10 February 2005	Thursday	30 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Feb 9: Former world amateur No.2 Saleh Mohammad, stole the limelight at the Karachi Club on Wednesday, when he beat Naveen Perwani 6-2 in the final of the 30th National snooker championship played before a jampacked audience.

After beating the defending champion and thirteen time winner Mohammad Yousuf 6-1 on Monday in the semifinals, Saleh was rearing to go.

He was now full of confidence after suffering a setback going down 4-3 to Sindh's Kashif Khan in the qualifying rounds. But Saleh then beat Imtiaz Tipu, a promising youngster from Punjab 4-0. Mohammad Akhlas 4-2, laced with two century breaks of 113 and 114, brushed aside Punjab's Farhan Noor 5-2 in the pre-quarterfinals, downed Saqib Butt another youngster of Punjab 5-1 in the quarterfinals and then breezed past Yousuf in the semifinal, to make his eighth appearance in the nationals.

Naveen except for a close call in the quarterfinals when he edged out NWFP's Inamur Rehman 5-4, bundled out the top seed Khurram Hussain Agha 6-4 in the semis to make his third appearance in the national snooker championship.

Naveen the only player in the tournament unbeaten till the final round got off to a flying start picking up the first frame 67/53. But with splendid breaks of 57 and 91 in the next two frames Saleh took over the lead 2-1, which increased to 3-1 after he pocketed the fourth 65/23.

Naveen matched Saleh's brilliance grabbing the fifth frame 127/8, chalking up a fluent break of 84 to get closer 2-3. But this was to be his last hurrah.

Saleh came storming back taking the next three frames and the match 60/38, 110/5 with a break of 68 and 100/24 with 55 points on the trot to emerge a 6-2 winner.

Saleh winning the nationals for the third time in his career, took home the winners purse and a glittering trophy. Naveen who has still to win the nationals, after three appearances took away the runners-up cheque and a glittering trophy.

Yousuf and Khurram received their cheques for reaching the semifinals along with the four quarterfinalists Inamur Rehman, Imran Shehzad, Saqib Butt and Shehram Changezi.

Imran who has been invited to represent Pakistan in a billiard tournament in Mumbai, India, won a cheque for Rs.8000, for registering the highest break of 130, during the tournament.

Following was the final result: Saleh Mohammad (NWFP) bt Naveen Perwani (Sindh) 6-2: 53/67, 88/41, 125/1, 65/23, 8/127, 60/38, 110/5, 100/24.