Action from Day 4 of the Betfred Snooker World Championship 2017

Another busy day at the Crucible...different for me as I was back at the day job and also needing to cover the evening session of the UK Swimming Championships at Ponds Forge....

Last year's runner-up Ding Junhui overcame Crucible debutant Zhou Yuelong 10-5

 Zhou Yuelong in the press conference after the match

  Ding Junhui in the press conference after the match

Judd Trump who started his match against Rory McLeod by winning the first four frames, seen here playing in the eigth frame which then tied the match at 4-4.

 Referee Olivier Marteel

On table 1, Liang Wenbo ran out 10-7 winner against Stuart Carrington

The Top 16 Snooker players gather at the Crucible

In a scene reminisent of last year, the day before the 2017 Betfred Snooker World Championship gets underway, the Top 16 players gathered for a photo call before the press conference that started the tournament.

Gathered together were: Mark Selby, Ryan Day, Neil Robertson, Marco Fu, Shaun Murphy, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Liang Wenbo, Ding Junhui, Stuart Bingham, Kyren Wilson, Mark Allen, John Higgins, Barry Hawkins, Ali Carter, Anthony McGill, Judd Trump

Last snooker blog entry for a while - honest!

It's all over for another year, the Crucible is being put back together as a theatre.  All we have is lots of memories from the last 18 days - 17 days of competition and the press day that preceded the competition.

For the press day, we were given the opportunity to photograph the top 16 players with the trophy outside the Crucible.  In the end 14 turned up in time for the photo, though Judd Trump and Neil Robertson did make it 5 minutes later for the press conference.  And they all graciously signed a mount frame for the occasion - my best reminder of the 40th playing of the World Snooker Championships in Sheffield.

Action from Day Six at the World Snooker Championship

Some shots from Day Six at the 2016 World Snooker Championships.

Marco Fu and Anthony McGill at the start of their second round match.  Referee Olivier  Marteel tosses for break.

 Judd Trump breaks off in frame 10/19 in his first round match against Liang Wenbo.

World's top 16 Snooker players at the Crucible

Friday 15th April 2016 - for the first time ever, the world's top 16 snooker players gathered together at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield for a press conference in advance of the World Snooker Championships.

Mark Selby, Stuart Bingham, Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson, Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Allen, John Higgins, Ricky Walden, Joe Perry, Barry Hawkins, Martin Gould, Mark Williams, Marco Fu, Michael White, Stephen Maguire - all in place on the stairs at the Crucible.

Stuart Bingham takes a 13-11 lead over Judd Trump into tonight's session

Stuart Bingham requires four more frames going into tonight's final semi-final session at the Crucible.

The 38 year old from Essex is looking to make his first World Snooker Championship final with a win over much-fancied Judd Trump.

Some photos from this morning's session:

Stuart Bingham has one eye the World Snooker Final

The chances of Stuart Bingham making his first World Championship final appearance came a little nearer as he moved 9-7 ahead against Judd Trump during their afternoon session.

In the best of 33 semi final, Bingham started with a 5-3 advantage and with some solid potting, each player won 4 of the afternoon's 8 frames.

Some photos from this afternoon's session: