MARK ALLEN RECOVERED from a nightmare start to the second session of his second-round match against Chris Wakelin by completing the 15th maximum break at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.

Allen receives a £40,000 bonus in prize money as a result but faces an uphill battle to stay in the tournament as he trails Wakelin 12-4. 

The Antrim star had failed to pot a ball in the three previous frames as qualifier Wakelin proceeded to turn a 6-2 overnight advantage into a 10-2 lead.

But Allen made his intentions clear in the first frame after the mid-session interval, targeting a long black and riding his luck on the yellow to wrap up his first 147 at the famous venue.

Allen punched the air before even sinking the black and was warmly congratulated by Wakelin, who is now just one frame away from the quarter-finals. 

MARK ALLEN HITS CRUCIBLE MAX #15! 🔥

Congratulations to the @Midnite Maximum Winner Brian Nicholls who wins £25,000 🤯👏#MidniteMaximum | #HaloWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/K2U6EQsg9K

— WST (@WeAreWST) April 25, 2025

A remarkable session had started in anguish for Allen, who missed a simple yellow off its spot in the first frame of the day to gift Wakelin a 7-2 lead.

The 33-year-old from Rugby then proceeded to play faultless snooker as he reeled off the next three frames without Allen scoring a point, including three remarkable pots with the white tight on the bottom cushion.

Wakelin potted a yellow to the middle in the 12th frame that seven-time champion Stephen Hendry, commentating on the BBC, called “one of the best shots I’ve ever seen”.

Co-commentator Steve Davis hailed an “astonishing performance” by Wakelin, adding: “There have been some fantastic shots played over the years at the Crucible, but that’s up there in the top 10 for me.”

With reporting by Gavin Cooney

Written by Press Association and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.