TNT Sports
Ding denied
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Published 15/03/2006 at 16:01 GMT
China's Ding Junhui saw his dream of reaching the World Championship finals ended when he lost 10-6 to Barry Hawkins on Tuesday. The UK Championship winner rallied back from 6-3 down, but then surrendered the last four frames to crash out in the final qua
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Hawkins - up to eighth in the provisional rankings after a semi-final spot in the Welsh Open a fortnight ago - wrapped up the match with a 106 clearance.
"I knew it would be a tough game and there had been a lot of build-up to the match but I just tried to play the same way I have been all season," said the 26-year-old.
"I made some good clearances and I was really pleased with how I finished it off in the last frame.
"I've never played at the Crucible and never even been to watch. I've now qualified and secured my top 16 place as well so it doesn't get much better than that."
PARROTT PIPS SPICK
1991 winner John Parrott clinched his spot in the finals with a nailbiting 10-9 victory over Lee Spick.
The Liverpudlian had been present in every World Championship from 1983 to 2004, but was denied last year in qualifying by Fergal O'Brien.
And the 41-year-old put himself of danger of missing out again when Spick fought back from 8-5 down to move within one frame of victory.
But Parrott secured the last two frames, and voiced his delight after the match.
"I just wanted to qualify so that my wife and kids could sit in the front row and watch me walk through those curtains again in Sheffield."
MILKINS MAXIMUM
Robert Milkins made the first ever maximum 147 break in the history of the qualifying stage of the World Championship, but still crashed out 10-4 to Mark Selby.
In other final qualifying matches, former Embassy runner-up Nigel Bond made it through to the finals when opponent Mike Dunn withdrew with a back injury, while Ali Carter downed Michael Judge 10-5.
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