RESULTS: SINGAPORE 6-8 CHINESE TAIPEI, BELGIUM 0-8 POLAND
POLAND put in one of the best performances so far at the PartyCasino.net World Cup of Pool as they restricted the Belgian pair of Serge Das and Pascal Budo to the role of spectators, running out 8-0 winners at the SM Mall North Annex in Manila.
The pairing of Radoslaw Babica and Mateusz Sniegocki, currently ranked 19th and 15th in Europe respectively, looked in tip top shape as they kept the Belgians in their chairs, allowing them up for occasional visits to escape from safeties.
Earlier, Chinese Taipei won a hard fought match 8-6 against Singapore to advance to the next round but it wasn't pretty as both teams struggled to get anything going.
The team consisted of Yang Ching-shun, a consistent performer at the highest level over the years, and Lai Chia-hsiung, who last played in a Matchroom Sport pool event back in 2001 when he appeared in the World Pool Masters (coincidentally also in a shopping mall).
The Chinese Taipei pair didn't seem to gel but had enough to get past the dogged Singaporean pair of Toh Lian Han and Chan Keng Kwang.
In fact, Singapore looked in the driving seat as they broke at 6-6 in what was effectively a race to two. There was a dry break though and that seemed to sum up Singapore's day.
Chinese Taipei and Poland will now meet in the next round and Babica was in confident mood. He said: "I know Chinese Taipei will be favourites in our second round match but we watched them earlier and they made a few mistakes. So, if we can play like this we have a real chance. For us, this will be a good chance to show our countrymen that we can win something and we will be doing our best."
MINUTE-BY-MINUTE BLOG
QUOTES: RADOSLAW BABICA (POLAND): "I know Chinese Taipei will be favourites in our second round match but we watched them earlier and they made a few mistakes. So, if we can play like this we have a real chance. For us, this will be a good chance to show our countrymen that we can win something and we will be doing our best."
2.48 Budo gets to the table in the next but fouls as he fails to make contact with the object ball. It rather sums up their day. Das gets back to the table though but his one rail escape leaves the 1 ball on and Team Poland run through the table to secure a marvellous 8-0 win and a second round match against Chinese Taipei.
2.41 A ball goes down off the break but the Poles are forced to play safe which allows the Belgians back to the table at last. It is only to escape from a snooker rail first and Das fails to contact a rail to give ball in hand to the Poles. Brimming with confidence, they reach the hill. 7-0.
2.37 More good stuff from Sniegocki as he downs a tough long 1 ball into a blind pocket and Babica's pressure pot on the 6 ball is equal to it. The 7, 8 and 9 are all there and the score moves to 6-0.
2.32 Poland could be a real threat in this competition as they run through another rack to go 5 ahead. The same two players lost to Germany in the second round of last year's event but look a different team in '09.
2.26 4-0. The Poles are really motoring now and Belgium, with hardly any table time so far, have it all to do.
2.19 Belgium get to the table in the third but Pascal Budo, making his World Cup of Pool debut, scratches to give ball in hand to the Poles. The ever-youthful looking Babica, once known as the Choirboy, but now a seasoned pro, and his team mate Sniegocki look in good fettle as they run out the third to leave Belgium in trouble.
2.13 More polished play from the Poles sees them move into a two rack lead as they run out from the break. 2-0.
2.06 The Polish team of Mateusz Sniegocki & Radoslaw Babica won the lag and looking resplendent in an outstanding team kit, took the opener to settle the early nerves.
1.54 There is woe for Singapore as Chan misses the red 3 to give Chinese Taipei a great shot at glory and they grab it with both hands to move into the second round and set up a show-down with Belgium or Poland which is coming up next....
1.45 There's more dryness though and a cross bank on the blue 2 from Yang, leaves the Chinese Taipei duo in a good position. Lai though misses a dolly black 8 to throw Singapore a lifeline. The 8 ball falls safe but Chan makes a mess of the safety and Lai redeems himself by downing the 9 ball to take his team to the hill.
1.37 It's all sqaure! Singapore win a hard-fought, bitty rack and with the break in their favour are favourites in a race to 2.
