Snooker: Hawkins downs Davis

Defending champion Barry Hawkins edged into the second round of the World Snooker Shootout with a 45-42 victory over Steve Davis.

The match opened the show at the Circus Arena in Blackpool and it was a dramatic start to the night, with Hawkins fouling early only for Davis to forget the new 'ball in hand' rule.

The veteran duly fouled, handing the initiative back, although it was Davis who led for much of the 10 minutes despite fluffing a straight yellow cueing left handed.

But a brief safety duel saw Hawkins handed a chance to get the few points he needed to keep alive his hopes of successive titles.

Mark Williams thrashed Mike Dunn 73-0 thanks mainly to a break of 46 while Anthony Hamilton surprised Stuart Bingham 84-8 with some fluent potting in breaks of 54 and 24.

Mark Allen knocked in a break of 33 against Tom Ford who had his chances, a missed red to the centre finally putting paid to his hopes as the Northern Irishman won 63-11 with more than two minutes to spare.

There was disappointment for the vocal crowd when Jimmy White was crushed 69-36 by Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, the Chinese prodigy rattling in a break of 41 to leave the veteran requiring snookers.

Welshman Michael White overcame a nervy start to beat Joe Perry 64-17 after a break of 59, while last year's semi-finalist Marcus Campbell saw off Matthew Stevens 63-1.

Matthew Selt rattled in breaks of 28 and 25 to overcome Graeme Dott 58-17, while promising youngster Jack Lisowski defeated Adam Duffy 61-35 thanks largely to an early run of 38.

Ricky Walden and David Gilbert were inseparable at 43-43, thus forcing a blue-ball shootout for the first time in the event, and after Gilbert missed his first effort Walden calmly slotted to the left-corner pocket.

Dominic Dale defeated Peter Ebdon 31-6 in a scrappy affair in which Ebdon potted his first ball inside the final five minutes following a lengthy safety duel.

There were also wins for Jamie Jones over Mark King, 67-9, Robert Milkins against Ali Carter, 43-30 and Michael Holt who was a 49-10 victor in his match with Jamie Burnett.

Leicester's Ben Woollaston defeated Paul Davison 50-14 in an edgy affair, while in the final match of the night Alan McManus coolly brushed aside Fergal O'Brien 61-13.

The remaining first round ties will take place on Saturday afternoon before the evening session that will be contested by the last 16.