Pool ace Gray makes glorious return

​The 50-year old resident Bourne Snooker Centre professional, and highly ranked European 9-ball star, broke a tendon in his bridging hand during a tourna ment in Wisbech at the end of April.

After a mis-diagnosis and surgery, Gray was finally given the all-clear to play for an hour a day last week, but decided to enter a Cueball Promotions 9 Ball Event at the Rack & Roll Club in Leicester on Sunday.

Gray had won the first event in the series before finishing third in the second. He missed the next three, but outclassed the opposition in event six to claim the £360 first prize and trophy.

There were 30 entries with the players split into six groups of five. The top two from each group and the four best third-place finishers went through to a knockout starting at the last 16 stage.

Gray won his group games 5-3, 5-2, 5-1 and 5-2 to top his section.

Gray then stormed past Apostolos Spanelis (Lougborough) 7-0 in the last 16.

He then thumped Bash Maqsood (Notts) 7-1 in the quarter-final and Ryan Coton (Solihull) 7-2 in his semi-final.

Gray then squared up to Ryan’s father Alan Coton in the final and whitewashed him 7-0.

“I’m not going to lie, but I felt apprehensive before the event,” Gray said.

“I didn’t know what to expect, so to come away with the win was very pleasing and, in all honesty, a bit of a surprise!”