9:24am Friday 4th January 2008
By Ned Payne
A young Hawkeridge cueman who dreams of turning professional has taken a step closer to a place in the national team.
Ben Harrison, 16, who practises with top professional Stephen Lee at Trowbridge Snooker Club, recently beat off the competition in the qualifying rounds of the English Amateur under 19s Championships in Woking.
Harrison was one of only three players from the south to go through to the national finals in Leeds in May, where he will compete for a place in the England Home International Under 19s team and £600 prize money.
Harrison said: "I thought I had no chance but I played well and it was a good day. When you're playing an England player you're thinking I've got my hands full', but I pulled it out and it was brilliant.
"I wasn't actually that nervous because I was just enjoying the game. I wasn't expecting to win and didn't put pressure on myself.
"I can't wait for the finals - it's going to be amazing playing the best under 19s in England."
Harrison, who claims snooker legend Jimmy White among his victims, is enjoying an impressive season on the green baize.
He has reached the finals of the first three events of the English Association for Snooker and Billiards Southern Junior Tour and is the top-ranked player on the circuit.
The A-Level student, who attends John of Gaunt School, Trowbridge, also qualified for the German Open, a competition used as a warm-up to the professional season by many top players.
Harrison beat two German players at the event and also faced practice partner Lee and Barry Pinches.
Harrison is a graduate of the Cuestars snooker scheme, where players aged eight to 21 compete in handicap competitions across the south of England.
The scheme has been running for eight years at the Trowbridge Snooker Centre and more recently at Players in Westbury. It allows young players to play on full size tables with coaches to give advice.
Fresh from knocking in a new top break of 146 this season, Harrison plans to further his ambitions by starting on the Pontin's International Open Series next September.
The circuit has eight events with the top eight ranked players qualifying for the professional tour, though Harrison expects it to be tough to begin.
Practising with Lee seems to be doing Harrison's career prospects no harm.
Harrison said: "I do take quite a few frames off him when he's not playing well. I don't think he likes losing to 16-year-old players.
"Steve's done a lot for me. I'm lucky in that some players I know have got to practise by themselves, and he took me to the German Open."
The young star said he was not used to the fame he acquired in Germany.
Harrison said: "I was sat at the bar with Steve Lee and this kid came up and I said to Steve, he wants your autograph', but he handed the case to me. It was a bit weird really."
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