China B Down England To Reach World Final

The China B team of Liang Wenbo and Zhou Yuelong are through to the Beverly World Cup final after a tense 4-3 defeat of England in Wuxi.

Both Liang and Zhou are former World Cup winners. Liang is aiming to lift the title for a third time, having already won the event twice alongside Ding Junhui as part of China’s A team. While Zhou dramatically won the World Cup as a 17-year-old in 2015 alongside Yan Bingtao in China’s B team.

They will now face Scotland’s John Higgins and Stephen Maguire in the final, with the winners sharing $200,000.

China B started their semi-final strongly against the English pairing of Kyren Wilson and Jack Lisowski, taking the opening two singles frames to lead 2-0. England then won the first doubles frame, before a break of 84 from Wilson restored parity at 2-2.

Zhou composed a break of 69 to move China B one from victory, before England claimed the last doubles frame to force a decider at 3-3.

Both teams had to nominate their player to take on the final frame and it was Liang who was pitted against Wilson. The Chinese star fired in a superb break of 71 to secure the tie and ensure progression to the final.