Snooker Shoot Out 2021 - 'What a sickener that was for Liang Wenbo' - David Gilbert wins after foul

ByAlex Livie

Updated 07/02/2021 at 20:05 GMT

The Chinese star was at the table and looking to claw back the deficit but was left with a face like thunder after hitting the pink with the end of the rest after potting a red. David Gilbert took full advantage to book his place in the last 16 of the Snooker Shoot Out at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes

Liang Wenbo beim Shootout

Image credit: Eurosport

Liang Wenbo crashed out of the Snooker Shoot Out to David Gilbert after committing an unfortunate, bizarre foul.

The Chinese star was 23 points down, but at the table after being let in by Gilbert.

Liang needed the rest for the shot, but after stroking in the red he hit the pink when lifting it off the table.

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He was immediately called for a foul, much to Liang and Gilbert’s surprise as the latter was sipping his water and unaware of the mistake.

'Pretty painful!' - Rare foul as Liang accidentally 'wellies' the pink

“It’s pretty painful when that happens,” said Eurosport’s Neal Foulds. “That was pretty dramatic.”

Eurosport commentator David Hendon summed things up pretty well, when he said: “Expect the unexpected in the Shoot Out.

“He does not just catch it, he wellies it.”

Hendon believes the fact Liang had to take the long rest as opposed to the normal rest on account of time constraints was a contributing factor in the error.

“Ordinarily he would not have needed the long rest, but the format dictates it and it has cost him,” Hendon said. “I was looking at Gilbert’s face and he did not even notice it. He was drinking his water.

“What a sickener that was for Liang Wenbo.”

Gilbert took advantage of his chance, as he rolled in a break of 71 in his 107-7 win.