Category: World Championship

A 67 break from Jones is more than good enough to restore parity at 6-6 as they head for a mid-session interval. Bingham missing a trick when he went 6-4 clear.

Looks like that missed black is going to prove very costly for Stuart as Jones opens up the pack of reds seconds later. Glorious chance to get this frame won here. Nothing really safe on this table. Like a training exercise with reds lined up for potting.

Jones with a corking long red straight off the bar in the 12th frame with white tight on baulk cushion, but then misses a pink to left centre. Bingham with chance to reassert himself, but he breaks down as a tough cut on a black fails to drop down the hole.

Bingham can’t escape from a snooker, and he has seen enough of that frame. Just shy of 30 minutes, but Jones back to within one frame trailing 6-5. Jones a lot more comfortable when the frames go scrappy.

Bingham tries to drop in a mid-range red, but it sticks in the jaws of the green bag. Hasn’t been missing many of those. Jones slots red, and gets a lucky kiss in potting the pink off the black. A lead of 37 points for Jak with a possible 35 left up. Timely fluke for Jones, who leaves Bingham chasing a snooker.

Just can’t keep hold of the white at the key moment and ends up missing a mid-range red. That is disappointing for Jak. But he is still a strong favourite with three reds near side cushions. Bingham gets within 30 points of Jones before a double on a red stays out. Two reds left on table.

Jones slides in a long red to regain access to the table. Cant get the pack open off the blue, and doesn’t make a great go of it. Then ends up missing the reds in holing the green. White drops down a top pocket, but Bingham can’t drain a long red. Hit at the white with plenty of pace, but red bounces back out. Could cost him the frame with Jones handed another simple red to get started.

Bingham goes for a long red. Well off the potting angle with that one, but doesn’t leave an easy starter for Jones. And then another long red eludes the former Masters winner. Jones reacts by picking out a tough cut on a red to left middle before he knocks in an excellent black on the stretch. Chance for Jones to get moving on the scoreboard, but he breaks down fairly quickly as a red to yellow bag eludes him.

Jones first to the punch in this 11th frame of the semi-final with a decent long red wriggling home, but not much else to follow as he is forced to declare on 11 with a red failing to drop in the right centre bag.

Career century 584 from Bingham as the brown disappears with the extended rest. Superb break of 107 from Stuart, and he moves 6-4 clear. Making some moves at the Crucible.

Bingham playing at 19 seconds a shot now. The Usain Bolt of the snooker balls. Really is a delight to watch when he is in the mood. Could be a ton on the way for the Ball Run.

Not many better break-builders in snooker than Stuart. Another superb cannon on the pink, and all those reds are wide open now. Looks a formality for a 6-4 lead for Bingham.

Stuart really has got that cue arm working, while Jak hasn’t potted a ball for half an hour or so. Which is just what Bingham will be looking to do. Keep the other player sitting in his seat. And on he goes here. Looking very promising for another big break.

Jak opts to push the boat out by going for a plant on reds. Plant fails to drop, and he also can’t get the white back up to baulk. Which isn’t good news. Another opportunity presented to Bingham. Which is dangerous when he is in such a prolific scoring mood.

Bit of an error from Jak as he fails to connect with the right red from distance to leave Stuart with a mid-range red to attack. Another opening for the 2015 world champion, but he misses the brown off spot and doesn’t end up landing on a red. Good run of the ball for the Ball Run.

Bingham trying to be very aggressive in his shot selection. Wants to get those reds opened as much as possible. Jones with more of a measured approach to all matters tactical.

No century for Stuart, but no matter. A fine opening run of 79 by the Basildon player to move 5-4 clear in the marathon run to 17 frames. Just another 12 of those required for the ‘Ball Run’.

This looks like a very impressive statement of intent by Bingham, who has got the reds opened up ASAP and is looking to plough on here by putting frame to bed in this visit. Such a heavy scorer Bingham when he is in the mood. And motors along at a fine speed too.

A lovely long red by Stuart is nailed with some interest. But not the best of kisses on the black. Screws off the black in potting green, and brings white back to the top end of the table. Decent chance here with black also hovering near a centre bag. Positive start by Stuart.

A tasty little safety battle is underway here at the outset of this session. Eight frames to get through this avo with eight more tomorrow morning and a possible nine (if needed) tomorrow night. Jones makes a blunder by leaving a red over a top bag, but Bingham can’t swing the black around the back of the black. Just the safety to follow.

‘The Pride of Essex’ Stuart ‘Ball Run’ Bingham is out in the arena. Ready to rock and roll. Jones with the break-off shot. Bingham full of smiles today. Jones is nicknamed ‘The Silent Assassin’. Perhaps he is up against ‘The Smiling Assassin’ today.

A third century of the match for Gilbert! His ninth at the crucible this year.

We’ll be back in a bit with the second session of Bingham versus Jones, with these two playing until the end this evening.

Massive cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. These two have treated the crowd to a fabulous match.

A tale as old as time (as old as this session), as Wilson makes a mess of an easy blue and lets Gilbert back in! Gilbert reels of five reds in no time including a marvellous one from distance, setting up a great chance to level this match yet again.

That’s a nasty miss. Groans from the crowd as Gilbert rattles the jaws of the bottom left pocket with a red. Wilson takes it for himself and gets things started in the 16th and final frame of the session.

Wilson takes the lead for the third time in this session. Can he make it two?

Wilson has frozen Gilbert out of this frame and now he’s just getting some potting practice in with the colours.

It’s a fine match. Wilson with yet another peach of a long red gets him back among the balls. Can he get frame ball here? Yes he can.

Gasps from the crowd as Wilson whacks in a red. But they know as well as he does that he’s lost position and has to go safe. He rolls up behind the brown and Gilbert will have a go.

A lightning start from Wilson who has hardly missed a long pot today. These frames are racing by, averaging under 15 minutes each.

These two are combing to produce a tremendous spectacle in this semi-final. Gilbert falls agonisingly short of a month century with a run of 96, but it’s a terrific break all the same.

Gilbert absolutely racing through this. He’s no interest in letting Wilson back to the table. He’s definitely getting the lion’s share of the applause as he does so too, people want this one to stay tight.

Here we go again! Gilbert plays a beautiful shot to get into this frame with a red to left middle. Fantastic. Wilson just cannot shake him off.

Wilson makes the most of that stroke of fortune and takes the lead again.

Another bit of bad luck for Gilbert! He misses a long red to bottom left and the cue ball pings in instead. Four points for Wilson, who could polish off the frame from here.

Wilson has plenty of trouble splitting the pack before the interval but he cannons them nicely here. But that’s unlucky, the white pulls up behind the black blocking off his best options. He needs a difficult red to bottom right but he overcuts it completely. The brown comes to his rescue with an incredibly fortunate snooker that leaves Gilbert baffled.

While we are official underway, neither player can get a look in here. A masterful exchange of safeties. But does Wilson see an opening? Yes!

We’re back underway! Can anything separate these two?

A brilliant run of 129 to level the match. We’re honours even at the mid-session interval. See you shortly.

There it is! The first century of the session and Gilbert’s eighth of the tournament.

Big cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. He’s played brilliantly here to once again reel Wilson back in. Can he get a century for good measure?

Rumblings from the crowd as the pink just about slips in, but Gilbert at his best here racing around the table. He has to be careful here though with five reds still bunched together. Get this right and that should be the frame. Excellent, he plays it so well and breaks up the remaining bunch too.

Gilbert eases a red into the left middle when it looked like there was nothing on.

Wilson regains the lead after a hard-fought frame that he should’ve won 15 minutes ago were it not for a very bad blue. He steals the frame back.

Wilson finally breaks the deadlock on the yellow with another stellar long pot. The green looks good but the brown is all tied up against the top cushion. He plays a great shot to get position but it’s still hard. Can he squeeze it in? Yes, excellent shot.

Gilbert cleans up all the reds, gets himself into the lead, then misses the yellow! Luckily he’s not left it on for Wilson. Both players look a bit agitated with distractions in the arena – lots of phones going off. Wilson goes safe on the yellow and gives Gilbert plenty of work to do with a smart snooker.

Gilbert hammers the pack. No nonsense, and it’s a marvellous shot. He could win the frame from here. Wilson’s blunder on the blue there adds to his mistake on the pink in the last frame. He rarely makes these kinds of mistakes.

Can Wilson split the pack? Sort of. He gets half of them away but forces himself into taking another long red on. Luckily he’s really good at those. Plenty of work to be done here though. He tries to force a few more reds of out of the bunch but only manages to skim too out the pack. Wow! He misses a routine blue by a mile. Can Gilbert steal this now? He makes a good start with a red.

Bang. A brilliant long pot from Wilson gets us underway in the 11th frame.

Gilbert levels things up after an eventful frame full of errors. These two just can’t be separated.

Gilbert needs this red for frame ball. Sinks it. Wilson will be kicking himself after missing that easy pink. He could’ve forged a two-frame lead or the first time in this final but it wasn’t to be and now Gilbert is heading level.

A terrific pot from Gilbert that breaks the safety impasse. And the brown is up for grabs too.

Gilbert sinks a tricky red but runs out of position. The two exchange very good safeties and we’re locked in at the top of the table.

Reprieve for Gilbert and Wilson hits a pink very thick. That was an easy one and he’s nowhere near.

Wilson sinks a terrific long red but once again he cannot get into the pack. Luckily he has options this time. That’s better. Cracks them open and gives himself position on the pink too. That goes!

A long yellow eludes Gilbert and to make matters worse, it pings into a red and gives Wilson a way back in. He tries to plough into the bunch but it’s a terrible shot and somehow he misses the entire pack. He tries again now as he sinks the yellow, but barely shaves the reds this time with another poor shot. That was a big opportunity to get into this frame but he’s misses it.

Gilbert was out of his chair as Wilson misses a long red, but the red bounces off the top cushion and slowly falls into the bottom right pocket. Lucky stuff. There ar eno colours so he goes safe, but not safe enough as Gilbert sinks an impressive long red for his first ball of the session. But again, few colours to choose from.

Wilson gets some polite applause for frame ball, sinks another red, but almost loses position on the pink. No bother, it goes. The next red rattles the jaws but Gilbert concedes. Great start for Wilson who takes the frame in one visit.

Wilson could make a flying start here. He’s 32 up in no time with some aggressive early snooker. He takes on a risky red and long green and now things look very good for the former finalist. Still some work to do with two tricky reds but this is good start to Wilson’s morning.

He must be in a hurry because Wilson has just pot two reds at once to get us going. And that’s opened up the table too.

Frame nine, 17 the target for a place in the final. Let’s go.

‘It’s a massive opportunity for the semi-finalists,” the seven-time champion says. “Especially the three who haven’t won it (Bingham took the title in 2015).’

‘But Bingham just loves snooker, and that gives him a huge advantage.’

Hello and welcome to our live-text coverage of the World Snooker Championship semi-finals!

We’re neck and neck in both matches after one session, with David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson tied at 4-4, with Jak Jones and Stuart Bingham sharing the same scoreline.

First up today is the second session of GIlbert and Wilson, so stay with us for all the build-up, hype and highlights as the boys head to the baize at 10am.

Wilson took the opening frame and looked strong, but Gilbert refused go away and produced some excellent play of his own.

The pair resume at 4-4 on Friday.

Not sure Bingham wants to get bogged down in long, protracted bouts of safety play, but that seems to be the direction of travel in this frame. Table looks very messy as Jones can only make six before breaking down.

A fine break of 68 from Jones before a black off the spot stays out. Bingham suddenly chasing three snookers in this frame. He hasn’t potted a ball for 24 minutes so worth getting out of your seat to get the cue arm working. But he misses the pink after slotting a red. And that will be enough. Jones ahead for first time in this match leading 7-6.

What a pot on a red that is from Jones as he buries a tough red to the green bag from the top end of the table. Didn’t touch the sides, and this is a glorious chance to build a decent lead in this 13th frame. Once again, plenty of red balls in the open to attack. Moves quickly to 42.

A 67 break from Jones is more than good enough to restore parity at 6-6 as they head for a mid-session interval. Bingham missing a trick when he went 6-4 clear.

Looks like that missed black is going to prove very costly for Stuart as Jones opens up the pack of reds seconds later. Glorious chance to get this frame won here. Nothing really safe on this table. Like a training exercise with reds lined up for potting.

Jones with a corking long red straight off the bar in the 12th frame with white tight on baulk cushion, but then misses a pink to left centre. Bingham with chance to reassert himself, but he breaks down as a tough cut on a black fails to drop down the hole.

