World Snooker Championship 2023 live stream and updates – Mark Allen beats Fan Zhengyi after Crucible protest
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Updated 17/04/2023 at 22:09 GMT
The World Championship continues in Sheffield. Hossein Vafaei has booked his place in round two after knocking out Ding Junhui and Mark Williams beat Jimmy Robertson 10-5 with an impressive performance. Tonight, Mark Allen will look to secure a place in round two as he plays to a finish against Fan Zhengyi. Stream top snooker action, including the World Championship live on discovery+.
Shocking scenes as 'Just Stop Oil' protestor covers table with orange powder
That's us done for tonight
Thanks for your company and join me again at 9.30am BST tomorrow!
Mark Allen beats Fan Zhengyi 10-5!
He played really well in the last two frames, but Fan gave him a great game and he'll be back doing bits, for sure. What a session that was - the table that got Wotsit-dusted is being re-covered tonight - and Mark plays Stuart Bingham next.
Allen 9-5 Fan (67-35)
Fan goes for a snooker, misses, leaves the green, and that is that.
Allen 9-5 Fan (64-35)
Mark is forced to play a cut-back black along the side rail, does so nicely ... and goes in-off! It's not the worst for him, though, as he's taken eight points off the table to cede four. Fan returns to the table needing a snooker.
Allen 9-5 Fan (49-31)
Mark finds a plant but gets wrong side of the pink ... so strokes it to left-middle. He's come back really well in the second half of this session, just as it looked like Fan had grown into it.
Allen 9-5 Fan (12-31)
And he's playing well here. He doesn't want his Crucible debut to end here, but as I type that he undercuts to left corner, leaves a simple starter, and if Mark gets a good split going from blue to pack, he's in position to secure f&m. I'm not sure why, but he goes off the side cushion ... lands on one ... then almost goes in-off potting it. He's in decent position now though, and this could be curtains - though he'll need to difficult red on the side.
Allen 9-5 Fan (0-15)
Fan takes a red, low on the table, left-hand side, and sends it right corner. Brilliant pot, and he's going for everything now - there are points out there too. He's played well today.
Allen 9-5 Fan
A run of 101 and Mark goes four up with five to play!
Allen 8-5 Fan (72-0)
Mark's looking for a 42nd ton of the season and he's such a good competitor. 9-5 is not really a fair reflection of how well each player has played, except also, it is because that's what it's there for.
Allen 8-5 Fan (61-0)
Mark comes down for the blue, wellies in another just after - I wonder if his weight-loss means he's to throw himself harder at pots. I remember Stephen Lee saying when he lost weight, he lost cue-power. Anyway, Mark cobbles together a messy half-ton, poor positional shots followed by recovery pots He looks like forcing his way to another frame.
Allen 8-5 Fan (32-0)
Alternatively, that last steal could've killed Fan - I doubt it - but he does leave one, Mark drains it ... then has a black do all it could not to drop, before dropping. A black and into the pack follows, and Mark is back playing like Mark. Four reds, four blacks - the last a lovely cut-back. This is a chance for something.
We go again
And we could be going long.
Allen 8-5 Fan
Yup, Mark sinks the pink and extends his lead again, but he's not the better player here, he's just finding a way. fan has nailed loads of long balls, but he missed a crucial one there. That's the interval - an end to the most bizarre mini-sesh you'll ever see - and we'll be back away in about 15.
Allen 7-5 Fan (52-46)
Mark leaves one long to right corner, Fan takes it on from distance, misses ... and that will be enough for Mark!
Allen 7-5 Fan (52-46)
Mark stole a pair of frames earlier, one on the final black left over the bag. Here he's got pink and black on opposite side rails, can't develop the former off the blue but it's the only ball he needs. Will he take on a nasty pot to left corner? He will not, half-attempting a double to the green bag. This is getting tense.
Allen 7-5 Fan (26-46)
Fan goes hard at frame-winner to left corner, gets close ... but it won't drop! The power was too much! And worse follows when the white goes in-off; this is a chance for Mark! Not an easy one by any stretch, but this would be such a concussive steal if he could pull it off.
Allen 7-5 Fan (16-46)
Ach, Fan misses a double by very little, ball again scooting across jaws. But he plays it with safety in mind and two of the three remaining reds are on the side cushion, likewise the black. It'll take a lot for Mark to steal this.
