Snooker Bond and Parrott's Thai tie

Snooker

Bond and Parrott's Thai tie

John Parrott, the world No 4, and Nigel Bond, ranked 12th, shared the first eight frames in the final of the Thailand Classic in Bangkok yesterday. Parrott, the winner of four ranking events overseas, led 2-1, 3-2 and then 4-3 but he squandered a golden opportunity to win the last frame of the afternoon on the pink. That enabled Bond to clear the last two colours to go in at half time at 4-4. Apart from a Parrott break of 59, there was little to excite the spectators during the first four frames, but the final came alight when Parrott, helped this time by a break of 53, needed the final pink to lead the match 3-2. Back came Bond, and his third century of the tournament tied the scores for the third time. Parrott captured the seventh frame on the black only for his opponent to follow suit half an hour later.