World Snooker Championship 2012: Stephen Hendry hits 147

Seven-time champion Stephen Hendry fired in a 147 maximum break on the first day of the World Championship.

The Scot, 43, made the 10th maximum at the Crucible in the seventh frame of his match against Stuart Bingham.

It was Hendry's third 147 at the venue and the 11th of his career, equalling two Ronnie O'Sullivan records.

"I still have a match to win but the 147 was probably one of my best, position-wise," said Hendry, who leads Bingham 8-1 after the first session.

Hendry's maximum came a day after he returned from a 10,000-mile round trip to China for business.

He stands to earn £50,000 - £40,000 for the 147 and £10,000 for the highest break prize - unless another player makes a 147.

"It was absolutely fantastic to make a third maximum at the World Championship," he added.

"I felt really good out there, and the jet lag - well, sleep is for wimps. It's the new way, fly in to Sheffield the day before with no practice!

"That ties me with Ronnie to have made three here, and I don't care what Mark Williams says about the Crucible, there is no better feeling than to make one here."

Hendry's closing remark was a response to the Twitter outburst from his friend Williams, the two-time world champion, who criticised the Crucible venue and said he hoped the World Championship would move to China.

Former world champion John Parrott said on BBC Two: "This shows Hendry can still do it at the highest level."

"I've got no idea what this is going to do to his confidence. When I looked at the draw, I didn't think he was going to win, but anything is possible now."

"What a performance from Hendry. That 147 was the icing on the cake for Stephen and it was wonderful to see," added John Virgo.

Ken Doherty and Neil Robertson, former world champions playing on the other side of the arena, stopped playing as Hendry moved close to the magical mark.

When Hendry calmly potted the final black, he punched the air and raised his glass of water as the crowd stood to acclaim his feat.

Doherty and Robertson joined Bingham in congratulating the Scot, whose previous 147s at the Crucible came in 1995 and 2009.

The 2009 break earned him £157,000 but World Snooker has downgraded the prize fund for maximums