World Snooker Championship recap - Judd Trump leads, John Higgins and Ronnie O'Sullivan reach round two

ByDaniel Harris

Updated 25/04/2024 at 21:31 GMT

Welcome back to our live text coverage of the 2024 World Snooker Championship with Thursday's blockbuster bill seeing the great Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump and John Higgins all in action. O'Sullivan holds a commanding lead over Jackson Page and will be expected to swiftly wrap up their first-round encounter, while Higgins and Trump then take to the baize in the evening session.

'Nowhere near right!' - O'Sullivan and ref in re-spot confusion over correct mark

That's us done for tonight

World Championship

Allen confirmed as new world No. 1 after O'Sullivan and Trump crash out at Crucible

02/05/2024 at 06:15

Thanks for your company - join us again tomorrow at 12.30pm BST.

Judd Trump leads Tom Ford 6-2 overnight

Four frames in a row from the Ace, and he's looking good for a quarter against Si Jiahui or Jak Jones.

Trump 5-2 Ford (58-14)

Judd leaves a cut to right corner; "One good pot," says Uncle Joe, following up with "High!" when he overdoes it. It's going to be 6-2, and this match feels over even at this early stage.

Trump 5-2 Ford (44-14)

Judd rattles a red into the centre after a long old while with no balls potted. But on nowt, he tries another snooker behind the blue, misses it ... then Tom gets a double-kiss but gets away with it.

John Higgins beats Jamie Jones 10-6!

What a player and what a competitor.

Trump 5-2 Ford (43-13)

Brilliant from Judd, a red not that far off the top cushion clipped from almost the centre to right corner. But bridging awkwardly he can't quite get the green down, except when Tom then goes after it after sinking a red, he winds up stuck to the blue, remonstrating with the table, and next shot he chunters "So square," when the blue comes off the rail giving him no action. Judd, though, can't do much from there, one red on the side and another on the baulk, so we may be here a while still. Meantime, John Higgins might remain in the top 16 for another year, beating Jamie Jones 10-6 - he meets Mark Allen next. Don't mind if we do!

Trump 5-2 Ford (32-9)

Judd nails a belter of a starter and the director cuts to Tom, who looks glum; he knows how this tends to go. The reds are mainly still under the pink though, so it's soon in behind that same blue - which is by the brown spot.

Trump 5-2 Ford (27-9)

Ach, but a poor shot from Judd does let Tom in, and just when he doesn't need a kick he gets a kick, a red straightening. A good safety then facilitates a cross-double - great work! - and he lays a snooker behind the blue, only for Judd to escape superbly.

Trump 5-2 Ford (27-0)

Judd steers a starter to right corner and he had to pot that because there was a red in baulk. If the split off the black works nicely, he's expect to win a fourth in a row, but the pack hands him little and he ponders taking on a difficult ball to the middle; nope. He's got his man where he wants him, and he's not giving him anything easy to reverse the situation.

On table one

John Higgins 9-6 Jamie Jones

John's 38 in front but he just missed with the rest; Jamie has another chance to punish an oversight.

Trump 5-2 Ford

"He has his own ways of getting on colours," purrs Uncle Joe when Judd pots black, floating up the near side of the table and off the baulk rail for the yellow. "I've never seen it played that way before." And he's seen a bit. Three in a row for Judd, and Tom can't afford to lose the last of the session.

Trump 4-2 Ford (69-0)

No matter. An infelicitous kiss leaves Judd a starter, the pink goes safe for extra nause, and then a kick - we've seen a few, perhaps because of the cloth, suggests Uncle Joe - is ridden. He's playing quicker and potting well, even if the pace of the table is still an issue; Tom's in trouble here. That red he missed when well in front in frame five will haunt him for some time.

Trump 4-2 Ford (41-0)

Into the pack off the blue, the pink clobbered punkt on the nose ... and he's on nowt.

