World Snooker Championship 2023 LIVE stream and updates: Mark Selby and Mark Allen resume with Luca Brecel v Si Jiahui

Business Faces On

It was a veritable festival of bantz between Selby and Allen yesterday, but there won’t be a grin on the face of whoever comes down on the wrong side of the result in this one. It’s perhaps a touch surprising that two players who can play so freely are locked in such a Homeric battle, but there’s a lot on the line. Allen, arguably the player of the season, is eyeing a first Crucible final. As for Selby, an unquestionable great already, he can win his fifth world crown in ten years if he’s the last man standing on Monday night.

The final four

This is getting tense, eh? Welcome to the last day of the semi-finals of the 2023 World Snooker Championship, with both matches fascinatingly poised ahead of their conclusion. We’ll be starting today with Mark Selby versus Mark Allen, an absorbing arm-wrestle that has only managed to grind it’s way to a 7-6 lead for Selby so far.

This afternoon we’ll have the resumption of Si Jiahui and Luca Brecel. With a 14-5 lead at one stage last night, Si was honing in on an afternoon off with a bucket of popcorn and some Netflix. Luca came roaring back though, winning the last five and punching the air in defiance as he left The Crucible. Si’s lead is down to four, and an electric semi-final that is the polar opposite of Selby-Allen in pace could have a thrilling conclusion incoming.

That’s for later. Right now, it’s eyes down for your first instalment of Mark v Mark.

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Today’s schedule

10:00

14:30

19:00

O’Sullivan on strange end to Allen v Selby session

Ronnie O’Sullivan says Mark Allen and Mark Selby should perhaps consider getting “their own comedy show” after their light-hearted second session at the World Championship.

The pair have shared several laughs with each other during the match, including at the end when Selby jokingly looked back at Allen as he potted the final pink to conclude Friday afternoon’s action.

Selby leads Allen 7-6, having won four consecutive frames, including a frame where he required a snooker, before mounting a fightback.

“The crowd seemed to enjoy it,” O’Sullivan said in the Eurosport studio. “There will be some people at home that like watching snooker like this.

“Some people like watching the attacking game, some like the defensive – working it all out, looking at every shot.

“Maybe they should get their own comedy show together, they would be quite a good double act with the referee involved! They are good mates, good fun.”

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