Bingham can’t escape from a snooker, and he has seen enough of that frame. Just shy of 30 minutes, but Jones back to within one frame trailing 6-5. Jones a lot more comfortable when the frames go scrappy.

Bingham tries to drop in a mid-range red, but it sticks in the jaws of the green bag. Hasn’t been missing many of those. Jones slots red, and gets a lucky kiss in potting the pink off the black. A lead of 37 points for Jak with a possible 35 left up. Timely fluke for Jones, who leaves Bingham chasing a snooker.

Just can’t keep hold of the white at the key moment and ends up missing a mid-range red. That is disappointing for Jak. But he is still a strong favourite with three reds near side cushions. Bingham gets within 30 points of Jones before a double on a red stays out. Two reds left on table.

Jones slides in a long red to regain access to the table. Cant get the pack open off the blue, and doesn’t make a great go of it. Then ends up missing the reds in holing the green. White drops down a top pocket, but Bingham can’t drain a long red. Hit at the white with plenty of pace, but red bounces back out. Could cost him the frame with Jones handed another simple red to get started.

Bingham goes for a long red. Well off the potting angle with that one, but doesn’t leave an easy starter for Jones. And then another long red eludes the former Masters winner. Jones reacts by picking out a tough cut on a red to left middle before he knocks in an excellent black on the stretch. Chance for Jones to get moving on the scoreboard, but he breaks down fairly quickly as a red to yellow bag eludes him.

Jones first to the punch in this 11th frame of the semi-final with a decent long red wriggling home, but not much else to follow as he is forced to declare on 11 with a red failing to drop in the right centre bag.

Career century 584 from Bingham as the brown disappears with the extended rest. Superb break of 107 from Stuart, and he moves 6-4 clear. Making some moves at the Crucible.

Bingham playing at 19 seconds a shot now. The Usain Bolt of the snooker balls. Really is a delight to watch when he is in the mood. Could be a ton on the way for the Ball Run.

Not many better break-builders in snooker than Stuart. Another superb cannon on the pink, and all those reds are wide open now. Looks a formality for a 6-4 lead for Bingham.

Stuart really has got that cue arm working, while Jak hasn’t potted a ball for half an hour or so. Which is just what Bingham will be looking to do. Keep the other player sitting in his seat. And on he goes here. Looking very promising for another big break.

Jak opts to push the boat out by going for a plant on reds. Plant fails to drop, and he also can’t get the white back up to baulk. Which isn’t good news. Another opportunity presented to Bingham. Which is dangerous when he is in such a prolific scoring mood.

Bit of an error from Jak as he fails to connect with the right red from distance to leave Stuart with a mid-range red to attack. Another opening for the 2015 world champion, but he misses the brown off spot and doesn’t end up landing on a red. Good run of the ball for the Ball Run.

Bingham trying to be very aggressive in his shot selection. Wants to get those reds opened as much as possible. Jones with more of a measured approach to all matters tactical.

No century for Stuart, but no matter. A fine opening run of 79 by the Basildon player to move 5-4 clear in the marathon run to 17 frames. Just another 12 of those required for the ‘Ball Run’.

This looks like a very impressive statement of intent by Bingham, who has got the reds opened up ASAP and is looking to plough on here by putting frame to bed in this visit. Such a heavy scorer Bingham when he is in the mood. And motors along at a fine speed too.

A lovely long red by Stuart is nailed with some interest. But not the best of kisses on the black. Screws off the black in potting green, and brings white back to the top end of the table. Decent chance here with black also hovering near a centre bag. Positive start by Stuart.

A tasty little safety battle is underway here at the outset of this session. Eight frames to get through this avo with eight more tomorrow morning and a possible nine (if needed) tomorrow night. Jones makes a blunder by leaving a red over a top bag, but Bingham can’t swing the black around the back of the black. Just the safety to follow.

‘The Pride of Essex’ Stuart ‘Ball Run’ Bingham is out in the arena. Ready to rock and roll. Jones with the break-off shot. Bingham full of smiles today. Jones is nicknamed ‘The Silent Assassin’. Perhaps he is up against ‘The Smiling Assassin’ today.

A third century of the match for Gilbert! His ninth at the crucible this year.

We’ll be back in a bit with the second session of Bingham versus Jones, with these two playing until the end this evening.

Massive cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. These two have treated the crowd to a fabulous match.

A tale as old as time (as old as this session), as Wilson makes a mess of an easy blue and lets Gilbert back in! Gilbert reels of five reds in no time including a marvellous one from distance, setting up a great chance to level this match yet again.

That’s a nasty miss. Groans from the crowd as Gilbert rattles the jaws of the bottom left pocket with a red. Wilson takes it for himself and gets things started in the 16th and final frame of the session.

Wilson takes the lead for the third time in this session. Can he make it two?

Wilson has frozen Gilbert out of this frame and now he’s just getting some potting practice in with the colours.

It’s a fine match. Wilson with yet another peach of a long red gets him back among the balls. Can he get frame ball here? Yes he can.

Gasps from the crowd as Wilson whacks in a red. But they know as well as he does that he’s lost position and has to go safe. He rolls up behind the brown and Gilbert will have a go.

A lightning start from Wilson who has hardly missed a long pot today. These frames are racing by, averaging under 15 minutes each.

These two are combing to produce a tremendous spectacle in this semi-final. Gilbert falls agonisingly short of a month century with a run of 96, but it’s a terrific break all the same.

Gilbert absolutely racing through this. He’s no interest in letting Wilson back to the table. He’s definitely getting the lion’s share of the applause as he does so too, people want this one to stay tight.

Here we go again! Gilbert plays a beautiful shot to get into this frame with a red to left middle. Fantastic. Wilson just cannot shake him off.

Wilson makes the most of that stroke of fortune and takes the lead again.

Another bit of bad luck for Gilbert! He misses a long red to bottom left and the cue ball pings in instead. Four points for Wilson, who could polish off the frame from here.

Wilson has plenty of trouble splitting the pack before the interval but he cannons them nicely here. But that’s unlucky, the white pulls up behind the black blocking off his best options. He needs a difficult red to bottom right but he overcuts it completely. The brown comes to his rescue with an incredibly fortunate snooker that leaves Gilbert baffled.

While we are official underway, neither player can get a look in here. A masterful exchange of safeties. But does Wilson see an opening? Yes!

We’re back underway! Can anything separate these two?

A brilliant run of 129 to level the match. We’re honours even at the mid-session interval. See you shortly.

There it is! The first century of the session and Gilbert’s eighth of the tournament.

Big cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. He’s played brilliantly here to once again reel Wilson back in. Can he get a century for good measure?

Rumblings from the crowd as the pink just about slips in, but Gilbert at his best here racing around the table. He has to be careful here though with five reds still bunched together. Get this right and that should be the frame. Excellent, he plays it so well and breaks up the remaining bunch too.

Gilbert eases a red into the left middle when it looked like there was nothing on.

Wilson regains the lead after a hard-fought frame that he should’ve won 15 minutes ago were it not for a very bad blue. He steals the frame back.

Wilson finally breaks the deadlock on the yellow with another stellar long pot. The green looks good but the brown is all tied up against the top cushion. He plays a great shot to get position but it’s still hard. Can he squeeze it in? Yes, excellent shot.

Gilbert cleans up all the reds, gets himself into the lead, then misses the yellow! Luckily he’s not left it on for Wilson. Both players look a bit agitated with distractions in the arena – lots of phones going off. Wilson goes safe on the yellow and gives Gilbert plenty of work to do with a smart snooker.

Gilbert hammers the pack. No nonsense, and it’s a marvellous shot. He could win the frame from here. Wilson’s blunder on the blue there adds to his mistake on the pink in the last frame. He rarely makes these kinds of mistakes.

Can Wilson split the pack? Sort of. He gets half of them away but forces himself into taking another long red on. Luckily he’s really good at those. Plenty of work to be done here though. He tries to force a few more reds of out of the bunch but only manages to skim too out the pack. Wow! He misses a routine blue by a mile. Can Gilbert steal this now? He makes a good start with a red.

Bang. A brilliant long pot from Wilson gets us underway in the 11th frame.

Gilbert levels things up after an eventful frame full of errors. These two just can’t be separated.

Gilbert needs this red for frame ball. Sinks it. Wilson will be kicking himself after missing that easy pink. He could’ve forged a two-frame lead or the first time in this final but it wasn’t to be and now Gilbert is heading level.

A terrific pot from Gilbert that breaks the safety impasse. And the brown is up for grabs too.

Gilbert sinks a tricky red but runs out of position. The two exchange very good safeties and we’re locked in at the top of the table.

Reprieve for Gilbert and Wilson hits a pink very thick. That was an easy one and he’s nowhere near.

Wilson sinks a terrific long red but once again he cannot get into the pack. Luckily he has options this time. That’s better. Cracks them open and gives himself position on the pink too. That goes!

A long yellow eludes Gilbert and to make matters worse, it pings into a red and gives Wilson a way back in. He tries to plough into the bunch but it’s a terrible shot and somehow he misses the entire pack. He tries again now as he sinks the yellow, but barely shaves the reds this time with another poor shot. That was a big opportunity to get into this frame but he’s misses it.

Gilbert was out of his chair as Wilson misses a long red, but the red bounces off the top cushion and slowly falls into the bottom right pocket. Lucky stuff. There ar eno colours so he goes safe, but not safe enough as Gilbert sinks an impressive long red for his first ball of the session. But again, few colours to choose from.

Wilson gets some polite applause for frame ball, sinks another red, but almost loses position on the pink. No bother, it goes. The next red rattles the jaws but Gilbert concedes. Great start for Wilson who takes the frame in one visit.

Wilson could make a flying start here. He’s 32 up in no time with some aggressive early snooker. He takes on a risky red and long green and now things look very good for the former finalist. Still some work to do with two tricky reds but this is good start to Wilson’s morning.

He must be in a hurry because Wilson has just pot two reds at once to get us going. And that’s opened up the table too.

Frame nine, 17 the target for a place in the final. Let’s go.

‘It’s a massive opportunity for the semi-finalists,” the seven-time champion says. “Especially the three who haven’t won it (Bingham took the title in 2015).’

‘But Bingham just loves snooker, and that gives him a huge advantage.’

Hello and welcome to our live-text coverage of the World Snooker Championship semi-finals!

We’re neck and neck in both matches after one session, with David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson tied at 4-4, with Jak Jones and Stuart Bingham sharing the same scoreline.

First up today is the second session of GIlbert and Wilson, so stay with us for all the build-up, hype and highlights as the boys head to the baize at 10am.

Wilson took the opening frame and looked strong, but Gilbert refused go away and produced some excellent play of his own.

The pair resume at 4-4 on Friday.

Bingham far too thick with an attempt to sink a red over top right-hand pocket. Poor really. Was miles away with that attempt. And Jones responds by clipping red into left centre bag. So what is the Welshman going to compile at this visit? Stuart looking a bit perturbed.

Bingham just avoids the double kiss as white misses red on way back to baulk. Stuart too thick with a safety attempt as red comes back down table. Goes for red to a top bag, but it rattles the jaws and sticks over the opposite pocket. Bingham then misses a tough pot on the black off side cushion after potting red. A bit of a struggle out there.

A mistake by Jones in leaving the brown over green pocket, and Stuart slots brown, blue and pink to level up the semi-final at 7-7. Two more frames remaining of the session. Nothing to split them.

Bingham in a spot of trouble as Jones snookers him behind the green after slotting yellow, but Stuart doing well to come off one cushion across the table to hit the green. Relief for Bingham. Jak then pots green. Which probably doesn’t help his prospects.

Well, would you believe this. Looked to be a done deal in this frame, but Jones leaves a tough snooker for Bingham to hit and he fails to escape in clipping black near the top end of table. Suddenly 36 the difference with 35 left on the table. One snooker now required by Jones.

Jones needing three snookers after Bingham weighs in with 48. Looks like 7-7 is incoming in this match.

Bingham out of position on pink from potting red, but he produces an excellent shot with rest to keep the break going. Then watches a red struggle in. Relief to see that disappear.

Jones attempts a long red, but it comes back out of a top pocket at pace and comes back to haunt him in nestling over right centre pocket. Another chance falls to Bingham. Looks a very decent chance for the ‘Ball Run’ to bring this semi-final level at 7-7.

Superb cut on a red from Bingham along the top cushion before he sends the white crashing into the pack of reds off green. Tough pot on red to left middle, but it drops after wiping its feet. An obvious scoring chance for Stuart here. Has been making big breaks all week. Could do with another one here. But he ends up screwing into a centre pocket off a red. Back to more safety then.

