Mark Selby stuns John Higgins to lead by two going into final session

Reigning champion Selby began the afternoon as he ended Sunday night, taking the first two frames to close the gap to 10-9, having trailed 10-4 the evening before.

Higgins eventually stopped the rot to end Selby’s five-frame run, but the latter then won a mammoth 44-minute frame to trail just 10-11 going into the mid-session interval.

Selby prevailed in another exhausting frame to level at 11-11, and having not led since claiming the opening frame on Sunday morning, the reigning champion then overtook Higgins thanks to a break of 58.

There was still time for one last frame in what was another gripping session at The Crucible, and a break of 72 helped Selby make it nine from the last 10 to take a two-frame advantage going into the final session.

The duo resume the battle for the world title from 7pm – live on Eurosport 1.