Allen 7-5 Fan (16-46)
I feel like Fan's enjoying this more than Mark is, he's buzzing about the table and really chucking everything at this. Mark's under more pressure, at the end of a great year, trying to finally do something serious in this competition. He's second-best here at the moment, but he's still in front and with three reds near the side rail, isn't yet out of this frame.
Allen 7-5 Fan (16-22)
Eeek, Fan misses a red to left corner ... then Mark cues right across a pink and misses by a fortnight. Fan then gets away to left-middle, and he's in business here.
Allen 7-5 Fan (15-11)
"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!" enjoys Uncle Joe when Fan slams home a long, straight starter. "I didn't think he had the angle to play that shot." The black is on the side rail but the pink is free and the reds are pretty low, so this is a chance to score some points.
Allen 7-5 Fan (15-0)
It feels like this mini-sesh started several days ago, and it's been an absolute brute. This is the last frame of it, and Mark sinks a fine starter only to miss a black on 15. Fan, though, misses to left-middle - the ball skims around the lip and out - so we're back playing safety.
Allen 7-5 Fan
After losing five from five, Fan's won five from seven, and we got ourselves a ball-game!
Allen 7-4 Fan (21-56)
I feel like we've been going about 13 days in this frame, but eventually Mark leaves a red to right corner, if Fan drains it everything's there ... and he does! This is another back!
Allen 7-4 Fan (21-47)
After a long bout of safety, Mark nails a red to right corner. A cannon means he's on nothing, so he lays a snooker, blocking the route to the final red with the yellow; Fan hits well and gets his ball safe.
Allen 7-4 Fan (21-47)
Mark might've lost a little bit here, missing a pot to right corner that you expect him to guzzle. Fan, though, also misses ... then he misses again, and Fan is in. On seven, he has an angle on the black to disturb two reds on the top cushion ... but he slides by them ... so he coaxes home beautifully with the rest into left corner! Then misses the black coming back at those reds! It vaults out of the jaws, goes safe-ish, he doesn't get the cannon ... so not a bad result at all.
Allen 7-4 Fan (21-32)
Mark escapes but leaves one to left corner, and Fan can stretch ahead here. It'll be hard to win the frame at this visit but then aaarggghhh! He feathers the white - so hard I'm not sure we can call it a feather - and we're back playing safety.
Allen 7-4 Fan (14-11)
Uncle Joe's enjoying this, almost whooping with joy when Fan carts one from centre to corner. "He deserves to be on a colour," he purrs, but he's not so it's in behind the green.
Allen 7-4 Fan (14-10)
Mark leaves one to right corner and Fan gobbles it up, he's loving every minute of this and it's great to see. But the reds are difficult now, some on rails and some stuck together, and when a refusal to play a cannon leaves a trickier pot than otherwise, he misses to left corner He leaves nothing though, and this frame could go on for some time yet.
Allen 7-4 Fan (14-4)
This is getting attritional, but it's still riveting because the safety is good and either man could nail something silly at any point. Fan is relishing the battle, you can tell, but he could really do with wining another frame before he loses one. AND OH MY DAYS! As I type that, Mark takes one on, white close to the bottom cushion, full length of the table, deep screw ... chucks his entire body into the shot ... and annihilates it into left corner! That's the best shot I've seen this championship and this game being this game, he runs out of position almost immediately afterwards ... then creams a yellow to right-middle. He's on a red too, but after a few shots of chasing, he overcuts another, and that's end of break.
Allen 7-4 Fan (0-4)
Milkins and Perry will start when they were meant to finish - tomorrow evening - and conclude at 9.30am BST on Thursday. Back our there, though, Fan is warming to this, stroking a gorgeous long pot straight, parallel with the rail, into left corner. But on four, he's forced to take on a difficult cut to left corner with safety in mind, and that's end of break. He'll be disappointed that ripper of a starter yielded so few.
Allen 7-4 Fan
Fan knew he had to win that and did everything he could to make it happen, taking on and sorting various sensational pots. Well played young man.
Allen 7-3 Fan (15-34)
He cannot, two good pots then a really difficult one missed, a double-kiss leaving Fan the table. He should clear from here, but either way, is Mark relaxing his ultra-cautious style a little bit?
