It was billed as one of the most exciting and unpredictable groups in Ultimate Pool Pairs Cup history, and the build-up was justified as Neil Raybone & Andy Blurton set a new record when coming through a 6-red shootout to qualify for the second phase of the event.
Raybone – a Pro Series event finalist earlier this year – and Blurton – one of the most highly respected Challenger Series players - bounced back from a terrible start when they lost 4-0 to Ben Flack & Lakesh Badhan in the first match of the evening.
Next to the baize were former world champion Carl Morris and recent British Open snooker champion Ryan Day, who was making his big-time debut on the small table. The duo gelled well and had some fun, scoring a 4-0 victory over another classy pair in Adam Bassoo & Dave Fernandez.
Bassoo & Fernandez stayed out in the arena, but their hopes for the title were put out when practice partners Raybone & Blurton opened their account with a 3-1 win.
A big clash came in match four, but it was the impressive Flack – a two-time European Champion and a former World Masters winner - & Badhan that kept their momentum with another 4-0 win over Morris & Day.
In a contest where both sides had to win just to stay in with a chance, Raybone & Blurton eliminated Morris & Day 2-1 in a tense and nervy affair.
Going into the final match at the Players Pool & Snooker Lounge, Flack & Badhan were in control of their destiny – leading the pack and needing a point to qualify automatically. However, the already eliminated Bassoo & Fernandez played spoilers, registering a 3-2 victory despite the former table toppers nearly snatching a dramatic draw having been 3-0 down with less than five minutes remaining.
That meant the group winners would be determined via the first 6-red shootout of the event.
After an awful start to their attempt with the pack barely splitting, Flack & Badhan registered a fantastic time of less than 25 seconds. Raybone & Blurton, though, responded with the fastest-ever 6-red shootout time in pairs play of 18.88 seconds to advance to the last 16 later this year.
