Williams blasts Williams

The pivotal point of an often tension-ridden final between the world's top two arrived in the 17th frame when Selby tried to escape from a tough snooker with Mark Williams holding a 9-7 lead and a 48-5 advantage in the frame he needed for victory.

Match official and fellow Welshman Eirian Williams called a miss against Selby for hitting the pink instead of the red as he tried to escape from a snooker before changing his mind moments later after studying footage of the incident on a television monitor.

Instead of having the balls replaced, Mark Williams was forced to play a tricky red along the top cushion which he missed at pace, enabling Selby to recover sufficiently in the frame before claiming it on the colours.

Mark Williams blew a glorious opportunity to claim the trophy when he jawed a routine green when green, brown, blue and pink would have sealed a 10-8 win in the 18th frame, but said that his namesake - a former police officer - had been equally culpable.

“I was robbed. The referee made such an appalling decision," said Mark Williams in the immediate aftermath of an engrossing final that ran until 1am in China.

“I was right behind it and one hundred per cent it hit the pink first. He said it did then he turned around and said he didn’t see it.

“It’s an absolute joke. It cost me the tournament. The balls should have gone back. I don’t mind losing to anyone but the ref has cost me the title, no question.

“It was plain to see that he hit the pink. We didn't need to play it back. We should get Stevie Wonder to referee next time.”

World number two Selby is poised to swap places with Mark Williams when the new rankings are updated at the outset of October.

"It was very difficult for the referee to see which ball I hit first," commented Selby. "Mark felt I hit the pink and I wasn't sure. The referee studied it and felt it had hit the red first, and we accepted that."

Selby is among the participants flying out to Brazil for the inaugural Brazil Masters. He faces Australian Open winner Stuart Bingham on Thursday in the first round of the invitation event.