Ding edges clear of Davis

Steve Davis must overcome a 5-3 deficit against young pretender Ding Junhui if his 100th career final appearance at the Travis Perkins UK Championship is to end in an emotional triumph.

The 48-year-old, who has rediscovered his brilliant best in York this week, matched the Chinese teenager blow for blow until he missed a fine chance in frame eight to level it up going into tonight’s final session.

Seeking a seventh UK title 25 years after his first, Davis made the ideal start as his 18-year-old opponent began nervously despite his implacable exterior.

With his first shot of the match Ding attempted a long red but missed and let Davis in to take control of the frame.

In the next, which lasted 37 minutes, it was Davis’ turn to miss a long red which allowed the Shanghai youngster to make a decisive 26 for 1-1, and then Ding moved ahead with a break of 111.

The six time world champion restored parity before the interval and after contributions of 41 and 35 had put Ding back in front, Davis’ highest break of the session, an 81, made it 3-3.

Another 81, this time for the world number 62, won frame seven and then came the squandered opportunity by the ’Nugget’ that could prove vital to the ultimate outcome.

After a superb pot on the blue to gain position on the last red, Davis missed and a double kiss let in Ding to comfortably clear to the pink to open the first two-frame advantage of the match.

Ding needs five more frames this evening to take the title.