Perry reaches Crucible quarter-final

Joe Perry has secured a quarter-final place in the 888.com World Championship with victory over Stuart Bingham in Sheffield.

Perry took a 9-7 lead into tonight's final session but twice saw his lead cut to a single frame by a determined Bingham, who knocked six-time champion Steve Davis out in the first round.

However, Perry won three frames in a row, aided by breaks of 69 and 55, to seal a 13-9 victory and a last-eight meeting with Scotland's Stephen Maguire, who defeated Neil Robertson 13-7 earlier in the day.

On the other table, China's Liang Wenbo was on the verge of reaching the quarter-finals on his Crucible debut, the 21-year-old leading Joe Swail 12-10.

Liang, who knocked out 1997 winner Ken Doherty in the first round, won three of the first four frames this evening to lead 12-8, but Swail knocked in back-to-back centuries to keep his hopes alive.

Liang looked to have the match won in the followiing frame when he led 59-44 with just pink and black remaining, punching the air after potting what he thought was the decisive blue.

But after missing a tough pink into the middle pocket Swail laid a good snooker and Liang missed to allow the Irishman clear up to reduce the deficit to 12-11.

© 2008 The Irish Times