Trump 4-2 Ford (27-0)

Maybe I'm being previous, I don't know, but the reality of trailing by two to Judd is that he can win any frame at any time, and if he's already up two, it came be four and game almost over in a matter of minutes - though he can also outlast you in a safety battle. he gets in when a cut-back shoulders both jaws before dropping. He still doesn't have the pace, notes Uncle Joe as he recovery-pots, but he's doing pretty nicely now.

On table one

John Higgins 9-6 Jamie Jones

Well. John misses a pink off its spot when in, Jamie eventually struggles over the line, and there's life in that match yet.

Trump 4-2 Ford

Already you wonder if Tom's missed whatever chance he had. Long way to go, but generally an underdog has to win from the front and Judd's a brilliant frontrunner.

Trump 3-2 Ford (74-6)

A lovely oblique red into middle, a black slammed down the corner, another red, then the blue secures the frame. Is Judd starting to enjoy this?

Trump 3-2 Ford (39-6)

Oh man, Tom tries potting one red off another but misses the second connection and that means his guaranteed safety is gone. Immediately, Judd gets in, and I'd expect a decisive contribution here.

Trump 3-2 Ford (29-6)

Uncle Joe doesn't reckon Judd has the speed of the table yet, but he's still at it potting balls. His ability to do the necessary is remarkable, but the question is how he can translate that to this competition. The year he won it, in the final against Higgins he played some of the best stuff I've ever seen in any sport, the performance of a lifetime. I didn't expect him to keep doing that, but I am surprised he's not done better than he has - I guess if he's not at his best, he's vulnerable against some of the more solid break-builders who rely less on recovery genius. Anyway, he runs out of position, plays safe, and To, misses with a pair of thin contacts.

Trump 3-2 Ford (0-6)

Tom nails an opener but soon loses control of the white and we're back playing safety.

On table one

John Higgins 9-5 Jamie Jones

The Wiz is going through and he'll be in the top 16 again next term; he's also at the table in frame 15, potting balls.

Trump 3-2 Ford

He didn't look great earlier in the frame, but what a clearance. Tom will be feeling very poorly, because he had chances to win that frame.

Trump 2-2 Ford (52-63)

Oh man, I love bow much Uncle Joe loves Judd, and after he flukes a plan on the last red, he slots a glorious brown to the middle that has our man in raptures; who plays those?!" he marvels. And when he's loose off the black, the cut-back yellow isn't a gimme ... but he powers it home and also gets on the green by going up and down the table! Fantastic! And this is going to be 3-2.

Trump 2-2 Ford (30-63)

Judd releases the difficult red though there's one near the side that also needs a bit of thought. And against all odds, he slides around the back of it! Judd, though, doesn't need a colour to steal, so tucks in behind the brown; Tom hits first go.

Trump 2-2 Ford (14-63)

Obviously the secondI hit send, Tom makes a mess of a red to left corner, and now Judd has a chance to punish. There's a red near the top rail, but otherwise, the balls are there for him.

Trump 2-2 Ford (0-41)

Yup, Tom's into this. He'll have noticed Judd isn't at it and there's no reason to think he'll not secure the lead at this visit.

Trump 2-2 Ford (0-19)

Both men will hope to play better in the second half of the session and after Judd fouls by hitting black not red, he clips a lovely starter into right-middle, breaks the pack off the blue will full force, and he's settling I think.

We go again

Trump 2-1 Ford

Tom's never played a best-of-24 before and he's doing alright; we'll be back in 15.

Trump 2-1 Ford (16-61)

Eeesh, to misses pink to left corner and Judd returns to the table needing a snooker; something at which he's not at all bad. He gets near to one too, but when he doesn't make it Tom nails a starter to the yellow bag and 2-2 is a fair reflection of how this has gone.

Trump 2-1 Ford (16-32)

Left a go to left-middle, Tom clips it home, drops in a deadweight blue later on - that'll make him feel better - and there are enough points out there for him to secure the frame at this visit.

Trump 2-1 Ford (16-3)

Judd can't add a colour then Tom sinks a settler to right corner. problem being off the yellow and into the pack, he lands in trouble in the middle of it, doing well to get the white safe; not what he had planned, but much better than what might've eventuated.

