Kothari’s run ends at Pacific International billiards meet

Melbourne, June 14 (IANS) Peter Gilchrist, a former multiple world billiards champion from Singapore, brought Sourav Kothari's run to a halt at the Pacific International snooker billiards championship played at the Yarraville Club here on Friday.

Kothari had been on a roll from day one in Melbourne, winning the Pacific International snooker championship, a triple crown event in Australia and thereafter went on to display some outstanding billiards en-route the final of the billiards event.

However, he succumbed to the lethal consistency of Gilchrist and went down rather unceremoniously 706-1500.

In the race to 1500 points final, Kothari drew first blood with a magnificent break of 290 points, showing early promise of a great battle ahead.

However, unperturbed by the initial blow by Kothari, Gilchrist in his characteristic style parked himself at the top of the table and kept on scoring point after point displaying debonair billiards.

After reaching 750 points at the interval, Gilchrist led Kothari by 400 points with consistent onslaught of 211, 242 and 252.

The story line did not change on resumption. Knowing well Kothari's ability to bounce back, Gilchrist, the world record holder of highest billiards break of 1346 under modern rules, brought in more compactness and rose his game to the optimum level and came very near to the target with useful runs of 124, 122 and 96.

A break of 80 followed by a well compiled 175 was too little, too late for the reigning WBL world Billiards champion from Kolkata as Gilchrist completed the proceedings with ease.