Robert Milkins praised for incredible act of sportsmanship after calling foul on himself vs Ronnie O'Sullivan

Robert Milkins has been praised for an act of sportsmanship during his World Seniors Championship semi-final against Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Milkins, who qualified for this year's World Championship before being knocked out in round one, was in position to win the frame to go 2-1 ahead when the incident occurred.

'The Milkman' played a superb thin cut shot on the green, sending the cue ball around the table to get in position for the brown.

He potted the brown straight into the top right pocket, leaving him with another cut shot to play close to the blue.

But after potting the blue to go 61-54 ahead in the frame with 13 points remaining, he immediately called a foul.

Milkins alerted the referee that he had accidentally performed a push shot on the blue, with the referee thanking him.

As he walked back to his seat, he received loud applause from the crowd for the act of sportsmanship.

Milkins played a push shot on the blue (Image: Channel 5)

"Well done to Robert Milkins," the lead commentator said.

"After that shot of the tournament [on the green], to call that on yourself, well done."

Co-commentator and 1986 world champion Joe Johnson said: "What a gentleman. What a sportsman. To call a foul on yourself like that... because the frame was his, he'd probably have potted the pink there."

On punditry for Channel 5, 1991 world champion John Parrott added: "Another example of our sport and why it's so good. We wouldn't have spotted it."

O'Sullivan returned to clear up the table after the Milkins foul (Image: Channel 5)

After the foul, O'Sullivan would clear the table to move 2-1 ahead himself, but dropped frame four ahead of the mid-session interval.

Milkins then won frame five to go 3-2 ahead in the best-of-13 encounter.

In what was a closely-fought yet gritty contest, Milkins would go 4-3 in front before O'Sullivan again levelled by pointing the decisive pink in frame eight.