Major records
With snooker fever getting higher and hotter as we get closer to February 4, the opening day of the 2008 Malta Cup, Wilfred Sultana adds to the zeal of the build-up to the star-studded 20-player tournament by featuring some fascinating records he came...
With snooker fever getting higher and hotter as we get closer to February 4, the opening day of the 2008 Malta Cup, Wilfred Sultana adds to the zeal of the build-up to the star-studded 20-player tournament by featuring some fascinating records he came across.
Records are part of the glorious moments of snooker highlighting the protagonists whose names have become legends of the green baize.
One particular name which features in this compilation with no fewer than five records is Tony Drago. 'The Tornado' might have never attained any ranking titles but still enjoys a stunning reputation for his style, talent and charisma which keeps audiences, whether in the playing arena or watching at home on TV, in an enthusiastic and entertaining mood.
Besides Drago, other names that feature in this prestigious records archive, and who will be challenging for this year's Malta Cup, are Stephen Hendry, Peter Ebdon, John Higgins, Dominic Dale and Joe Perry.
Fastest frame - 3 MINS. Tony Drago vs Danny Fowler. 1988 International Open (R3).
Longest frame (TV) - 73 MINS and 30 SECS. Steve Davis vs Dene O'Kane. 1989 World Team Cup final.
Longest frame (ranking event, TV) - 72 MINS. Mick Price vs Chris Small. 1995 British Open.
Longest frame (ranking event, non-TV stage) - 92 MINS and 59 SECS. Cliff Thorburn vs Stephen O'Connor. 1994 Regal Welsh (QRd9).
Fastest 9-frame match - 34 MINS. Tony Drago vs Sean Lanigan. 1993 Strachan Challenge Series 2 (5-0) (R5).
Longest 9-frame match - 434 MINS and 12 SECS. Ian Williamson vs Robby Foldvari. 1994 British Open (5-4) (QRd7).
Fastest 11-frame match - 72 MINS and 58 SECS. Stephen Hendry vs Jimmy White. 1996 Benson and Hedges Masters (6-0) (QF).
Longest 11-frame match - 434 MINS. Paul Tanner vs Robby Foldvari. 1991 UK Championship (6-5) (R2).
Fastest 17-frame match - 81 MINS. Tony Drago vs Joe O'Boye. 1990 UK Champion-ship (9-0) (R3).
Longest 17-frame match - 548 MINS. Jack Fitzmaurice vs Mario Morra. 1982 World Championship (9-7) (QRd).
Fastest 19-frame match - 105 MINS and 32 SECS. Alan Burnett vs Doug Mountjoy. 1997 World Championship (10-1) (QRd7).
Longest 19-frame match - 660 MINS and 56 SECS. Chris Shade vs Robby Foldvari 1996 World Championship (10-9) (QRd6).
Fastest 25-frame match - 167 MINS and 33 SECS Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tony Drago. 1996 World Championship (13-4) (R2).
Longest 25-frame match - 799 MINS and 40 SECS. Dennis Taylor vs Terry Griffiths. 1993 World Championship (13-11) (R2).
Most number of successive seasons ranked in Top 16 - 20 Steve Davis; 18 Dennis Taylor; 17 Terry Griffiths.
Most number of consecutive seasons at No.1 - 8 Stephen Hendry (1990 to 1998); 7 Steve Davis (1983 to 1990); 5 Ray Reardon (1976 to 1981) and 1982-83.
Fastest century - 3 MINS and 31 SECS. Tony Drago vs John Higgins 1996 UK Championship (R3).
Youngest player to win a ranking tournament - 17 YEARS 11 MONTHS. Ronnie O'Sullivan 1993 UK Championship.
Youngest world champion - 21 YEARS 4 MONTHS. Stephen Hendry 1990.
Record points aggregate in one frame - 185. Sean Storey (93) vs Graham Storey (92) in the 1992 Asian Open (R1).
Record number of points scored by one player in one frame - 167 Dominic Dale vs Nigel Bond in 1999 World Championship (break 122 plus one red and 11 successive misses worth 44).
Record number of points scored in a ranking event without reply - 463 by Joe Perry vs Tony Meo in 1997 World Championship (QRd5).
Record number of successive matches won in ranking events - 8 by Ronnie O'Sullivan (June to August 1992).
Most century breaks in World Championship history - 80 Stephen Hendry.
Most century breaks in any one tournament - 14 John Higgins. 1998 World Championship.
Most century breaks in a season - 53 Stephen Hendry (1994-95).
Here, I would like to add three records related to the Malta Cup. Their corresponding numbers are 18-44-5.
Well, 18 stands for the number of tournaments organised by Snooker Promotions since their very first in 1994; 44 represents the number of ranking tournament victories registered by the first three winners of the Malta Cup - Stephen Hendry 36, Ken Doherty 6 and Shaun Murphy 2; and, 5 stands for the number of leading partners in this Malta Cup, namely, World Snooker, the Malta Tourism Authority, Air Malta, the Hilton Malta and Allevents Malta, which forms part of the UK-based Fraser Eagle Group.