29 August,2015 07:20 AM IST | | PTI
Mumbai Stars rode their luck to emerge champions of the BSAM 2nd Videocon-Billiards Premier League (BPL) when they snatched a tough 3-2 victory over SPG Billiardiers in a keenly contested final at the Bombay Gymkhana here
Mumbai Stars rode their luck to emerge champions of the BSAM 2nd Videocon-Billiards Premier League (BPL) when they snatched a tough 3-2 victory over SPG Billiardiers in a keenly contested final at the Bombay Gymkhana here.
The Stars thus reasserted their supremacy over the Billiardiers for the second time in the last few days, having won Qualifier I by a more convincing 3-1 margin, to emerge champions of the 8-team competition.
State Sports and Youth Affairs minister Vinod Tawde (second from left) watches Devendra Joshi play a shot in the final of the BSAM Videocon Billiards Premier League at Bombay Gymkhana on Thursday
The victorious team received the crystal BPL Trophy and a cash award of Rs 3.2 lakh, while the Billiardiers picked up the runners-up trophy and R2.7 lakh from the total pool of R10 lakh.
Rrockets, who finished third, went home richer by R2.2 lakh and fourth-placed Adamo Potters got R1.70 lakh.
After the match scores were level at 2-all, an erratic Hasan Badami of Stars won a nerve-wracking fifth and deciding game against seasoned pro and former world runner-up Devendra Joshi, who carried a handicap of -190 as compared to his rival's -60, to pull it off for the Stars.
Dhruv Sitwala of Ottomans, who had constructed a break of 197 in the league phase, won the highest break award.
Results (Final): Mumbai Stars beat SPG Billiardiers 3-2 (Nikhil Ghadge-Hasan Badami (-75 handicap) bt Ishpreet
Singh-C S Puranik (-70) 175-167; Ashok Shandilya (-190) lost to Devendra Joshi (-170) 193 (65, 53)-290 (93); Vishal Madan (-160) bt Vishal Gehani (-60) 260-122; Ashok Shandilya (-190) lost to Ishpreet Singh (-100) 189-200;
Hasan Badami (-60) bt Devendra Joshi (-190) 161-229.
