Jon Birch is through to the last 32 of the £600,000 LG Cup after beating former world number five Nigel Bond for the second time in a fortnight at Preston this evening. Birch, a 33-year-old from Middlesbrough, caused history to repeat itself as he recovered from a 3-0 deficit to score a 5-3 victory, exactly the score when the pair met at the corresponding stage of the Stan James British Open two weeks ago.
Breaks of 40, 83 and 50 saw Bond make a flying start but Birch hit back with runs of 45 and 64, stole both the sixth and seventh frames on the black and completed his fightback by adding the eighth thanks to an early contribution of 44. Next on the agenda for Birch is a televised Monday afternoon meeting with Embassy world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, naturally among the favourites for the £82,500 first prize.
Finland's leading player Robin Hull joined Birch in round two as he continued his excellent start to the new campaign with a 5-1 victory over Scot Chris Small, who was handicapped by an injured left shoulder. Hull, who surprisingly beat Malta's Tony Drago in the first round of the British Open, goes forward to face Mark King.
Filed by Shane Murray
