World Snooker Championship scores: Luca Brecel hits back against Si Jiahui as Mark Selby leads Mark Allen

Stephen Hendry criticised Mark Selby and Mark Allen for casting a "dark cloud" over the Crucible after the second session of their World Championship semi-final was halted three frames earlier than scheduled in Sheffield.

Selby battled back from a three-frame deficit to establish a 7-6 overnight advantage against his opponent after a gruelling session in which safety play prevailed and both players appeared reluctant to take on important pots.

Seven-time world champion Hendry, who was on punditry duty for the BBC, said: "A dark cloud came over the match table at the Crucible.

"It was not pretty. It’s not the snooker that I want to watch, but I understand that snooker has to be played in different ways. It’s almost like they’re trying to be too precise, too exact in their matchplay. Just play the ball sometimes."

In complete contrast, Si Jiahui and Luca Brecel engaged in two thrilling sessions of their semi-final, with the Belgian reeling off the last five frames of the evening to trail his Chinese opponent 14-10 overnight.

Re-live the action from the Crucible Theatre with our live blog, below:

World Snooker Championship live scores

• The World Snooker Championship semi-finals continue at the Crucible Theatre

• END OF SESSION: Luca Brecel 10-14 Si Jiahui (best-of-33)

• END OF SESSION: Mark Allen 6-7 Mark Selby (best-of-33)

• Young Chinese sensation Si Jiahui demolishes Luca Brecel in their second session to extend his lead to 11-5 in the race to 17

Luca Brecel hits back against Si Jiahui in Friday night thriller

Friday 28 April 2023 22:03 , Jamie Braidwood

Si Jiahui and Luca Brecel engaged in two thrilling sessions of their semi-final, with the Belgian reeling off the last five frames of the evening to trail his Chinese opponent 14-10 overnight.

Si turned a 5-3 overnight advantage into an 11-5 lead at the end of the morning session, with a 122 clearance and back-to-back breaks of 89 and 58 sending him sailing closer to the winning line.

There was even more to come from Si when they returned in the evening, as successive clearances of 90, 132 - his fourth century of the match - and 97 put a stunned Brecel on the brink of an early exit.

But the Belgian, who had reeled off seven frames in a row to sink Ronnie O’Sullivan in the last eight, rallied again as he capitalised on some increasingly risky shot choices from his opponent.

A 108 got him on the board before the mid-session interval, and more dominant visits, in which he punished Si’s errors of judgement, hauled him back to 14-9 ahead of a potentially pivotal final frame of the evening.

The drama continued as Brecel broke down on a break of 53, seemingly handing the frame to his opponent.

Si proceeded to pot a magnificent brown, only to leave a simple green in the jaws of the bottom pocket, giving a revitalised Brecel the chance to clear up, and the hope that he can still force his way into his first world final.

‘It was not pretty’: Mark Selby and Mark Allen semi-final in Sheffield criticised

Friday 28 April 2023 20:30 , Jamie Braidwood

Stephen Hendry criticised Mark Selby and Mark Allen for casting a “dark cloud” over the Crucible after the second session of their World Championship semi-final was halted three frames earlier than scheduled in Sheffield.

Selby battled back from a three-frame deficit to establish a 7-6 overnight advantage against his opponent after a gruelling session in which safety play prevailed and both players appeared reluctant to take on important pots.

Seven-time world champion Hendry, who was on punditry duty for the BBC, said: “A dark cloud came over the match table at the Crucible.

“It was not pretty. It’s not the snooker that I want to watch, but I understand that snooker has to be played in different ways. It’s almost like they’re trying to be too precise, too exact in their matchplay. Just play the ball sometimes.”

It was not pretty – Mark Selby and Mark Allen semi-final in Sheffield criticised

World Snooker Championship scores

Friday 28 April 2023 18:07 , Lawrence Ostlere

Thank you for joining us today – here is how the two best-of-33 semi-finals look after the afternoon session – you can spot which match has been moving at a snail’s pace.

Luca Brecel 5-11 Si Jiahui

Mark Allen 6-7 Mark Selby

We’ll leave you with a closer look at the Chinese sensation flying at the Crucible this year – could he really go all the way?

Si Jiahui: How bad-tempered child prodigy became snooker’s serene sensation

End of session: Mark Allen 6-7 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 17:56 , Lawrence Ostlere

Selby snatches the 13th frame and it finishes in comical circumstances – Allen stands right next to Selby while he puts away the final ball, having effectively conceded the frame already. The crowd laugh as Selby pots the pink, stands up to see Allen there, and they shake hands.

That’s the end of the session – the referee has decided these frames are taking too long, and so this one is brought to a premature end.

Mark Allen 6-6 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 17:06 , Luke Baker

The players are back out on the table and frame 13 is underway. Will Mark Selby maintain his pre-interval momentum?

