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RESULT: ENGLAND 8-6 SPAIN, PHILIPPINES A 8-3 RUSSIA
PHILIPPINES A, consisting of Dennis Orcollo and 2006 World Champion Ronnie Alcano, finally hit a gear at the SM Mall North Annex in Manila. They won eight racks in row to overturn Russia and book their spot in the quarter finals of the PartyCasino.net World Cup of Pool where they will play Poland.
Looking less than comfortable in their first round match against Thailand yesterday, they didn't look much better in the early stages as a comfortable looking Konstantin Stepanov, the former European No.1 and his partner the 17 year-old Ruslan Chinakhov opened up a 3-0 lead.
The big pro-Pinoy crowd were soon silenced as their orange-clad heroes struggled to get to grips with a situation that was running out of their control. Fortunately for them, an attack of nerves got to Chinakhov and he made some critical misses that turned the momentum in the home teams favour.
As they won the racks and took the lead, the Philippines started to play the relaxed quality pool that they were capable of and in the end they ran out comfortable winners.
"It was tough at first but we started to play well and the crowd were great. There are lots of good teams in this event but we feel good that we are starting to play well," said Orcollo.
ENGLAND have advanced into the quarter-finals of the 2009 PartyCasino.net World Cup of Pool after beating Spain 8-6.
A critical moment came in the 13th rack when Spaniard David Alcaide called a foul on himself when he adjudged himself to have double hit the cue ball.
It was a strange moment as the official had missed it, as had the English team but it was a fine example of honesty from Alcaide.
"David called a foul on himself and the referee had missed it and the players did as well," said England's Darren Appleton. "But I've known David three or four years and he showed what he is all about and a great sportsman."
Appleton's team-mate, Imran Majid, added: "We had to battle hard to stay in the match, they played some good stuff and we played some good stuff.
"We needed to win so we will take it and look forward to the next match. To be honest, we're just pleased to get over that one."
The victory means England meet local heroes Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante, the Philippines B team that won the first competition back in 2007.
"To play in the Philippines and to play the best two players of all time will be fantastic," added Appleton. "Efren is the greatest player to have picked up a cue so we have nothing to lose. As long as my partner manages to put the white ball in the right spot we will be alright."
MINUTE-BY-MINUTE BREAK
9.21 Good break sees the 1 go down but a tough cut on for the blue 2 which Orcollo misses. They get another chance on the pink 5 but Alcano makes a mess of that. There's more drama as a forlorn looking Chinakhov who at 17 is the youngest player in the competition, misses the 8 ball to give the Pinoys a chance at the win. Alcano smoothly strokes the 9 ball in the seal an 8-3 win as they took eight consecutive racks.
9.16 Orcollo looks a whole lot happier breaking with a three rack advantage and he makes a ball and leaves half a chance on the yellow 1. Alcano makes it and they boys in orange start playing smooth and fast for the first time. Dennis downs the 9 and they're on the hill.
9.02 More ball in hand action for the Pinoys following another Chinakhov foul and they clear the table to increase their lead. More drama in the next as Alcano overruns goung down to the 8 ball but Orcollo gets them out of jail with a great snooker. Stepanov goes off two rails, misses and scratches and it's 6-3 to the home town boys.
8.55 There's a lot at stake here so no one is taking on any foolhardy shots as the safeties kick in. Then Orcollo plays a great jump shot to put his team in the driving seat and they steer it home to take the lead for the first time!
8.46 A good break from Orcollo but he's stymied by the 8 ball which covers the 1. This one develops into a safety battle as both sides give as good as they get. Chinakhov makes a great cut down the rail on the 1 ball to break the deadlock but scratches into the centre pocket. Ball in hand sees Team Philippines A level things up at 3-3.
8.40 Against the clock, Chinakhov rushes his shot and scratches into the top right pocket. The Philippines, decked out in bright orange shirts, the colours of their patron Senator Manny Villar, run the rest of the table to get within one of Russia.
8.34 Russia look good for 4-0 but Chinakhov misses a difficult 7 ball into the centre pocket as the crowd let out a big cheer. The Philippines knock in the remaining balls to peg one back.
8.31 Despite giving it some major welly, Stepanov fails to move the requisite three balls past the head string and control of the table goes to the Philippines as the crowd whoop. That put the Russians back in and they push out. The Philippines then put their opponents back in. Confusing eh?
8.28 Another nice smooth run out from Russia begins to silence the crowd. 3-0 is a very nice lead in this format.
8.18 It's 1-0 to the Russia as they take the opener against the break. That soon becomes 2-0 as the cool looking Russians run out from the break. Imposing a pair of opponents as the Philippines, they didn't look over comfortable in front of a big home town crowd in their first round game.
8.19 It's eyes down folks as the mighty Philippines A, consisting of Robocop Dennis Orcollo and Calamba Ronnie Alcano face off against the young Russian pair of Ruslan Chinakhov and Konstantin Stepanov for a place in Saturday's quarter finals. There's a very big crowd in and none of them are Russian.