Well, there we go. Both players getting fed up with this frame. Jak asks Stuart if he wants a re-rack. And that is probably the right call. Table was such a mess. Nobody wants to sit and watch an elongated dour frame. Off we go then for the 14th frame. Take two.

Not sure Bingham wants to get bogged down in long, protracted bouts of safety play, but that seems to be the direction of travel in this frame. Table looks very messy as Jones can only make six before breaking down.

A fine break of 68 from Jones before a black off the spot stays out. Bingham suddenly chasing three snookers in this frame. He hasn’t potted a ball for 24 minutes so worth getting out of your seat to get the cue arm working. But he misses the pink after slotting a red. And that will be enough. Jones ahead for first time in this match leading 7-6.

What a pot on a red that is from Jones as he buries a tough red to the green bag from the top end of the table. Didn’t touch the sides, and this is a glorious chance to build a decent lead in this 13th frame. Once again, plenty of red balls in the open to attack. Moves quickly to 42.

A 67 break from Jones is more than good enough to restore parity at 6-6 as they head for a mid-session interval. Bingham missing a trick when he went 6-4 clear.

Looks like that missed black is going to prove very costly for Stuart as Jones opens up the pack of reds seconds later. Glorious chance to get this frame won here. Nothing really safe on this table. Like a training exercise with reds lined up for potting.

Jones with a corking long red straight off the bar in the 12th frame with white tight on baulk cushion, but then misses a pink to left centre. Bingham with chance to reassert himself, but he breaks down as a tough cut on a black fails to drop down the hole.

Bingham can’t escape from a snooker, and he has seen enough of that frame. Just shy of 30 minutes, but Jones back to within one frame trailing 6-5. Jones a lot more comfortable when the frames go scrappy.

Bingham tries to drop in a mid-range red, but it sticks in the jaws of the green bag. Hasn’t been missing many of those. Jones slots red, and gets a lucky kiss in potting the pink off the black. A lead of 37 points for Jak with a possible 35 left up. Timely fluke for Jones, who leaves Bingham chasing a snooker.

Just can’t keep hold of the white at the key moment and ends up missing a mid-range red. That is disappointing for Jak. But he is still a strong favourite with three reds near side cushions. Bingham gets within 30 points of Jones before a double on a red stays out. Two reds left on table.

Jones slides in a long red to regain access to the table. Cant get the pack open off the blue, and doesn’t make a great go of it. Then ends up missing the reds in holing the green. White drops down a top pocket, but Bingham can’t drain a long red. Hit at the white with plenty of pace, but red bounces back out. Could cost him the frame with Jones handed another simple red to get started.

Bingham goes for a long red. Well off the potting angle with that one, but doesn’t leave an easy starter for Jones. And then another long red eludes the former Masters winner. Jones reacts by picking out a tough cut on a red to left middle before he knocks in an excellent black on the stretch. Chance for Jones to get moving on the scoreboard, but he breaks down fairly quickly as a red to yellow bag eludes him.

Jones first to the punch in this 11th frame of the semi-final with a decent long red wriggling home, but not much else to follow as he is forced to declare on 11 with a red failing to drop in the right centre bag.

Career century 584 from Bingham as the brown disappears with the extended rest. Superb break of 107 from Stuart, and he moves 6-4 clear. Making some moves at the Crucible.

Bingham playing at 19 seconds a shot now. The Usain Bolt of the snooker balls. Really is a delight to watch when he is in the mood. Could be a ton on the way for the Ball Run.

Not many better break-builders in snooker than Stuart. Another superb cannon on the pink, and all those reds are wide open now. Looks a formality for a 6-4 lead for Bingham.

Stuart really has got that cue arm working, while Jak hasn’t potted a ball for half an hour or so. Which is just what Bingham will be looking to do. Keep the other player sitting in his seat. And on he goes here. Looking very promising for another big break.

Jak opts to push the boat out by going for a plant on reds. Plant fails to drop, and he also can’t get the white back up to baulk. Which isn’t good news. Another opportunity presented to Bingham. Which is dangerous when he is in such a prolific scoring mood.

Bit of an error from Jak as he fails to connect with the right red from distance to leave Stuart with a mid-range red to attack. Another opening for the 2015 world champion, but he misses the brown off spot and doesn’t end up landing on a red. Good run of the ball for the Ball Run.

Bingham trying to be very aggressive in his shot selection. Wants to get those reds opened as much as possible. Jones with more of a measured approach to all matters tactical.

No century for Stuart, but no matter. A fine opening run of 79 by the Basildon player to move 5-4 clear in the marathon run to 17 frames. Just another 12 of those required for the ‘Ball Run’.

This looks like a very impressive statement of intent by Bingham, who has got the reds opened up ASAP and is looking to plough on here by putting frame to bed in this visit. Such a heavy scorer Bingham when he is in the mood. And motors along at a fine speed too.

A lovely long red by Stuart is nailed with some interest. But not the best of kisses on the black. Screws off the black in potting green, and brings white back to the top end of the table. Decent chance here with black also hovering near a centre bag. Positive start by Stuart.

A tasty little safety battle is underway here at the outset of this session. Eight frames to get through this avo with eight more tomorrow morning and a possible nine (if needed) tomorrow night. Jones makes a blunder by leaving a red over a top bag, but Bingham can’t swing the black around the back of the black. Just the safety to follow.

‘The Pride of Essex’ Stuart ‘Ball Run’ Bingham is out in the arena. Ready to rock and roll. Jones with the break-off shot. Bingham full of smiles today. Jones is nicknamed ‘The Silent Assassin’. Perhaps he is up against ‘The Smiling Assassin’ today.

A third century of the match for Gilbert! His ninth at the crucible this year.

We’ll be back in a bit with the second session of Bingham versus Jones, with these two playing until the end this evening.

Massive cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. These two have treated the crowd to a fabulous match.

A tale as old as time (as old as this session), as Wilson makes a mess of an easy blue and lets Gilbert back in! Gilbert reels of five reds in no time including a marvellous one from distance, setting up a great chance to level this match yet again.

That’s a nasty miss. Groans from the crowd as Gilbert rattles the jaws of the bottom left pocket with a red. Wilson takes it for himself and gets things started in the 16th and final frame of the session.

Wilson takes the lead for the third time in this session. Can he make it two?

Wilson has frozen Gilbert out of this frame and now he’s just getting some potting practice in with the colours.

It’s a fine match. Wilson with yet another peach of a long red gets him back among the balls. Can he get frame ball here? Yes he can.

Gasps from the crowd as Wilson whacks in a red. But they know as well as he does that he’s lost position and has to go safe. He rolls up behind the brown and Gilbert will have a go.

A lightning start from Wilson who has hardly missed a long pot today. These frames are racing by, averaging under 15 minutes each.

These two are combing to produce a tremendous spectacle in this semi-final. Gilbert falls agonisingly short of a month century with a run of 96, but it’s a terrific break all the same.

Gilbert absolutely racing through this. He’s no interest in letting Wilson back to the table. He’s definitely getting the lion’s share of the applause as he does so too, people want this one to stay tight.

Here we go again! Gilbert plays a beautiful shot to get into this frame with a red to left middle. Fantastic. Wilson just cannot shake him off.

Wilson makes the most of that stroke of fortune and takes the lead again.

Another bit of bad luck for Gilbert! He misses a long red to bottom left and the cue ball pings in instead. Four points for Wilson, who could polish off the frame from here.

Wilson has plenty of trouble splitting the pack before the interval but he cannons them nicely here. But that’s unlucky, the white pulls up behind the black blocking off his best options. He needs a difficult red to bottom right but he overcuts it completely. The brown comes to his rescue with an incredibly fortunate snooker that leaves Gilbert baffled.

While we are official underway, neither player can get a look in here. A masterful exchange of safeties. But does Wilson see an opening? Yes!

We’re back underway! Can anything separate these two?

A brilliant run of 129 to level the match. We’re honours even at the mid-session interval. See you shortly.

There it is! The first century of the session and Gilbert’s eighth of the tournament.

Big cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. He’s played brilliantly here to once again reel Wilson back in. Can he get a century for good measure?

Rumblings from the crowd as the pink just about slips in, but Gilbert at his best here racing around the table. He has to be careful here though with five reds still bunched together. Get this right and that should be the frame. Excellent, he plays it so well and breaks up the remaining bunch too.

Gilbert eases a red into the left middle when it looked like there was nothing on.

Wilson regains the lead after a hard-fought frame that he should’ve won 15 minutes ago were it not for a very bad blue. He steals the frame back.

Wilson finally breaks the deadlock on the yellow with another stellar long pot. The green looks good but the brown is all tied up against the top cushion. He plays a great shot to get position but it’s still hard. Can he squeeze it in? Yes, excellent shot.

Gilbert cleans up all the reds, gets himself into the lead, then misses the yellow! Luckily he’s not left it on for Wilson. Both players look a bit agitated with distractions in the arena – lots of phones going off. Wilson goes safe on the yellow and gives Gilbert plenty of work to do with a smart snooker.

Gilbert hammers the pack. No nonsense, and it’s a marvellous shot. He could win the frame from here. Wilson’s blunder on the blue there adds to his mistake on the pink in the last frame. He rarely makes these kinds of mistakes.

Can Wilson split the pack? Sort of. He gets half of them away but forces himself into taking another long red on. Luckily he’s really good at those. Plenty of work to be done here though. He tries to force a few more reds of out of the bunch but only manages to skim too out the pack. Wow! He misses a routine blue by a mile. Can Gilbert steal this now? He makes a good start with a red.

Bang. A brilliant long pot from Wilson gets us underway in the 11th frame.

Gilbert levels things up after an eventful frame full of errors. These two just can’t be separated.

Gilbert needs this red for frame ball. Sinks it. Wilson will be kicking himself after missing that easy pink. He could’ve forged a two-frame lead or the first time in this final but it wasn’t to be and now Gilbert is heading level.

A terrific pot from Gilbert that breaks the safety impasse. And the brown is up for grabs too.

Gilbert sinks a tricky red but runs out of position. The two exchange very good safeties and we’re locked in at the top of the table.

Reprieve for Gilbert and Wilson hits a pink very thick. That was an easy one and he’s nowhere near.

Wilson sinks a terrific long red but once again he cannot get into the pack. Luckily he has options this time. That’s better. Cracks them open and gives himself position on the pink too. That goes!

A long yellow eludes Gilbert and to make matters worse, it pings into a red and gives Wilson a way back in. He tries to plough into the bunch but it’s a terrible shot and somehow he misses the entire pack. He tries again now as he sinks the yellow, but barely shaves the reds this time with another poor shot. That was a big opportunity to get into this frame but he’s misses it.

Gilbert was out of his chair as Wilson misses a long red, but the red bounces off the top cushion and slowly falls into the bottom right pocket. Lucky stuff. There ar eno colours so he goes safe, but not safe enough as Gilbert sinks an impressive long red for his first ball of the session. But again, few colours to choose from.

Wilson gets some polite applause for frame ball, sinks another red, but almost loses position on the pink. No bother, it goes. The next red rattles the jaws but Gilbert concedes. Great start for Wilson who takes the frame in one visit.

Wilson could make a flying start here. He’s 32 up in no time with some aggressive early snooker. He takes on a risky red and long green and now things look very good for the former finalist. Still some work to do with two tricky reds but this is good start to Wilson’s morning.

He must be in a hurry because Wilson has just pot two reds at once to get us going. And that’s opened up the table too.

Frame nine, 17 the target for a place in the final. Let’s go.

‘It’s a massive opportunity for the semi-finalists,” the seven-time champion says. “Especially the three who haven’t won it (Bingham took the title in 2015).’

‘But Bingham just loves snooker, and that gives him a huge advantage.’

Hello and welcome to our live-text coverage of the World Snooker Championship semi-finals!

We’re neck and neck in both matches after one session, with David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson tied at 4-4, with Jak Jones and Stuart Bingham sharing the same scoreline.

First up today is the second session of GIlbert and Wilson, so stay with us for all the build-up, hype and highlights as the boys head to the baize at 10am.

Wilson took the opening frame and looked strong, but Gilbert refused go away and produced some excellent play of his own.

The pair resume at 4-4 on Friday.

Wilson butchers the long yellow attempt as yellow flies up and down table. Dave then with two excellent cuts on the yellow and green. Straight on brown, and he can’t slot the mid-range brown attempting to inject some pace on the white ball. Kyren with a fine pot on brown to yellow pocket. Drops in the blue, in out and of baulk, and in goes the pink too. Could have gone either way, but Wilson steals it for a 11-9 lead.

