Sam Baird pulled off one of the results of qualifying for the International Championship by beating former world champion Shaun Murphy 6-0 on Friday.

The 30-year-old Devon-born star took out the 2005 Crucible hero with the minimum of fuss to book a first-round clash with 41-year-old compatriot Alfie Burden when the tournament starts on October 28.

There were no such problems for Stuart Bingham, who ousted 36-year-old Chinaman Chen Feilong 6-1 and goes on to face Israeli-born Scot Eden Sharav in Barnsley later this month.

Another big-name casualty was four-time world champion John Higgins, who is priced at 10.00 to triumph in Sheffield next year but lost 6-3 to world number 73 Peter Lines.

The 48-year-old from Leeds has set up a first-round meeting with Martin O’Donnell after he came through his qualifier with Rod Lawler 6-2 on Thursday.

Higgins, who lost the World Championship final to Mark Williams earlier this year, will look to bounce back at the 2018 UK Championship and can be backed at 10.00 to lift the trophy, with Ronnie O’Sullivan a 4.20 favourite.

There was some Chinese success in Yorkshire on Friday as 20-year-old Zhou Yuelong progressed to the main draw of the tournament after a 6-1 success over Allan Taylor, while Tian Pengfei beat Mike Dunn. Zhang Anda downed Welshman Daniel Wells.

Tian will go up against Wales’ Ryan Day, while Zhang’s opponent is still to be decided. Veteran Thai star James Wattana rolled back the years to beat Anthony Hamilton and will play China’s Zhao Xintong.