Recap our live coverage of Ronnie O'Sullivan's World Snooker Championship final victory at the Crucible

• O'Sullivan 18-8 Wilson: Click for full report
• Ronnie O'Sullivan's career in numbers and highlights

Result: Wilson 8-18 O'Sullivan (best of 35)

Frame scores: 0-81 (56), 62-55, 0-80 (80), 23-75 (75), 67-13 (63), 9-69, 17-106 (106), 49-60, 53-61 (53 Wilson), 19-77 (51), 92-0 (92), 79-53 (50), 82-25, 86-0 (58), 17-82, 101-10 (100), 60-68, 74-0 (73), 15-113 (53), 33-109 (61), 17-88 (57), 12-65 (60), 28-71 (71), 15-72 (72), 7-69, 1-104 (96)

RONNIE O'SULLIVAN WINS THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

2030: As ever, Ronnie has had the final word and with that, I will bid you farewell. It really has been an incredible tournament - one we didn't even think would take place a few months back - but World Snooker has delivered and so have the players.

The tournament itself was a treat; brilliant snooker and great drama throughout, and most of us got the winner we wanted. I know not everybody loves him but there really is nobody quite like Ronnie O'Sullivan and he has defied the doubters, his age, and his form to reign supreme once again. What a player. What a champion.

Finally, a special mention to our snooker readers who have read and supported our snooker page over the last few weeks and throughout the season. It's been our pleasure so from myself, Ben Coley, Chris Hammer and Nick Metcalfe, thank you for reading and roll on next season...

2015: Some reaction from O'Sullivan now: "I never really think about titles. As a kid I never dreamed I'd be here, I was playing for the fun of the game. But to be here and to have had all those victories, is a dream but it's also coming a bit of a reality so it's nice to be living your dream."

"There was a part of my that decided that I didn't play enough - and I still probably don't play enough - to justify winning a tournament of this stature. It's an endurance test and I'm not really an endurance-type snooker player.

"The lockdown gave me the chance to play on some good tables which was great and I came here feeling comfortable with my tools so I had half a chance - but I never expected to win it to be honest with you.

"I just want to say Kyren's a top, top player and he's improving all the time. When he fell off the tour (I knew) he was always going to get back on the tour.

"When you've got that desire and that hunger and belief in your ability - you might have to work in a bar for a bit or do bits and pieces - but deep down, the fire's burning bright and you get there in the end.

"He is a winner and he will win this tournament one day... not to put too much pressure on him. He's a country mile above everyone else around his age. His time is definitely going to come."

2010: A remarkable achievement for O'Sullivan, possibly even his greatest, given his modest more recent Crucible record and the fact he has struggled for his very best so far this season. Six world titles and 37 ranking tournament wins is an incredible feat for one of Britain's greatest ever sportsmen.

His longevity is quite astonishing. A genius, yes, but he has fought for this one and sure is enjoying his moment in the Crucible.

1947: No century but he's done it with a break of 96. Snooker perfection. What a player. Ronnie O'Sullivan is world champion once again!

1945: That's frame ball and Wilson can be seen clapping in the background. What a class act.

Ronnie finishing in style. The crowd are loving this. 'Come on, give us a century' someone in the audience pleads. He's going to try!

1944: This is looking like a very good chance now. He's already approaching 50 with the balls at his mercy.

1941: Wilson a little unlucky when potting to middle and landing on nothing. Ronnie sinks another pot from distance and he looks keen to get this over with.

1939: Early pot from Ronnie and he's up and running. Three loose reds out in the open but he's missed the black.

1936: Plenty of noise despite the reduced crowd. 'Come on Ronnie' they shout. Wilson breaks off.

Early safety from Ronnie. He's not taking any chances.

1932: Not long now. I wonder how Ronnie is really feeling. I know he'll walk into the arena looking like he doesn't care too much but he must be bursting on the inside.

As for Kyren, I hope he can at least try to enjoy it. It would be lovely to see him knock in a big break or two and show the crowd just what he is capable of. I'm sure they'd love to see a comeback, too.

1926: Hard not to feel for Kyren Wilson who had O'Sullivan under pressure last night but couldn't quite get to grips with him. The final scoreline probably won't tell the whole story but Wilson has had his moments in this match and must believe he will be back in the another final here in the near future

1915: Evening folks, welcome to the final act of this year's World Championship where Ronnie O'Sullivan is surely only a matter of time from becoming world champion for a sixth time.

O'Sullivan broke the back of the final this afternoon when winning seven out of the eight frames in the third session and Wilson is playing for pride alone tonight.

WILSON 8-17 O'SULLIVAN

1614: I'll be back for the encore at 7.15pm when Ronnie O'Sullivan will once again be crowned champion of the world.

Please do join me then.

1613: This can be an unforgiving game at times and Wilson looks distraught when missing a tricky black along the bottom rail. Ronnie makes no mistake with frame ball this time and ends a fine afternoon's work.

Seven frames on the bounce for Ronnie who takes total control of the match with six breaks of over 50 and is now only one frame away from a sixth world title.

1610: I didn't see that coming. Ronnie misses frame-ball black to hand Wilson a lifeline he really needs to take. What does he have left?

1607: Ronnie finds a brilliant long red from nowhere and plays a wonderful positional shot from the brown to open the door for another frame-winning chance. We look to be heading for 17-8. Relentless.

1605: Only 29 the damage but Ronnie follows up with a good safety after losing the cue ball.

1601: Final frame of the session coming up. Wilson looks shell shocked.

Oh dear. When it rains, it pours. Wilson gets so close from distance but leaves the red hanging over the pocket and Ronnie fairly bounds from his chair to assess the table. He'll like what he sees.

WILSON 8-16 O'SULLIVAN

1556: Ronnie cruises to another 50+ break and his sixth frame on the bounce as Wilson looks on in anguish. Ronnie has smelt blood and he's going in for the kill now.

1553: Wilson pots brilliantly to middle with the white close to the baulk cushion. Oh dear, even the rest is letting him down now as he can't follow up that opener when missing the yellow.

Ronnie left in amongst the balls. The pack needs splitting but he'll make do with the three reds in the open first.

1551: Wilson can only make 14 before breaking down but Ronnie can't make him pay when missing from distance himself.

1548: A brilliant opening red along the side cushion from Wilson hands him a good early chance. Six more reds out in the open and black on its spot.

WILSON 8-15 O'SULLIVAN

1544: Wilson plays on when needing two snookers to tie but after leaving the final red hanging over the pocket, he gives Ronnie a nod as the Rocket moves within three frames of victory thanks to that latest run of 71.

1537: Ronnie is bossing proceedings now, pacing around the table with all the swagger of old. He really is a dream to watch; touch, grace and majestic potting. A master of his craft in every sense.

A stunning positional shot - yellow to red - puts him within one shot of chalking up another frame and he does so with ease.

1534: Oh my word. Wilson turns down a long red to the yellow pocket but Ronnie doesn't, sinking it without so much as a second thought before splitting the reds when potting blue with the rest. This could be plenty.

1532: A safety joust to begin frame 23. It might be what Wilson needs just to take the sting out of Ronnie.

WILSON 8-14 O'SULLIVAN

1526: Ronnie is motoring towards 14-8. And to think, Wilson very nearly closed to within one frame last night.

Ronnie is striking the ball with such authority now and a break of 60 leaves Wilson with a mountain to climb. It's not over yet but the fat lady is clearing her throat.

1520: Glorious cannon from Ronnie but he misses the subsequent pink along the bottom cushion with the rest. It very nearly dropped.

With the pink hanging over the corner pocket, the next red is key and it's Ronnie who gets it. Another big chance.

1516: Meanwhile, back on the baize, Wilson has spurned another golden chance after losing the white again. Safety shot incoming.

