Shaun Murphy dumped out of WST Classic snooker, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh fires 147 in defeat, Mark Allen survives scare

Shaun Murphy's recent golden run was brought to a shuddering halt as he slipped to a 4-3 defeat to world No. 111 James Cahill in the last 64 of the WST Classic in Leicester. Murphy is guaranteed to be part of the elite eight-man Tour Championship at the end of the month in Hull (March 27 — April 2), but could not maintain his winning touch on Monday at the Morningside Arena.

Ad The 2005 world champion's exit is a surprise after he performed at the peak of his powers in lifting the Players Championship last month with a 10-4 win over Ali Carter, a week after he lost 9-7 to Robert Milkins in the Welsh Open final. SnookerO'Sullivan withdraws from WST Classic with elbow injury, White victory, Robertson exitYESTERDAY AT 14:07 Cahill – who famously defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-8 as an amateur in the first round of the 2019 World Championship – showed he still has the minerals to live with the best as he watched his opponent produce 92, 143 and 53 to lead 2-1 and 3-2, but steeled himself to claim the final two frames after earlier running in 51 and 73. After pinching the match on the final black, Cahill said: «To be honest, I think he deserved to win.

He is playing a lot better than me. I've just been lucky to nick it on the black. »I felt like I was playing an alien game out there, but just kept potting my way over the line.

«I've not played a great deal, I've had a lot of first-round exits, so it has not been a great season for me at all. I started playing three weeks before this tournament. »I've got to improve a lot from that game.