Australian Billiards & Snooker Council

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James Mifsud Wins Victorian Snooker Title
13 Apr 2008

For the first time in history, two brothers have played the Final of the Victorian Snooker Championship, over the best of fifteen frames. Steve and James Mifsud, from Broadmeadows, have both represented Australia Internationally, and Steve has been IBSF World Snooker Champion, in 2002.

Steve has previously been Victorian Champion on numerous occasions, but today the younger brother James triumphed 8-5.

Steve started well, and, with breaks of 59 & a 55 clearance, led 2-0. James made a 49 break to open his account, and after Steve had made a 45, James needed to get up on the final black to reach 2-2. James made a 52 in the next, but Steve could still have won, until Steve under-hit a blue, from the last red. When James made a 64 in the next, and 68 in the following, he had won five in succession, and led 5-2.

Steve dug deep to win the next, and looked well up in the ninth, with a 46 break. But, James managed to pot out the colours to snatch that one, and made a 79 break for the next. With Steve trailing 3-7, he could not afford to lose another, and managed to win the next, with a 64 break, and then a scrappier twelfth frame, with two thirty-something breaks.

The thirteenth was a classic. Steve “jawed” a long red, and James produced clutch pots on difficult reds, while fashioning a 71 break. When James’ speculative pink, to the middle pocket, just failed to drop, Steve needed a foul, and all the balls, to tie. Steve made 32 from four reds, and then attempted to lay a snooker on the last red.

After contacting the red, James was unlucky to go in-off, and Steve eventually made a long red, to finish on the black, and made a gritty clearance. With the re-spotted black, for the tied frame, James played the perfect break off shot, and Steve’s reply left a possible cut to the far corner.

When James made the long pot, cutting into the far corner, he had completed a famous victory, 8-5. The standard of snooker, throughout the Final, was superb, and the medium-sized crowd left well-satisfied. The Victorian Billiards & Snooker Association are to be congratulated on presenting a magnificent spectacle for all Snooker lovers over this weekend, at the Brunswick Club.

Steve Mifsud vs. James Mifsud
(Best of 15 Frames Steve first)
74 (59) – 30, 64 (55) – 59, 38 – 78 (49), 61 (45) – 64, 42 – 74 (52), 2 – 64 (64), 39 – 88 (68), 78 – 24, 47 (46) – 75, 9 – 80 (79), 100 (64) – 28, 65 – 14, 71 – 78 (71) Frame Score: 5 - 8