Trump 2-1 Ford (16-0)

Now it's Judd with a bad miss, a black off its spot, but Tom undercuts to right corner and the pockets are pretty unforgiving here; for all the difference it makes for Judd, who cuts a nice starter, while on the other table, Higgins makes it three from four to lead 8-5 at the interval. He's nearly home.

Trump 2-1 Ford (1-0)

Oh Tom. He cues all around a red to right corner, missing it by miles, and the pressure is getting to him I'm afraid. He's got time, but if he can't sort if after the interval, this match could be as good as over by the time he regroups at the end of the session.

On table one

Jiohn Higgins 7-5 Jamie Jones

Trump 2-1 Ford

Judd does the necessary and Tom looks glum. He knows he's made two dreadful errors.

Trump 1-1 Ford (68-28)

Poor shot from Judd but Tom won't pot the red, needing it on the table for potential free-ball action and foul-miss action. So round we go, the endpoint obviious.

Trump 1-1 Ford (68-28)

A felicitous flick off left-centre keeps just in the balls, then he leaves himself a minger of a close-range cut-back into left-middle, contacting the far jaw. But Tom can't slam home a long starter to left corner, Judd sinks one of his own, and that leaves Tom needing two snookers. Good luck old mate.

Trump 1-1 Ford (39-28)

Off blue and two cushions, Judd breaks the pack and the balls split nicely ... but he's not on anything easy. No matter, a decent recovery-pot keeps him going, and this looks like a frame-winning opportunity to me.

Trump 1-1 Ford (9-28)

A foul from Judd, sliding into the pink playing a thin contact, offers Tom a starter - uncle Joe wonders if the recloth caused the misjudgement - and Tom gets to work. Until he misses a straight red to right corner! Can Judd see it? I think he can you know, it goes down, and that's another terrible error, the kind the likes of Judd don't let you get away with.

On table one

Jiohn Higgins 6-4 Jamie Jones

And John's at the table again.

Trump 1-1 Ford

The boys have a little chat as the balls are replaced - I wonder if Judd's trying to break Tom's concentration.

Trump 0-1 Ford (68-1)

Judd surely won't let Tom away with that. He pots pink to right corner, that secures the frame, and Judd will feel much better now.

Trump 0-1 Ford (33-1)

Error from Judd - in fairness after good safety from Tom - but then looking to get on the next red following a dolly-blue into left-middle, he somehow misses the pot! Did you say he was mentored by Willie Thorne?

Trump 0-1 Ford (33-0)

Judd's in quickly but cant convince himself a red at the bottom of the cluster is on - it isn't - so plays safe. John now leads Jamie 7-4 and remember that's a race to 10, the Wiz of Wish needing a win to maintain his top-16 place for the 30th year on the spin.

On table one

Jiohn Higgins 6-4 Jamie Jones

John's in control of the 11th and if Jamie doesn't get going sharpish, he'll be getting going home.

Trump 0-1 Ford

Judd controlled that frame, until he didn't. Great clearance from Tom, who's beaten Judd five times - Judd's won 11 - and he'll be feeling great after that.

Trump 0-0 Ford (50-49)

Oh man, Tom flukes a coked-hat double on the brown, strokes a gorgeous blue diagonally straight to right corner - that's fantastic! - but can he cut the pink to left? YES HE CAN! A cut-back black for the frame....

Trump 0-0 Ford (50-34)

Judd lays a snooker behind the pink and Tom escapes well but leaves a tempter to left corner; this game, though. The attempt at potting it is so good it leaves a dolly, Tom drains it, and gets beautiful position on the final red, cut to the yellow. The green, though, will be a problem ... not it won't! He doubles it ... only to overrun, playing safe off the brown, and this frame is bang in the balance.

Trump 0-0 Ford (50-18)

Judd sticks a long red into the yellow, sending the green safe in the process, then doesn't bother attacking the pink, sending that safe too. godo luck tom, old mate.