Gilbert doing all the hard work, but then misses a yellow off the spot. And that all comes down to the tension of the occasion. Pressure on the clearance. Consolation is not leaving the yellow, but he then can’t slot a long yellow seconds later. Chance for Kyren.

Stunning long blue to Gilbert to keep the break going here. Down to the final three reds. Be a massive counter punch from the ‘Angry Farmer’.

And just when you thought that 11-9 was in the bag, he near jaws the black off the spot. Only 51 and a reprieve for Dave that he probably never seen coming. Lovely shot on blue by Dave to open up reds. They’re all on now. Glorious chance to steal a frame against the head.

These lads not hanging about in any frame. No sense of nerves or tension in this semi-final. It is laced with a high level of cue ball control and scoring. At the moment, coming off the cue of Kyren.

Kyren with a quite majestic pot on a red to right middle. How good is that for a pot? Looks like Wilson would like to press on here with a two-frame lead for the first time in the match. Get that vibe off it.

Kyren opts for an exhibition pot on the black so no century as black stays out, but a 93 is very nice to go with his 85 in the 17th frame. And a 10-9 advantage for the Kettering player. One more to go until the mid-session break.

Well, here is a lesson in what happens in snooker when you don’t take your chances. Dave with two big chances early in the frame. Messed up. And you ain’t getting a third go at the balls. Chance of a century too for Kyren.

An error from Gilbert as he fails to sink a black along the top cushion. Two visits to the table, and only 20 points. Won’t cut it at this level. What has Wilson got lined up in response?

Gilbert cans a red to right centre after Wilson misses a long red. Kyren forced to escape from a snooker behind yellow, but is left with another chance as white careers down table. Too heavy from Wilson.

A dominant display from Dave as he levels this match up at 9-9. The quality of this match is higher so far than the other semi-final. Both men looking content with their respective cue actions.

Kyren goes for a very, very tough red to a top bag. Red comes back out and Dave has an easy enough in here to get this match level again at nine apiece. ‘The Angry Farmer’ a picture of calm among the balls.

David Gilbert holding upper hand early in this frame as he runs in a few points before rolling Kyren up behind the green. Get the feeling this match could continue to be a tight battle this evening. Both men with laser focus. Wilson escapes from the snooker off two cushions at the fourth attempt. Worth the wait for ‘The Warrior’.

Huge fluke for Kyren early in the 18th frame as a long red clips another red and drops down a top bag. Just the safety to follow. Snooker behind yellow. Dave with a solid escape off one cush and into the pack of reds.

A tough cut on a red using the rest. Nothing doing as red stays out, but 85 does the job every day of the week. Wilson holding a 9-8 lead.

This is excellent from Kyren Wilson. Really is. Gets all the reds open. Very aggressive. What a way to begin a third session on the Friday night. Has complete control of the white ball. Could easily be a century coming up here.

Never been more than one frame in it between these two. A real nip-and-tuck contest. Kyren looking to nip in a big break at this visit.

Kyren first to the punch in the 17th frame. In goes red and blue before Wilson tucks away a decent red with the rest. Wilson looking to put down a marker early doors here.

Okay folks. Lets get the boys on baize this evening. Gilbert doing a spot of stretching before he emerges for the evening sesh. Wilson looking happy enough with his lot as he comes out to the packed Crucible. Dave breaks off the 17th frame. Eight more frames tonight.

Frame running for 40 minutes before they resume at 10am tomorrow morning. Both players looked mentally fatigued out there. In goes the yellow from Stuart and that is that. It finishes 8-8. A long old session. We will be back soon as Kyren Wilson and David Gilbert resume at 8-8.

Bingham goes for a fine cut on the red, but it just doesn’t drop. Pockets tight. And on we go. Bingham leaving Jones in a snooker as he comes off the top cushion to stick white behind pink. Jones misses the red and hits blue. But Bingham can’t tuck away the red to right centre. Gets the snooker. And Jones fails to hit red. 49 points in fouls now conceded by Jak Jones. Bingham just needs the one red, and in it goes. White almost ending up going in off. Phew! But surely heading for 8-8 now.

Jones tries to flick off the final red from Bingham’s safety shot, but he misses the edge of it trying to run safe. 40 points given away in fouls. Jones clips the red the second time. So down to final red. And more safety on the go.

Jones slots a long red, but the white flicks yellow on way down the table and ends up dropping in the yellow pocket. Another poor safety shot by Bingham leaves Jones with another long red to go at. Inches away from dropping, but it sticks in the jaws. Bingham drops in the red, but isn’t nicely on a colour. What a struggle this frame is.

Jones is fighting the good fight as a red to the right middle drops. Brilliant cut on the red. But he loses the white ball within only 13 points of Bingham. Three reds remaining.

Bingham trying to play a punching shot on the blue with power. And can’t land on a red. End of break. 61 ahead, but still 99 left on table due to the amount of fouls conceded by Jak earlier in the frame. Bingham with a bad blunder in trying to nip in a long red. So chance for Jak to mount a recovery. Stuart will be wondering what the error will cost him.

Super pot by Bingham after Jones misses red with the rest. Really solid that time in staying still on the shot. So chance to get out of this session level at 8-8 here.

Jones with six attempts at hitting a red off the two cushions. Trying to flick the side of the red. And he narrowly misses for a seventh time. Hits it the eighth time, but sticks up the red for Bingham this time. An easy enough starter for Stuart. What a chance for Bingham, but he jaws the mid-range red. Didn’t expect that. All getting very tight out there.

Bingham with another bad miss on a red, but Jones then throws his cue at a long red. Miles off the potting angle and he sticks up an easy red for Bingham to start. But he is quickly out of position, and just rolls to the green. Both men struggling in this closing frame of the session.

Bingham breaks off for the final frame of a fairly tense Friday afternoon joust between these players. Jones tries to poke in a long red, but the object ball comes back out and leaves nothing.

Two more reds required with colours to carry him past the winning post in the frame. And in goes the pink he requires to leave Stuart in his chair. Break of 69 prompts the nod from Bingham, who will probably be happy to see the end of this session. Has struggled the longer it has progressed with his long game.

Jones not making light work of this break, but he remains at the table with reds well placed to make a one-visit hit here. Winning this frame will mean he can’t trail heading for the third and final day of this semi-final on Saturday. Makes 49, but black drops and he again loses the white ball. Poor positional shot. Still 83 left on table. And he recovers well with a fine cut on red. In and out of baulk as brown disappears. Should be a done deal here and now.

Bingham far too thick with an attempt to sink a red over top right-hand pocket. Poor really. Was miles away with that attempt. And Jones responds by clipping red into left centre bag. So what is the Welshman going to compile at this visit? Stuart looking a bit perturbed.

Bingham just avoids the double kiss as white misses red on way back to baulk. Stuart too thick with a safety attempt as red comes back down table. Goes for red to a top bag, but it rattles the jaws and sticks over the opposite pocket. Bingham then misses a tough pot on the black off side cushion after potting red. A bit of a struggle out there.

A mistake by Jones in leaving the brown over green pocket, and Stuart slots brown, blue and pink to level up the semi-final at 7-7. Two more frames remaining of the session. Nothing to split them.

Bingham in a spot of trouble as Jones snookers him behind the green after slotting yellow, but Stuart doing well to come off one cushion across the table to hit the green. Relief for Bingham. Jak then pots green. Which probably doesn’t help his prospects.

Well, would you believe this. Looked to be a done deal in this frame, but Jones leaves a tough snooker for Bingham to hit and he fails to escape in clipping black near the top end of table. Suddenly 36 the difference with 35 left on the table. One snooker now required by Jones.

Jones needing three snookers after Bingham weighs in with 48. Looks like 7-7 is incoming in this match.

Bingham out of position on pink from potting red, but he produces an excellent shot with rest to keep the break going. Then watches a red struggle in. Relief to see that disappear.

Jones attempts a long red, but it comes back out of a top pocket at pace and comes back to haunt him in nestling over right centre pocket. Another chance falls to Bingham. Looks a very decent chance for the ‘Ball Run’ to bring this semi-final level at 7-7.

Superb cut on a red from Bingham along the top cushion before he sends the white crashing into the pack of reds off green. Tough pot on red to left middle, but it drops after wiping its feet. An obvious scoring chance for Stuart here. Has been making big breaks all week. Could do with another one here. But he ends up screwing into a centre pocket off a red. Back to more safety then.

Well, there we go. Both players getting fed up with this frame. Jak asks Stuart if he wants a re-rack. And that is probably the right call. Table was such a mess. Nobody wants to sit and watch an elongated dour frame. Off we go then for the 14th frame. Take two.

Not sure Bingham wants to get bogged down in long, protracted bouts of safety play, but that seems to be the direction of travel in this frame. Table looks very messy as Jones can only make six before breaking down.

A fine break of 68 from Jones before a black off the spot stays out. Bingham suddenly chasing three snookers in this frame. He hasn’t potted a ball for 24 minutes so worth getting out of your seat to get the cue arm working. But he misses the pink after slotting a red. And that will be enough. Jones ahead for first time in this match leading 7-6.

What a pot on a red that is from Jones as he buries a tough red to the green bag from the top end of the table. Didn’t touch the sides, and this is a glorious chance to build a decent lead in this 13th frame. Once again, plenty of red balls in the open to attack. Moves quickly to 42.

A 67 break from Jones is more than good enough to restore parity at 6-6 as they head for a mid-session interval. Bingham missing a trick when he went 6-4 clear.

Looks like that missed black is going to prove very costly for Stuart as Jones opens up the pack of reds seconds later. Glorious chance to get this frame won here. Nothing really safe on this table. Like a training exercise with reds lined up for potting.

Jones with a corking long red straight off the bar in the 12th frame with white tight on baulk cushion, but then misses a pink to left centre. Bingham with chance to reassert himself, but he breaks down as a tough cut on a black fails to drop down the hole.

Bingham can’t escape from a snooker, and he has seen enough of that frame. Just shy of 30 minutes, but Jones back to within one frame trailing 6-5. Jones a lot more comfortable when the frames go scrappy.

Bingham tries to drop in a mid-range red, but it sticks in the jaws of the green bag. Hasn’t been missing many of those. Jones slots red, and gets a lucky kiss in potting the pink off the black. A lead of 37 points for Jak with a possible 35 left up. Timely fluke for Jones, who leaves Bingham chasing a snooker.

Just can’t keep hold of the white at the key moment and ends up missing a mid-range red. That is disappointing for Jak. But he is still a strong favourite with three reds near side cushions. Bingham gets within 30 points of Jones before a double on a red stays out. Two reds left on table.

Jones slides in a long red to regain access to the table. Cant get the pack open off the blue, and doesn’t make a great go of it. Then ends up missing the reds in holing the green. White drops down a top pocket, but Bingham can’t drain a long red. Hit at the white with plenty of pace, but red bounces back out. Could cost him the frame with Jones handed another simple red to get started.

Bingham goes for a long red. Well off the potting angle with that one, but doesn’t leave an easy starter for Jones. And then another long red eludes the former Masters winner. Jones reacts by picking out a tough cut on a red to left middle before he knocks in an excellent black on the stretch. Chance for Jones to get moving on the scoreboard, but he breaks down fairly quickly as a red to yellow bag eludes him.

Jones first to the punch in this 11th frame of the semi-final with a decent long red wriggling home, but not much else to follow as he is forced to declare on 11 with a red failing to drop in the right centre bag.

Career century 584 from Bingham as the brown disappears with the extended rest. Superb break of 107 from Stuart, and he moves 6-4 clear. Making some moves at the Crucible.

Bingham playing at 19 seconds a shot now. The Usain Bolt of the snooker balls. Really is a delight to watch when he is in the mood. Could be a ton on the way for the Ball Run.

Not many better break-builders in snooker than Stuart. Another superb cannon on the pink, and all those reds are wide open now. Looks a formality for a 6-4 lead for Bingham.

Stuart really has got that cue arm working, while Jak hasn’t potted a ball for half an hour or so. Which is just what Bingham will be looking to do. Keep the other player sitting in his seat. And on he goes here. Looking very promising for another big break.

Jak opts to push the boat out by going for a plant on reds. Plant fails to drop, and he also can’t get the white back up to baulk. Which isn’t good news. Another opportunity presented to Bingham. Which is dangerous when he is in such a prolific scoring mood.

Bit of an error from Jak as he fails to connect with the right red from distance to leave Stuart with a mid-range red to attack. Another opening for the 2015 world champion, but he misses the brown off spot and doesn’t end up landing on a red. Good run of the ball for the Ball Run.