Allen 7-3 Fan (8-26)
Alas he cannot, cannoning the pink and running out of position so playing safe. He nailed some brilliant shots in the run, but he's not got loads to show for it ... but when Mark offers him another brute next go, he rattles it into the leather ... then misses a difficult brown when might just've laid a snooker. Mark has a chance here, and it'd really sting if he took Fan's hard work and punished him for it.
Allen 7-3 Fan (7-24)
Sportsman that he is, Mark acknowledges the quality of Fan's shot and Fan is soon in again, smoking a cut-back black down the side. He's taking a while to find prime position, but he's nearly there, and has a decent shot at winning the frame from here.
Allen 7-3 Fan (7-12)
Ooh yeah! After a protracted safety exchange, Fan clobbers home a glorious long starter to left corner, adds a yellow ... and nasty little kiss off the blue means he's on nothing, not everything, so he pins the white to the bottom cushion and sits down.
Allen 7-3 Fan (7-5)
After escaping a snooker behind the black, Fan eases a fine starter diagonally to right corner, but can only play safe off the brown.
Allen 7-3 Fan (7-5)
Oh aye! Mark sends the white long and slow, the full diagonal of the table, kissing home a starter into left corner and is he on the blue into left? I think he is you know! He is, down it goes ... but on nothing, he has to play safe.
Allen 7-3 Fan (0-4)
Fan leaves a tester to left-middle for Mark, who misses; Mark leaves a tester to right corner for Fan, who also misses. Both then miss to the yellow bag before Fan sends one into it long ... a fine pot, but he overscrews meaning end of break.
Allen 7-3 Fan (0-4)
Mark misses a thin contact so plays off another red and we're now playing in and out of the cluster.
Allen 7-3 Fan
Mark makes what must be the slowest ton ever, 126 all told - he trick-shots the last black around the angles, missing - and he's three away from the line. Snooker!
Allen 6-3 Fan (90-0)
There aren't many players more mentally solid than Mark - remember he's currently denying his natural game as a matter of course - and there's a potential 134 on the table for him....
Allen 6-3 Fan (61-0)
Mark ruffles the pack off the black, gets on one to the centre, and the frame is almost within his grasp.
Allen 6-3 Fan (44-0)
Mark knocks in a fine red to the middle - it's good to be back - and tells the crowd he doesn't know what all the fuss was about, then continues accumulating. He is a very solid individual.
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
A standing ovation as the players return. Here we go again!
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
The screen is down, so I guess we'll see Mark and Fan - we will - then, depending on when they finish, Joe and Rob will follow them on.
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
This game.
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
So what is the orange powder? Wotsit dust? Crushed Nik Naks nice n spicy? Who can say!
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
OK, we're not restarting quite on time, but I don't think it'll be long.
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
Yup, play should restart at 7.45pm BST. I guess I completely understand the STOP OIL protests, and why roads are blocked and such. It's not totally easy to grasp the point of this activity, though - I guess it's all about the visuals.
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
OK, I've now seen what happened on table one: someone wearing a JUST STOP OIL t-shirt clambered onto it, then poured orange powder all over himself and the baize. Henry is actually doing a pretty decent job of guzzling everything - he's good like that, when a mate gipped all over my uni floor, he saved me - and blow me down if that isn't Rob Walker pipe in hand. Isn't he waffly versatile! It does look like the table can be saved, but perhaps not quickly enough for there to play on it tonight.
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
We're looking at a 7.45 resumption. Table one is being cleaned with a Henry, table two looks fine.
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
I know what happened is annoying, but I guess I find it hard to criticise because it may be there's a more important issue at play here than a game of glorious snooker. So let's see what happens.
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
We're having a break - Eurosport's TV coverage is now showing Ding v Vafaei - so stick with me to find out what happens next!
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
Half of table one is covered in orange dust - it's quite pretty, I can't lie, but it's also a massive problem. The table might need re-covering, which will take hours, or cleaning, which'll take a couple of hours; table two should be fine. I'm not sure what the people in question were protesting as all I could see was the word STOP on a t-shirt. Joe Perry seemed to take it in good humour, but I doubt he'll be playing again tonight. There are no matches on Thursday morning, so perhaps they'll make up the time then.
