Focused Maguire could make Trump pull out the stops

Day three
ITV4, 1pm & 7pm Wednesday

The last of the Ladbrokes Players Championship first-round matches take place on Wednesday and Stephen Maguire may be playing well enough to give Judd Trump a test in Llandudno.

It's difficult to know just when Trump will turn on the style these days, but Maguire has been producing some promising snooker this season and could at least avoid an embarrassing defeat over the best of 11 frames.

Backing the heavy-scoring Glaswegian to post a sizeable break can be considered, but Hills go 8-13 about the outsider with a start of 2.5 frames and that could be the way to go. Trump has won the last six in their personal series, but the West Countryman would need to win at least two-thirds of the frames contested for the punt to go belly-up.

John Higgins takes on Anthony McGill in an all-Scottish clash. Higgins, who has been playing consistently well all season, ought to have too much for his younger compatriot but the Wizard of Wishaw is seldom one to rely on from a match-betting point of view.

Recommendation
S Maguire +2.5 frames
1pt 8-13 Hills

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