Snooker: Ricky Walden hits first 147 of career– then tastes success at UK Championship

Dec 8 2011 by Paul Wheelock, Chester Chronicle

CHESTER’S Ricky Walden yesterday shocked the snooker world by knocking world number two Mark Williams out of the UK Championship. And he did it just days after hitting his first 147-break.

The world number 22 grabbed the maiden maximum of his career – and the 81st in recorded professional snooker history – during last week’s Players Tour Championship event in Sheffield.

Walden, who pocketed a £3,000 prize for his efforts, then took that form into this week’s televised UK Championship where he yesterday claimed the major scalp of Williams at the Barbican Centre in York, 6-3.

Walden, who will take on world number five Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals tonight, said: “I’m chuffed. With the BBC tournaments I’ve not had a good run, so I’m pleased to come here and win. I’ve been working hard.

“Mark’s a brilliant player. He’s one of the best around. You've got to take your chances when they crop up and I did that.”

The 29-year-old went into the big BBC-televised event on a massive high after his frame of a lifetime at the World Snooker Academy.

The player on the end of Walden’s 147 was a youngster who is hoping to follow in his footsteps – Chester & District League star Gareth Allen.

The Ewloe-based 23-year-old, who plays for Broughton Wings, could not stop Walden from storming to a 4-1 success and a place in the fourth round.

The former Shanghai Masters champion, who used to run Chester’s Q-Bar, then edged out Mark King and Welshman Williams 4-3 before being beaten 4-2 by Dominic Dale in the last 16.

Walden, who is riding high in 12th in the Players Tour Championship Order of Merit with £8,600, was handed a return clash against two-time world champion Williams in the second round of the UK Championship as reward for his 6-3 win over Stephen Lee on Monday.

The first six frames of the Lee match were shared as Walden made breaks of 55, 51 and 92 and 13th-seed Lee knocked in 54, 78 and 103.

He then nicked a tight seventh on the colours before compiling runs of 98 and 54 to set up yesterday’s last-16 showdown against Williams, who fought back from 3-0 down to level before Walden rallied to record a stunning 6-3 victory.