01:00Now the thing to look out for in this game is maximum damage.
01:03Who can down them nine pins in one chuck or two?
01:07Colin Price is inclined to pitch very quick, aiming always at that front pin.
01:15See, a good nine in three cheeses.
01:17So Charlie White here has to beat nine with three chucks.
01:23He missed a head pin there, so he has to go off the cushion, coming at them now, or try to
01:42display them out from the middle.
01:46He fails, only six scored.
01:48Now Charlie here is turning to miscue on his shot.
02:03He's not getting the pins flying about.
02:05His cheese is flying through.
02:08But that nine's not bad.
02:10The way Colin's playing, it might not be good enough.
02:12See the way he uses the spinning woods on the table to a good advantage.
02:31Nine apiece, so a single cheese at them decides it.
02:34That eight was very clever.
02:52See how the back pin nearly went over two.
02:54And Charlie White shows his pass here as well.
03:06He got the lot spinning about, but only seven, and Price goes two up.
03:13So here's Charlie White setting Colin a target on the third leg.
03:20Five with the first cheese.
03:22A skimmer.
03:24Nine in all.
03:37So here goes Price, wanting nine in two to be indoor league champ.
03:42Difficult shot.
03:44Need him to come right across the board off the cushion.
03:46Beautiful.
03:46He chucks them fast, but he chucks them true.
03:49Ladies and gentlemen, we now call on the indoor league cheese skittle champion,
04:03Colin Price, to collect his gold medal and his check.
04:06Colin Price takes home to Kettering 150 quid.
04:35I'm surprised that game hasn't caught on elsewhere other than Northamptonshire and Leicestershire.
04:40But now, a game which is catching on in Britain fast.
04:42American pool.
04:43The rules are different from our snooker and billiards, but the skill's the same.
04:47There's 16 balls on the table.
04:48Seven white.
04:49Seven black.
04:50A bogey ball which is striped.
04:52And a pink cue ball.
04:53Each player is a colour, and they must pocket all seven of their own coloured balls before
04:57they can attempt to pocket the strike ball in a nominated hole.
05:00On the table now, John Ashcroft, our reigning champ from Yorkshire, and Bill Butler from California.
05:05Hector Almedas is the commentator.
05:07It's two frames each.
05:08Second two.
05:09And now, everything rests on this fifth and final game.
05:14Butler's now playing onto the blacks, and he's obviously, obviously going to be on the blacks.
05:24Right.
05:25Butler's opened his account.
05:27The one who loses this one is out.
05:31What an opening.
05:33Real storybook stuff, this.
05:34All right.
05:41Now, Johnny has, Ashcroft has the white ball, which, of course, the balls he's on into the
05:47end pocket.
05:49And he has cut it successfully to draw 11.
05:56Now, he's up into the end, far end pocket with that outer white ball.
06:01And he's made that successfully.
06:02Ashcroft is shooting well.
06:04After a very shaky start, Johnny Ashcroft, former Yorkshire snooker champion, and our reigning
06:11champion, is now showing why he won those awards.
06:19If he wins this one, what a comeback.
06:22What a fight back.
06:23Four.
06:24And right now, he must be the bookie's favorite, in this particular match at least.
06:29Studying the bump, he's taking no chances.
06:42What a fight back.
06:43What a fight back.
06:44Two down, and now shooting superbly.
06:48Our indoor league champ.
06:50Butler, Butler cannot be feeling too confident at the moment.
06:53Oh, what a double, what a double.
07:00No wonder he's getting the applause from the crowd.
07:02What a double.
07:05Well, the upset that looked like coming is now looking more remote as the champ takes over.
07:12Beautiful double, that's two doubles in a row.
07:19Brilliant, and he's now got the bogey ball.
07:24He's going to cut it into the end pocket.
07:27And he's made it, he's made it.
07:29Undoubtedly, real championship start.
07:32Johnny Ashcroft proceeds and Bill Butler goes out.
07:36Get the idea?
07:39Now another quarterfinal.
07:40It's between young snooker international Willie Thorne from Leicester,
07:43and Donald Doc Holliday, who's a staff sergeant with the United States Air Force.
07:46We've joined the match with Thorne leading by two frames to one.
07:49Willie Thorne, his two hours practice that he gets in every day,
07:53is sure standing him in good stead right now.
07:58There he goes, showing the class that's made him the champ he is.
08:02And he's on the whites.
08:04Once again, they've switched.
08:06Holliday is now on the blacks, and Willie Thorne has gone two up already.
08:14It's the American boy now that has his hands full.
08:18As Thorne begins to show the class that's brought him where he is,
08:23in English snooker.
08:26Just 20 years of age, and playing like an experienced victim.
08:32Of course, he's been playing snooker since he's age 12.
08:35Already, already, he's gone well ahead of Holliday.
08:49He's made a brilliant start, and being 2-1 up, he's well on his way if he can pull this one off.
08:56Doc Holliday now has his back against the wall.
09:00Not a good position to be in when you're playing a man like Willie Thorne.
09:09There he goes again.
