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The draw for the 2009 World Snooker championship at the crucible has thrown up the pairing of Scottish duo, world number two Stephen McGuire and Jamie Burnett, the pair are still under investigation following the UK Championship meeting in December 2008.

In that game several bookmakers stopped taking bets on a 9-3 score, the margin by which McGuire won the match, prompting the investigation by the World Snooker governing body.

Seven time world champion Stephen Hendry is drawn against two time champion Mark Williams in the pick of the first round draw. while defending champ Ronnie O’Sullivan will face his practise partner Stuart Bingham and there is also an all Chinese clash between Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo.

There are five former World champions in the first round draw, O’Sullivan, Hendry, Williams, Steve Davis and John Higgins. The World Championship starts at the newly refurbished Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on April 18th, with the final will taking place on May 4th.

The full draw:

Peter Ebdon (Eng, 9) v Nigel Bond (Eng, 23)
Ali Carter (Eng, 7) v Gerard Greene (NI, 33)
Mark King (Eng, 15) v Rory McLeod (Eng, 44)
Graeme Dott (Sco, 13) v Barry Hawkins (Eng, 27)
Shaun Murphy (Eng, 3) v Andrew Higginson (Eng, 38)
Ding Junhui (Chn, 11) v Liang Wenbo (Chn, 40)
Stephen Hendry (Sco, 6) v Mark Williams (Wal, 22)
Ryan Day (Wal,8) v Stephen Lee (Eng, 26)
Joe Perry (Eng, 12) v Jamie Cope (Eng, 19)
Mark Selby (Eng, 4) v Ricky Walden (Eng, 35)
Mark Allen (NI, 16) v Martin Gould (Eng, 63)
John Higgins (Sco, 5) v Michael Holt (Eng, 34)
Neil Robertson (Aus, 10) v Steve Davis (Eng, 29)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng, 1) v Stuart Bingham (Eng, 21)
Marco Fu (HK, 14) v Joe Swail (NI, 20)
Stephen Maguire (Sco, 2) v Jamie Burnett (Sco, 45)