John Parrott was left baffled by Xiao Guodong's tactics during his World Championship match against Shaun Murphy, as the Chinese player repeatedly forced Murphy to escape a difficult snooker rather than taking control of the table. Murphy, known as 'The Magician', eventually succeeded on his eighth attempt, leaving Xiao in an awkward position and extending his lead to 3-0.
Parrott's Criticism
Speaking in the BBC studio, Parrott said: "Xiao Guodong got exactly what he deserved there. When Shaun Murphy was snookered when trying to play the brown, Xiao should have said, 'No, play from there,' rather than taking the penalty points. The points are immaterial when there are still all those reds left on the table."
Murphy handed Xiao 28 penalty points during the ordeal but went on to compile a break of 103 to win the frame 108-28. The 43-year-old also secured the fourth frame to take a commanding 4-0 lead into the mid-session break.
Murphy's Shot Clock Campaign
Murphy arrived in Sheffield with several grievances for World Snooker, including a push for a shot clock. He has argued for a 30-second limit to prevent players from dwelling excessively over their shots. Referee Desislava Bozhilova, who officiated last year's final, has backed the proposal but suggested extra time should be allowed when a player is snookered.
Earlier in the tournament, Murphy condemned an audience member for shouting "s*** shot" during his first-round tie against Fan Zhengyi, which he won 10-9. A victory against Xiao would see Murphy face either defending champion Zhao Xintong or Ding Junhui in the quarter-finals.
