Stevens triumphs in scrappy game to reach Bahrain final

Rejuvenated Welshman Matthew Stevens is through to his first ranking event final since the 2005 World Championship after seeing off seven-time Crucible champion Stephen Hendry in the semi-final of the Bahrain Snooker Championship today.

The 31-year-old ’Welsh Wizard’ claimed what Hendry described as a “very low-scoring, slow, boring, scrappy” match 6-4.

The Scot admitted he was embarrassed the match had gone on for over three-and-a-half hours.

But it did not worry Stevens as he pocketed breaks of 120 and 116 in the first and third frames.

“It was a scrappy match to be honest,” Stevens confirmed.

“Apart from two of the frames where I made centuries it wasn’t that pretty.

“But sometimes games go like that. I was pleased with my safety. I felt really good out there. It doesn’t matter how you win, I am through to the final.”

Stevens lost to Shaun Murphy over three years ago at the Crucible.

He puts his return to form down to practising more than ever having seen off Stuart Bingham, Ryan Day and Dominic Dale already in the Middle East.

“It’s been a tough couple of years. I have lost a lot of matches but I have worked hard this year. I started practising earlier than usual in June this time,” he continued.

“It is easy to practise but it is the matches that are hard to get results in. I have lost a couple of qualifiers but have got straight back on the practice table. Maybe last year I would have lost a couple of matches and had a couple of weeks off.”

Hendry said: “I just got off to a slow start and I didn’t get into my stride like I have done in my previous matches. I didn’t score anything like as quickly.

“I didn’t get into it at all. I didn’t hit the ball nice and it was a struggle all day to hang onto him.”

Stevens will play Australia’s world number 10 Neil Robertson in the final after the Cambridge-based Melbourne ace saw off Mark Allen by 6-4 in the second semi tonight.

Allen, the 22-year-old world number 16 from Antrim, raced into a 2-0 lead but Robertson hit back with four frames on the bounce to lead 4-2.

Allen got two back at 4-3 and 5-4 but just could not manage to secure what would have been a maiden final appearance.

“He made two great breaks and got off to great start,” said Robertson. “I was nervous but then made two breaks to level at 2-2.

“I kept playing pretty well from there. I had a 70 and an 80 to go 4-2 up and managed to hold. I fell over the line.”

Every time Robertson has made the semi-final of a ranking event he has gone on to win it. He has two wins under his belt.