Workington's Kevin Basnett and Whitehaven’s Robert Sim have successfully defended their Cumbria County Doubles Snooker Championship to claim their 12th title in the last 17 years.

They did so with a 4-1 victory over Carlisle’s Robert Barbour and Mike Griffiths this week.

The scoreline suggests an easy victory for the multiple champions, however, the match was a lot closer than the margin implies.

The first frame saw Sim in first and, with a coolly constructed break of 71, he took the frame in one visit 75-4.

The second frame saw some excellent safety and with the scores almost tied with some eight reds left, Sim stepped in to make a decisive break of 40 to take the defending champions into a 2-0 lead with a 69-29 victory.

Frame three again proved to be a tactical affair but, with some smaller contributions, Sim and Basnett gradually built-up a lead and eventually won 64-17.

Not to be deterred by the 3-0 scoreline, the Carlisle pairing still kept their focus and with the balls at his mercy, Barbour stepped in to make crucial break of 35 which in turn were enough for the duo to take the game 73-38.

In what ended up being the final frame of the match, Barbour and Griffiths used the momentum from their previous frame victory to forge an 18-point advantage with just the colours remaining.

Facing an easy yellow, Barbour looked to be in the perfect position to pull another frame back but in missing it Basnett stepped in to produce a measured clearance and a 12th County Doubles title.

In the first of the semi-finals, Barbour and Griffith overturned a 2-1 deficit to defeat former three times County Singles Champion Mike Dawson and partner Mark Tatton 3-2.

The second semi-final saw Sim and Basnett go through 3-0 against Barrow’s Tony Mason and Danny MacDonald in another match that was closer than the score intimates.

The event also saw a plate competition held for all first round losers with Flimby’s Kevin Kirkham and Sal Cakmak presiding over Workington brothers Peter and Stephen O’Hagan, 3-2.

Thanks to Ron and Mary Wilson of the Portland Club, Carlisle for providing an excellent venue.