Thailand Masters: Parrott into Thailand last 16

John Parrott became the first player into the last 16 of the Thailand Masters at Bangkok's Merchant Court Hotel.

The Liverpudlian doubled his meagre win total for the 2000/01 campaign with a flattering 5-2 victory over Joe Perry.

"That's a massive result for me," declared Parrott, who has slipped to 24th in the latest provisional standings after the worst season of his 18-year pro career.

"I had a good bit of run out there and that obviously helped a lot. I managed to nick three frames on the black and another on the pink. In a best-of-nine framer you can't really ask for much more."

Parrott crumbled on his last outing, losing a succession of nail-biting frames as Dave Harold clawed back from 5-1 down to edge through 6-5 in the second round of the Benson & Hedges Masters at Wembley last month.

"That really hurt so it was good to get rid of a few demons after what happened at Wembley," said the 1991 World and UK champion who, on this occasion, had no problem sealing victory.

Unusually, Parrott stole the first, second and fourth frames on the final black - twice by knocking in testing pots - to lead 3-1 at the mid-session interval.

Perry, who beat Parrott at the corresponding stage of the British Open in September, recovered to trail only 3-2 but played an ineffective safety shot on the blue in frame six.

By sinking blue and pink, Parrott moved 4-2 ahead and quickly added the seventh with a 67 break.

"I think everybody knows how much I detest being away from home but I don't mind being here all week if that's what it takes. You've got to be professional and get on with the job."

Parrott, at 36 the oldest competitor in next month's £1.5million Embassy World Championship, goes forward to face Nottingham's Michael Holt or, more likely, Mark Williams, who is attempting to capture a third straight Thailand Masters title.

"The one good thing about going down the rankings is that you start going into every match as the underdog. That's no bad thing as far as I'm concerned," said Parrott.