Kyren Wilson v Jak Jones: World Snooker Championship 2024 final – live | World Snooker Championship

Wilson 15-10 Jones – match resumes tonight at 7pm. “Kyren might have dodged a few bullets there,” says Steve Davis as the session ends 4-4. You can say that again. The Crucible pressure is weighing heavily on both players and it’s looking as if Wilson’s early 7-0 lead will ultimately prove the stretch of play that decides the match. Wilson needs three, Jones eight. That’s it from me today. Niall McVeigh will take you through the final knockings tonight – he’ll be on about 6.30pm-ish – while I sit back and watch and feel all sad that’s it all over for another year. At least they don’t play the original 12” version of the title music (“Drag Racer”) anymore. That always took me over the edge.

Wilson 15-10 Jones Jones dislodges the tricky red but at the expense of position on his next colour. The yellow has strayed into the middle of the table and that’s the one he goes for. This is a must-pot but he misses! A massive mistake in the context of the match and Wilson now has the frame at his mercy. He takes it to walk out of the arena with a mixture of relief and anticipation that he’s now just three frames away from being world champion. Jones, quite frankly, looks knackered and from her carefully compiled book of stats, Hazel Irvine tells us that Jones has spent 53 hours in action at this world championship, 22 hours more than Wilson. It’s telling.

Wilson 14-10 Jones (54-8) Wilson’s thin cut when playing a pot with safety fully in mind knocks a red near the corner pocket. Jones shows great guts to knock it in and, by a fraction, stays on the black. But then an unforgivable mistake as he misses the back off its spot. One of those ones where the director knows he’ll now have guaranteed footage of the player slumped in his chair, shaking his head. Jones obliges with the money shot. Wilson adds 22 to move 54-2 up but, showing his own nerves, hits a red too hard and there’s still enough for Jones to win the frame. “A huge visit to the table,” says Hendry. He’s right. There are three more loose reds but one troublesome one on the cushion.

Wilson 14-10 Jones (32-1) After a brief safety exchange, Jones is left another long red and, as has been the case too often, he’s not even close to potting it. And this time he played the red with stun so Wilson is left bang in the balls. A quick note on the average frame time: 16 minutes, 25 seconds. That gets Hendry’s approval; he never liked to hang about. But you also sense it doesn’t help Jones who thrives better in a more grinding contest. Back at the table, Wilson runs to 32 but then misses a red into the middle bag. The upside: he’s left nothing easy.

Wilson 14-10 Jones (0-1) This final frame of the session is huge. If Kyren wins it, he gets out of it 4-4 and his five-frame advantage stays intact. Jones, you feel, has to narrow the gap to three going into tonight. The magnitude of this closer seems apparent as Wilson plays safe rather than going for an opener he would surely have attempted at the start of the session. Jones takes the long red on though, cueing it beautifully but almost too well as he screws the white right back down the table to the baulk cushion. Jones plays safe off the yellow to return the white to its starting point.

Wilson 14-10 Jones The power of staying the right side of the blue. Wilson does a great job, making it easy for himself and eventually gets on the strayed pink to put the frame out of reach. He builds further confidence by potting a couple of awkward ones before eventually getting back in prime position to clear the colours. He completes the job, knocking the black into the middle for a break of 87 and a four-frame advantage again. “A class break,” says John Parrott.

Wilson 13-10 Jones (43-1) Who wants this frame?! Jones misses from mid-distance (again!) and Wilson now has the chance to go at these 10 remaining scattered reds. The black is tied up and the pink near the bottom cushion so it’s not straightforward. Blues will have to do for now and Wilson does a good job on getting on the right side each time as he builds his lead to 42 with 75 remaining.

Wilson 13-10 Jones (19-1) Wilson needs to address this slide and he starts the 24th frame by knocking in a confident mid-range red to the bottom right corner pocket. The pink’s spot is taken so it has to be carefully places at the bottom of the pyramid of reds. Wilson has a chance to dislodge it with a blue to middle but the cannon doesn’t move much. At first glance, he has a red to corner but, to the surprise of Virgo and Hendry, it doesn’t go and Wilson retreats to baulk. And then… a huge stroke of luck for Jones who flukes a red via a rather bungled safety attempt. He’ll need to follow it up with a tricky, long blue to fully cash in but, nope, it misses by a distance and he’s left Kyren with one over the pocket. Wilson takes it but then misses the pink. Nervy, nervy stuff!

