British Open snooker semi-finals live – Mark Selby leads Mark Allen in chase for final showdown with John Higgins

This has been a splendid return to prominence from Selby. In went the plant, and on went Mark. Going to move two up with a possible three to play. Really is a frantic run for the line now. A total clearance of 95 from Selby, who leads 5-3 in this semi-final joust.

Selby goes round the angles via blue to land on blue. Opens up the reds off a red, and is straight on black. Golden chance to stem the tide here when Allen was pressing.

No one-visit hit this time from Allen, but 36 is not a bad starter. Selby studying a plant, and in it goes at the bottom of the pack. Stunning effort there. Selby looking to steady the ship.

Allen suddenly the man with wind in his sails after trailing 4-1. Definitely found the momentum after being outplayed and outscored early on. Now looks like he has the cue ball on a piece of string.

Who is your money on now? Selby hasn’t potted a ball for 32 minutes. And that trend continues as a long red pops back out at pace. Easy starter for the Antrim man, who is trying to work out the best way to attack this latest break.

A total clearance of 130 from the Northern Irishman, who cuts the Selby lead to a single frame. Back to 4-3 behind. Warming up nicely in Cheltenham.

This is superb from Allen. Right back in the hunt in this match. With a century coming up.

Allen looking to advance his case for another frame as a black disappears. Super pot on a red to left middle goes down hole too. Suddenly come to life here.

Both men having a go at reds before Allen sinks a fine pot to the green bag. Allen with first chance in this seventh frame of a possible 11.

A cameo knock of 23 is good enough to get the job done for Allen, who is back to 4-2 behind. Still life in this semi-final.

Story of the match so far as a red creeps out to block his path to black. Steels himself to go for a blue to yellow pocket, and bangs it in. In goes a long red to follow, and he is perfect on blue. But he ends up potting blue, clips a red and white goes down a top hole. Selby can’t punish though as a long red stays out. Second chance for Allen to claim the frame.

Allen drills in a red over a top pocket followed by a black. Quickly up for blue, and he splits the reds with real menace. Couldn’t have asked for a better split. Golden chance to produce a big break.

Selby looking for two more frames to secure a second straight appearance in the British Open final. He lost 10-7 to Mark Williams last year.

Terrific pot on a green from Selby from distance. Just about holds for the brown. And in goes brown with rest. Wrong side of blue to land on final pink near side cushion. Drops in blue. So just the pink required. And in goes the pink from mid-range. Excellent finish. And Selby moves 4-1 ahead.

Allen can’t get enough pace on white from yellow to green. Tried to swing it off two cushions. Faced with a tough green to yellow bag, hedged his bets and went for a speculative double, but nothing doing. Tense moments.

Selby into the lead on the final red. Break reaches 52, but faced with a tough shot on final red. Opts to take it to left middle, but nowhere near the bag. Chance for Allen to see it out.

This will be a sore one for Allen to take if Selby steals this frame against the head.

Well, would you believe it. An untimely kick on a pink for Allen sees object ball shoot off right. And Allen can’t believe that. Don’t see many kicks these days, but they still exist.

Selby looked to be heading for a 4-0 lead, but a missed blue and an easy missed red has changed the mood music. Allen suddenly in the box seat for a second successive frame as a red down table to green bag is holed.

Opportunity for Allen to continue his comeback here. In among the reds at the business end of table. Would expect to piece together a few points at this visit.

Allen showing his character to drop in a super red to yellow bag. And he takes out the colours to pink with a knock of 62. That is a fabulous response in the circumstances. Selby punished for missing an easy red. Selby leads 3-1 at the interval. Will that prove to be a major turning point in this semi-final?

But missing a red with the rest might well be the end of the road in this frame for Allen. And then Selby jaws a cut on a red. What a massive let-off for Allen.

Selby finally misses one as a blue to yellow pocket eludes him. Didn’t expect that not to drop. Huge visit coming up from Mark Allen.

