Pair having fun and gamesmanship

Snooker World Championship: Ronnie O'Sullivan and Andy Hicks finished level 4-4 in their Embassy World Championship clash at the Crucible yesterday.

Both tried to gain a psychological edge in the first session to their best-of-25-frames second-round clash at Sheffield.

But Hicks ensured O'Sullivan did not win the mind games - or the battle on the baize. An incident-filled session saw O'Sullivan chalking up two centuries and Hicks one as they slugged it out toe-to-toe.

O'Sullivan was back at the table just a day after completing his first-round win over Stephen Maguire, a victory overshadowed by an obscene one-finger gesture in the middle of the match.

The world number three kept his hand firmly on his cue yesterday though he clearly riled Hicks by walking out of the arena in frame three with his opponent still at the table.

But Hicks, who stood toe-to-toe with Quinten Hann on Sunday with the Australian threatening to take him outside for a fight, was not to be upstaged.

So, with O'Sullivan putting the final touches to frame four, Hicks stood up, told referee Paul Collier he was conceding the frame and went off for his interval cuppa.

However, there was no hint the matter would escalate into another near brawl. Indeed, the duo later sat side-by-side, chatting amicably while the balls were being reracked for another frame.

Hicks threatened to seize the initiative by taking a 4-2 lead, helped by a break of 116 in frame six.

He could have stretched his advantage to three frames but he allowed O'Sullivan in for a colour clearance before the 2001 world champion showed all his natural cueing talent in frame eight.

He broke off left-handed and also made the bulk of a 101 run the same way.

O'Sullivan makes a regular habit of using both "wings". He was once accused of gamesmanship by Alain Robidoux at the Crucible for switching sides but it soon became evident he can play equally efficiently both ways.

Paul Hunter sent John Parrott back to his television couch after completing victory in the penultimate first-round match yesterday. Parrott made the most of his 21st successive Sheffield appearance but Masters champion Hunter eventually gained a 10-7 victory.

Parrott (39), the 1991 winner, said: "I was like an old boxer who had the ringcraft but didn't have a punch."