Snooker: Ronnie O'Sullivan warned for making rude hand gesture

O’Sullivan avoided a fine in the first round when he briefly played without shoes after a new pair proved uncomfortable

Ronnie O’Sullivan has a 12-4 lead over Matthew Stevens, needing one more frame to win (PA)

Ronnie O’Sullivan found himself in more bother at the World Championship in Sheffield after being warned for making a rude gesture during his second-round match against Matthew Stevens.

On the table the five-time world champion enjoyed a successful day, firing two rapid centuries in establishing a 12-4 lead, having finished the opening session 5-3 ahead.

He needs just one more in today’s closing session to the match to reach the quarter-finals. But O’Sullivan was also spoken to by the referee Olivier Marteel towards the end of the afternoon session – and warned about his behaviour.

Marteel approached O’Sullivan as he walked to the table when Stevens missed a red, telling O’Sullivan he had noticed his hand gesture, which was thought to have been self-directed.

O’Sullivan avoided a fine in the first round when he briefly played without shoes after a new pair proved uncomfortable, breaking the rules but not sufficiently to warrant any punishment, after he accepted a substitute pair of size eights, loaned by tournament director Mike Ganley.

The warning from Marteel could be the end of yesterday’s matter. Yet any repeat of the incident in the same match would see O’Sullivan docked a frame, a tournament spokesman confirmed.

Meanwhile, Ali Carter continued to struggle in his match against Australia’s Neil Robertson.

The 35-year-old from Essex, who trailed 6-2 following Saturday’s opening session, won the first frame of the day but lost the next five.

A finish with a session to spare was possible when Robertson led 11-3, but Carter took the last two frames of the day to avoid that indignity and trail 11-5 overnight.