RESULT: ENGLAND 8 - 6 SPAIN
QUOTES: "David called a foul on himself and the referee had missed it and the players did as well," said England's Darren Appleton. "But I've known David three or four years and he showed what he is all about and a great sportsman." Appleton's team-mate, Imran Majid, added: "We had to battle hard to stay in the match, they played some good stuff and we played some good stuff. "We needed to win so we will take it and look forward to the next match. To be honest, we're just pleased to get over that one." The victory means England meet local heroes Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante, the Philippines B team that won the first competition back in 2007. "To play in the Philippines and to play the best two players of all time will be fantastic," added Appleton. "Efren is the greatest player to have picked up a cue so we have nothing to lose. As long as my partner manages to put the white ball in the right spot we will be alright."
8.00 It's high noon as England, just when they need it, the boys in white complete a run out from the break to seal a quarter-final match against Reyes and Bustamante. Alcaide confirms that it was a double hit and seeing as he was the only man in the arena who knew that, it ranks as an act of supreme sportsmanship.
7.56 Alcaide escapes from a good snooker but calls a foul on himself which the referee Cielo Lopez fails to see. That gives ball in hand to England and they run out to reach the hill at 7-6. The feeling is that it was a double hit or push shot but there's no confirmation on that.
7.50 A good break from Dynamite sees a ball drop and Majid leaves Guzman in trouble but he escapes and both sides swap safety visits.
7.45 A cracking break from Alcaide is just what is required for the Spanish and that he does. The tough shot is 6 to 7 which is too close to the 9 ball for comfort. It looks on but somehow Alcaide manages to miss it! It's left hanging and England get away with murder to level it at 6 - 6.
7.42 Appleton looks disgusted as his partner leaves him snooker between the rail and the 9 with just three balls left on the table. He makes contact with the brown 7 but it's there for the taking as Spain go into the lead at a critical juncture.
7.35 Another dry one and England get back to the table to contemplate a horrible layout. There are visits from both sides and it is Guzman who cracks first as his kick on the 1 ball leaves it on. England pocket the 1 and 2 before there is further stalemate. The Matador (that's Alcaide to the unitiated) escapes from a snooker but leaves the 3 ball available.
7.32 Majid leaves Darren a stinker on the 9 ball and he misses it! It seems to roll safe but Alcaide, still in the hunt for a glory banked 9 does the business for Los Dos Amigos!
7.29 Dry, dry and more dry for England as they all stay up following Imran's break. Guzman though leaves the orange 5 hanging in the jaws of the bottom left pocket and it's mistakes like that which can lose matches at this level.
7.22 Guzman fouls, trying to bank his way out of trouble and England have ball in hand. They nearly mess it up as the white creeps down table and narrowly misses the scratch. There's drama as England make a mess of the last two balls and then as Alcaide goes for a table length glory bank on the 9 - and also misses. UK No.1 Majid bins the 9 to restore the England lead.
7.19 Just when the momentum was starting to carry them, it's a dry break for the Spanish. England push out and Spain comeback in. These two must know each other's games well as they co-own a pool club on the Costa Del Sol - Club 6. Guzman is also a lawyer which comes in handy for those rules disputes.
7.15 It's break and run time for the Spanish boys as the match moves quickly to 4-4. No one is going anywhere with this one...
7.12 A great 3/9 banked combo from Malaga's David Alcaide pulls Spain out if the doldrums and puts them right back in it.
7.05 A good break from the well-turned out English side, but there's no potting action on the lowest numbered ball. There are a couple of safeties exchamged before Spain take control of the table work their way through it. Guzman runs out of position a little travelling to the 8 on the rail and he is left with a tester on the 9 ball which he misses by some margin. Majid rolls it in to increase the lead.
7.00 A good break from Deadly Darren sees two balls drop and an easy run out which is completed with an 8/9 combination shot.
6.56 It's elementary stuff as England clear to go level.
6.53 A dry one from Alcaide, allows Appleton, the Pontefract Potter, to play a magnificent snooker that leaves the cue ball buried up against two balls. Spain fail to make any sort of great escape and it's ball in hand for England.
6.50 With ball in hand, Spain complete the out via a tasty 6/9 combo from the bespectacled Guzman. 2-1 Spain.
6.46 A decent break from the scholarly looking Guzman leaves a nice looking table but Alcaide misses the blue 2 into the centre pocket. Dynamite Darren, as he is known in these parts, plays it safe but Guzman misses a slow rolling bank shot into the middle bag. It runs safe and Majid misses the 2 ball completely with his two rail escape.
6.40 Spain take the next against the break in what looks set to be an intriguing encounter. The crowd here at the SM Mall North Annex are loving their pool.
6.37 England run through the table to draw first blood at 1.0e
6.34 Spain push out and England put them back in to a jump shot over the 7 ball. Guzman narrowly misses the pot but it runs safe. Following a snooker, Alcaide plays a two rail escape but Majid puts Europe in the driving seat with a table length bank shot that sees the 2 ball drop.
Next up is England featuring World 10 Ball Champ Darren Appleton and Imran Majid against the Spanish pair of Rafael Guzman and David Alcaide. Stand by.....
