Rod The Plod Downs Dale
Rod Lawler produced another thoroughly professional performance to eliminate, former Grand Prix champ, Dominic Dale from this year’s China Open in Prestatyn.
Liverpool’s Lawler has become one of the most popular professional players on tour over a career that spans three decades. In that time though, has never threatened to earn the nickname ‘Lightning’!
He goes about his business at his own pace, which today was at around 30 minutes per frame. Dominic won his three frames in half that time, including a break of 111 in the third. However, the Welshman began to show signs of frustration as Lawler took control after the interval.
World number 61, Lawler will now face his practise partner, Ricky Walden for a place in the Beijing line up in March.
If he continues like that, perhaps there will be future events played at the Rod Lawler Arena!
Elsewhere today, arguably the most improved player on tour this season, Robert Milkins, has moved up 18 places in the rankings to number 37, but on the current season alone, he is up to number 21.
The Gloucester potter won his second match in as many days, losing just one frame out of eleven. Scotland’s Marcus Campbell had no answer as Milkins cruised to within one match of a return trip to China by five-frames-to-nil.
Tom Ford continued his amazing run of eight straight matches in a row at the Qualifying venue in North Wales with a convincing win over Jimmy Michie.
Andrew Higginson is another player with an impressive record in qualifying. He ended the hopes of Joe Jogia with five-nil whitewash, restricting his opponent to just two points in the first three frames. From there it didn’t get much better for Jogia as Higginson booked his place in the next round against China’s Liang Wenbo.
1997 world champion, Ken Doherty continued his ascent back up the world rankings as he dispatched of David Gilbert in little over an hour.
