Six-times Bradford champion Wayne Cooper has played in many a big tournament.

He has reached the final of the English Amateur Champ-ionship, has been a stalwart of the England amateur team over many years and has played on snooker's main professional tour for one season, having qualified through the gritty secondary tour.

However, there was something about the prospect of playing a frame against Stephen Hendry next month that made Cooper go weak at the knees.

"I was really nervous - even more nervous than in many of my bigger tournaments," confessed the 28-year-old from East Bowling of his ordeal in the Telegraph & Argus Snooker Classic Qualifying Tournament at Cue Gardens, Odsal.

However, he did not drop a frame in any of his five matches, thereby earning the right to face his boyhood hero in front of a capacity crowd at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre on Saturday, February 24.

"I played well in some of my matches but some of the others were nip and tuck, although I managed to get the balls down," said a relieved Cooper.

"It was a strong field of 26 and Simon Bedford, Howard Mawson, Sajid Khan and Boover Singh are all good players and can all make hundreds."

Cooper added: "I have admired Hendry from being a kid, so I was more nervous playing in this than in any other competition I have played in, knowing that if I do win I get to play a frame against him."

Cooper, who only needs one more Bradford Championship to equal Joe Johnson's record, made a championship-record break of 137 last winter.

The former Telegraph & Argus champion also won the Leeds City Championship, defeating professional Peter Lines in the final, and is already through to the last 32 of the English Amateur Championship.

Cooper had the highest break of the day - a 95 in his first match against Andrew Czeban.

Other impressive breaks came from Chris Metcalfe (55), Simon Bedford (63) and Boover Singh (59).

Results: Last 32: Chris Metcalfe (55 break) bt Lee Jackson 2-0, Aaron Downey bt Paul Spence 2-0, Jamie Gelder bt Matthew Jordan 2-1, Howard Mawson bt Chris Hill 2-0, Simon Bedford (63) bt Paul Dunn 2-0, Paul Downey bt Mark Jordan 2-0, Wayne Cooper (95) bt Andrew Czeban 2-0, Mick Bedford bt John Spence 2-0, Antony McNally bt Patrick McNally score not available, Alex McCann bt Chris Bowman 2-0. Last 16: Metcalfe bt Christopher North 2-0, Aaron Downey bt Ian Cordingley 2-0, Mawson bt Gelder 2-0, Simon Bedford bt Tom Devaney 2-0, Cooper bt Paul Downey 2-0, Hanif Rafiq bt Mick Bedford 2-1, Sajid Khan bt Anthony McNally 2-0, Boover Singh bt McCann 2-1. Quarter-finals: Aaron Downey bt Metcalfe 2-1, Mawson bt Simon Bedford 2-0, Cooper bt Rafiq 2-0, Singh bt Khan 2-1. Semi-finals: Mawson bt Aaron Downey 2-0, Cooper bt Singh 2-0. Final: Cooper bt Mawson 2-0.