Day four at the 2013 World Snooker Championship and we may have had three of the games big guns starting their campaigns,but all that was overshadowed by the performance of one man.Stand up Thailands Dechawat Poomjaeng.
In the first session of his match with Stephen Maguire,Poomjaeng waved his arms, gestured to the crowd and smiled his way into the hearts of the Crucible crowd as he established a 5-3 overnight lead against the Welsh Open champion.
It was really lovely to see someone getting so much enjoyment out of their Crucible debut,but the opinion of most was that Maguire would come back today and stamp his authority on the game.That looked to be exactly what was happening as he took the opening three frames this afternoon with runs of 70,91 and 93.Poomjaeng wasn't for rolling over though and he quickly hit back with a 74 of his own to level at 6-6,before also taking the next to lead again 7-6.
This one was quickly becoming a classic and after Maguire leveled at 7-7 and then again at 8-8 it was the Thai who edged ahead again with a run of 54 to make it 9-8,This put him one away from a famous win.but he was to be made wait to claim it as they were called ashore early to leave time for the start of the night session
Returning on the first available table Pooomjaeng looked set for victory but it was Maguire who snatched a nervy tense 18th frame and we were in to a decider.They say all you want at this stage is a chance and that chance fell to the Thai who held himself together to move to the brink of victory with a break of 63.It was do or die time for Maguire now and when he missed a difficult red to the centre pocket,Poomjaneg sealed the win.
Just how much this win meant to the 34 year was obvious in his celebration and we should not forget he had to get through four rounds of qualifying just to get here. Maguire though will be bitterly disappointed with how he played and at times during this match his frustration almost boiled over.This can never be helpful and maybe he could take a leaf out of his opponents book and try enjoy what he is doing a bit more.
The night belonged to Poomjaeng though and the Crucible crowd certainly have a new hero.He will no doubt have plenty of support against fellow debutant Michael White when they meet later in the week to fight it out for a place in the quarter finals round.
In the other match that finished today Ali Carter set up a second round clash with Ronnie O'Sullivan in what will be a repeat of last years final..Starting this evening with a slender 5-4 lead over Ben Woollaston he signalled his intention early with a run of 106 to go 6-4 up. Woollaston had his chances in the next few but when he failed to convert any of them the writing was on the wall and the German Masters champion ran out a comfortable 10-4 winner.
In other matches that started today.Ding Junhui looked in fine form against the veteran Scot Alan McManus and it is surely only a matter of finishing this one off when he resumes tomorrow leading 7-2.
Judd Trump looked a little more like his old self as he opened up a 6-3 lead over Dominic Dale with the highlight being new high break of the championship a 142.World number 1 Mark Selby also made a strong start against Crucible debutant Matt Selt,who at least found his feet a bit towards the end of the session to still have a slim chance tomorrow.Selby still leading 6-3.Also looking good is Marco Fu who leads Matthew Stevens 6-3
The day though belonged to Dechawat Poomjaeng who proved for once and for all that we do most definitely still have characters in the game.
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