World star Bingham makes the frame

Photo: PICTURE by PAUL STERRITT.

CUEMASTERS: world snooker champion Stuart Bingham (second left), 12-year-old Kaif Shazad (left), referee Peter Bennett, Mohammed Nisar, of the Oldham Snooker Academy, and Manasawin Phetmalaikul (16).

SNOOKER: 

OPPONENTS “cued up” to take on reigning world champion Stuart Bingham at the Oldham Snooker Academy.

The Crucible hero played 10 frames against some of the town’s talented young hopefuls, experienced local players and sponsors at an exhibition evening.

Bingham, who defeated Shaun Murphy 18-15 in this year’s final, hit three centuries and recorded a highest beak of 124 at the Osborne Mill venue.

North Chadderton School pupil Saif Amin pitted his wits against the Basildon maestro, as well as Pakistan’s number one player, Hamza Akbar.



Akbar, who now lives in Oldham, is set to fulfil his ambition of playing on the world tour after earning a two-year tour card with victory in the 2015 Asian Championships.

Raised in Faisalabad, Akbar has also represented his country at the World Cup in China. Based at the Oldham Snooker Academy, he will make his individual tournament debut at the International Championship qualifiers at the Barnsley Metrodome this week.

The 22 year old will face Mark Joyce, with the winner of he best-of-11 frames clash going through to the final stages in Daqing in China.

Moorside potter Michael Wild has been handed a tough draw, against former world number one and 2011 UK Championship winner Judd Trump.