Allen 6-3 Fan (30-0)
Mark makes hay and we've got a fully-clothed streaker! There's a woman trying to clamber onto our table - the ref holds her off it - while on table one a man has chucked a bunch of orange chalk all over it. The players are sent back to their dressing rooms and the officials will decide what to do next. I've never seen anything like this!
Allen 6-3 Fan (15-0)
Coming off the side to hit a red, Fan bangs the pink, and when he hits second go, Mark gets himself away. But he overruns and doesn't fancy a cut pink so takes on a harder green into its own pocket and he's in decent shape. There aren't though, many loose reds, so there's work to do to make a telling contribution from here.
Away we go!
Boyz:baize interface
Bring it on.
So how will our main match go?
Mark didn't play that well going 5-0 up, Fan played pretty well going 5-3. But Mark's ability to win frames when he needs to - the last of the morning, for example, to make it 6-3 not 5-4 - means he'll likely do enough this evening. However, if Fan starts well, this could get very interesting.
Tonight we have
- Robert Milkins (13) v Joe Perry
- Mark Allen (3) 6-3 Fan Zhengyi
We will, of course, be focusing on the bottom match while keeping you abreast of the latter.
Update
One-way traffic on table two this afternoon: John Higgins leads David Grace 7-2 overnight.
Evening all!
I trust you didn't miss us too much.
That's us done for the afternoon
Join me again this evening, at 6.30pm BST, for Mark Allen 6-3 Fan Zhengyi and Robert Milkins v Joe Perry.
Higgins 4-1 Grace
John's had a poor season by his august standards, but is he returning to form at the right time?
Mark J Williams beats Jimmy Robertson 10-5!
Six frames in a row for one of our all-time greats, and Jimmy had no answer. He played well yesterday, but once Mark started cooking, he was cooked. It's Brecel next for TWPM, and I can't wait for Thursday except we've got all sorts of fun between now and then.
Williams 9-5 Robertson (59-32)
Mark catches a safety thick and goes in-off! If Jimmy can sink a long red to left corner, he's in business; if he can't, it might be game over. And he cues poorly - he's punchdrunk, I'm not surprised - misses, and that is going to be curtains.
Williams 9-5 Robertson (42-38)
Oh this game! Jimmy cuts in a really good starter to right corner, comes off the side ... and into the green pocket! When the snooker gods have it in for you, you've no chance, and Mark drains a fine starter, clobbers in the black to right corner, develops a red on the side ... and misses to left-middle!
Williams 9-5 Robertson (30-38)
Ach, Jimmy catches a safety thick and Mark sinks another fine long red. But he's on nowt so plays safe, meaning Jimmy is still in the match.
Williams 9-5 Robertson (29-38)
Come on Jimmy-lad! Knowing the match is on the line, he makes his highest break of the day ... but then seeking to go into the pack off the blue, he barely touches the pink, and with resignation plays safe.
Williams 9-5 Robertson (29-8)
Mark catches the edge of the cluster when he didn't want to, but he cuts in the next red to left corner nonetheless. But he has to play it at pace which means the only colour he can go at it a brown sent dead-weight to right corner. He doesn't quite sink it - Dom thinks he heard a bad contact - and then Jimmy, who's yet to win a match in four Crucible visits, misses a thin contact, leaves one ... and Mark spurns the opportunity! Chance for Jimmy!
Williams 9-5 Robertson (21-0)
Yup, Mark quickly sinks a long red, the black is available to both corners, and poor old Jimmy looks bereft.
Williams 9-5 Robertson
An 84 clearance and that's five in row for Mark, who now needs just one more to arrange a second-round tussle with Luca Brecel. That'd be tasty.
Williams 8-5 Robertson (57-37)
Jimmy's had chances today, but he hasn't really looked like taking them - Mark wading into the first two frames killed him. but as I type that, Mark has a nasty rest-pot on the final red ... and he wobbles it down into right corner, gets a good enough angle on black for yellow, and this is going four up with five to play.
Williams 8-5 Robertson (14-37)
Oh Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy. He misses to left-middle, Mark cleans up with a terrific pot to the same bag and does brilliantly to hold for the blue; he drains that, breaks a pair of stuck-together reds running through, and this is a proper chance for 9-5
Williams 8-5 Robertson (0-23)
The last frame was must-win for Jimmy but this one is really must-win - if he loses, he's done because not a chance he's winning five straight against this legend. And he's got a chance to do it, getting in first with nine after Mark misses to the corner, the missing himself with the rest. But then Mark tries sending one long to the yellow, hits the jaws, and this is a chance! Can Jimmy take it?
