June 14, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 28, 1428

KARACHI, June 13: Four Pakistan players made it to the last 16 of the 23rd Asian Snooker Championship on Wednesday – the third and final day of the league phase which saw two century breaks.

The home players going through to the next stage are Mohammad Yousuf, Naveen Perwani, Khurram Agha and Saleh Mohammad, while the one exception being Vishan Gir.

Among the foreign cueists to make it to the second round are India’s Yasin Merchant and Alok Kumar, Liu Chuang and Jin Long of China, Hong Kong’s Chan Kwok Ming and Chan Hon Kwan, the UAE’s Mohammad Shehab, Mohammad Al Joakar, Mohsn A. Aziz of Qatar, Bahrain’s Habib Sabah, Supoj Saenia of Thailand and Singapore’s Keith E. Boon.

The best-of-nine frames pre quarter-finals will be played on Thursday. Four matches are scheduled for the first session starting at 11.30am while the next session begins from 3.00pm onwards with an equal number of matches on card.

Pakistan’s Saleh Mohammad on Wednesday became the first player to compile a century break (102) in the third frame on his way to a 4-0 victory over Mangolia’s Buuveibaatar Enkhtaivan which also enabled him to finish runner up behind China’s Liu Chuang in group D. He was home 53-30, 73-9, 102-0 and 103-16.

However, his 102 break was eclipsed by second seeded Alok Kumar (103) who came from 1-3 down to post a stunning 4-3 victory against veteran Mohammad Yousuf.

Alok beat Yousuf 61-62, 60-21, 0-97, 47-56, 111-7, 71-26 and 82-13 in a clash of two former champions.

“I’m delighted on the victory which has built my confidence for the knockout stage,” a jubilant Alok, the 2004 Asian champion, told Dawn.

Alok’s compatriot Yasin Merchant suffered a shock 3-4 defeat against Bahrain’s Habib Sabah in the last session.

Yasin, who took a commanding 3-0 lead, lost concentration in the fourth frame and taking full advantage, his opponent seized the opportunity to make it 3-3 and finally won the decisive frame. Final scores were: 45-69, 51-58, 49-59, 79-59, 74-27, 69-21 and 76-49.

Pakistan’s Naveen Perwani finished his league fixtures on a winning note when he humbled UAE’s Mohammad Al Joakar 4-1 (78-40, 8-100, 54-49, 99-32 and 75-23).

Former Pakistan No 1 Khurram Agha also whipped Vietnam’s Nguyen Phuc Long 4-1 (69-46, 83-6, 76-43, 55-62 and 63-19).

Results:

Ali Nasser Al Obaidly (Qatar) bt Kim Do-Hoon (Korea) 4-3 (20-58, 49-60, 39-75, 59-23, 68-39, 86-2, 66-30); Henry Boteju (Sri Lanka) bt Shimon Tauchi (Japan) 4-0 (60-30, 57-7, 72-48, 53-15); Khurram Agha (Pakistan) bt Nguyen Phuc Long (Vietnam) 4-1 (69-46, 83-6, 76-43, 55-62, 63-19); Saleh Mohammad (Pakistan) bt Buuveibaatar Enkhtaivan (Mangolia) 4-0 (53-30, 73-9, 102-0, 103-16); Yutaka Fukuda (Japan) bt Pham Hoai Nam (Vietnam) 4-1 (65-52, 42-60, 74-22, 57-37, 72-44); Mohsn A. Aziz (Qatar) bt Ochirbold Begzsuren (Mangolia) 4-3 (50-56, 11-59, 61-50, 24-62, 73-19, 49-41, 73-1); Vishan Gir (Pakistan) beat Reenat William (Iraq) – walkover; Susantha Boteju (Sri Lanka) bt Jung Tae-Hoon (Korea) 4-0 (74-32, 67-7, 45-28, 55-41); Mohammad Shehab (UAE) bt Chan Hon Kwan (Hong Kong) 4-1 (71-38, 64-22, 66-40, 56-59, 49-1); Alok Kumar (India) bt Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan) 4-3 (61-62, 60-21, 0-97, 47-56, 111-7, 71-26, 82-13); Supoj Saenia (Thailand) bt Mohammad Al Shaikh (Bahrain) 4-3 (1-54, 70-20, 63-24, 80-21, 32-51, 44-75, 88-36); Liu Chuang (China) bt Puan Yi Wei Alex (Singapore) 4-0 (88-12, 60-25, 100-24, 69-27); Keith E. Boon (Singapore) bt Thetachaiya Un-Nooh (Thailand) 4-1 (73-28, 17-72, 61-38, 62-6, 61-53); Jin Long (China) bt Chan Kwok Ming (Hong Kong) 4-1 (84-33, 83-10, 1-81, 64-62, 79-1); Habib Sabah (Bahrain) bt Yasin Merchant (India) 4-3 (45-69, 51-58, 49-59, 79-59, 74-27, 69-21, 76-49); Naveen Perwani (Pakistan) bt Mohammad Al Joakar (UAE) 4-1 (78-40, 8-100, 54-49, 99-32, 75-23).

Thursday’s fixtures:

Pre quarter-finals: (best-of-nine frames).

First session: Liu Chuang (China) v Chan Kwok Ming (Hong Kong), Yasin Merchant (India) v Mohsn A. Aziz (Qatar), Khurram Agha (Pakistan) v Mohammad Al Joakar (UAE), Chan Hon Kwan (Hong Kong) v Alok Kumar (India) at 11.30am.

Second session: Naveen Perwani (Pakistan) v Keith E. Boon (Singapore), Saleh Mohammad (Pakistan) v Jin Long (China), Habib Sabah (Bahrain) v Supoj Saenia (Thailand), Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan) v Mohammad Shehab (UAE) at 3.00pm.