Agony for Anthony as fluke puts paid to his Final dream

BY NEIL GOULDING

ANTHONY McGILL believes he was robbed of a first World Championship Final spot by the snooker gods.

The Scot suffered heartbreak as an incredible fluke saw his Crucible title hopes shattered in a 17-16 defeat.

McGill lost a dramatic lastframe decider when Kyren Wilson fluked the final green to clinch a nerve-jangling victory.

Wilson apologised but it was of little consolation to the gutted Glaswegian.

McGill said: “I just felt really unlucky, I feel as if the match has been stolen from me – not by Kyren, just by the snooker gods.

“I don’t feel I did much wrong but that’s the way it goes. I’ve not made a mistake to lose it.

“But that’s snooker. There was so much on the line but that’s the best I’ve played all tournament.

“Kyren played a great match so congratulations to him. But I thought I played great.”

McGill held a healthy 6-2 lead after the opening session but Wilson battled back to level at 8-8 and took a 13-11 lead into the last head-to-head. The

Englishman extended his lead with a composed break of 94 but McGill hit back in style with breaks of 84, 87 and 122 to level.

The pair swapped frames before McGill fired a fine 94 to move to within one of victory.

But Wilson levelled again and there were amazing twists and turns in a decider that lasted more than an hour.

McGill conceded seven fouls trying to escape a difficult snooker before Wilson went in-off twice to leave just five balls remaining on the table.

But Wilson had the luck when he fluked the final green and ended McGill’s stunning run at snooker’s premier tournament. Wilson broke down in tears after his victory and offered his sympathy to McGill.

He said: “It’s a cruel game. I’ve dreamt about getting to the Final but I didn’t want to get there like this.

“Every credit to Anthony, I’m sure he’ll be back. Anthony was absolutely phenomenal. It was mental how it panned out.”

Former world champions were stunned by the climax.

Scottish seven-time winner Stephen Hendry said: “That’s the most bizarre end to any match I’ve ever seen.”

Six-time champ Steve Davis said: “You couldn’t have made it up. Kyren is a very lucky boy to get through that in the end. Anthony will be shellshocked.”

And John Parrot said: “I have never, in 44 years of playing this wonderful game, ever seen a frame of snooker like that.

“It is unbelievable what happened. That was so bizarre.”

Wilson insists he can play freely when he faces five-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in this weekend’s showcase final in Sheffield.

He added: “I’m going to enjoy the occasion.

“The pressure is off me and I’m going to try to do everything I can to win the title. I’m a fighter so I’ll give it my all.”