Having to do his work with reds and blues at moment. But keeping tight control of the white ball. Selby not missing any easy balls. Slams home a blue with spin on the white off side cushion into the pack of reds.

A fabulous double on a red by Selby to begin another timely contribution. This semi-final is all going the Jester’s way at the moment. Looks like he has his mind fully on the job at hand here.

And Selby makes no mistake as he mops up to the pink to finalise another frame. One more to come before the mid-session break.

A 43 break from Allen, but he can’t land on a colour from a fine pot on the final red. Was just looking for yellow to blue, but chance eludes him. Allen goes for a double on yellow, but that stays out. And Selby cans the yellow to a top pocket. Chance of a 3-0 lead.

Allen ends over 50 minutes without a pot by canning a supreme long red. Glorious chance to launch counter attack. Nothing safe on this table.

Another stalemate among the reds with both men tapping in and out of pack. Still seven reds left on the table. So plenty of scope for a recovery.

But Selby misses a red with the rest as visit comes to a premature end. Fortunate not to leave an easy opener for Allen.

Selby rolls down to baulk from a touching ball. Allen tries to knock one red onto another. Fails to make contact, and suddenly Selby is back at the table. And he slams in a superb pot on a red to green bag to continue break. This looks very promising.

This is very, very good from Selby at close range so far, but he can’t land on black after slotting a tricky red and he ends up knocking a red over opposite pocket. Just safety to follow.

Allen with an aggressive safety shot off pack of reds. But leaves another long red for Selby to prod into the rigging. In goes pink with the rest, and that is a fine pot by the Leicester player. He gets first go then at this table in the third frame.

What is the response going to be from Allen? Chance of a long red, but he opts to play a containing safety.

A brilliant century of 105 from Selby in the second frame. He’s really come to life since the re-rack in the first frame. A 2-0 lead.

Selby certainly assuming control of this semi-final. Can Allen respond? The Antrim man really needs to score some points. Lengthy safety duels won’t win matches.

Well, the dynamics are changing here. Getting to work at a brisk pace in making this break. Not far from putting this frame to bed.

In goes another tidy pot with the rest on a red at bottom of pack. This feels very much like Mark Selby trying to establish his authority in match with hand on table.

Selby used to be called ‘The Hoover’ a while back. And you can see why when he gets down to business among the balls. A prolific break-builder in the mood. Carts home a lovely red at pace to right middle at pace.

Allen well off the potting angle on an attempt at red, and he sticks up another early chance for the Jester, who looks the likelier figure to score at the moment.

Selby draws first blood in this fascinating duel between two proper modern-day grinders. Allen takes a quick breather for a mug of hot water. And back we go to the drawing board.

Been running 52 minutes, including the re-rack, and looks like we finally have a decision from an elongated opening frame. Selby seeing his positivity pay off.

Well, Selby has knocked the black safe, but that doesn’t deter him seconds later as he slots a nice red from distance before adding brown to left middle. That is a bit more like it from ‘The Jester’. Deciding to suddenly get a move on here.

So we are slowly seeping back into more safety play here. Allen quite happy to mix it. Both men are superb at the dark arts. Selby then sees a white race down the green bag after trying to run safe. But Allen can’t drop in red from distance.

Selby is the only player who can flick a switch after 30 minutes of tough, unapologetic tactical warfare then start potting balls for fun seconds later like it never happened. There is a skill to that stance. Just a safety after rolling in 32 off the bat.

Off we go again then (again) with the first frame of a possible 11, and this time an early blunder by Allen gives Selby chance to go to work.

Well, that is astonishing. Half an hour of safety play. And the duo decide to have a re-rack. That could have gone on for another half an hour with nothing happening. Both men seeing the funny side.

This first frame not slipping quietly into the night. Ferociously competitive. 12 points only on scoreboard after opening 20 minutes or so. Safety first very much the order of the day.

