Pro tour target for globe-trotting Wild

MIchael Wild: Pro tour in his sights

Snooker: 

MOORSIDE’S Michael Wild ended his campaign in the English Snooker and Billiards regional competitions in tremendous style.

The 34 year old won the sixth and final snooker event in Derby at the weekend to finish top of the ranking list and book his place in the European and World Opens.

The former will be held in Prague, Czech Republic, while the latter is in Cape Town, South Africa - both on dates still to be fixed. Victory in either would secure Wild a place on next year’s professional tour.

Wild, in fine form at present, received a bye into the last 16 at Derby before beating G Miles 4-0 with a slick performance which included breaks of 71 and 57.

He then saw off highly-rated Yorkshireman Jake Nicholson 4-0 with an even more emphatic display which contained breaks of 105, 93, 75 and 68. Poor Nicholson was shell-shocked by the big-break barrage and failed to pot a ball.

From then on it became tougher for Wild, who faced local man Shaun Hopkin in the semi-finals.

Despite brave resistance, Hopkin was repelled 4-2, Wild making breaks of 60 and 51 to set up a final against Eden Sharav, who beat him in an earlier final this season.

Revenge was sweet as Wild won 5-3 with a superb performance and frame-clinching runs of 81 and 79.

With countries from around the world represented in the two big opens to follow, Wild will face a difficult task to win a place on the professional tour.

But the standard of the English game is strong enough to suggest he will go into both tournaments with a realistic aim of achieving his goal.

twitter: @KeithMcHughOC