YOU’VE heard of the infamous Ally Pally wasp, right?
Well, snooker officially got their own version during the Scottish Open with referee Maike Kesseler enduring the “most dramatic thing of the evening” in Edinburgh.
During the second round clash between Zhao Xintong and Joe O’Connor, the official could be heard over microphones on TV coverage asking for a “piece of paper” as she walked around the table.
That left the match commentary team baffled as to what was going on before they figured out a wasp was involved.
They were then taken aback when the noticed it had LANDED on the official as she remained calm and professional.
Reacting to the scenes live on air, they said: “What is the referee doing here?”
Maike whispered: ” Can I have a piece of paper please? It’s a wasp”
The comms duo continued: “A wasp has invaded the arena.
“They have it at Ally Pally don’t they, every year – not the same one – but anyway they have wasps there, yeah.
“Oh it is on her. She’s been so calm about it all, I wouldn’t be I can assure you.
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“The wasp was actually on her. I have heard of matches with a sting in the tail before now but I wasn’t expecting that.
“The most dramatic thing of the evening was Maike there.
“The wasp was on her.
“She stayed dead still and let the players play there shots. Wow.”
Englishman O’Connor went on to book his place in the third round by eliminating Xintong.
In the best of seven frames showdown, he ran out the winner 4-2.
Xintong opened up the match with a rare 146 but he couldn’t maintain that kind of form and O’Connor dominated from that point to set up a tie with Zak Surety.
