Snooker: Perry on a roll

Joe Perry was set to return to action in York today still coming to terms with his superb performance at the European Open in Malta.

Perry, whose run to the final in Valletta last week has hoisted him to 17th place on the updated rankings, starts from scratch in the £746,900 UK Championship at the Barbican Centre.

The Chatteris cueman was taking nothing for granted, though, as he looked forward to facing Scotsman Jamie Burnett.

‘‘I know I’ve got to start all over again,’’ he said.

‘‘In a way it’s probably good I haven’t had time to think about Malta. I hope I can put in a good performance here and then reflect on what I’ve achieved.

‘‘I’m looking forward to the tournament because I’m full of confidence. You always set yourselves goals at the start of the season and for me the next step up was to get in the top 16,’’ added the world number 27, beaten only by a back-to-form Stephen Hendry in Malta.

The winner of his match with world number 36 Burnett will face Benson and Hedges Masters champion Paul Hunter for a place in the last 16.

John Parrott is one of a small band of professionals to have won the World and UK titles in the same season.

But it is a decade since he lifted the UK trophy at Preston’s Guild Hall, and he now finds himself struggling to regain his place among the game’s top 16.

The world number 22 from Liverpool was tackling Bradley Jones from Croydon today in an attempt to join Steve Davis in the last 32.

Six-times champion Davis, 44, fought back from 6-4 down against Lancastrian Stuart Pettman yesterday to scrape through 7-6.

Australian Quinten Hann reached the quarter-finals 12 months ago despite having to play without shoes, the results of a parachute jumping accident.

Hann was expecting to be properly attired today for his match against Mancunian Nick Dyson, who also had a memorable tournament last year.

He knocked out Jimmy White and also made a 147 break before going out to Ireland's Fergal O’Brien.

Malta’s Tony Drago was a happier man at the end of yesterday than he had been 12 hours earlier.

A 7-5 first-round win over former world number five Gary Wilkinson lifted his spirits after he had been fined £3,500 and ordered to pay £500 costs for breaching four of the World Snooker Association’s rules of discipline at last season’s British Open.

‘‘I was in the wrong and I did swear but I think the fine was too harsh,’’ he said.

‘‘I wouldn’t mind if I was still in the top eight or top 16 but I’m not earning the same type of money.’’