The last frame was broke and the fat lady has sung her song on Sunday the 22nd of November in Da Vinci’s pool club Vitruvian and Mona Lisa leagues. The entertainment was top notch as the semi-finals and the finals was played on Sunday. The first place in the finals was determined between Wilfred van Niekerk and Frans Muller. The match was a race to 6 and the first two frames produced a victory for each of the players. With a score of 1 each the 3rd frame begun and Frans caught a break and used the slight advantage to rack up the score to 4-1. This did not shake Wilfred who won the 6th frame and whitewashed Frans in 7th to take his tally up to 4-3. Frans gained the upper hand in the 8th frame but Wilfred showed great determination and won the next 2 frames levelling the scores at 5 each. The decider was on, last frame of the match and the winner goes through to the final. Both players left it all on the table but a fatal miss from Wilfred for the side pocket gave Frans the opening he was waiting for and he went for the kill, winning the decider and securing his place in the finals.
The second semi-final was decided between Shane Nolan and Neels “ The Pensioner” Botha. This was a match for the ages and why the purists love the game so much. Neels won the lag and broke the first frame. Shane swiftly got the upper hand winning the first frame and the 3 after that taking the score to 4-0. Shane had the match in the bag…or so it seemed. Neels finally showed his experience in the 5th frame when he beat Shane to take the score to 4-1. But what for all intensive purposes was thought to be “too little too late” quickly turned into the comeback of the year. It was like watching the last fight from a Jean-Claud van Damme movie. Neels was down for the count and out of no where he came back to level the score at 4-4 and just like in the movies he landed a straight punch and a roundhouse kick to win the match 6-5, leaving Shane and the crowd speechless securing his place in the finals against Frans Muller.
The final between Frans and Neels was a race to 7 and left nothing for the imagination. These two players kept it close with some brilliant technical play and fantastic shots. After the 4th frame the score was level at 2 each. Neels won the next 3 frames before Frans got the chance to take another bringing the score to 6-3. Unfortunately, a comeback was not on the table for Frans and Neels won the last frame and the match 7-3. Congratulations to Neels for winning the Vitruvian League.
The ladies in the Mona Lisa League produced some quality in their respective matches. The first semi-final pitted Elaine Muller against the newcomer Jolanie Kruger. The match was a race to 4 and produced some quality play. Jolanie put up a brave fight and made it difficult for Elaine to pull ahead. After frame four the match was tied at 2 each. Unfortunately, Jolanie succumbed to the pressure and Elaine won the match 4-2 securing her place in the final.
The second semi-final was between Sylvia Pieterse and Carien le Roux. Both players have a lot of experience and it was difficult to pick a favourite. Carien won the first frame only to lose the next two bringing the score to 2-1. Carien levelled the score in frame four but the experienced Sylvia was not deterred and pocketed the next 2 frames and the match 4-2.
Sylvia and Elaine faced off in the final. Sylvia showed great skill and played fantastic match winning shots. Her aiming was spot on and unfortunately Elaine had no answer for the storm Sylvia unleashed on her. Sylvia won the match 5-0. Congratulations Sylvia Pieterse the Mona Lisa League winner.
We at Davinci’s pool club just want to thank Bethal Gholf club for supplying the venue and supporting our club, Bethal Traders for sponsoring the player certificates, The Ridge Times for providing coverage throughout the league and last but not least the players who competed in both leagues; without you none of this would have been possible. For any enquiries whatsapp Jo van den Berg 0813484446. It was great fun and remember next year it may be……YOUR CUE!
