UK Championship Qualifiers 2009: Order of Play and Preview

It has felt like a long wait since Neil Robertson won the last ranking event back in October but tomorrow (Monday), sees the start of the UK Championship qualifiers as 79 of the 96 main tour players will be in action over the next eight days.

Continue reading this article for my preview and the Order of Play for the qualifiers…

The second-biggest event on the calendar, the UK Championship is always one of my favourite events because I do much prefer the longer frame, best of 17 matches that we see as opposed to the normal best of nines that we see in most of the other ranking events.

Last year I was lucky enough to be able to go along to watch most of the UK qualifiers in Sheffield, notably the match between Joe Swail and Liang Wenbo, but this year they are back in Prestatyn and so out of range for me. To compound the problem of course is the news that 110sport.tv do not look to be in a position to provide coverage of the event over the internet, as they have done so far this season. You can read their most recent statement here.

Still, despite this problem and the fact that Jimmy White will not be in action, instead choosing to participate in the latest series of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, there are a number of eye-catching matches in prospect this week.

Of the first round ties I am most looking forward to seeing the all-Neath battle between Michael White and Daniel Wells, two of the most promising young players on the tour at the moment. In addition it will be interesting to see how the tie between Matthew Selt (qualifier for both Shanghai and Glasgow already this season), and David Gray unfolds, while the winner of the Ben Woollaston/Ian Preece match will receive a bye through to the last 64 so there is even more to play for there. Finally Li Hang’s match with Tony Drago could be a close contest, both having reached the third round of the Grand Prix.

Looking further ahead, Stuart Pettman will be hoping to reach the venue stage of an event for the first time since his run to the China Open semi-finals earlier in the year though it will not be easy against the likes of Tom Ford and Barry Hawkins. Ken Doherty also has a tough run if he looks to maintain his 100% record at Prestatyn this season as he will come up against Jamie Cope should he win his opening round match.

One man in real need of a win is Judd Trump and with the likes of David Gilbert and Mark Davis in his section, will have to play at his very best if he is to win his first ranking event of the season and arrest his slide down the provisional rankings. He has played very well in the Premier League recently but perhaps having played on the big stage regularly this season he is finding it more difficult back in the cubicles of Pontin’s.

As ever I shall be keeping you up to speed with results, as well as updating the latest provisional rankings as the matches come to a conclusion. If you cannot wait however, you can of course follow the results live over at Global Snooker.

The full order of play is as follows:

