It's a rarity in this year's tournament, over on table two - an all-seed clash.

Third seed Judd Trump takes on 14th seed Tom Ford.

They are two of the eight seeds remaining from the 16 that started.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Getty Images

There was very little between John Higgins and Jamie Jones on Wednesday.

Higgins, 48, is going for his fifth Crucible crown but has not lifted any silverware since the 2021 Players Championship, despite competing in five finals during the intervening period.

Meanwhile, Jones who beat another former champion in Neil Robertson when coming through qualifying had his best run in the competition over a decade ago, when he reached the quarter-finals in 2012.

Image source, getty

Ronnie O'Sullivan advanced to the second round of the World Championship earlier.

Having led 8-1 overnight he made light work of getting the two frames he required for victory against Jackson Page and was done in time to take a late lunch.

The seven-time world champion will now face Ryan Day in a best-of-25 second-round match that begins on Sunday (10:00 BST)

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Right here we go again.

We've got John Higgins and Jamie Jones playing their hard-fought (well so far anyway) first-round match to a conclusion and Judd Trump is in action against Tom Ford in the second round.

This should be a cracking evening of snooker.

In the first session of the round two matches, Robert Milkins stole the last frame 65-64 on the black in his match against David Gilbert.

However, Gilbert, ranked 31st in the world and who beat 2023 champion Luca Brecel on the opening day, still holds a 5-3 advantage over the 16th seed after the first session.

That match resumes on Friday morning (10:00 BST) and it is the first to 13 so Gilbert could win with a session to spare if he takes all eight frames.

If not, it will be played to a finish on Friday's evening session from 19:00 BST.

Well Ronnie O'Sullivan secured a thumping 10-1 first-round victory over Jackson Page with very little difficulty earlier this afternoon.

But there are some cracking matches to come this evening as we continue the cross over from first to second rounds:

First round (best of 19 frames)

John Higgins 5-4 Jamie Jones (to a finish)

Second round (best of 25 frames)

Judd Trump v Tom Ford

(Both 19:00 BST)

Seven-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan raced through the two frames he needed to thrash Welsh qualifier Jackson Page 10-1 and move into the last 16 at the World Championship.

O'Sullivan, 48, is aiming to win his eighth title and move clear of Stephen Hendry's mark of seven Crucible successes in the 1990s, and he began Thursday's play with an emphatic 8-1 lead over his 22-year-old opponent.

A break of 79 took O'Sullivan one frame away and he clinched victory soon afterwards.

O'Sullivan's winning margin was the joint largest at this year's competition, matching Kyren Wilson's 10-1 victory over Dominic Dale.

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Image source, WDBS

Snooker could be set to make a return to the Paralympics in 2032, 44 years after its last appearance.

World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) is pushing for snooker to be included with disability snooker growing at a rapid rate.

In December, England won three gold medals at the World Abilitysport Games in Thailand, a multi-sport event which featured competitors from nine countries taking part in the snooker competitions.

Tony Southern claimed gold in the group two wheelchair category and said the chance to represent Great Britain at the Paralympics would be “a dream come true”.

“We’ve been trying to get back in the Paralympics for a while,” added the 55-year-old from Liverpool. “The last time was in 1988 in Seoul with only one limited wheelchair category.

“Hopefully we will be in for 2032. In 2032 it’s in Brisbane and Australia is a hotbed for snooker so hopefully that will be another ace in the pack.

"It’s a sport that can be enjoyed by all, no matter your disability or ability at the table and it’s one of the few sports that can be played by everybody.”

I don't think Ronnie is bothered about anyone in this tournament. I don't think he cares about who's in the other seat.

He's just thinking about his own game. He believes it's good enough to wipe the floor with anyone else - that's what I got from his interview.

Two half centuries apiece but David Gilbert has the edge at the mid-session interval in the first of the second-round matches.

Rob Milkins hasn't really got going despite a break of 73, which briefly got him back to 2-1 down.

Ronnie says he's played terribly for two years - his version of terrible is different to a lot of people's. His 'B' game is still incredible.

He's as fit as anyone in the game. He doesn't play every tournament. I can see him playing until 55 if he wants to.

There's a challenge to the Trumps of this world - can you step up? Or is Ronnie going to dominate for the next few years?

Ronnie O'Sullivan's exertions, if you can call them that mean he will now face Ryan Day in the second round.

Their best-of-25 encounter will get under way on Sunday morning (10:00 BST).

If 'The Rocket' was to advance from that he would then play either Jack Lisowsk or Stuart Bingham in the quarter-finals with Si Jiahui, Jak Jones, Tom Ford and Judd Trump, all potential semi-final opponents.

It's probably as bullish as I've ever heard Ronnie in an interview about his own achievements and how he sees his standing in the game and I like it.

I don't like it when he plays it down about what he's achieved and how good he is. He's the greatest there's ever been. Why not tell everyone he's the greatest there's ever been?

Image source, PA Media

Ronnie O'Sullivan is a strong favourite. I don't bet but if you gave me a free bet I would put it on him because he is on a quest, looks focussed and when he is like that he takes a world of beating.

More from Seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan speaking on BBC Two: "I don't lie when I say I am not playing well. A lot of people think I am but I am not a liar. I saw what I feel.

I know the ability is there it is just finding the right formula sometimes. I have already broken the rules for snooker, I am still going at 48, 49 and I am seeing what is possible now. What is possible in this game and how long can you keep going for?

"Can I win a World Championship at 50, who knows? I am probably the only player able to do that but let's see, let's have an experiment.

"To do what I have done in this season, I have done over a whole career. I have been doing it for 30 years. I have had the greatest career of any snooker player.

"How many people can say they have been the best or most successful in their job ever. I have to really give myself a pat on the back because I don't, I am hard on myself. Nobody has achieved what i have achieved on a table statistically.

"What is possible? I don't know. Statistically probably this would be [my best season] but playing wise, definitely not."

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan speaking on BBC Two after beating Jackson Page: "I played and cued well which was good. Jackson is a really good player. I knew I had to be on my game, one of the hardest first-round draws I could have got but I was pleased with my performance.

"I just play. The harder the test the more I see it as a challenge. I have trained hard all my life, I am mentally tough and ready to play whenever.

"I played terrible for two years but I have won and I know how to win. That is something I am blessed with. I haven't really cued smoothly but I have started working with Nic Barrow a coach who knows my game inside out and I decided I can't coach myself anymore and I have felt as good on the practice tables in the last couple of weeks as I have in the last six to seven years."

Ronnie always beats who he's supposed to beat when he's supposed to beat them.

He gets to the winning line with not one hesitation.

It's something you can't teach, you either have that or you don't.

I think this could be a procession, this World Championship. It looks like he's on it. The draw's opening up.

Two players in his half of the draw who have beaten him this season - Mark Williams and Zhang Anda are both out. He has Judd Trump, possibly in the semi, who hasn't beaten him since 2020.

Job done. It is a long haul this championship and you need to conserve mental petrol and the best way of doing it is winning as easily as you can.

Ronnie O'Sullivan heads out of the arena with one arm raised aloft. His celebration is a little along the lines of former Scotland and Manchester United forward Denis Law.

Iconic and minimum of fuss.

Jackson Page has left the green near the right corner...Ronnie O'Sullivan duly sinks it and that is that.