UK Championship: Mark Selby baffled by final-frame win

World number one Mark Selby said he had no idea how he came through a final-frame decider with Welshman Jamie Jones at the UK Championship.

The Jester from Leicester had not lost a frame in his opening two matches at the York Barbican.

But Selby, 32, was off his best against world number 33 in the third round and was never in front until clinching victory with a fine break of 67.

"I was just scraping through. I don't know how I won the game," Selby said.

"I thought sooner or later I would come out and start performing, but it didn't seem to happen."

Mark Selby beat Shaun Murphy in the final to claim the 2012 UK Championship title

Selby, famously described as a "torturer" by Ronnie O'Sullivan for his ability to grind out wins when not at his best, trailed 2-0, 3-2, 4-3 and 5-4, but showed all his renowned battling ability to pull through at the York Barbican.

"Jamie deserved to win the match," Selby admitted. "He played great, scored two centuries and made more breaks. Every time he got chances he seemed to win the frame, in one visit, if not two.

"I had half a chance to win the first frame but he won that and made a great break in the second frame and deserved to be 2-0 up.

"For me to come out at 2-2 at the interval was like winning the lottery.

"I was just happy still being out there at 5-5. The way he played I had no right to be there after 10 frames.

"I thought as long as I get one chance I would be happy. I managed to get two and made a good break and held myself together well.

"And it was probably the best frame I played all match at the end when I needed to."

Selby faces either Dechawat Poomjaeng or Mark Joyce in the last 16, but said he would have to raise his game to continue his run at the tournament he won in 2012.

"Every game is tough and if I play like that, it has probably opened up for them," he said. "I will go on the practise table, work hard and be fresh for Wednesday."