Mark Allen recovered from a nightmare start to the second session of his second-round match against Chris Wakelin by completing the 15th maximum break at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.
The Antrim star had failed to pot a ball in the three previous frames as qualifier Wakelin proceeded to turn a 6-2 overnight advantage into a 10-2 lead.
But Allen made his intentions clear in the first frame after the mid-session interval, targeting a long black and riding his luck on the yellow to wrap up his first 147 at the famous venue.
ALLEN MAKES A @MIDNITE MAX! 💥🙌
— WST (@WeAreWST) April 25, 2025
One of the great Crucible 147s — pure class from Mark Allen as he fires in the fifth maximum of his career against Chris Wakelin!#MidniteMaximum | #HaloWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/S3u3hGwyG1
Allen punched the air after sinking the black and was warmly congratulated by Wakelin, who still retains the improbable chance of securing a place in his first quarter-final with a session to spare.
A remarkable session had started in anguish for Allen, who missed a simple yellow off its spot in the first frame of the day to gift Wakelin a 7-2 lead.
The 33-year-old from Rugby then proceeded to play faultless snooker as he reeled off the next three frames without Allen scoring a point, including three remarkable pots with the white tight on the bottom cushion.
Wakelin potted a yellow to the middle in the 12th frame that seven-time champion Stephen Hendry, commentating on the BBC, called “one of the best shots I’ve ever seen”.
Co-commentator Steve Davis hailed an “astonishing performance” by Wakelin, adding: “There have been some fantastic shots played over the years at the Crucible, but that’s up there in the top 10 for me.”
