NEWS
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- 14/JAN/2000 - Defending champions Wales and Scotland open this year's competition on Sarurday at the Hexagon Theatre. Mark Williams, Matthew Stevens, Darren Morgan and Dominic Dale are confident they can retain their title. "We had a fantastic team spirit up there and nothing's changed although, given the format, all five teams are capable of winning it," said Williams. 1 |
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- 12/JAN/2000 - The captains for the Nations Cup, which starts at the Reading Hexagon on Saturday, have been announced. Defending champions Wales will be led by Darren Morgan while world number one John Higgins will lead Scotland. The host nation will be marshalled by John Parrott and 1997 Embassy World Champion Ken Doherty is at the helm of the Republic of Ireland team. Joe Swail, who recently moved into the top 20 in the rankings is the captain of Northern Ireland. |
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- 14/DEC/1999 - Snooker's return to the Reading Hexagon has proved a big hit with fans who have voted with their feet. Tickets for the Nations Cup 2000 final on January 24 have been snapped up in record quick time and the final is now sold out! In the 1999 event, Wales were the heroes after defeating a Scottish 'Dream Team' which included World No1 John Higgins and Stephen Hendry MBE. With provisional World No1 Mark J Williams and Matthew Stevens in the Welsh ranks again for 2000, they are sure to mount a strong challenge. England were boosted last week by the news that Jimmy White MBE had been selected as a 'wildcard' and the 'Whirlwind' never fails in delighting his adoring public who come out in droves to watch their favourite player. Former Embassy World champion Ken Doherty will also make sure the Republic of Ireland have a big say in this unique event, as will Northern Ireland's former world champion, Dennis Taylor. Wherever your allegiance lies, there has never been a better opportunity to watch the stars of the world game compete in a team discipline with national pride at stake. |
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- 9/DEC/1999 - ITV and the WPBSA have today announced the wildcard selections for next January Nations Cup to be held at the Hexagon Theatre in Reading from January 15-23. Three members of each of the five nations have already been chosen automatically because of their high ranking, and the wildcards were given careful consideration. Many issues were taken into account including previous team experience, rankings and current form, as well as television and live audience awareness, before selections were made for this prestigious event. The widely regarded "Peoples" champion, Jimmy White, completes the England line-up to make his second successive appearance in the Nations Cup, while Dennis Taylor marks 17 years as a professional with inclusion in the Northern Ireland team. Impressive performances by provisional World No16 Chris Small and last year winning Welsh captain Darren Morgan in the recent Liverpool Victoria UK Championship, see them selected for Scotland and Wales respectively, while Stephen O'Connor becomes the fourth member of the Republic of Ireland team. |
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- 25/NOV/1999 - World No2 Stephen Hendry cannot hide his anticipation at returning to Reading's Hexagon - a venue that can claim to be the birthplace of his meteoric rise to fame. The Hexagon was the scene of the 31-year-old's first ever ranking event victory, the 1987 Grand Prix, and he is hoping for similar fortune in January's Nations Cup. Scotland are out for revenge after last season's final defeat to Wales, and although England, Ireland and Northern Ireland all have designs on the silverware, Hendry believes the Hexagon could be the team's talisman. "I am really looking forward to playing in the Nations Cup at the Hexagon," he explained. "I won my first ranking title here and there is no doubt that it is an excellent venue with a great atmosphere." "We have a strong side with John Higgins, Alan McManus, plus another wildcard player, so we hope to do well. But the Nations Cup is unique and the format gives everyone a chance to win." With the other 'home' nations boasting such luminaries as Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark J Williams, Ken Doherty and Joe Swail, the competition will be fierce and the entertainment level high for spectators. |
