British Open snooker 2023 LIVE – Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy in action after Judd Trump and Allen win, Luca Brecel out

That’s it for our live frame-by-frame updates from the afternoon session.

See you again shortly for the evening session with Ryan Day, Mark Selby, John Higgins and Shaun Murphy among the stars taking to the baulk.

• Ryan Day v Sean O’Sullivan
• Mark Selby v Ben Woollaston
• Kyren Wilson v Martin O’Donnell
• Barry Hawkins v Stan Moody
• Jack Lisowski v Joe O’Connor
• Shaun Murphy v Rebecca Kenna
• John Higgins v Long Zehuang
• Jimmy Robertson v Steven Hallworth

It’s Allen who ends the stalemate, knocking in a couple of reds before using the blue to come down the table and tuck home a red to the bottom left corner.

A pink and the final red to the bottom left pretty much ends the contest McGill concedes after a quick glance at the board.

• Neil Robertson 2-1 Jamie Clarke
• Gary Wilson 3-1 Ahmed Aly Elsayed

McGill can’t put together a sequence to keep Allen in his seat and with the final four reds near cushions, he’s forced to play safe following a decent run of 20.

Wow! No-one saw that coming. Allen blows a routine pot off the spot and his break of 23 – that was looking like extending into a match-winning one -ends abruptly.

Will that be curtains for Anthony? He’s not had the rub of the green in this match and he can’t quite believe it when he fouls on the black to gift Allen a huge opportunity to put this match to bed.

• RESULT! – Mark Williams 4-1 Peng Yisong
• Neil Robertson 1-1 Jamie Clarke
• Gary Wilson 3-0 Ahmed Aly Elsayed

Allen sizzles down a red to the bottom right but over-screws the cue ball and can’t get position on the black. He shakes his head in irritation and retreats to baulk.

Allen has a huge slice of fortune when his safety from the left side of baulk sees two reds clip a third, which drops down.

There’s confusion as to whether one was actually potted such was how unintentional it was. Allen misses a green middle right but leaves the cue ball firmly behind the brown.

McGill ponders the rescue attempt a couple of times. It’s not a case of not being able to hit one of the 14 reds remaining, it’s more to do with not wanting to leave Allen in a frame-winning – and therefore a match-clinching position.

The Scot misses twice but nudges tight to the red closest to the middle of the table on his third effort to escape and avoid leaving it all open.

Frame 5 doesn’t have the fizz and swashbuckling nature of the previous four. It’s been a pretty turgid spectacle so far with most of the reds scattered to the far right of the table. Who will blink first? McGill probably can’t afford for it to be him!

• Mark Williams 3-0 Peng Yisong
• Neil Robertson 1-0 Jamie Clarke
• Gary Wilson 2-0 Ahmed Aly Elsayed

Mark may well have found his Mojo.

A quite brilliant shot, tight to baulk sees him tickle down a red with a deft clip to right middle and get him up and running once more.

He then spreads the pack by screwing back off a pot to the bottom left and suddenly there’s an opening for more heavy scoring.

McGill can only watch on despite the fact the black is tight to the bottom rail. It doesn’t stop Mark preying upon pink-red combos.

The World No.3 rifles down the last long red to bottom right to move on to the colours, but surprisingly comes up short of the century. It’s a minor frustration as he edges closer to victory.

The table is literally wide open for a player of Allen’s calibre.

Even when he overcooks the cue ball slightly, he’s able to prey upon another red nearby and get back on track in terms of position.

It’s just a case of whether the World No.3 clears up or not… but sadly for him, the answer is no as the final red down the right rail won’t go down via the rest as he ends with a break of 81.

• Mark Williams 3-0 Peng Yisong
• Neil Robertson 0-0 Jamie Clarke
• Gary Wilson 1-0 Ahmed Aly Elsayed

That’s a shocker from McGill. He works his way into a decent situation with a break of 12 but then fails to down a red to the bottom left. It was a tad awkward in terms of cueing but not enough to give him any excuses.

Allen jumps out of his seat and seems to like the look of how the table is spread.

