Golden balls!

Michael Wild - emphatic defeat of former world champion Steve Davis

MARVELLOUS Michael Wild stormed to a brilliant 5-0 victory over six-time world champion Steve Davis in the Australian Goldfields Open qualifier — and was today up against another giant of the sport.

Ken Doherty — himself a world title winner in 1997 — is the man who stood in the way of Moorside star Wild (31) and a place in next month’s Australian Open finals.

Wild gave Davis a taste of his own medicine at Sheffield’s World Snooker Academy with some superb safety play.

And he was in dreamland when, at 3-0 up, he produced a break of 102 to seal the fourth frame.

It came after a fine 62 in the opening frame, and a handy 20 and 37 in the next.

“I am absolutely over the moon to have beaten someone like Steve Davis, especially to stop him from even winning a frame,” said Wild.

“I played a solid match all the way through and crucially, my safety was good. The nerves never kicked in. Steve was great afterwards, He congratulated me on the win - and told me he hopes I win against Ken.”

He went into today’s equally difficult game against Doherty knowing victory would give him a place in the finals at Victoria’s Bendigo Stadium from July 9-15.




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