Mark Selby levels things up at 6-6

Friday 28 April 2023 16:59 , Luke Baker

A big final few frames of that mini-session as Selby came from behind to level the match at 6-6

Mark Allen 6-6 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:53 , Luke Baker

The players have gone off for the 15-minute mid-session interval and they’ll play four more frames (if they have time ahead of the 7pm session) once they return.

Mark Allen 6-6 Mark Selby - SELBY WINS FRAME 12

Friday 28 April 2023 16:49 , Luke Baker

Selby calmly going about his business here and moves within a couple of pots of the winning line in this frame.

There’s no easy reds left open though. He rolls in the black and leaves himself a long red into the yellow pocket for frame ball. It’s there! Great pot and Allen needs snookers.

He doesn’t bother coming back to the table and Selby wins frame 12. He’s level at the mid-session interval - a great comeback.

Mark Allen 6-5 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:43 , Luke Baker

Ooh, that’s an unexpected miss. Not an easy red but very makeable across the table and Selby finds the far jaw of the corner pocket. He breaks down on 25

But then a huge let-off! Allen misses the red to the right middle and Selby is back in! Big chance for Selby to make the Northern Irishman pay.

Mark Allen 6-5 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:41 , Luke Baker

The momentum is all with Selby now. He’s in again with a lovely long red up to the yellow bag. He’s striding round the table with purpose.

Mark Allen 6-5 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:36 , Luke Baker

A false start to frame 12 as the players opt for a re-rack when the frame looks set to descend to some tapping into the pack. We go again

Mark Allen 6-5 Mark Selby - SELBY WINS FRAME 11

Friday 28 April 2023 16:31 , Luke Baker

A key visit for Selby and he completes the total clearance for a break of 95 to win the frame. He now only trails by one, with another frame to come before the mid-session interval.

Mark Allen 6-4 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:30 , Luke Baker

Selby clears the remaining reds at the business end of the table but there’s one left up near the yellow, although it does pot to the green pocket. With his lead at 60-33, he has to play off the blue to land on that red.

In and out of baulk but judged well., Lovely touch and he only needs the red to leave his opponent needing snookers. It’s there and Selby will clear up from here

Mark Allen 6-4 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:27 , Luke Baker

Key shot in the break comes with Selby on 29. He pots the red to the corner with the rest and gets on the pink, which is on the black spot. There’s a cluster of four reds that need breaking apart off this pink. Tough shot...

Nicely played. rolls the pink in dead weight and nudges the reds apart, with one available to the left middle. This is a great chance to narrow the gap to 6-5 now.

Mark Allen 6-4 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:23 , Luke Baker

Selby wins that safety battle and rolls in a long red to the right corner. He’s on the pink and can start building his break from here. He trailed by 33 points when he came to the table, which is nothing really

Mark Selby wins epic 10th frame

Friday 28 April 2023 16:22 , Luke Baker

It took 45 minutes but Mark Selby eventually came out on top in that last frame.

Mark Allen 6-4 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:19 , Luke Baker

Allen tries a delicate cannon to free some reds from the pack but it goes wrong and there’s no pot on. The break ends at 33

Mark Allen 6-4 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:16 , Luke Baker

Nice red by Mark Allen to open up frame 11 and the first chance to put some points on the board. Can he put the disappointment of losing that last frame behind him?

Mark Allen 6-4 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:14 , Luke Baker

It’s taken over 90 minutes for the first two frames of the session. Si Jiahui and Luca Brecel were at their mid-session interval by this point!

Snooker really is a broad church - the potting machines in the earlier semi-final versus this incredible, tactical battle where both players know every inch of the table. It’s great.

Mark Allen 6-4 Mark Selby - SELBY WINS FRAME 10 AFTER NEEDING A SNOOKER

Friday 28 April 2023 16:12 , Luke Baker

It’s there! Great pot on the pink by Selby. He’s on the black AND IT’S THERE! A 45-minute frame but eventually Selby wins it.

What a steal! Selby needed a snooker, got it, won a long safety battle on the green and then cleared the colours to pinch it on the black. Dear me, this is a war of attrition!

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:11 , Luke Baker

Blue rolled in and Selby can actually get behind the pink. He’s got a pot to the middle but it’s not a fun one across the nap of the cloth.

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:10 , Luke Baker

Another miss from Allen on the green and this could be costly! It rattles in the jaws of the right corner and Selby has a chance from long range. He nails it! Green sunk and nicely on the brown.

Blue is a formality but the pink will need moving from near the left cushion. Selby needs all the colours to nick it.

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 16:06 , Luke Baker

Decent bout of safety on the green. Some corkers from Selby as he leaves the green tight to the top cushion and snookered from the other end. Allen plays it really well off two cushions and the cue ball comes up agonisingly short - foul and a miss called.

