Snooker: Murphy Leads As Selby Struggles

Shaun Murphy, the 2005 champion, established a 5-3 overnight lead over Mark Selby in their World Championship semi-final as the unfamiliarly draining demands of this 17-day marathon began to be felt by the 23-year-old qualifier from Leicester.

Murphy had recovered from five down with six to play to beat Matthew Stevens in his quarter-final, but Selby had emerged from the arena at midnight on Wednesday a 13-12 winner over Allister Carter. Added to his wins over Stephen Lee and Peter Ebdon, this had guaranteed him a top-16 place next season. "That's been my aim ever since I was a kid," he said.

Murphy, 24, won February's Malta Cup and is the only player who can prevent John Higgins from topping the world rankings when they receive their annual official revision next week.

Breaks of 39, 38 and 70 saw Murphy 2-0 up before Selby had potted a ball in the best-of-33 semi-final and although Selby took the third with 55 and 30, he missed a routine brown in the fourth which cost him 84. With frame winners of 101 and 55 Murphy led 5-1 but Selby, notwithstanding a horrific miss on an easy frame ball, grabbed the last two and may have reflected that his 5-3 deficit could so easily been more.

Stephen Maguire, hoping to have his name inscribed on the 80-year-old trophy alongside his fellow Scots Walter Donaldson, Stephen Hendry, Higgins and Graeme Dott, led Higgins 3-1 and 4-3 but resumes their semi-final today at 4-4.