Matthew Stevens Beats Shaun Murphy to claim 2011 Championship League Snooker title
The Welsh Dragon, Matthew Stevens, has beaten Shaun Murphy by a frame score of 3-1 in the final of the Championship League winners group at Crondon Park Golf Club to book a place in the Premier League. This is the first time Stevens has made it to the Premier
League since 2002.
Stevens, who was the last of the seven players to book a place in the final group, produced an accomplished performance to see off the Magician, Shaun Murphy.
He had earlier in the day topped the group by a clear two points after beating the world number two, Mark Williams, and the captain, Ali Carter, with frame scores of 3-1 and 3-2 respectively. He again went on to beat his countryman, Williams, with the same
frame score of 3-1 and booked a place in the finals.
Murphy on the same note outplayed the dangerous Ryan Day and Mark Allen earlier in the day by a frame score of 3-2 and 3-1 respectively to finish second in the group with three wins and three defeats. He later on beat the Essex player, Ali Carter, by a frame
score of 3-2 to cruise into the final.
In the final showdown, Stevens took the first frame with a decisive break of 51 before Murphy bounced back in the second and fired up a mind boggling century break of 107 to level things by 1-1.
Third frame was a scrappy affair. A bout of safety play was seen among the players until the frame came became bogged down with the final two reds clustered with the black. Steven who was enjoying a 54-40 lead, attempted four times to escape from a safety.
Murphy got a great frame winning chance when Stevens missed a simple black into the centre pocket but he failed to clinch the victory, after missing the brown ball. Stevens quickly stepped in and finished the matter by 3-1.
It was a disappointment for Murphy, who won the inaugural Players Tour Championship Grand Finals, last Sunday. However, he has earned a little over 80,000 pounds in the last five day, 60,000 pounds for the PTC Grand Finals and 20,800 pounds for being a runner-up
here.
On the other hand world number 16, Stevens, has earned prize money of 30,050 pounds and with it a place in this year’s PartyCasino.com Premier League.
Stevens afterwards said that it was nine or ten years back when he enjoyed the Premier League and now he is very excited about going back. He said his game isn’t quite where it was ten years back but he has the confidence and will win a few ranking tournaments
soon.
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