900 Snooker Update – Week Seven…

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MARTIN O’DONNELL came through this week’s tough group in the fast and furious 900 snooker.

The 36-year-old, nicknamed the Minister of Defence, sealed Week Seven’s title as he goes into the Grand Finals in the middle of this month.

O’Donnell is the second player under-40 to make the cut as Stephen Lee’s son Alfie Lee at 19 is the only player under-21 so far to join the finalists.

O’Donnell tweeted…

Pleased to win last night and make the finals group 😃 thank you for all your messages, really enjoyed playing in this event so far and was good to see a few people that I haven’t seen for ages @TheCaptain147 @MichaelaTabb @rachelcasey11 @leetheshirt https://t.co/WC3P57kMsN

— Martin O’Donnell (@TheMOD147) November 3, 2022

Week Seven’s group saw the likes of Michael Holt in action as well as Stuart Parnell.

The opening match on Monday saw Aaron Busuttil, who travelled from Malta to win a 900 qualifier, a narrow favourite over Stuart Parnell.

The 31-year-old Maltese reached the final, proving yet again that in this fast and furious amateur snooker equivalent to the Snooker Shootout, you cannot predict anything as Busuttil defeated the BIG BEAST Holty the Hitman in the final for Monday.

Malta is yet another country providing yet more talent.

Legend Tony Drago, another Maltese, and still playing the game in his 50s, and who will compete in Week Eight was famous for his fastest century break of over 3 mins at the UK Championship.

As the 900 goes into week 8, it continues to provide enjoyable entertainment and a buzz for the amateur game, which has needed it in years. Here’s what Neal Foulds said when he was working on the show.

Former World no 3 Foulds told The Sporting Life about the 900: Before I sign off, I do want to touch on the Snooker Legends 900 which I’ve been covering this week.

I must say, it’s been so enjoyable to be involved with and I think it’s been a big boost to the amateur game which has been struggling a little bit over the last few years.

We’ve had such a diverse group of players, from 79-year-old David Taylor to Jasmine Bolsover (22 from Woking), a very good female player who impressed.

Taylor did brilliantly to win a match and then played an opponent 60 years his junior in another match. In fact, that opponent was Alfie Lee (19), son of former professional Stephen Lee who many will remember as being a top player.

It’s an unconventional format, but there’s lots of interest in it and it has been great to be a part of.

Fans tweeted…

Finally back home. So glad to be back in my own house with my own TV! Not least because my mummy has Virgin TV and not SKY so I haven’t been able to watch #the900 well I’m settled in ready and waiting for it tonight. Missed it. Holt or Devlin for me tonight 👍 pic.twitter.com/SRi2u43kRr

— Shelley Higgins 🎱 (@Shellhiggins147) November 2, 2022

With £6,000 per week in prize money “The 900” is the biggest thing to happen on Tv for Amateur Snooker in years.

It will see 25 nights of live snooker on Sporty Stuff TV broadcast Monday to Wednesday every night.

The eight weekly winners will then contest the Grand Final on November 16 in a one-off special.

All events will be staged in the Stephen Hendry Matchroom at the Crucible Club in Reading with a total prize fund in excess of £50,000.

The 900 also adds some spicey entertainment to it. Monday’s Halloween was well, spooky, and Lee Richardson continues to DAZZLE wiih those shirt combos.

This is exactly what amateur snooker has needed. An injection of fun, entertainment, and, of course, quality snooker drama…

Rehearsals underway for the HALE AND PACE 2022 Xmas Special… @leetheshirt @TheCaptain147 @evans_reanne @rachelcasey11 @Billycastle147 @tv_sporty #snooker900 #namesnotdown #notcomingin pic.twitter.com/k3gtwKQcL4

— Snooker Legends (@Snookerlegends) November 2, 2022

Weekly winners so far include…

Week seven – Martin O’Donnell – 36
Week six – Lenny Baker – 42
Week five – Philip Williams – 55
Week four – Alfie Lee – 19
Week three – Andrew Higginson – 44
Week two – Aaron Canavan – 47
Week one – Andrew Norman – 42