Wilson 13-10 Jones Correction, we have two more frames to play this afternoon. Thanks Hazel Irvine for putting me right. I’m getting excited.

Wilson 13-10 Jones A penny for Kyren Wilson’s thoughts now. Jones has won 10 of the last 16 frames and has all the momentum. One more frame to go in the afternoon and Jones is on the brink of winning this session 6-2 and closing Wilson’s overall lead to just two frames. “He’s done himself absolutely proud,” says John Parrott of Jones, likening his tenacity and ability to “play the right shot at the right time” to Mark Selby and John Higgins. High praise.

Wilson 13-10 Jones Jones has to pause as referee Paul Collier whispers that an audience member has been taken ill. Let’s hope they’re okay. Play resumes quickly. Jones gets a big stroke of fortune as his attempted cannon off the blue into the pink and two reds cannons off another red which he leaves on. He takes advantage, knocking one of the final three reds into the centre pocket and rolling in a black off its spot to move 45 ahead with 43 remaining. He drills the penultimate red into the opposite middle pocket for added insurance and the gap is just three. Well, well, well!

Wilson 13-9 Jones (22-45) Wouldn’t you know it, Wilson breaks down straight away, his red across the table to left middle catching the far jaw. This is becoming a bit of a grind for the man in front. Jones is in. In commentary, Stephen Hendry makes the point that in frames when Wilson doesn’t make a one-visit kill, Jones is very good at mopping up the scrappy frames. Despite a little positional scare on the pink, Jones is building a nice lead in this one.

Wilson 13-9 Jones (22-1) A much better break off from Jak Jones this time as he leaves the white almost on the baulk cushion. Wilson thinks he may have spotted a plant but he hits the first red far too thick and leaves Jones a mid-range starter. The Welshman pots it but then misses a straight blue into baulk. Far from a sitter but he has to pot balls like those and, unusually for one so placid, he shows his frustration with a bit of a frustrated cue wave. A graphic shows Wilson’s pot success has dropped each session: 94%-87%-84%. A chance here to get it back up again as he opens the pack off the black to go 22-1 up.

Wilson 13-9 Jones Jones doesn’t convince when in the balls, leaving the impression that something a little loose/costly is always around the corner. But there aren’t any obvious crisis points in this break and he negotiates the final reds nicely enough to put the frame to bed. Past the winning line, the confidence starts to flow and, with his arm loose, he knocks in a 90 (missing the final black) to match his best break of the final so far. Fact: Jones has now taken nine of the last 15 frames. He’s still in this. Frame score: 23-105 (90).

Wilson 13-8 Jones (23-30) Wilson makes a mess of his opportunity too, only getting 23-15 up before breaking down with a poor positional shot and missed cut on the black. Jones pots a red fairly close to the side rail and has five or six more easy reds to go at. Surely he’ll cash in better this time.

Wilson 13-8 Jones (14-15) Wilson blinks first in the safety battle and Jones gets first look. But coming off two cushions when potting black into middle, he lands on nothing and has to retreat to the long grass. It’s a 14-0 lead but not much. A twist from John Virgo as he shrieks “where’s the pink ball going” as the sphere with a six-point value is inadvertently knocked into the middle by Jones. But Wilson makes a mess of his next safety and Jones has another opportunity. The pink takes centre stage again. Will it pass into the corner pocket? He eyes it up several times but hits right across the white and misses by the proverbial country mile. The baton passes to Wilson who has everything out in the open.

Wilson 13-8 Jones Wilson breaks off in frame No.22, leaving Jones a long ‘un. It rattles but stays out although the black comes to the Welshman’s rescue as it stops Wilson having an easy starter. Time for a bit of safety.

Simon McMahon writes: “Afternoon David. Wilson will feel a lot better at the mid session interval after those last two frames. Jones I think realistically needs to win three of the next four if he’s to have any chance tonight. Otherwise I fear we’re looking at an early finish, and maybe some time to fill on the BBC schedule with reruns of some classic Pot Black?” Ah, that title music!

