Kyren's so nearly the maximum man again as he makes a good start

‘The Warrior’ stormed into the second stage of the BetVictor Championship in Leicester while also coming within a whisker of making his fifth maximum 147 break.

Despite suffering from a leg injury, Wilson hit the ground running as a break of 111 helped him secure a quickfire 3-0 victory over amateur Josh Mulholland.

The 31-year-old five-time ranking event winner was poised to wrap up a 3-0 win against Louis Heathcote with a 147 but finished with an awkward angle on the pink and, trying to force it in to obtain position on the black, missed the pot.

The break therefore stalled at 134 but Wilson, who made a maximum in last season’s World Championship, was left requiring just one frame from his final match against Andy Hicks to win Group Five.

He clinched it with his fourth century of the day and completed a 3-1 victory.

“I felt quite rusty coming in but I’m delighted with how I played,” Wilson said.

“I only had three or four days’ practice before this so I’m chuffed.

“I’m really looking forward to the season. China is back on the calendar and we’re going to be really busy. It’s exciting.”

The BetVictor Championship League Snooker is the first ranking event of the season and carries total prize money of £328,000.

The eventual winner on July 21 will earn a place in the prestigious Champion of Champions event, which is being staged in Bolton in November.