Hendry shows maximum intent

Stephen Hendry rolled back the years with a magical maximum to underline his return to form at the Betfred.com World Championship.

The seven-time world champion compiled his second Crucible 147 break on the way to developing a 5-3 lead over Shaun Murphy in their quarter-final.

Hendry, 40, last won the world title in 1999 and has not secured any ranking title since triumphing at the 2005 Malta Cup. He came to the Crucible as a 50-1 outsider.

However, he served notice of his intention to end that barren run with the ninth 147 of his career.

Hendry said: “It’s a tremendous feeling and I’m absolutely delighted.”

The Scot’s clearance of 15 reds and blacks, followed by the colours, came in the seventh frame.

Providing no-one matches it – in which case he would have to share the prize-money – Hendry will receive £157,000 (€175,000) for the feat.

The sponsors will also pay £147,000 (€164,000) to the Sport Relief charity.

Hendry moved 5-2 ahead after his maximum but Murphy responded well and a break of 73 brought him back to within two frames ahead of tonight’s second session.

The black for Hendry’s maximum wobbled in the jaws of the pocket before dropping in, prompting the Scot to raise his right arm in celebration.

Cliff Thorburn made the first World Championship maximum in 1983, in a match against Terry Griffiths.

Jimmy White compiled the second, in 1992, Hendry grabbed the third three years later, while Mark Williams and Ali Carter have also clinched maximums.

Last year was the first time two players had made 147 breaks in the same World Championship, when Carter and Ronnie O’Sullivan shared the glory.

O’Sullivan had scored his two previous Crucible maximums in 1997 and 2003. The 1997 effort remains the fastest on record, at five minutes and 20 seconds.

O’Sullivan’s conqueror Mark Allen, meanwhile, was 5-3 up in his match against Welshman Ryan Day at the end of their morning session.

Northern Ireland cueman Allen, 23, made a break of 103 to set up a run of three successive frames from 3-2 behind.

Leicester cueman Mark Selby made a superb start to his match against John Higgins this afternoon by firing in three centuries in a row.

He began with runs of 118, 124 and 117 before Higgins, who had battled back from 12-10 down to beat Jamie Cope in the second round, hit back to trail 3-1 at the mid-session interval.

Australian Neil Robertson led Glaswegian Stephen Maguire 3-1 in the early stages of their match.