Ebdon progresses

Former world champion Peter Ebdon safely secured his passage through to the last 16 of the Embassy World Championship in Sheffield tonight with a comprehensive 10-2 victory over Quinten Hann – who was not playing with his own cue.

World number eight Ebdon led Aussie bad-boy Hann 8-1 after the morning session of the pair’s best-of-19 clash at the Crucible, with the man from Down Under clearly hampered having to use a borrowed cue from London-based Challenge Tour player Jamie Rous.

Hann discovered he had lost the butt of his cue whilst getting some last-minute practice in last night at a local club in Sheffield.

Having flown home to Melbourne from the China Open in Beijing, Hann flew to London via Shanghai ahead of the World Championships, but his cue was lost in transit – or even stolen according to Hann.

Hann only realised the butt of his cue was missing when he opened his case, but luckily friend Rous drove back to London and got him his cue to use as a replacement.

But although Hann hit back to reduce his arrears by pinching a scrappy tenth frame with a composed 27 clearance, the result of the match was never in question.

Ebdon, who beat seven-times world champion Stephen Hendry 18-17 in the Embassy World Championship final three years ago, won the last frame and the match with a 14 break, having early made an important 46 run.

“Quinten tried his best, but although I’ve prepared well for the World Championships it was very strange knowing he was not playing with his own cue,” revealed Ebdon, who meets either Wiltshire’s Stephen Lee or Maltese potter Tony Drago in the next round, starting Sunday at 2pm.

“I was on the back foot really. You have to prepare yourself for anything with Quinten, but all credit to him, he tried his best.

“If I’d have been in that situation then I would have been frustrated.

“You’ve got to feel sorry for him, it can’t be easy not playing with your own cue, especially knowing that you are not going to win.

“It’s true professionalism that he finished the match. He didn’t smash the balls up, he played the best he could.”

Hann said: “I think I played well considering it was someone else’s cue.

“I’ve had a nightmare week and it was only last night, when I went to a local club for a bit of practice and a few beers that I realised that someone had nicked the butt.

“When I realised the butt had gone I had a few more beers. I played with a hangover but I thought I owed it to Peter to finish the match.

“I didn’t think about pulling out, but the least I could was play for Peter. I didn’t miss any balls because of the cue.”