August 31, 2002	Saturday	Karachi, Jamadi-us-Saani 21, 1423

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KARACHI, Aug 30: Fancied Saleh Muhammad sent Muhammad Yousuf crashing out of the Karachi Club Open snooker championship to set up date with Pakistan number one Khurram Hussain Agha in Saturday’s final.

Both Pakistan’s leading cueists number one Khurram Hussain Agha and number two Saleh Muhammad Friday won their semifinals in contrasting fashions at Karachi Club Billiards Hall.

In the first semifinal Saleh Muhammad again proved his supremacy over his arch-rival and former World and Asian champion Muhammad Yousuf with an impressive 5-2 success.

Peshawar-based Saleh was unable to show his break-building class. However he made two small breaks of 49 in the second and 47 frame in his 73-25, 81-44, 50-60, 19-71, 65-08, 71-35, 70-33 win lasting two and half hours.

In the second semifinal, Khurram Agha survived some anxious moments before registering exciting 5-4 victory in a fully stretched encounter.

Khurram won 86-15, 67-39, 0-88, 37-60, 16-71, 72-28, 71-16, 47- 69, 62-03 in over three hours.

Khurram got off to an encouraging start when he took the opening two frames including a break of 56 in the first.

But gritty Naveen Perwani cameback in style, making the breaks of 74 and 45 to draw level and another superb potting and break of 45 in the fifth frame put Naveen 3-2 ahead.

Showing fighting qualities Khurram pulled the next two frames with some tactical positioning and smartly dipping of the multicolored balls to gain 4-3 advantage. Khurram chalked out the break of 56 in 7th frame.

A couple of crucial mistakes in the eighth frame cost Khurram dearly which allowed Naveen Perwani take the frame to make it 4-all and setup an exciting finish.

Without showing any sign of pressure, Khurram started the match deciding 9th frame with a vital 37 points break to set the trend and that proved decisive as Naveen was unable to match the skill and potting and surrendered with score at 62-03 to give his opponent 5-4 triumph.

The best of 11 frames final will break-off at 3.00 P.M. The winner of the final will be pocketed Rs. 25,000 and runner-up collect Rs 12,500.

Semifinal results: Saleh Mohammed bt Mohammad Yousuf 73-25, 81-44, 50-60, 19-71, 65-8, 71-35, 70-33; Khurram Agha bt Naveen Perwani 86-15, 67-39, 0-88, 37-60, 16-71, 72-28, 71-16, 47-60, 62-3.