If Basildon snooker star Stuart Bingham is to live up to his bold pre-tournament prediction that he can win the Benson and Hedges Championship, he will today have to overcome probably the most experienced player left in the event.
Having pulled off two good wins, Bingham was today taking on Tony Drago of Malta for a place in the last 16.
Having already beaten Michael Wild in his first match, Bingham yesterday had a 5-2 win over fellow Englishman David Roe in his fourth-round match at the Towers Club in Mansfield.
Drago got through to meet Bingham by overcoming another leading player from the main pro tour, Shaun Murphy, 5-3. It was Murphy who ended Bingham's hopes of success by beating him in the final of the 2000 tournament.
While Bingham continued his march of triumph, the hopes of his Executive Snooker Club, Leigh, colleague Lee Farebrother ended when he lost 5-2 to fellow Englishman Andrew Higginson in round three.
Published Monday October 28, 2002
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