Allen can’t guide a red in down the left rail but it matters little as a break of 57 is enough to pull him level.

Mark chalks up a quick-fire 12 but is then left frustrated as this time the black jiggles with the jaws and stays out.

McGill has the initiative but hands it straight back when he clips in a red but fouls on the black splitting the pack.

It’s fair to say it’s been an incident-packed start to this frame.

Oof! Allen is rather unlucky there. He looks to slot a red to the yellow pocket, but it pretty much dances on the lip and somehow stays out.

McGill steps in and clips it down before cleaning up to the final red, that won’t go down along the bottom rail. It’s of little consequence though as another break of 34 sees him take the opening frame.

McGill clips in a cheeky red and then earns his reward for a smart safety up to baulk as Allen offers him a chance to make the first significant break of the match.

The Scot has not had the best starts to the season, but it’s pretty sharp from the off here as surges to a break of 58 before the middle right pocket refuses the invitation for another red to drop.

• RESULT – Ali Carter 4-3 Allan Taylor
• RESULT – Judd Trump 4-2 Anton Kazakov
• Mark Williams 1-0 Peng Yisong

Allen is first show and notches up a rapid four before retreating to baulk.

Allen leads the match-up 3-1.

Allen was runner-up in this tournament last year and has a tricky opener against Anthony McGill, who is currently ranked 19th.

Ali Carter 3-3 Allan Taylor

Judd Trump 3-2 Anton Kazakov

Ding eventually cuts the blue into the bottom left pocket – and Brecel marches over to offer the hand shake.

The Chinese World No.15 will be relieved as he dumps the World Champion out at the first hurdle and edges into round two after almost blowing a 3-0 lead.

Brecel’s bid for World No.1 will have to wait as will a first ever win over Ding who now leads the H2H 6-0!

Ding makes clever use of the pink close to the bottom right corner and comes off the right rail to flick it and sink the final red in the pocket.

He then cuts the pink to the same pocket but gets unfortunate when he snookers himself behind the green.

He does hit the yellow but Brecel will carry on in search of a snooker to somehow pull off a miracle win.

The Belgian sinks the yellow and tries to lay a snooker before mopping up green and brown.

He’s running out of balls to make this happen though…

Ali Carter 3-2 Allan Taylor

Judd Trump 2-2 Anton Kazakov

RESULT! – Robert Milkins 4-2 Jiang Jun

Ding goes for a double off the left rail to right middle but he comes up short and leaves it on for Brecel.

It’s not easy, particularly given the stakes, and the Belgian can’t come up with some magic as his long red attempt to the green pocket won’t go down.

This is so close and still tough to call!

Ding is edging ever close… The World No.15 snags the penultimate red and tickles in a yellow before retreating to baulk to leave Brecel with plenty to ponder.

Ding grabs the initiative but can only chip in another 15 when he misses a blue to middle left trying to come up with a plan to discover a solution to the final two reds snug with the pink on the bottom rail.

This frame is a microcosm of the match. Both players look to be in fine fettle and then miss a sitter.

It happens here with Brecel on a run of 26 as he blows a make-able red with the rest to the bottom right.

The Belgian looked all set to complete the comeback there.

Now Ding has another chance…

• Ali Carter 2-2 Allan Taylor
• Judd Trump 2-2 Anton Kazakov
• Robert Milkins 3-2 Jiang Jun

Given what is at stake, it’s no surprise there’s a lengthy, cagey stand-off before a ball is potted in this decider.

It’s Ding – who was 3-0 up and on course for a whitewash – who snatches the advantage with a simple long red to the bottom left.

The Chinese finds some groove but inexplicably misses a routine pink to the same pocket to come up short on 29.

He’s had a few of those today and it may prove costly.

• Ali Carter 1-2 Allan Taylor
• Judd Trump 1-2 Anton Kazakov
• Robert Milkins 3-1 Jiang Jun

Brecel reaches a break of 40 but a weak cannon into the pack leaves the cue ball stuck in the middle of them with no obvious red on.

