Betfred 2017 World Snooker Championships- Final, Day 1

Day 16 of 17 of the Betfred 2017 World Snooker Championships and it's defending champion and two-time winner Mark Selby up against four-time winner John Higgins.

A shot of the Crucible theatre, Sheffield early on in the day - no-one else in the auditorium or on the floor.

 Game-time approaches and the trophy is placed on the table - ready for the TV link

 Steve Davis doing a piece to camera before the players walk out

 First it is John Higgins (with Iron Maiden drummer Nico McBrain in the background)

 Followed by World #1, Mark Selby

 Referee Jan Verhaas carefully places the trophy for the traditional handshake shot

In the first frame Mark Selby took early control beofre John higgins brought it back to 1-1

Then, at the start of the third frame there was an animated discussion between the two players about the table.

BBL playoff R1 - finely balanced at Sheffield sharks 71-73 Worcester Wolves

It was a game of two halves last night at the EIS, Sheffield for the DBL Sharks Sheffield in their first leg BBL Playoff Quarter Final against Worcester Wolves. The Sharks couldn't buy a basket in the first half and had a very poor shooting record, leaving them fourteen points down at half time 29-43. 

After what must have been a stern team talk at half-time from Atiba Lyons, it was Worcester who were calling the timeouts in the second half as the Sharks fought back to leave the game almost even going into the second leg at Worcester tomorrow.

 Malcolm Riley with an early effort

 Zach Gachette who had a solid first half

 Mike Tuck from the free-throw line

 Tony Wroblicky runs past Maurice Walker's block

 Before Max Guercy out-jumped the 6'10" forward for a basket

Rashawn Rembert jumps in the second half

  George Brownell gets a three

 Jordan Davis leaps through the Worcester defence

MVP with 15 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists and a well-timed five foul count was captain Mike Tuck.

Action from Day 15 of the 2017 Betfred World Snooker Championships

It's the third Saturday and the end of the snooker semi-finals at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield.  With a 10-6 lead after the first two sessions, John Higgins lined up aginast Barry Hawkins.  Paul Collier was the referee.  Action here from frame 17 - first of the morning - that John Higgins would eventually run out 16-8, leaving the probability of only a short session in the evening in the best of 33 frame match.

Action from Day 14 of the 2017 Betfred World Snooker Championships

Well, the first fortnight is done and the last three days loom large - the final will all too soon be here again.

In their semi-final, Mark Selby came back from 5-3 down against Ding Junhui to a 7-5 lead, here they are starting frame 13 after the mid-session interval.