Snooker Shoot Out 2023: Home favourite Mark Williams stunned by Hammad Miah, defending champion Chris Wakelin also out

Home favourite Mark Williams has been knocked out of the Snooker Shoot Out in front of a raucous home crowd at Swansea Arena on Friday evening.

The world No. 8 succumbed to a 30-9 defeat to world No. 89 Hammad Miah in a tense game where only 11 points were scored up until the three minutes and 30 seconds mark with Williams leading 8-3.

But when Williams overcut a pink and rattled the jaws of the middle pocket, Miah quickly took control and did not leave the 2022 Shoot Out finalist enough time to get back into the contest.

Defending champion Chris Wakelin has also been knocked after a thrilling opening match to Friday’s evening session, losing 46-44 to Joe O’Connor.

Wakelin came back to the table with one minute and 20 seconds left and was 34 behind.

He potted four reds and four blacks, but when he was two points behind with 10 seconds left, he missed the last red with the extension, sending it into the jaws which ensured O’Connor held on for a narrow win.

Anthony Hamilton, also known as the ‘The Sheriff of Pottingham’, admitted he had not heard of his opponent Jiang Jin before their contest, but he completed a whitewash 76-0 win over the Chinese player to progress to the last 32.

Tournament debutant Zehuang Long secured a 68-7 win over Noppon Saengkham. Noppon still got the final cheer from the crowd inside Swansea Arena, though, as he attempted to pot what proved to be his last shot with the wrong end of his cue with defeat already guaranteed.

Cao Yupeng beat Julien Leclerq 51-0 in the next game. Cao played an excellent safety shot by getting the cue ball behind the green. Leclerq smacked the cue ball so hard that it flew off the table.

Graeme Dott is safely into round three after a 72-5 win over Jackson Page.

Mark Davis beats Tian Pengfei 50-21, capitalising on a long effort to the yellow pocket which was missed.

The 2018 European Masters champion Jimmy Robertson came from 36-1 down to beat David Gilbert 40-36. Robertson got out of an average safety shot from Gilbert by potting a long red. He then potted a black with 25 seconds remaining before taking his time over his remaining shots to seal the win.

Ukraine’s Iulian Boiko put in a fine display to beat Robbie Williams 62-8.

“I feel incredible,” Boiko told Eurosport after his win. “I thought the atmosphere today was a bit more lively, I felt the crowd was engaged more in the match.

“I still managed to play to a great standard even in a one-frame shoot-out so I’m happy and looking forward to tomorrow.”

Shoot Out 2015 champion Michael White convincingly beat Peng Yisong 52-2. Barry Pinches looked to make a comeback from 64-4 down against Duane Jones, but he could not do it and the match finished 68-31.

Dylan Emery beat Alfie Davies 58-28 in an all-Welsh battle to progress to the third round. Zak Surety has made it into the last 32 after edging past International Championship winner Zhang Anda 49-42.

Xu Si beats Jamie Clarke 47-42 in a fine comeback. With a minute left on the clock and 19 down, Si came back to win the match in style.

In the penultimate match, Oliver Lines convincingly beat Robert Milkins 56-16 before Welshman Ryan Day beat Ashley Carty 48-20 in Friday’s finale.