Steve Davis earns tilt at 30th World Championship

SNOOKER: Steve Davis yesterday secured a record 30th appearance at the Crucible with victory in the final round of qualifying for the betfred.com World Championship.

By The Newsroom

Published 7th Mar 2010, 23:16 BST

Updated 8th Mar 2010, 00:04 BST

Davis, 52, who beat Adrian Gunnell 10-4 at Sheffield's English Institute of Sport to earn a place in Thursday's first-round draw, said: "I'm delighted. I felt like a player today. I was really fired up and played half decent."

The six-time world champion, who lost in the first round to eventual semi-finalist Neil Robertson last year, said: "Every appearance is special. No-one can guarantee you'll ever be there again."

Fellow veterans John Parrott and Jimmy White failed to qualify this year while Ireland's Fergal O'Brien beat Scot Alan McManus to secure a berth.