GLOBAL SNOOKER NEWS

James Wattana produced a vintage performance in an engrossing match, to beat Ken Doherty 5-3, but he needed the help of an outrageous fluke to help him over the line.

The match started with a bout of high breaks as Doherty opened up in the first with a superb run of 90 and Wattana responded with 70 to get himself on the board in the second.

The Dubliner regained the lead with 84, but Wattana got the better of a high quality tactical frame to draw level at the interval.

Doherty regained the upper hand on the resumption with a run of 54 but as the high quality safety exchanges continued Wily Wattana got the better of Crafty Ken and won the next two frames to lead 4-3. The eighth frame followed a similar pattern, the occasional potting lapse from both players, but pin point safety.

With the frame down to the colours Doherty pinned Wattana behind the black and the escape, to hit a brown sitting in acres of green space looked improbable. But Wattana not only found a two cushion route to the brown, he caught it 'just right' and the brown deflected into the green pocket. The Thai still needed to sink a long blue, which he did and landed perfectly on the pink to wrap up victory in a match that could have gone either way.

It was a good day all round for the Southern Hemisphere and the up and coming Aussie Neil Robertson beat Andy Hicks, who'd looked virtually invincible in his first round win over Matthew Stevens.

Robertson sprinted out of the blocks as breaks of 75, 51 and 61 rocketed him to a 4-0 lead.

With little to lose Hicks came out after the interval and blasted in a break of 127 and that launched his come back. He snatched the next on the black and then cleared up with 56 as Robertson faltered slightly. The pressure was now all on the young Aussie but he held his nerve to secure victory on the colours in the next and book himself a last 16 match against Joe Perry, who beat David Gray 5-3.

Joe Swail could find little answer to the inspiration of Ronnie O'Sullivan as the World Champion played both left and right handed as he cantered to a 5-1 win with breaks of 66, 70 and 69.

Steve Davis also won 5-1 but at a much slower pace, against Tony Drago. Amazingly Davis managed only a high break of 48 in the match, but Drago couldn't find any sustained rhythm and Davis was helped by a couple of outrageous flukes on crucial black balls.

Stephen Lee powered in breaks of 75, 58 and 67 to beat Anthony Hamilton 5-1. Hamilton made 71 in his only frame success.

Graeme Dott lined himself up a repeat of the 2004 World final as he beat Dominic Dale in a high scoring match. Both players made centuries, and Dott added further runs of 62 and 77, and Dale 61.

Paul Hunter eventually got Carter, but not before having to recover from a 4-2 deficit. Hunter led 2-1 and opened the fourth with 54 but lost out to an 89 clearance from Carter. From there Carter romped through the next two frames as Hunter potted only one ball.

But Hunter claimed the next two frames to set up a decider and he saved the best for last, stroking in an immaculate 102 to clinch the match.

RESOURCES

2004 GRAND PRIX

INFORMATION

PHOTOS

TOTESPORT

RESULTS - LAST 32

Frame Scores:

Steve Davis 5-1 Tony Drago

59-32, 65-50, 85-56, 57(48)-1, 19-65, 79(43)-54(53)

Neil Robertson 5-3 Andy Hicks

73-59, 98(75)-10, 94(51)-14, 96(61)-1, 0-133(127), 60-69, 49-62(56), 73(68)-47

Joe Perry 5-3 David Gray

81-26, 71-32, 13-77(58), 39-71(68), 74-47, 0-70, 77(60)-40, 67-46

Ronnie O'Sullivan 5-1 Joe Swail

71-37, 105(66)-0, 26-76, 71(70)-0, 71-14, 77(69)-30

Graeme Dott 5-2 Dominic Dale

87(62)-7, 66-45, 0-91(61), 65-22, 119(119)-14, 6-120(114), 112(77)-17

Paul Hunter 5-4 Allister Carter

5-76, 67-15, 76-15, 54(54)-89(89), 0-76, 1-70, 80-39, 76-47, 124(102)-0

James Wattana 5-3 Ken Doherty

90(90)-1, 4-70(70), 84(84)-0, 50-75, 89(54)-0, 42-65, 18-55, 58-67

Stephen Lee 5-1 Anthony Hamilton

67-1, 93-13, 76(75)-0, 19-71(71), 119(58)-8, 85(67)-12