World champion Phil Harrison overcame a testing opening hurdle to reach the last 16 of the £25,000 Foster's World 8-Ball Pool Championships in Blackpool.

The Cambridgeshire window cleaner defeated Ireland's Shane O'Hara 8-5.

Top seed Harrison will now face Jack Whelan for a televised quarter-final place.

Whelan defeated qualifier Vinny Allen 8-4.

There was also a major scare for three time winner Gareth Potts.

The number two seed edged home 8-7 against former World Under 21 champion, Pat McCarron.

Former champion Mick Hill also reached the last 16 after an 8-4 win over Hitan Patel.

Jason Twist, one of a select group to have won two world crowns, enjoyed an even more emphatic victory.

The Devon veteran thrashed Malta's Clayton Attard 8-1.

Adam Davis is one of the season's form players, winning two of the three IPA Strachan Tout events.

The Stoke on Trent potter proved too strong for Ireland's Pat O'Leary 8-2.

Davis next meets dangerous qualifier James Croxton while Potts is likely to be in for another battle against Welsh favourite, Craig Marsh.

 

Trevor Baxter
Press Officer