Second time he hits it well and the green is safe. The battle continues.

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby - SELBY GETS THE SNOOKER HE NEEDS

Friday 28 April 2023 15:56 , Luke Baker

And Allen does miss it! An absolute stinker of a snooker. He tries to come off four cushions, starting with the left cushion, then top cushion but slides wide of the green.

He gets the snooker he needs! Four points to Selby and he can now win the frame again. He lays another snooker but this time Allen hits it and gets the green safe. The battle on this green ball is crucial now.

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:53 , Luke Baker

Selby still battling away for snookers. Allen has missed two good chances to pot the yellow and put this frame to bed. His second miss allows Selby to pot the yellow and he’ll go for the snooker on the green instead.

Great shot! Cue ball right behind the brown, green at the other end of the table and this will test the Northern Irishman’s knowledge of the angles...

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:49 , Luke Baker

Selby pots the final red, takes a colour and lays a snooker on the yellow, behind the brown. He only needs one snooker. It’s pretty hittable and Allen duly catches an edge. Disaster averted, for now.

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:44 , Luke Baker

That’s better from Selby. Does take on a long pot to the right corner and crunches it in. However, the cue ball runs free and goes tight on the side cushion.

This is a horrible blue and for the second frame in a row, Selby misses a crucial pot to the middle on that ball. Top jaws it! Leaves Allen on the red, which he pots along with pink to leave Selby requiring snookers. Allen 36 ahead (67-31) with 35 on but he’s in for a few minutes of pain as Selby will try to get the snooker he needs.

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:42 , Luke Baker

This is a lovely break by Allen. Tight control of the cue ball, picking off reds. But that’s a mistake!

When he’s on 60, with three reds left on the table he misses a cannon on two reds below the pink. No pot available so it’s just a safety.

Selby 30-60 Allen but Selby still alive with 51 points available.

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:40 , Luke Baker

Mark Selby has gone into his shell here. He’s turning down pots that you’d fancy a player of his calibre to get. It comes back to haunt him as he leaves Mark Allen with a mid-range red as a starter.

He’s 30 points down but in control of the table

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:33 , Luke Baker

Selby going along nicely but he’s a bit unlucky as he goes into the main cluster of reds after potting the black but sticks on them. He’s on nothing so the break ends at 30.

Plays a little tap into the cluster and gives Allen a puzzle to work out. We could be in for a bout of safety now.

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:29 , Luke Baker

Not a great safety shot by Selby, it’s too hard and the cue ball bounces out to the baulk line. Allen has a sighter of a red but it jaws out. That leaves Selby with a nasty pot to the middle but it’s cued nicely and down it goes.

He rolls in the blue and he’ll look to make a sizeable contribution now.

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby - PLAYERS DECIDE ON RE-RACK

Friday 28 April 2023 15:27 , Luke Baker

Hmmm, that’s ugly from Selby. Goes for a long red, misses by quite a way and leaves the white amidst the reds at the business end of the table.

Remarkably, most reds are covering each other, there’s no easy starter and a period of tippy-tapping up to the reds was about to ensue, so the players decide on a re-rack.

We’ll restart frame 10.

Mark Allen pots tricky pink to win the frame

Friday 28 April 2023 15:24 , Luke Baker

Here’s how Mark Allen won the lengthy first frame of the session. A sublime pot

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:21 , Luke Baker

Selby hasn’t quite looked at it in this match so far but he’s perhaps the greatest battler the sport has ever seen. He won’t let being three frames behind, or the fact that was a disappointing frame to lose, affect him. The Jester for Leicester could undoubtedly do with winning this next frame though - he doesn’t want to let Allen get too far ahead

Mark Allen 6-3 Mark Selby - ALLEN WINS FRAME 9

Friday 28 April 2023 15:16 , Luke Baker

Selby turns down the opportunity of taking on the long pink, but leaves a chance for Allen... who misses. But a moment later he gets another look at a long, acute cut and Allen wins the frame! Mark Allen clinches a long battle and that will sting Selby.

Mark Allen 5-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:14 , Lawrence Ostlere

Allen clears yellow, green, brown and blue, but fails to dislodge the pink from the left cushion and that’s break over. He tries to play safe but he’s left Selby a long tempter...

Mark Allen 5-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:12 , Lawrence Ostlere

Selby plays a fantastic snooker with the white tucked against the brown, and Allen then leaves a pot down the top rail which Selby puts away. But the four-time champion misses a very makeable blue off the spot into the right middle, and Allen is back at the table with only the colours left. Allen 42-54 Selby – but the pink will be tricky.

Mark Allen 5-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 15:06 , Lawrence Ostlere

This is a very tense exchange – both players sense the importance of it. Selby earns the first potting opportunity on this last red but he’s nowhere near with his long attempt to the right corner. Allen misses an effort to the same pocket, and they’re back into safety mode.

