Matthew Stevens Grabs Premier League spot after winning Snooker Championship League 2011
Welshman Matthew Stevens grabbed Snooker Premier League 2011 spot after winning Snooker Championship League 2011. Stevens beat Players Tour Championship (PTC) 2011 Grand final winner Shaun Murphy
3-1 in the final on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at Crondon Park Golf Club in Essex, England.
The 2003 UK Championship winner, Stevens led the group after league matches on day one and two. He faced compatriot Mark Williams in the semi-final. In his semi-final clash he outplayed Williams 3-1
to storm into the final against Murphy.
Stevens was 0-36 down to Williams in the first frame before he sparked his cue and pocketed an impressive break of 61 to pick a 1-0 lead. He extended his lead to 2-0 as he took the next frame hitting
a beautiful break of 69. The Welsh Potting Machine sprang back and grabbed his first frame after he gave in a 70-point break to move within one frame and reduce the lead to 2-1.
The 36-year-old Williams stunned Stevens as he banged a stunning break of 48 and gained an early 0-48 lead in the frame. Stevens was completely shaken by the 2010 China Open champion but he got his
nerves under control in the following games. He potted an exceptional half century break of 56 and took the frame 56-48 as well as grabbed the final match spot against Shaun Murphy of England.
The 33-year-old Welshman clicked 1-0 early lead after he cued a stunning half century break of 51 in the first frame of the final match to snatch the frame 67-18. The Englishman capitalised back
quickly in the very next frame and firing a beautiful 81 knock he grabbed the second frame 0-107 to balance the game 1-1.
The Welsh Dragon did not let go easily as he stunned the 28-year-old Murphy, also known as the Magician, as he smashed his cue on the table brilliantly grabbing back to back frames and clinched the
final match of Snooker Championship League 2011 by 3-1.
While speaking to the media, Stevens said, “I’m delighted to be back in the Premier League. I’ve been watching it for ages with the shot clock and hopefully it will suit my style of game but it’s
just nice to be back competing with the top guys,”
Stevens stormed into the Snooker Premier League for the first time since 2002 where he could not make to the play-off stage. Keeping in view Stevens current performance over the last month, it can
be assumed that the Welshman is going to surprise the premier league participants with his sparkling cue. He is on the peak of his form as he has demonstrated a scintillating potting display for the last couple of weeks.
Stevens said while speaking to reporters, “Being in the Premier League seemed a long way away a few years ago but it’s all down to a lot of hard work. My game isn’t quite where it was ten or 11 years
ago but I’m sure I’ll be winning ranking tournaments soon.”
He added, “When you’re only playing six tournaments a year, as we were, it was very tough as once you got beat you’d have two months off. I wasn’t going into the club, I was a bit down and going out
drinking but now you don’t have the time for that. I’m really enjoying my snooker now as we’re playing week in, week out,”
FINAL
Shaun Murphy 1-3 Matthew Stevens
18-67 (51), 107 (81)-0, 40-54, 23-61
SEMI-FINALS
Mark Williams 1-3 Matthew Stevens
36 (36)-61 (61), 0-69 (69), 70 (70)-0, 48 (48)-64 (56)
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