Stephen Lee's appeal dismissed

No mercy for Lee

Today, the World Professional Billiards&Snooker Association has released a statement regarding Stephen Lee's latest appeal against the match-fixing allegations which concluded with dreadful 12 years ban from playing snooker professionally.

The statement reads:

Nicholas Stewart QC, sitting as The Appeals Committee, has considered the submissions made by all parties in the final part of Stephen Lee's appeal against his finding that he was in breach of the WPBSA Rules for match and spot fixing in connection with seven matches in 2008-9. The appeal was against the finding, sanction and the costs order imposed by Adam Lewis QC in September 2013.

Today Mr Stewart has delivered his decision and he has dismissed the appeal. In addition he has increased the costs order in relation to the hearing before Adam Lewis QC from £40,000 to £75,000. The term of the suspension remains at a period of twelve years. This means that Stephen Lee will continue to be unable to compete in professional snooker before 12th October 2024.

The costs in relation to the appeal hearing on Monday are yet to be determined.

The rulings made by Edwin Glasgow QC sitting with Peter Stockwell and Nicholas Stewart QC are available in full below.

WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson said: "The WPBSA has taken no pride in dealing with this very unpleasant situation. It is however critical that the integrity of our sport is preserved and we are pleased this case has finally been resolved".


Attachments
Lee vs WPBSA (Appeal) Final Decision is the decision of Mr Stewart released earlier today click here
Lee vs WPBSA - Final Decision - The Bias Issue is the decision of Mr Glasgow released 25 February click here
Lee vs WPBSA - Decision on Costs and Recusal released on 12 March  click here

A Rocket's year: O'Sullivan gets Player of the Year Award

Rocket of the Year

Ronnie O'Sullivan got named Player of the Year at the annual sports ceremony that took place at Lancaster Hotel from London, on May 8^th.

So he didn't win the World Championship for the 6^th time, but the people haven't forgotten him and the fans either. And after winning the 2013 Paul Hunter Classic, the 2014 Masters, the 2014 Welsh Open and the 2014 Champion of Champions tournament to which he added another splendid 147 to increase his collection to a total of 12 maximum breaks, it was only normal to see him crowned Player of the Year.

Ronnie also got named the Fans Player of the Year, this proving once more, that no matter how twisted his moods are, the people love their champion and will always relate to both his demons and amazing victories.

100 century breaks and a well-deserved award for Robbo

This year's semi-finalist, Neil Robertson got full recognition for his perfect collection of making 100 century breaks during the 2013/2014 season, while the reigning world champion, the man that stopped Ronnie from winning his 6^th world crown, the man of the moment, Mark Selby got awarded with two titles: Performance of the Year (for his victory against the Rocket) and Magic Moment of the Year (for his 147 during the 2013 UK Championship, which was the 100th maximum break in snooker history).

The full list of awards and their winners:

The Nugget handing the trophy to Mark Selby

World Snooker Player of the Year: Ronnie O'Sullivan

Snooker Writers Player of the Year: Ding Junhui

Fans Player of the Year: Ronnie O'Sullivan

Rookie of the Year: John Astley

Performance of the Year: Mark Selby

Magic Moment of the Year: Mark Selby

Special award for 100 Centuries: Neil Robertson

147 Club (players making a 147 during the season): Neil Robertson, Judd Trump, Mark Selby, Dechawat Poomjaeng, Gary Wilson, Shaun Murphy, Ronnie O'Sullivan

Selby wins thriller final to conquer world title

Mark Selby - the 2014 world champion

Mark Selby managed to do the unthinkable and beat the five-time world champion (also until now reigning champion), Ronnie O'Sullivan by 18-14, after a really thrilling final that saw the Jester from Leicester being led 10-5.

It's been a marvellous final this one, even if the first two sessions proved to be quite dull (more about them here). However everything changed when these two grand masters of the green baize returned today to have their third session of cues crossing. At this points O'Sullivan was in control, leading by 10-7.

And the first thing that was different was indeed Mark Selby. A good night sleep suited him well, as the Englishman practically stormed in into a strategical battle powerfully sustained by breaks of 55, 52 and 74 which make sure his comeback was the real deal. The scoreline was now showing a perfect 10-10 partial result.

Ronnie O'Sullivan - the 2014 World Championship runner-up

But Selby didn't stop here and won one more frame, a scrappy one, in which his biggest break was a 28. But it didn't matter, because for the first time he was in the leading position and by counting the last two frames he captured during the previous session, the Jester was no on a 6 one in a row. Massive!