Mark Allen 5-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 14:57 , Lawrence Ostlere

Selby does indeed come unstuck. It’s Allen 42-49 Selby, with one red remaining, and they’re locked a safety battle that is likely to decide the frame.

Mark Allen 5-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 14:52 , Lawrence Ostlere

Now it’s Allen’s turn to make a mistake – he puts 42 on the board and seems to be cruising towards a three-frame lead, but a couple of loose positional shots soon leave him taking on a slightly awkward red to the right middle, which bounces off the top jaw. The balls are not perfectly set for Selby, so this frame might not be done just yet.

Mark Allen 5-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 14:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

Mark Selby puts 18 points on the board before making a mistake playing a safety – he overhits the shot and the cue ball bounces off the baulk cushion and back into play. Mark Allen pots a long red, finishes on the blue and he’s in.

Mark Allen 5-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 14:32 , Luke Baker

MC Rob Walker doing the introductions in his inimitable, energetic style. The two men are out on the baize

Mark Allen 5-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 14:29 , Luke Baker

Not long now until the Mark Allen vs Mark Selby semi-final resumes. This should be a belter of a second session with Allen leading 5-3 overnight. It was compelling stuff yesterday evening.

‘He’s doing Selby at his own game’: Ronnie O’Sullivan assesses Mark Allen’s first-session performance

Friday 28 April 2023 14:20 , Luke Baker

Ronnie O’Sullivan was impressed with Mark Allen’s first-session performance against Mark Selby. Speaking to Eurosport, O’Sullivan commented on the grit the Northern Irishman was showing against perhaps the most granite competitor in snooker history.

“He’s doing Selby at his own game,” said O’Sullivan.

Mark Allen 5-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 13:50 , Luke Baker

Mark Allen finished the opening stanza of the other semi-final against Mark Selby on a roll, winning the final three frames to lead 5-3 overnight.

A 123 clearance gave Selby the ideal start but uncharacteristic errors in the safety battles in the next two frames allowed his Northern Irish opponent to take control with breaks of 63 and 66.

Selby missed a black off its spot in the fourth frame but still went into the mid-session interval level at 2-2 as it was Allen’s turn to fluff his lines in a tactical exchange.

A break of 68 moved Selby into the lead in an ebb-and-flow session and while Allen levelled, there was a hint of controversy when replays showed he grazed the red he was bridging over to make a tough pot.

The referee did not spot the foul while Allen did not acknowledge it either so - with players so scrupulous in calling to attention any wrongdoing when they are at the table - the suggestion was the left-hander, who has won three ranking events this season, was oblivious to what he had done.

Selby did have a visit to the table thereafter but his rival’s break of 64 left him well adrift and Allen quickly wrapped up the frame. Allen then finished the session with breaks of 60 and 78 to seize the initiative ahead of resumption at 2.30pm on Friday afternoon.

Mark Selby and Mark Allen to resume in World Snooker Championship semi-final

Friday 28 April 2023 13:25 , Luke Baker

Attention will soon turn to the second semi-final as Mark Selby and Mark Allen square off, with play starting at 2.30pm BST.

That match is intriguingly poised at 5-3 to Allen following the first session.

Si Jiahui: From bad-tempered child prodigy to snooker’s serene sensation

Friday 28 April 2023 13:05 , Luke Baker

Over the past two weeks Si Jiahui has calmly dispatched his opponents one by one – first the 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy, then the 13th seed Robert Milkins, before knocking out Scotland’s Anthony McGill in the quarter-finals – like the world’s most serene assassin, writes Lawrence Ostlere. The 20-year-old has produced an extraordinary Crucible debut to be within reach of the World Championship final, and perhaps the most remarkable part is that he has taken it all in his stride.

But Si wasn’t always this calm. When he was young, his father Si Peijun opened a snooker club in their hometown, Zhuji. The young Jiahui was obsessed, and by 10 years old he could beat just about anyone in the room, with the help of a rest to reach the middle of the table. Yet the game would often frustrate him.

“He trained from nine in the morning until 10 at night by his father,” recalls Roger Leighton, who coached Si as a teenager. “He was a nice friendly kid, but he had a temper. His father was difficult and put extra pressure on him, like most Chinese fathers do.”

Read Lawrence’s full feature on Si’s remarkable rise:

Si Jiahui: How bad-tempered child prodigy became snooker’s serene sensation

Si Jiahui shows his scoring prowess to take control of semi-final

Friday 28 April 2023 12:46 , Luke Baker

Si Jiahui produced breaks of 52, 122, 89, 58, 55 and 71 in a relentless display of scoring this morning. Surely he can scarcely have dreamed of leading his maiden Crucible semi-final 11-5 at this stage but that’s the situation he finds himself in.

