Snooker: Former champion John Parrott produced a spirited fightback to draw level with Shaun Murphy today and give himself a chance of reaching the World Championship quarter-finals for the first time in eight years.
Resuming their best of 25 frames encounter 5-3 behind, the 1991 Crucible winner gave one of his best displays in recent years to put the 2005 champion and clear favourite under pressure going into tonight's final session at 7pm.
Qualifier Parrott, who lost all four of yesterday's opening frames, continued his comeback by taking the first frame of the day. But the number six seed, who saw off Judd Trump in the first round, hit back to take the next two with a break of 61 to pinch the 11th from under the 42-year-old's nose.
It was difficult to fault the quality of the 24-year-old's immaculate safety shots, with Parrott respectfully tapping the table on a number of occasions. But Murphy's long potting let him down at times, giving the veteran plenty of opportunities at the table.
And the world number 42, who defeated fellow BBC pundit Steve Davis in the opening round, needed no second invitation.
He began to show glimpses of the form which saw him triumph here 16 years ago, taking five of the remaining six frames and finishing with a break of 123 to leave the arena to a standing ovation.
There was drama early on across the curtain when two-time Sheffield semi-finalist Joe Swail had a great chance to become only the sixth man to ever make a 147 clearance at the Crucible.
The Irishman made a flying start to the opening frame of his second-round game with Scotland's Stephen Maguire, potting 12 reds and 11 blacks before eventually running out of position - much to the disappointment of the audience.
Nevertheless, Swail seemed initially undeterred by the missed opportunity, following up his break of 104 with the second frame too.
But number nine seed Maguire soon rallied to heap further misery on the 37-year-old, reeling off all six of the remaining frames — despite managing just one break over 50 — to take firm control.
The pair resume at 7pm, with the winner set to meet either England's Anthony Hamilton or 2005 semi-finalist Ian McCulloch, who returned to their own second-round game at 2pm level at 4-4.
On the other table, Crucible debutant Mark Allen, who ended the challenge of Ken Doherty, was hoping to take another hefty scalp when he begun his match with twice runner-up Matthew Stevens. PA