Page equals Crucible record and Maguire edges Murphy on epic World Championship night

Jackson Page became just the second Crucible debutant in history to make three centuries in his first ever match at the arena as he stunned Barry Hawkins in a 10-7 victory.

The 20-year-old has been tipped to become a force in the game for some time by his mentor Mark Williams and showed early promise when he appeared at the Welsh Open at just 15 years old, but he has now landed the biggest win of his career so far.

The Welshman took a 6-3 lead into the second session and was quickly pegged back by the experienced Hawk who won the first two frames of Sunday evening.

With the match winding to 8-7 in Page’s favour, it looked to be anyone’s but then the youngster showed immense quality to make back-to-back centuries of 128 and 135 to win the match in supreme style.

Waiting in the next round is probably going to be his friend, mentor and practice partner Williams, who leads Michael White 7-2 after their first session.

‘I suppose it’s fitting really isn’t it. I’ll look forward to it, I’m sure Mark will as well,’ Page told Eurosport. ‘We’ll still be pals after it.’

The youngest player at the Crucible this year added: ‘Whoever loses will probably be banned from the club for two months.’

The only other man to make three centuries on debut at the Crucible was another Welshman, Ryan Day, back in 2004. Although, remarkably, Day lost that match to John Higgins.

On the other table on Sunday night it was a heavyweight clash between Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire which the latter came out on top of with a hard-fought 10-8 win.

It was quite an odd match which did not see much of either player’s best form. Illustrated by Maguire winning 10 frames and only knocking in two breaks of over 70.

‘A long, long match. Long two days really, it