The Betfred World Championship first round clash between Stuart Bingham and Ding Junhui was stopped with the score at 9-9 at the end of the second session, with the deciding frame to be played later on Tuesday night.
Bingham, the 2015 Crucible king, won the opening frame today with a break of 60 to leave the score at 5-5, then Ding took the next two with 87 and 79. Back came Bingham with 92 and 104 for 7-7.
China’s Ding led 63-0 in the 15th when he missed a straightforward frame-ball black off its spot. Bingham clawed his way back and snatched it with a 38 clearance to take the lead. Ding’s run of 52 helped him level at 8-8.
Frame 17 lasted 30 minutes and came down to a battle on the colours. Bingham, leading 67-46, was fortunate to snooker his opponent behind the pink after missing the brown and leaving it hanging in the jaws of a baulk corner. The Englishman later thumped in a long brown to edge ahead.
But a missed red to a baulk corner from Bingham early in the 18th let Ding in for a run of 54 to square the match.
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