Doherty crashes out

PROVISIONAL world number one Ken Doherty became the highest-ranked player to bow out of the Maplin UK Championship when he lost 9-6 to Joe Perry in York last night.

The Irishman, who before this tournament had been on course to move up from his current number two position, won only one of the last seven frames against a man who is a specialist in this event.

Perry has reached the semi-finals for the last two years and is now into the last eight, in which he will meet John Higgins.