1512: I've just been handed a rather large mug of coffee. I need it, too, after 17 days of Crucible madness and all that came in the build up to this year's event. I do hope you've enjoyed our coverage and I do believe the excellent Nick Metcalfe has been working on something to go out on site tomorrow. Keep your eyes peeled for that.

1509: Brilliant split into the reds from Kyren when potting the yellow but he misses a tricky pink to middle only moments later. He's got lucky, though, and Ronnie must retreat to the long grass.

1506: Ronnie misses a tough opening red from distance and Kyren has an early chance to hit back.

1504: The players are making their way back into the arena. Wilson must win this mini-session you feel. 14-11 behind at the end of the session would give him a chance tonight but anything less would surely be too tough an ask.

WILSON 8-13 O'SULLIVAN

1445: Wilson misses a black off the spot and that's the frame. Ronnie has come out all guns blazing today and moves five clear. Wilson already finds himself on the brink as the players leave the arena for the mid-session interval.

I'll be back in 15.

1440: 'That's a magical shot' groans Neal Foulds as Ronnie floats in a cut-back red to middle to cross the winning line in this frame. He misses with the rest soon after but Wilson needs two snookers as he comes back to the table.

1436: That's more like it. A long, straight red disturbs the leather and a brilliant pink to the green pocket gets Ronnie back in prime position. He looks really focused now, possibly sensing he can break the back of the match right here.

1434: Terrific opening red to middle from Ronnie kicks off frame 21 and he's up and running again. Hold that thought; Ronnie misses a sitter to the middle pocket. That came from nowhere.

WILSON 8-12 O'SULLIVAN

1426: Oh Kyren! Again! Wilson couldn't keep that cue ball under a tight rein and eventually misses a mid-range red. It was close to dropping, but not close enough.

Ronnie keeps gratefully accepting these gifts from Wilson and moves four clear. His cue-ball control remains the benchmark and breaks of 48 and 61 do the damage.

I think he's starting to enjoy this. Wilson, on the other hand, must be seething on the inside.

1423: Wilson pots to middle and finds himself presented with another glorious chance. He really needs to hurt Ronnie here you feel. The balls are perfectly placed.

1420: Touch of a genius from Ronnie when escaping from a Wilson snooker with his left hand and nestling on the pack perfectly. Wilson dictating terms with some strong safety.

1417: Six reds and six blacks but Ronnie is unlucky when going into the pack and landing on nothing. 48 a healthy lead, though.

1415: Wilson comes desperately close to sinking another long red but Ronnie is quickly out of his chair and negotiates the first three reds and blacks. I'm saying nothing about a maximum...

WILSON 8-11 O'SULLIVAN

1408: Oh Kyren! Big miss as a simple pink to middle is wide. Ronnie breathes a sigh of relief and does the rest, clearing the table by slamming the final black into the corner pocket. Both players leave the arena. Ronnie back to three ahead.

1405: Wonderful long red from Wilson and the counter is very much on. Big moment, this.

1400: Wilson leaves a red hanging over the pocket when trying a double but Ronnie is a touch unlucky when trying to drop on a red a couple of shots later. Wilson fails to escape from a terrific snooker but Ronnie still can't finish the job. Wilson hanging in there.

1358: Ronnie looks sharp here. Plenty of work to be done but he's hitting the ball well. He runs out of luck on 53 when unable to disturb the pack properly but a good safety shot follows.

1355: Ronnie shares a laugh with the referee about some rather hideous music that blared out in the arena at the end of that frame. 'Is that going to be playing between every frame?' he asks. His mood is improved further when he flukes a red when playing safe and a terrific recovery red sees the break motor past 30. Big chance. How are you feeling Ronnie?

WILSON 8-10 O'SULLIVAN

1349: The break ends on 73 after Wilson fails to open the remaining reds sufficiently but it should be enough to reduce his arrears to 10-8. Ronnie plays on for snookers but Wilson finds another fabulous long red and Ronnie accept defeat. Ladies and gents, we have a match on our hands.

1346: A cleanly shaven Ronnie watches on as Wilson gets down to work. Five reds out in the open here as Wilson passes the 30 mark. Very good chance, this.

1444: Wilson opens with a sizzling red from distance. Cued like a dream and with the blue waiting invitingly.

1342: The hairs on my neck are standing up. The Crucible; gets me every year.

1341: Wilson enters to something loud and presumably for young, cool people. Oasis welcomes Ronnie. I know this one.

1337: The Crucible looks amazing by the way, a reduced crowd really adding to the occasion and sure to give the players an entrance to remember. Here come the players.

1335: It's raining hard in Sheffield and the temperature has really dropped from previous days. Fingers crossed that might help the table play a little better than yesterday when conditions didn't look great.

1330: It's nearly time folks. 'This man [O'Sullivan] is fighting is for his sixth title like he's never had to do before. What a day we have in store' says Neal Foulds on Eurosport.

1325: For all the criticism he has received over the years for perhaps not making the most of his extraordinary talents, I think O'Sullivan deserves plenty of credit for sticking with it last night when Wilson was on the charge and his own game was patently struggling.

He just about held himself together to win two of the last three frames having seen Wilson win four on the bounce, and the black he floated in in the final frame of the night was pure class. It hasn't always been vintage O'Sullivan but he is fighting tooth and nail and clearly wants this badly.

The prize should he prevail? A sixth World Championship victory and a record-breaking 37th ranking title. More than that, it would surely prove beyond doubt that O'Sullivan is the greatest player snooker has even seen.

1315: Welcome back...

It's here. The final day of a World Snooker Championship we thought might not even take place this year is finally upon us as Ronnie O'Sullivan tries to negotiate the final hurdle in his bid for a sixth world title.

It was certainly getting hairy for O'Sullivan last night as the Rocket saw his 8-2 lead reduced to 8-6 and 9-7 before eventually ending the evening session 10-7 in front. In truth, he was a long way from his best all day and will be thankful Wilson failed to settle in the early part of his first World Championship final.

Wilson much was much sharper in the second session as O'Sullivan grew increasingly ragged but it is the Rocket who remains in pole position in the race to 18.

Sky Bet go 10/3 for a Wilson comeback with O'Sullivan 1/5. I'm not sure I'd be lumping on Ronnie at those odds and Wilson will just be hoping he can start well in 15 minutes time.

We should be in for another enthralling day and I will be here throughout to bring you all the latest updates.

WILSON 7-10 O'SULLIVAN

Was that the World Championship, right there? Maybe not. But maybe. O'Sullivan was set to let an 8-2 lead be reduced to 9-8, only for Wilson to miss what was effectively frame ball. How do you sleep after that?

Credit to Ronnie who gobbled up the chance, but he was second best all evening and could've lost each of the final seven frames. Winning two of them is enough to keep him in a commanding lead.

We'll return tomorrow at 1.15pm ahead of the third session. Join Richard Mann for unmissable coverage of the final day of this fantastic tournament.

2252: He's taken care of it. What a blow for Wilson to suffer late in the day.

2251: In goes the red and in goes the black. O'Sullivan is three pots away and he's ideal on the yellow, with colours all on their spots. He does need more than I calculated, obviously. Down to the pink for a 10-7 lead.

2249: MASSIVE! Wilson misses. It wasn't easy, but he'd done so much of the hard work. And he's left it for O'Sullivan, who will need down to the blue if my late-night maths is right. Brown maybe? Yes, brown.

2248: Really good shot with the extended rest from Wilson, who pots a tricky red and is perfect on the black. One more red along the bottom rail and he'll have gone from six down, and looking beaten, to one. He's right behind this red to roll it in but will need a colour.

2247: Wilson pots a pink to middle which could so easily have been rejected. Three reds left, he needs all of them, and number one is also a wobbler in the jaws. Palpable tension.

2245: An absolutely shocking miss from O'Sullivan. It's either a kick, or his foot must have slipped, and it hands a big opening to Wilson. He missed that by such a long way.