Luca Brecel will need another big turnaround when the match resumes this evening.

Si Jiahui builds 11-5 lead over Luca Brecel

Friday 28 April 2023 12:33 , Luke Baker

Wow. That was scintillating stuff from Si Jiahui as he blows Luca Brecel away in the second session of their semi-final to lead 11-5. He only needs six more frames for victory... Brecel will require a comeback similar to the one he produced against Ronnie O’Sullivan in the last round.

The match resumes with the third of four scheduled sessions at 7pm this evening.

Luca Brecel 5-11 Si Jiahui - SI WINS FRAME 16

Friday 28 April 2023 12:31 , Luke Baker

Si pots the yellow all round the angles trying to play safe. When it’s your day, it’s your day. A gorgeous long green to follow and that will seal it.

Si wins frame 16. What a session for the 20-year-old Chinese star, he wins the session 6-2 and leads 11-5 in the race to 17.

Luca Brecel 5-10 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 12:29 , Luke Baker

Si misses the final red, he’s 40 points ahead with 35 on the table, so Brecel will come back on to the baize but he needs two snookers.

Luca Brecel 5-10 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 12:27 , Luke Baker

At 55-31, Si takes his time on a mid-range red. Pots it fine but doesn’t come quite as far down for the black as intended. That makes the next positional shot a shade trickier and he hangs his head. It’s not that bad to be honest.

Yep, that’s fine, up for the reds and he pots the final two balls he needs to leave Brecel requiring snookers. This is going to be 11-5.

Luca Brecel 5-10 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 12:26 , Luke Baker

Ok, all loose reds have been sunk, Si trails 31-26 and he’s got a nice angle on the black to smash into the reds...

Hmmm, he played it quite delicately, a decent but not great split. Looks like he has a red to the middle... Yes he does! It passes the other red and he gets on the black. Golden, golden chance to win the final frame of the session now.

Luca Brecel 5-10 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 12:24 , Luke Baker

Si smiles wryly to himself as he ends up between reds when playing for position off the pink. Now he faces a thin cut into the corner. Never in doubt! Nicely played and u again for the pink (which is on the blue spot). He’s slowly eradicating Brecel’s lead but will still need that split at some point.

Luca Brecel 5-10 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 12:22 , Luke Baker

The red goes in and Si then nails a tricky yellow where he’s bridging over the pack of reds. Good pot. He’s got a handful of reds available before needing to split the pack.

Luca Brecel 5-10 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 12:21 , Luke Baker

Brecel playing with his usual quick tempo when among the balls. A neat little cannon when on 23 develops another red but he’ll need to split the main bunch of reds in the not too distant future.

Oh no. Runs slightly out of position, leaving himself a tricky red to the middle and he misses. He leads 31-0 but he’s stuck a red over the yellow pocket for Si.

Luca Brecel 5-10 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 12:19 , Luke Baker

Final frame of the morning session. Brecel would bite your hand off to only trail 10-6, given the way this session has gone. Si can break the game open if he goes 11-5.

That’s a mistake though! A safety shot hits the blue and Brecel has a mid-range red to get started. Nicely potted, he’s on the pink and can now get to work.

Luca Brecel 5-10 Si Jiahui - SI WINS FRAME 15

Friday 28 April 2023 12:16 , Luke Baker

A hand of apology from Si as he pots a red left-handed and unintentionally cannons the pink but it rolls perfectly over the middle pocket. Not sure that will make Luca feel much better...

All major problems seem to have been averted and it’s a cruise to the line in this frame now. Yep, a break of 55 sees Si win frame 15. Brecel looking perplexed in his chair.

Luca Brecel 5-9 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 12:12 , Luke Baker

Si is never really in A1 position in this break but a lovely long pot to the yellow pocket keeps him at the table. It’s hard work but the break moves past 30, for a points lead of more than 40, and is still alive.

Luca Brecel 5-9 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 12:08 , Luke Baker

Oooh, a mid-range red missed by Si after a poor Brecel safety shot. The Chinese cueman soon gets another crack when his Belgian opponent rattles a long red of his own in both jaws.

Leaves him a red to the middle and this is another chance for the 20-year-old. Follows it up with a mid-range green and he’s back in the balls.

Luca Brecel 5-9 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 12:05 , Luke Baker

Brecel misses a long red that popped free from the break-off and it comes up into baulk where Si can use it as an easy starter. Later, he plays for a red which he thinks pots above the black but, in fact, it’s tied up.

A miscalculation from Si, so just a break of 11. No damage done for Brecel

Luca Brecel 5-9 Si Jiahui - BRECEL WINS FRAME 14

Friday 28 April 2023 12:01 , Luke Baker

Gutsy stuff from Brecel and he wins frame 14. Takes care of business on the colours to stop the rot. Narrows the gap to 9-5 with two frames to go in this session. Can he get himself back to 9-7, which would be highway robbery given the way this session has gone...?

