Ding joins 147 club [VIDEO]

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(worldsnooker.com)
Updated: 2007-03-26 16:46

Ding Junhui made a sensational start to the SAGA Insurance Masters by making the first 147 at Wembley in 23 years.

Kirk Stevens was the only previous maximum man in the event - that came in his famous match against Jimmy White in 1984.

Chinese ace Ding, whose previous high break was 141, potted 15 reds with blacks and cleared the colours in the seventh frame of his match with Anthony Hamilton at Wembley Arena.

That put him 5-2 ahead and he went on to win it 6-3 to set up a match with training partner Peter Ebdon.

He was rarely out of position as he closed in on the magic maximum, though he did have to pot the 14th red with side to hold postion for the black. The 19-year-old was a picture of calm as he cooly slotted home the last few balls then punched the air in celebration.

Ding will take home the ￡10,000 high break prize plus a ￡25,000 bonus - providing another player does not match his achievement in which case the cash will be shared.

It's the 55th maximum in snooker history and the second of the season following Jamie Cope's in Aberdeen.

It's the first 147 by a Chinese player and the fifth by an Asian player (James Wattana has had three and Marco Fu one). Players of ten different nationalities have now made maximums.

Hamilton won the first frame with a break of 59 then Northern Ireland Trophy champion Ding took the next three with 50, 61 and 78.

London-based Hamilton made it 3-2 with a 72, then a superb contest closed with four successive century breaks.

Ding made 105 and 108 to go with his 147 while Hamilton made a 103.

"I'm feeling really special to be the second player to make a maximum in this event," said Ding. "I was feeling nervous when I got to the last red to a middle pocket, and also on the final black."

As for his match with Ebdon, who beat him at last month's Maplin UK Championship, Ding added: "I am delighted to be playing Peter again and I hope we can give the audience a very good game."

Hamilton said: "He's a great player and he played very well. He makes so many maximums in practice, he probably can't believe it took him until 19 to make one."