2243: These aren't easy, with six reds all kind of in each other's way to the right of the black. So far, so good but it's all a struggle.

2241: Ronnie fluke! Wow. He hits the wrong red with his safety, and it glances off another and into the pocket. He apologises to confirm that was very much not intentional.

If he goes on to win the frame, he'll have won two of the last seven. One, after bad luck for Wilson. The other, after good luck for himself.

2240: Wilson goes from looking like he'll waltz his way to another century to running out of position out of nowhere. Achilles heel, and a return to the table for Ronnie. Not sure he wants it, but there we are.

2238: O'Sullivan looking for salvation. It's bedtime soon pal, we will get there. And soon, perhaps, after Wilson thunders in another one after a poor safety from The Rocket.

2237: Ronnie has hit basically every break too hard. Again, in doing so he leaves a chance for Wilson and if it goes in he's surely on the open black. This time it doesn't, although he's left it safe.

2235: Huge frame coming. I know, I know - they all are. But 10-7 and 9-8 are very different scorelines, you might say drastically so the way the afternoon went for Wilson.

Here we go.

WILSON 7-9 O'SULLIVAN

You have to admire Wilson here. He's still not at his best, but he's fought back from 8-2 down, in his first world final, against the best player there has ever been in all likelihood, and he's back in the match.

This frame is won with a century, his first of the final. A break of exactly 100 is the 79th of the tournament. He's two behind and there's one more to go this evening.

2230: That's the frame, five out of six in fact for Wilson - and he could've won all six. It's also a chance to bag his first century, just one good positional shot needed...

2227: Wilson is striking the cue ball with genuine authority now, which hasn't always been the case today, and he should win the frame having done the hard yards here to lead by 37 with seven reds left.

Four more needed and that's down to three as he nudges another into the open.

2222: Wilson does well to escape his own snooker and another poor shot from range from his opponent leaves him a chance to middle, which goes in. We've another slightly bitty table here but it's Wilson who has his hand on the cloth. More to the point, he's the one playing something passable as good snooker right now.

2218: Nearly there, folks. This has not been the free-flowing break-fest we'd hoped for; both men are hungover after what happened last night. Perhaps we'll get those fireworks tomorrow. Perhaps this is just going to be an ugly final at the end of which we'll still crown a worthy champion.

So-so break from Ronnie. Might he play with freedom now with a lead secure? He's left one and Wilson pots it, but he can only career into the pack and looks to be snookered on all six colours.

WILSON 6-9 O'SULLIVAN

Ronnie stops the rot but only after a gift from Wilson, who was just so unfortunate to foul after the shot which looked to have won him his fourth frame in succession.

That means O'Sullivan will lead into Sunday. It's current three, and will be one, three, or five. Big two frames coming.

2213: O'Sullivan misses another long red and is currently under 50% for the final from distance. Not good. Not good at all.

In doing so he's probably a tad unfortunate to leave a nice starter for Wilson but that he does.

Wilson though is even more unfortunate and, after potting blue, flicks a red into the pocket for a foul. That shot looked to have won in the frame and could be a seriously significant moment in this match.

Ronnie is now in, goldilocks gobbling down the porridge. The frame is at his mercy.

2209: Wilson now struggles with a screw shot and we've seen a number of those come up short. O'Sullivan has a small lead, 14 points currently, with nine reds on the table. Wilson is tucked under the cushion and there's a safety exchange coming.

2207: "His timing's gone" says Foulds and who am I to disagree? O'Sullivan is fighting to get control of the cue ball and loses the battle, handing Wilson a chance.

That chances has, a thousand times in the past, ended the frame. Right now Ronnie is struggling badly. Suddenly it feels like he just needs to get out of here with a lead.

2205: Well I never, O'Sullivan floats in a long red, lands on the black, and after all that loveliness he comes up a mile short with a positional shot. It leaves a tough blue, but in it goes. Forest Gump and chocolates, meet Ronnie O'Sullivan.

WILSON 6-8 O'SULLIVAN

So, from 8-2 down, Wilson has won four in a row either side of the break to get right back into this. He could still head into Sunday with a lead; he could still head into Sunday in deep trouble, which is probably where he remains for now.

2200: That's the frame wrapped up, Ronnie failing to contribute except for hitting two rank safety shots. Three more frames to go tonight... and Wilson could yet take a lead into Sunday.

Surely not.

2158: Three more reds required from Wilson, but the first will be from mid-range and missable. The cue is delivered perfectly though and he's firing at last. Two reds to go and he'll be two frames behind.

2155: Clumsy, clumsy, clumsy. A small cannon, insignificant on another day at another time, costs him the pot he's looking to set up and Wilson plays safe after scoring a measly 28.

O'Sullivan returns with a terrible safety though and Wilson is straight back in. This is what was happening at the start of the match but in reverse.

2153: Nothing complicated about this break so far as Wilson picks apart the reds. He's just working on freeing up the black spot a little, and then it'll be into the cluster.

Confidence soaring, this goes down as a frame-winning chance now.

2149: A good break! Wilson is flying now. And he'll love seeing O'Sullivan shaking his head at a poor safety which leaves the cue ball down near the pack.

First chance Wilson, and the opening red is a good one.

WILSON 5-8 O'SULLIVAN

Wilson will breathe a sigh of relief there. He dominated frame 13, but looked like he might be unlucky as O'Sullivan popped in a good red and had a chance to steal.

Then, a cannon went wrong and after Wilson managed to lay a lucky snooker, he was able to close out the frame. The balls are running his way right now and he's taking full advantage.

2146: Wilson almost goes in-off, which would've cost him the frame the way the balls are now spread. We're talking millimetres, and Neal Foulds is understandably lecturing him on cue-ball control.

O'Sullivan then fouls and Wilson pops in the yellow to make it three frames in a row. It isn't pretty, but we have a contest.

2144: Descending into farce, this. Wilson misses pink by a long, long way, flukes a snooker, and then O'Sullivan misses the red by a distance too. He now needs a snooker although the colours are set up nicely for one.

2142: O'Sullivan's cannon doesn't work out and he trails by 33 with 43 left.

Wilson returns to the table with half a look at a long red... and it goes in beautifully, clean as you like. No position though and he's 34 ahead with 35 on, so it doesn't really make a difference.

Except to his confidence.

2140: Oh dear, that has gone badly. A long pot from Wilson misses, the red then goes and releases another red, and he leaves Ronnie a long one which goes in. That's a hellish trinity which leaves O'Sullivan in the balls and with a chance to perhaps land the most significant punch yet.

2138: Some of his best stuff this as Wilson plots his way around the table before disturbing the reds. He's again unlucky not to leave an easy one but with a 57-point lead and three reds safe can afford to take a longer red.

It rattles and comes out so Ronnie has a reprieve, but this isn't a table which screams counter-attack.

2136: Wilson has to play safe but leaves a half-chance for O'Sullivan, one he misses by a long way. His potting from range remains poor; perhaps Wilson is happy to let him have a crack at those and pick up the pieces.

He's in again and with the black now back on its spot, this now looks a good chance to win his third frame in succession and narrow the gap to three.

2133: Did Wilson mean that? Not sure, but he's pocketed a nice plant before thumping home a green and this time the positional element is bang on. He's among the balls but will have to work hard for this with the colours where they are.

2130: We're back under way for five more frames this evening and Wilson is soon in, only to miss blue. Black is tied up, pink is near the cushion, that blue is up the table, and another slog could be coming as O'Sullivan gets a nice flick to lay a snooker.

2115: While I eat five ginger biscuits - the perfect number, six being one too many and four one too few - enjoy these pictures from the Crucible courtesy of George 'loves a day out' Pitts.

