THERE is surely only one player in the Southampton area who could win a semi-final and knock in six breaks of more than 50 after a late night and just two hours sleep.

Former England international Mike Finn prepared for his swansong as a junior in his own inimitable way. Now aged 21, Mike played his last Chandler’s Ford Under-21 tournament today and went out in a blaze of glory.

I think it was England test cricketer Denis Compton who famously arrived at a ground straight from an all-night session, still wearing a dickie-bow, and proceeded to hammer a century.

At 5.30 this morning, Mike was treating a car-load of friends to hot-dogs from an all-night burger van after a lucrative night at a Southampton casino. As driver Scott McGaw headed off, Mike, as you do after a convivial evening, started waving out of the window.

A police car pulled the lads over and Scott was asked how long it was since he had a drink. “Three months,” replied Scott, and was sent on his way.

After two hours sleep Mike was at Chandler’s Ford to face Dan Hildyard in the Winchester League singles semi-final. He won 3-1.

Beginning to feel the effects of the late night or early morning, Mike settled for a couple of ‘hairs of the dog’.

He drew Arron ‘On-Fire’ McIntyre in the first round of his last ever Roll-Up and produced a result only possible when playing on adrenaline and memory.

Mike fired in beaks of 108, 53, 58 and 48 in four frames followed by 81, 82 and 76 against Jack Hyom before running out of steam. Dad picked him up and took him home for a sleep - or perhaps not. Plans were already in place for another night out during which it is believed that liquid refreshment will be taken.

And people ask why he is called ‘The Mighty Finn’.