Snooker: Maguire in control despite missing maximum break

Published on Wednesday 22 April 2009 23:21

STEPHEN Maguire missed out on maximum-break glory and had to settle for the consolation prize of a healthy lead over Jamie Burnett at the Betfred.com World Championship last night.

The Glaswegian potted 12 reds and 12 blacks in the fifth frame but was left with a tricky red to middle, and the ball bounced back out of the jaws of the pocket.

His 157,000 jackpot hopes were dashed, but by that stage he had already made several tricky pots to keep the break going. There have been eight 147 breaks at the Crucible, with Cliff Thorburn notching the first in 1983 and Ronnie O'Sullivan claiming three since. Maguire has notched two in his professional career, so the tension involved was not unfamiliar, however the balls were awkwardly positioned on this occasion. The break of 96 nevertheless nudged the world No2 4-1 ahead, after earlier runs of 98, 50 and 68, and by the end of the session he had established a 6-3 lead.

The all-Scottish clash was the first between the pair since Maguire beat Burnett 9-3 in the Maplin UK Championship at Telford in December. That is a result which is under investigation by Strathclyde Police's economic crime unit and the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Bookmakers alerted snooker chiefs to what they claimed were unusual betting patterns prior to that match, and Burnett was criticised by commentators when he missed a black ball which would have won him a fourth frame.

Burnett and Maguire have both been interviewed by police this week. Neither man has been charged with any offence, and both have denied any wrongdoing and pledged to comply with the investigations.

Fate pitted them together in Sheffield, and theirs was the last of the 16 first-round matches to start, with the winner to face Mark King in the last 16.

Maguire notched his first century with 101 in the seventh frame to go 6-1 in front but Burnett hit back and cleared up the colours in the next frame before finishing the session in style with a break of 76. The concluding session takes place this evening.

In other matches, Australian Neil Robertson completed a 10-2 drubbing of six-time former champion Steve Davis. Robertson, 27, had been troubled by a shoulder strain until recently but his game looked in good shape.

Davis, 51, endured a disappointing 29th visit to the Crucible. The veteran managed only one break above 50.

Last year's runner-up Ali Carter awaits Robertson in the last 16.

Two-time former champion John Higgins delighted the Scottish contingent in the audience by fighting back from 4-2 down to lead Nottingham's Michael Holt 5-4. That match resumes today.

Dark horse Ryan Day passed his first test by steaming past Stephen Lee, beating the former world No5 10-4. The Welshman will face Peter Ebdon's conqueror Nigel Bond next in a match due to start tomorrow morning.

Shaun Murphy set up a second-round showdown with Marco Fu after denying Andrew Higginson a dream debut, fighting back from 7-4 down to prevail 10-8.