WILSON 4-8 O'SULLIVAN

Bizarrely, Ronnie won't concede after Wilson pots green, and still won't after a foul leaves him 41 points behind with 22 left. Is this his way of saying 'sorry Mark, I'll show some respect now and never concede'? He ends the session potting blue and pink so... Wilson wins the frame. And he shares the session.

Back in 15 to see if he can win one.

2102: O'Sullivan spends almost two minutes deciding on his next move and then plays a basic up and down safety of no real significance and I am actively rooting for Wilson to fluke this green so I can make some tea.

It really was the simplest of blacks he missed to close it out.

2100: Brilliant escape.

2059: O'Sullivan pots red, black and yellow before laying a snooker. It's not perfect and not all that hard to escape from, but it's more than Wilson should have to do to see out this frame.

He's set to try a massive swerve but is having a rethink, evidence of how serious this predicament is.

2054: A good red to middle hauls Wilson over the line despite being interrupted by noise from the audience. Ah, noise.

He misses the following black though which means Ronnie is back, needing one snooker.

2048: O'Sullivan plays a poor safety and Wilson is back in after a good red, not dissimilar to the one he just missed. Two bites already but this pack might be easier than at first it looks, the sort where each red potted clears the avenue for another.

2045: Oh, Kyren. He misses a red you just can't miss at this level. The chance he's left isn't easy and he might be back in shortly, but each and every miss will eat away at has his belief when it comes to being ready to win this title.

O'Sullivan does miss - narrowly - but leaves Wilson with an equally missable one. I'm going to be here at 1am, aren't I?

2044: O'Sullivan misses a tough black down the cushion. Funny game, this - many will have it written off as over and it might not be far away, but you can see Wilson playing with greater freedom and Ronnie really isn't at his best.

Wilson pots his first red, releases a few more and, unlike O'Sullivan, has pink and black to play with.

2039: Wilson grazes the pink as he tries to nestle into the pack, but more of an issue is the fact he leaves O'Sullivan a red. Careless, that, and Ronnie is in.

2037: Another frame which begins with an over-hit break and the black is quickly tied up between two reds. O'Sullivan though plays an excellent safety with his first shot in a while and tucks the white behind the yellow.

2035: I didn't read that back.

WILSON 3-8 O'SULLIVAN

Baby steps, but that's a fine 92 break from Wilson. Most of all, he kept O'Sullivan in his chair for the duration of the frame and though he ought to have made the century, at this stage who really cares. He simply needed to stop the bleeding, and that he's done.

In general he was in control of that, only once or twice making life difficult and requiring a good pot or a stretch with the rest. The start of the break in particular was impressive, a long red sure to boost confidence, and he heads for a loo break with something to cling to.

2032: Wilson is off the mark for the evening but only after potting a difficult black for the frame. That was when 67 ahead, 67 remaining, and I feared the worst for him.

Instead it goes in and he should make a century here.

2030: Frame 11 of the final and Wilson's high break so far is 63. That really ought to go here as he passes 50 with eight reds still there and this is as assured and purposeful as he's looked.

2027: This is much better from Wilson, who gave himself a pep talk (or a b******ing) between frames. The thin black he's just played to move along to 38 is excellent and he's again a little unfortunate not to drop on one perfectly.

Instead it's a red to the top pocket and in it goes. Hugely important, that shot.

2025: A 147 would make him feel better, I'm sure... but he's up for the blue. The break continues but a bad bounce means he has to play for a tricky red. Neil Robertson reckons the table is awful.

2022: It was 3-2, remember. Wilson has never been ahead and only at 1-1 has he been level, but it's the last two hours of this match which have really put him in a hole.

Note the roars from the crowd as he bangs in a long opener here. Perhaps that cluster of spectators have tickets for tomorrow night.

Not for the first time today or indeed tonight, he's in, around the black spot, with a chance to build something. But he's missing one pot in five and it's hard to make breaks when you're doing that.

WILSON 2-8 O'SULLIVAN

It's not quite Barca/Bayern territory given 17 frames are needed here, but it's only 8.20pm and O'Sullivan is almost halfway there.

In keeping with the pattern of the day, he was given chance after chance by Wilson and did enough in each of them to win the frame comfortably. Wilson's cue-ball problems are back with a vengeance and, as my good man(n) Richard will tell you, perhaps he wants this too much.

He started very slowly in the semi-final he'd been odds-on to win, and just got away with it. He's started worse here and if Ronnie keeps winning these mini-sessions 3-1 this will be over before the sun goes down tomorrow.

2019: That's the frame. Whatever Wilson intended or aimed for when he returned tonight, it wasn't this. He's been heavy-handed, careless, even a little unfortunate, and he's staring a heavy, heavy defeat in the face before the match has even reached its supposed halfway point.

2016: Excellent red from O'Sullivan but he turns down the tough colour. Wilson is on the back foot once more from under the top cushion and again his failure to do what he wants to with the white costs him, O'Sullivan allowed in with a good mid-range red.

All four reds are out in the open, he only needs three of them, and it'll be 8-2 any minute.

2014: Heavy-handed from Wilson to leave O'Sullivan a long red, but he goes in-off in potting it. That leaves Wilson a look at one from range and in it goes, as good a shot as he's played. He's on black, which is occupying the brown spot currently, but has he run out of position already?

It looks that way. He's six inches short of where he wanted to be and doesn't appear to have a pot on. This is just very, very poor right now, and the plant he tries to force has more than a hint of desperation about it.

2010: O'Sullivan can't get from red to colour and it's telling that he turns down a mid-range blue. Last night, at about 10pm, he'd have fired at that without hesitation. Tonight, he knows he's the one in the middle of the ring, his opponent turning circles to get out of trouble.

O'Sullivan just doesn't want to hand Wilson a life raft.

2008: Ronnie immediately in with a red struck with authority. Black follows, and he's back where he was five minutes ago. He's being afforded real luxuries here, so often winning frames with a couple of decent visits, not needing that one big one.

2006: It's now O'Sullivan's turn to be part profligate, part unfortunate. He gets a horror kick on the black, but it goes in and while the white doesn't come back to where he wanted it, he does have a red to middle. But it misses, and Wilson is back in. One good blue and this frame could be his for the taking.

The blue drops, only just, but the positional shot is poor. He has one to middle, similar to that which O'Sullivan just missed... and he too misses. Two good chances gone already in this frame.

2004: He's missed the black. Regulation stuff, off its spot. O'Sullivan must know he has the chance to take the match away from his opponent here. Wilson is suffering badly on his first appearance in a Crucible final.

O'Sullivan pots a decent red and he won't be missing the black that's been left over the pocket. How many does he score? I'll take the overs.

2003: O'Sullivan is first to attempt a long red in frame 10, and it's not far away. He'd have been in big trouble had it dropped as the white ends up in the middle of the pack, but he could be in big trouble anyway as Wilson is away and on the black.

WILSON 2-7 O'SULLIVAN

Wilson cannot keep doing this. Yes, he was unlucky to run out of position when entering the reds, but the safety was poor, and so was his attempted snooker escape later in the frame. Both left O'Sullivan with chances and he took the second of them quite brilliantly.

Wilson loves to attack but the snooker he attempted behind the black when in total command of that frame was reckless. He's been made to pay and that's two frames in a row which he's lost on the black.

1958: A lifeline for Wilson - who has had plenty of them - as O'Sullivan lands the wrong side of the pink. He pots it, goes around the angles, and leaves a massive, massive black.

He's under the cushion... but rolls it in nervelessly.

1956: Big shot here. O'Sullivan gets nicely behind the tricky red but it's still not easy. In it goes, as pure as you like, and he's surely about to go 7-2 up in a manner that will really, really hurt Wilson.

1955: O'Sullivan plays a fine double into a big middle pocket after Wilson had left another red hanging there. It gives him a chance to lay a snooker behind the black. Wilson can only see one red - the one which is tied to the cushion. Tactical brilliance from the leader.

