Scottish stars draw in Aberdeen - 15/10/2009

John Higgins 3-3 Stephen Hendry
Higgins' scores first. 54-65 (Higgins 30), 36-76 (Higgins 36, Hendry 76), 92-0 (Higgins 92), 92-0 (Higgins 73), 70-1 (Higgins 50), 5-71 (Hendry 64)

JOHN Higgins fought back from 2-0 down to claim a 3-3 draw against Stephen Hendry.

The second match of the evening at the AECC in Aberdeen featured the two finest players ever to come from Scotland. Seven-time World Champion Stephen Hendry took on John Higgins, the current World Champion, in front of a packed crowd. Hendry led 2-0, but then trailed 3-2 before clinching the last frame of the night.

"When you're 2-0 up and you're only playing six frames it's a big lead to have," admitted Hendry. "But I lost 4-2 to Judd Trump from 2-0 up and I thought it was going to happen again but it was nice to get a chance in the last frame. I can still play the game sometimes but it's hard work at the moment. John and Ronnie (O'Sullivan) are flying and when they're in the balls appear to make it so easy."

Hendry, was suffered a disappointing early exit against Mark Williams in last week's Grand Prix event, made a bright start by claiming the opening two frames.

He stole the first on a black-ball finish after Higgins had led by seven points with only three balls left on the table.

The second frame was more conclusive as Higgins, after a break of 36, overcut a shot on the black and Hendry responded with a break of 76 to move 2-0 in front.

However, Higgins bounced back in style as he claimed the next two frames, each by a score of 92-0. But Higgins may have been disappointed to not claim centuries in each frame as he faltered at 92 in the third and then on 73 in the fourth.

Two early fouls from Hendry in the opening phase of the fifth gave Higgins the advantage and he capitalised on this with a score of 50 to turn the match around and from being 2-0 down was now 3-2 up with one to go.

But there was another twist as Hendry made a break of 64 in the last frame as the match ended all square at 3-3.