Snooker ref admits ‘I haven’t got a clue’ as John Higgins match takes turn | Other | Sport

John Higgins’ Scottish Open clash with Noppon Saengkham descended into farce after a refereeing blunder left the table in disarray. The 50-year-old Scot faced the Thai player on Wednesday evening’s second round. Whilst the opening frame proceeded smoothly, Saengkham taking it after 36 minutes, proceedings then spiralled into confusion. Higgins had clipped the pink whilst attempting to pot a far-off red.

Referee Colin Humphries was then required to restore the pink and reds to their original positions. However, matters took a bizarre twist. Glancing up at his overhead monitor, Humphries was heard enquiring: “Was it this red?” The official proceeded to handle the incorrect ball, further disturbing the original arrangement.

A protracted conversation between the referee and marker ensued regarding the proper placement, whilst Higgins sat with his head lowered. “I’m sure this wasn’t on your Christmas list, Colin,” commentator David Hendon remarked.

“We could be here a while. That’s not the right red, I’m afraid.”

Following Humphries’ efforts to rectify the table, Higgins got up to play his shot, with the referee admitting: “Are you okay where the reds are, because I haven’t got a clue!”

Higgins altered his initial shot, leading both players to safely return the ball down the table. However, after a 20-minute stalemate, the frame was effectively abandoned, with both players agreeing to a re-rack.

Saengkham ultimately triumphed with a 4-0 victory over Higgins, concluding the match with a striking 100 break. This incident adds to a series of unusual occurrences involving the Scottish snooker star in the past week.

In his first-round face-off against Antoni Kowalski on Monday, Higgins found himself snookered after potting a red in fortunate circumstances.

After choosing to use the spider against Kowalski, his cue slipped off the rack and collided with the nearby reds. Higgins couldn’t suppress a smile at the mishap, while the commentators burst into laughter.

“Well if anything summed up the start John Higgins has made, that was it,” Hendon commented. “That was the opposite of a Christmas cracker, that shot.”

His co-commentator Neal Foulds, after containing his laughter, added: “The whole sequence really… We shouldn’t laugh, should we? This is one of the greatest players the world’s ever seen, ladies and gentlemen.”