Jimmy White lost his grip of Wyldecrest Parks World Seniors Snooker Championship crown last weekend at the East of England Showground in Peterborough, writes Ziad Chaudry.

The ever popular 49-year-old from Tooting, could not repeat last year’s triumph as he went out in the semi-finals to the eventual winner, Welshman Darren Morgan, losing two frames to nil.

He had defeated Tony Knowles and 1985 World Champion Dennis Taylor to get that far.

Balham-based Tony Drago went out of the first round to two-time beaten finalist Steve Davis 2-1.

Malta-born Drago led 36-9 in the deciding third frame but a missed black allowed Davis, the six-time world champion who later went on to lose to Morgan 2-1 in the final, to take the match with an excellent 70.

Drago, 46, the current world number 51, felt he could have won the match if he pocketed the black.

“I had a good chance,” he said.

“I finished too straight on the black when I wanted to get on to the red but I didn’t make the angle.

“It wasn’t a bad performance but best of three, it’s hard.

“I thought I started quite well but it was a decent match.”

Tooting-born Steve Ventham was also a first round casualty, losing 2-0 to Karl Townsend.

The 45-year-old print management company director regretted missing his chances in frame two.

“If I won that frame by scoring a bit heavier on the balls then I got a good chance in the last but it wasn’t to be," he said.

“It’s been a good experience and it was nice to be here. I’ll be back in it next year for sure.”