Allen finding the baulk cushion behind brown ball with some regularity. Tactical games of the highest order. Selby with a superb escape to hit a red on way back down table after coming off two cushions out of a snooker. Opening frame already feels like a decider.

Lovely long red is put away by Allen early in the opening frame. Really hit the white ball well there. But only a yellow to follow before he runs safe. Both of these guys are happy to dig in. And retreat to the trenches.

The Northern Irishman is 10-8 ahead of Selby on their career battles before they do battle again tonight. Allen beat Selby 6-5 in the Masters quarter-finals in January. He produced a 147 in that match. This one has the smell of another close battle tonight in Cheltenham. Nothing much to split them.

• John Higgins 6-0 Oliver Lines

We will be back at 7pm when Mark Allen and Mark Selby lock cues jn the second semi-final of the British Open in Cheltenham. John Higgins will be hoping for a 6-5 on the final black in that one.

“I felt a bit sorry for Oliver. I thought that could happen. We’ve all been there when nothing goes right for you,” said Higgins. “I didn’t play well, but just tried to keep the pressure on. Nothing was running right today, but I’ll take that all day. I feel a bit more confident with the cue, and I’m trying to get on with it and play the right shots.

“Oli was thinking he’s maybe thought he’s done well to reach the semi-finals, but it is experience and he won’t go out there the next time and play like that. He’ll be stronger for it.”

And that is your lot for the afternoon session in Cheltenham. A 6-0 win for John. He is through to a 56th ranking final against Mark Selby or Mark Allen.

Oli needing three snookers. A break of 67 should be enough to seal the deal in this semi-final.

In goes a black before a few more reds are disturbed. They’re all sitting ducks now. Higgins also set to confirm his return to the top 16 with this victory.

Reds nicely split here for John’s run to the line. Wouldn’t expect Oli to be playing another shot in this match.

Locals trying to offer some support to Lines, but this match is heading in one direction with Higgins canning a magical long red down a side rail. Doing what needs to be done here. And a bit more when the mood takes him..

A 25 break from John Higgins and a 5-0 lead in this semi-final. Five up with a possible six to play. Can Line stave off the whitewash? Easier said than done.

A 64 break from John, but a plant on a red doesn’t drop. Lines then fails to float in a long red. Which has been the story of the match. Oliver looks like a spent force out there today.

This is looking very promising for Higgins to establish a 5-0 lead with a one-visit hit. Plenty of reds out in open play to get the job done here and now.

Early chance then for John to compile some points. Been here before today with Higgins getting frames won in bits and pieces.

Lines drills in a long red with some relish straight off the bat, but only green to follow before another safety shot is called for. Oli then sticks up a red after missing a long red.

Not much more play on colours before Oli concedes the frame. Higgins two frames away from the final.

Higgins lays a stunning snooker behind black. Oli hits the red the second time, but sticks up red and the Scotsman is going to move four to the good. Oli needing three snookers on colours.

Higgins slides in red and yellow to move to cusp of 4-0. Lines looks like he needs a break. Long game has gone to pot.

Oli down to the final two reds on the counter attack. But can’t land on a red having made 24, and just safety to follow. Which is good news for John after he missed the red.

John Higgins inching towards a 4-0 lead at the interval. Long way from his vintage best in this semi-final, but doing enough to win frames. The Scot missing another tricky red along top cushion under no pressure. Didn’t expect that not to drop.

Another very scrappy frame in progress. Lines only making four after nudging a red over a hole in off another red. Higgins studying a plant on two reds. In it goes along top cush, and another chance then falls for the 31-time ranking event winner to make some progress.

Well, that is a surprise as Higgins misses a red to left middle, but Oli can’t cash in as a mid-range red can only threaten the jaws. Big frame here in context of match. Neither man overly convincing as Higgins can’t sink a long red.

Brilliant long red and stun shot with power on pink from John. Excellent from Higgins early in the fourth frame.

