Wild misses out

A SURPRISE birthday gift prevented Moorside snooker ace Michael Wild from taking part in an important semi-final.

The local potting machine had reached the last four of the Manchester Open and was due to play Danny Thomas at the Moor Club in Stockport. But what Wild didn’t know when he first entered the competition and played in several rounds was that his girlfriend had booked them a holiday in Belgium to mark his birthday not knowing of Wild’s other commitments.

Thomas was handed a bye to the final in which he will meet Wayne Brown, who beat champion for the last two years, Dean Sheridan of Failsworth, 5-1. The final will be held at the same venue tonight (7.30pm).



FOLLOWING last week’s time-out for the latest rounds of the team knock-out competition, normal service resumed in the Oldham Amateur Snooker League.

And a break of 43 from A Hussain was the highlight as Three Cs ‘A’ beat Blue Club ‘B’ 5-1 at home.

Meanwhile, Martin Kennedy’s break of 32 was enough to take his frame for North Chadderton ‘B’ and prevent a whitewash at Springbank.

Stanley Road ‘B’ recorded a 6-0 whitewash at home to High Crompton, while at the top of the table North Chadderton ‘A’ returned to winning ways with a 5-1 dismissal of Three Cs ‘B’.

With nearest rivals Chadderton Reform being held to a 3-3 draw by St Paul’s, North Chadderton ‘A’ have a six-point lead with three fixtures to play.



CRICKET virtually sealed the runners-up spot in the Saw-Tech Shaw Snooker League when they defeated Comrades ‘B’ 5-1. They achieved their easy victory even though the hosts won the first frame thanks to B Flint.