Hasan Samir edges out UAE's Ali Bufarroosha

The IBSF World Under-21 Snooker Championships in Bahrain was again good for experience for the UAE players rather than being good for results.

Ali Bufarroosha was beaten 4-3 by Egypt's Hasan Samir while Saif Al Muhairi played better than he did in the previous match but could still not avoid a 4-0 whitewash at the tough hands of Thailand's Nittiwat Kanjasari.

First in play for the UAE was twenty year old Bufarroosha, playing in his last World Under 21 event.

In swiftly building up a 3-1 lead over Egypt's Hasan Samir, Bufarroosha looked in control of the match. A scrappy fifth frame, though, was to prove his undoing.

Not quite able to pin down his opponent, Bufarroosha could only look on as Hasan took the last few colours to force the match into extra time.

With the next group of matches due to go on thirty minutes from the end of the fifth frame the organisers put the conclusion of this match on ninety minutes later.

At this point, Bufarroosha had gone off the boil and it was the grateful Egyptian who crossed the line two frames later at 4-3.

Bufarroosha looked solid in the first four frames, and summed up the match: "I played well in the first four frames, but did not seem able to get any clear chances in the last few frames. It was very frustrating."

Al Muhairi tried his best but had no answer for the talented cueist Kanjasari.

The Thai, very sharp in matchplay after weeks of preparation with his fellow Thai professionals, showed little mercy.

Muhairi played good safety to give himself some openings, but the damage he could do in the balls was nowhere near enough to restrain his opponent, who gladly fed off Muhairi's unforced potting errors.

The previous days highest break target of 138 by China's Liang Wenbo was eclipsed by another Thai's effort.

Kobkit Palajin, in play against Belgium's Davy Pauly, rake dup a beautiful 141 total clearance to approach his highest competitive break of 144 made in the 2002 IBSF World Under 21 Championship in Latvia.

Givenchy have sponsored the UAE Junior Snooker Programme for two years and also supported Dubai's Ali Bufarroosha, former Gulf Under 21 Champion and Abu Dhabi's Saif Al Muhairi in making up the UAE contingent.

Results
Group G: Ali Bufarroosha lost to Hasan Samir (Egypt) 4-3.

Earlier results: Ali Bufarroosha lost to Raymond Fry (Northern Ireland) 4-0.
Ali Bufaroosha beat Christian Gabriel (Germany) 4-2.

Remaining matches: v Kavin Hanssens of Belgium, v Hussein Fouad of Bahrain.
Ryan Somartne of Sri Lanka v Andre Gogola of Hungary.

Group E:
Saif Al Muhairi lost to Nittiwat Kanjasari (Thailand) 4-0.