Trump 0-0 Ford (49-18)

Off the pink, Judd breaks two reds and the black, then plays a clever safety and Tom immediately sticks one of them on the side-rail - not really what he wants.

Trump 0-0 Ford (36-18)

Good recovery blue from Tom, as John clinches the first frame of the evening to lead Jamie 6-4 ... then Tom botches a miserable red, cut-back along the side into right corner, and he looks dog-sick. Rightly so but he doesn't leave owt and almost looks insulted not to be punished for his infraction. Accordingly, a poor safety invites Judd to the table, and this should be 1-0.

Trump 0-0 Ford (31-7)

Trying to find the Higgins game, I miss to missing, but Judd then misses to that same right-corner bag, and he looks nervous. I'm not surprised - he knows he ought to have done better in this competition and that however many Home Internationals he wins, his greatness will be measured principally in how many of these he can nab; one is insufficient. So, chance for Tom to increase the pressure ... but can he?

Trump 0-0 Ford (19-1)

Left one, Judd gets away to the yellow, and he looks all about it at this early stage. My sense if Judd's safety game will be too good, but then he rattles a red in and out of right corner - that's a poor miss - leaving a very presentable chance for Tom.

The boyz are baized

Tom Ford

Is in terrific form. he sorted Ricky Walden 10-6 in round one and isn't coming jut for the experience. I'm not certain how someone as attacking as him plays his natural game without offering Judd chances, but I'm excited to see him try.

And what an evening this should be

We'll be focusing on Judd Trump v Tom Ford, a second-round match that's about to get under way, but with more than half an eye - 0.782 roughly - on John Higgins 5-4 Jamie Jones, a first-round match playing to a finish tonight. Believe!

We go again...

That's us done for the afternoon. Back again at 6:30pm

Join me again at 6.30pm BST for John Higgins 5-4 Jamie Jones (round one) and Judd Trump v Tom Ford (round two).

Milkins 3-5 Gilbert

Fantastic delivery from the Milkman, a dish served steaming hot and burning Dave's intestines something fierce. These two return tomorrow, and what a lot of fun that'll be; remember this is round two, so it's first to 13.

Milkins 2-5 Gilbert (43-64)

Now then! Rob doubles one red and develops another; the last is on the baulk line, near the side, and he plays up to it beautifully off the black! Leg over the table, can he force it down the rail into the yellow bag? YES HE CAN! But he's the wrong side of the blue, meaning a longer yellow than anticipated, and he cuts home a banger! What a steal this is going to be, goodness me. THIS GAME!

Milkins 2-5 Gilbert (17-64)

Yup, he'll know his opponent's struggling, but of course as soon as I've said that he runs out of position, trying a double to sink frame-ball ... and missing. Rob returns to the table 47 behind with 53 left.

Milkins 2-5 Gilbert (17-48)

If Dave hits stride, he's a proper threat here, and as iI type, he slides a nice black into the corner. I expect him to do enough from here, and leave Robert needing a colossal final session to get back at him.

Milkins 2-5 Gilbert (17-13)

Contemplating a cut-back black, Dave steers it in dead slow, is on a red to middle, and that might just be the back of the frame, broken.

Milkins 2-5 Gilbert (17-5)

Dave has a good, long think: dare he attack a diagonal red to corner? Who dares wins! He smokes home an absolute beauty, is on the green, and can he force passage through balls which look nicely spread but are still difficult to navigate.

Milkins 2-5 Gilbert (17-0)

However we slice it, Rob is playing poorly, a bad miss saved by a double-kiss that leaves a much harder chance for Dave than seemed likely; he misses to right corner, but so does the Milkman to right-middle, a cannon off the green keeping the white in baulk. So far, he snooker gods are supporting him in this frame.

Milkins 2-5 Gilbert (11-0)

Looking to land on a loose red coming off the rail, Dave clips a totally different one and Rob gets away then plays a poor shot that means he's to smash a red down left corner ... which he does really well, sending balls all over. He's not playing anywhere near well enough to mark this down as a gimme chance, all the more so given black and pink are hard to get at.

