changed the course of the frame. A brilliantly laid snooker from Ben on the last red created a half chance for him, but with yellow, brown and blue all near cushions a clearance looked unlikely. Ben managed to take the last red with a black, followed by a good pot on the yellow and an excellent green into the middle pocket at pace, rolling the brown and blue along the baulk cushion into opposite corner pockets put him 19 ahead on the pink. Ben wrapped up the match with a well cued long pink a few shots later. 4-0 Griffiths.