World champion Wilson stunned by Donaldson at Championship League

World champion Kyren Wilson was dumped out of the Championship League at the first group stage as world No. 51 Scott Donaldson earned a 2-2 draw to top Group 1 in Leicester.

Scotsman Donaldson secured the point he needed against Wilson at the season’s first ranking event with breaks of 88 and 101 cancelling out an opening 79 from the Kettering player, who won the fourth frame with a knock of 111 to finish two points behind the group winner.

Wilson had earlier drawn 2-2 with Daniel Womersley before defeating Baipat Siripaporn 3-0, with Donaldson easing past Baipat 3-0 and Womersley 3-1 to leave himself chasing a draw to progress.

But Iran’s leading player Hossein Vafaei had no such trouble as he secured three straight wins over Josh Mulholland (3-0), Manasawin Phetmalaikul (3-1) and Louis Heathcote (3-0) to qualify for the second group phase.

Former world champion Stuart Bingham is in action on Friday in Group 18, with former Crucible semi-finalist Si Jiahui taking to the table in Group 13.

There is £33,000 on the table for the winner plus a spot in the Champion of Champions later in the year which is worth another £12,500 for qualifying.