This semi-final yet to truly come to life, but that won’t concern Higgins, who is doing what he needs to win frames. Can Oli launch a comeback? One more frame before the mid-sesh.

Higgins now opting to spoil the table as much as possible to prevent the counter attack. Three reds left on cushions. The 52-point lead looks big as Oli drains a long red. But the green goes in when potting pink. And John suddenly chasing red and a colour to reach snookers required. In they go. Looks like 3-0 in the bag.

Excellent shot by Higgins off two cushions to land on black after sinking red. Has got the pace of the table under control. And that cue ball is also under lock and key. But he hits another red with his cue on his backstroke, and a foul is called on the Scotsman.

Looks like John is finally coming to the party with what we expect from him at this level. Would expect him to end this visit to the baize clutching a 3-0 advantage.

Higgins breaks off in the third frame of this semi-final. The Wishaw man yet to find top gear, but it doesn’t matter if you win frames. Early chance for the four-time world champion as he slams in a red and nips in a black to left centre.

21 break from Higgins is not big, but big in the context of the match as blue down cushion leaves Lines needing a snooker with two balls left up. Higgins forced to escape from a snooker behind black. But in goes pink, and Higgins moves two ahead.

Oli into the lead then in this exacting second frame with one red left on table in baulk. Chance to play a snooker, but he makes a mess of the attempt and leaves an easy pot for John. Chance then to edge another frame.

John with white back near the top cushion. Certainly on top in the safety exchanges before he rolls in a red to yellow bag. Not sure there is a colour to follow the red. Heavy going out there as Higgins then butchers a safety shot to stick up an easy starter for his opponent.

Just 38 from that visit as reds don’t open well from the black. Attempts a red to green bag, but well off the potting angle.

John would dearly love to piece together a telling break at this visit to settle into this match. No future in constantly edging scrappy frames.

Line with another opportunity to make some progress after Higgins misses a red to right middle, but he then misses a mid-range red seconds later.

Higgins escapes from a snooker on the final pink off two cushions, and Oli has seen enough of this frame. Higgins winning a scrappy opening frame in the race to six in this semi-final.

Down to the final green with Higgins holding a 15-point lead. John needing green and brown for the frame. A fairly error-strewn opener. But Higgins plays an exceptional snooker behind the black. Lines goes round the back of the green in baulk. Hits it second time, but leaves green. In goes green and brown. John heading for a 1-0 lead.

Oliver can’t get final red off cushion from the black. Just safety to follow with eight points the difference.

So many chances coming and going for both men in this opener. All very tense as John gets hand on table. Higgins wriggles in a red at top end, followed by blue and in goes red to left middle. Chance to put this frame to bed. But another red with extended red doesn’t drop. Lines with a swerve shot to knock in the red

Not the easiest of tables, but Oliver bangs in a long red and drops in blue to follow. Chance to get ahead at least from this visit. But break quickly goes wrong. Can’t see a red, and is forced to declare on 18.

Great long red by Lines from baulk, but a bit too much juice on white from yellow. Goes for a red down table to green bag, but nothing doing. Another chance for Higgins, who then misses a yellow off the spot. Bit of a settling down period in this first frame.

John operating with a new cue, and it seems to be working well for him. Until he runs out of position on 29. Big bounce off top cush. And not on next red from black.

Lines has a poke at a long red early on. Nothing doing there, and he sticks up a red to right middle for John to get started.

Higgins is 4-0 clear on the head-to-heads with world No. 83 Lines. They last met in the last 16 of the English Open last year with the Scotsman running out a 4-1 winner. Interestingly enough, Oliver’s dad Peter is 6-3 clear of John on their career duels. Meanwhile, Allen is 10-8 ahead of Selby on their career battles before they do battle again tonight. Boys on baize imminently.

“I’ve got to use my experience, settle quicker and get to six before him,” said Higgins, who is appearing in an 85th ranking event semi-final at the Centaur in Cheltenham.

• John Higgins 4-0 Oliver Lines