The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Session ends with Murphy well ahead
SNOOKER: Shaun Murphy on the verge of triple glory as Hawkins rescues some pride
Shaun Murphy moved to the brink of a third Betfred World Championship final, but must return to complete the job against Barry Hawkins today.
He will resume this afternoon with a 16-8 lead, with Hawkins spared the indignity of losing his semi-final with a session to spare after taking the last frame of the night.
Murphy began the evening leading 13-3 and needed just to share the spoils from their eight-frame session to finish off the Kent cueman.
But when Hawkins made 76 to extend the best-of-33 match to a third day, he wore a broad smile across his face and waved to the crowd.
Hawkins at least secured respectability, swiftly eliminating the threat of a 17-3 defeat.
It was a different story in the other semi-final, where Stuart Bingham was tearing up the script as he stayed on course to topple Judd Trump.
First-time Crucible semi-finalist Bingham was working hard to give himself every chance of defying pre-match expectations.
He went from 5-3 ahead overnight to 9-7, and stood every chance of following up his quarter-final victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan with another scalp.
Trump has been widely backed to land his first world title this year, with seven-time champion Hendry among those who have forecast that breakthrough for the 2011 runner-up.
There was a dash of Trump magic in the second frame of the session as he peppered a break of 113 with exhibition shots.
That can hint at Trump being in the mood, but he was otherwise curiously flat.
He at least finished on a high, with a break of 64, capped by a showy sinking of the brown, making the gap just two frames overnight.
Morning and evening sessions today will settle the contest.
There will be ample time for 25-yearold Trump to turn the match around, should he pick up form.
For 38-year-old Basildon man, Bingham, who had breaks of 52, 67, 54 and 85 in staying ahead, there will be the new pressure of a World Championship final appearing on the horizon.