Wilson goes up and down and gets it all wrong, leaving a sitter of an opener for O'Sullivan. As was the case earlier, he's given him two chances to win a frame and that's at least one too many. Can Ronnie take advantage and make him pay?

1951: Oof, that's poor from O'Sullivan. Plain ball to get on the black and he's overrun it by a good few inches, potting the ball thinner than ideal for good measure. The long yellow misses and he's very fortunate not to leave an easy red for Wilson.

1950: The break ends on 53, his second highest of the final. All good, a little unlucky. The big mistake is leaving the cue ball next to the black and Ronnie is in after a good pot to middle.

Wilson played the attacking safety there, attempting to leave the white behind the black. Madness with the way those reds are spread and he could pay the price. One red tied up, the rest wide open, and a genius at the table.

1948: Nothing wrong with this break, cue ball now fully under control and reds picked from the side of the pack with the cool hand of a Jenga expert.

So reluctant is he to good all-out attack into the pack, Wilson plays a plant which isn't perfect and wobbles, but now that's down he has no excuses here. He simply must complete this, ideally with a statement clearance.

And... just like that... he's run out of position. Into the pack goes the cue ball but it sticks to two reds and he leads by 52 with 75 left.

Gulp.

1945: O'Sullivan misses and presents Wilson with a straightforward opener, which he follows with brown and drags the cue ball down to a red in the middle of the table. A poorly-judged cannon means he has to play a tough green with the rest, but in it goes and the white is back down where he wants it.

Right then, Kyren.

1943: We have a pot, and it's an O'Sullivan fluke - but he'd screwed the white back under the cushion and can only roll up to the black. Wilson taps into the side of the reds. I was hoping things might be a little more rainbow rhythms to be honest.

There's time.

1942: A familiar, below-the-pack safety exchange to begin with. Just one of the eight frames earlier started with break followed by long red and this too looks set to be a little tactical and slow-burning early on.

1940: Here we go then. Nine frames tonight. It was over these nine that Judd Trump took one giant leap towards the title last year. Win six of them and O'Sullivan will be on the brink of his sixth.

If Wilson can win six, he'll trail still... but only by one.

1935: Have we learned anything during the break? Two things, maybe.

First, Stephen Hendry thinks it's over. "I tend to think the match is over," said the seven-time world champion during the BBC's coverage. "I hope I'm wrong, but I think 6-2 is too far for Kyren to come back from."

Second, Ronnie had his ankle in a bucket of ice this morning having twisted it at some stage following his Selby win. Did it affect him? Maybe. He wasn't at his best earlier. Yet he still made three half-centuries plus a 106 break.

By the way, he needs five more centuries to match Hendry's record of 17th in a single World Championship.

1930: Good evening folks, Ben Coley back with you for the second session of the World Championship final, which Ronnie O'Sullivan leada 6-2.

Richard Mann fans, worry not - he's got the final day gig.

WILSON 2-6 O'SULLIVAN

How big a blow could that be? O'Sullivan pots pink and black to steal the frame and earn a 6-2 lead.

There are nine frames tonight. Wilson surely needs to win five of them, maybe six, to keep his head above water.

Join us at 7.30 for the second session of an engrossing but not always impressive final.

1636: Wilson does take on a more dangerous pink this time, misses, and a double-kiss leaves it on a plate for O'Sullivan.

1635: Wilson turns down a long pink, which many will say is wise given how many he's missed. I'm not so sure, he could've kept distance between them had he missed and won't want to lose this frame knowing he turned down his chance to win it.

The safety battle continues.

1634: Just a safety from O'Sullivan, wisely. Closing in on a 40-minute frame to end the session.

1632: Wilson thinks he can see the edge but misses it one way or another, and leaves the blue. O'Sullivan pots it but, somehow, fails to find position on the pink. Another simple shot played badly.

Wilson needs pink, Ronnie needs both. Knife-edge. Ronnie is thinking about trying to cut this to the middle which is absurdly tough.

1630: Wilson escapes and just - j u s t - leaves it safe. He's back in another snooker though, O'Sullivan turning the screw and showing he is an expert tactician when he wants to be.

Wilson delicately rolls up to the blue and is back in another snooker. Or can he see the edge? It's tight, anyway, and not easy regardless.

1627: Ronnie lays a good snooker. It's not hard to get out of but it is hard to leave safe. Wilson just about manages it by tying the blue to the rail. It can be potted but... it's all in if you go that route.

O'Sullivan, wisely recognising that he's not making much, turns it down. Instead he lays an even better snooker.

1625: O'Sullivan plays the blue left-handed and misses. It's amazing how many of those seven or eight out of 10 pots he's missed today. That he could still lead 6-2 says much about how poor Wilson has been.

The blue is safe. We're getting there, folks.

1624: Wilson six from 16 from range - and make that six from 17 now as a chance to pot the green goes badly wrong, leaving it for O'Sullivan. It's not easy but if this goes into the middle pocket that's that for the frame. you feel.

In it goes and he's on the brown. Not ideally, but sufficiently.

1622: He'll take that, Wilson, with green tied to the cushion now. O'Sullivan plays a clever safety which releases the blue, and he's managed to hide most of the green. Now ensues a safety battle and I'd wager the next pot wins this frame.

Massive.

1621: O'Sullivan is a long way short with his positional shot from yellow to green. He can still pot the green but not with any kind of idea as to where the white and the brown would end up.

Instead he lays a snooker from which his opponent ought to escape.

1619: Wilson misses a mile. He's been pretty terrible from range. O'Sullivan is presented with an easy starter and this is probably all about whether he can get from blue to pink later on.

1618: A little fortune for Wilson as he misses but doesn't leave the red. One good safety could tip the scales in O'Sullivan's favour but blue and black are both safe. And it's an awful safety. Wilson has a look at this red for the frame.

1616: Wilson tries to develop the reds while potting another and is unlucky. It's surprising to see him choose to play safe instead of pot pink or black, especially as the former offered him the chance to go into them again, but he leads by 32 with 43 on.

And O'Sullivan's snooker escape has left a half chance for the frame...

1615: O'Sullivan pots the red but misses the mid-range blue. It's not especially close for a pot he'd make nine times in 10, and leaves Wilson now with his second chance to win the frame and reduce the deficit.

Black is now in play having been brought out by that missed blue. Wilson will still need one of those two awkward reds but for now a brilliant positional shot makes this his frame to lose.

1613: That's cruel - Wilson gets s a kick and leaves the red over the pocket. Those two reds now become his lifeline.

1611: So far, so good from The Warrior, who really has had to fight this afternoon. He's not playing well and is willing these in, a black-less break taking him into the lead. He has five open reds but they won't quite be enough with blues. Not sure if he realises that, because he could play for pink here and it would make the difference.

If he keeps going up for blue he'll need to disturb the two reds together on the right. They're a big target but nevertheless best avoided.

1608: Wow! O'Sullivan pots a fine opener, a thin blue, and then misses the easy red. He's really not been all there this afternoon - perhaps he needs a nap before the evening.

Wilson simply must take this chance.

1605: Excellent safety from O'Sullivan, touching the brown, and meaning that Wilson has to play off a cushion to hit a red. His first attempt misses. His second does not, but he's left the cue ball among the reds. It could've been worse - much worse - but one or two good pots from Ronnie could spell the end here.

1604: And so the session will end in keeping with the first seven frames, with reds in a bit of a mess, the black out of commission, and breaks not easy to come by. In fairness we've had a half-century or better in five of the seven but they've all been hard work.

1602: Big reprieve for on-the-ropes Wilson as O'Sullivan goes into the reds and is again a little unfortunate, leaving only a tricky one to middle which hits the far jaw.

Wilson pots another red but... runs into others and is snookered on all the colours.

