snooker
Former champions Wales became the first team to qualify for the Nations Cup semi-finals with a 4-2 victory over World Cup holders Scotland at Reading yesterday.
The Scots must now beat Thailand in their final group match tomorrow to join the Welsh in the last four.
Matthew Stevens steered the 1999 winners into the knockout stages with a superb win over former world No.1 John Higgins - much to the relief of skipper Dominic Dale.
Stevens recovered from 34-1 down with a break of 61 that left Higgins requiring a snooker.
It was world No.20 Dale who got the Welsh off to the perfect start. A break of 58 enabled him to beat Higgins in the opening frame.
Stevens then defeated seven-time world champion Hendry to make it 2-0 before Alan McManus opened the Scots account with victory against world champion and world No.1 Mark Williams.
McManus then teamed up with Higgins in the doubles but they managed just 15 points as Stevens and Williams restored the two-frame cushion.
Hendry inflicted maximum damage on Williams with a break of 127 in frame five to give Scotland hope of a comeback.
Higgins was well on the way to making it 3-3 but could not capitalise on an opening 34 break.
Stevens later produced a memorable pot on a red to begin his decisive 61 break.
China later defeated Northern Ireland 4-3, with Hai Lin defeating Gerard Greene 73-20 in the 23-minute decider.
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