Just three matches today as the non-tour players come up against their more well-known opponents. While there have not been many matches on however, it has been a dramatic day at the EIS…
Stage Two: Round One Results
Chris McBreen (New Zealand) 10-8 Del Smith
77(33)-65(44), 47(38)-70, 89-36, 74(40)-59, 72(41)-46, 17-87(41), 6-81(40), 33-68, 79(38)-44, 12-66(41), 20-70(49), 78-74, 83(37)-13, 45-64(37), 64-55(39), 46-60, 68-21, 71-32
Stefan Mazrocis 9-10 Tony Knowles
71-19, 11-72(52), 69-52, 64-47, 25-75(45), 8-58(47), 64-18, 70(33,37)-17, 1-66, 17-73(43), 33-84(84), 77(34)-0, 27-89(44), 39-67(41), 13-65(48), 117(116)-17, 70(70)-36, 82-35, 5-62
Li Hang 10-2 Colin Mitchell
91(40)-40, 74(65)-2, 71(66)-16, 67(47)-52(35), 54-50, 48-65, 43-52, 67-18, 59-54, 109(109)-0, 63(54)-0, 73-15
Neil Selman w/o Declan Hughes
* latest score
Wow, what a day for Tony Knowles who has qualified for the first qualifying round proper of the World Championship for the first time in several years. He did it the hard way too, coming back from 5-3 down this afternoon to move just one away from the lead at 9-6. His opponent Stefan Mazrocis was not going to bow out without a fight however as he took the next three to force a tense deciding frame. In the end though it was the 53-year-old Knowles who hung on to book a clash with Rodney Goggins on Saturday.
In the other matches, main tour pro Chris McBreen was pushed all the way by snooker coach Del Smith, but scraped through 10-9 to win his first match of the season. The other match was far more straightforward however as the impressive Li Hang made short work of Colin Mitchell, easing through at the loss of just two frames and making a century break along the way.
As has been the case for all of the events in 2009, Declan Hughes has not taken part so Neil Selman advances to the next round by default. There he will play Patrick Wallace.