Ronnie O'Sullivan looked every inch the champion as he reeled off six straight frames against Matthew Stevens in a masterclass yesterday to take one step to the World Championship final at the Crucible.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, the triple world champion, powered to within a whisker of securing his quarter-final place here at the Betfred.com World Championship yesterday.

Mark Allen has vowed to smarten up his act after appalling snooker chiefs with his criticism of Chinese players.

He has enjoyed himself after reaching last year's world snooker final. But his fun will be limited to the table next week

World champion John Higgins suffered a second-round defeat to Peter Ebdon at the China Open in Beijing yesterday.

Ding Junhui followed up his Welsh Open triumph 10 days ago bycrashing out of the World Open in China in the first round. A surprisingly under-par Ding was thrashed 5-1 by wild-card entrant Jin Long.

Ding Junhui insists that he is a better player and a stronger character than the last time he faced Ronnie O'Sullivan at the Masters.

Matthew Selt claimed another scalp in the Australian Goldfields Open with victory over seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry. World No 43 Selt, who came through qualifying, beat John Higgins on Tuesday and saw off Hendry 5-1 yesterday in the last 16.

The BBC television commentator Ted Lowe played a significant supporting role in one of the greatest yet most improbable sporting dramas, when on 28 April 1985, the snooker world championship culminated in the most nail-biting climax there had ever been or, to date, would ever be.

Known affectionately as "Whispering Ted", the legendary snooker commentator Ted Lowe died yesterday, aged 90.

Judd Trump has been a revelation at this year's World Championship. The 21-year-old has attracted an army of supporters ever since he caused a big upset by knocking out Neil Robertson, the defending champion, in the first round of snooker's biggest tournament.

John Higgins kept his hopes of a fourth Crucible crown alive last night as he brought Ronnie O'Sullivan, his arch-rival, down to earth with a bump.

Stephen Hendry, the seven-times world champion, avoided the ignominy of defeat with a session to spare at the World Championship. But the sport's greatest player must climb a mountain to keep his hopes of a record eighth Crucible crown alive, having slipped within one frame of being knocked out at the last 16 stage by Mark Selby, the 2007 finalist.

Shaun Murphy, the 2005 world champion, is confident he can overcome Ronnie O'Sullivan in their eagerly-anticipated last-16 showdown here at the World Championship.