1600: Excellent long red from Wilson but he'd have been better off missing it after failing to bag the black. It was tricky, into the top pocket, and moved off left just like that pink, but they go in if you hit them at that pace and in the middle. This one was far jaw all the way.

O'Sullivan is in. The black is at the other end of the table and the pink doesn't pot, but such problems are there to be overcome.

1556: Good break from Wilson. Remember, he did trail McGill 6-2. But that's a bit like saying Manchester United turned around their Carabao Cup tie against Millwall, so they might do it again now they're behind to Liverpool.

Sorry for making McGill Millwall in that example but you get the point. There's a long way to go but O'Sullivan started this match a strong 2/7 favourite. What is he at 6-2, 1/10?

WILSON 2-5 O'SULLIVAN

The first real statement from Ronnie makes for the first century of the final, a 106 break which elicits the first real roar from this grateful crowd.

Wilson was in first, but ran out of position and wobbled the pink. Perhaps that was unfortunate, but too often this afternoon he's let Ronnie in by missing and - repeat - you cannot be doing that.

This frame coming up is big for him.

1555: Much more like it from O'Sullivan, a stunning pot to the middle played with the confidence and precision of a top-class cellist. In goes a double soon after and he's on his way to a century - and a definite lead.

1553: The split goes perfectly and there are no excuses from here. In fact he's odds-on for a century having reached 56 with four more reds on the table, three of them in the open.

1551: Ronnie is in and around the black spot here. It's all about another iffy cluster of reds and how they split. Dare say he's due a bit of luck when he goes into them and this could be 5-2 any minute.

1549: More break-building issues for Wilson, who is high on his chosen red and in potting it moves the pink into a difficult position. There's not much of a choice here - he has to take it on - and he's unlucky as it drifts left having been rolled slowly towards the top pocket.

He set that off in the middle and it moved significantly, but they know the score with those. Big opportunity lost and this is a chance now for O'Sullivan to land what would feel like the first significant counterpunch of the final.

1545: Another slightly overhit break from O'Sullivan and that allows Wilson to play a nice containing safety. No fluidity to this match, really; every frame has had balls tied up, at least since the first.

You'd think that'd suit Wilson and he's in first here after a good pot with the rest, O'Sullivan's roll into the pack carelessly leaving a chance.

WILSON 2-4 O'SULLIVAN

A rare sight as Wilson plays a poor safety, leaves one over the pocket, and immediately concedes.

O'Sullivan was better in that frame, twice potting from distance. Both were shots to nothing, alleviating some of the pressure, but still he looked to cue them much better and cannot now trail after the first session.

Just how big the lead is - and whether it even exists - depends on the next couple of frames.

1539: Wilson is trying to hit the red so thin that he misses it. The difference is now 59, Ronnie needs one red, and he has a shot to nothing. In it goes and that's much better, sufficient you'd think to win the frame and ensure he cannot be behind entering the second session.

Wilson returns to the table needing just one snooker.

1538: It is a safety after all - and an excellent one. The break ends on 48 though and it could be next pot wins, with the balls now nicely spread.

1536: There's a four-strong cluster of reds on the bottom cushion and O'Sullivan will need one of them to be absolutely sure of the frame. He can just about get over the line with the loose red but that's not easy in itself so he plays into them... and it could hardly have gone worse.

The reds are now much more open, but he's not really on one. He leads 64-9 with 67 remaining. Will one of them cut? It's mighty thin if it does and requires the long rest. Looks like he's taking it on.

1533: At last a long red from O'Sullivan finds the target and the green that follows just - and I mean just - leaves him on a red. In that goes after a wobble and this is hard work for the most naturally gifted player in the history not just of this sport but perhaps all sports.

There's a lot of work to do here but he's at the table, leading by 19 already, and will expect to win the frame.

1529: A couple of nice safety shots have Wilson in the ascendancy here but it's still nervy and you just don't fancy either player to make the long red should an opportunity arise.

And Wilson gives away his advantage with a containing safety which goes wrong, allowing Ronnie to get his hand on the cloth.

1525: Wilson won't mind this sort of scrap at all but he's way off with a long red he should've potted. This time it's punished as O'Sullivan pots one to middle, probably his best single-ball pot since frame one if not since yesterday.

He's clearly not happy with how he's hitting the ball and, having failed to find positioning on his third red, he attempts a plant which never looks in despite having appeared well-set.

I miss the semi-finals.

1523: That didn't last long, Wilson's cue-ball control resulting in a missed red which should've been unmissable. O'Sullivan hits the jaws again from mid-range and the standard, for now, is pretty poor.

1521: Safety error from O'Sullivan and it leaves Wilson with an easier albeit long opener, the red six inches from the pocket. He pots it very cleanly and is on a choice of baulk colour.

WILSON 2-3 O'SULLIVAN

As important frames in the first session go, that was an important frame in the first session, and it's won with a very good 63 break from Wilson.

Crucially, he potted a nice shot with the rest and basically looked assured, coming unstuck only after the frame had been won.

Still, he needed help as O'Sullivan ran out of position when among the balls, but it will be encouraging to Wilson backers that the Rocket hasn't had the cue ball on a string so far, and his radar has been way off from range.

Scrappy, bitty, and 3-2 to Ronnie.

1517: Frame won and now it's all about two problem reds and whether or not they deny us a century, the first of the final, in frame five.

1515: He's below the black after a good pot to middle. Feels all or nothing, and it's thin to a blind bag. In it goes, his best shot since frame two, and he's not going to be wasting this chance now. Century perhaps?

1512: Another long red missed from Ronnie - he's one out of six so far. Good opener from Wilson and he can't ask for more than another go at this table - sure wouldn't have expected it.

Blue into reds now is key and it's just about okay, leaving a tight one to middle which should get the break moving. It goes in, he's on the blue, and this now is a frame-winning chance.

1510: Wilson is lucky that O'Sullivan hasn't clicked yet, either, and he runs out of position after what did look a fiery bounce off the rail. Perhaps we should've expected things to me a little underwhelming to start with, given what happened last night.

1508: My word he's missed pink off the spot, plain ball. Seriously sloppy so far. It's early days but can he really afford to go 6-2 behind, even 7-1? That'll happen in no time if he's missing pots like that.

O'Sullivan is in.

1506: Good opener from Wilson after a slightly messy safety from O'Sullivan left a chance to the middle. It was tough and only just crept in, so that could do wonders for his confidence.

Back down the table from yellow to red and he's in the balls. What he'd give for a frame-winning break having not yet registered a meaningful contribution.

1503: Twitchy. Wilson misses another with the rest, which just is not like him. He's left nothing on but that's not really the point - if his strengths don't fire, he won't be world champion in 2020.

Re-rack.

1502: We're back after a generous interval. Fifty-eight minutes those first four frames took, evidence of how these two get on with things given two of them were scrappy.

Wilson's first contribution post-break is another wayward attempt from range. He desperately needs to pop one of those in although on this occasion O'Sullivan rattles the jaws with a mid-range attempt and Wilson will have the first chance.

WILSON 1-3 O'SULLIVAN

O'Sullivan wraps up the fourth frame with a break of 75. It's another chance to make a century gone begging but the fact he's had three of those in the first four frames bodes well.

Wilson is left to rue his mid- to long-range potting, especially that effort with the rest. He's been really sloppy at times and has gifted his opponent more than one bite of the cherry in every frame so far.

That is not sustainable but perhaps this first mini-session will help to settle him down. Get the kettle on - we're back in 15.

1439: Frame won barring snookers and O'Sullivan doesn't look like he'll open that door. Pretty much an ideal start for him whereas Wilson has looked a little shaky except for when bravely securing frame two.

1437: Here's where the fake crowd are better than a real one: plants. If one thing is guaranteed in snooker it's that a plant, however simple, will get applause from the crowd. That's what happens here despite a poor positional shot.

O'Sullivan recovers with a mighty blue to middle, perfectly positioned, and he's five or six pots away from the frame.

