TROWBRIDGE player Adam Wicheard is hoping to get his game back on the straight and narrow as soon as possible after his trusty cue came home from Q School in two pieces.

The 27-year-old was unsuccessful in his bid for a place back on the World Snooker Tour at this month’s qualifying series and an innocuous accident led to his cue, which he has played with for around 15 years, splitting in half during the final Q School tournament.

The timing couldn’t have been any worse for Wicheard, who practices in the back room of a pet shop in Wicker Hill, in Trowbridge, as he was pitted against four-time world champion John Higgins in the first round of qualifiers for the Wuxi Classic on Tuesday.

Playing with a borrowed cue, Wicheard was beaten 5-2 by the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ at the Capital Venue in Gloucester.

“When I got up to the first Q School, I was carrying my case up some steps and it came open – my cue fell out, bounced down some concrete steps and landed in the car park,” said Wicheard.

“It had a little crack at the bottom and when I was playing, it was making a funny noise, so I changed the tip. I played all the way through but in the final tournament, I was leaning on it and it just snapped in two.

“I don’t know if I’d have done any better at Q School if it hadn’t been broken but it obviously wasn’t ideal.

“Players get used to the weight and balance of their cues and mine had been lengthened a few years ago too.

“Playing against John Higgins this week was an amazing experience but it didn’t help that I had to use a borrowed one.

“My cue’s being taken up to (cue maker) John Parris this weekend to see if he can fix it and if not, I may have to make a fresh start with a new one.

“I didn’t qualify for the tour through Q School but I made the order of merit, which means that I’m first on the list for a place on most of the qualifiers. There are a lot of people that are suspended, which means that I can pretty much always get on.

“Money is really tight at the moment though so I’m not sure how many I’ll be able to do this season. It’s not just the entry fees.”

Wicheard is on the hunt for sponsorship. For more information, contact him on 01225 761800.

  •  HAWKERIDGE amateur Ben Harrison was also in action in the Wuxi Classic qualifiers this week.

Harrison was beaten 5-3 by world number 36 Fergal O’Brien in the first round on Wednesday.

FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @WTSport