Gunnell pots Far East date

But he had to do it the hard way as he got the better of Nottingham's Anthony Hamilton 5-4 in an epic which lasted four-and-a-half-hours at Prestayn.

Gunnell had led 3-1in a high quality first four frames where he fired in a break of 112.

But he didn't pot a ball in the two frames after the interval as Hamilton - a four-times World Championship semi-finalist - fought back with two runs of 80.

Gunnell edged ahead again before Hamilton forced a decider. The Nottingham player had looked destined to steal it as he lead 36-1 but Gunnell held his nerve to record a famous victory.

"I'm chuffed to bits and I don't think I have ever been so relieved to have won a match," said the 34-year-old.

"Neither of us could believe that the game lasted so long because the quality was good. I lost my first match last season and it puts you under pressure straight away.

"Now I can work towards Shanghai and it gives me something to build on so it's a massive win."

He will now meet Alistair Carter in the last 32 in August.

Jamie Cope produced a great recovery to deny veteran John Parrott a place in the final stages .

Cope, the world No 22 from Stoke, trailed 3-0 and 4-2 but produced a three-frame winning run to clinch a 5-4 victory and secure a meeting with world champion John Higgins in Shanghai in August.

"To be honest, I fancied winning the match as soon as I won my first frame," said Cope, who finished runner-up in last season's Grand Prix and China Open.

"I just needed to settle down, which I struggled to do at the start of the match. I felt a bit on edge during the first few frames so I needed to steady myself."

Parrott, the 1991 world and UK champion, won three successive black-ball frames to open his 3-0 lead before breaks of 56 and 105 helped Cope recover to 3-2.

Welshman Dominic Dale compiled two centuries, 129 and 101, as he swept aside Rory McLeod 5-0.