A World Seniors Snooker Championship match at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield was briefly suspended on Thursday due to an unexplained fault with the table, leaving spectators and fans bewildered.
The match between Matthew Stevens and Dominic Dale was halted after several incidents, including one where Stevens potted a red ball and the white ball jumped into the air, prompting the 48-year-old to stare in disbelief at the table.
World Seniors Snooker confirmed in a statement: "Due to a fault with Table Two, there will be no further play on it this evening. Matthew Stevens and Dominic Dale will conclude their match on Table One following Ali Carter v Roger Farebrother." The match was rescheduled and Stevens won 4-2.
Meanwhile, defending champion Alfie Burden and Brazil's Igor Figueiredo played their match behind closed doors in the practice room, with Figueiredo winning 4-0 to set up a quarter-final against Robert Milkins.
The incident sparked confusion on social media, with one fan asking: "What could the fault be, I wonder?" Another wrote: "Like potting up a pavement kerb that." Table Two was scheduled to be replaced overnight.
The World Seniors Championship, with a prize fund of £80,000, features big names including seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, who begins his campaign on Friday against Ken Doherty.
