John Higgins misses out on historic 147 maximum break in World Snooker Championship final against Judd Trump

George Flood6 May 2019

John Higgins agonisingly missed out on becoming the first player ever to hit a maximum break in the World Snooker Championship final on Monday.

The Wizard of Wishaw looked set up for a terrific 147 in the 18th frame of his clash with Judd Trump at The Crucible, producing a sensational trademark double to pot the 15th and final red and move himself back onto the black.

It looked a straightforward pot off the spot as Higgins prepared to dispatch the colours, yet the 43-year-old disappointingly caught the jaws of the bottom-right corner pocket to groans from the expectant crowd.

Nevertheless, it was the Scot's 150th century at the home of snooker - and the 12th by any player at this year's tournament - and reduced the deficit in the best-of-35 match to 12-6 after an exhibition of cue power and trickery from Trump on Sunday evening saw him lead 12-5 overnight after the opening session ended tied at four frames apiece.

Four-time world champion Higgins - a winner in 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011 - is making his third straight appearance in the final at The Crucible after successive defeats to Mark Selby and Mark Williams in 2017 and 2018.

He made a break of 59 after his 147 attempt stalled on 113, but Trump - making his first final appearance since losing 18-15 to Higgins in 2011 aged 21 - hit straight back with scores of 101 and 71 to take a 14-7 lead into the mid-session interval.