All in a night's work

This is a belated congratulations to Stuart Bingham for a sensational performance in Thursday night's Premier League event in Guildford.

Picture by Monique Limbos

Ballrun was forced to play two matches in one night here following Stephen Lee's suspension from the tour and the cancellation of last week's Penzance meet.

But Stuart employed his typical 'get on with it' attitude. He rolled his sleeves up to beat Neil Robertson and Mark Selby both 6-0, qualify for the semi-finals and pocket a whopping £16,000 for a night's work.

It was a cracking performance where he earned £1,000 per frame won and an additional £4,000 for his four century breaks.

This is why the Premier League continues to be a popular event with the sport's leading players.

With the chance to earn to good money and put on a show for fans in an area of the country that is otherwise starved of live snooker action, the Premier League is appealing to the big names and easily maintains its prestige.

There are still many snooker fans who choose to turn their nose up at the event and its format - probably because of the shot clock - but it's the kind of tournament that really gets the juices flowing.

Stuart earned the kind of money that will genuinely help him to pay for his wedding next May and he did it in front of a packed crowd and in just a few working hours.

If you compare this to having to come through a field 128 players at a PTC - with some of the matches being played in the cubicles - for a top prize of £10,000, it's easy to see why the Premier League is motivating.

Saying this, Stuart's attitude to every event is first class.

His delighted reaction to qualifying for this, his first, Premier League campaign was a sure sign of his climb up to the elite of the sport and testament to his enthusiasm and love for the game.

First class, Stuart.