Ding Junhui came just about as close as you could to bagging what would have been a memorable Masters maximum in his semi-final against Ronnie O’Sullivan at Alexandra Palace.

A magnificent cut on the 15th black and fluking a yellow left Ding with just five balls on the table to sink in order to achieve what would have been the 147th official 147 in the seventh frame of his last-four encounter with the Rocket.

But a tricky green proved to be the undoing of Ding, who sent the effort agonisingly against the lip of the middle pocket and the search for the landmark maximum goes on.

Watch the London Masters LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport Player, with analysis from Jimmy White and Neal Foulds