Good point this. Wilson seems to have the ideal temperament to push on for another.

I’ll take a break too. In the meantime, a shout out for two of my favourite snooker podcasts: the Snooker Scene podcast by Dave Hendon and Talking Snooker featuring Nick Metcalfe and Phil Haigh. Available at the usual places and a cracking weekly listen.

Secret BBC cameras show Wilson eating some sort of healthy snack in his dressing room as brother Taylor gives him a pep talk. Jak Jones was reported to be on his own backstage earlier in the tournament which is some nice cockney rhyming slang-based nominative determinism.

Wilson 13-8 Jones Wilson perhaps doesn’t yet have the swagger of that opening session but there’s definitely more of a positive spring in his stride and stroke. On 55, he pauses (with a smile) to ask a spectator to remain still and then knocks a red into the middle bag. All this has come from Jones hitting the blue full in the face from his break-off. A black goes in and that’ll be the frame. There’s no century this time as he misses a red on 83 but the gap is back to five and Jones’ mini-comback has been repelled. The session is shared 2-2 and that was probably what Wilson had in mind. Jones remains at arm’s length. Frame score: 83 (83)-0.

Wilson 12-8 Jones (33-0) Jones winning the opening two frames today means we’re guaranteed a final session although how long it lasts remains to be seen. And Jones’ hopes aren’t helped by a terrible break-off – perhaps not aided by a spectator wandering back in and catching his eye – which leaves Wilson with a fairly easy opener. Kyren takes it and he’s now starting to punch his shots into the back of the pocket with more authority. The sound is different. On 20, he opts to pot the black and swerve into the pack. It’s not a perfect split but he has one on and the break continues.

Wilson 12-8 Jones Wilson builds his lead to 67-7, knocking the final red into play to give himself hope of a total clearance. But he misses a cut on the yellow and the break ends at 50. No matter, the frame is won and he edges a frame closer to the finishing line. Six more and he will be world champion. Frame score: 67-7 (50)

Wilson 11-8 Jones (55-7) Wilson goes 41-7 in front and plays for the black which he left on the top cushion a few minutes earlier. It’s not without risk but he knocks it in and everything is on now with the black back on its spot. A chance here to knock in a sizeable break and get that margin back to four.

Wilson 11-8 Jones (34-7) Jones lays a good safety behind the brown and with Wilson’s attempt to escape a little heavy, the white hasn’t nestled in the pack. Jones can cut a red in here with some help from the rest and he does so. He trickles in the blue but then rather butchers a red and Wilson is in position to cash in. A punched blue into the top-left baulk pocket is a real nerve-settler and there’s plenty of low-hanging fruit here if Kyren keeps his focus.

Wilson 11-8 Jones (17-0) Some BBC graphics show Wilson ahead on pot success and positional success but Jones leading the safety stats. Average shot time: Wilson 22 seconds, Jones 25. All fairly guessable really if you’ve been tuned in over the last fornight. Wilson is the far more accomplished break builder but Neil Robertson said earlier this week that he ranked Jones as one of the top five or six safety players in the game. Some claim. Back at the table, Wilson plays a blue into middle with a ton of running left-hand side to move 17-0 but can’t land one of the five or six loose-ish reds. He plays safe again but, surprisingly, knocks the black onto the top cushion as he does so. Surely it’s in his interests to keep the table open.

Wilson 11-8 Jones (5-0) Wilson wanders out of the arena, perhaps to splash some water on his face and look in the mirror. He’s still in the box seat but a three-frame lead is into the realms of making him feel vulnerable. But he makes the first move in frame 20, attaching a mini-cue extension and knocking in a longish red. The brown brings him back towards a fairly tight pack and, with nothing on, he has to play safe.

