BILLIARDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1922, Page 3

BILLIARDS.

NEW ZEALAND’S CHAMPION. McCONACHY AT NEW PLYMOUTH. Great interest was shown in the visit of ■Mr. Clark McConachy, New Zealand’s chaunpion billiard player, to New Plymouth last night, when he played two matches on the standard table at the Soldiers' Club—one of billiards against Mr. F. C. Baker, with 400 on, and the other, a Rnooker match, against Mr. A. E. Newali. In the first the champion easily defeated the local man. but the latter match remained in doubt to the finish. THE BILLIARD GAME. Following a quiet beginning, McConachy struck form, and quickly ran up the first big break of 71. At GO he scored twice off the red from exceedingly difficult positions, the feat bringing forth a round of applause. Later an awkward triangle necessitated a “masse” off the red, which just evaded the pocket. Baker had difficulty in finding his angles, and no doubt was somewhat nervous at the circle of 200 eager faces, for he missed some comparatively easy shots. At 170 McConachy missed twice, and after scoring 9 missed two more hard ones. Eighteen from cannons, during which the balls were never more t.ian three Inches apart, was interrupted by two white balls touching, but on "spotting up” the break was continued till a miss-cue occurred, leaving the tally 215—462. McConachy s first and only century was barely completed when a slight "kiss’" diverted a cannon. The score slowly mounted by small breaks, till McConachy accounted for 73. 51 of which were made with sensational light cannons up one side cushion. McConachy then missed scoring five consecutive times, but Baker failed to materially decrease the lead. Sbme wonderful play was witnessed In the early stages of the; champion’s next break of 93, and another turn saw the match ended with the scores: McConachy 751, Baker 562. SNOOKER MATCH. Newali drew first blood, but shortly afterwards missed altogether, leaving the players one all. The first color, the pink, fell to McConachy, who, by sinking the blue, totalled 13. Newali brilliantly doubled a red, and followed with the brown, but a red and pink maintained the champion’s lead, 23—12. A difficult snooker by Newali was cleverly evaded by the use of both cushions. Then McConachy dropped his own ball, and' Newali had another chance to snooker, hut rolled too far, and play continued to 26—17, where Newali secured 5 from a snooker, but lost 4 in a similar «nanne’', and McConachy ran on to 36, player 22. Newali doubled the blue, but. just missed with the pink, tnough he got it later. With black to win Interest deepened, and a dead silence prevailed while Newali tried at black, hard up, at the end of the table. The shot failed, and McConachy easily settled the question when his turn came. Mr. McConachy then gave a number of exhibition shots.