PSC Blacks miss the pot

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PENANG Sports Club’s hopes of completing a hat-trick in the recently concluded PSC Inter-Club Snooker Tournament failed to materialise.

PSC Blacks, who were twice crowned champs in 2006 and again last year, were all geared up to successfully retain that title.

However, it was not to be and that desire remained a distant dream when their challenge came to a premature end at the semi-final stage.

As if they looked set to set up another final showdown against Kuala Muda Chinese Recreation Club — a side they had so narrowly edged 4-3 in last year’s titanic grand finale — PSC Blacks let slip against debutants Royal Port Dickson Yatch Club.

One for the album: Winners of the PSC Inter-Club Snooker Tournament posing for a group photo after the prize giving ceremony

True to PSC Blacks captain Albert Wong’s prediction of the Port Dickson side having some unknown qualities, they weaved their magic to beat the host side to the final ticket by a 4-2 margin in their semi-final clash.

That earned them a showdown against Kuala Muda CRC, who had in their other semi-finals floored Old Frees Association by a comfortable 4-1 margin.

However, with the Kuala Muda CRC side eager to make up for that disappointment of being edged to a crown in this biennial championship two years ago, they simply proved too hot for the debutants to handle.

Although their opening clash in the Open Singles between Kuala Muda CRC’s Yeow Loong Ching and Royal Port Dickson Yatch Club’s Collin Pestana ended in a stalemate with both players winning a frame each, it was the superb showing of the Kuala Muda veterans that made the difference.

With Kuala Muda CRC’s Lee Wee Chong providing their second point beating T. Loganathan 2-0 in the Veteran’s singles, Chee Kok Yin and Tony Lim went on to put their title beyond doubt by winning the Veteran’s Doubles as well.

Needing just to win one frame to put Kuala Muda CRC into an unassailable position, they did just that by defeating Royal Port Dickson Yatch Club’s Charie Tan and Wilson Yew 1-0.

The impressive 4-1 win not only allowed the Kuala Muda side to make up for the disappointment of having to finish runner-up two-year’s ago, but their being crowned as the new champion in this seventh edition challenge also meant regaining the title they had last won in 2005.

East Malaysian club Tawau Recreation Club also flew home with a consolation when they were crowned Plate champions.

Fielding two teams in this year’s challenge, both the first and second teams made the Plate final showdown an all-Tawau Recreation Club affair by dominating the Plate final.

With their ‘A’ team beating Old Xavierian Association (OXA) 4-3 in one of the two Plate semi-finals, their ‘B’ outfit downed Royal Selangor Club 4-2 in the other semi-final to spark off an all-East Malaysian final.

Rightly, it was their ‘A’ which was eventually crowned Plate champs, when they edged their ‘B’ side 2-1 in the final.

RESULTS

Main Draw

S-finals: Kuala Muda CRC bt Old Frees Association (4-1); Royal Port Dickson Yatch Club bt PSC Black (4-2).

Final: Kuala Muda CRC bt Royal Port Dickson Yatch Club (4-1).

Plate Draw

S-finals: Tawau Recreation Club A bt Old Xavierian Association (4-3); Tawan Recreation Club B bt Royal Selangor Club (4-2).

Final: Tawau Recreation Club A bt Tawau Recreation Club B (2-1).