Wilson 11-8 Jones (0-48) It’s not exactly a masterclass of break-building with the odd ball wobbling in and position often leaving plenty to be desired. On 53, Jones so nearly goes in-off into the middle which would have been totally unncessary. But he battles on, knocks in a red with a rest to go 67-0 ahead and that break of 59 is enough to seal the frame. 11-8!
Frame score: 0-67 (59)

Wilson 11-7 Jones (0-41) Tight against the top cushion, Jones knocks a do-or-die red into left middle. Great courage. He can now reap the rewards with so many reds out in the open. Perhaps it’s not as straightforward as it seems with the four reds around the pink covering each other but he plays a lovely little cannon into the cluster and everything is on now. Jones is bang in the balls and takes his break to 33 and counting. A BBC graphic shows he’s had 69% of the table time so far. Wilson looks pensive in his chair. The gap could be down to three very soon.

Wilson 11-7 Jones (0-8) Referee Paul Collier racks up the balls again and announces “19th frame”. Not the greatest break-off from Jones and he leaves a thin one into left-middle but Wilson undercuts it and the white runs into the loose-running red as it journeys back down the table. It leaves Jones in with the first chance of the frame. He pots an opening red before Collier has to clear a bug from the table. Ken Doherty makes a joke about it coming from Dennis Taylor’s rarely-opened wallet and the crowd, all with earpieces in listening to the BBC commentary, lap that old classic up. Jones isn’t laughing shortly after though as, on 8, he misses an easy red. But no opening emerges and we’re into cat-and-mouse tapping into the pack territory with four reds in baulk and another two out in the open. Kyren finally whacks them open but screws back to the top cushion. One mistake here and their opponent is in.

Wilson 11-7 Jones Jones adds the yellow to leave Wilson needing three four-point snookers but the Englishman plays on. Wilson takes green and blue but any attempts to to put Jones in trouble fall short and the Welshman knocks in a blue from distance to close the frame out. Job done. A break of 64, some confident pots and the gap is down to four. Frame score: 39-72 (64)

Wilson 11-6 Jones (32-65) Jones has the white under control and just needs the final red fairly close to the left-side cushion to leave Wilson leading snookers. With full concentration, he rather wobbles it in although forgets about position and a missed length-of-the-table pink leaves his advantage at 33 with just 27 left. Memories of last night maybe when Wilson won the closing frame from this kind of position. Jones’ 64 break is certainly a settler and he’s in prime position to cut the gap to four.

Wilson 11-6 Jones (32-43) One obvious difference between these two is scoring when in the balls. Wilson has knocked in four centuries in the final so far but Jones hasn’t managed a single ton. The Welshman has only reached triple figures twice all tournament which backs up the idea that a century looks good, elicits much applause but only wins you a single frame. Jones isn’t exactly in full control but he’s ahead in this opener and still going with his break now on 42.

Wilson 11-6 Jones (32-2) Wilson takes the easy red over the middle pocket and screws back for black. Four reds and blacks follow but, on 32, he falls out of position when trying to nudge the pack open and has to take his medicine and play safe. It’s rather careless, rolling into the yellow, and leaves Jones a thin red which he knocks in. He’s on a baulk colour too.

Wilson 11-6 Jones Wilson’s break off has left one sticking out down the right and Jones punches it home with aplomb. Great start. But it leaves him with a mid-length blue to the top-right baulk pocket and it wobbles in and out. Kyren is in and has some loose reds to work with.

A surprise from Kyren Wilson as he comes out to Completely and Utterly by The Chesterfields. Not really. According to the walk-on music thread I’ve found, it’s Chase & Status.

Rob Walker is suited and booted too. No doubt he’s run a 10k this morning. Here comes Jak Jones to the strains of The Stereophonics.

We’re close. Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis – 13 world titles between them and looking rather smart – give their thoughts to Hazel Irvine. Rob Walker will be working the room shortly and bringing on the players.

Can you win having been 7-0 down in a world championship final? John Parrott burst into a 7-0 lead over Jimmy White in 1991 and prevailed 18-11 which suggests no. And yet we all know what happened in 1985. Dennis Taylor was actually 8-0 behind against Steve Davis before Ted Lowe’s “nooo” on The Nugget’s cut-back black in that famous decider which allowed Dennis and his giant spectacles to erupt in stamping, finger-wagging euphoria.

The clock ticks down for this third session of four. Well, hopefully four if you want some green baize entertainment this evening. At 11-6 up, Wilson can be crowned world champion this afternoon if he wins seven of the eight frames. Unlikely, although he did just that yesterday afternoon.

Preamble