Higgins digs deep to claim second draw of the season - 18/09/2008

WORLD number five John Higgins dug deep to scrap out a 3-3 draw against Ding Junhui at the PartyPoker.com Premier League Snooker at The Anvil in Basingstoke.

John Higgins

Higgins, who had shared the spoils with Ronnie O’Sullivan last week in Grimsby, looked in desperate trouble at 3-0 down, as he struggled to find any fluency.

Ding, 21, from Shanghai, stole the first two frames and then fired home a 76 clearance to go 3-0 up leaving Higgins in some disarray.

A break of 57 helped the 33-year-old Scot to his first frame of the match and a run of 50 in the next gave him a chance to salvage a point. Higgins saved his best for last as a break of 78 sealed the draw and lifted what was a lackluster encounter.

For Ding it was his first point following a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Mark Selby last week.

"I was 3-0 down but I had some good chances in those first three frames but couldn’t get anything going," said Higgins.

"It was good to get a draw from 3-0 behind but I’d have loved to have won the match. But having played Ronnie and Ding in my first two matches, I’m delighted with two points.

"It was disappointing not to make the century in the last but I’ll take the point. I’m going to Tel Aviv tomorrow for some exhibitions for five days and then onto Shanghai."

John Higgins 3-3 Ding Junhui
Higgins' scores first
43-64 (Higgins 30) 47-68 (Higgins 47, Ding 39), 46–82 (Ding 76), 59-15 (Higgins 57), 68-58 (Higgins 50, Ding 50), 78-4 (Higgins 78)