JJ A NATURAL SHAUN KILLER
SHAUN MURPHY saw his world title hopes go up in smoke against Crucible bogeyman Jamie Jones.
The Magician lost a Betfred World Championship first-round thriller 10-9 against the world No.51 from Neath.
It was the second time in six years that the 2005 champion had been made to vanish by the 30-year-old Jones at the same stage of the competition. And a bewildered Murphy, 35, was left wondering why Jones fails to pull more rabbits out of the hat at regular tour events.
Murphy said: “When Jamie sets foot in the Crucible there is a weird change in him. I would want to work out how he plays like that here, and then repeat it.” Jones, who beat Murphy 10-8 six years ago, now plays Kyren Wilson for a place in the quarter-finals.
He said: “I need to prepare for every tournament like I do for this one.”