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- 19/NOV/1999 - Snooker ace John Parrott MBE cannot wait for the 2000 Nations Cup to break off at Reading's Hexagon in January. As a member of a strong England team which includes Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Lee, the World No.5 is preparing to pit his wits against representatives from Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland and defending champions Wales. The competition is given added spice with each team being joined by one 'wildcard' player and the tournament will be fought out on a round robin basis until a winner is found. Although all the nations have every chance of lifting the silverware, Parrott, best known for winning the world championship in 1991 and for his appearances on BBC TV's A Question of Sport, is confident England can triumph. He said: "We are looking forward to the Nations Cup - it is such a unique tournament and unlike any others we are involved in. It is really entertaining for the players and spectators alike." "There is no doubt that the competition will be fierce this year, but we have a strong team. There is a lot of pressure because you don't want to let your team-mates down and that just adds to the excitement." The Nations Cup takes place from January 15-23, 2000, and is the first major snooker tournament to be held at the Hexagon for seven years. Tickets start at 4 pounds and are available from the Hexagon box office or by calling the ticket hotline on 0118 960 6060. |
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England : Ronnie O'Sullivan John Parrott Stephen Lee Wild Card : Jimmy White |
Republic of Ireland : Ken Doherty Fergal O'Brien Michael Judge Wild Card : Stephen O'Connor |
Northern Ireland : Joe Swail Terry Murphy Gerard Greene Wild Card : Dennis Taylor |
Scotland : Stephen Hendry John Higgins Alan McManus Wild Card : Chris Small |
Wales : Mark J Williams Matthew Stevens Dominic Dale Wild Card : Darren Morgan |
| Saturday : Robin Round (15/Jan) *Highlight* | ||
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Wales 5-5 Scotland Stephen Hendry took the final frame against Darren Morgan to give Scotland a 5-5 draw against holders Wales. Hendry had won his two previous frames, knocking in a clearance of 107 to beat Mark Williams as Scotland built up a 4-2 lead. However John Higgind missed the final black in the seventh frame allowing Matthew Stevens to win, and Williams and Dominic Dale puts Wales 5-4 up. However, Hendry took the tense final frame on the yellow to seal the draw. |
| Sunday : Robin Round (16/Jan) *Highlight* | ||
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England 7-3 Northern Ireland Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Lee guided England to a convincing victory in their opening Nations Cup match. O'Sullivan and Lee proved the stars of the show as they greatly contributed to England's success by eachh winning all three of their frames. "We were really up for this," said O'Sullivan, so confident after winning the China Open title last month. "I think we are going to be very hard to beat," he added. |
| Monday : Robin Round (17/Jan) *Highlight* | ||
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Republic of Ireland 8-2 Northern Ireland Ken Doherty led by example as his Ireland side, wooden spoonists at last year's event, made a flying start this time round by beating Northern Ireland. The 1997 world champion struck the decisive blow with a clearance of 46 including an exceptional pink that saw off opposing skipper Joe Swail. It put the Republic 5-2 ahead, a lead they consolidated to ran out comfortable 8-2 victors. "That was massively important. It was a hugh boost for us," Doherty admitted. |
| Tuesday : Robin Round (18/Jan) *Highlight* | ||
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Scotland 4-6 England England captain John Parrott put the final touches to claim their first win over Scotland in professional team snooker for 13 years. England shot to a 3-0 lead and were 5-2 up with three frames to play. But when Stephen Lee missed a short pink, John Higgins pounced with a 35 clearance to make it 5-3. Stephen Hendry then hit 137 against Jimmy White to threaten a draw but Parrott got the better of Alan McManus in a gripping 31-minute decider. |
| Wednesday : Robin Round (19/Jan) *Highlight* | ||
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Wales 6-4 Republic of Ireland Two fine breaks from Matthew Stevens helped Wales to a 6-4 victory over the Republic of Ireland. Stevens produced a 97 as he defeated Michael Judge, and his 75 took him to victory over Fergal O'Brien. Mark Williams won his first two frames, while Dominic Dale had a break of 100 against O'Brien as the Welsh built up an unassailable 6-1 lead. The Irish took the lasat three frames, which could be crucial if the group table is decided on frame difference. |
