Cardiff Handicap Pairs Final
Graeme Prance/Paul Chichester 2 v 3 Khurram Khan/Nural Khan
Congratulations to Fairwater Cons Mack’s Khurram Khan and RBL Warriors’ Nural Khan after they won an entertaining and dramatic Cardiff Handicap Pairs Final 3-2 against Rumney British Legion’s Graeme Prance and Paul Chichester at Taff’s Well Ex-Serviceman’s Club.
A very tight start to the match saw some excellent safety play from both sides, and as the frame developed, the reds became spread out and the game started to open up. All four players had chances, and although no-one was able to score heavily enough to take control of the frame, a 19-point lead heading into the colours was enough for Khan & Khan as some good safety play enabled them to pick off the crucial balls to put them 1-0 ahead.
Paul Chichester started the next strongly with a 28 break contributing to a lead of 44 points, but a 21 break from Khurram Khan closed the gap heading into the final stages of the frame, and when he potted green to pink his side looked favourites but a missed black gave his opponents the chance to level. However, it was a difficult chance for Prance, which he missed, leaving Nural Khan a simple pot to double their lead.
Prance and Chichester again started strongly in the next, amassing a 35-point lead thanks to a 24 break from Prance. Some excellent matchplay from the Rumney pairing extended their lead, and the concession came with two reds remaining on the table to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
With the momentum now in their favour, Prance and Chichester held the advantage in the next frame with solid safety and good potting giving them a 20-point lead going into the colours. A superb yellow and green from Chichester left Khan and Khan needing snookers, but the brown from Chichester ensured the match was going to a fifth and final frame.
The first chance in the decider fell to Khurram Khan but he failed to capitalise, with a 24 break from Chichester giving him and Prance a 33 lead. Nural Khan responded with an excellent 43 break under pressure, to move Khan and Khan 10 points ahead with four reds remaining. Graeme Prance hit back with a contribution of 19 in this pulsating frame to retake the lead, but the break ended with an in-off which left his opponents a free ball. Khurram Khan potted the green as a free ball but was unable to follow up with a colour, leading to a tense period of safety play. Nural Khan potted yellow and green to move 13 points ahead on the brown, and when Khurram Khan potted it he had the chance to win the match on the blue. However, a miss gave Chichester an opportunity and a tremendous thin cut on the blue into the yellow pocket looked to have given him the chance to seal the match, but cruelly the cue ball hit the pink on the way back up the table and deflected into the corner pocket. Now needing a snooker, Prance potted the blue but was unable to find a snooker on the pink and Khurram Khan sank it to win an outstanding match 3-2.
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