WILSON ON TRACK FOR CRUCIBLE FINAL

David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson made two centuries and four more breaks over 50 between them in a high quality session, finishing tied at 8-8 half way through their Cazoo World Championship semi-final.

Draw / How To Watch

The duo came into the arena on Friday morning locked at 4-4, and shared the eight frames to remain all square. They return at 7pm for eight more, with the concluding session at 2.30pm on Saturday. First to 17 goes through to the final to face Stuart Bingham or Jak Jones.

Wilson, the highest ranked player in the field at number 12, is playing in his fourth Crucible semi-final and has reached the final once before - in 2020 when he lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan. World number 31 Gilbert has appeared in the semis before just once, in 2019 when he was edged out 17-16 by John Higgins.

Kettering's Wilson took the opening frame today with a break of 70, then Gilbert's run of 58 made it 5-5. Tamworth's Gilbert had a chance to snatch frame 11 from 45-0 behind, but missed the final yellow, playing with the rest, on 48. A safety exchange was resolved when Wilson converted a long pot on the yellow, and he cleared the table to regain the lead.

So far in the match there has never been more than one frame in it, and that pattern continued as Gilbert made it 6-6 with a 129. After the interval the high scoring continued as Wilson made 54 to win frame 13, Gilbert replied with 92 for 7-7, then Wilson's 79 put him in front again.

In the last of the session, Wilson had first chance but missed a tough red to a centre pocket on 14, and Gilbert punished him with 106. That was his ninth century at the Crucible this year - no other player has had more than four.