Superb Murphy on course to retain - 27/11/2010

Marco Fu 2 – 5 Shaun Murphy
83 (83) – 0, 70 (45) - 5, 0 – 116 (103), 0 – 81 (81), 0 – 97 (97), 0 – 97 (69), 0 – 72 (68)

DEFENDING champion Shaun Murphy is on course to retain his PartyCasino.com Premier League Snooker title after putting on the performance of the season in overcoming Marco Fu 5-2 in front of a full house at Potters Leisure Resort, Norfolk.

The match was the best of the ten week competition so far with both players at the top of their respective games but it was Murphy, who won five on the spin for victory, who took the plaudits.

He scored 465 unanswered points, just 32 off Ding Junhui’s world record of 497 which the Chinese made against Stephen Hendry in this same event. In fact Marco Fu didn’t pot a ball for an incredible 47 minutes and 29 seconds.

Such was the quality on display that the average frame time was just 9 minutes 54 seconds as four of the seven frames were won in single visits.

Murphy, who won last year at this same Potters venue, fell behind after Fu knocked in excellent breaks of 83 and 45 to move into a 2-0 lead in the best of nine frame match.

From then on it was all Murphy as the 28 year-old from Manchester fired home the game’s only century to reduce the deficit and a break of 81 levelled the match.

Breaks of 97, 69 and 68 sealed the deal for Murphy in what was a flawless display and he now plays either Ronnie O’Sullivan or Neil Robertson in Sunday night’s final.

“That was very near to my best snooker,” said a delighted Murphy.

“I had a few days off this week so I was not quite on it at the start. As a player, all you want is a chance and I had mine early and messed it up. In the third frame though, I got my act together.

“I wasn’t thinking about the record although I looked at the board and saw that he hadn’t scored for a few frames. I had a chance to make a max in the last but in the end I was just pleased to win the frame and the match.

“I think I’ve set a decent standard. The trophy is mine and it’s up to anyone else to come and get it,” he added.