Murphy Misses 147 Chance

Shaun Murphy missed the last red when he had an opportunity to make the first 147 at the Crucible for seven years.

Murphy trails Neil Robertson 5-3 after the first session of their second round clash at the Betfred World Championship.

In the last frame of the session, Murphy potted the first 14 reds with blacks, but then failed to convert a tricky final red to a centre pocket.

Only Cliff Thorburn, Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Williams and Ali Carter have made maximum breaks at the Crucible, and the last 147 was from Hendry in 2012. The prize for a maximum is £50,000 plus the £10,000 high break prize.

Robertson took the first three frames of a high quality session with top breaks of 106 and 79. Murphy pulled one back and made a 53 in the next, only for his opponent to snatch it with a 57 clearance.

A 109 from 2005 World Champion Murphy made it 4-2, then 2010 Crucible king Robertson replied with a 127. Murphy’s 112 in the last frame was the fourth century of the session. They play eight more frames at 10am on Friday with the conclusion from 7pm on Friday; first to 13 goes through to the quarter-finals.