BRADFORD duo Mark Hirst and Stephen Kershaw will be competing in the World Billiards Championships at the Northern Snooker Centre on Monday – with over a week of top-quality play lined up.

The event starts tomorrow with qualifying, prior to the Jim Williamson Memorial Competition taking place on Saturday and Sunday before the main action gets underway the next day.

Defending champion David Causier will again be one of the favourites alongside Mike Russell, Peter Gilchrist and Rob Hall.

* THE draws for the Bradford Snooker Championships have been made and ten-time defending champion Wayne Cooper opens up his defence with a tie against Dave Tolson of Cue Gardens.

Four-time champion and last season's runner-up Gareth Green takes on Chris Hegarty, while 2014 Bradford champion John Wellham plays 2014 Bradford Handicap champion Adam Tipper.

Two former finalists face each other in the preliminary round, with 2014 runner-up Anthony Green taking on 2004 winner Howard Mawson for the right to play 2010 finalist Dave Stirk.

FULL DRAWS – Singles, preliminary round: A Green v H Mawson. First round: M Ball v S Risidi, J Walker v K Firth, C Weir v R Morgan, G Green v C Hegarty, D Parker v C Wellham, D Stirk v Green or Mawson, M Slater v J Murgatroyd, S Harker v C Tolson, J Wellham v A Tipper, D Bentley v P Davey, D Goy v R Hagerty, W Cooper v D Tolson, S Sandhu v P Hamilton, H Rafiq v M Hirst, S Jackson v A Borza, L Walsh v J Holins.

Pairs, first round: D Hale & C Fenton v S Risidi & C Hegarty, C Sneddon & K Walker v M Sharp & R Duffield, C Weir & M Unsworth v R Hagerty & R Beckford, P Hamilton & A Tipper v H Rafiq & B Singh, R Atkinson & D Jagger v C & D Tolson, J Hollins & A Austin v S Jackson & D Goy. Second round: Sneddon/Walker or Sharp/Duffield v L Walsh & H Mawson, Atkinson/Jagger or C & D Tolson v Weir/Unsworth or Hagerty/Beckford, M Slater & J Murgatroyd v J Bower & T Hall, R Morgan & J Walker v S Sandhu & P Gaunt, G & A Green v R Bakes & D Carter, Hamilton/Tipper or Rafiq/Singh v D Stirk & J Andrews, K Firth & W Cooper v Hale/Fenton or Risidi/Hegarty, Hollins/Austin or Goy/Jackson v J & C Wellham.

* SOME tickets still remain for the Steve Davis exhibition on Saturday night at Fields Sports & Social Club in Lidget Green.

These are priced at £25 per ticket which includes entry and the chance to meet Davis, who will be playing eight frames including some of the league's finest players.

There will be a raffle for two or three chances to win a frame against the former six-time world champion, as well as a signed cue. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Richard Bakes on 07940-651850.