1436: Level now and with black coming up. Seven reds left, so five of them with blacks would do it; likely he'll need six with the odd blue. That's fine with just one red in a problematic position, and two of them look aligned for a plant.

He's fighting the cut ball a little but remains long odds-on to lead 3-1.

1434: In it goes but another big pot now with rest as he tries to get back on top of the cue ball. Typically assured with it, Wilson chops across it and misses, and Ronnie is now in, trailing only by 23.

He'll take this chance I reckon and if he does, a 3-1 lead would feel about right. He's looked the more composed for all neither has been at the very top of their game.

1432: Encouraging signs from Wilson as he works his way down the table to really get this break moving. Pink and green are both tied up but there are half a dozen reds to play with, so black and blue may well do. Looks a golden opportunity now but will require a tricky blue after a slight mistake with a screw back off the pack.

1429: A reckless safety from Ronnie goes unpunished, Wilson unable to pot a really tricky red he was forced into taking. Sensible stuff from the younger man, though, as he tucks the white behind the pink on the right-hand cushion.

It leaves a half-chance for O'Sullivan but he misses and Wilson has earned this opportunity, which begins with a good red. Another messy table but still, a chance to work his way around it and draw level.

1425: We're still waiting for O'Sullivan to size up a long pot. I often feel that's the best indicator as to where he game is. Right on cue, he attempts one knowing it's tough but there's little he can leave bar the ball in question. It's close, but rattles the jaws and he's fortunate there's no double-kiss, which means Wilson can only send the ball back up to baulk.

WILSON 1-2 O'SULLIVAN

A one-visit assassination from O'Sullivan and it was sniper-like precision among the balls. Every single pot in that break of 80 was relatively straightforward; every positional shot anything but. He was delicate, mature, professional, and that's a 2-1 lead with one to go before the mid-session interval.

1421: That's the frame. Will it be a century? He's chasing another record there: the most in a World Championship is 16, by Stephen Hendry. Ronnie's own personal best is 13. He'll surely improve upon the latter and getting to 17 seems likely if he does produce the goods this weekend.

Ah, shame. Near-jaw on a tough red to middle and it's 80.

1420: Key shot: black pot and into the reds. It works out fine, releasing fewer than he'd like but enough to get him over the line here. Looks like 2-1 unless he takes his eye off the ball and a 12th century of the championship could be forthcoming.

1418: It's not the fluent, speedy O'Sullivan we saw late last night but let's not underestimate how much those semi-final exertions may have taken their toll, on both players.

Still, this is more like it and he's carving out a break from an awkward set of reds. It's one of those that requires four or five more pots, each of them precise in a positional sense, and it'll be frame over. Hard-won if that is the case.

1415: Wilson misses a long red following O'Sullivan's heavy-handed break. He's been ropey from range so far but at least hasn't left an easy opener for O'Sullivan.

In goes the red, though, and O'Sullivan lands perfectly on the pink. Back among the balls - can he make a big contribution this time?

WILSON 1-1 O'SULLIVAN

Scrappy, nervy; a classic early-final frame in which both players had chances. O'Sullivan's were the best, and the red he missed early was a shocker. So was the brown as that was frame ball and, while the white was close to the cushion, he'll be angry at missing that one.

Wilson, who had left a red achingly short to gift O'Sullivan one of two or three good chances, was left to pot the four remaining colours to win. Blue and black were far from straightforward but both went in cleanly. Important that they did. Level.

1411: All on the black. It's not easy, especially for a frame in the World Championship final. But Wilson pots it, and leaves the arena for a short break knowing he's lucky to be level.

1410: Excellent yellow leaves left-handed green. Needs to be played at pace... but in it goes. Wiped its feet as they say, but that doesn't matter now. Just brown for the frame... but this one does rattle the jaws! Wow. Wilson has been let off the hook here and should now steal it with Brown hanging over the pocket.

1408: Wilson misses the pink and it's an easy red for Ronnie. Green, again; the ball which determined the outcome of Wilson's semi-final. That's the only problem O'Sullivan should have here even if he has made a meal of things more than once in frame two.

1406: Wilson gets in with a red to middle but misses the cannon from blue to reds and the break is over before it's started. The safety is so-so but enough to keep Ronnie from potting and in fact O'Sullivan manages only to push both reds over the left pocket, leaving Wilson with a good chance now.

Green remains the issue. Oh, and he does have to pot a long red... but this time in it goes, no problem at all.

1404: Really clumsy from O'Sullivan to snooker himself on the red over middle and leave nothing else. As such he goes what we'll call Full McGill-Wilson, potting it off the top cushion. He's making this look hard and has left himself a double to keep the break going.

It misses, and his lead after all that is just 11. All three reds are next to cushions and the green is also out of commission. Well, it would be were one of these two men not named Ronnie O'Sullivan.

1401: Shocking miss from O'Sullivan. Truly, the sort he'd miss once in a thousand. That's two in this frame as if to underline that a world final is a world final, whoever you are.

It's followed by a gift from Wilson, whose bridging pot to middle doesn't reach the pocket. It's a quarter-roll short, the sort of thing you so rarely see, and O'Sullivan is back at the table with things suddenly looking much more open.

That ball hanging over the middle means he can try to disturb reds for free should he wish to. Just... don't miss.

1400: It's as you were then, a safety exchange with reds clustered over towards the right of the table. Wait a second! Fluke for O'Sullivan, and a lovely kiss, hands him the advantage. He's 25 points behind and with no easy reds, but his hand is on the table.

1357: Really good for a time, Wilson potting a couple of balls which were easy enough to miss as he manoeuvred the cue ball around a difficult table. Then comes a mistake as he catches a red he was trying to avoid, and the break comes to an end on 33.

That wasn't an easy chance, but it's the sort he'll need to take pretty consistently if he's to win.

1353: Groans as O'Sullivan misses a red having scored only seven. It leaves Wilson with a tricky red to middle and in it goes, his first point in a World Championship final. It'll require some excellent cue-ball control and clarity of mind to make this a frame-winning contribution. The former he's always had. The latter? It does look to be improved...

1351: Those of us with 6x3 tables as kids may recall times when all the balls moved to one side, which would call for a book - more Ladybird than Yellow Pages; just a subtle change needed - to remedy. This table is like that, in appearance at least, with a series of safety shots forcing all the balls over to the right.

There is one on the left, and it's on, but Wilson misses it by a distance. His safety looks fine but he's had two mid-range attempt and they have not even threatened these haws. Chance for Ronnie, but a tough one from which to score.

1348: Wilson's break-off is similar to O'Sullivan's in the first, a little heavy-handed and fortunate to leave nothing. O'Sullivan plays a delightful, two-cushion escape. Not sure the fake crowd would've enjoyed that one, but the 300 here in the Crucible clap in unison.

Reds open very quickly here, so it'll either descend into scrappy or the first man to pot will have a fine chance to build a score.

WILSON 0-1 O'SULLIVAN

Easy as you like for O'Sullivan as he's handed two starter pots by Wilson. The first looked to provide a genuine 147 chance, silly as that sounds after a couple of pots, but he ran out of position. Wilson played just one more shot, a loose safety, and gifted his opponent the frame. Can't do that sir. The Kettering potter didn't score a point and missed an easy opener in a frame O'Sullivan won in ten minutes.

1346: It's just 56 after a fairly sloppy miss, but importantly it's first frame O'Sullivan.

1344: That's the frame, the only question remaining is whether it's won with a century. 15/2 or thereabouts with the oddsmakers, a first-frame century for Ronnie. Not bad. There have been a lot of them during this tournament for all they've dried up in general in the one-table format.

No excuses here though, he should complete one.

