• Davis spans the Decades

    Steve Davis will be making his 30th Crucible appearance, spanning five decades since 1979, after beating Adrian Gunnell in the final Qualifying round

    A large crowd packed into the Badminton Hall of the EIS, Sheffield today to watch a legend in action.

    And Steve Davis produced a legendary performance in beatng Telford's Adrian Gunnell 10-4.

    Solid breaks of 43, 65 and 39 opened a 3-1 lead for Davis, to which he added 88, 37, and 38 to lead 6-1.

    Suddenly galvanised into action, Gunnell ran in 104 and 113 to close to 6-3. On 104 he missed the red with the rest, when he had a possible 147 chance.

    Davis wasn't taking any prisoners in the second session. He stroked in 60 and 64 to go 8-3 ahead. Gunnel made 66 but it was a token gesture. A further 96 from Davis and he was through.

    "Yippee!" said Davis.

    "I'm delighted to get through. I felt like a snooker player today and I got myself 'up' for this match.

    "Sometimes motivation is tough but I was really fired up today and I played half decent.

    "This round is the nerve-wracking round. Every player is desperate to get through.

    "Every appearance at the Crucible is really special. There's no guarantee I'll ever get there again. It's so exciting. The build up is exciting. I'm already excited!"

    Davis laid down the gauntlet to Stephen Hendry to equal one record the Scot hasn't already taken from him.

    "In the 80s I felt unbeatable at times. But then along came a young man from Scotland and he soon rammed that down my throat!"

    "I'm chuffed that I can compete at any level still. Of course Fred Davis appeared at the Crucible when he was 64, but it was a different era. So to still be at the Crucible over the age of 50 is special for me.

    "Longevity is now my objective. I want to see Stephen Hendry beat this record. To still be playing at the Crucible when he's 53. He's got a few years to go yet.

    Fergal O'Brien was equally delighted with a first ever win over Alan McManus.

    Breaks of 40, 56, 65 and 101 had helped McManus to a 4-2 lead but suddenly it all turned round.

    O'Brien won the next 8 frames to secure a 10-4 win.

    "To come out at 4-2 down and win 8 frames in a row. It's great" said O'Brien.

    "It's not only getting to the Crucible, it's the ranking points and positions too.

    "If you lose this round, it's just such a hard blow, you can go from being in the Top 32 to outside the 48.

    "It's beautiful to win. By a mile it's the most important match of the season for me. If you lose, you just about get over it and then it comes on the tv to haunt you.

    "That's the first time I've ever beaten Alan. I had to lie to a friend of mine who asked how many times I'd lost to him. I said five, but in truth it was seven times."

    "It's so much more than just winning match. Your whole perspective changes. If you lose you start thinking of packing in the game, if you win you think 'Hey I could go on and win the event.'

    "As a kid, it's all you dream of, to play in the World Championship, and you're just one step away from getting to the Crucible. It's a horrible match, a horrible feeling, but you know that your opponent feels just as bad."