Snooker: Reynolds gets in a froth

Dean Reynolds got himself in a froth at the Benson and Hedges Championship in Mansfield when he fell foul of snooker’s tough new drink regulations.

Reynolds, whose career has been blighted in recent years by alcohol problems, was told he could not take a glass of lager into the match arena.

‘‘I got the hump and took it out on my opponent,’’ said the former British Open finalist from Grimsby following his 5-0 whitewash of Yorkshireman Shaun Wilkes.

‘‘It’s a stupid rule, because quite a few players like a beer during their matches. But in the end I used it to my favour.

‘‘I was determined to put on a show because quite a few people had come down from Grimsby to watch me.’’

Grahame Francis was also on the wrong end of a 5-0 whitewash - hardly surprising, though, because the 52-year-old Cambridgeshire player has only one arm.

Francis, who carries a bag of accessories to help him overcome his cueing handicap, scored only 25 points against Essex rival Jason Pegram.