MANILA, Philippines – Cue artists from Great Britain showed nerves of steel as they scored a 4-1 win over the Philippine Team in the first-ever World Team Pool Cup Championship in Germany.

The Britons carved their smashing victory at Hall 13 of the Hannover Exhibition Grounds in Hannover on Sunday.

The British team, composed of reigning World 9-Ball champion Daryl Peach, 2008 World 10-Ball Champion Darren Appleton, Karl Boyes, Mark Gray and Imram Majid, received $100,000.

The Filipinos, on the other hand, settled for the runner-up purse of $50,000.

The Philippines was represented by former World 9-Ball and 8-Ball champion Ronnie Alcano, last year’s International Predator 10-Ball ruler Dennis Orcollo, former snooker champion Marlon Manalo, two-time Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) National Pool titleholder Lee Vann Corteza, Southeast Asian Games 9-Ball gold medalist Warren Kiamco and Japan-based Antonio Lining.

Losing semifinalists Greece and Russia, meantime, received $30,000 each in the 48-nation tournament, the first of its kind and sanctioned by the World Pool Billiard Association (WPA). It offered a total purse of $400,000.

The inaugural event used a point-system scoring patterned after the Davis Cup in international tennis.

Great start

The Filipinos had a great start with a 6-1 thrashing victory over the Britons in the first game of the 8-ball Scotch doubles event.

The Britons bounced back by winning their second game of 8-ball Scotch doubles event, 6-1, to level the count at 1-1 in the race-to-4 affair. Gray, Boyes and Appleton, made it 4-1 for Team Great Britain to snatch the overall championships.

Gray downed Lining, 8-2, in the 1st 9-Ball game, Boyes edged Corteza, 8-7, in the 2nd 9-Ball game, and Appleton toppled Orcollo, 7-1, in the 2nd 10-Ball game.

Alcano was already leading 2-1 against Peach in the 1st 10-Ball game but it was halted after Appleton won in the 2nd 10-Ball game.

“The RP team did their best but fell short in the finals. Talagang maganda ang nilaro ng Great Britain,” said Bugsy Promotions President Ceferino “Perry” Mariano.

“Pero sayang nakauna na tayong ng panalo but the RP pool team success makes us all proud to be Filipinos,” he added.
BSCP chairman Florentino "Yen" Makabenta noted, “After a spotless run to the final, Team RP came up short against Britain, falling 1-4. The loss aside, BSCP, Raya Sports, Bugsy Promotions and Negros Billiards Stable are very proud of the accomplishments of the RP team. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!”

For Negros Billiards Stable (NBS) President Jonathan “Bacolod” Sy, “The RP pool team gives the whole nation something to cheer about and I personal congratulate them for their feat.”
 
En route to the finals, the Filipinos beat England II (4-0), Czech Republic (4-1), Norway (4-2), Poland (4-2) and Russia (4-1) to arrange a titular showdown with Great Britain.

The Philippine team was backed by BSCP, Raya Sports, Bugsy Promotions and NBS. BSCP Vice-President Edgar Acaba was the team manager. – by Marlon Bernardino