Day Five: BIG BREAKS A PLENTY AT THE CRUCIBLE
Mark Williams duly converted a 7-2 overnight advantage into a 10-5 win over Jimmy Robertson.
Robertson started the second session promisingly with breaks of 54 and 55 to reduce his arrears to 4-7.
However the Welsh maestro rattled in two magnificent centuries of 140 and 100 to take himself to the brink of victory. Robertson clung on to win frame 14 but the end came in the next as Williams continued his excellent seasons work to reach the second round.
Neil Robertson continued the exodus of former champions as he was dumped out at the first round stage for the second time in five years by Robert Milkins. The Aussie took the first two frames of the afternoon to reduce the overnight 3 frame deficit to just one frame at 5-6 as Milkins looked to be wobbling. Frame twelve proved important for Milkins to win and settle his nerves. From 7-5 Milkins made contributions of 69, 55 and 54 to cap a good performance overall and a notable scalp in this years event as he claimed a 10-5 success.
Ace in the pack Judd Trump carved out a 6-3 lead over first time qualifier Chris Wakelin in the opening session of their match. Trump started like a train as he zoomed into a 3-0 lead aided by a break of 58 in the opener.
Wakelin found inspiration in frame four with an excellent 95 before then slotting his career high break in frame 5, a stupendous 141 total clearance that reset the tournament high break target.
Trump refused to be intimidated though and coolly took the next without dropping a point to go 4-2 in front.
Wakelin responded with a run of 69 to get back within one frame but Trump pulled away again with breaks of 72 and 51 to claim a 6-3 overnight lead.
John Higgins is through to round two to round two with a 10-7 win against the man with failed 147 history Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. And yep you have guessed it, the man from Thailand was at it again in this match.
The Scot raced into a 3-0 lead early on despite both players being out of sorts.
Un Nooh won the next with a 51 before the next two frames were shared - 4-2 Higgins. Un Nooh then rolled in another half century for 3-4 before Higgins found his touch with breaks of 104 and 59 to end the morning session 6-3 up.
Into the evening then and the man from Thailand produced a quite brilliant break of 121 to start proceedings before The Wizard of Wishaw responded with an 81.
Frame 12. 14 reds, 14 blacks and doh
. Oh no for Un Nooh. Has to settle for 112 and its 7-5 Higgins.
Un Nooh rolled in a 60 to narrow the deficit to one but Higgins pulled away again to 9-6 aided by a run of 77 and duly completed victory as the next two frames were shared thereby avoiding another former champ exit.
Ryan Day holds a 6-3 lead over Anthony McGill.
Welshman Day took the first two frames including a top break equalling 141 in frame two. McGill replied to level at 2-2 with a break of 75 helping his cause.
The two frame streaks continued as Day then went 4-2 up with runs of 62 and 52.
McGill took frame 7 to close to within one frame.
Frame 8. McGill needs a snooker on the final pink and gets it. Faced with a very tough black. Missed. Day steps in for 5-3.
Final frame of the day. Big big frame.
And a big frame calls for a big break.
Boom....... 145 from Day. A 6-3 lead and a new high break target.
