Dubai: UAE ace Mohammad Al Joker returned to the baize in fine style on Sunday with a comprehensive 4-0 rout of Pierre Jordaan of South Africa in his second Group U match at the 2012 IBSF World Snooker Championship in Sofia.
The emphatic victory has carried Al Joker to the top of the group table.
But UAE No. 1 Mohammad Shehab suffered a shock 4-3 defeat at the hands of little-known South African Mohammad Faaris despite scoring fine breaks of 107 and 65 in his second Group R game.
Al Joker put on a good display of his potting skills as he scored brilliant breaks of 92, 72 and 70 on his way to victory.
The match between Shehab, a semi-finalist at the same event in 2007, and Faaris was an engrossing battle.
Shehab lost the first frame 51-83, but won a tactical battle 69-23 in the next to even the scores. Faaris wrested the advantage again by grabbing the third 77-48.
The UAE stalwart hit back once more with his 107, taking the fourth frame before Faaris pipped him 70-51 in the close fifth. But Shehab forced another tie at 3-3 with the help of a run of 65 points that gave him the sixth frame 108-5.
In the deciding seventh frame, Shehab seemed to have gained an upper hand but a minor miscue opened the way for Faaris to steal the frame 62-37 and claim a 4-3 win.
Meanwhile, Peter Gilchrist of Singapore raised the bar in the race for the highest break honours by scoring a 133 during his 4-1 victory over Gary Wilson of England on Sunday.
A total of 102 players from 47 countries are taking part in the men’s event of the World Championship. The participation of the two UAE cueists is being sponsored by Al Habtoor Motors.
