Higgins edges ahead

John Higgins swept into a 6-2 lead over struggling Mark Allen as the pair began their battle for a place in the final of the Betfred.com World Championship.

The 33-year-old Scot dominated the first of the four sessions, making a break of 114 in the sixth frame on his way to gaining a comfortable overnight lead.

Higgins won the final three frames of the session as shock semi-finalist Allen struggled with almost every aspect of his game.

The consolation for the 23-year-old Northern Irish cueman, who knocked out pre-tournament favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan in the second round, is that there are three sessions of the first-to-17-frames match remaining and he has time to recover.

Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson are determined to disprove Stephen Hendry's theory that the title is heading for Scotland, and they finished their opening session tied at 4-4.

Murphy, the champion in 2005, has been unable to count on the support he used to as a Rotherham resident and a spectator was ejected for heckling the 26-year-old.

Murphy won a pedestrian opening frame, before the audience member was thrown out, and made it 2-0 after a break of 46.

Robertson's 81 to win the third frame suggested stage fright was not an issue for the Australian, in his first Crucible semi-final.

He drew level at 2-2 but Murphy restored his lead soon after the resumption, knocking in a break of 88 to regain his earlier two-frame advantage.

But Robertson responded with 81 in the next and a run of 46 made sure he took the final frame of the evening.