Long drop

[misspentoldage]

Playing yesterday I had the longest delayed in-off I've ever witnessed live or on TV. My white rolled slowly to the yellow pocket and stayed right on the edge, angling my opponent on the final red which was by the top pocket same side. We joked about my luck and he was contemplating how to get out of the snooker when the white toppled into the pocket - I reckon 30-45 seconds after it had apparently stopped. The floor is solid stone, ground floor where the table is so I'm sure my opponent moving to his position would not have had an effect.

I took the penalty as my opponent had not gone down to address the ball. Right decision? Has anyone had a longer delay before seeing a ball drop?

[DeanH]

covered in the rules:

9. Ball on Edge of Pocket
When a ball falls into a pocket without being hit by another ball, and:
(a) Being no part of any stroke in progress, it shall be replaced and any points previously scored shall count.
(b) If it would have been hit by any ball involved in a stroke:
(i) with no infringement of these Rules (including cases where an infringement would have occurred but for the ball falling into a pocket), all balls will be replaced and the same stroke played again, or a different stroke may be played at his discretion, by the same striker;
(ii) if a foul is committed, the striker incurs the penalty prescribed in Section 3 Rule 10, all balls will be replaced and the next player has the usual options after a foul.
(c) If a ball balances momentarily on the edge of a pocket and then falls in; it shall count as in the pocket and not be replaced.

so in your example I would say no foul and replace and play continues as it would have had if the ball had not dropped, as it had been stationary for longer than "momentarily"

The only set of rules that have an actual time stated for the time of "stationary" is Black Ball pool rules with 5 seconds.
It has been asked often how long is "momentarily"?
My way of assessment is saying "momentarily" in my mind, after that ball is replaced

[mythman69]

We had a situation like this in a comp match. The cue ball sat on the edge for about 10 seconds. The non-striker was sitting in his chair and stomped his foot on the floor and the ball fell in. One claimed the vibration rule. The other said it was caused by the stomp and was a foul. What should have been the correct call? After much discussion, the cue ball was replaced and no foul called.