We go again
Higgins 3-1 Grace
Grace needed that, but can he parlay it into more after the interval?
Higgins 3-0 Grace
And it don't stop.
Williams 8-5 Robertson
Mark clears up to complete a mini-sesh sweep, and it's hard to see him losing this from here.
Williams 7-5 Robertson (51-32)
Back in his seat, Jimmy looks pretty peaky, but then he gets up to float in a tremendous starter to left corner, then nuzzles in behind the yellow; Mark, of course, finds a banging escape that helps him get the next chance. Which is to say that Jimmy is in terrible trouble, because as well as losing the ones in which Mark pots everything, he's about to lose a tight one; yesterday, he was taking those.
Williams 7-5 Robertson (44-31)
As noted by Dom in co-comms, there's now no reason why Mark shouldn't secure a mini-sesh sweep. But as I type that, he runs out of position and as Dom repeatedly tells him he doesn't need to risk playing a nasty, acute pot to left corner, he risks playing a nasty, acute pot to left corner, misses, and no Jimmy has a chance! The green is near the side, so it's not an easy one, and he's had very little table-time this afternoon, but nevertheless, he has to find a way here. Except he jawses one with the rest, feels the pain ... but leaves nothing. So the chance goes, but he's back in the frame with a safe ball is back in play...
Williams 7-5 Robertson (22-15)
And there it is. Mark punches doon the broon, and if he can nail a tricky cut-back red, the frame will be almost his because the remainder of them are near the newly-open left-corner bag. Jimmy will be fearing the worst.
Williams 7-5 Robertson (6-15)
You know a player is playing well when there's hardly anything to say in updates because every shot is a simple one - that's been Mark this afternoon. But now it's getting complicated, and he's lucky to cover a red he accidentally brings back to baulk with the yellow. With the scores relatively close, I'm a little surprised we've not discussed a re-rack, but then, left a long one to right corner, Mark clips it home, and if he can find a route through to the brown, now or later, the frame will be his for the taking.
Williams 7-5 Robertson (0-15)
The brown that Jimmy misses is guarding left corner, so we may be here some time.
Williams 7-5 Robertson (0-15)
In the final frame before the mid-sesh, it's Jimmy in first following an error from Mark, and he does really well to get going then keep going, a plant shooting into right corner. But he loses the white in the process, misses a long brown to left corner, and another chance, his second of the afternoon, evaporates before his eyes.
Williams 7-5 Robertson
Three out of three for Mark, and that ability to raise your game when you need to is the mark of a very serious individual. If Jimmy loses the next frame too, he's done for.
Williams 6-5 Robertson (36-29)
Mark runs out of position so plays safe, and immediately afterwards chips in a fine long effort to right corner - he's 4/5 on those today, and that's making a big difference. Though he'll need all the remaining reds, this looks like another to him; he's rolling.
Higgins 2-0 Grace
These Class of 92 lads are alright aren't they?
Williams 6-5 Robertson (14-29)
Jimmy could really do with potting the red that's next to the black, but he can't quite get the position he needs to do it and, when the pink returns onto its spot, it's all a bit congested. So Jimmy tries a poke, bridging awkwardly, to right-middle, leaves it, and he's bang in trouble here.
Williams 6-5 Robertson (13-1)
This is not unlike our first match of the day, one player keeping another off the baize by doing what he does to a very high level. Jimmy isn't playing badly but he does leave a starter to left corner which Mark downs ... but he soon misses one to right-middle, leaves it, and this is a chance that, you feel, must be taken.
Williams 6-5 Robertson
Mark seals the frame with a lovely cut-back pink that'll stop Jimmy returning to the table. We've seen this so many times before, and it's always great: what a player.
Williams 5-5 Robertson (57-12)
Mark is so methodical in his accumulation and Jimmy won't be enjoying what he's seeing here.
Williams 5-5 Robertson (22-12)
There's a red stuck to the black and Mark quickly removes it, then gets perfectly on the blue to dig into the pack. He clobbers the pink bang-on too and the spread isn't great but is good enough, and he's playing nicely here,
Higgins 1-0 Grace
The W of W takes the lead on table two.
