Rileys American Pool and Snooker - Croydon - Frith Road
1st Floor
63 Frith Road
Croydon
Surrey
CR0 1TB
www.gb9balltour.com
www.rileysltd.com
More photos by Bethan Sage to view and buy here - *** AVAILABLE NOW ***
More photos by Andy Warden to view and buy here - *** AVAILABLE NOW ***
Friday/Saturday/Sunday 20-22 March 2009
Craig Osborne in action at the final of the main event in Croydon.
Shotgun kills Maharaja in Croydon slaying
Craig "Shotgun" Osborne has roared up to number 8 on the main ranking list with his victory over Imran "The Maharaja" Majid by the narrowest of margins in the main event of the GB9 Southern Masters.
Majid was the favourite to win the battle with so many previous wins under his belt, but Ipswich based Osborne had other plans and never gave up the chase. Osborne's break was consistent and productive whilst Majid's famous cut-break failed to produce the goods this time, as the Londoner produced several "foul breaks" not scoring the pre-requisite 3 points necessary to continue at the table despite sinking balls each time.
"Read More" for details...
Action at the final of the main event in Croydon.
Action at the final of the main event in Croydon.
Action at the final of the main event in Croydon.
Action at the final of the main event in Croydon.
Action at the final of the main event in Croydon.
Rileys Croydon Bar Supervisor "Cecilio" from the Philippines eagerly awaits your arrival.
Majid, Gray, Boyes, Valentine, Peach - or a new name?
2008 GB9 Player Of The Year, Imran Majid, will be trying to get back on schedule with a repeat of last year's result in the GB9 Southern Masters in Croydon.
It'll be a tough job though, as this is the second GB9 event of the year, and after winning the final event of last year, and the first event of this year's tour, Mark Gray will be doing his best to make it a sensational three-in-a-row.
There's plenty of talent vying for the title in the 128 player field and all the big names in UK 9 Ball will be there, Peach, Drago, Boyes, Valentine and Hundal will all be in with a chance, and only time will tell who is in form.
A sea of tables with matches underway at The Southern Masters.
Brett Armer focuses intently during this hill-hill match.
Courtney Symons attempts an ambitious masse.
Paul Edwards in action at Croydon.
Hilarious jump cue dilemma revealed at Croydon.
The Pro Shop sold a lovely Bunjee jump cue to a new customer in the middle of last year's pool season, and the new owner was naturally very happy with it's performance but he had been avoiding bringing it to tournaments, despite often realising that he needed it on several occasions.
Croydon was going to be different though. No compromises at this event, he was bringing the jump cue despite the inconvenience. No excuses this time.
As he sat next to me I admired the fine maple shaft, hefted the cue in my hands, checking the weight and inspecting the mahogany handle. I unscrewed the short cue and briefly examined the quick release joint, then quickly screwed it back together and placed it back in it's case where I had found it.
"Did you just unscrew that?", whispered the owner, who had been avoiding bringing it to tournaments because he couldn't close his case with the full cue in it, not realising that the cue had a joint!
He will remain anonymous of course... Unless you recognise his case!!!
Hideous pool socks reviled at Croydon.
Well, actually I rather like these pool socks worn by another player at the GB9 Southern Masters, although, of course, being the pool nerds that we are, we have noticed that some of the balls are the wrong colour!
Courtney Symons concentrates on the next shot at Rileys Croydon.
Chris Melling and Tony Drago lag to decide the break at Croydon.
Alan Millership vs. Karl Boyes in The Pro Cup event at Croydon.
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE MAIN TOURNAMENT | ||
THE LAST 32 | ||
Imran Majid | 9 : 4 | Kevin Hew |
Anthony Ginn | 9 : 3 | Andy Nicholson |
Tony Drago | 9 : 7 | Phil Burford |
Damian Massey | 9 : 8 | Tony Burton |
Paul Williams | 9 : 8 | Michael Valentine |
Martin Chapman | 9 : 6 | Steven Petty |
Adam Benn Smith | 9 : 3 | Adam Collins |
Daryl Peach | 9 : 3 | Mike Rogers |
Raj Hundal | 9 : 4 | Stewart Colclough |
Damian Overton | 9 : 4 | Kevin Uzzell |
Scott Higgins | 9 : 1 | Gordon Bain |
Jayson Shaw | 9 : 7 | James Kay |
Karl Boyes | 9 : 1 | Clarke Smith |
David Walsh | 9 : 7 | Jonathan Mathers |
Craig Osborne | 9 : 6 | Bradley Parker |
Alan Coton | 9 : 8 | Gary Houstoun |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE MAIN TOURNAMENT | ||
THE LAST 16 | ||
Imran Majid | 9 : 3 | Anthony Ginn |
Tony Drago | 9 : 7 | Damian Massey |
Martin Chapman | 9 : 7 | Paul Williams |
Daryl Peach | 9 : 3 | Adam Benn Smith |
Raj Hundal | 9 : 6 | Damian Overton |
Scott Higgins | 9 : 6 | Jason Shaw |
Karl Boyes | 9 : 2 | David Walsh |
Craig Osborne | 9 : 6 | Alan Coton |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE MAIN TOURNAMENT | ||
THE QUARTER FINALS | ||
Imran Majid | 9 : 7 | Tony Drago |
Martin Chapman | 9 : 4 | Daryl Peach |
Scott Higgins | 9 : 7 | Raj Hundal |
Craig Osborne | 9 : 5 | Karl Boyes |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE MAIN TOURNAMENT | ||
THE SEMI FINALS | ||
Imran Majid | 9 : 3 | Martin Chapman |
Craig Osborne | 9 : 4 | Scott Higgins |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE MAIN TOURNAMENT | ||
THE FINAL | ||
Craig Osborne | 11 : 10 | Imran Majid |
GB9 Southern Masters Main Event Winner, Craig Osborne with TD Shirley Ang.
