Ding Junhui fights back to draw level with Mark Selby in gripping semi-final

A gripping Friday night encounter at The Crucible between last year’s finalists began with reigning champion Selby scoring 128 in the session’s first frame – featuring two memorable pots in succession – but Ding responded with a 95 in the second to narrow the gap.

Ding then won the third to trail 10-9, but reigning champion Selby won two of the next three frames to lead 12-10.

However, Ding would not lie down and an incredible first red in the penultimate frame of the session set him on his way to a 12th century of the tournament – scoring 117 to make it 12-11.

A tense final frame of the evening followed, with both spurning decent red opportunities - but Ding took his chance and went on to score 128, his second consecutive century, and take the session 5-3, while crucially levelling the tie at 12-12.

In a best-of-33 match that has swung one way then the other, all eyes will be on Saturday afternoon’s fourth and final session to see whether Selby can make a fourth final, or if Ding can go one step closer to a first World Championship.

But first up on Saturday, John Higgins takes a 10-6 lead against Barry Hawkins going in the morning session, while that match is set to conclude in the evening, unless the Scot can win seven of the eight frames from 10am.

45-76, 77-22 (68), 24-84, 99-0 (99), 73-34, 53-87 (52), 1-119 (56, 50), 0-116 (110), 105-23 (100), 61-49, 62-26, 81-0 (67), 0-94 (84), 96-9 (85), 0-139 (139), 66-27, 128-8 (128), 6-95 (95), 6-80, 64-25 (64), 14-86, 66-61, 1-117 (117), 1-135 (128)

Centuries: Six

93-28 (63), 69-22, 67-19 (59), 75-59 (Higgins 69, Hawkins 59), 30-100 (62), 30-95 (71), 65-25, 39-74 (74), 40-65, 92-6, 73-16 (51), 0-125 (115), 61-24 (53), 18-91, 89-0 (89)

Centuries: One