Sport

Rocket chalks up a fresh storm

RONNIE O'Sullivan found himself at the centre of another controversy at the Betfred World Championship when he put chalk down on the table during the first session of his quarter-final against Stuart Bingham at the Crucible, where Judd Trump took a step closer to the semi-finals as he opened up a 12-4 lead over Ding Junhui.

Five-time champion O'Sullivan - who earlier in the tournament had played some of a frame in his socks and was then warned about his behaviour following a hand gesture in the second-round match against Matthew Stevens - had just reeled off the second century break to level at 2-2 before causing a stir when he placed his chalk on the baize while lining up a shot. It is a move which is deemed against competition rules if any object is used to measure gaps or distances, and therefore subject to a foul with a seven-point deduction.

However, referee Terry Camilleri failed to call the penalty and Bingham did not raise the matter either, with O'Sullivan (inset) going on to complete his 87 break and take the frame.

It remains to be seen what World Snooker officials will make of any review of the incident, which was highlighted in match analysis by television pundit Ken Doherty, the 1997 champion.

Bingham, though, did not let the issue unsettle him, as the Essex potter, ranked number 10 in the world, won the remaining three frames to take a 5-3 lead, with the match set to resume this afternoon.

Trump, meanwhile, was in fine form as he dominated his quarter-final match against third seed Ding.

The 25-year-old world number six, who had defeated O'Sullivan at the World Grand Prix final, never looked back after storming into a 4-0 lead on Tuesday's early session, which he extended following a break of 108.

Ding finally got off the mark when he won back-to-back frames to trail 6-2 at the end of the afternoon.

But that mini-revival was soon halted on the resumption following another century from the Bristol man, who was runnerup to John Higgins in the 2011 World Championship final.

Trump chalked up a blistering 127 break before wrapping up the evening session with another century to stand one frame away from a place in the semi-finals.

* Latest scores P61