| Thursday : Robin Round (20/Jan) *Highlight* | ||
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Wales 8-2 Northern Ireland Wales have one foot in the final of the Nations Cup after a resounding victory over struggling Northern Ireland. The defending champions moved to the top of the table, with two wins and a draw from their three matches, courtesy of a commanding 8-2 triumph. Captain Darren Morgan set the tone by stealing the first frame from Dennis Taylor, while Mark Williams claimed all three frames after two fifty breaks. Matthew Stevens knocked in the highest break of the match, a composed 74. |
| Friday : Robin Round (21/Jan) *Highlight* | ||
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England 8-2 Republlic of Ireland Scotland 6-4 Northern Ireland England qualified for the final after this convincing victory. It also put the Republic of Ireland out of the final together with Northern Ireland. In the evening match, John Higgins posted his first ever competitive 147 break and help Scotland's 6-4 win over Northern Ireland. It was the first 147 in the new millennium and also the first ever in a team event. Besides, it was the sixth maximum in this season. This win gave Scotland still a chance to compete in the final. However, it meant Northern Ireland lost all their matches in this year's Nations Cup. |
| Saturday : Robin Round (22/Jan) *Highlight* | ||
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England 3-7 Wales Scotland 1-9 Republic of Ireland Defending champions Wales will meet England in Sunday's final after ending Scottish hopes of reaching the title match through the backdoor. Wales went into their closing group match against the English needing a draw to shut out Scotland. But they were more than equal to the task with a 7-3 win over their opponents. "We've shown that last year wasn't a fluke. Now lifting the trophy would be the icing on the cake," said Wales captain Darren Morgan. And later on, the demoralised Scotland crumbled to a heavy defeat at the hands of Republic of Ireland. Wales' win over England proved decisive and once Stephen O'Connor made a 106 in the opening frame for the Irish, Scotland soon fell apart. |
| Sunday : Final (23/Jan) *Highlight* | ||
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Wales 4-6 England England won the 2000 Nations Cup at Reading's Hexagon Theater today. John Parrott and Ronnie O'Sullivan were England's heroes as they beat champion Wales to claim the trophy. Captain Parrott held his nerve to compile a 98 break in the final frame after Darren Morgan went in off trying to pot a black. O'Sullivan won 13 of the 15 frames he played during the tournament, including all three in the final. The happy captain said, "I'm so pleased because of all the effort the lads have put in this week. We've had a great camaraderie." |
Results
(If you would like to see any individual reports, please touch
the score line. Or try see the whole reports)
Final ( best of 11 frames )
Robin Round ( 10 frames )
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| 147 | John Higgins | 141 | Stephen Lee | 137 | Stephen Hendry | 114 | Dominic Dale | 107 | Stephen Hendry | 106 | Stephen O'Connor | 105 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 104 | Stephen Hendry | 100 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | | Dominic Dale | |
PRIZE
| Place | Prize (English pounds) |
| Winner (per man) | 15,000 |
| 1 pound = | 1.63 US dollars |
POINT
| This is not a ranking tournament. |
FORMER WINNER
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | England | 6-4 | Wales |
| 1999 | Wales | 6-4 | Scotland |
| Odds | Outright |
| 11/10 | Scotland |
| 9/4 | Wales |
| 3/1 | England |
| 12/1 | Republic of Ireland |
| 25/1 | Northern Ireland |
| Source: William Hill | |
| Odds | Top frame Scorer in tournament |
| 4/1 | Mark J Williams |
| 4/1 | Stephen Hendry |
| 4/1 | John Higgins |
| 7/1 | Ronnie O'Sullivan |
| 10/1 | Matthew Stevens |
| 11/1 | Stephen Lee |
| 14/1 | Ken Doherty |
| 16/1 | Alan McManus |
| 20/1 | Darren Morgan |
| 20/1 | Chris Small |
| 20/1 | John Parrott |
| 25/1 | Jimmy White |
| 33/1 | Fergal O'Brien |
| 50/1 | Michael Judge |
| 50/1 | Joe Swail |
| 50/1 | Dominic Dale |
| 80/1 | Gerard Greene |
| 80/1 | Terry Murphy |
| 100/1 | Dennis Taylor |
| 100/1 | Stephen O'Connor |
| Source: William Hill | |