Ebdon takes early initiative

WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP/Final: Peter Ebdon takes a four-frame lead into today's concluding play after he established a 10-6 lead with the help of a blistering second session in the World snooker championship final at the Crucible, Sheffield last night.

With yesterday's first session ending 4-4, Ebdon took the initiative by winning three of the opening four frames of the secondsession.

Outsider Ebdon, beaten in his last eight meetings with Hendry, took advantage of a fluked snooker in the final frame before the interval to stretch his lead to 7-5 in the best-of-35 contest.

Ebdon, looking to avenge his 1996 world final defeat by Hendry, started the second session in impressive style after the Scot had made a mess of a safety shot and left an easy red into the middle pocket.

The Wellingborough player took full advantage with a magnificent 134 clearance to end Hendry's four-frame winning streak.

Ebdon was also well in command in frame 10 after a run of 56 as Hendry failed with an attempted cut into the middle. But a superb long red gave Hendry the chance to snooker his opponent behind the green. The attempted safety shot from Ebdon was well off the mark and left Hendry with the chance to make a 40 clearance to nick the frame.

Ebdon's third 50-plus break of the evening - a 52 - proved decisive in the next and then he edged into a 7-5 lead at the interval after a fluctuating 12th frame.

His break of 41 was more than cancelled out by Hendry's 68 which left Ebdon needing a snooker. But then Ebdon fluked a snooker on the green behind the brown which Hendry failed to get out of and he took full advantage with a 25 clearance to triumph 70-68.

Ebdon held his hand up to apologise to his opponent for his slice of good fortune as the pair left the arena.

The opening eight-frame session had been split into two distinct halves with Ebdon racing into a 4-0 lead only for Hendry to match that achievement after the interval.

Ebdon was on top of his game from the start and scored 234 points before Hendry finally potted a ball midway through the third frame after 54 minutes.

Breaks of 65, 100, 40 and 34 made a mockery of the pre-match odds which made Hendry 2-5 on to lift his eighth title and the points aggregate in favour of Ebdon was 378-29 at that stage.

But it was a different story after the break as Hendry conducted his own mini-whitewash. He rattled in a 126 in frame five and the 116 in frame seven was his 14th century of the finals.