Hendry - closing on landmark. (Getty Images)
HENDRY POISED TO CLAIM CENTURY
Stephen Hendry remains just one short of a Crucible century of century breaks
after establishing a 6-3 overnight advantage over stablemate Gary Wilkinson at
the Embassy World Championship this evening.
Hendry boosted his tally to 99 and his career total to 608 as he matched Peter
Ebdon's double ton start to the defence of his crown earlier in the day.
Ebdon's 135 still leads the way for a £22,000 high break prize as Hendry
knocked in runs of 120 and 132.
And the 34-year-old Auchterarder ace will surely reach three figures when his
game against qualifier Wilkinson resumes in Sheffield on Sunday night.
Hendry could already have made his latest piece of world championship
history.
He was closing in on his record breaking hundred in the closing frame of the
session. However, after reaching 80 Hendry missed a pottable final green. And
that summed up the world number six's afternoon.
Wilkinson could not match last year's Embassy runner-up for high scoring.
But with the scraps at his disposal the world number 46 from Kirby in Ashfield
kept onto Hendry's waistcoat tails.
Indeed, Hendry was beginning to feel the pressure and the frustration when he
lost a black ball seventh frame.
The Scot's 60 break put him 60-0 in front only for Wilkinson to nick the frame
with a 40 clearance from the final two reds and the colours.
Hendry also made 60 in frame eight after Wilkinson fluffed an opportunity to
regain parity and his closing 80 took him within sight of the finishing line.
Hendry, who still harbours ambitions to finish the season as world number one,
requires only four of the remaining 10 frames to clinch a second round date
against Essex left hander Mark King or fellow Scot Drew Henry.
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