BBC commentator calls for Crucible ejection as Shaun Murphy left visibly shaken
Shaun Murphy was left stunned during his World Snooker Championship semi-final against John Higgins at the Crucible after a fan shouted out just before his break
Shaun Murphy was left taken aback by a spectator who shouted out just moments before his break. The incident prompted Dennis Taylor to condemn the fan’s behaviour.
The 2005 champion is locked in battle with John Higgins in the World Snooker Championship semi-final. The Wizard of Wishaw leads 13-11 after the third session, winning the final two frames on Friday night. Before that, as Murphy prepared to break with the score level at 11-11, one supporter bellowed: “Come on, John!”
Taylor was left far from amused. He remarked: “What are they shouting about? Just get them out of the Crucible, we don’t need that in our game.”
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The 43-year-old carried on after the brief interruption. This clash between Higgins and Murphy has been captivating to watch, with both players drawing level numerous times. Murphy’s abilities have been consistently lauded by the pundits throughout the session, with Stephen Hendry acknowledging “damage” will be inflicted if he maintains this form.
Hendry said: “Shaun Murphy, along with Neil Robertson, are probably the two consistently best long potters the game has seen, really.
“A long red is almost like a black off the spot for Shaun, the way he cues. You can’t afford to let him see them off the break-off – he’s going to do damage.”
However, the match has been determined by each player’s errors, with Joe Perry acknowledging Higgins could be claiming frames in one visit without mistakes. He said: “John Higgins should have won that in one visit, then an uncharacteristic positional shot.
“It’s been the story of the match – players get on a roll and win the frame in one visit but let their opponent back in.”
Perry, however, was full of praise for Higgins during the final stages of Friday’s evening session. He said after he finished with a break of 101: “That’s the best John Higgins has looked in this semi-final.
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“Since the interval, that’s breaks of 63, 70 and a century – clinical, one-frame snooker, that’s what you want at this stage of the match.”
Hendry added: “It’s what John Higgins has done in every match this championship – he’s got better as each match has gone on and played his best snooker near the end of the match.
“He knows when the business end of these games are and he just finds gears, that’s what he’s always done.”
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