SHEFFIELD (England), April 20: Australia’s Quinten Hann secured a valuable first round win over England’s John Parrott in the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre on Sunday.

Resuming with a slender 5-4 lead from the first session, Hann went on to beat the 1991 champion 10-5. Defeat for Hann would have seen him drop out of the world top 16.

Hann, renowned for his laid-back approach to the game, knows he must play better as he prepares for a possible second round meeting with world number three Mark Williams of Wales.

Parrott, who had to qualify for the 32-man first round, insists he has no thoughts of quitting. “I know that realistically you’re not going to be as good as when you were 25 or 26,” said the 38-year-old.

Defending champion Peter Ebdon of England had a comfortable passage into the second round with a 10-3 victory on Saturday over Northern Ireland’s Gerard Greene. The tournament lasts until May 5.

Resuming with a 6-3 lead after the opening session, Ebdon won the first four frames of the evening to secure victory.

Ebdon, who beat Stephen Hendry 18-17 in last year’s final, is striving to become the only first-time world champion to retain the title.

In other matches, seven-time champion Hendry knocked in two century breaks on his way to posting a 6-3 lead over Gary Wilkinson.

Scottish qualifier Drew Henry leads world No.11 Mark King 6-3 overnight and needs four more frames to set up a possible second-round meeting with Hendry.

Another qualifier, Sean Storey, is 6-3 ahead in his best of 19 frames first round match against Joe Perry.

First round results (best of 19 frames):

Finished on Sunday: Quinten Hann (Australia) beat John Parrott (England) 10-5. Frame scores: (Hann first): 0-85, 67-51, 68-13, 67-1, 79-0, 61-38, 0-99, 24-53, 42-65, 85-1, 3-71, 67-8, 97-11, 72-36, 60-13.

Finished on Saturday: Peter Ebdon (England) beat Gerard Greene (Northern Ireland) 10-3. Frame scores (Ebdon first): 128-0, 61-73, 94-51, 60-68, 73-1, 21-93, 73-7, 60-46, 135-0, 86-33, 70-22, 62-28, 96-44.—Reuters