Outrageous Hossein Vafaei fluke along rail stuns fans at Northern Ireland Open - 'Could not play that shot for 10 years'

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Hossein Vafaei could not pot the brown like that again if he tried. The Iranian stunned Eurosport's commentary team of Neal Foulds and Dave Hendon, when his attempted brown into the green pocket jumped and rolled along the rail to settle into the yellow pocket. Foulds said it would take "10 years" for players to sink that shot intentionally, one which is perfectly legal in the sport.

‘Gone all the way along the rail!’ – Vafaei makes EXTRAORDINARY fluke against White

Video credit: TNT Sports

Hossein Vafaei stunned fans at the Northern Ireland Open with a once in "10 years" fluke during his match against Jimmy White.

The Iranian potter enjoyed a huge slice of luck in the very first frame of his Round 1 match in Belfast, eventually sinking his second brown in incredible fashion.

Hoping to build his maiden break of the tournament, Vafaei slammed the brown into the jaws of the green pocket only to see it, astonishingly, ricochet and run right along the rail to drop directly into the opposite yellow pocket.

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Neal Foulds and Dave Hendon on commentary were quick to point out the sensational rarity of a shot like that coming off.

Hendon said: "Hang on, what about that! The brown has gone all along the rail and in the yellow pocket!"

"It's one of those flukes you see once every five years. It's extraordinary, look at that," said Foulds.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

"It is a legal shot in case you were wondering. It only gives you four points but it's a remarkable thing to happen. In all the years, I've seen probably seven or eight times the ball going in like that. It is always fun, isn't it?"

"Normally it just gets forced off the table, doesn't it? All the way along the rail and in," replied Hendon.

"I saw it happen on the final black in a frame once, the final frame of the match. One for social media, I'm sure that'll be seen again," added Foulds.

"You literally could not play that shot if you were there for 10 years because it's something that is an uncontrollable really."

In altogether calmer fashion, Vafaei went on to play a safety towards the same pocket from which he garnered his fortunate four-pointer, and end his break of 10.

The 30-year-old eventually took the hard-fought first frame 71-65, with White hitting back after another tight tussle that ended 67-40.

Watch and stream the Northern Ireland Open live on Eurosport and discovery+

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