Andrew Norman edges past China’s Chen Zhe to book main tour spot in 2011-12 season – Q School news
The first event of the Qualifying School (Q School) ended on Monday, May 16, giving four tour card winners which included Englishman, Andrew Norman, who defeated the Chinese, Chen Zhe, 4-3 in the quarter-final clash.
The match was an interesting encounter between both the cueists that ended in the thrilling decider frame.
Chinese cueman, Zhe, got off the mark first with 1-0, when he potted a stunning half-century clearance of 52 in reply to Norman’s 32, in the first frame. However, the 30-year-old Norman capitalised in the second frame when he took it in one visit at 73-0,
after pocketing a 73-point break.
China’s Zhe fired a 35-point break in the third frame to move within a one frame lead again at 1-2, but the Bristolian potter, Norman, felt no pressure as he replied with a couple of rattling knocks of 39, 68 and 56 to clinch back-to-back frames and take
the lead at 3-2.
Before Norman could do more damage, the Chinese pushed the game into a decider frame after pulling level with 3-3, as he took the sixth frame by 1-55. The English cueist, Norman, gave no chance to his opponent to come at the table, as he took care of the
seventh and the last frame of the match with a fine clearance of 39.
Norman was ecstatic over his performance in the match and said, “Today was the best I have played all week. In most of the matches I was only playing 40 per cent, but today it was more like 80 per cent. My experience got me through. It's such a good feeling
to be back on the tour. It's not until you have time away from it that you realise how much you love the game and how much you miss playing in the big tournaments.”
The overall match score-line was 53-77 (Norman 32, Chen 52), 73-0 (Norman 73), 14-64 (Chen 35), 67-37 (Norman 39), 124-0 (Norman 68, 56), 1-55 (Chen 42), 66-0 (Norman 39).
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