By Joshua Richards

BASILDON'S Stuart Bingham holds a two-frame advantage over Judd Trump at the halfway stage of his first-ever World Snooker Championship semi-final after a nerveless display today.

The 38-year-old held a 5-3 lead from Thursday's opening session and showed great battling qualities, brilliant break building and measured safety play to maintain that superiority, leading 9-7.

With Shaun Murphy having pulled away so spectacularly from Barry Hawkins in the other semi-final, a cagey start was perhaps understandable in this one.

But it was Bingham who eventually nabbed the 26-minute opener, a break of 52 proving decisive after Trump had made a mess of an attempted long red.

Trump had endured his poorest session of the tournament so far on Thursday, perhaps still suffering the effects of the fever he had complained of following his quarter-final defeat of Ding Junhui.

But he certainly got into his groove in frame ten, making his 80th century of the season, despite the black being out of commission throughout, to reduce the arrears to 6-4.

Echo:

Stuart Bingham will be aiming to make the World Championship final

Bingham got in first next up and looked set to regain his three-frame advantage. But after missing a straightforward red into the corner on 46, Trump nicked the frame with a 63.

The world No10 looked to be cruising to a 7-5 advantage, but lost position on the frame-clinching red and was forced to stop on 67.

However, Trump miscued his safety, a double kiss as he attempted to bring the white back to the baulk end proved his undoing and Bingham did not need a second invitation to go 7-5 up.

There was a slow start after the interval, a ten-minute safety exchange before a ball was potted ended when Bingham cut a red into the middle. He went on to make a break of 54, before losing position on the pink to let his opponent back in. Trump clawed his way back to within 13 points, but missed a red down the rail and Bingham finished him off.

Bingham was in early with a break of 35 to leave Trump squirming in this chair at the start of frame 14. And though the Juddernaut's reply stopped on 45 when he saw the penultimate red rattle the jaws, he dug deep to get over the line in a tense finale.

The penultimate frame was Bingham's, a break of 85 ensuring he would hold a lead at the halfway stage.

But a 64 break, loaded with exhibition shots, will have Trump sleeping a little easier.

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