Winning Rocket launches into blast at Hearn
CRICKET
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN last night issued a declaration of war on snooker supremo Barry Hearn.
A fiery Rocket reached the second round of the world championship with a 10-7 win over ex-taxi driver Gary Wilson (below) at the Crucible.
But then O’Sullivan, 41, launched into a blistering defence of his media work-to-rule, in place since the Masters in January.
At Ally Pally, a withering blast at ref Terry Camilleri and a photographer earned the five-time world champ a letter threatening charges. And, though they have been withdrawn, O’Sullivan claims he was “bullied” and “intimidated” by World Snooker and the WPBSA and decided to get the lawyers involved. O’Sullivan got rid of some of his frustration as he shouted out and punched the air in Sheffield following his win. He said: “I phoned Barry four weeks ago and said I am done with it, you and your board of people.
“I have a good friend who said, ‘Let my lawyers deal with it’, and I am not being bullied any more and having people do that to me ever again.
“I want to play and have fun. I like Barry, but I am not being intimidated any more. I got a letter after the Masters and it ruined three or four tournaments for me.
“My fans want to see me do really well so I am coming to do a job, stay focused and keep out of trouble.” FORMER England skipper Alastair Cook guided Essex to their first Championship win of the season with an inevitable hundred against Somerset. Inevitable because if there is one thing that the opener knows, it is how to score hundreds. He reeled off a hat-trick of tons in just seven Division Two games last year, and his 110 took Essex to an eight-wicket top-flight win. It was left to Tom Westley to finish the job with 86 not out, and Cook (above) left him to deal with the questions after the game, too. “It’s brilliant to have registered our first win back in Division One,” said Westley. “Cookie did what Cookie does, and scored a matchwinning hundred.”