Bingham trying to be very aggressive in his shot selection. Wants to get those reds opened as much as possible. Jones with more of a measured approach to all matters tactical.

No century for Stuart, but no matter. A fine opening run of 79 by the Basildon player to move 5-4 clear in the marathon run to 17 frames. Just another 12 of those required for the ‘Ball Run’.

This looks like a very impressive statement of intent by Bingham, who has got the reds opened up ASAP and is looking to plough on here by putting frame to bed in this visit. Such a heavy scorer Bingham when he is in the mood. And motors along at a fine speed too.

A lovely long red by Stuart is nailed with some interest. But not the best of kisses on the black. Screws off the black in potting green, and brings white back to the top end of the table. Decent chance here with black also hovering near a centre bag. Positive start by Stuart.

A tasty little safety battle is underway here at the outset of this session. Eight frames to get through this avo with eight more tomorrow morning and a possible nine (if needed) tomorrow night. Jones makes a blunder by leaving a red over a top bag, but Bingham can’t swing the black around the back of the black. Just the safety to follow.

‘The Pride of Essex’ Stuart ‘Ball Run’ Bingham is out in the arena. Ready to rock and roll. Jones with the break-off shot. Bingham full of smiles today. Jones is nicknamed ‘The Silent Assassin’. Perhaps he is up against ‘The Smiling Assassin’ today.

A third century of the match for Gilbert! His ninth at the crucible this year.

We’ll be back in a bit with the second session of Bingham versus Jones, with these two playing until the end this evening.

Massive cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. These two have treated the crowd to a fabulous match.

A tale as old as time (as old as this session), as Wilson makes a mess of an easy blue and lets Gilbert back in! Gilbert reels of five reds in no time including a marvellous one from distance, setting up a great chance to level this match yet again.

That’s a nasty miss. Groans from the crowd as Gilbert rattles the jaws of the bottom left pocket with a red. Wilson takes it for himself and gets things started in the 16th and final frame of the session.

Wilson takes the lead for the third time in this session. Can he make it two?

Wilson has frozen Gilbert out of this frame and now he’s just getting some potting practice in with the colours.

It’s a fine match. Wilson with yet another peach of a long red gets him back among the balls. Can he get frame ball here? Yes he can.

Gasps from the crowd as Wilson whacks in a red. But they know as well as he does that he’s lost position and has to go safe. He rolls up behind the brown and Gilbert will have a go.

A lightning start from Wilson who has hardly missed a long pot today. These frames are racing by, averaging under 15 minutes each.

These two are combing to produce a tremendous spectacle in this semi-final. Gilbert falls agonisingly short of a month century with a run of 96, but it’s a terrific break all the same.

Gilbert absolutely racing through this. He’s no interest in letting Wilson back to the table. He’s definitely getting the lion’s share of the applause as he does so too, people want this one to stay tight.

Here we go again! Gilbert plays a beautiful shot to get into this frame with a red to left middle. Fantastic. Wilson just cannot shake him off.

Wilson makes the most of that stroke of fortune and takes the lead again.

Another bit of bad luck for Gilbert! He misses a long red to bottom left and the cue ball pings in instead. Four points for Wilson, who could polish off the frame from here.

Wilson has plenty of trouble splitting the pack before the interval but he cannons them nicely here. But that’s unlucky, the white pulls up behind the black blocking off his best options. He needs a difficult red to bottom right but he overcuts it completely. The brown comes to his rescue with an incredibly fortunate snooker that leaves Gilbert baffled.

While we are official underway, neither player can get a look in here. A masterful exchange of safeties. But does Wilson see an opening? Yes!

We’re back underway! Can anything separate these two?

A brilliant run of 129 to level the match. We’re honours even at the mid-session interval. See you shortly.

There it is! The first century of the session and Gilbert’s eighth of the tournament.

Big cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. He’s played brilliantly here to once again reel Wilson back in. Can he get a century for good measure?

Rumblings from the crowd as the pink just about slips in, but Gilbert at his best here racing around the table. He has to be careful here though with five reds still bunched together. Get this right and that should be the frame. Excellent, he plays it so well and breaks up the remaining bunch too.

Gilbert eases a red into the left middle when it looked like there was nothing on.

Wilson regains the lead after a hard-fought frame that he should’ve won 15 minutes ago were it not for a very bad blue. He steals the frame back.

Wilson finally breaks the deadlock on the yellow with another stellar long pot. The green looks good but the brown is all tied up against the top cushion. He plays a great shot to get position but it’s still hard. Can he squeeze it in? Yes, excellent shot.

Gilbert cleans up all the reds, gets himself into the lead, then misses the yellow! Luckily he’s not left it on for Wilson. Both players look a bit agitated with distractions in the arena – lots of phones going off. Wilson goes safe on the yellow and gives Gilbert plenty of work to do with a smart snooker.

Gilbert hammers the pack. No nonsense, and it’s a marvellous shot. He could win the frame from here. Wilson’s blunder on the blue there adds to his mistake on the pink in the last frame. He rarely makes these kinds of mistakes.

Can Wilson split the pack? Sort of. He gets half of them away but forces himself into taking another long red on. Luckily he’s really good at those. Plenty of work to be done here though. He tries to force a few more reds of out of the bunch but only manages to skim too out the pack. Wow! He misses a routine blue by a mile. Can Gilbert steal this now? He makes a good start with a red.

Bang. A brilliant long pot from Wilson gets us underway in the 11th frame.

Gilbert levels things up after an eventful frame full of errors. These two just can’t be separated.

Gilbert needs this red for frame ball. Sinks it. Wilson will be kicking himself after missing that easy pink. He could’ve forged a two-frame lead or the first time in this final but it wasn’t to be and now Gilbert is heading level.

A terrific pot from Gilbert that breaks the safety impasse. And the brown is up for grabs too.

Gilbert sinks a tricky red but runs out of position. The two exchange very good safeties and we’re locked in at the top of the table.

Reprieve for Gilbert and Wilson hits a pink very thick. That was an easy one and he’s nowhere near.

Wilson sinks a terrific long red but once again he cannot get into the pack. Luckily he has options this time. That’s better. Cracks them open and gives himself position on the pink too. That goes!

A long yellow eludes Gilbert and to make matters worse, it pings into a red and gives Wilson a way back in. He tries to plough into the bunch but it’s a terrible shot and somehow he misses the entire pack. He tries again now as he sinks the yellow, but barely shaves the reds this time with another poor shot. That was a big opportunity to get into this frame but he’s misses it.

Gilbert was out of his chair as Wilson misses a long red, but the red bounces off the top cushion and slowly falls into the bottom right pocket. Lucky stuff. There ar eno colours so he goes safe, but not safe enough as Gilbert sinks an impressive long red for his first ball of the session. But again, few colours to choose from.

Wilson gets some polite applause for frame ball, sinks another red, but almost loses position on the pink. No bother, it goes. The next red rattles the jaws but Gilbert concedes. Great start for Wilson who takes the frame in one visit.

Wilson could make a flying start here. He’s 32 up in no time with some aggressive early snooker. He takes on a risky red and long green and now things look very good for the former finalist. Still some work to do with two tricky reds but this is good start to Wilson’s morning.

He must be in a hurry because Wilson has just pot two reds at once to get us going. And that’s opened up the table too.

Frame nine, 17 the target for a place in the final. Let’s go.

‘It’s a massive opportunity for the semi-finalists,” the seven-time champion says. “Especially the three who haven’t won it (Bingham took the title in 2015).’

‘But Bingham just loves snooker, and that gives him a huge advantage.’

Hello and welcome to our live-text coverage of the World Snooker Championship semi-finals!

We’re neck and neck in both matches after one session, with David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson tied at 4-4, with Jak Jones and Stuart Bingham sharing the same scoreline.

First up today is the second session of GIlbert and Wilson, so stay with us for all the build-up, hype and highlights as the boys head to the baize at 10am.

Wilson took the opening frame and looked strong, but Gilbert refused go away and produced some excellent play of his own.

The pair resume at 4-4 on Friday.

This looks to be a done deal here if Kyren wins this frame. Dave out of position on 30 before losing the white ball. Attempts a very tough plant on reds to left middle pocket. But doesn’t drop. Wilson then butchers a black off the spot seconds later.

Gilbert with a wonderful pot on a long red. That is supreme. Nicely on the black and the chance is there for David to build a healthy lead here.

Kyren just taking the stress out of the situation with two fabulous pots, brilliant red and quality brown, and suddenly this looks a stick-on for 14-9 here. Kyren Wilson closing in on a second final appearance. One more frame to play of the sesh. What has Dave got in response? Not much so far tonight.

A break of 39 from Kyren, but he runs out of position and ends up nowhere near a mid-range red. Opportunity knocks for Dave, but he is well off the potting angle. A lot of groans around the Crucible as Wilson then misses red using the rest.

Crowd wanting to see a Gilbert fightback, but what you want and what you get are two different things. Wilson trying to pick up the pace as he chases a five-frame lead.

And there is the problem for Dave Gilbert tonight. Cans a brilliant red to the yellow pocket, but then misses an easy green off the spot. And that could be a huge miss for Dave. Looked all set to score there.

Early chance of a red presents itself to Dave. Vital that he makes a move here and now. Is still well in the hunt if he can win these final two frames of the session. Just needs to don the scoring boots.

All very scrappy at the moment as Kyren makes another mistake to leave Dave a starter over top pocket. Not easy to win frame at this visit. And Gilbert misses the brown with the rest. Errors creeping into this match. Wilson slots red and nudges out blue. In goes blue and he rolls in frame ball red along the top cushion. Dave concedes and it is a 13-9 lead for Wilson.

Dave really feeling the pressure as a blue to right centre stays out. Game has deserted him at the wrong time. Four reds left on table.

Kyren misses a long dart at a yellow, but gets very lucky as white comes back down table and leaves Dave on nothing. Wilson with another great pot on a long red before pushing the green safe. Wilson misses a tough red long top cushion. Chance for Dave, but he can’t poke straight red into yellow bag. And then Kyren misses an easier red to the yellow pocket. All happening.

An excellent rescue pot on blue by Kyren after he overhit intended position on the pink. In goes blue to left middle, and on goes the world No. 12. Not too far away from getting this frame sewn up. Which would be a fourth successive frame.

Sticky moments for Gilbert at the moment as an attempt on a long red eludes him. Kyren handed further scope to get hand on table to score. Which he is doing very well since 9-9.

Fair to say, Kyren is also getting a fair run of the ball at the moment. Goes for a long red, but misses and doesn’t leave anything. Dave than faced with a tough escape from the baulk cushion. Rolls up to the red across table. Very nice touch.

An aggressive safety by Kyren sticks up a red over a top pocket, but Dave ends up snookering himself on the colour. Just couldn’t control the white. Very unfortunate.

Wilson rattles a long red into a top pocket jaw and Gilbert responds by sliding a nice red into left middle to land on yellow. But he is quickly out of position. Looks none too happy with himself.

Wilson with a break of 88 to the final red. Very nice indeed. Dave has work to do here with three frames left of the session. Doesn’t want to be heading into the final session chasing a huge deficit. Which suddenly becomes a possibility.

Another red wipes its feet before dropping in the left middle, and Kyren is heading for a 12-9 lead here. Dave being punished for missing a few key balls in the past two frames.

Excellent so far from Wilson in this visit to the table. Doesn’t really need to do anything with the white apart from keep control of it. No cannons needed here. Which helps immensely. Dave can only sit and watch. These could all have been his. Opts to split reds off black and he cans a fine red to right centre to continue along the path to a three-frame lead.

This has been a horrible start to this frame with reds all up in the baulk end of the table. Dave trying to unearth a safety shot, but then pushes boat out by going for a red to left centre. Went all out. Doesn’t drop, but Kyren can’t punish the error. An astonishing miss on red to green bag. What a reprieve for Gilbert, but he then misses red to a top pocket. That is unforgivable really. Kyren back at table. Glorious chance to weigh in with a big break.

Off we go then for the next tranche of four frames in this semi-final. Kyren needs one of them to ensure he won’t trail heading for the final sesh on Saturday avo.

Wilson butchers the long yellow attempt as yellow flies up and down table. Dave then with two excellent cuts on the yellow and green. Straight on brown, and he can’t slot the mid-range brown attempting to inject some pace on the white ball. Kyren with a fine pot on brown to yellow pocket. Drops in the blue, in out and of baulk, and in goes the pink too. Could have gone either way, but Wilson steals it for a 11-9 lead.

