Davis shows Dott the door

By Geet Sethi

SHEFFIELD, APRIL 19. At 42, with 73 professional titles to his name, Steve Davis is the oldest and by far the most accomplished cueist remaining in this year's Embassy World snooker championship.

On Thursday afternoon, the six-time former world champion, making his 22nd consecutive appearance at the Crucible Theatre, applied the finishing touches to his overnight 7-1 lead to defeat Graeme Dott 10-6. The victory will be instrumental in helping him retain his place in the elite group of top 16 players when the rankings are announced at the end of the tournament.

Davis, whose last major title came in 1997 when he came from 4-8 behind to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final of the Benson & Hedges Masters, is trying hard to overcome the tag of being one of the slowest players on the circuit. He played with increased speed on Wednesday and even incorporated an element of aggression into his game, but was still pulled off the table to allow the next match to commence on time.

The World No. 15, who lost 9-10 to Joe Perry in the first round last year, enjoyed a 7-1 overnight advantage against Dott ranked 25, achieved with a combination of attacking break building and slow, calculated safety tactics. He opened the match with two well-compiled efforts of 58 and 42 to win the frame 123- 0 in 18 minutes and then consumed all of two hours to win the next three despite a run of 93 in the third frame.

But his 23-year-old opponent from Scotland, who received a Vauxhall car for a 147 maximum at the British Open last year, arrived this morning intent on making amends to his indifferent display on Wednesday. Fluent runs of 78, 67, 63, 45 and 71 helped him reduce his arrears to 6-9, but Davis easily won the 16th frame with runs of 47 and 30 to book his place in the second round.

Raising his game towards the concluding stages of his first round match against Gary Wilkinson, the World No. 29, John Parrott, world champion in 1991, staged a remarkable recovery from 7-9 down to clinch a 10-9 victory last night.

Ever since 1984, when he first appeared as a 20-year- old at the Crucible Theatre, he has lost only once in the first round - 6-10 to Rod Lawler in 1996. The consistency with which he has performed here since then - reached the second round four times, eight quarterfinals, one semifinal, two finals and winner in 1991 - reflects his stature in the game, at a time when his contemporaries like Steve Davis and Jimmy White are struggling to retain their position in the top 16.

Last night, the World No. 5 seemed to be in grave danger of being eliminated in his opening round, his game strewn with errors and missed opportunities. To make matters worse he was up against a seasoned player, whose pedigree can be gauged by an 18-11 victory over Steve Davis in the 1991 World Matchplay. It must be remembered that nine years ago Davis was still at the top of his form.

Parrott failed to make any impact in the opening two frames accumulating only 12 points. A 5-4 score-line, however, at the end of the opening session may have provided him with the satisfaction of going into the mid-match interval hugely relieved with a one-frame advantage. He then led 6-4 and 7-5, thanks to some effective safety tactics mixed with his trademark hard hitting potting.

Surprisingly, he lost concentration and provided Wilkinson, who had survived a 698-minute match (the longest best of 19 frame match in snooker history) in his last qualifying encounter against Jason Ferguson at Newport earlier this year, the opportunity to pull back to 7-7. Wilkinson had exhibited his own stubbornness and refusal to get intimidated by Parrott and aided with a fluke on the brown ball in the 13th frame and a useful 85 in the 14th he drew level at 7-7.

The former world champion, then threw away a chance to capture the 15th frame to go 7-8 down. He went in-off and with all the colours on the spot, Wilkinson needed to clear till pink for frame. In a comedy of errors, first Wilkinson missed the yellow in the centre and then Parrott in a baulk pocket. Eventually Wilkinson negotiated the yellow and successfully cleared till pink. When his opponent then compiled a 47 to go 9-7 ahead requiring only one more frame with two to play, Parrott realised that he had to resort to aggression to prevent his elimination.

And he rose to the occasion with character, style and resolve. He reduced his deficit to 8-9 with a run of 42, levelled scores at 9-9 with a superb 59 and then raised his game further, a spirited 83 ensuring his place in the second round.

He later said, ``Gary must be sick at losing. The first session tonight produced the worst snooker I have played here. It was only towards the end that the true player in me came out.''

The results:

Steve Davis beat Graeme Dott 10-6 123(58), 69-38, 94(93)-6, 51- 48, 105-16, 61-37, 1-72, 98(89)-16, 0-78(78), 28-74(67), 17- 71(63), 63-48, 61-8, 41-70, 0-76(71), 93- 50.

John Parrott beat Gary Wilkinson 10-9 2-60(53), 10- 63, 61-14, 71-22, 80(50)-0, 14-66, 92(92)-0, 5-75, 77-15, 85(69)- 30, 49-59, 65-35, 54-61, 43-89(85), 55-72, 23-65, 71-26, 83(59)- 0, 84(83)- 190.

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