Snooker news: Stuart Bingham stuns Ronnie O'Sullivan to reach Championship League final group

The 'Ball-run' progressed with two 3-0 wins over O'Sullivan and Harvey Chandler after a 3-1 defeat to Sam Craigie in his Group C opener.

2015 world champion Bingham ran in breaks of 71, 51 and 75 against his fellow Essex professional on his way to finishing top of the section on frame difference ahead of Craigie with O'Sullivan third. All three men picked up six points with two wins apiece.

"I knew I needed to win 3-0 to top the group," said Bingham. "I got it going when it mattered.

"I took my chances when they come. Happy to be through. I have to play like that to have any chance in the final."

The five-times world champion O'Sullivan had hit two centuries in three frames to overwhelm Chandler 3-0 in his opening match of the Championship League last-16 group stage.

O'Sullivan pieced together immaculate runs of 101, 68 and 104 on his way to wrapping up victory with an average shot time of only 15.01 seconds against the world number 84.

He made a 95 to win his 14th straight frame at the event in a 3-1 victory over Craigie, who made 97 himself in the third frame, but found Bingham a tougher proposition as key misses on a green in the second frame and a black off the spot were heavily punished.

Despite his defeat to Bingham, O'Sullivan - who has failed to qualify for the eight-man Tour Championship at the same venue - will hope to replicate his scoring form when the World Championship begins on 31 July in Sheffield.

O'Sullivan had breezed through the opening group stage on Friday with three 3-0 wins over Kishan Hirani, Michael Georgiou and Chris Wakelin that included two more tons.

Ben Woollaston joined Bingham in the final group stage by winning Group D.

He made breaks of 134, 101 and 127 in a 3-0 win over Tom Ford before a 3-0 win over Liang Wenbo saw him edge out Martin O'Donnell, who lost 3-1 to Ford needing a draw.