09:10Thorne is making it look awfully easy right now.
09:13I'm afraid the American boy has a lot to do.
09:15Holliday is still to open his account, and Thorne has just two balls left.
09:25And he's done it.
09:32He's cut the deficit by one.
09:33One point.
09:35Holliday must know that he can't afford any slip-up now.
09:41And he's made it two.
09:43Two point.
09:44So he's cut the deficit to three.
09:46Obviously, he hasn't conceded defeat by many, by any means.
09:57Although, I must say, his balls are not positioned too well for him at the moment.
10:03And two behind Willie Thorne.
10:09Thorne plays football cricket.
10:11He goes in for fishing and horse riding as well.
10:15So he's put an outdoor man as well as an indoor snooker player.
10:21He's going to go for that in problem.
10:22And it's a rightful one for Doc Holliday.
10:26And it never came off.
10:29However, I've seen better position than this.
10:32On the pool table.
10:33Yes, he decided to play it safe.
10:43Safe as he could.
10:44However, that ball in the end pocket could go.
10:49If Doc Holliday can get to the cue ball sufficiently to make it.
10:55Beautiful cut of Willie Thorne.
11:10He's leaving them just one before the bogey.
11:15He's going to try to put it past the bogey ball and into the end pocket, which he's done.
11:19Now he's in beautiful position.
11:21Beautiful position to finish this match.
11:23And he has got Willie Thorne 3-1 over Doc Holliday from Middleton Hall.
11:32And Willie Thorne goes up and Doc Holliday goes up.
11:36So, Willie the Kid Thorne puts Doc Holliday in Booth Hill.
11:39We're going to take a break.
11:40Back soon with more American Pools featuring two British champions.
11:44I'll say that.
12:36What's he doing? Designing?
12:41Indoor League Program 8, 8421, take one of part two.
13:06Here, now for more Poole. The next quarterfinal features Vera. Yes, Vera Selby of Newcastle. British women's billiards and snooker champion. In her first ever match at Poole, she's trailing Levene Robbins from New York by two frames to one. But Vera's already proved she wields a canny cue.
13:24And she started well on this vital game, which she must win to stay in the tournament. Beautiful. She's going well. And three up at the moment with a fairly easy shot over the side pocket here.
13:41And she's touched it gently, as only a female can. And now she's four up. And she's going to need it all. Mrs. Robbins, obviously, is a great pool player.
13:54And she's done it again. She's got four position now, but she has a lead of five.
14:01And what a double. And what a beautiful shot, even if she has snookered herself. And I bet a lot of the ladies watching now are biting their fingernails and hoping that Vera Selby can pull off this win and go on to take this match.
14:31It's strange to see a lady playing snooker at all. But to see one playing with the skill of Vera Selby is amazing indeed. And she's got out of it. Beautiful play.
14:45I'm sure the type of play that made her a lady champion of Great Britain, which she is both in billiards and snooker. And Robbins now has a hard task of pulling back to one ball, which is all Vera has learned.
15:01She's left. However, we can't underestimate Robbins. He's shown us. He's shown us his skill already today.
15:15Obviously, no nerves at all, as you can see.
15:21Is he's double? Is that going to be a lucky double? No, no. The line was bad from here. It was obviously no chance whatsoever.
15:31All Vera can do is try to put that ball in position now for her next shot, which surely must come.
15:44Robbins leading to one.
15:46Vera needing to win this game at all costs to stay in the tournament.
16:01The double was on. Very obvious.
16:04Robbins made it and left himself clear for the next, which he takes with a great deal of nonchalance.
16:12Yes.
16:15Four, six.
16:16So now he's down to three. Two behind Vera.
16:21Can our Newcastle girl do it?
16:31He's just missed it and put Vera's ball right in position.
16:35The break that Vera needed.
16:37Vera is now on the threshold of drawing level and making it a final game to decide.
16:46She's made it.
16:48What can she now do with the bogey ball?
16:51She's nominating the side pocket.
16:53She's nominated the side pocket.
16:56We've all got our fingers crossed.
16:57And she's made it.
17:02So Vera ties it up at two frames each.
17:05We join the last frame and it's definitely close.
17:08She's nominated the side pocket again and this could be it.
17:16Oh!
17:20And how close could you go?
17:24She's got the crowd standing in the aisles here today.
17:27Everyone hanging on every stroke and willing, and willing this Newcastle girl to win.
17:38This by enormous goal.
17:40And you will, the crowd have erupted as Vera Selby comes through from behind to go into the quarterfinals
17:50and defeat LaVan Robbins.
17:54Cool pool by Vera Selby.
17:56Now our first semi-final is between youngster Willie Thorne of Leicester and John Ashcroft of Yorkshire,
18:01who's our reigning champ and who plays with the Kiwis Dad used to slot him with.
18:05We join the match in the first frame.
18:07And now it's Thorne scoring, making the first score, one up on Ashcroft.
18:19Another easy shot for Thorne by the looks of this, making it two up.
18:23This is a game that, as I said, should certainly produce just about everything.
18:29Three for Thorne.
18:31Both of these boys, brilliant.
18:39Four balls disappeared already as Thorne makes a brilliant start.
18:45And he's on the blacks, of course.
18:48Ashcroft is on the whites, the whites remaining on the table.
18:52Thorne with only two balls left to the bogey.
18:55Ashcroft yet to score.
19:01This, of course, as you know, is the best of five.
19:04This being the first game.
19:06First of the semi-finals.
19:08Four Americans having been eliminated once again.
19:11Thorne is brilliant.
19:13Now in line.
19:15Is this going to be our first...
19:16Our first clearance.
19:20From break.
19:23Thorne nominating the end pocket.
19:24If he does it, he'll be the first to do it from break this morning.
19:28Just missed.
19:30Skills like that won Willie Thorne the first game easily.
19:33Now the second.
19:34Ashcroft's cleared all his balls, but Thorne has four whites left on the table.
19:40Chalks his cue.
19:55Obviously, he feels confident enough to clear the whites and go for the bogey ball, which he's done.
20:02Fantastic confidence, fantastic performance.
20:04He doesn't have to nominate.
20:08You can see it.
20:09And there it is.
20:10Two for Willie Thorne.
20:13Thorne goes two up.
20:15Is John Ashcroft the champ about to lose his title?
20:17Here's the third frame.
20:19Reigning champion to break in this third game.
20:22He's trailing Willie Thorne by two.
20:25We must remember that Ashcroft was down 2-0 to the American Bill Butler this morning and came back and won 3-2.
20:32Now the big question mark, can he do the same against Willie Thorne?
20:39Thorne is shooting as I've never seen him shoot before.
20:43Absolutely brilliant.
20:45Confident in the extreme.
20:47Obviously calm and cool.
20:50Johnny's got his hands full.
20:51There he goes again for a long shot.
20:59He's got to watch that bogey ball, folks.
21:01If that bogey ball goes in, then that player loses that match.
21:05It happened to Willie Thorne in the middle of his semifinal last year and put him out.
21:11However, he seems to be taking every care today and shooting with consummate ease.
21:16Beautiful position.
21:21He's now sizing up the bogey ball.
21:30Don't forget, Ashcroft has yet to sink a ball.
21:33Thorne with two to go.
21:34Now it's one to go.
21:36This brilliant player from Leicester, you're going to hear an awful lot about Willie Thorne in the very near future.
21:43He plays two hours every day, and it's very obvious here today that he's not wasting his time.
22:00Now sizing up a difficult position, but he's got a big lead.
22:04And don't forget, he's two up on our reigning champion from Rotherham.
22:09He's made it.
22:11He's made it.
22:12Brilliantly.
22:14Leaving Johnny with all his balls on the table, Willie Thorne runs out.
22:18Three-nil winner to go into the final.
22:23So Willie Thorne reaches the final with ease.
22:26Will Vera Selby join him?
22:27She's up against a real tough one, Ray Edmonds, the 1974 World Amateur Snookin' Champion.
22:32This is how confidently he plays.
22:34And Edmonds, absolutely nerveless, as you can see.
22:40No nerves whatsoever that has become a world champion and an English champion.
22:44And I'm afraid Vera will have her work cut out.
22:47That's the type of play.
22:51Two.
22:53In fact, in fact, you might say here, talking of champions, you're looking at two champions.
22:58Because Vera is the British ladies' billiard champion for the past four years.
23:03And also the snooker champion since 72.
23:06So we have a world champion and a British champion, albeit of different sexes, fighting it out in this semi-final for the right to meet Willie Thorne for the big one.
23:17However, I must tell you here that all these semi-finalists have already won prizes of 50 pounds each.
23:23They're now going, of course, for the big one and the gold.
23:28Four.
23:30Edmonds.
23:30Edmonds is now well away.
23:31As you can see, he's on the whites.
23:33Vera is on the blacks.
23:35Which, as you can readily see, gives Edmonds a lead.
23:40He's going to try a difficult one here.
23:42And he's made it.
23:45Five.
23:46You must watch that bogey ball.
23:48A little harder there, and Edmonds would have had it in the end pocket, and Vera would have been one up.
23:54Oh, Edmonds is obviously showing his class.
23:57The class that put Roy Griffin out 3-0 in 10 minutes.
24:01And he's tried a double, which didn't come off.
24:05We'll see more of that semi-final next time.
24:07Plus, of course, the final.
24:09You'll also be able to see the start of the men's darts competition.
24:12And what skills and arrows there promises to be with players of this caliber.
24:17Stefan Lord, a youngster from Sweden.
24:23140.
24:24Dougie Priestner, celebrating his inclusion in Indoor League with a maximum score.
24:37180.
24:41Peter Chapman, the 1974-5 News of the World Champion.
24:45Alan Evans, the Welsh Prince of Darkness.
24:56140.
25:00Ivor Hodgkinson, a former News of the World Champion.
25:0460 scored, 86 left.
25:06130.
25:19Tommy O'Regan, the reigning Indoor League King.