Luca Brecel 4-9 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:59 , Luke Baker

Good stuff from Brecel, pots the penultimate red and moves the black into a better position, freeing the other red. On to the colours - they’re not on their spots but not far away, other than the pink up in baulk but he won’t need that.

Luca Brecel 4-9 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:59 , Luke Baker

It’s 41-38 to Si and he’s got a high-tariff shot here. He’s low on the blue, looking to come off the top and side cushion, into the reds at the other end of the table...

No dice. He misses the blue which bounces off the jaw and remarkably cannons down into the reds, opening them up. Gilt-edged chance for Brecel to win the frame now, trailing by three points with two reds remaining.

Luca Brecel 4-9 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:57 , Luke Baker

Si tidies up the loose reds but there a trio tied up on the bottom cushion, out if commission currently. They’ll need splitting with a cannon.

Actually the bottom one pots and he slides it in across the rail. Wonderful shot from Si and he moves ahead of Brecel in the frame. The other two reds will still need cannoning though.

Luca Brecel 4-9 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:55 , Luke Baker

WOW! This is what Brecel is capable of and what we saw him do in that unbelievable final session against Ronnie O’Sullivan. He pulls out an unbelievable pot on the black from tight on the side cushion.

Oh no! But then, on a break of 38, he breaks down as he misses a pink to the middle. It sounded like someone sneezed on his backswing there. Really unfortunate there and may have caused the miss.

It’s given Si another chance...

Luca Brecel 4-9 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:51 , Luke Baker

A collector’s item! Si Jiahui misses a long pot and the cue ball stays down the business end of the table. Brecel finds a tricky red to the right corner, up for the blue and now he’s simply got to make the most of this scoring opportunity. The balls aren’t amazingly situated though.

Luca Brecel 4-9 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:50 , Luke Baker

It’s been more than 40 minutes of match time since Brecel last potted a ball (almost an hour of real time once the mid-session interval is added on) - he’s simply been frozen out. Relentless by Si.

But he finally breaks that streak with a long red when he was in serious trouble from a Si safety. Potted his way out of trouble. No colour available but a decent safety off the black in response from Luca - sticking the cue ball tight to the baulk cushion.

Luca Brecel 4-9 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:48 , Luke Baker

What a morning it has been so far for Si Juahui. Luca Brecel on the ropes

Luca Brecel 4-9 Si Jiahui - SI WINS FRAME 13

Friday 28 April 2023 11:45 , Luke Baker

Another lovely long red by Si. It was a risky shot, only really a half-chance but he’s playing no-miss snooker this morning. From there, it’s simple enough to get over the winning line in the frame. That’s another frame on the board as a break of 38 is more than enough.

Si wins frame 13. It’s first to 17 but Si could be out of sight if Brecel is not careful - that’s a five-frame gap at 9-4 now.

Luca Brecel 4-8 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:41 , Luke Baker

Good work from Si as he pots mainly reds and blacks but eventually he’s forced into a cannon that goes slightly wrong. The break ends at 58 as he plays safe. What’s been notable this morning is that Si isn’t really missing pots, he’s occasionally run out of position but then been able to play safe rather than leaving Brecel plum in,

Luca Brecel 4-8 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:39 , Luke Baker

You simply can’t leave Si Jiahui a look at a long pot at the moment. Unfortunately for him, that’s exactly what Luca Brecel has done and the Chinese cueman thumps another long one into the heart of the pocket.

The table is a bit messy after a bit of a safety exchange but Si is in control.

Luca Brecel 4-8 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:29 , Luke Baker

The mid-session interval is over and the boys are back on the baize. Luca Brecel needs to win three of these next four frames at a minimum, you’d think. Easier said than done the way Si is playing though...

Si Jiahui moves 8-4 ahead at the mid-session interval

Friday 28 April 2023 11:13 , Luke Baker

Si has been irrespressible this morning. Just incredible snooker at the Crucible.

Luca Brecel 4-8 Si Jiahui - SI WINS FRAME 12

Friday 28 April 2023 11:11 , Luke Baker

He misses a black while trying to move the reds off the cushion and the break ends at 89 but what a performance as Si wins frame 11. He’s won that first mini-session 3-1 and now leads 8-4 at the mid-session interval.

Luca Brecel has plenty of thinking to do... This match could get away from him if he’s not careful

Luca Brecel 4-7 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:09 , Luke Baker

In a blink of an eye, Si leaves Brecel in snookers-required territory. Playing with such speed and clarity of thought, another frame on the board and, again, attention turns to a possible century.

A couple of tricky reds on the left cushion are his biggest barriers.

