Davis sits on top of the league after another victory - 27/09/2007

Plymouth Pavilions
Steve Davis 4-2 Jimmy White
Davis's scores first
72-28, 31-56, 65-33 (Davis 55), 15-67 (White 44), 49-14, 97-0 (Davis 90)

STEVE DAVIS had the measure of his old adversary Jimmy White as he regained top spot in the 2007 PartyBets.com Premier League Snooker after a 4-2 win at the Plymouth Pavilions.

The 68th professional meeting between the pair saw Davis’s superior safety play force White in to a number of mistakes, but neither player was able to get fully in stroke, with just two breaks of over 50 in the whole match – both to the victor.

The veteran duo crawled their way through a 28 minute opening frame, which Davis won, thanks mainly to a break of 19 which left White, who with 23 had the frame’s highest break, needing two snookers when there were only the top four colours remaining.

White levelled as he responded to Davis’s second frame opening break of 23 with a hard-earned run of 28 which started with a fluked red and then sealed what was another tactical frame with a break of 19.

Davis sought to regain his advantage with a fluent break of 55 in frame three, and although White worked his way back into contention, he left the arena for a break annoyed with himself after a careless miss on the black when he was down to the colours.

White again hauled himself level in frame four with a break of 44, his best of the match, which left him 53 points clear of his rival, who conceded after missing a long black in to the top left corner.

A simple brown was missed by Davis early in frame five to give White a chance, but he couldn’t capitalise and Davis established a 41 point lead with a break of 29, which ended when he overcut a pink.

But his worries were short-lived as White conceded the frame when he missed the penultimate red and left it hanging over the right centre pocket.

And Davis confirmed his victory with a fluent final frame break of 90, falling just short of the century bonus by jawing the final red.

"It was a scrappy game, we struggled with the pace of the table, Davis said. "I'm pleased to get over the line and make a 90 break. I wasn't displeased with how I played but there were a few dodgy shots.

"I didn't get on the last red to get the century but I was pleased with the 90. I enjoy the format, I play on my instincts and I play with more fluency when I play faster."