September 16, 2006	Saturday	Sha'aban 22, 1427

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KARACHI, Sept 15: Country’s top eight cueists will be vying for honours when the 20th Latif Masters snooker tournament, billed as grand rehearsal for the upcoming Doha Asian Games, gets into action at Karachi Club on Saturday.

This is the last contest of the PBSA’s domestic calendar to be followed by national camp under foreign coaches for the Doha-bound players. Prior to games, two players will travel to Jordan to feature in World Snooker which commences from Nov 4.

Unlike last year, when top 16 used to vie for honours, the format has been designed providing stiff competition to the top eight in best of six frames round robin league. Each player has been drawn to play seven matches.

Players attaining top two slots at the end of league will qualify for the best of seven frames final to be played on Sept 19.

Reigning national champion, Khurram Agha a contract employee of KPT, has maintained his ascendancy this year pocketing three titles. He overcame former world champion Mohammad Yousuf 6-4 in the final of a ranking contest last month to recapture No 1 slot in the national ranking.

Yousuf also surprised the pundits when he captured the Style Snooker in June not only to end his two-year title jinx but to become a strong candidate for the Asiad.

According to prize money break-up, the winner will earn a purse of Rs100,000 while the runners up will get richer by Rs50,000 out of total prizemoney of Rs185,000.

Saturday’s fixtures: Khurram Agha v Salman Shaikh, Mohammad Yousuf v Naveen Perwani 10.00am; Imran Shahzad v Mohammad Asif, Sohail Shahzad v Rambel Gul 12.00pm; Khurram Agha v Naveen Perwani, Mohammad Yousuf v Salman Shaikh 2.00pm; Imran Shahzad v Rambel Gul, Mohammad Asif v Sohail Shahzad 4.00pm.