MUMBAI, June 13 (PTI): Indian cueists Aditya Mehta, the Asian champion, and continental runner-up Pankaj Advani advanced to the second round of the Australian Goldfields Open Snooker Qualifiers in Sheffield, United Kingdom with comprehensive first round victories over their English rivals.
While Mehta, ranked 80th in the world, outclassed Lee Spick 5-2, Advani spanked Justin Astley 5-1.
Mehta takes on world number 64 Barry Pinches of England in the second round while billiards specialist Advani clashes with Li Yan of China, ranked 67th, as per information received here.
Against Spick, Mehta started off well winning the first two frames while Lee won the third. Mehta then won an important fourth frame to go 3�1 up at the interval.
Post the break, with all the reds bunched up around the black, Mehta won a scrappy fifth frame making some crucial pots and played with safety.
From 66 points behind in the sixth frame, Mehta got back and had a chance to seal the match at 5�1 but missed a pink and went 4�2.
Lee seemed to have found his rhythm and took a 55 point lead in the seventh frame but missed a pink in the middle. Mehta made a 37 and followed it with another 30 to seal the match 5�2.