1.30 Yang fouls as he tries to get too cute in just feathering the 1 ball on the bottom rail. With ball in hand, Singapore methodically run out to get within one rack.
1.28 The break is proving highly arid as once again nothing goes down.
1.25 Another great cut down the rail from Yang sets up a rack winning opportunity and they make no mistakes to get to two racks within victory.
1.24 The pink ball drops but with only one other ball passing the head string it is an illegal break and control of the table goes to Chinese Taipei.
1.20 Singapore win the battle and get within one of Chinese Taipei as the score goes to 4-5.
1.13 A dry break from Lai though derails their momentum but super-swerved kick shot from the classy Yang drops the pink 4 and they're back in the mix. They play safe on the 5 and a snatched attempt from Toh hands it back to Chinese Taipei. They can't get out though so safety is the name of the game.
1.12 The answer is yes as they race through the table to go 5-3 to the good!
1.10 Yang slams home a decent break and the 8 ball drops. Can Chinese Taipei now put some distance between themselves and their dogged opponents?
1.00 The 6 ball drops on the break for Singapore but nothing looks easy. Chan plays a strangeish sort of shot which leaves the cue ball hanging in the bottom left pocket but Yang is able to pot the 1 ball into the centre bag and leave good shape on the 2 ball. Yang's cut down the rail on the red 3 looks to be a rack winning ball and so it proves, as Chinese Taipei regain the lead at 4-3.
12.54 A scratch from Yang gives ball in hand to Singapore and they negotiate a toughish run out to restore parity at 3-3.
12.52 Lai Chia-hsiung last played in a Matchroom Sport pool event back in 2001 when he appeared in the World Pool Masters (coincidentally also in shopping mall). That followed a great run at the WPC the previous July where he went all the way to the semis only to be beaten by Ralf Souquet. Since then he has more or less disappeared off the international scene until this week...
12.48 Lai scratches in the next as he hits the 1 ball rail first and Singapore look to take control. A very poor attempt at a snooker by Chan leaves the 2 ball hanging and with the remaining six balls out in the open, it looks a formality. It is, as Chinese Taipei move into a 3-2 lead.
12.45 Yang and Lai clear the table to level it up at 2-2 and it's game on!
12.41 A dry break from Singapore is followed by a push out by Yang. Toh takes on the table length jump shot on the 1 ball but fails to down it. Lai does and then Yang tucks up his opponents in a tough snooker. They escape but leave it on for Chinese Taipei.
12.36 From there Singapore work their way through the table to regain the lead at 2-1.
12.33 A dry break from Lai sees Singapore back but there is nothing on as both sides exchange safeties. Chan banks the 1 ball and leaves it nicely on the 2.
12.30: Yang makes up for his earlier error by sinking the 9-ball and we are all square.
12.28: The Singapore team make an illegal break but return to the table when Yang misses the 5-ball. However, Toh leaves the green 6 hanging over the pocket with their next shot.
12.22 Yang misses a long tricky 3 ball and leaves it on for Toh who deposits it into the middle bag. The layout is not an easy one but the Singapore duo hold their nerve to draw first blood.
12.16 Yang wins the lag and delivers an excellent break which sees the 1 and the 5 balls drop. A good safety by Yang sees Singapore at the table for the first time and Chan jumps out of trouble. Another good safe, this time from Lai, sees a great escape from Toh as he puts the Taiwanese in trouble. More safety ensues with neither team giving an inch. Lai breaks the dead lock as he goes rail first and caroms the 7 ball in of the 3 but Yang can't cash in.
12.10 The Chinese Taipei pair of Yang and Lai look relaxed in their chairs as they await the start while Toh and Chan of Singapore look a picture of concentration.
11.57 MC John MacDonald calls the crowd into the arena at the SM Mall North Annex as technicians and cameramen busy themselves with last minute preparations.
11.50: Good morning and welcome to the third day of the 2009 PartyCasino.net World Cup of Pool. The first match is between the Singapore pair of Toh Lian Han and Chan Keng-kwang and the team from Chinese Taipei, consisting of Lai Chia-hsiung and Yang Ching-shun.
