Differing fortunes for former Crucible champs in 22/1 Saturday acca

Day one of the 2013 World Snooker Championships sees three former Crucible champions in action, but not all of them could make it to the second round.

Mark Williams, a winner in Sheffield in both 2000 and 2003, faces a tough test against his fellow Welshman Michael White, and it is a win for the 2/1 White which makes up the key component of our first round accumulator which pays at just over 22/1.

Neath-born White is making his first ever appearance at world snooker’s showpiece event after coming through the qualifiers, and the 21-year-old is well-equipped to take advantage of Williams’ dip in form which has evoked memories of his infamous slump in 2008.

‘The Welsh Potting Machine’ is enduring one of the worst seasons of his career, making only two semi-finals and crashing out of the first rounds of the UK Championships and World Open. White also beat him 4-1 in the pair’s only previous meeting in China last year.

The two other former champions in action should have no such worries, with the 1/8 Ronnie O’Sullivan and 4/11 Shaun Murphy making light work of opponents Marcus Campbell and Martin Gould respectively to add to the acca.

Elsewhere Ricky Walden has lost on both of his previous appearances in the first round in Sheffield, and the 6/4 qualifier Michael Holt can ensure that two becomes three on Saturday.

‘The Hitman’ is an experienced performer, and the 34-year-old is in good form as he approaches his contest with the No. 14 seed, a contest he can win to keep the acca alive.

The final one of Saturday’s selections comes in the form of the talented 21-year-old Jack Lisowski, who is priced at evens to beat 15th seed Barry Hawkins.

Lisowski is making a Crucible debut but beat Hawkins in their only previous meeting last year, and is taken for a repeat to complete the multiple.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing