Snooker: Liang Wenbo allows John Higgins back into frame

DEFENDING snooker world champion John Higgins took a narrow lead into last night’s concluding session of his first-round clash with Liang Wenbo at the Crucible – but it was almost a very different story.

Last year’s winner of the Betfred.com world championship trailed 4-3 and was then 54-0 behind in frame eight. However, the 36-year-old Scot was gifted a way back into the frame when Liang potted the white after losing position during a break, and a fluent 72 brought the pair level.

Higgins then took the next frame as well to lead 5-4, the point at which he resumed last night, looking to convert the slim advantage into victory over his 25-year-old Chinese opponent.

There was no masking the fact Higgins is struggling to produce the form which brought him a fourth world title last May.

He has struggled throughout the season, admitting he has let his practice slip, but he vowed to put in two weeks of solid practice before travelling to Sheffield, but early indications, featuring elementary errors, were that something was lacking in his game.

His “B” game was dependable enough to bring the Wishaw man a 3-1 interval lead, on the back of a top break of 71, but Liang stepped up his performance once they returned.

Higgins, though, grasped the lifeline afforded him when Liang went in off, as the session swung his way again, but the job was only half done, with ten frames the target for a place in the last 16.

On the other side of the arena, Dave Gilbert began outstandingly well as he sought his first Crucible victory, building a 6-3 lead against Martin Gould. The 30-year-old from Tamworth had won four qualifiers to reach the main draw for only the second time.