The Belgian spies a potential plant on a red to the middle right and shows his maverick style with a delicious pot to extend a nice break into a run of 73 that will surely take us into a decider.

Ding is back at the table but he fouls with a miss on a red and then has to face the inevitable.

Someone, yes somehow, we are heading into a one-frame shoot-out!

Brecel looks for a thin cut on a red near the bottom left corner but ends up drifting the cue ball into the same pocket for a foul.

Ding misses a long red to the opposite corner and once again gives Brecel the opportunity to take charge.

Brecel makes no mistake with a long red close to the bottom right corner and clears up to the final red.

Not even a foul on a break of 39 can make any difference as the Belgian cuts the gap once more. Can he take this match to the wire?

There’s a shake of the head from Luca as a long red catches the lower jaw of the bottom left pocket and pops out ending his run on 38.

Ouch. Ding is first to show but his attempt to cannon into the pack via a pot on the blue to the middle right goes pear-shaped when a red flies in to the bottom right too.

‘Foul!’ – and another half chance for Luca to try and make things interesting!

• Ali Carter 1-1 Allan Taylor
• Judd Trump 0-2 Anton Kazakov
• Robert Milkins 2-1 Jiang Jun

Ding swerves around the obstacles to clip the red from baulk but leaves it firmly on for Luca to despatch to the bottom right.

From there it’s all about clearing up the colours and Brecel duly does that to get on the board and pinch the frame by a point!

The Belgian Bullet still has it all to do, but Ding could yet rue blowing a big lead there.

Ding blinks first and Brecel clips a red to the bottom right.

The Belgian ponders over the pink to the bottom right corner for some time as it’s the final red on the left cushion that will probably decide the frame.

Eventually the World No.2 plays a lovely snooker and suddenly he has the initiative.

Ding takes care of the routine business up to two remaining reds wedged together near the middle of the left rail and opts to be pragmatic, ending his break at 54 and playing a safety.

Brecel guides a controlled red to the bottom left corner with the rest and swiftly moves in front.

However, the Belgian gets careless over his position once again and awkward cue-action on a red to the middle left means he catches the far jaw and he fails to take advantage of an open table.

It’s been one of those days for Luca and it could be coming to a rapid end here…

When your luck is in, your luck is in!

Ding attempts a long red to the bottom left corner that jumps out of the pocket, rolls across the lower rail and knocks a red that was minding its own business miles from the action into the opposite pocket.

It looks like real trouble for Brecel but Ding somehow contrives to miss a routine red to the bottom left to allow the World Champion a ray of hope.

• Ali Carter 1-1 Allan Taylor
• Judd Trump 0-2 Anton Kazakov
• Robert Milkins 1-1 Jiang Jun

Ding cuts a tricky red to the bottom left and the slight air of tension over whether he could let the frame slip away evaporates.

The Chinese star misses a yellow with two reds remaining but Brecel would need a raft of snookers.

The referee looks to the Belgian to check on his intentions but shakes his head and looks away, remaining firmly rooted to his seat.

It’s just not happening for the Belgian Bullet so far today. He can only manage a paltry red to go with the foul and Ding is back in again.

It’s looking like a 3-0 lead for the World No.15.

Ding takes charge of the table and the alarm bells will be ringing for the World Champion.

The Chinese World No.15 quickly passes the 20-mark, resisting the opportunity to blast into the pack by teasing a black to the bottom right and moving around the five reds in open play.

Eventually he does attempt to burst into that pack of six but misses the blue to the middle left. All eyes are on the scattering reds, but suddenly there’s a murmur of surprise as the blue bounces to the opposite middle pocket and flukes in.

The reprieve is short-lived though as a cut on a red to middle right rolls down – but so does the cue ball to the bottom right.

That’s almost exhibition stuff from Brecel – but ultimately the Belgian Bullet comes up short again!

He doubles a red off the right cushion into middle left with real panache. It would have left the table wide open if he’d missed, but he was brave and got his rewards.

He’s within sight of levelling as he nudges ahead on the board49-47, but misses a long red to the bottom right after nudging it free off the left rail by sinking the blue to the yellow pocket.