Milkins 2-5 Gilbert

Rob must win the next; if he doesn't, he's in big trouble.

Milkins 2-4 Gilbert (1-82)

Dave secures the frame and I wonder if this is how the match will go: each playing well briefly, with the match taken by he who made the superior start.

Milkins 2-4 Gilbert (1-52)

Dave laces a cut to the corner, breaking the pack too. But, as Dom notes, the recovering means the cushions are playing a little slow and the fan-out isn't as pronounced as planned. But he keeps the run running then, after a bit of thinking, sends a pink long to the green knowing he's in all sorts if he misses ... and he doesn't! Beautiful pot, and the frame is at his mercy.

Milkins 2-4 Gilbert (1-17)

Rob gets in off Dave's break, clipping to right-middle , only to ram green into the jaws and out. What an oversight that is! So Dave gets away, and if he can take the frame he'll be assured of a lead when they return tomorrow.

Milkins 2-4 Gilbert

that's the thing with these two, just when you think they're settled, they turn out not to be.

Milkins 2-3 Gilbert (51-64)

Yup, the green is rifled in, the brown too, and it's blue, off its spot into left-centre to re-establish a two-frame lead.

Milkins 2-3 Gilbert (51-47)

Dave leaves a decent angle on the black to get down for the red but misses the cannon; will he try another double or play a snooker? It's the latter, but he cant quite get the white below the black - the red's above the blue - so the escape isn't as fiendish as planned. Rob, though, leaves the pot on and Dave has the chance to steal!

Milkins 2-3 Gilbert (51-1)

Rob's playing much better now though, sinking a deft starter to right-middle and augmenting his lead before running out of position and playing safe. But Dave thunks down a signature starter - he's such a beautiful technician - and the steal is there for him, despite a red in baulk and on the side.

Milkins 2-3 Gilbert (31-0)

Breaking the pack - or, as it turns out, seeking to - off the black, Rob ends up stranded in the middle of it, so plays safe with a shyer lead than anticipated.

Milkins 2-3 Gilbert (24-0)

Dave misses to right corner by a way and something these two share is the ability to get down on themselves when it's not going well. And currently it's Rob at the table, cleaning up a simple starter before getting to work.

Milkins 2-3 Gilbert

Slowly, Robert - who played poorly in winning his first-round match - is improving. The way he's played, 2-3 will be a satisfactory return for the first five frames.

Milkins 1-3 Gilbert (62-10)

Dave clips to the corner then snuggles in behind the brown; Rob makes a decent effort at escaping but misses his red by a fraction then, when he hits well, his opponent slots a starter. A poor safety on the yellow, though, offer a chance ... which Rob can't take. No matter, he soon seizes control of the exchange via fluked snooker behind the brown; Dave's second escape leaves a simple starter, and that will surely be the frame.

Milkins 1-3 Gilbert (54-4)

Nope, he has to take a blue though he attempted a trickier red to try and stay on the black, then misses a cannon, misses the next ball to right-centre, and leaves a potential double. Will Dave take it on? Yes he will, and he strokes it down very nicely, has an angle on the green to ram the pack ... plays it nicely ... and is out of luck. Will he try one to right corner with the spider? Yes he will, but he can't force down what was a nasty one even without the awkward bridging; can Rob capitalise? Er not right now, missing a starter to left corner by a fortnight.

Milkins 1-3 Gilbert (32-0)

Four red-blacks for Rob and nothing out of commission, but a cluster that'll need breaking. Come on Rob!

Milkins 1-3 Gilbert (21-0)

Dave can't chip in to left corner so Rob gets away, then cues right across a red ... and as a consequence gets a better angle on the black. This game! he quickly builds a lead and could really use a decent run here.

We go again...

Milkins 1-3 Gilbert

You can play well and find yourself down 1-3 but Rob hasn't. There's plenty of time to go, but he's in a spot of trouble already; join us again in 15 for the remaining four frames.