Gilbert doing all the hard work, but then misses a yellow off the spot. And that all comes down to the tension of the occasion. Pressure on the clearance. Consolation is not leaving the yellow, but he then can’t slot a long yellow seconds later. Chance for Kyren.

Stunning long blue to Gilbert to keep the break going here. Down to the final three reds. Be a massive counter punch from the ‘Angry Farmer’.

And just when you thought that 11-9 was in the bag, he near jaws the black off the spot. Only 51 and a reprieve for Dave that he probably never seen coming. Lovely shot on blue by Dave to open up reds. They’re all on now. Glorious chance to steal a frame against the head.

These lads not hanging about in any frame. No sense of nerves or tension in this semi-final. It is laced with a high level of cue ball control and scoring. At the moment, coming off the cue of Kyren.

Kyren with a quite majestic pot on a red to right middle. How good is that for a pot? Looks like Wilson would like to press on here with a two-frame lead for the first time in the match. Get that vibe off it.

Kyren opts for an exhibition pot on the black so no century as black stays out, but a 93 is very nice to go with his 85 in the 17th frame. And a 10-9 advantage for the Kettering player. One more to go until the mid-session break.

Well, here is a lesson in what happens in snooker when you don’t take your chances. Dave with two big chances early in the frame. Messed up. And you ain’t getting a third go at the balls. Chance of a century too for Kyren.

An error from Gilbert as he fails to sink a black along the top cushion. Two visits to the table, and only 20 points. Won’t cut it at this level. What has Wilson got lined up in response?

Gilbert cans a red to right centre after Wilson misses a long red. Kyren forced to escape from a snooker behind yellow, but is left with another chance as white careers down table. Too heavy from Wilson.

A dominant display from Dave as he levels this match up at 9-9. The quality of this match is higher so far than the other semi-final. Both men looking content with their respective cue actions.

Kyren goes for a very, very tough red to a top bag. Red comes back out and Dave has an easy enough in here to get this match level again at nine apiece. ‘The Angry Farmer’ a picture of calm among the balls.

David Gilbert holding upper hand early in this frame as he runs in a few points before rolling Kyren up behind the green. Get the feeling this match could continue to be a tight battle this evening. Both men with laser focus. Wilson escapes from the snooker off two cushions at the fourth attempt. Worth the wait for ‘The Warrior’.

Huge fluke for Kyren early in the 18th frame as a long red clips another red and drops down a top bag. Just the safety to follow. Snooker behind yellow. Dave with a solid escape off one cush and into the pack of reds.

A tough cut on a red using the rest. Nothing doing as red stays out, but 85 does the job every day of the week. Wilson holding a 9-8 lead.

This is excellent from Kyren Wilson. Really is. Gets all the reds open. Very aggressive. What a way to begin a third session on the Friday night. Has complete control of the white ball. Could easily be a century coming up here.

Never been more than one frame in it between these two. A real nip-and-tuck contest. Kyren looking to nip in a big break at this visit.

Kyren first to the punch in the 17th frame. In goes red and blue before Wilson tucks away a decent red with the rest. Wilson looking to put down a marker early doors here.

Okay folks. Lets get the boys on baize this evening. Gilbert doing a spot of stretching before he emerges for the evening sesh. Wilson looking happy enough with his lot as he comes out to the packed Crucible. Dave breaks off the 17th frame. Eight more frames tonight.

Frame running for 40 minutes before they resume at 10am tomorrow morning. Both players looked mentally fatigued out there. In goes the yellow from Stuart and that is that. It finishes 8-8. A long old session. We will be back soon as Kyren Wilson and David Gilbert resume at 8-8.

Bingham goes for a fine cut on the red, but it just doesn’t drop. Pockets tight. And on we go. Bingham leaving Jones in a snooker as he comes off the top cushion to stick white behind pink. Jones misses the red and hits blue. But Bingham can’t tuck away the red to right centre. Gets the snooker. And Jones fails to hit red. 49 points in fouls now conceded by Jak Jones. Bingham just needs the one red, and in it goes. White almost ending up going in off. Phew! But surely heading for 8-8 now.

Jones tries to flick off the final red from Bingham’s safety shot, but he misses the edge of it trying to run safe. 40 points given away in fouls. Jones clips the red the second time. So down to final red. And more safety on the go.

Jones slots a long red, but the white flicks yellow on way down the table and ends up dropping in the yellow pocket. Another poor safety shot by Bingham leaves Jones with another long red to go at. Inches away from dropping, but it sticks in the jaws. Bingham drops in the red, but isn’t nicely on a colour. What a struggle this frame is.

Jones is fighting the good fight as a red to the right middle drops. Brilliant cut on the red. But he loses the white ball within only 13 points of Bingham. Three reds remaining.

Bingham trying to play a punching shot on the blue with power. And can’t land on a red. End of break. 61 ahead, but still 99 left on table due to the amount of fouls conceded by Jak earlier in the frame. Bingham with a bad blunder in trying to nip in a long red. So chance for Jak to mount a recovery. Stuart will be wondering what the error will cost him.

Super pot by Bingham after Jones misses red with the rest. Really solid that time in staying still on the shot. So chance to get out of this session level at 8-8 here.

Jones with six attempts at hitting a red off the two cushions. Trying to flick the side of the red. And he narrowly misses for a seventh time. Hits it the eighth time, but sticks up the red for Bingham this time. An easy enough starter for Stuart. What a chance for Bingham, but he jaws the mid-range red. Didn’t expect that. All getting very tight out there.

Bingham with another bad miss on a red, but Jones then throws his cue at a long red. Miles off the potting angle and he sticks up an easy red for Bingham to start. But he is quickly out of position, and just rolls to the green. Both men struggling in this closing frame of the session.

Bingham breaks off for the final frame of a fairly tense Friday afternoon joust between these players. Jones tries to poke in a long red, but the object ball comes back out and leaves nothing.

Two more reds required with colours to carry him past the winning post in the frame. And in goes the pink he requires to leave Stuart in his chair. Break of 69 prompts the nod from Bingham, who will probably be happy to see the end of this session. Has struggled the longer it has progressed with his long game.

Jones not making light work of this break, but he remains at the table with reds well placed to make a one-visit hit here. Winning this frame will mean he can’t trail heading for the third and final day of this semi-final on Saturday. Makes 49, but black drops and he again loses the white ball. Poor positional shot. Still 83 left on table. And he recovers well with a fine cut on red. In and out of baulk as brown disappears. Should be a done deal here and now.

Bingham far too thick with an attempt to sink a red over top right-hand pocket. Poor really. Was miles away with that attempt. And Jones responds by clipping red into left centre bag. So what is the Welshman going to compile at this visit? Stuart looking a bit perturbed.

Bingham just avoids the double kiss as white misses red on way back to baulk. Stuart too thick with a safety attempt as red comes back down table. Goes for red to a top bag, but it rattles the jaws and sticks over the opposite pocket. Bingham then misses a tough pot on the black off side cushion after potting red. A bit of a struggle out there.

A mistake by Jones in leaving the brown over green pocket, and Stuart slots brown, blue and pink to level up the semi-final at 7-7. Two more frames remaining of the session. Nothing to split them.

Bingham in a spot of trouble as Jones snookers him behind the green after slotting yellow, but Stuart doing well to come off one cushion across the table to hit the green. Relief for Bingham. Jak then pots green. Which probably doesn’t help his prospects.

Well, would you believe this. Looked to be a done deal in this frame, but Jones leaves a tough snooker for Bingham to hit and he fails to escape in clipping black near the top end of table. Suddenly 36 the difference with 35 left on the table. One snooker now required by Jones.

Jones needing three snookers after Bingham weighs in with 48. Looks like 7-7 is incoming in this match.

Bingham out of position on pink from potting red, but he produces an excellent shot with rest to keep the break going. Then watches a red struggle in. Relief to see that disappear.

Jones attempts a long red, but it comes back out of a top pocket at pace and comes back to haunt him in nestling over right centre pocket. Another chance falls to Bingham. Looks a very decent chance for the ‘Ball Run’ to bring this semi-final level at 7-7.

Superb cut on a red from Bingham along the top cushion before he sends the white crashing into the pack of reds off green. Tough pot on red to left middle, but it drops after wiping its feet. An obvious scoring chance for Stuart here. Has been making big breaks all week. Could do with another one here. But he ends up screwing into a centre pocket off a red. Back to more safety then.

Well, there we go. Both players getting fed up with this frame. Jak asks Stuart if he wants a re-rack. And that is probably the right call. Table was such a mess. Nobody wants to sit and watch an elongated dour frame. Off we go then for the 14th frame. Take two.

Not sure Bingham wants to get bogged down in long, protracted bouts of safety play, but that seems to be the direction of travel in this frame. Table looks very messy as Jones can only make six before breaking down.

A fine break of 68 from Jones before a black off the spot stays out. Bingham suddenly chasing three snookers in this frame. He hasn’t potted a ball for 24 minutes so worth getting out of your seat to get the cue arm working. But he misses the pink after slotting a red. And that will be enough. Jones ahead for first time in this match leading 7-6.

What a pot on a red that is from Jones as he buries a tough red to the green bag from the top end of the table. Didn’t touch the sides, and this is a glorious chance to build a decent lead in this 13th frame. Once again, plenty of red balls in the open to attack. Moves quickly to 42.

A 67 break from Jones is more than good enough to restore parity at 6-6 as they head for a mid-session interval. Bingham missing a trick when he went 6-4 clear.

Looks like that missed black is going to prove very costly for Stuart as Jones opens up the pack of reds seconds later. Glorious chance to get this frame won here. Nothing really safe on this table. Like a training exercise with reds lined up for potting.

Jones with a corking long red straight off the bar in the 12th frame with white tight on baulk cushion, but then misses a pink to left centre. Bingham with chance to reassert himself, but he breaks down as a tough cut on a black fails to drop down the hole.

Bingham can’t escape from a snooker, and he has seen enough of that frame. Just shy of 30 minutes, but Jones back to within one frame trailing 6-5. Jones a lot more comfortable when the frames go scrappy.

Bingham tries to drop in a mid-range red, but it sticks in the jaws of the green bag. Hasn’t been missing many of those. Jones slots red, and gets a lucky kiss in potting the pink off the black. A lead of 37 points for Jak with a possible 35 left up. Timely fluke for Jones, who leaves Bingham chasing a snooker.

Just can’t keep hold of the white at the key moment and ends up missing a mid-range red. That is disappointing for Jak. But he is still a strong favourite with three reds near side cushions. Bingham gets within 30 points of Jones before a double on a red stays out. Two reds left on table.

Jones slides in a long red to regain access to the table. Cant get the pack open off the blue, and doesn’t make a great go of it. Then ends up missing the reds in holing the green. White drops down a top pocket, but Bingham can’t drain a long red. Hit at the white with plenty of pace, but red bounces back out. Could cost him the frame with Jones handed another simple red to get started.

Bingham goes for a long red. Well off the potting angle with that one, but doesn’t leave an easy starter for Jones. And then another long red eludes the former Masters winner. Jones reacts by picking out a tough cut on a red to left middle before he knocks in an excellent black on the stretch. Chance for Jones to get moving on the scoreboard, but he breaks down fairly quickly as a red to yellow bag eludes him.

Jones first to the punch in this 11th frame of the semi-final with a decent long red wriggling home, but not much else to follow as he is forced to declare on 11 with a red failing to drop in the right centre bag.

Career century 584 from Bingham as the brown disappears with the extended rest. Superb break of 107 from Stuart, and he moves 6-4 clear. Making some moves at the Crucible.

Bingham playing at 19 seconds a shot now. The Usain Bolt of the snooker balls. Really is a delight to watch when he is in the mood. Could be a ton on the way for the Ball Run.

Not many better break-builders in snooker than Stuart. Another superb cannon on the pink, and all those reds are wide open now. Looks a formality for a 6-4 lead for Bingham.

Stuart really has got that cue arm working, while Jak hasn’t potted a ball for half an hour or so. Which is just what Bingham will be looking to do. Keep the other player sitting in his seat. And on he goes here. Looking very promising for another big break.

Jak opts to push the boat out by going for a plant on reds. Plant fails to drop, and he also can’t get the white back up to baulk. Which isn’t good news. Another opportunity presented to Bingham. Which is dangerous when he is in such a prolific scoring mood.

Bit of an error from Jak as he fails to connect with the right red from distance to leave Stuart with a mid-range red to attack. Another opening for the 2015 world champion, but he misses the brown off spot and doesn’t end up landing on a red. Good run of the ball for the Ball Run.

