Wattana thrashed

James Wattana, twice a semi-finalist in the Embassy World Championship, suffered an astonishing 10-0 defeat to Ali Carter in Prestatyn tonight to be denied a return to the Crucible.

Wattana, who appeared in the last four in 1993 and 1997, became only the eighth player to be whitewashed in the final qualifying round of snooker’s top event – and the first for 12 years.