Breaking through

Photo: PICTURES by VINCENT BROWN

AARON Davies: the teenager has a highest break of 128.

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SNOOKER: 

EXTRAORDINARY talent for a particular sport is something I often yearned for during my formative years growing up in Chadderton.

Regularly visiting smoky old snooker halls in and around Manchester I managed to get my highest break up to 48 on a full-size table. But I wasn’t in the same league as Oldham’s latest potting whizzkids, brothers Aaron and Ryan Davies.

Aaron, 17, has a mesmerising 128 break to his name already while Ryan, 12, put together a brilliant 100 earlier this year. So I jumped at the chance to play a couple of frames with the Davies boys.

“I remember watching my dad playing snooker when I was little and I’ve enjoyed playing ever since,” said right-handed Aaron, currently studying for his ‘A’ levels at Oldham College before snooker practice in the evenings.

“I first started playing when I was eight and now it’s taking over my life. It’s hard work having to practise a lot, but I’m getting into more and more tournaments now and I enjoy the competition.”

And it’s not just snooker at which Aaron excels.

He’s the current English junior billiards champion, represents his country at pool, and jets off to Malta in February for the European Pool Championships.

For snooker he is already a regular feature on the Premier Tour for the top 40 under-21 players in the country - which can help to pave the way into the professional game.

Newman College pupil Ryan is almost solely focused on his snooker. He had trials for the England pool team for his age group, but once he had knocked in his magical ton break during the summer, snooker became his primary game.

“I’d love to play at the World Championships at the Crucible Theatre one day,” revealed left-hander Ryan, who is currently putting in the hours on the green baize for his last 16 stage clashes in both the English under-14 and under-16 Championships in Leeds in March.

“I was buzzing when I got my century break, but I followed in on the yellow when I thought I might clear the colours as well.”

It’s no wonder dad Martin is bursting with pride when asked about his hopes for his hot prospect sons, who both regularly turn out for the Royton Band Club team in the Chadderton Snooker League.

Martin, a decent snooker player himself whose top break is 70, said: “It feels great when I’m watching them playing and knocking in the big breaks in competitions. I just hope Aaron and Ryan go on to realise their potential now.”

For the record, I unsurprisingly lost twice. My highest break was eight!