WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING: Perry clears the first hurdle

The Chatteris potter overcame the first hurdle today (April 6) when defeating Zack Richardson 10-3 at Ponds Forge and now has to win just two more rounds to make it through to The Crucible on April 15.

Next up on Saturday morning is either Mei Xi Wen or Akani Songermsawad.

Perry is having to go through the qualifiers this year after recently dropping out of the world’s top 16.

He resumed this afternoon with a 6-3 overnight lead and quickly completed the job, winning the four frames he needed in just over an hour. He finished off with a break of 91 in the last frame.

Perry has missed out on the Crucible just twice since 2001 and the 42-year-old has enjoyed plenty of memorable matches there over the years.

In 2008 he came within two frames of making the final, eventually losing out to Ali Carter, and he had Ronnie O’Sullivan on the ropes three years ago before being pipped in an epic second-round duel.