Shaun Murphy, Ding Junhui Odds for China Open Snooker Betting

Shaun Murphy was the talk of the day after producing the longest frame in snooker history in his 5-3 win over Dave Harold.

The British born 2005 World Snooker Champion is ranked number 3 for the 2007-2008 Snooker season, his highest ever.

During the 2005 tournament, he beat former world champions John Higgins (13-8), Steve Davis (13-4), Peter Ebdon (17-12), and finalist Matthew Stevens (18-16) to win the World Championship.  His run echoed the first championship win of his childhood idol Davis, who also beat three world champions (Alex Higgins, Cliff Thorburn and Terry Griffiths) to reach the final.

The tournament doubled his previous career prize money and his run to the final earned him the nickname Magician. He purchased a Mercedes-Benz E-Class and a house with the proceeds of his win.

Earlier yesterday, Murphy scored a frame lasting 93 minutes, surpassing both previous records for the longest televised frame (Mark Selby v Marco Fu, 2007, Maplin UK Championship, 77min) and longest in professional snooker.

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The eighth and final frame saw the players locked in a tactical exchange with only the colors left, including a lengthy exchange on the brown.

"I'm very, very pleased to have won," said world No 3 Murphy. "I'm not flying half way around the world to lose in the first round.

"I was very pleased with how I played in the whole match. My safety play was good, my potting was good and generally if both of those work you win the game.

"Dave is a very good player who plays cagey snooker and it was never going to be over in hour, it was always going to be a slow, hard game. It is hard because most players play more aggressive snooker but we are all here to win and you have to respect everyone."

When questioned about creating history he joked: "It was difficult in the last frame because I needed to go the toilet. I wouldn't have minded if I had lost the frame."

Murphy has never lost to the Chinese wunderkind, Ding Junhui.

Sportingbet was  also offering odds on the color of the first ball.

Colour of First Ball Potted in Frame 8 [?]
 
Odds
Black
2.40
Pink
10.00
Blue
3.20
Brown, Green or Yellow
3.20
 

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Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com

Originally published March 27, 2008 10:33 am EST