A funny thing happened at the Crucible tonight....

Not something that has ever happened in my time there so far at the World Snooker Championships......

In the first round match between 2015 champion Stuart Bingham and qualifier Jack Lisowski with the match 4-5 after the first session, in the first frame (frame #10) of the second session, Jack Lisowski had rushed into a 60-0 lead and one of the lights over the table went out:

Referee Jan Verhaas looks at the light, Stuart Bingham points it out to the World Snooker crew.

After some discussions, the players agreed to complte the frame.  The light metres then came out and it was decided that the light was good enough all over the table to continue - the frame eventually going 76-22 to Jack Lisowski who then went on to win the game 9-7.

The Betfred 2017 World Snooker Championships final - before and after

It was Day 17 of the 2017 Betfred World Snooker Championships and the fourth and final session of the final between defending champion Mark Selby and four-time winner John Higgins.

The stage is set, the audience are taking their seats.  MC Rob Walker is warming up teh crows and has one final request for all mobiles to be put on silent.

 The press are gathered to capture the formalities beforehand.

Barry Hearn, Chairman of World Snooker, makes a presentation of thanks to Star snooker tables for the 10 years that they have been involved with World Snooker.

 Jason Ferguson, head of the WPBSA.

After the play has finished and the presentations have been made, before all the masses and masses of de-construction to make the Crucible a theatre again.....the confetti still adorns the table.

 Referee Jan Verhaas at the Champion's Dinner afterwards at the Mercure hotel.

 Nico McBrain, drummer with Iron Maiden, with Mark Selby and then in action

Betfred 2017 World Snooker Championships- Final, Day 2

Well, it's all over again for another year and Mark Selby came back from 4-10 down to win 18-15 against John Higgins at the 2017 Betfred World Snooker Championships at the Crucible theatre, Sheffield.  It was a late night, made even later by a generous offer from Betfred to attend the Champions Dinner at the Mercure hotel afterwards.

A selection of photos from the snooker part of the evening.

 John Higgins and Mark Selby get the star-studded entrance

 The handshake and trophy shot

 John Higgins breaks off in frame #25 at the start of play in the last session.

 The players come back out after the mid-session interval

 Referee Jan Verhaas checks for a touching ball

 Mark Selby celebrates his 18-15 win

 With good friend Bobby Lee

Betfred 2017 World Snooker Championships- Final, Day 1

Day 16 of 17 of the Betfred 2017 World Snooker Championships and it's defending champion and two-time winner Mark Selby up against four-time winner John Higgins.

A shot of the Crucible theatre, Sheffield early on in the day - no-one else in the auditorium or on the floor.

 Game-time approaches and the trophy is placed on the table - ready for the TV link

 Steve Davis doing a piece to camera before the players walk out

 First it is John Higgins (with Iron Maiden drummer Nico McBrain in the background)

 Followed by World #1, Mark Selby

 Referee Jan Verhaas carefully places the trophy for the traditional handshake shot

In the first frame Mark Selby took early control beofre John higgins brought it back to 1-1

Then, at the start of the third frame there was an animated discussion between the two players about the table.