Ding takes care of the final red and the yellow and lays a snooker. However, Brecel gets out of trouble with a fortunate pot before blowing his hopes on the blue.

Ding steps in a clears up to the black to snatch a rollercoaster frame of bizarre misses juxtaposed with some sublime shot-making.

Luca makes some inroads into Ding’s lead but after an attempt to clatter into the trio of reds and free them up goes awry, he’s left with little option but to playa safety in behind the black after a run of 29.

• Ali Carter 0-1 Allan Taylor
• Judd Trump 0-1 Anton Kazakov
• Robert Milkins 0-1 Jiang Jun

Once again it’s Ding who gathers his composure to forge a decent lead.

Most reds are free aside from a trio clustered close to the right rail, but in the end he doesn’t need to worry about them.

He’s approaching the half century on a run of 47 but can’t quite convince a red along the bottom rail to drop to the bottom right pocket.

It’s a really sloppy start from both players in Frame 2.

Ding contrives to catch the far jaw of a red to the bottom right corner but Luca blows an easier red to middle left.

The pattern continues until Brecel again gets his angles wrong with a red to bottom right and grimaces as the cue ball explodes into the pack to open up the table.

Ding inevitably sinks a simple red but then misses a long yellow. It’s very scrappy stuff and it seems to be catching out there!

Enter The Dragon indeed. Ding doesn’t blow the opening this time around as he pulls clear to notch up the opening frame.

A red to the bottom left is followed by a pink up to middle left that is not easy, but he despatches it with aplomb.

He quickly mops up a succession of reds around the black and puts himself firmly in charge with an excellent cut on a recovery shot on a red to the bottom right.

It leaves him nicely on the blue which he downs to middle left. A red teased into the bottom left pretty much secures the frame but he can’t quite get over the line for the century as his run ends on 94.

Luca quickly sets about trying to build a commanding lead, rocketing down a red to bottom left and cutting a delightful black to the same pocket.

A cannon into a cluster of three reds goes awry, blocking the black which means he has to take on a slow-paced pink up to the middle right. It’s a wonderful pot to keep his run going, but he then undoes his good work with a surprising miss on a red up to the green pocket.

That’s a horrible miscue from Brecel. You could hear the thwack of the tip of his cue to emphasise just how wrong a simple red to the bottom right went.

He examines the tip as he strolls back to his chair knowing full well that’s he left Ding with a big chance.

The Chinese World No.15 steps in and coolly rolls in a red to the bottom left but then blows as make-able pink to middle left and it’s Brecel who gets a very early reprieve.

This is their sixth meeting with Brecel yet to win. Will Ding Jinhui have his number once again today?

The Bookies have Judd Trump as a clear favourite to lift the trophy with John Higgins, Mark Selby and Neil Robertson also well backed.

Brecel is somewhat of an outsider as ninth favourite with various outlets.

We’ll be concentrating on World Champion and ‘Belgian Bullet’ Luca Brecel as he locks horns with Ding Junhui.

All matches up to and including the round of 16 will be the best-of-seven frames.

Hello and welcome to LIVE updates of our coverage of The British Open at the Centaur at Cheltenham racecourse.

There’s a host of big names in action in the afternoon session including World champion Luca Brecel, Judd Trump, Mark Allen, Neil Robertson and Mark Williams.

Here’s the full line-up of the boys battling at the baize:

• Luca Brecel v Ding Junhui
• Judd Trump v Anton Kazakov
• Robert Milkins v Jiang Jun
• Ali Carter v Allan Taylor
• Mark Allen v Anthony McGill
• Neil Robertson v Jamie Clarke
• Mark Willams v Peng Yisong
• Gary Wilson v Ahmed Aly Elsayed

• Ryan Day v Sean O’Sullivan
• Mark Selby v Ben Woollaston
• Kyren Wilson v Martin O’Donnell
• Barry Hawkins v Stan Moody
• Jack Lisowski v Joe O’Connor
• Shaun Murphy v Rebecca Kenna
• John Higgins v Long Zehuang
• Jimmy Robertson v Steven Hallworth