Luca Brecel 4-7 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:08 , Luke Baker

Si working a bit harder now after that split. In and out of baulk from the blue and then faces a tester down the left cushion. He’s simply not missing though! Rolls it in dead weight and lands perfectly on the black. This is starting to look like it will be 8-4 at the mid-session interval.

Luca Brecel 4-7 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:06 , Luke Baker

Si cherry-picks the loose reds, working with black to reach a break of 38. Just the bunch of reds remaining, so he’ll smash into them off this black. If this goes right, it could well be another frame to the 20-year-old...

BOOM! Could not have played that any better, sending the reds everywhere after bouncing off the bottom cushion. He’s a bit unfortunate, as his cueing is hampered for the next red. But he cuts it in and goes up for the blue. A bit short of pace but he’s still at the table, now 46 points ahead

Luca Brecel 4-7 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 11:02 , Luke Baker

Si’s long game has been absolutely on point this morning. Another long red finds the heart of the pocket. A couple of shots until he can find perfect position, including a red with his wrong hand but he’s up and running.

Luca Brecel 4-7 Si Jiahui - SI WINS FRAME 11

Friday 28 April 2023 10:59 , Luke Baker

The only possible obstacle standing between him and a ton was a red down the left cushion. He left it for last but punches it in, runs through for the black and the century is a formality from there.

He misses the total clearance as the white also finds the pocket with an exhibition shot on the final black but it’s a break of 122, his third century of the match and Si wins frame 11. Sublime snooker as he extends his advantage to 7-4

Luca Brecel 4-6 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:55 , Luke Baker

Si is so smooth around the table and it’s mistake-free snooker as he eases past frame ball. Frame in the bag but can he make a century now?

Luca Brecel 4-6 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:53 , Luke Baker

There was a red over the right corner that was blocking the black but, on 28, Si knocks it in to turn this into a glorious opportunity. He’s been working with the pink so far in the break but now he has blue, pink and black available.

The composure Si is showing is incredible. You would not think he’s a 20-year-old, in his first season back as a professional after dropping off the tour, playing at the Crucible for the first time. The boy looks class.

Luca Brecel 4-6 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:51 , Luke Baker

Si pulls out a couple of long reds early in frame 11. No position on a colour from the first and it looks similar from the second. But WOW! Si takes on an outrageous long blue into the green bag and it’s never anywhere but the heart of the pocket. If he missed it, he was leaving the world on but he’s so fearless. Probably the shot of the match so far.

Reds are beautifully spread and this could easily be a one-visit frame now...

Luca Brecel 4-6 Si Jiahui - BRECEL WINS FRAME 10

Friday 28 April 2023 10:44 , Luke Baker

Brecel pulls out a little beauty of a long pot into the right corner, across the table. Rolls the brown in and leaves Si needing a snooker. Si doesn’t bother playing on and it’s frame 10 to Brecel. He narrows the deficit back to two frames.

Luca Brecel 3-6 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:41 , Luke Baker

WOW! Si thumps a red into the right corner pocket down the right-hand rail. That was an unbelievable pot that he made look easy! There’s four reds around the pink and then one up to the right of the blue.

He’d need a total clearance to nick this frame. Runs slightly out of position after the next black, so just a safety. Brecel leads 65-8, with 67 points still on and we’ll have a safety exchange now.

Luca Brecel 3-6 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:39 , Luke Baker

The Belgian Bullet has the cue ball on a string here, picking off reds and setting up camp around the black spot. On 58, he finishes a bit straight on the black and has to force an angle. The black is in, no problem but he’s run out of position as he misses a cannon on a red.

Tricky thin cut to the middle on the next red and he misses it! Heads back to his seat after a break of 65 but there’s still 75 on for Si.

Luca Brecel 3-6 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:36 , Luke Baker

That little outburst on the cue ball may actually have helped Brecel. Got some frustration out and concentrated his mind. He’s looking very tidy in this break, gliding round the table as he does when in full flow. He’s brilliant to watch at his best.

Brilliant split on the pack a few reds in and this is a frame-winning opportunity now. He quickly races past 50.

WATCH: Luca Brecel smashes the cue ball off the table in furtration

Friday 28 April 2023 10:35 , Luke Baker

Here was Luca Brecel whipping the cue ball across the table in frustration and it bouncing off the baize. Apparently he was given a little talking-to by referee Rob Spencer after that frame.

Luca Brecel 3-6 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:33 , Luke Baker

Not a great break-off by Brecel, pushing a red towards the right corner. Close but no cigar from Si though as it rattles in the jaws and the cue ball doesn’t make it back to baulk. Simple starter red for Brecel and a scoring opportunity early in this frame

Luca Brecel 3-6 Si Jiahui - SI WINS FRAME 9

Friday 28 April 2023 10:31 , Luke Baker

This frame has totally shifted now. The Belgian pots red, colour and then yellow before laying a snooker on the green behind the blue, which is near the green pocket.