Bingham trying to be very aggressive in his shot selection. Wants to get those reds opened as much as possible. Jones with more of a measured approach to all matters tactical.

No century for Stuart, but no matter. A fine opening run of 79 by the Basildon player to move 5-4 clear in the marathon run to 17 frames. Just another 12 of those required for the ‘Ball Run’.

This looks like a very impressive statement of intent by Bingham, who has got the reds opened up ASAP and is looking to plough on here by putting frame to bed in this visit. Such a heavy scorer Bingham when he is in the mood. And motors along at a fine speed too.

A lovely long red by Stuart is nailed with some interest. But not the best of kisses on the black. Screws off the black in potting green, and brings white back to the top end of the table. Decent chance here with black also hovering near a centre bag. Positive start by Stuart.

A tasty little safety battle is underway here at the outset of this session. Eight frames to get through this avo with eight more tomorrow morning and a possible nine (if needed) tomorrow night. Jones makes a blunder by leaving a red over a top bag, but Bingham can’t swing the black around the back of the black. Just the safety to follow.

‘The Pride of Essex’ Stuart ‘Ball Run’ Bingham is out in the arena. Ready to rock and roll. Jones with the break-off shot. Bingham full of smiles today. Jones is nicknamed ‘The Silent Assassin’. Perhaps he is up against ‘The Smiling Assassin’ today.

A third century of the match for Gilbert! His ninth at the crucible this year.

We’ll be back in a bit with the second session of Bingham versus Jones, with these two playing until the end this evening.

Massive cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. These two have treated the crowd to a fabulous match.

A tale as old as time (as old as this session), as Wilson makes a mess of an easy blue and lets Gilbert back in! Gilbert reels of five reds in no time including a marvellous one from distance, setting up a great chance to level this match yet again.

That’s a nasty miss. Groans from the crowd as Gilbert rattles the jaws of the bottom left pocket with a red. Wilson takes it for himself and gets things started in the 16th and final frame of the session.

Wilson takes the lead for the third time in this session. Can he make it two?

Wilson has frozen Gilbert out of this frame and now he’s just getting some potting practice in with the colours.

It’s a fine match. Wilson with yet another peach of a long red gets him back among the balls. Can he get frame ball here? Yes he can.

Gasps from the crowd as Wilson whacks in a red. But they know as well as he does that he’s lost position and has to go safe. He rolls up behind the brown and Gilbert will have a go.

A lightning start from Wilson who has hardly missed a long pot today. These frames are racing by, averaging under 15 minutes each.

These two are combing to produce a tremendous spectacle in this semi-final. Gilbert falls agonisingly short of a month century with a run of 96, but it’s a terrific break all the same.

Gilbert absolutely racing through this. He’s no interest in letting Wilson back to the table. He’s definitely getting the lion’s share of the applause as he does so too, people want this one to stay tight.

Here we go again! Gilbert plays a beautiful shot to get into this frame with a red to left middle. Fantastic. Wilson just cannot shake him off.

Wilson makes the most of that stroke of fortune and takes the lead again.

Another bit of bad luck for Gilbert! He misses a long red to bottom left and the cue ball pings in instead. Four points for Wilson, who could polish off the frame from here.

Wilson has plenty of trouble splitting the pack before the interval but he cannons them nicely here. But that’s unlucky, the white pulls up behind the black blocking off his best options. He needs a difficult red to bottom right but he overcuts it completely. The brown comes to his rescue with an incredibly fortunate snooker that leaves Gilbert baffled.

While we are official underway, neither player can get a look in here. A masterful exchange of safeties. But does Wilson see an opening? Yes!

We’re back underway! Can anything separate these two?

A brilliant run of 129 to level the match. We’re honours even at the mid-session interval. See you shortly.

There it is! The first century of the session and Gilbert’s eighth of the tournament.

Big cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. He’s played brilliantly here to once again reel Wilson back in. Can he get a century for good measure?

Rumblings from the crowd as the pink just about slips in, but Gilbert at his best here racing around the table. He has to be careful here though with five reds still bunched together. Get this right and that should be the frame. Excellent, he plays it so well and breaks up the remaining bunch too.

Gilbert eases a red into the left middle when it looked like there was nothing on.

Wilson regains the lead after a hard-fought frame that he should’ve won 15 minutes ago were it not for a very bad blue. He steals the frame back.

Wilson finally breaks the deadlock on the yellow with another stellar long pot. The green looks good but the brown is all tied up against the top cushion. He plays a great shot to get position but it’s still hard. Can he squeeze it in? Yes, excellent shot.

Gilbert cleans up all the reds, gets himself into the lead, then misses the yellow! Luckily he’s not left it on for Wilson. Both players look a bit agitated with distractions in the arena – lots of phones going off. Wilson goes safe on the yellow and gives Gilbert plenty of work to do with a smart snooker.

Gilbert hammers the pack. No nonsense, and it’s a marvellous shot. He could win the frame from here. Wilson’s blunder on the blue there adds to his mistake on the pink in the last frame. He rarely makes these kinds of mistakes.

Can Wilson split the pack? Sort of. He gets half of them away but forces himself into taking another long red on. Luckily he’s really good at those. Plenty of work to be done here though. He tries to force a few more reds of out of the bunch but only manages to skim too out the pack. Wow! He misses a routine blue by a mile. Can Gilbert steal this now? He makes a good start with a red.

Bang. A brilliant long pot from Wilson gets us underway in the 11th frame.

Gilbert levels things up after an eventful frame full of errors. These two just can’t be separated.

Gilbert needs this red for frame ball. Sinks it. Wilson will be kicking himself after missing that easy pink. He could’ve forged a two-frame lead or the first time in this final but it wasn’t to be and now Gilbert is heading level.

A terrific pot from Gilbert that breaks the safety impasse. And the brown is up for grabs too.

Gilbert sinks a tricky red but runs out of position. The two exchange very good safeties and we’re locked in at the top of the table.

Reprieve for Gilbert and Wilson hits a pink very thick. That was an easy one and he’s nowhere near.

Wilson sinks a terrific long red but once again he cannot get into the pack. Luckily he has options this time. That’s better. Cracks them open and gives himself position on the pink too. That goes!

A long yellow eludes Gilbert and to make matters worse, it pings into a red and gives Wilson a way back in. He tries to plough into the bunch but it’s a terrible shot and somehow he misses the entire pack. He tries again now as he sinks the yellow, but barely shaves the reds this time with another poor shot. That was a big opportunity to get into this frame but he’s misses it.

Gilbert was out of his chair as Wilson misses a long red, but the red bounces off the top cushion and slowly falls into the bottom right pocket. Lucky stuff. There ar eno colours so he goes safe, but not safe enough as Gilbert sinks an impressive long red for his first ball of the session. But again, few colours to choose from.

Wilson gets some polite applause for frame ball, sinks another red, but almost loses position on the pink. No bother, it goes. The next red rattles the jaws but Gilbert concedes. Great start for Wilson who takes the frame in one visit.

Wilson could make a flying start here. He’s 32 up in no time with some aggressive early snooker. He takes on a risky red and long green and now things look very good for the former finalist. Still some work to do with two tricky reds but this is good start to Wilson’s morning.

He must be in a hurry because Wilson has just pot two reds at once to get us going. And that’s opened up the table too.

Frame nine, 17 the target for a place in the final. Let’s go.

‘It’s a massive opportunity for the semi-finalists,” the seven-time champion says. “Especially the three who haven’t won it (Bingham took the title in 2015).’

‘But Bingham just loves snooker, and that gives him a huge advantage.’

Hello and welcome to our live-text coverage of the World Snooker Championship semi-finals!

We’re neck and neck in both matches after one session, with David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson tied at 4-4, with Jak Jones and Stuart Bingham sharing the same scoreline.

First up today is the second session of GIlbert and Wilson, so stay with us for all the build-up, hype and highlights as the boys head to the baize at 10am.

Wilson took the opening frame and looked strong, but Gilbert refused go away and produced some excellent play of his own.

The pair resume at 4-4 on Friday.

He must be in a hurry because Wilson has just pot two reds at once to get us going. And that’s opened up the table too.

Frame nine, 17 the target for a place in the final. Let’s go.

‘It’s a massive opportunity for the semi-finalists,” the seven-time champion says. “Especially the three who haven’t won it (Bingham took the title in 2015).’

‘But Bingham just loves snooker, and that gives him a huge advantage.’

Hello and welcome to our live-text coverage of the World Snooker Championship semi-finals!

We’re neck and neck in both matches after one session, with David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson tied at 4-4, with Jak Jones and Stuart Bingham sharing the same scoreline.

First up today is the second session of GIlbert and Wilson, so stay with us for all the build-up, hype and highlights as the boys head to the baize at 10am.

Wilson took the opening frame and looked strong, but Gilbert refused go away and produced some excellent play of his own.

The pair resume at 4-4 on Friday.

A third century of the match for Gilbert! His ninth at the crucible this year.

We’ll be back in a bit with the second session of Bingham versus Jones, with these two playing until the end this evening.

Massive cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. These two have treated the crowd to a fabulous match.

A tale as old as time (as old as this session), as Wilson makes a mess of an easy blue and lets Gilbert back in! Gilbert reels of five reds in no time including a marvellous one from distance, setting up a great chance to level this match yet again.

That’s a nasty miss. Groans from the crowd as Gilbert rattles the jaws of the bottom left pocket with a red. Wilson takes it for himself and gets things started in the 16th and final frame of the session.

Wilson takes the lead for the third time in this session. Can he make it two?

Wilson has frozen Gilbert out of this frame and now he’s just getting some potting practice in with the colours.

It’s a fine match. Wilson with yet another peach of a long red gets him back among the balls. Can he get frame ball here? Yes he can.

Gasps from the crowd as Wilson whacks in a red. But they know as well as he does that he’s lost position and has to go safe. He rolls up behind the brown and Gilbert will have a go.

A lightning start from Wilson who has hardly missed a long pot today. These frames are racing by, averaging under 15 minutes each.

These two are combing to produce a tremendous spectacle in this semi-final. Gilbert falls agonisingly short of a month century with a run of 96, but it’s a terrific break all the same.

Gilbert absolutely racing through this. He’s no interest in letting Wilson back to the table. He’s definitely getting the lion’s share of the applause as he does so too, people want this one to stay tight.

Here we go again! Gilbert plays a beautiful shot to get into this frame with a red to left middle. Fantastic. Wilson just cannot shake him off.

Wilson makes the most of that stroke of fortune and takes the lead again.

Another bit of bad luck for Gilbert! He misses a long red to bottom left and the cue ball pings in instead. Four points for Wilson, who could polish off the frame from here.

Wilson has plenty of trouble splitting the pack before the interval but he cannons them nicely here. But that’s unlucky, the white pulls up behind the black blocking off his best options. He needs a difficult red to bottom right but he overcuts it completely. The brown comes to his rescue with an incredibly fortunate snooker that leaves Gilbert baffled.

While we are official underway, neither player can get a look in here. A masterful exchange of safeties. But does Wilson see an opening? Yes!

We’re back underway! Can anything separate these two?

A brilliant run of 129 to level the match. We’re honours even at the mid-session interval. See you shortly.

There it is! The first century of the session and Gilbert’s eighth of the tournament.

Big cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. He’s played brilliantly here to once again reel Wilson back in. Can he get a century for good measure?

Rumblings from the crowd as the pink just about slips in, but Gilbert at his best here racing around the table. He has to be careful here though with five reds still bunched together. Get this right and that should be the frame. Excellent, he plays it so well and breaks up the remaining bunch too.

Gilbert eases a red into the left middle when it looked like there was nothing on.

Wilson regains the lead after a hard-fought frame that he should’ve won 15 minutes ago were it not for a very bad blue. He steals the frame back.

Wilson finally breaks the deadlock on the yellow with another stellar long pot. The green looks good but the brown is all tied up against the top cushion. He plays a great shot to get position but it’s still hard. Can he squeeze it in? Yes, excellent shot.

Gilbert cleans up all the reds, gets himself into the lead, then misses the yellow! Luckily he’s not left it on for Wilson. Both players look a bit agitated with distractions in the arena – lots of phones going off. Wilson goes safe on the yellow and gives Gilbert plenty of work to do with a smart snooker.

Gilbert hammers the pack. No nonsense, and it’s a marvellous shot. He could win the frame from here. Wilson’s blunder on the blue there adds to his mistake on the pink in the last frame. He rarely makes these kinds of mistakes.