Photograph © Bethan Louise Sage.
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE CHALLENGE CUP | ||
THE LAST 32 | ||
Scott Foley | 7 : 3 | Gareth Steele |
Neil Cummins | 7 : 0 | Chun Hao Man |
Martin Chapman | 7 : 3 | Tony Southern |
Jonnny Cooper | 7 : 6 | Philip Wildman |
Simon D'Vali | 7 : 1 | David Hood |
Paul Edwards | 7 : 4 | Louis Clarke |
Bartek Czapski | 7 : 5 | Mark Hughes |
Damian Massey | 7 : 4 | John Beesley |
Andy Appleton | 7 : 6 | Kevin Hew |
Oliver Ruuger | 7 : 3 | Anthony Ginn |
Matthew Ford | 7 : 6 | Chris Stocker |
Dave Simmonds | 7 : 4 | Kevin Simpson |
James Welch | 7 : 2 | Craig Riley |
Gary Houstoun | 7 : 5 | Liam Wilson |
James Taylor | 7 : 6 | Mark Hopgood |
Adam Benn Smith | 7 : 4 | Lee Hersey |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE CHALLENGE CUP | ||
THE LAST 16 | ||
Scott Foley | 7 : 3 | Neil Cummins |
Martin Chapman | 7 : 2 | Jonny Cooper |
Paul Edwards | 7 : 6 | Simon D'Vali |
Damian Massey | 7 : 2 | Bartek Czapski |
Andy Appleton | 7 : 6 | Oliver Ruuger |
Matthew Ford | 7 : 5 | Dave Simmonds |
James Welch | 7 : 5 | Gary Houstoun |
Adam Benn Smith | 7 : 2 | James Taylor |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE CHALLENGE CUP | ||
THE QUARTER FINALS | ||
Scott Foley | 9 : 5 | Martin Chapman |
Damian Massey | 9 : 2 | Paul Edwards |
Andy Appleton | 9 : 6 | Matthew Ford |
Adam Benn Smith | 9 : 4 | James Welch |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE CHALLENGE CUP | ||
THE SEMI FINALS | ||
Damian Massey | 9 : 3 | Scott Foley |
Adam Benn Smith | 9 : 4 | Andy Appleton |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE CHALLENGE CUP | ||
THE FINAL | ||
Damian Massey | 11 : 7 | Adam Benn Smith |
GB9 Southern Masters Challenge Cup Winner, Damian Massey with trophy.
Photograph © Bethan Louise Sage.
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE PRO CUP | ||
THE LAST 32 | ||
James Kay | 8 : 4 | Bradley Parker |
Stewart Colclough | 8 : 7 | James Carney |
Kevin Uzzell | 8 : 3 | Ben Moore |
David Walsh | 8 : 2 | Imran Majid |
Simon Widlo | 8 : 7 | Phil Burford |
Damian Overton | 8 : 6 | Jason Howard |
Alan Millership | 8 : 4 | Stephen Capaldi |
Karl Boyes | 8 : 2 | Chris Cowie |
Jonathan Mathers | 8 : 4 | Michael Valentine |
Paul Williams | 8 : 5 | Chris Buckmaster |
Daryl Peach | 8 : 3 | Scott Higgins |
Mark Gray | 8 : 5 | Richard Jones |
Jayson Shaw | 8 : 7 | Tony Burton |
Raj Hundal | 8 : 3 | Andy Worthington |
Chris Melling | 8 : 7 | Craig Osborne |
Tony Drago | 8 : 5 | Andy Nicholson |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE PRO CUP | ||
THE LAST 16 | ||
James Kay | 8 : 5 | Stewart Colclough |
Kevin Uzzell | 8 : 5 | David Walsh |
Damian Overton | 8 : 3 | Simon Widlo |
Karl Boyes | 8 : 4 | Alan Millership |
Paul Williams | 8 : 6 | Jonathan Mathers |
Daryl Peach | 8 : 4 | Mark Gray |
Raj Hundal | 8 : 6 | Jayson Shaw |
Chris Melling | 8 : 6 | Tony Drago |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE PRO CUP | ||
THE QUARTER FINALS | ||
Kevin Uzzell | 9 : 5 | James Kay |
Damian Overton | 9 : 5 | Karl Boyes |
Daryl Peach | 9 : 4 | Paul Williams |
Raj Hundal | 9 : 6 | Chris Melling |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE PRO CUP | ||
THE SEMI FINALS | ||
Damian Overton | 9 : 6 | Kevin Uzzell |
Daryl Peach | 9 : 3 | Raj Hundal |
THE GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS | ||
THE PRO CUP | ||
THE FINAL | ||
Daryl Peach | 11 : 10 | Damian Overton |
GB9 Southern Masters Pro Cup Winner, Daryl Peach with trophy.
Photograph © Bethan Louise Sage.