Stephen Hendry’s tickled pink with his Crucible 147

The Scot's clearance saw him take a 5-2 lead against Shaun Murphy and was his second at The Crucible, the last coming against Jimmy White 14 years ago.

After potting a tricky pink, Hendry was still left with another difficult shot and the black wobbled in the jaws of the pocket before dropping in.

He said: "It's a tremendous feeling and I'm absolutely delighted."

The 40-year-old will receive the six-figure bonus providing no one else manages a 147 as happened last year when Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ali Carter shared the prize money after both achieved the feat. Sponsors Betfred will also pay £147,000 to the Sport Relief charity.

Hendry now has nine career 147s to his name, the same as O'Sullivan, although the Englishman has made three maximum clearances in Sheffield.

Hendry, who is bidding for an eighth world title, and his first since 1999, lost the opening frame today from 47-0 up but a break of 117 in the next brought him level at 1-1.

Murphy, 26, blundered in the fourth frame when he missed a black after putting together a run of 61, and Hendry cleared up in two scoring visits to pull clear of his rival.

Murphy, though, did respond well to Hendry's maximum as he won the next frame with a break of 73 to leave him 5-3 down at the end of the opening session.

That match was due to resume tonight, as was Mark Allen's clash with Wales's Ryan Day which the Ulsterman led 5-3.

Hendry's 147 came on the day it was announced that the championships will be staying at The Crucible until 2014 after the venue fought off competition from abroad to host it. The deal with World Snooker was due to run out next year but a new one has been agreed to extend an association dating back to 1977.

Sir Rodney Walker, chairman of World Snooker, held talks with interested parties in China where there has been an upsurge of interest in the sport, thanks in part to the success of two of that country's rising stars, Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo.

Abu Dhabi had also hoped the tournament could go to the Middle-East for the first time.

Most players in Sheffield this year have called for The Crucible to be retained as the host venue, although a minority have urged officials to be open-minded about the future of the tournament.