Welsh Open 2021: ‘I’ve not committed, I’ve pulled out of the shot’ – Mark Selby on botched 147

Published 16/02/2021 at 09:35 GMT

Snooker world number four Mark Selby had the chance of recording a maximum 147 against Barry Pinches on Monday. The 37-year-old Englishman needed to just pot the pink and black but feel agonisingly short. He was able to move on from the disappointment to beat his opponent 4-1 and qualify for the second round, where he will face Jamie O’Neill.

Mark Selby

Image credit: Getty Images

Mark Selby rued his miss on the pink as he fell just short of a maximum 147 break in his first round win over Barry Pinches.

Selby won the match comfortably 4-1 as he cruised into the second round, but missed out on a career highlight when he failed to convert a great opportunity for a confidence-boosting break.

The 37-year-old Jester from Leicester has three career 147s, and a fourth was cruelly out of reach on Monday.

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Selby had just the pink and black to pot, and he needed to glance the pink into the middle pocket in order to move onto his final ball.

He could scarcely believe his luck, as he explained to Eurosport’s Alan McManus and Andy Goldstein after wrapping up his win.

‘I’ve not committed, I’ve pulled out of the shot’ – Selby on botched 147

“I felt as though all the way through the break it was more or less faultless, up until the pink, which I’m sure you won’t show at any stage!” Selby said as the highlights from the frame played out on screen.

He then explained his decision on the pink, and in hindsight he would have changed his approach.

Selby blows 147 maximum attempt on final pink

“I was in two minds on the pink, I should have got back up off the shot, thinking do I roll it in or do I check it and screw off the black cushion?

“If I check it off the black cushion I probably put more of a stroke on it, which looking back, I wish I’d have played.

Because I rolled it, I’ve not committed, I’ve pulled out of the shot.

Selby decried his error and told the studio that a maximum is one of the best feelings in snooker.

“I just think a 147 in any tournament is probably - no matter the round, [even] in the early rounds, it’s one of the biggest buzzes you can get, especially if it’s on television.

“I’ve managed to do it once or twice before, but there’s a lot worse things going on in the world than missing a pink.”

Selby will now play Jamie O’Neill on Wednesday.

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