Wu Yize and Mark Allen played out the longest frame ever recorded at the World Snooker Championship after a bizarre stalemate left them unable to pot a red ball in scenes described as an ’embarrassment’ at the Crucible.
The referee was the centre of attention in Sheffield, as he faced calls for a re-rack in the 14th frame of the game with Allen boasting a lengthy lead.
The players found themselves in a situation where eight red balls were impossible to pot because of the position of the black, causing continuous safety shots as the crowd grew restless and official Marcel Eckardt was forced to intervene.
Allen was eventually told that there would be a re-rack – meaning the frame would start again – unless something happened in three shots, causing the fuming star to almost intentionally foul so the frame could continue.
Allen potted the black, allowing Yize to take control of the frame with nothing to lose. He would go from 43-13 down to 61-47 up with two reds on the table.
Eckardt grew frustrated with the crowd as they ironically cheered each safety shot, at one point barking: ‘We don’t want that, settle down.’
The Crucible saw chaos on Friday as Wu Yize and Mark Allen were locked in a lengthy stalemate which because the longest frame in World Snooker Championship history
The players were locked in a series of safety shots as they refused to budge on a difficult situation of reds surrounding the black
Mark Allen was left fuming after he saw his lead disappear at the threat of a re-rack
How should snooker deal with tedious frames that frustrate both players and fans?
Seven-time world champion Steven Hendry said on BBC: ‘Even if the black does go in, are there any reds potable?
‘This is the dark side of snooker.’
A tense battle of safety shots again followed as the clock ticked down and the frame closed in on becoming the longest in World Championship history.
Hendry added: ‘It’s been a horrendous frame but it’s helped Wu Yize so much.
‘He didn’t look like winning another frame, but the ludicrous nature of this frame has just helped to lighten the load on him and free him up, forget what was happening to him in this session.’
Allen joked with the crowd that they ‘thought it was over’ after a mini-break for Yize, but the frame would continue and become the longest frame in tournament history – passing the previous record of 1hr 25min.
Eventually, Allen fluffed his lines when presented with the chance for a snooker, and Yize saw the pink roll in and finally end the frame at 100 minutes and 21 seconds to take the game to 7-7.
Six-time world champion Steve Davis said on BBC: ‘In a nutshell that frame is an embarrassment to snooker, and the referees’ and the players’ association need to try to work out a way so that never happens again.’