A dramatic 22nd frame say both players taking turn in potting some very uncooperative snooker balls, in the end though O'Sullivan (who was practically "numb" as he himself would state after the final) managing to wrap things up with a top break of 50 and so draw level at 11 apiece.

The next frame lasted no less than 50 minutes and so the session was cut short, but the most important things was the fact that it was indeed a genuine battle of nerves. It all ended on the colours, with Ronnie missing the final pink that would have secure him the frame!

At 57-67, Selby keep his head cool and managed to pot both the pink and the black to take the lead once more, this time at 12-11.

Mark and wife Vikki celebrating the victory

No more than two hours later Brendan Moore (the ref in charge who btw was reffering the World Final for the very first time) was announcing the start of the final session when a practically revived Ronnie O'Sullivan was smashing every ball on the baize for a spectacular 100 break that was drawing level.

But that was about it from the mighty Rocket, for Selby used runs of 34, 23, 25 and 56 to grab the next three frames and go 15-12 ahead. This was getting serious!

Unfortunately Ronnie started biting his nails and saying things under his breath, which all snooker fans know it's a bad sign. Add this to missing important balls and you have one very frustrated player.

Still, he found the strength to hit in runs of 30 and 49 in order to pull back a frame, before Selby could strike in breaks of 127 and 87 to go one away from victory.

Ref Brendan Moore receiving a medal from Barry Hearn

The last frame was an absolute thriller as Ronnie got the first chance, runs of 15 and 41 giving him a solid start of 56. On the other side of the table Selby was missing a red on 22, but when his opponent potted the cue ball and got on with the chance, he made a perfect clearance of 35 to win the frame, the match and the final for that matter on the black!

Selby raised his arms up in the air (a bit like Dennis Tayler when he beat Steve Davis in 85 - only in a more dramatically way) to celebrate his first world title. He waited for 7 years to reach the final of this beautiful event.

O'Sullivan proved to be gracious in defeat, admitting Selby was the better player, "too strong" for him and that sadly he "didn't have it today".

Ronnie gets second prize

At the same time Selby said that when you win the World Championship you want to win it by playing Ronnie O'Sullivan and mentioned how important this victory is for him. His dad died when is was but 16 years old, just turning pro and Mark promised him he will win the World Championship on day for him .... (pause for crying ...oh come on, don't be shy I know I cried a bit).

The victory as well as the fact that he's re-become (if I may say so) world number one, was shared with his beautiful wide Vikki who's been by his side, in the audience feeling each miss and cheering for each pot.

Hear me roar!

So, here it is peeps, after 17 days of pure madness the snooker marathon comes to an end. A sad and emotional day for me, I must say, but what a great present to have this final.

It's been a while since I felt so much tension and emotions running wild in a Crucible finale, so I can't but be grateful for Selby and O'Sullivan put on quite a snooker show.

Congrats to Mark Selby for proving that even if the entire world finds his cue style boring he can still win with it and congrats to Ronnie O'Sullivan for reaching yet another final and for keeping the dream of so many young players alive.

These two, as different as they are, are the best!

2014 World Championship (the final) - O'Sullivan leads Selby after two sessions

Posing with the trophy

The reigning champion, Ronnie O’Sullivan has taken a comfortable lead of 5-3 after the end of the first session and extended it until 10-7 after the second one, over the Jester from Leicester, Mark Selby.

It hasn't been a classic cue battle between these two masters of the green baize, but somehow they managed to keep us glued to our TV screens until almost 11pm .... although sometimes it was quite boring and scrappy and didn't resemblance a final.

Everything started on a very good note for the master O'Sullivan who used runs of 59, 37 and 102 to practically fly at 3-0 and leave Selby behind. It was just the beginning of the show but one couldn't have that déjà-vu feeling from this year's Masters tournament when Ronnie played strategically and brilliantly well to defeat the same opponent.

Ronnie takes the lead

However, Selby found the strength to pull back two frames in a row with just a top break of 37. It was 3-2.

One more frame entered into Ronnie's pocket as the Essex-man used an efficient break of 63, before Selby tried to comeback into the match. 

A scrappy 7^th frame in which O'Sullivan gave no less than 12 points in penalty went Selby's way, but the last one of the session was captured on the colours by the current world champion. So, 5-3 after the first session. Not to shabby!

