Snooker: Michael Leslie falls short despite a brave show in Players Tour Championship

Published on 21/07/2012 12:00

Bonnyrigg’s Michael Leslie narrowly lost out yesterday to Jimmy Robertson (East Sussex) in the first round of the opening Players Tour Championship of the season at the Southwest Snooker Academy in Gloucester.

Leslie started well by taking the first frame against the world No.55 but lost the next three frames to fall two frames behind, losing a couple of close frames on the colours. Leslie pulled one frame back with a 73 break but a 40 break by Robertson was enough to wrap up a 4-2 victory. Leslie now has the weekend off before heading down for the qualifiers of the Shanghai Masters at the Sheffield Snooker Academy where he will meet England’s David Grace in the opening round. Perth’s Scott Donaldson, who practises at the Locarno Snooker Club in Edinburgh, will make his debut as a professional snooker player today against Stoke’s 21-year-old Liam Highfield. A victory could result in an all-Scottish second round tie against Glasgow’s Jamie Burnett, the world number 37.

There was disappointment for Musselburgh’s Ross Muir at the world Under-21 Snooker Championship being held in China. Muir made a break of 138, the highest of the tournament so far, in a 4-1 victory over Slyavosh Muzayani (Iran) to qualify from his group in second place. However, Muir cwent down to a surprise 5-1 defeat to Belgium’s Jurian Heusdens at the last-32 stage. Rhys Clark (Stonehouse) failed to qualify.