Ebdon celebrates his victory. (Allsport)

EBDON EDGES CLASSIC FINAL

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Marathon man Peter Ebdon claimed his first Embassy World Championship crown as he overcame Stephen Hendry 18-17 in one of the classic finals at the Crucible Theatre.

Ten years after first gracing snooker's greatest stage when sporting a pony tail, Ebdon finally picked up the coveted prize - and a cheque for £260,000 - as he refused to buckle against the seven-times champion.

Only 48 hours earlier Ebdon had been involved in a strength-sapping semi-final with Matthew Stevens when he trailed 16-14 and was one shot from going out of the championship before battling back to win 17-16 close to midnight.

One wondered how much the 31-year-old had left in the tank to face a back-on-song Hendry, who has been rejuvenated this season since acquiring the services of Terry Griffiths as his coach.

But Ebdon led for long periods in the best-of-35 frame contest and, when he really needed it at the death, produced more of the top quality snooker which has been his trademark throughout the last 17 days at Sheffield.

The Wellingborough player seemed to thrive as the pressure got greater and, after going 15-14 down, fired in breaks of 73, 111 and 85 in rapid succession.

He even managed to shut out of his mind failing to convert a vital black in frame 34 which would have virtually taken him past the finishing line.

Hendry made the most of that reprieve but it was only temporary as the final went to a last-frame shoot-out for only the third time.

Both players made errors in the early stages but it was Ebdon who stepped in with a 59 to put him in the ascendancy.

Hendry then needed snookers after accidentally potting the white when trying to snooker Ebdon behind the black - and seconds later it was all over in Ebdon's favour.

It had been his wife Deborah that Ebdon had switched his thoughts to when the going got tough against Stevens to help him over the finishing line.

And the pair hugged in celebration along with their nine-year-old daughter Clarissa after another 10-hour marathon was finally concluded at two minutes after midnight.

Both players had produced top-quality snooker and notched up four centuries apiece in a game which will live long in the memory and it was a shame someone had to lose.

But few would begrudge Ebdon his glory as he avenged his 1996 final defeat at the hands of his opponent.

Ebdon said: "I had a couple of chances in the final frame and thought I'd blown it but it just goes to show there's a lot of pressure out there.

"But I've had a fabulous time and really enjoyed myself, especially in my last couple of matches.

"It's an honour and a privilege for me to be competing on the same table as Stephen - he was outstanding.

"But I've worked harder this year than I've ever done. I've worked very hard on my game and one or two things in particular with my coach.

"This means the world to me, it's what I've been working for for the last 17 years - I'm obviously a slow learner but I got there in the end."

Hendry added: "Obviously coming in this morning I was 10-6 down and I had a good session to get back into the match.

"Tonight it was anybody's to be honest, but Peter made a magnificent break in the last frame considering the black he had missed in the previous frame.

"Before the last frame started all you want is one chance - I got three and I didn't take them and I deserved to lose.

"But this is the pinnacle of our sport and to be involved in matches like this is what it's all about."

Hendry had been first into his stride in the evening session, putting together an impressive 63 to leave Ebdon needing snookers and, with the frame effectively won, he followed that up with a 55 clearance.

It was the first time in more than seven hours of action in the final that Hendry, who trailed 4-0, 9-5 and 11-6 at various stages, had moved in front.

Ebdon led 58-38 in the next with just the colours remaining but made a mess of a safety shot on the yellow and Hendry produced some excellent pots to steal the frame.

Ebdon refused to buckle and, when Hendry over-cut a red, he took full advantage with a 103 to the black - his third century of the match.

Then he got back on level terms with the help of a 57 break to leave the match still in the balance at the mid-session interval.

The opening frame after the resumption was a nervy affair with both players missing what would normally be regarded as easy pots before Hendry put together a 58 to nose back in front.

But he could still not shake off the persistent Ebdon, who responded with a clinical run of 73.

Then he potted a superb long red to set off on the way to a 111 break - his fourth of the final - to go back in front at 16-15.

Almost inevitably, Hendry came back in frame 32 with a superb 67 to the final black after Ebdon had snookered himself on the colours when well set on 38.

Ebdon's inner strength surfaced again with an 85 in the 33rd and then 51 in the next before that missed black gave Hendry another chance.

But 18 minutes later Ebdon could hardly contain his joy as the game's greatest prize finally landed in his lap.

Hendry had set a new tournament record for centuries in the second frame of the afternoon session with his 15th of the 2002 finals as he recovered from a 10-6 overnight deficit to draw level at 12-12 going into the evening session.

That enabled him to beat the achievement of fellow Scot John Higgins, who had chalked up 14 hundreds on his way to his 1998 title.

Then in the next frame Hendry also became the first ever player to notch up 100 tons in the world championships - four in qualifiers at Preston and 96 at Sheffield.

But that would have been little consolation for the player who came so close to his eighth crown in 13 years.