Williams 5-5 Robertson (1-12)
An error from Mark allows Jimmy a starter to left corner, but her overcooks a blue and has to address a thin cut-back blue ... which he overcuts to left corner, leaving it for Mark too. He smashes it down, and this is beginning to look ominous.
Williams 5-5 Robertson
Mark looks much better than yesterday, a 40 on top of his 51 drawing him and us level.
Williams 4-5 Robertson (63-0)
Mark clips a fine long starter to left corner, then a loose green makes the next ball harder than it needs to be. But he sees it away anyhow, and this is going to be 5-5.
Williams 4-5 Robertson (51-0)
Mark does really well to build a solid lead without disturbing the cluster, but when he's forced to, off the black, he gets nowhere so plays onto the top cushion.
Williams 4-5 Robertson (25-0)
Mark gets under way with a decent long one and quickly gets to work, pecking at the loose balls. Yesterday, he found himself building leads then missing pots and seeing Jimmy pilfer from him, so how he negotiates this break will tell us something about where his game's at.
Williams 4-5 Robertson (0-0)
The winner here meets Luca Brecel next, and if Jimmy plays as he did yesterday, he's a chance of making it him. Mark's break-building was alright, but his long-potting wasn't where it usually is and Jimmy pinched the tight ones, which is why we are where we are. Mark is 9-0 up in career encounters, but as the great Dr Shefali likes to say - read her books, I promise - that was then and this is now.
Aaaaaand away we go!
Boyz, baizeing
Ey up!
As if we weren't buzzing enough for O'Sullivan v Vafaei...
Coming up next
- Mark Williams (8) 4-5 Jimmy Robertson
- John Higgins (10) v David Grace
We'll be focusing on the top match, but with updates from the bottom one.
Housekeeping
After losing the first five frames to Mark Allen, Fan Zhengyi came back well and set up what should be a fun evening session and finish - he won three straight before Allen came back to take the last of the morning, securing a 6-3 lead.
Afternoon all!
Hope you weren't to bereft without us, but we're back and good to go for what should be a terrific afternoon.
That's us done for the morning
Join me again at 2pm BST for Mark Williams 4-5 Jimmy Robertson. It'll have to go some to beat what we've just seen, but Mark J is more than capabke.
On table two
Allen 4-0 Zhengyi
They're in the mid-sesh there.
Hossein Vafaei beats Ding Junhui 10-6!
That was near-perfection from Hossein, and he meets Ronnie O'Sullivan in round two! Brilliant, brilliant stuff.
Ding 6-9 Vafaei (10-59)
Hossein eases match-ball down right corner, and he's absolutely loving the showmanship of it - remember he went for that 147 earlier with the frame still in the balance - and if he plays like this against Ronnie in round two, we're in for a treat.
Ding 6-9 Vafaei (10-51)
Yup, Hossein makes light of this, and he's absolutely devastated this match with a glorious expression of power, touch and joy.
Ding 6-9 Vafaei (10-24)
And there it is, a red to left corner with the rest. The reds, though, are scattered towards the rails, so it's not an easy clear-up from here ... except the way Hossein's playing, you fancy he'll sort it.
Ding 6-9 Vafaei (10-23)
A reprieve for Ding! Hossein runs out of position so plays safe, then attacks a difficult pot to left corner, misses, and leaves plenty. So Ding cues really nicely to sink his starter and gets going knowing that one miss could mean game over.
Ding 6-9 Vafaei (6-22)
Hossein spanks another difficult ball right in the heart of the pocket and genuinely, it's not possible to play much better than he has today. As I type that, he eases a delicious cut-back recovery pot to right corner, and the proximity of the finishing line isn't fazing him in the slightest.
Ding 6-9 Vafaei (6-1)
Gorgeous work from Ding, a diagonal starter clunked home to left corner. Ricky Walden forced a decider from 9-6 down just last evening, so it's eminently possible ... but as I type that, he underhits a pot seeking the perfect cannon, leaves a nasty one to left-middle, and obviously Hossein disappears it like it's nothing. With reds all over the show, this could be curtains.