Monday 23th November 2009

*denotes final session

10am

Match 1 – Chris Norbury v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh

Match 2 – Lee Spick v Jordan Brown

Match 3 – Lee Page v James Wattana

Match 4 – Matthew Selt v David Gray

Match 5 – Xiao Guodong v Zhang Anda

Match 6 – Craig Steadman v Andrew Norman

Match 7 – Ben Woollaston v Ian Preece

Match 8 – Patrick Wallace v Mark Boyle

4pm

Match 1* – Chris Norbury v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh

Match 2* – Lee Spick v Jordan Brown

Match 3*– Lee Page v James Wattana

Match 4* – Matthew Selt v David Gray

Match 5* – Xiao Guodong v Zhang Anda

Match 6* – Craig Steadman v Andrew Norman

Match 7* – Ben Woollaston v Ian Preece

Match 8* – Patrick Wallace v Mark Boyle

Tuesday 24th November 2009

10am

Match 9 – Atthasit Mahitthi v Mei Xi Wen

Match 10 – Li Hang v Tony Drago

Match 11 – Bjorn Haneveer v Sam Baird

Match 12 – Matthew Couch v Brendan O’Donoghue

Match 13 – Daniel Wells v Michael White

Match 14 – Stephen Rowlings v Jimmy Robertson

Match 15 – Noppadol Sangnil v David Hogan

Match 16 – Simon Bedford v Joe Jogia

4pm

Match 9* – Atthasit Mahitthi v Mei Xi Wen

Match 10* – Li Hang v Tony Drago

Match 11* – Bjorn Haneveer v Sam Baird

Match 12* – Matthew Couch v Brendan O’Donoghue

Match 13* – Daniel Wells v Michael White

Match 14* – Stephen Rowlings v Jimmy Robertson

Match 15* – Noppadol Sangnil v David Hogan

Match 16* – Simon Bedford v Joe Jogia

Wednesday 25th November 2009

10am

Match 17 – Rod Lawler v Winner of match 1

Match 18 –Andy Hicks v Winner of match 2

Match 19 –Robert Milkins v Winner of match 3

Match 20 – David Roe v Winner of match 4

Match 21 –Peter Lines v Winner of match 5

Match 22 –Barry Pinches v Winner of match 6

Match 23 –Jimmy White (withdrawn) v Winner of match 7

Match 24 –John Parrott v Winner of match 8

4pm

Match 17* – Rod Lawler v Winner of match 1

Match 18* –Andy Hicks v Winner of match 2

Match 19* – Robert Milkins v Winner of match 3

Match 20* – David Roe v Winner of match 4

Match 21* – Peter Lines v Winner of match 5

Match 22* – Barry Pinches v Winner of match 6

Match 23* – Jimmy White (withdrawn) v Winner of match 7

Match 24* –John Parrott v Winner of match 8

Thursday 26th November 2009

10am

Match 25 – Liu Song v Winner of match 9

Match 26 – David Gilbert v Winner of match 10

Match 27 – Joe Delaney v Winner of match 11

Match 28 – Mark Joyce v Winner of match 12

Match 29 – Jin Long v Winner of match 13

Match 30 – Paul Davies v Winner of match 14

Match 31 – Tom Ford v Winner of match 15

Match 32 – David Morris v Winner of match 16

4pm

Match 25* – Liu Song v Winner of match 9

Match 26* – David Gilbert v Winner of match 10

Match 27* – Joe Delaney v Winner of match 11

Match 28* – Mark Joyce v Winner of match 12

Match 29* – Jin Long v Winner of match 13

Match 30* – Paul Davies v Winner of match 14

Match 31* –Tom Ford v Winner of match 15

Match 32* – David Morris v Winner of match 16

Friday 27th November 2009

10am

Match 33 – Alan McManus v Winner of match 17

Match 34 – Mike Dunn v Winner of match 18

Match 35 – Martin Gould v Winner of match 19

Match 36 – Rory McLeod v Winner of match 20

Match 37 – Ian McCulloch v Winner of match 21

Match 38 – Marcus Campbell v Winner of match 22

Match 39 –Jimmy Michie v Winner of match 23

Match 40 – Dominic Dale v Winner of match 24

4pm

Match 33* – Alan McManus v Winner of match 17

Match 34* – Mike Dunn v Winner of match 18

Match 35* – Martin Gould v Winner of match 19

Match 36* – Rory McLeod v Winner of match 20

Match 37* – Ian McCulloch v Winner of match 21

Match 38* – Marcus Campbell v Winner of match 22

Match 39* –Jimmy Michie v Winner of match 23

Match 40* –Dominic Dale v Winner of match 24

Saturday 28th November 2009

10am

Match 41 – Adrian Gunnell v Winner of match 25

Match 42 – Mark Davis v Winner of match 26

Match 43 – Michael Judge v Winner of match 27

Match 44 – Ken Doherty Winner of match 28

Match 45 – Jamie Burnett v Winner of match 29

Match 46 – Anthony Hamilton v Winner of match 30

Match 47 – Stuart Pettman v Winner of match 31

Match 48 – Andrew Higginson v Winner of match 32

4pm

Match 41* – Adrian Gunnell v Winner of match 25

Match 42* – Mark Davis v Winner of match 26

Match 43* – Michael Judge v Winner of match 27

Match 44* – Ken Doherty Winner of match 28

Match 45* – Jamie Burnett v Winner of match 29

Match 46* – Anthony Hamilton v Winner of match 30

Match 47* – Stuart Pettman v Winner of match 31

Match 48* – Andrew Higginson v Winner of match 32

Sunday 29th November 2009

10am

Match 49 – Gerard Greene v Winner of match 33

Match 50 – Joe Swail v Winner of match 34

Match 51 – Stephen Lee v Winner of match 35

Match 52 – Fergal O’Brien v Winner of match 36

Match 53 – Nigel Bond v Winner of match 37

Match 54 –Graeme Dott v Winner of match 38

Match 55 – Stuart Bingham v Winner of match 39

Match 56 – Michael Holt v Winner of match 40

4pm

Match 49* – Gerard Greene v Winner of match 33

Match 50* – Joe Swail v Winner of match 34

Match 51* – Stephen Lee v Winner of match 35

Match 52* – Fergal O’Brien v Winner of match 36

Match 53* – Nigel Bond v Winner of match 37

Match 54* – Graeme Dott v Winner of match 38

Match 55* – Stuart Bingham v Winner of match 39

Match 56* – Michael Holt v Winner of match 40

Monday 30th November 2009

10am

Match 57 – Matthew Stevens v Winner of match 41

Match 58 – Judd Trump v Winner of match 42

Match 59 – Steve Davis v Winner of match 43

Match 60 – Jamie Cope v Winner of match 44

Match 61 – Liang Wenbo v Winner of match 45

Match 62 – Dave Harold v Winner of match 46

Match 63 – Barry Hawkins v Winner of match 47

Match 64 – Ricky Walden v Winner of match 48

4pm

Match 57* – Matthew Stevens v Winner of match 41

Match 58* – Judd Trump v Winner of match 42

Match 59* – Steve Davis v Winner of match 43

Match 60* – Jamie Cope v Winner of match 44

Match 61* – Liang Wenbo v Winner of match 45

Match 62* – Dave Harold v Winner of match 46

Match 63* – Barry Hawkins v Winner of match 47

Match 64* – Ricky Walden v Winner of match 48