Sporting Life
Ronnie O'Sullivan in full flow
Ronnie O'Sullivan in full flow

Snooker results: Pigeon takes centre stage as Ronnie O'Sullivan leads Mark Allen 12-4 at the World Championship

By Sporting Life
Snooker
Sat April 23, 2022 · 3y ago

Ronnie O’Sullivan continued to home in on a record-equalling seventh Crucible title on a day when a pigeon fluttered onto centre stage at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.

The avian interloper flew down from the rafters and briefly alighted on the bottom cushion as Yan Bingtao prepared to break off in the sixth frame of his afternoon match against defending champion Mark Selby.

It was ushered out via the players’ entrance, past a startled Selby who was returning to the arena, and tournament officials later confirmed it had been captured and released unharmed.

A pigeon interrupted the action

Later O’Sullivan showed just how much he fancies emulating Stephen Hendry’s record and needs just one more frame from the concluding session on Saturday to reach the last eight for the 20th time.

The 'Rocket' started the match by threatening a maximum break after potting 10 reds and nine blacks, and posted a further break of 131 as he cruised into a 6-2 lead at the end of the morning session.

Allen won the first frame upon the evening resumption but missed the simplest of pinks with the frame at his mercy in the next, and the mistake proved pivotal as O’Sullivan cleared for 7-3 and would never look back.

O’Sullivan got 88 points into another possible 147 in the next before running out of position, then capitalised on a pair of costly errors by his opponent to raise the real prospect of wrapping up his last-eight place with a session to spare.

Allen prevented that embarrassment with a gutsy break of 110 but O’Sullivan took the final two frames of the evening – the last with his second century of the match – to make his progression on Saturday a formality.

Williams waltzes through

Mark Williams fired some more World Championship warning shots as he turned in an ominous display to beat Jackson Page with a session to spare.

The final scoreline of 13-3 in no way flattered the three-time winner who produced his best form of the season in a dazzling display that featured six century breaks, adding to the four he made against Michael White in round one.

Much of the pre-match talk had centred around Williams' close relationship with Page who he described as being 'like another son', but the 2018 champion showed no mercy to the younger man who was subjected to a schooling session from the old master.

Williams led 7-1 overnight having reeled off three centuries on Wednesday afternoon, and he kicked off Thursday's proceedings with another, a run of 110 underlining his early intentions.

An 8-1 lead soon became 10-1 as Williams continued on his merry way, though Page displayed great character to win two frames of his own, either side of two more centuries from Williams.

With the opportunity to claim victory with a session to spare, Williams ruthlessly finished the job with a typically pinpoint break of 56 that secured his place in the last eight, where he'll face either Mark Selby or Yan Bingtao.

Selby twice fought back from two frames behind to end the opening session against the former Masters champion all square at 4-4, ahead of the final two sessions of their match on Saturday.

Williams told World Snooker Tour: "I don’t think I can play any better than that at my age. Lee Walker has been doing a bit of work to my game, picking it apart and putting it back together again.

"Players these days don’t just roll the ball, they punch it. We’ve been trying a few different things with my technique including hitting the ball a bit harder and making more breaks.

"Us older players have got to adapt our games in order to keep up with the younger ones. I know I’m going to fall down the rankings eventually, so I’m doing all I can to ensure I can stay up the top for as long as possible.

"I knew coming here that I got a chance at the title because I’ve played well for most of the season."

Another strong session saw Stephen Maguire turn his 5-3 overnight advantage over Zhao Xintong into an 11-5 lead.

Maguire has looked in the mood from the outset, mixing his trademark heavy scoring with solid safety, and though the occasional flash of brilliance has been in evidence from Zhao, the Chinese now finds himself facing an uphill battle to reach his first Crucible quarter-final.

Today's scores

Second round (best of 25)
Morning Session: 1000 BST
TV Channel: BBC Two/Eurosport

  • Jackson Page 3-13 Mark Williams (Match 18)
  • Mark Allen 2-6 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Match 24)

Afternoon Session: 1430 BST
TV Channel: BBC Two/Eurosport

  • Mark Selby 4-4 Yan Bingtao (Match 17)
  • Zhao Xintong 5-11 Stephen Maguire (Match 23)

Evening Session: 1900 BST
TV Channel: BBC Four/Eurosport

  • Jackson Page 3-13 Mark Williams (Match 18)
  • Mark Allen 4-12 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Match 24)

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