On table two
Allen 3-0 Zhengyi
Ding 6-9 Vafaei
On 89, Hossein runs out of position so tries a clip to left-middle rather than the cross-double that looked likely. it doesn't go down, but he's a frame away from his first Crucible win nevertheless, and the way he's playing, you sense it'll come sooner rather than later. That said, Ding isn't playing badly, so don't write him off - if he can get to the table.
Ding 6-8 Vafaei (8-59)
Poor old Ding looks glum and rightly so; he's not played badly, he's just been absolutely bombed off the table by a superb player playing superbly.
Ding 6-8 Vafaei (8-24)
Ding gets away with a fine oblique red to right-middle, but an unfortunate cannon off the black means he's to play safe. Oh, and Hossein is back, coaxing home a tremendous acute plant, butt of the cue raised to get the desired angle on the white, and he is absolutely all over this.
On table two
Allen 2-0 Zhengyi
But it'll soon be 3-0, I think.
Ding 6-8 Vafaei
Hossein quickly concedes, and I can't wait for the next frame. Happily, it'll be along in a matter of minutes.
Ding 5-8 Vafaei (77-0)
On 77, Ding misses a red to the yellow, so Hossein returns to the table with three snookers required.
Ding 5-8 Vafaei (62-0)
Go on Ding lad! This run is exactly what he, we, and this match required. Ding is almost there, and this is boiling beautifully.
Ding 5-8 Vafaei (31-0)
There are few players as natural in the balls as Ding, and he quickly accumulates a decent lead with plenty on. He's still fighting for this and knows that's just as capable of reeling off a few in a row as his opponent.
Ding 5-8 Vafaei (7-0)
Ding must win this frame and, when he's left one to left-middle off the break, he sinks it nicely and gets to work, quickly about the black spot.
We go again
Meantime, on table two, Allen has just pinched the second frame on the final black - after Fan missed it.
On table two
Allen 1-0 Zhengyi
Ding 5-8 Vafaei
Thus endeth one of the great mini-sesh performances. Hossein has been spectacular, and Ding, who's barely played a shot, will have to hope the break interferes with his momentum. But even so, the back of this match might just've been broken, and a total pleasure that was, four frames rinsed in under an hour. Beautiful.
Ding 5-7 Vafaei (0-64)
Hossein oozes a red to left-middle, and he is hitting the centre of every bag. But then a loose positional shot means it's maxi-attempt over; he groans, then rockets a red to the green pocket and he's back on the black! Except he misses it to left corner, and this frame is not over - not by a long chalk. Huge visit coming up, but Ding misses to left corner with the rest - I guess it's no great surprise given he's barely played a shot this morning - and this is going to be a sweep.
Ding 5-7 Vafaei (0-32)
Four reds, four blacks, and a maxi here would crown one of the great mini-sessions. There are still a fair few reds clustered, but by the looks of things Hossein fancies it.
Ding 5-7 Vafaei (0-17)
A poor safety from Ding leaves a red close to right corner, but he gets a good white so Hossein will have to go some to drain it and get onto the black ... BUT OF COURSE HE DOES! This is simply stunning behaviour! The red is steered home, a kiss off another is perfect, and yerman is making up for choking on his debut last term. He is buzzing so hard I can hear him in London/
On table two
Allen 1-0 Zhengyi
Ding 5-7 Vafaei
This is just brilliant from Hossein, a run of 67 enough to give him three on the spin and if Ding isn't careful, this match will be yanked away from him in under an hour. He badly needs the final frame before the mid-sesh.
Ding 5-6 Vafaei (8-16)
He cannot, a missed red allowing Hossein to get away with another pot right into the heart of the pocket. There aren't many loose balls, though, so this blue will be telling ... and he gets a beautiful split off the pink, sending balls all over, and this is another very presentable opportunity. Ding looks worried and well he might, because Hossein is steaming hot.
Ding 5-6 Vafaei (8-1)
Hossein lands a starter but on nowt, it's in behind the black. Ding escapes, then strokes a fantastic, oblique starter to left-middle - he's in the session now - and can he parlay this into something serious?
On table two
Allen 0-0 Zhengyi
But Mark is about to hit the front.
Ding 5-6 Vafaei
Back-to-back tons from Hossein, he goes into the lead, and he's a joy to watch out there.
