Robbo back to his sparkling best - 22/09/2011

Neil Robertson 3-1 Ding Junhui

56-56 (Ding 31, Robertson 35) Ding wins on re-spotted black, 140-0 (Robertson 140), 118-0 (Robertson 109), 54-42 (Ding 35)

Neil Robertson won the third night of the 2011 PartyPoker.com Premier League Snooker with a brace of blistering performances as he disposed of home town hero John Higgins in his opening match and then blew away Ding Junhui in the final with back to back centuries.

The final match of the three had a bit of everything but it was the Australian’s sheer power that got him over the line.

“The way I played in both matches was good and I outplayed Ding, who is a top player in the final,” said Robertson.

“I had a lot of work to do from last season which wasn’t really acceptable and I’ve worked hard on practice table. I was really pleased with how I played and to win two frames with back to back centuries was very satisfying, and to make a 140 in this type of format is something.”

The opener went to a re-spotted black after the players were tied up a 56 each and Ding stole the frame off three cushions. That seemed to spur Robertson on though as he won the next with a run of 140 – the best of the night and worth a bonus £1,000.

There was more of the same in the next as Robertson made another ton under the watchful eye of the shot-clock. When he broke down on 25 in the next it made it 283 points without reply, but Ding could not capitalise and despite a run of 35, it was Robertson who cleared the relevant colours to seal the win.

The victory hoisted him from the lower rungs of the table up into joint first, a position he shares with Matthew Stevens, Mark Williams and Shaun Murphy.