Snooker: Alan McManus back at the Crucible

Scotland's Alan McManus ended a seven-year wait for a Crucible return yesterday when the two-time World Championship semi-finalist earned his place in the main draw.

He beat Leicester's Tom Ford 10-5 in the final qualifying round, for his third win of the week and is in the draw, at lunchtime today.

McManus, 42, lost to Jimmy White and Stephen Hendry in the 1992 and 1993 semi-finals.

He said: "Masochistically, I would quite like to play Ronnie O'Sullivan, to get that centre-stage thing. People might be surprised to see me and say: 'Are you still playing?' But the answer will be, 'Yeah, it's what I do'."