BILLIARD MATCH AND DEMONSTRATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 20 June 1907, Page 3

BILLIARD MATCH AND DEMONSTRATION.

A good deal of interest was centred in the billiard match pliyed on the Criterion Hotel table Last evening, a large number of enthusiasts attending. Hie came was between Mr T. C. Kragge (billiard expert) and Mr W. Birch (a local player), the latter being conceded 350 points in 750 up. In the earlier stages of the game linggc demonstrated that he was an expert cueist, but ct the latter end of the game, the play was tto t brilliant, and it wis evident that the player had struck l, o1T" form. Bitch was not playing lip to his best form either, but on several occasions bis billiards were particularly good. llragge has a capital easy style, and his beat - break was 75. Other breaks were (la, 45, 43, anil 40- Birch's best break wis 3l! Bragge's first 20!) were put up smartly, and when he reached the 300 mark the local nim's score was 407. ] The next hundred also was quickly added by the visitor, but in the sixth hundred the balls were breaking pretty safely. Even then it was expected thut Bragge would run up Ihe 750 before hi* ' opponent, but Birch put in several line : breaks of 20 odd apiece, and when the latter reached 711 Bragge's score was 607. With Bragge at <i(i3 the loeal cueist only wanted nine, to complete. By good play the visitor brought up nis tally to 693, at which stage Birch went out, thus winning by 57 points.

At the conclusion of the match the expert gave a very clever display ft difficult strokes, anil also showed how the "cradle" cannon was played.

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