Judd: I only have myself to blame!
Aussies drop Smith for T20 World Cup
JUDD Trump’s hopes of landing a second World Snooker Championship title were shattered by qualifier Jak Jones in a major quarter-final upset at the Crucible.
Jones, the world number 44, capitalised on an error-strewn display by the 2019 champion to turn an 8-8 overnight tie into a 13-9 win and reach the last four for the first time.
Trump offered no excuses after being lured into a war of attrition by his opponent, who is ranked second slowest of those who booked a place in this year’s tournament proper.
“I felt like I had a lot of chances and I didn’t take them,” said Trump. “I had more than enough chances today to win, so I only have myself to blame.
“A lot of the frames were quite slow and I got bogged down. His pace definitely affected me, but that’s not his fault. I just needed to get in and clear up every time, and I didn’t do that.”
Jones, who reached the Crucible quarter-final on his debut last year, is now two more wins away from becoming only the third qualifier to win the famous title after Terry Griffiths in 1979 and Shaun Murphy in 2005.
The Cwmbran man more than held his own in the first two sessions and capitalised on his opponent’s errors when they resumed yesterday, to wrest control. Trump’s poor performance was encapsulated by a missed pink off its spot in the 20th frame, letting Jones in for an impressive break of 61 that put clear air between the pair at 11-9.
A miss on an even easier yellow in the next sent Jones one frame from victory, and when Trump went in-off potting a red in the 22nd frame, Jones responded with a nerveless 106 clearance to finish.
Jones, who had never previously reached a ranking semifinal, defended his pace of play and said he detected early in the game that Trump, a clear favourite with five ranking titles to his name this season alone, was out of sorts.
“I thought Judd struggled quite a bit,” said Jones. “He started off with a century, just looking like typical Judd, but after I went in 3-1 at the interval I thought he was playing really slow.
“He wasn’t the fast-flowing aggressive player that he usually is. I noticed it from the beginning and it kind of surprised me, and I took advantage.”
Jones now faces an even bigger task of convincing his mum Debbie to watch him play live for the first time.
Despite ferrying her son to matches since he first turned professional at the age of 16, she is yet to watch him play either live or on the TV, and Jones does not believe the unique occasion of a Crucible semi-final will change her mind.
“She won’t even watch me on the TV,” said Jones. “At home now when I’m playing she’ll be doing the ironing or cleaning the house, that’s what she likes to do to keep herself occupied.
“She doesn’t like watching me, she pretends it’s not happening and waits for my dad to call her with the result. A Crucible semi-final is obviously a different matter and maybe she will come up, but she won’t come into the arena.”
Australia have dropped Steve Smith and overlooked rising star Jake Frasermcgurk for this summer’s T20 World Cup.
England’s Group B rivals named their 15-man squad yesterday, firming up Mitch Marsh’s interim captaincy after three series in charge and making a couple of knife-edge selections for the tournament in the West Indies and the United States.
For the first time since 2014 they have opted to go without Smith, who offers huge experience as a reliable top-order run-scorer but lacks the explosive power-hitting expected to dominate the tournament.
The 34-year-old had two innings against New Zealand in February but knocks of 11 and four
England forward Maro Itoje has avoided a ban after being cited for a dangerous tackle during Saracens’ victory over Gallagher Premiership title rivals Bath.
The lock is free to play with immediate effect after the citing was dismissed by an failed to make a dent on the selectors. Conversely, Smith’s fellow veteran David Warner has been retained for a last hurrah at the expense of Fraser-mcgurk.
The pair are teammates at IPL franchise Delhi Capitals, with the younger man hammering 259 runs off just 111 balls in his six matches to date, with 23 sixes along the way. Warner has been relatively becalmed by comparison, and has latterly suffered with a hand injury, but was deemed to have enough credit in the bank to hold his spot.
Ashton Agar was included as a second specialist spinner to support Adam Zampa and Nathan Ellis took the final seam bowling slot.
independent disciplinary panel.
The news is a major boost for secondplaced Saracens ahead of their final two regular season games against Bristol and Sale Sharks.
Itoje made an upright tackle on
Alfie Barbeary, making head contact in the process.