CHATHAM Pool and Snooker Club won the English Pool Association national seven-man Champion of Champions tournament at Great Yarmouth at the weekend.

The tournament attracts 35,000 competitors and the team shared the top prize of £25,000.

Team captain William Anderson, from Faversham, said: “It’s one of the toughest tournaments to win. Each team was allowed two professionals, but we had only one, Ian Kettel, because our other usual pro, Andy Breen, was in Australia for the World Cup.

“There were 96 other teams in the final stages, and we had to play seven matches. In the quarter-final we beat Trent Trophies, who included the England captain, Lee Kendall, and a high-ranked professional, Gareth Potts.”

Chatham had been 7-5 down, but Anderson and Chris Hearnden won the last two games and their side won all three of the play-off games.

In the semi-final they faced The Alloas, who had just knocked out a side including the world champion and runner-up, but they were dispatched 8-1.

In the final they beat PJ’s A, from Stourbridge, 8-6.

The other team members were Dean Cole, also from Faversham, and Martin Prime, Tony Wynne, Neil Ward and Hearnden, who are all from Chatham.

The weekend also included an England-Scotland international and Anderson, a manager for the Canterbury and Coastal Primary Care Trust, was selected for the Scottish team for the first time.

In his first match he beat England’s world champion Mick Hill, and will now represent Scotland in the European Championships in Malta in February.

Cole, his doubles partner for 10 years, has earned a trial for England, and is now ranked second nationally.

Anderson added: “He’s a terrific player, and his nickname is ‘The Rock’.”

The tournament is only open to the champions of leagues affiliated to the English Pool Association. After early knock-out rounds between neighbouring leagues, teams have to go through regional stages before qualifiying for the national finals.