Milkins 1-2 Gilbert (0-72)

Dave sends a red long to the yellow and that secures his interval lead.

Milkins 1-2 Gilbert (0-71)

Just as the frame looks to be his, Dave runs out of position, and in comms Dave notes that Si Jiahui only qualified because he got a snooker with five reds left against Ben Mertens; Rob needs one here.

Milkins 1-2 Gilbert (0-35)

Ohhhh David; ohhh maaaate. Just as he's flowing he misses when he shouldn't - I feel I've written that of him more than once before - but Rob can't punish, takes on a second longun to right corner, and when he can't drain that either, he leaves a frame-clinching opportunity that I'm pretty sure will be taken. He's not feeling himself at all at the mo.

Milkins 1-2 Gilbert (0-16)

It's Dave in first and I quite fancy him for this one because it'll be an open game and he is, in my opinion the better potter with the higher top level. so, given he's also come through qualifying, meaning he's in form, I think he's a strong favourite.

Robert Milkins wins frame three

And trails the Angry Farmer - who dethroned the reigning champ in round one - 2-1. We'll now bring you the rest of their sesh.

On table one

Robert Milkins 0-2 Dave Gilbert

Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Jackson Page 10-1!

He's into round two for the 28th time, not bad. He meets Ryan Day next and looks very nice though able to play loads better; but also, Jackson is proper good and let's hope he takes it on from here.

O'Sullivan 9-1 Page (63-32)

Ronnie misses the green, so Jackson returns to the table needing two snookers.

O'Sullivan 9-1 Page (61-32)

Here we go, black to left corner, slotted gently, and he's got a little angle to caress in behind the difficult ball; he sinks it, adds the black, and this is all she wrote.

O'Sullivan 9-1 Page (38-32)

Nope, not this time, but Jackson knows it's done and soon gets in and out, leaving a diagonal starter to right corner; if Ronnie can remove the one red that's on a rail, he'll win this here and now.

O'Sullivan 9-1 Page (17-23)

A poor shot from Ronnie allows Jackson in, but he then opts not only to take on a nasty pink but to play it at pace, it stays out for that reason, and despite the difficulty of the reds, this could be curtains.

O'Sullivan 9-1 Page (9-14)

Ronnie eases a tester to left-centre, but he plays a really poor positional shot, missing everything bar a stray red on the side, which refuses to roll over right-middle, and this frame is getting messy, balls blocking each other and near black cush. Ah, but Ronnie strokes a decent cut-back starter ... then finds that indeed, the table is unpleasant so it's back to baulk.

O'Sullivan 9-1 Page (9-14)

Jackson drains a starter to right corner coming off the side, a cannon liberates the black, and he's desperately trying to force something to happen on a difficult table, but he can't, conceding defeat; Ronnie lays a snooker, doesn't have his opponent replaced when he fouls, and we're back playing safety.

On table one

Milkins 0-0 Gilbert

O'Sullivan 9-1 Page

Ronnie gets close to a ludicrous plant into left corner but has to make do with a 78, Jackson's error punished with due prejudice.

O'Sullivan 8-1 Page (57-16)

There are two reds on the side but Ronnie won't need them and I wonder if the tables, recovered overnight, surprised Jackson with their fresh pace hence the error that'll cost him the frame.

O'Sullivan 8-1 Page (32-16)

Ronnie is just so damn ... competent. He so rarely misses silly balls or plays silly shots, so to beat him you've got play seriously well and even then you still probably won't.

O'Sullivan 8-1 Page (8-16)

Jackson gets in by way of lovely cut-back, but off his second black he winds up on the baulk rail after skimming balls he hoped to cannon, plays a poor safety, and off goes Ronnie.

Away we go!

Our boyz baize

Come on!

Ronnie

Is the favourite to win dis ting and rightly so; he's started superbly too, against Jackson Page - a huge talent who hasn't quite established himself at the top of the game. Last time he qualified he was rinsed by Mark J Williams, his friend and mentor, having beaten Barry Hawkins - that's how good he can be - but this term, the jig looks up.