Super-Sub Woollaston Wins CLS Group Six

Ben Woollaston, a late substitute for Ronnie O’Sullivan at Championship League Group Six, took full advantage by beating Peter Ebdon in the final.

Leicester’s Woollaston got a call on Tuesday night offering him a place in the event following O’Sullivan’s withdrawal, and he set off for Essex at 6am on Wednesday morning to take up the spot. And the world number 36 went on to earn a place in February’s winners group, where he will join Matthew Selt, Ali Carter, Mark Davis, Stuart Bingham and Barry Hawkins plus the winner of group seven.

Woollaston’s top break in the final against Ebdon was just 34 but he did enough to make sure of his progress.

“The final was a bit of a scrappy match, it had been a long day for us both but I am happy to win,” he said. “I struggled with my form yesterday but I was a bit better today.

“I can’t wait for the winners’ group. Every match is a bonus, I had a bit of luck to get through to the semi-finals when results went my way.”

Woollaston needed to beat Ebdon 3-0 in his final round robin match to qualify for the semi-finals and did just that. He then beat David Gilbert 3-1 in the semis, while Ebdon saw off Dominic Dale by the same scoreline.

Results

Final

Ben Woollaston 3-0 Peter Ebdon
45-56 (Woollaston 34), 11-77 (30), 38-66 (Woollaston 34, Ebdon 34)

Semi Finals

David Gilbert 1-3 Ben Woollaston
86-13 (70), 60-61 (Gilbert 60, Woollaston 47), 1-107 (30, 61), 23-65 (32)

Dominic Dale 1-3 Peter Ebdon
77-35 (Dale 39, 37, Ebdon 35), 14-123 (123), 60-62 (Dale 32, Ebdon 47), 48, 89 (Dale 48, Ebdon 81)

Thursday’s group matches

Ben Woollaston 3-0 Rod Lawler
61-5 (44), 59-29, 86-0 (58)

David Gilbert 3-1 Dominic Dale
52-77 (35, 60), 72-29, 80-64 (Gilbert 48, Dale 56), 74-32 (65)

Peter Ebdon 3-1 Kurt Maflin
73-46 (Ebdon 38, Maflin 39), 45-64 (Ebdon 38, Maflin 46), 63-46 (Ebdon 31), 54-44

Fergal O’Brien 2-3 Rod Lawler
17-72 (64), 4-100 (61), 68-61 (Lawler 30), 86-44 (O’Brien 40), 35-71 (46)

Ben Woollaston 2-3 Dominic Dale
59-67 (59, 67), 76-0 (30, 41), 47-69 (Woollaston 41, Dale 30), 109-13 (45, 64), 0-87 (87)

Fergal O’Brien 0-3 Dominic Dale
62-63, 60-72 (O’Brien 59, Dale 58), 22-103 (103)

David Gilbert 3-2 Kurt Maflin
96-9 (70), 53-67 (Gilbert 35, Maflin 36, 31), 109-38 (71, 38), 41-82 (41, 65), 82-28 (56)

David Gilbert 1-3 Rod Lawler
70-32 (57), 0-92 (92), 22-52 (32), 47-70

Ben Woollaston 3-0 Peter Ebdon
57-43, 108-22 (56, 46), 52-25

Centuries

132 – Dominic Dale v Rod Lawler
127 – Fergal O’Brien v Ben Woollaston
127 – Peter Ebdon v Fergal O’Brien
123 – Peter Ebdon v Dominic Dale
111 – Fergal O’Brien v Peter Ebdon
103 – Dominic Dale v Fergal O’Brien