Longest Crucible frame stuns as Allen and Wu push to 100-minute saga
Longest Crucible frame stuns as Allen and Wu push to 100-minute saga
Allen and Wu Yize staged the longest frame in Crucible history, a 100-minute stalemate that reshaped the World Championship semi-final.
Mark Allen and Wu Yize staged the longest frame in Crucible history during the second session of their World Championship semi-final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, clocking 100 minutes and 21 seconds. Frame 14 featured a cluster with eight reds covering the black at the bottom-right pocket, a scenario that left the table virtually untouched for the best part of an hour and a half. The marathon frame helped swing the session to 7-7 and reduced the number of frames played that day, delaying the other semi-final between John Higgins and Shaun Murphy.
The stalemate drew a warning from the referee after no ball was potted for 55 minutes; the spell finally broke when Allen fouled and nudged the black, allowing Wu to claim the frame and take his only frame of the afternoon after another 30 minutes.
“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,” said a veteran pundit in response to the chaos. World Snooker ruled out making changes around re-racks, saying the rule was applied correctly by the referee.
Earlier in the day Wu had shown a devastating display of potting, while Allen, typically patient, had moments of control before the 14th frame. The day ended with the score at 7-7, and the semi-final will resume with the reward of a final spot on the line, keeping fans on edge as the Crucible showdown continues.
