Rob Cross eases past Josh Rock and Keane Barry at UK Open

Rob Cross advanced to his fifth Ladbrokes UK Open quarter-final in seven years after recording a brace of 10-4 wins against Antrim's Josh Rock and Meath's Keane Barry.

Cross produced the performance of the tournament to dispatch Rock with a 105 average, and he later punished a tentative start from 2022 semi-finalist Barry to continue his serene progress.

Elsewhere, world champion Luke Humphries and teenage superstar Luke Littler advanced to the last eight on day two of the 2024 event at Butlin's Minehead Resort.

2021 runner-up Humphries conceded just seven legs in his two matches on Saturday, dispatching Benjamin Drue Reus and Mervyn King to maintain his bid for a fourth consecutive TV ranking title.

The world number one averaged 101 in a thumping 10-3 win over Danish debutant Reus in his opener on Saturday, and he continued his charge with another emphatic victory against 2014 semi-finalist King.

"It’s going to take a big performance to beat me," insisted Humphries, who has won his last 22 televised ranking matches in a record dating back to October.

"Mervyn is a legend and someone I look up to, but maybe I did switch off and I shouldn’t have given him that bit of hope.

"Sometimes in the middle of games I just go missing – you can’t be perfect all the time but if I can change that, I believe I can carry on this winning streak."

Littler also impressed in booking his place in the quarter-finals, overcoming Martin Schindler and Dave Chisnall with ton-topping averages.

The Warrington wonderkid dumped out three-time champion James Wade on Friday evening, and he was forced to recover from 5-3 down to see off a spirited Schindler in round five.

Littler then ran out a resounding 10-5 winner against Chisnall in the last 16, averaging 103