Yan Bingtao 4-2 Kurt Dunham - From the chance previously mentioned Yan does indeed close the door on Dunham tonight. A break of 64 to the pink is more than enough to secure victory and set up a last 32 meeting with Peter Ebdon. Both players played their part in that though and I hope Dunham can show some more of that in the remainder of the season or at least try to get back on tour for next year via Q School. On the night Yan continues to show his strength though and wins 4-2.
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| Yan Bingtao completing a tough 4-2 win over Dunham. |
Jack Lisowski 4-2 Lu Haotian - Once more the scoring supremo that is Jack Lisowski only needs one chance to shut the door on Lu. A fine clearance of 104 completes another fine win against a good opponent. It could be another good week for the left hander here in Cardiff. Table 8 now is the focus and particularly Kurt Dunham. The Australian is in the balls but misses on 27, after a great shot from his first colour (the yellow) to get the bunch open. Yan now will be looking to close the door on this like Lisowski did on Lu.
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| Lisowski on the way to his second century of the night and a 4-2 win over Lu. |
Yan raises his game - Having to sit and watch in the last frame as Dunham cleared up, Yan knew he needed to up his game and play well to win this. First chance he gets in frame five and he seizes control of the contest again. A break of 92 makes it 3-2 there. On table 6, Lu was in first but potted a red splitting the bunch from the blue and now Lisowski has a nice opening to get this match finished.
Haotian stays in it - Some good potting from Lu Haotian on the final colours in frame five has kept him in the hunt against Lisowski who had some half chances there to kill the match off. On table 8, Yan Bingtao is in first and after a good split of the reds he has the balls at his mercy and should move 3-2 in front.
A new Dunham - You have to ask yourself where this Kurt Dunham has been for the last year and a half. All of a sudden he looks like a different player and has just produced a very nice, well controlled clearance of 86 to draw level at 2-2 with Yan Bingtao and he looks much more comfortable. Lisowski meanwhile now has a chance to finish off Lu.
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| Australian Dunham looks like a different player on the way to levelling his match with Yan Bingtao |
Lu Haotian hanging on - Lu isn't going anywhere just yet. He's got the first good chance in frame five with Lisowski and will be looking to make it count. He cannot however and breaks down on 35 but leaves everything safe. Lots of balls on cushions so could be a scrappy end to that frame. Dunham meanwhile is in the early stages of a break against Yan in frame four and there's work to do if he wants to level the match at this visit.
Lisowski and Yan out in front - Now that the Kyren Wilson show has finished it's time to focus back more on the other two matches. Another speedy and well controlled break of 91 puts Lisowski one away at 3-1 against Lu while Yan controls the third to edge ahead 2-1 against Dunham.
Kyren Wilson 4-0 Rory McLeod - McLeod can feel a little hard done by there but only because he didn't really have a clear cut chance in the whole match. Wilson finishes up with another excellent break of 136 completing a pretty much perfect evening and if he stays any where near this standard he'll be here at the weekend. Performance of the week so far from the outside tables.
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| Wilson sizes up frame and match ball on the way to a match clinching century. |
Wilson nearing the winning line - Kyren Wilson take a bow. This has been a truly superb example of taking a game by the scruff of the neck and not giving your opponent any way in. Another great long red gets him going and he provides a textbook pack splitting demonstration. Now with the break in the sixties he looks set for a 4-0 win.
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| Wilson gets in early in frame four and looks to whitewash Rory McLeod |
Wilson continues fine scoring - After the long red and frame winning chance I mentioned previously, Wilson again just moved through the gears and looks absolutely faultless tonight. This time the break is 85 and he is already a frame away from round three. Dunham meanwhile did indeed level, and Lu won the battle on the final red to stay in things with Lisowski but still trailing 2-1.
Dunham looking to level - With a couple of quite superb shots Dunham has taken a scrappy table in his second frame with Yan and grabbed it by the scruff of the neck. First he pots a red and splits all the others and then powers a black into the green pocket to keep it going. Now it's a great chance for 1-1. Lu meanwhile broke down on 57 and he and Lisowski are locked in an important battle on the final red. Wilson continues to squeeze the life out of McLeod, powering a long red in and he has another excellent frame winning opening.
Super confident Lisowski - I'd barely finished the last update when Lisowski pumped in another long red and got going again. This time he got to 41 before losing control of the cue ball and going fir an outrageous red in the middle. Haotian is in now and needs to pounce having opened all the reds up.
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| Lisowski goes 2-0 up on Lu Haotian with a run of 114. |
1 minute, 2 tons - Centuries on tables 6 and 7 here in quick succession. First Lisowski who clears up in sublime fashion with a 114 putting him 2-0 up and almost adding double punishment for Lu's crucial first frame miss. Then Wilson, who plays a nice double on the final red to make it all possible clears the black for a straight 100 and leads McLeod 2-0. Both players are looking comfortable and confident tonight.
Lisowski, Wilson and Yan march on - Lisowski is flying again early in frame two, his speedy style is incredibly difficult to blog live because you need to be about three steps ahead to keep up. However, in the blink of an eye he looks like doubling his lead as his heavy scoring continues. Wilson is also in on table 7 and looking set to double his lead with all remaining reds open, and Yan is back in in the early stages of his second frame. Though things are less straightforward for him but he's knocked in a good blue to keep things going.
1-0 to Wilson, Yan and Lisowski - When Lu misses the yellow on table 6 Lisowski gets the upper hand on the safety and eventually forges the chance to clear and does so comfortably to win the opener. Wilson was always in control of the first frame and if that first frame is a marker he could have a comfortable evening. Yan meanwhile was let in by a Dunham safety error and made 57 to leave the Australian needing snookers on the colours.
Chances go begging - Lisowski misses a straightforward black and Lu is in now hoping to steal that opening frame, Wilson meanwhile missed a tough one on 48 but left nothing. Dunham missed a red to middle on 34 but Yan misses the black on just 9 to let him off. Nervy start all around.
Here comes Jack - First good chance of the night goes to Lisowski on table 6. He's wasting no time at all and is into the thirties on his break already. Kurt Dunham is in first on table 6 and Wilson is in on table 7 after a bad miss on the blue from McLeod
Going for a mixture of three matches tonight. Each set to be a good watch. On table 6 we have Jack Lisowski vs Lu Haotian. Jack was a 4-3 winner yesterday against Mark Joyce while Lu overcame Paul Davison 4-2. Both have had good seasons and been ranking event semi finalists.
Then on table 7 it's the Masters runner up Kyren Wilson, who was excellent in beating Robert Milkins yesterday, taking on Rory McLeod who beat Adam Duffy 4-2. Looking forward to seeing how Wilson plays there.
Finally on table 8 we have Northern Ireland Open Runner-up Yan Bingtao, who overturned a 3-1 deficit on Monday to beat Jimmy White, and he takes on Australian Kurt Dunham who scored the best win of his career beating Ryan Day 4-2 on Monday on the TV table, finishing with a ton.
It's going to be a Soccer Saturday style blog dipping in to action from all three tables so stick with me and enjoy.
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