Doherty chases Hunter amid concerns over quality of table

PAUL HUNTER established early supremacy by opening up a 6-2 lead in his Embassy World Championship semi-final with Ken Doherty at The Crucible, but the green baize on which the best-of-33-frame contest was being conducted again caused controversy.

Hunter took command despite both players’ concerns about the way the table was playing with the ball clearly slightly rolling off in an area around the brown spot. The number one table for the previous 12 days had been repositioned and recovered in the centre of the arena overnight.

Leeds born Hunter was given a tremendous reception by the predominantly Yorkshire audience as he entered the auditorium and he had been installed as favourite with the bookmakers to reach his first world final. Ladbrokes quoted the 24-year-old at 8-11 on to triumph in the match spread over three days and four sessions, with Doherty rated at evens. The only question was over how much Hunter’s gruelling 13-12 victory over 2002 champion Peter Ebdon last night had taken out of him mentally.