Rob Fulford wins Worlds Championship for the sixth time

In game 1 Rob started perfectly with a third turn break and an excellent leave, just like yesterday. However, unlike yesterday, Matthew hit and went round and had a leave after 3-back. Rob missed the lift and Matthew went round perfectly, playing his tp (sixth turn) and won the game +17tp.

Game 2: Matthew missed a 10 yarder on North boundary, third turn, Rob hit and went round to 3-back in a standard fashion (very precisely apart from leaving the balls very slightly open). Matthew hit, but then hits hoop 2 in the take-off and recovered with a 13 yard roquet. Takes off to hoop 1, doesn’t get position and retires to corner 2.

Rob misses 23 yarder, so Matthew picks up break, under approaches hoop 1, but a little jump shot gets him through and he’s away. He leaves a ball in corner 2 at the end of the break, so something’s amiss. Rob misses the 14 yarder, but Matthew hits his 13 yarder and sets a leave. Rob has a 29 yard shot, but misses and leaves Matthew with a standard break for his tp. 2:0 to Matthew.

In game 3 Rob make a third ball break to 3-back. Matthew pick up his Yellow ball, stalks and restalks the ball and hits his 18 yarder. Makes 6 hoops, so doesn’t give a lift, but Rob can see 1/3rd of his Blue. He doesn’t take it – takes the long shot instead and misses. Commentators talk about the first sextuple for 20 years in the World Championship final – Matthew gets to 4-back and after his first peel can only hit his Yellow, success but needs to peel it through penultimate from the boundary in order to win, doesn’t achieve it, so needs to leave balls in 4 corners, since Rob will have a contact… commentators curse. Rob doesn’t make hoops, but makes a defensive leave. Matthew corners, but Rob makes his break to peg. 2:1 to Matthew.

Game 4: supershot by Matthew, but his second ball leaves a double which Rob hits and makes break to 4-back. Matthew misses the 18 year lift. Rob makes a standard break with a tp to finish. 2:2.

Final game: Rob supershot, then misses down the East boundary and Matthew misses his other ball fourth turn. Rob makes a break and gets to 3-back with a precise leave. Matthew misses the 18 yarder shot down the East boundary. Another tp break will mean Rob wins, but he leaves his ball short at hoop 2 and misses the roquet!

Matthew hits dead centre and starts his break. Peels Rob through 3-back, penult and rover and pegs out one of Rob’s balls. Rob hits with his sole ball and rushes Matthew’s ball towards hoop 2, gets position at the hoop, but gets Matthew’s ball off the lawn by 3 inches!

Matthew hits, makes few hoops then sets a leave. It’s a three ball ending, so Matthew will be making a hoop at a time and Rob is waiting for an opportunity to hit. He gets one as Matthew makes a mistake and misses a 6 yarder, so has a three ball break and should finish. He does and wins (after 7.5 hours) -17tp, -17tp, +4tp, +26tp, +8otp. This is his sixth time he’s won the AC World Championship, the last being in 2002 in New Zealand.

Congratulations to both for a excellent match, with only 4 or 5 mistakes in total.

You can see the final at https://youtube.com/live/oYFsVsTHsSU?feature=share.

Congratulations also to Debbie Lines (England) on winning the Bowl, Robin Brown (England) the Plate and James Death (England) the Shield.

So a complete sweep for England!