Snooker: Call to keep 'Aussies out' of frame

Queenslander Kurt Brown on his way to a 4-2 win against Hawke's Bay's Bayden Jackson in yesterday's final of the Heretaunga Classic in Hastings.Photo/Paul Taylor

Hawke's Bay snooker king Bayden Jackson wants a new rule introduced to next year's Heretaunga Classic tournament.

"No Aussies," Jackson quipped shortly after congratulating 21-year-old Queenslander Kurt Brown on his 4-2 victory in the final of the 30th annual Bridgeman Concrete-sponsored event at the Heretaunga Club in Hastings yesterday.

"Seriously though, I played some good snooker to get to the final and then played my poorest snooker of the weekend in the final. Pressure can do that to you," Jackson, 38, explained.

"With the score at 2-all I had a couple of chances to take the fifth frame and didn't take them. That was the difference ... when Kurt had chances he took them," Jackson said.

A former England pool representative who has lived in Hawke's Bay since 2009, Jackson said he stopped training for snooker nine months ago.

"I just turn up and play these days. With no expectations on myself it's mentally refreshing and I play better snooker," the Havelock North barber said.

A former national champion, Jackson said he won't be playing in this year's North Island or national championships despite recording his best finish in the classic.

He added Brown, one of two Aussies who played in the tournament, has the potential to go as far as he wants in the sport.

Brown, who started playing as a 12-year-old, intends to return to the Bay in an attempt to retain his title next year.

"Once everyone back home hears how good the tournament is I'm sure there will be more than two of us wanting to play next year too," he added, much to the disappointment of Jackson.

Heretaunga Club snooker stalwart Joe Boyce said the success of Brown and 15-year-old Auckland-based national under-21 champion Louis Chand, who Brown beat 3-0 in his semifinal, has prompted his club to place a bigger emphasis on its youth programme and encouraged any youngsters considering taking up the sport to do so.

Jackson beat New Zealand's top-ranked player Mark Canovan of Christchurch 3-0 in the semifinals. Canovan had earlier beaten five-time winner of the classic and top seed Harry Haenga of Wellington 3-1 in the quarterfinals. On Saturday Canovan won all five of his section games without dropping a frame.

Brown also won all five of his section games conceding just two frames in the process.

Hawke's Bay's other two competitors, Dave Judd and Mikey Stewart, were both eliminated in the quarterfinals of the plate. Waikato's Steve Robertson, a former winner of the title who Jackson beat 3-0 in the quarterfinals, scored the highest break of the tournament with 100. Another former winner, Henry Killian, beat fellow Aucklander Eamon Hill in the plate final.