Alfie Burden booked his place in the second round of the International Championship in China with a comfortable 6-2 victory over fellow Englishman Sam Baird.

World number 112 Burden, who has never gone past the quarter-final stage of a tournament in his career, has struggled for form this season but he produced one of his best performances of the campaign against Baird.

The 41-year-old Englishman, who has made 113 centuries, made a fantastic 142 in frame two and he carried that early momentum on for the rest of the match as he picked up an easy 6-2 win.

Burden has now moved 3-2 ahead in head-to-head meetings with Baird and the London-born star will take on either David Lilley or 39th seeded Ben Woollaston in the next round.

Ali Carter, who is seeded 18th, also booked his place in round two after thrashing Norwegian Kurt Maflin 6-0 and that early marker will have send a warning to the rest of the players.

The Englishman, who is a two-time World Championship finalist, made five consecutive breaks over 50 and he will take on Scotland’s Stephen Maguire in the next round.

Maguire, who is 67.00 to win the 2019 Masters, produced a commanding performance as he dismantled Cyprus’ Michael Georgiou 6-1, with a century in frame three the highlight of the match.

Matthew Stevens also moved into round two after edging past Northern Ireland’s Jordan Brown 6-4.

The Welshman only made one break over 50 but he was able to squeeze into the next stage of the tournament.

Joe Perry defeated fellow Englishman Mark Davis 6-3 and he will take on either Matthew Selt or Australian ninth seed Neil Robertson, who is 17.00 to win the 2019 World Championship.