“I have never beaten James in a competition before,” he said. “And I usually lose to him in practice as well,” added the Wellingborough based professional.”

His rare success is a valuable one. Victory is worth a career-best £8,000 and he now plays Scotsman Graeme Dott for a place in the televised stages.

The rot set in during the second frame for Wattana. He took the opening frame and led 64-0 in the second but the lure of a maximum break proved too strong and instead of making the frame safe he missed the ninth red and with it the chance of a 2-0 lead.

“That was a big frame,” added Poomjang. “I felt better at 1-1 rather than 2-0.”

He grew in confidence to take a 5-3 lead after the first session and then produced his best form when the game resumed. Breaks of 90, 61 and 58 sent him through to the last 32 for the first time.

He is joined by Scot Stephen Maguire who potted superbly to oust former British Open champion Fergal O’Brien 9-4.

Dubliner O’Brien made the only century of the match but was blitzed by Maguire’s runs of 95, 95, 89, 90, 56, 55 and 63.

“I should have been 6-2 up at the interval but he fluked a red and eventually cleared up for 5-3,” said Maguire. “So, that was a big blow. Luckily I got my own back in the next frame and fluked a blue which set me up for 6-3.

“At 8-3 I was beginning to think what had happened to me at Telford but luckily there was no repeat this time.”

Maguire had been 4-1 up on eventual runner-up Ian McCulloch in the British Open only to lose 5-4.

“I’ve hardly practised since then because I’ve never felt so bad after losing a game,” he added.

Maguire‘s win prevented O’Brien setting-up an all Irish second round tie with former world champion Ken Doherty.