Snooker: The world in their pockets

Michael LESLIE (Bonnyrigg) and Robert Carlisle (Edinburgh) will lead the Scottish challenge at the 2010 World Under-21 Snooker Championship being held in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland from this Saturday till 10 August.

Leslie, 17, and 19-year-old Carlisle have been selected to represent Scotland in the event which has 80 players participating from across the world, competing in round-robin groups for a place in the knock-out stages.

The two players, who are also good friends off the table, finished No.?2 and No.?3 respectively in the Scottish Under-21 rankings last season behind Glasgow sensation Anthony McGill, who has now joined the professional ranks.

Leslie, who recently signed up with management company TheFootballAgents.com, said: "This is my first World Championship and I can't wait to get started. I have just changed cue and I am just starting to get used to it. I am hoping I can perform well in the event"

Carlisle, who reached the semi-finals of the Euro Under-19 championship in 2008, said: "I can't wait to get over there and compete against some of the best under-21 players in the world."

Leslie and Carlisle will be joined in the event by three other Scots, Ross Higgins (Cumbernauld), Rhys Clark (East Kilbride) and Campbell Dunlop (Kilmarnock) when the championship gets underway at the Northwest Snooker Club. Last year's championship was held in Kish Island, Iran, and was won by Noppon Saengkham of Thailand.