Ding 5-5 Vafaei (0-72)
This looks for all the world like another ton. Ding has some thinking to do.
Ding 5-5 Vafaei (0-63)
Hossein runs out of position but has a red available to left-middle, sinks it, and this is going to be another frame to him - without Ding potting a ball. He's on one here, and it's delightful to behold.
Ding 5-5 Vafaei (0-35)
As Hossein accumulates, Nealf notes that Ding ought really to have been further ahead after yesterday morning's play, and as I type that, a yellow recovery-pot rockets home, and this is terrific stuff.
Ding 5-5 Vafaei (0-9)
Oh dear. Ding takes on a red to left corner, plays the shot with no kind of authority whatsoever, barely contacts the knuckle, and a kiss he should've expected leaves plenty - a simple starter, the black available to both corners, and a fair few loose reds.
Ding 5-5 Vafaei
That's a brilliant start from Hossein, who misses an exhibition blue so has to settle for a 117. He's into this; can Ding respond?
Ding 5-5 Vafaei (0-64)
Frame secured with a pink glided - glid? - to middle, Hossein goes after his ton and, given the whereabouts of the balls, he looks set. While he does, Philip Studd notes that Neil Robertson, who closed out yesterday with consecutive 146s, has been practising extra-hard, and that's the difference between him and Luca, another wonderful natural talent. Really, it's ridiculous that Neil only has one of these, and I'd love to see him lift another.
Ding 5-4 Vafaei (0-36)
Hossein is in the flow here, patiently removing balls. This is set up for a classic denouement.
Ding 5-4 Vafaei (0-4)
Off Ding's break, Hossein floats a lovely starter to left corner, quickly breaks the pack, and by the looks of things, he's not brooking another attritional sesh.
And away we go!
Our boyz baize!
Bring it on!
Luca Brecel
I am buzzing for him. Eleven years ago, he was the youngest player ever to play at the Cruce, but it took him until last evening to win his first match, a final frame decider against Ricky Walden. He made a terrific clearance to seal it too, and seems really relaxed - he's barely practised, he said after the match. Nevertheless, if he gets his eye in, he's a danger to anyone, though it's still hard to back him over the stretch because his B-game isn't good enough - and in a long match he'll need it, wondrous though his A is.
Righto, our coverage is under way
Settle in, people!
Our schedule
To begin with, we'll be focusing on Ding Junhui 5-4 Hossein Vafaei, who are playing to a finish. Their match was unusually slow yesterday, but now both are settled and going for victory, I'd expect something more open. at the same time, Mark Allen, the best player in the world this year, begins his bid to complete the triple crown against Fan Zhengyi 0 that match will be our focus this evening - and in between, we'll enjoy Mark J Williams 4-5 Jimmy Robertson, to a finish. Deece!
Morning!
And welcome to another glorious day - our third - of World Championship snooker!
The 2023 Snooker World Championship is in full swing and it is another bumper day of action from the Crucible.
Ding Junhui and Hossein Vafaei will play to a conclusion from 10:00 with Ding leading 5-4, while Mark Allen begins his Crucible quest with an encounter against Fan Zhengyi, also at 10:00.
From 14:30, it is Mark Williams against Jimmy Robertson, with the three-time champion trailing 5-4. At the same time, Williams' fellow Class of '92 member, John Higgins faces David Grace.
And then, at 19:00, Robert Milkins takes on Joe Perry, and Allen and Fan conclude their match.
What happened at the Crucible on Sunday?
Neil Robertson delivered a statement performance with two 146 breaks as he breezed into the second round of the World Championship with a 10-3 win over Wu Yize.
Ali Carter became the first seed to fall, as Jak Jones claimed a 10-6 win to set up a clash with Robertson in round two.
Luca Brecel secured a first career win at the Crucible when fending off a fightback from Ricky Walden to claim a 10-9 success.
World Snooker Championship schedule
Monday 17 April
10:00
- Ding Junhui (16) 5-4 Hossein Vafaei
- Mark Allen (3) v Fan Zhengyi
14:30
- Mark Williams (8) 4-5 Jimmy Robertson
- John Higgins (10) v David Grace
19:00
- Robert Milkins (13) v Joe Perry
- Mark Allen (3) v Fan Zhengyi
- - -
Stream top snooker action, including the World Championship live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
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