1341: Three reds, three blacks and a chance to open the reds when potting the fourth. Yes, I thought it. I admit it. But O'Sullivan is forced to play safe after not managing to get to a colour. A stop-start beginning but signs of seriousness: late last night, he probably would've tried to pot a thin and difficult blue from under the rail.

Nervy from Wilson as a thick safety is too thick, and leaves an easy opener. Two gimmes for O'Sullivan and we should probably expect him to be 1-0 up before Wilson next visits the table.

1338: Terrible miss from Wilson so O'Sullivan pots the first ball of the final, a simple one too. He's on the black, in it goes, and away he goes. Three or four loose reds to work with.

1336: Ronnie breaks and is a little fortunate to cover a red brought back up between blue and middle pocket. The first steps are tentative then as Wilson delicately rolls into the bunch. No sign of twitchiness there.

Half a million on the line here, but more than that: Ronnie can join Steve Davis and Ray Reardon on six world titles; Wilson can win his first and join an elite and exclusive club.

Thoughts by the way with the fake applause team, who did a super job but are now cast aside with Selby and McGill, bit-part players in this thrilling World Championship.

First chance coming for Wilson after a loose safety.

1334: "Make no mistake, this is the biggest match of his life," says Rob Walker. He's talking about Wilson, of course. The Warrior looks relaxed, though he does have one of those faces.

Ronnie is beaming. So he should be. And the applause is of another level - you wouldn't know this was a smaller-than-usual crowd. Rock N Roll Star blares from the PA system as snooker's frontman makes his entrance.

1330: Ronnie could not appear more relaxed speaking with Eurosport from his dressing room. It's amazing to think he's allowed the cameras in to chat with minutes to go until the first break-off shot is hit. Note the box of Celebrations in the background, and I wonder whether that Joe Davis snooker bible - his coaching manual, as he calls it - is around somewhere.

Not long now as we see a shot of the table. It's fantastic to see fans in the arena. Snooker has coped well without them, but the final is different - the final needs them. Almost time.

1325: As for Wilson... I don't know where to begin. I was on duty to file the report yesterday, and had to keep insisting to my wife that it would end soon. Surely, it would end soon. But on, and on, and on it went. Wilson looked like he'd blown it with a shocker of a missed red, and in the end - to coin a cliche - it was going to need something brilliant, brave, or bloody lucky.

It was the latter as the Englishman beat the Scotsman courtesy of an outrageous fluke on the green, only after McGill had snookered himself on the same ball with the match at his mercy.

1320: Right then, the final begins shortly and our live coverage is therefore up and running. If you want the scene setting for you then scroll down, in the meantime we'll begin, as we must, with yesterday.

That comeback from O'Sullivan against Selby was just as good as it gets. The break of 138 which set it in motion was O'Sullivan at his free-flowing best, he followed it up by denying Selby a single point in the next, and then won a thrilling decider. You'll have seen by now that Selby was not best pleased, labelling O'Sullivan 'disrespectful' for the way he tried to escape when backed into a corner.

Certainly O'Sullivan's shot at the end of frame 30, when he lost his patience and missed the pink at full speed, was that of a man not in full control. Neal Foulds basically called him stupid for it, rightly so, and Ken Doherty has just told BBC viewers he thought it was Ronnie throwing in the towel. It's hard to disagree with that.

Ironic, then, or else typical O'Sullivan, that after two stunning breaks, the shot which earned The Rocket a place in the final was this one. Have you seen a better escape from a snooker under this type of pressure?

Welcome...

In sport, sometimes we get to say a proper goodbye. Think of the Test opener, who reveals that this will be his final series. There might be six, eight, even 10 more visits to the crease, innumerable opportunities to find that boundary rope one last time; to raise the bat, salute the dressing room, and drink in every moment. Come the end there would be a guard of honour, some champagne perhaps, as a cluster of fans missed a train or two for their chance to raise a glass of their own.

Think of the golfer, who walks down the final hole for the final time. Think of Tom Watson, in the 2015 Open at St Andrews. So dark had it become on Friday that all other groups had stopped playing. Not Watson's. The story goes that the fearsome Ernie Els, playing alongside him, told officials in no uncertain terms that they would not be telling them to come back tomorrow. Not here, not now. Watson would be given the spotlight even if it needed a floodlight. In darkness, he posed on Swilken Bridge one final time as golf waved goodbye to its greatest Open champion.

Sometimes, we don't get that chance, at least not with such sharp clarity. How many times now have you watched Roger Federer in a grand slam final and thought 'this must be the end', only to realise that, if he can make it here at 37, why not at 38? When Tiger Woods won his 15th major championship, was your first thought really 'well, that will be all'? To be great is to appear everlasting, and to be at the top of your sport demands of those watching that they believe, even if it against their instincts, that you have it within you to pull this trick again.

So we do not know if this weekend is a final farewell to Ronnie O'Sullivan, be that in the most permanent sense, or specific to the World Championship. It is seven years since he won title number five, and should he now make it six, surely he would try in 2021 to make it seven. Should he lose he will have had it confirmed, through that fightback against Mark Selby and his dazzling snooker against Mark Williams, that he still belongs right at the top of the sport. The Judd Trump dynasty hasn't come to pass, at least not yet.

Whatever happens, we are here, and Ronnie is here. This is something to savour. Whether his clash with Kyren Wilson can live up to those semi-finals, on that day of snooker, we cannot know. But it is a World Championship final involving the most gifted player ever to pick up a cue, against a youngster with the grit to conquer the world whether this year or next. And it will take place, in front of fans, at the Crucible Theatre, over this weekend. Somehow, snooker has managed to deliver wave upon wave of drama, sprinkled with the stardust which comes from only one pocket: that of Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Stay with us for two days of coverage. History will be made. It begins at 1.30pm.

Routes to the final

Kyren Wilson

• First round: Bye due to Anthony Hamilton's withdrawal
  High break: N/A
  Centuries: N/A
• Second round: 13-9 v Martin Gould
  High break: 113
  Centuries: 2
• Quarter-finals: 13-9 v Judd Trump
  High break: 104
  Centuries: 1
• Semi-finals: 17-16 v Anthony McGill
  High break: 116
  Centuries: 4

Ronnie O'Sullivan

• First round: 10-1 v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
  High break: 115
  Centuries: 2
• Second round: 13-10 v Ding Junhui
  High break: 117
  Centuries: 2
• Quarter-finals: 13-10 v Mark Williams
  High break: 133
  Centuries: 5
• Semi-finals: 17-16 v Mark Selby
  High break: 138
  Centuries: 2

Head-to-head

• Overall: Wilson 2-4 O'Sullivan
• Frames won: Wilson 32-43 O'Sullivan
• World Ranking: 8-6

Crucible records

Kyren Wilson

• Win percentage: 70.59 (12/17)
• Best result: Semi-final (2018)
• High break: 143

Ronnie O'Sullivan

• Win percentage: 74.12 (63/85)
• Best result: Winner (2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013)
• High break: 147

2019/20 highlights

Kyren Wilson

• Best finish: Runner-up (Gibraltar Open, Welsh Open, Paul Hunter Classic*)
• Triple Crown: UK Championship - R2; Masters - QF

Ronnie O'Sullivan

• Best finish: Winner (Shanghai Masters*)
• Triple Crown: UK Championship - R4; Masters - DNP

*Non-ranking

Career highlights

Kyren Wilson

• Ranking titles: 3 titles (8 finals)
  2019 German Masters, 2018 Paul Hunter Classic, 2015 Shanghai Masters
• Non-ranking titles: 0 (3 finals)

Ronnie O'Sullivan

• World Championship: 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013
  Runner-up in 2014
• UK Championship: 1993, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2014, 2017, 2018
  Runner-up in 2016
• Masters: 1995, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017
  Runner-up in 1996, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2019
• Total ranking titles: 36 (52 finals)
• Minor ranking titles: 3 (6 finals)
• Non-ranking titles: 33 (50 finals)