Snooker: Hendry attacks conditions

STEPHEN HENDRY was highly critical of the playing conditions after reaching the quarter-finals with a scrappy 5-2 victory over David Roe in the Wickes Home Improvement British Open at Derby last night.

Hendry won five frames in a row to complete an unconvincing victory over Roe. However, after setting up a quarter-final date with Peter Ebdon or Mark Bennett, Hendry justified both players' poor performance with criticism of the state of the table.

'It was diabolical,' he said. 'The cushions were too bouncy, the balls were running off and we were getting kicks every other shot. At one point, I actually aimed to miss one ball in order to hit it.' Hendry issued an official complaint to tournament officials.

Roe made the best possible start, compiling successive runs of 39 for a 2-0 lead but, just when it seemed an upset was on the cards, Hendry hit back. He took frame three 91-31 after Roe was twice called for a miss by referee Paul Fisher. And then, fluking a blue, he drew level at 2-2 before the mid-session break.

'That fluke was crucial because it would have been hard to come back from 3-1 down,' said the Scot, who took the next three frames for victory in just over an hour.

Ken Doherty overcame the loss of two frames to century breaks from Willie Thorne before securing a quarter-final meeting with Steve Davis with a 5-3 victory.

The Irishman led 3-0 before Thorne scored a 105 and then a 103, but Doherty held on and a break of 81 in the last frame carried him over the finishing line.

WICKES HOMES IMPROVEMENTS BRITISH OPEN (Derby) Fifth round: K Doherty (Irl) bt W Thorne (Eng) 5-3; S Hendry (Sco) bt D Roe (Eng) 5-2.