Can Wilson split the pack? Sort of. He gets half of them away but forces himself into taking another long red on. Luckily he’s really good at those. Plenty of work to be done here though. He tries to force a few more reds of out of the bunch but only manages to skim too out the pack. Wow! He misses a routine blue by a mile. Can Gilbert steal this now? He makes a good start with a red.

Bang. A brilliant long pot from Wilson gets us underway in the 11th frame.

Gilbert levels things up after an eventful frame full of errors. These two just can’t be separated.

Gilbert needs this red for frame ball. Sinks it. Wilson will be kicking himself after missing that easy pink. He could’ve forged a two-frame lead or the first time in this final but it wasn’t to be and now Gilbert is heading level.

A terrific pot from Gilbert that breaks the safety impasse. And the brown is up for grabs too.

Gilbert sinks a tricky red but runs out of position. The two exchange very good safeties and we’re locked in at the top of the table.

Reprieve for Gilbert and Wilson hits a pink very thick. That was an easy one and he’s nowhere near.

Wilson sinks a terrific long red but once again he cannot get into the pack. Luckily he has options this time. That’s better. Cracks them open and gives himself position on the pink too. That goes!

A long yellow eludes Gilbert and to make matters worse, it pings into a red and gives Wilson a way back in. He tries to plough into the bunch but it’s a terrible shot and somehow he misses the entire pack. He tries again now as he sinks the yellow, but barely shaves the reds this time with another poor shot. That was a big opportunity to get into this frame but he’s misses it.

Gilbert was out of his chair as Wilson misses a long red, but the red bounces off the top cushion and slowly falls into the bottom right pocket. Lucky stuff. There ar eno colours so he goes safe, but not safe enough as Gilbert sinks an impressive long red for his first ball of the session. But again, few colours to choose from.

Wilson gets some polite applause for frame ball, sinks another red, but almost loses position on the pink. No bother, it goes. The next red rattles the jaws but Gilbert concedes. Great start for Wilson who takes the frame in one visit.

Wilson could make a flying start here. He’s 32 up in no time with some aggressive early snooker. He takes on a risky red and long green and now things look very good for the former finalist. Still some work to do with two tricky reds but this is good start to Wilson’s morning.

He must be in a hurry because Wilson has just pot two reds at once to get us going. And that’s opened up the table too.

Frame nine, 17 the target for a place in the final. Let’s go.

‘It’s a massive opportunity for the semi-finalists,” the seven-time champion says. “Especially the three who haven’t won it (Bingham took the title in 2015).’

‘But Bingham just loves snooker, and that gives him a huge advantage.’

Hello and welcome to our live-text coverage of the World Snooker Championship semi-finals!

We’re neck and neck in both matches after one session, with David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson tied at 4-4, with Jak Jones and Stuart Bingham sharing the same scoreline.

First up today is the second session of GIlbert and Wilson, so stay with us for all the build-up, hype and highlights as the boys head to the baize at 10am.

Wilson took the opening frame and looked strong, but Gilbert refused go away and produced some excellent play of his own.

The pair resume at 4-4 on Friday.

Bingham goes for a long red. Well off the potting angle with that one, but doesn’t leave an easy starter for Jones. And then another long red eludes the former Masters winner. Jones reacts by picking out a tough cut on a red to left middle before he knocks in an excellent black on the stretch. Chance for Jones to get moving on the scoreboard, but he breaks down fairly quickly as a red to yellow bag eludes him.

Jones first to the punch in this 11th frame of the semi-final with a decent long red wriggling home, but not much else to follow as he is forced to declare on 11 with a red failing to drop in the right centre bag.

Career century 584 from Bingham as the brown disappears with the extended rest. Superb break of 107 from Stuart, and he moves 6-4 clear. Making some moves at the Crucible.

Bingham playing at 19 seconds a shot now. The Usain Bolt of the snooker balls. Really is a delight to watch when he is in the mood. Could be a ton on the way for the Ball Run.

Not many better break-builders in snooker than Stuart. Another superb cannon on the pink, and all those reds are wide open now. Looks a formality for a 6-4 lead for Bingham.

Stuart really has got that cue arm working, while Jak hasn’t potted a ball for half an hour or so. Which is just what Bingham will be looking to do. Keep the other player sitting in his seat. And on he goes here. Looking very promising for another big break.

Jak opts to push the boat out by going for a plant on reds. Plant fails to drop, and he also can’t get the white back up to baulk. Which isn’t good news. Another opportunity presented to Bingham. Which is dangerous when he is in such a prolific scoring mood.

Bit of an error from Jak as he fails to connect with the right red from distance to leave Stuart with a mid-range red to attack. Another opening for the 2015 world champion, but he misses the brown off spot and doesn’t end up landing on a red. Good run of the ball for the Ball Run.

Bingham trying to be very aggressive in his shot selection. Wants to get those reds opened as much as possible. Jones with more of a measured approach to all matters tactical.

No century for Stuart, but no matter. A fine opening run of 79 by the Basildon player to move 5-4 clear in the marathon run to 17 frames. Just another 12 of those required for the ‘Ball Run’.

This looks like a very impressive statement of intent by Bingham, who has got the reds opened up ASAP and is looking to plough on here by putting frame to bed in this visit. Such a heavy scorer Bingham when he is in the mood. And motors along at a fine speed too.

A lovely long red by Stuart is nailed with some interest. But not the best of kisses on the black. Screws off the black in potting green, and brings white back to the top end of the table. Decent chance here with black also hovering near a centre bag. Positive start by Stuart.

A tasty little safety battle is underway here at the outset of this session. Eight frames to get through this avo with eight more tomorrow morning and a possible nine (if needed) tomorrow night. Jones makes a blunder by leaving a red over a top bag, but Bingham can’t swing the black around the back of the black. Just the safety to follow.

‘The Pride of Essex’ Stuart ‘Ball Run’ Bingham is out in the arena. Ready to rock and roll. Jones with the break-off shot. Bingham full of smiles today. Jones is nicknamed ‘The Silent Assassin’. Perhaps he is up against ‘The Smiling Assassin’ today.

A third century of the match for Gilbert! His ninth at the crucible this year.

We’ll be back in a bit with the second session of Bingham versus Jones, with these two playing until the end this evening.

Massive cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. These two have treated the crowd to a fabulous match.

A tale as old as time (as old as this session), as Wilson makes a mess of an easy blue and lets Gilbert back in! Gilbert reels of five reds in no time including a marvellous one from distance, setting up a great chance to level this match yet again.

That’s a nasty miss. Groans from the crowd as Gilbert rattles the jaws of the bottom left pocket with a red. Wilson takes it for himself and gets things started in the 16th and final frame of the session.

Wilson takes the lead for the third time in this session. Can he make it two?

Wilson has frozen Gilbert out of this frame and now he’s just getting some potting practice in with the colours.

It’s a fine match. Wilson with yet another peach of a long red gets him back among the balls. Can he get frame ball here? Yes he can.

Gasps from the crowd as Wilson whacks in a red. But they know as well as he does that he’s lost position and has to go safe. He rolls up behind the brown and Gilbert will have a go.

A lightning start from Wilson who has hardly missed a long pot today. These frames are racing by, averaging under 15 minutes each.

These two are combing to produce a tremendous spectacle in this semi-final. Gilbert falls agonisingly short of a month century with a run of 96, but it’s a terrific break all the same.

Gilbert absolutely racing through this. He’s no interest in letting Wilson back to the table. He’s definitely getting the lion’s share of the applause as he does so too, people want this one to stay tight.

Here we go again! Gilbert plays a beautiful shot to get into this frame with a red to left middle. Fantastic. Wilson just cannot shake him off.

Wilson makes the most of that stroke of fortune and takes the lead again.

Another bit of bad luck for Gilbert! He misses a long red to bottom left and the cue ball pings in instead. Four points for Wilson, who could polish off the frame from here.

Wilson has plenty of trouble splitting the pack before the interval but he cannons them nicely here. But that’s unlucky, the white pulls up behind the black blocking off his best options. He needs a difficult red to bottom right but he overcuts it completely. The brown comes to his rescue with an incredibly fortunate snooker that leaves Gilbert baffled.

While we are official underway, neither player can get a look in here. A masterful exchange of safeties. But does Wilson see an opening? Yes!

We’re back underway! Can anything separate these two?

A brilliant run of 129 to level the match. We’re honours even at the mid-session interval. See you shortly.

There it is! The first century of the session and Gilbert’s eighth of the tournament.

Big cheers as Gilbert gets frame ball. He’s played brilliantly here to once again reel Wilson back in. Can he get a century for good measure?

Rumblings from the crowd as the pink just about slips in, but Gilbert at his best here racing around the table. He has to be careful here though with five reds still bunched together. Get this right and that should be the frame. Excellent, he plays it so well and breaks up the remaining bunch too.

Gilbert eases a red into the left middle when it looked like there was nothing on.

Wilson regains the lead after a hard-fought frame that he should’ve won 15 minutes ago were it not for a very bad blue. He steals the frame back.

Wilson finally breaks the deadlock on the yellow with another stellar long pot. The green looks good but the brown is all tied up against the top cushion. He plays a great shot to get position but it’s still hard. Can he squeeze it in? Yes, excellent shot.

Gilbert cleans up all the reds, gets himself into the lead, then misses the yellow! Luckily he’s not left it on for Wilson. Both players look a bit agitated with distractions in the arena – lots of phones going off. Wilson goes safe on the yellow and gives Gilbert plenty of work to do with a smart snooker.

Gilbert hammers the pack. No nonsense, and it’s a marvellous shot. He could win the frame from here. Wilson’s blunder on the blue there adds to his mistake on the pink in the last frame. He rarely makes these kinds of mistakes.

Can Wilson split the pack? Sort of. He gets half of them away but forces himself into taking another long red on. Luckily he’s really good at those. Plenty of work to be done here though. He tries to force a few more reds of out of the bunch but only manages to skim too out the pack. Wow! He misses a routine blue by a mile. Can Gilbert steal this now? He makes a good start with a red.

Bang. A brilliant long pot from Wilson gets us underway in the 11th frame.

Gilbert levels things up after an eventful frame full of errors. These two just can’t be separated.

Gilbert needs this red for frame ball. Sinks it. Wilson will be kicking himself after missing that easy pink. He could’ve forged a two-frame lead or the first time in this final but it wasn’t to be and now Gilbert is heading level.

A terrific pot from Gilbert that breaks the safety impasse. And the brown is up for grabs too.

Gilbert sinks a tricky red but runs out of position. The two exchange very good safeties and we’re locked in at the top of the table.

Reprieve for Gilbert and Wilson hits a pink very thick. That was an easy one and he’s nowhere near.

Wilson sinks a terrific long red but once again he cannot get into the pack. Luckily he has options this time. That’s better. Cracks them open and gives himself position on the pink too. That goes!

A long yellow eludes Gilbert and to make matters worse, it pings into a red and gives Wilson a way back in. He tries to plough into the bunch but it’s a terrible shot and somehow he misses the entire pack. He tries again now as he sinks the yellow, but barely shaves the reds this time with another poor shot. That was a big opportunity to get into this frame but he’s misses it.

Gilbert was out of his chair as Wilson misses a long red, but the red bounces off the top cushion and slowly falls into the bottom right pocket. Lucky stuff. There ar eno colours so he goes safe, but not safe enough as Gilbert sinks an impressive long red for his first ball of the session. But again, few colours to choose from.

Wilson gets some polite applause for frame ball, sinks another red, but almost loses position on the pink. No bother, it goes. The next red rattles the jaws but Gilbert concedes. Great start for Wilson who takes the frame in one visit.

Wilson could make a flying start here. He’s 32 up in no time with some aggressive early snooker. He takes on a risky red and long green and now things look very good for the former finalist. Still some work to do with two tricky reds but this is good start to Wilson’s morning.

He must be in a hurry because Wilson has just pot two reds at once to get us going. And that’s opened up the table too.

Frame nine, 17 the target for a place in the final. Let’s go.

‘It’s a massive opportunity for the semi-finalists,” the seven-time champion says. “Especially the three who haven’t won it (Bingham took the title in 2015).’

‘But Bingham just loves snooker, and that gives him a huge advantage.’

Hello and welcome to our live-text coverage of the World Snooker Championship semi-finals!

We’re neck and neck in both matches after one session, with David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson tied at 4-4, with Jak Jones and Stuart Bingham sharing the same scoreline.

First up today is the second session of GIlbert and Wilson, so stay with us for all the build-up, hype and highlights as the boys head to the baize at 10am.

Wilson took the opening frame and looked strong, but Gilbert refused go away and produced some excellent play of his own.

The pair resume at 4-4 on Friday.