The fluency of the game dropped dramatically during the second session and even if O'Sullivan forced an incredible attack to winning the first three frames (using munitions of 40, 52 and 63) and left Selby in need of a snooker or more each time, the rhythm of the match was shown down and many mistakes were made by both players.

Selby nowhere near as attacking as in the semis

As in the previous session, Selby captured two consecutive frames managing to raise the bar and hitting a 55 break (his highest up until that moment was 38) to get the first, the second through being quite a dramatic and endless battle of cues that had it all: misses, free balls, penalty points, re-rack and ending with a 29 clearance for Selby to trail 8-5.

After such a tormented frame it was no wonder that the Rocket needed to spice things up a bit, so in his own characteristic manner he fired in breaks of 131 and 87 to go 10-5 ahead.

Perhaps inspired by his attitude Selby started to speed up his cueing, breaks of 58 and 62 reducing the gap at just three points, 10-7.

The battle continues today from 2pm and if O'Sullivan doesn't decide to skip the next session we shall see the boys returning from 7pm tonight. 

2014 World Championship - Rocket meets Jester in final

I have my eyes on the 6th world title!

It's an old time snooker love affair what's starting today, as Ronnie O'Sullivan is meeting with the man who took his time into reaching the final of the most prestigious snooker event on the planet - Mark Selby; for a splendid two-day snooker marathon - also known as the final of the World Championship.

The reigning champion found no difficulty whatsoever into booking a nice and comfy seat in the final for the third consecutive year, as he trashed Barry Hawkins in the semis by 17-7.

Not only this match has been a repeat of last year's final, when Ronnie beat Barry by 18-12, but it also was a brilliant victory, as the Essex-man finished the job in just three sessions!

O'Sullivan took control of the first session with 6-2, ended the second at 11-5 and only let Hawkins add two more frames in the third, as he wrapped up and sealed his victory at 17-7.

Selby celebrating his victory over Robertson

On the opposite corner Mark Selby took his time into booking his place in the final, as his match against the world number one, Neil Robertson and also the one who managed the unthinkable and made 100 century breaks this season, was almost to finish with a decider.

From the very beginning of the match Selby imposed his cue style and retained a two-frame advantage for most of the time, the first session ending with the Jester in the leading position at 5-3, while the second was finished on the same pattern, at 9-7.

However, things changed during the third session, when even if Selby took the first frame with a marvellous 104 clearance, Robertson fought back and succeeded into making a full comeback by using runs of 86, 29 and 36.

Neil Robertson

The mid-session interval that followed, proved to be quite relevant for the Jester who stormed into the match and re-opened the two frame lead with breaks of 73 and 49. 

Still, the session ended with the lads locked at 12-12, as Robbo fired in breaks of 64, 37 and 40 to set up a cracking last session late in the night.

When returning into the arena, Robertson broke the pattern and with a solid 74 break took control of the match for the second time since the beginning of the semi-final, although minutes later Selby and his set of breaks (86 and 47) were turning tables at 14-13.

Congrats from a mate

As the interval was about to kick off the Australian used a strategic 53 to draw level at 14 apiece, letting all of us believe that this will definitely end in a cracking decider.

But it wasn't to be, as Selby quickly regained control of the match after the 15-minute break, runs of 77 and 54 throwing him one away from victory and although Robertson managed to pull back a frame with a great 108 break, it was Selby's 74 from frame 32 that sealed his victory and booked him a place in the final.

Selby trending on Twitter UK

So this is it lads and lasses, the moment we all have been waiting for: the grand final! The snooker marathon is almost over, you can feel emotions running wild at the Crucible, the cues have been polished, goals have been targeted, revenges have been set and snooker is ready to take over everyone's hearts and souls.

As for who is going to win this year, yes we all know Ronnie is favourite and we all know he wants his 6^th world title that equals with the ones that Ray Reardon and Steve Davis hold and yes we all remember this year's Masters final when Ronnie played Selby like no other; but still I like to hope for a balanced final, a cracking one, one that will give me headaches and will make me bite my nails.

A remember the 2011 final between Higgins and Trump and the fact that when it was over I felt I have been drawn of energy because that's how intense it was. I want that kind of final from these two!

Final schedule:

1^st session starts Sunday from 2pm
2^nd session starts Sunday from 7pm
3^rd session starts Monday from 2pm
4^th session starts Monday from 7pm