Good hit by Si and the cue ball nearly rolls into the right corner but ends up snookering Brecel behind the angle of the pocket. He can’t hit the green and that’s frame 9 to Si to move to 6-3.

Ooh, that’s a bit petulant from Brecel. He sweeps the cue ball with his cue in frustration after conceding the game and it bounces off the table! Not clever by Brecel, although I don’t think he meant for the white to jump off the table. Referee Rob Spencer doesn’t seem too bothered.

Luca Brecel 3-5 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:27 , Luke Baker

Brecel has half a chance here. He cleans up three reds with colours and then lays a snooker behind the black on the final red. He’d need two snookers to get back in the frame but stranger things have happened.

Ooh! And there’s one of them. Si slips round the back of the red. Well, well, well

Luca Brecel 3-5 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:22 , Luke Baker

With the reds split, all the youngster needs to do is keep his composure to finish off this first frame of the morning. He pots frame-ball red to move 64 points ahead with only 59 remaining, although does run out of position, meaning Brecel will play on for snookers. But this should be 6-3 to Si.

Luca Brecel 3-5 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:21 , Luke Baker

Oooof! Si left half a chance by Brecel and crunches a long red into the heart of the left corner pocket. Dead still on the shot, perfect technique. Doesn’t finish perfectly on the green but forces it in and then thumps home a mid-range red and hoes back up for a baulk colour.

Nerveless stuff from Si once more.

Luca Brecel 3-5 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:19 , Luke Baker

Oooh, Si misses the cannon into the bottom of the pack off the black and leaves himself out of position. The break ends at 52 but that’s a good start from the Chinese youngster and he plays safe.

There’s still eight reds on the table, so plenty of points for Brecel to play with, should he get the opportunity.

Luca Brecel 3-5 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:16 , Luke Baker

Si runs slightly out of position but a nice pot to the right middle, across the nap of the cloth gets him back on track, safely on the blue. He’s tidied up the loose reds, so on a break of 31 he nudges a red out with a lovely cannon off the blue.

He requires a similar shot off the black on 37 and plays it nicely. This is a great frame-winning opportunity now.

Ronnie O’Sullivan evaluates the semi-finalists

Friday 28 April 2023 10:14 , Luke Baker

Here was seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan’s thoughts on both players in this morning session

Luca Brecel 3-5 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:12 , Luke Baker

Brecel gets an early look at a long red from Si’s break-off but it rattles the jaws and stays out. It doesn’t run safe and provides a nice easy opener for Si - exactly what you want to settle the nerves.

He’s around the black spot with a few loose reds, so a good chance for some early scoring.

Luca Brecel 3-5 Si Jiahui

Friday 28 April 2023 10:10 , Luke Baker

The players are introduced by MC Rob Walker and walk out on to the Crucible floor. The boys are on the baize, so let’s get this semi-final back up and running.

An important session upcoming - Brecel won’t want to fall any further behind than he already is at 5-3.

World Snooker Championship - day 14

Friday 28 April 2023 10:03 , Luke Baker

To coin a golf term, it’s moving day for the World Snooker Championship semi-finals. By the end of Friday, Si Jiahui and Luca Brecel will have just one session of their last-four clash remaining and Mark Allen vs Mark Selby will have two.

Si leads Brecel 5-3 currently and their second session in the best-of-33 encounter will start shortly. Can the young Chinese sensation continue his remarkable form?

Mark Allen 5-3 Mark Selby

Friday 28 April 2023 09:56 , Luke Baker

Mark Allen finished the opening stanza of the other semi-final against Mark Selby on a roll, winning the final three frames to lead 5-3 overnight.

A 123 clearance gave Selby the ideal start but uncharacteristic errors in the safety battles in the next two frames allowed his Northern Irish opponent to take control with breaks of 63 and 66.

Selby missed a black off its spot in the fourth frame but still went into the mid-session interval level at 2-2 as it was Allen’s turn to fluff his lines in a tactical exchange.

A break of 68 moved Selby into the lead in an ebb-and-flow session and while Allen levelled, there was a hint of controversy when replays showed he grazed the red he was bridging over to make a tough pot.

The referee did not spot the foul while Allen did not acknowledge it either so - with players so scrupulous in calling to attention any wrongdoing when they are at the table - the suggestion was the left-hander, who has won three ranking events this season, was oblivious to what he had done.

Selby did have a visit to the table thereafter but his rival’s break of 64 left him well adrift and Allen quickly wrapped up the frame. Allen then finished the session with breaks of 60 and 78 to seize the initiative ahead of resumption at 2.30pm on Friday afternoon.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website