Perry hits back to set up O’Sullivan showdown

World number 15 Joe Perry overturned a 6-3 overnight deficit to beat Jamie Burnett 10-7 to set up a clash with Ronnie O’Sullivan in the second round of the Dafabet World Championship in Sheffield.

Burnett beat Cao Yupeng and Ben Woollaston to qualify for the Crucible and looked set to take a notable scalp after a superb first session book-ended by breaks of 84 and 94.

Perry needed a flying start yesterday and he got that, with breaks of 87 in the first frame and 55 and 70 in the second. He took the two remaining frames before the interval to take the lead in the match and the first two after it to move within one frame of victory.

Burnett kept the match alive with a break of 111, but it was the only frame he won all day as Perry made 81 to take the next and clinch the match.

On the other table, Mark Selby burst into an early lead, but was pegged back by Michael White, who cut the world number three’s advantage to 5-4.

Four-time world champion John Higgins made a dismal start to his all-Scottish clash with his good friend Alan McManus. The 43-year-old qualifier McManus made the better start to their contest, building a 6-1 lead before Higgins won the last two frames of the afternoon to give himself hope in a match that concludes in this morning session.

Ireland’s Ken Doherty awaits the winner.