Morris Dances To Victory In 'Dynamic' Nottingham Open - 30th November 2006

Former World 8 Ball Champion, Carl Morris recovered from a day one defeat to Andy Worthington to lift the the trophy at the latest BPPPA 'Dynamic' Open event in Nottingham.

Morris defeated Karl Boyes 11-9 in a close fought and superb exhibition of pool by both players, It started with Boyes winning the lag and Boyes breaking and running his first three racks, Morris had run his first two also, it was a sign of what was to come, at 3-2 this trend looked like it would be broken when Morris rattled a very easy 2 ball, but it went right down the cushion and into the other corner pocket the rest was a formality 3-3 and six break and runs. Rack seven and two balls on the break for Boyes and a shot to nothing which he makes but no position on the 4 ball, he lays a good safety which Morris hits but leaves his opponent a very difficult chance which Boyes fails to pot leaving his opponent a pretty simple finish 4-3 Morris. Boyes then levels at 4-4 with yet another break and run and he had a chance to get his nose back in front in the next but a poor safety shot let Morris in to get his nose back in front once again. For the first time in the match Morris put some daylight between himself and his opponent after another faultless break and run, 6-4 Morris. It's easy to see why both these players made this final the match was faultless and would have graced any major final this again was in evidence has Boyes once again breaks and runs and pulls the deficit back to one. Morris to break in the next, two balls down on break and a roadmap finish in front of him the lead is back to two.

Rack 13, a good break from Boyes leaves him a very fine cut on the one ball into the centre pocket which he over cuts and leaves it in the jaws of the pocket which Morris accepts and clears up once again and now opens up a three rack lead which left Boyes saying it will be difficult getting back into it now with the alternative break! In the next Morris had a great chance to extend the lead to four after making two balls on the break and in perfect postion on the 1 ball he somehow manages to snooker himself on the 2 ball! He attempts to swerve it to pot it but leaves it up for Boyes which he accepts 6-8, But Morris extends that lead back to three as Boyes misses a half chance on the 1 ball and Morris has an easy 5-9 combo. Boyes takes the next against the break to keep the pressure on his opponent, and he knows the pressure will be back on if he can break and run the next which he does style some super pots in this rack and he is now just one rack behind. Morris then breaks one ball down and perfect on the 1 ball in what should have been another roadmap finish, but was the pressure now getting to him as he rattles the simple 1 ball, but once again lady luck was too shine on Morris as he snookers Boyes, both players look at each other and laugh but I guess Boyes may have been saying more under his breathe! Morris admitted afterwards that all the luck was on his side in this match. Boyes makes a successful attempt out of the snooker but leaves a simple chance for Morris to clear up which he does without any problem and put himself on the hill. Rack 19 Boyes to break one ball down and no pot on the 1 ball so Boyes plays a good safety which Morris fails to get out of, ball in hand for Boyes although this time no roadmap as the 4 and 5 balls are tied up so he attempts to get Morris by the three foul rule and lays another good snooker, Morris makes a successful hit this time and once again flukes the 1 ball and at this stage Boyes must have known it was not going to be his day as Morris takes the match 11-9!

Both players had a tough path to the final. Carl Morris had earlier beaten Imran Majid 9-6 and a hill-hill in the Quarter Final against Stewart Colclough followed by another hill-hill Semi-Final against the No.1 ranked Mark Gray. Karl Boyes saw off the likes of Daryl Peach and Tommy Donlan. Last 32 matches included Daryl Peach against Matt Lawrenson, on the Saturday Lawrenson had sent Peach into the losers bracket but Sunday was a different matter, Peach never looked like missing and gave Lawrenson a lesson in this return match and gain revenge for the previous days defeat by a whopping 9-2 scoreline. Mark Gray overcame Manchester's James Kay 9-6 in the same round with Kay saying afterwards how can you not miss a ball in the match and get beat like this. Gray went on to beat Thomas Ainsworth-Smith and Phil Burford before bowing out to eventual winner Carl Morris in the semi-final.

Pick of the Quarter-Finals had to be Daryl Peach against Karl Boyes both from Blackpool, it was level at 5-5 when Boyes managed for the first time in the match put daylight between the two players to lead 7-5 which prompted Peach to take a time out and hopefull knock Boyes out of his rhythm, this seemed to work as Peach brought it back to a one rack difference only for Boyes to make an easy 6-9 combo to put himself on the hill. Peach takes the next to put pressure on his opponent, Boyes broke but had no pot on the 1 ball and lays a good safety which Peach escaped from but left the 1 ball for Karl and he clears up to take the match 9-7. Another top class match that would have graced any major final. The other semi-final between Morris and Gray went hill-hill, both players shook hands, Morris break and runs to take it 9-8, Morris was using the soft break which Gray was not a big fan of and seemed to put Gray out of his usual rhythm! Though, perhaps it was the site of his beloved Tottenham on the TV screen in the background who at the time were losing!

A very successful weekend for all, the future looks good and if this latest tournament is anything to go by then we have a lot to look forward to!

Report and Photos courtesy of Mark Mills for BPPPA Press Office

Photos from top: Carl Morris, Carl Morris receiving his trophy from BPPPA President Ted Bristow and Karl Boyes