John Parrott
1991 world champion and BBC Sport expert

"The way Stuart Bingham has played to win the session 6-2 is phenomenal. It is one of the most watchable and enjoyable finals I can remember and he has played a huge part in that. You don't want to be working your victory speech out just yet. There is a long way to go.

"Where Shaun Murphy can be dangerous is that some of the pressure can come off him a bit. The way he pots long balls he can still have a big say in this final."

That miss on the green could be costly. It enables Stuart Bingham, who, let's not forget, has been 3-0 and 8-4 behind yesterday and started the day 9-8 down, to take the final frame.

He goes into the final session with an 14-11 lead. He said he has dreamed of winning the world title. He needs four more.

Well, that didn't last long. Seven scored from Murphy, a green to roll into the middle pocket, but it stays out and Bingham closes in on a three-frame lead.

"Come on Shaun", shouts a fan as Bingham, now 58 up, misses a yellow off the spot.

Last frame of the session and Stuart Bingham should be looking at the scoreboard saying 14-11. It may well do later on, but not yet.

He misses a red with the rest. A very vital 10 minutes coming up for Shaun Murphy. He is 57 behind and having to play safe with 83 on the table.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

Image source, PA

"The legend Jimmy White is around at the Crucible today, taking in the action of the World Championship final.

"He, of course, famously never won the title having lost in the showpiece event a record six times. The Whirlwind looked in good spirits, smiling for pictures and signing autographs from adoring fans back stage."

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion and BBC Sport expert

"This is great. I am loving it. Sometimes you don't like watching others play but this is like a boxing match. You hit me, I'll hit you back harder. There's not a lot of safety play.

"As we said, Stuart will have been happy how he got out after yesterday but Shaun will be equally happy if he gets out 13-12 here."

Now if Stephen Hendry says it a great match, then you know you are witnessing something special.

John Parrott said it was a massive frame for Shaun Murphy. And how he responds. He is digging deep, and fighting hard. His break of 84 wins it.

Any plans for tonight? Cancel them. This is going to be all the entertainment you need. We have one more frame this afternoon. It will either be 14-11 to Bingham or 13-12.

John Parrott
1991 world champion and BBC Sport expert

"Shaun Murphy has two massive frames now. At least one of them has to be his. He is under pressure because Stuart Bingham is playing the match of his life on the biggest snooker day of his life. You can't ask much more than that."

Andy Clayton: Very entertaining. Can't believe how well Stuart Bingham's coping with the pressure. Should be a great final session this evening.

Ben Johnson: Bingham is like fine wine, maturing with age, what a matchplay performance. Go Bingham. Do this.

Charlotte Green: Just tuned into the snooker. What a turnaround from Bingham!! Come on lad let's have a new winner.

Where have you been Charlotte, we've been here for ages?

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion and BBC Sport expert

"To be frank, I didn't think Stuart was that good. I knew he was a heavy scorer and capable of winning tournaments but to do it here - he's going to have a lead going into the final session. It's an incredible performance."

Two frames left in this session and a maximum of 10 frames in the final session this evening. Eighteen is the winning post.

Just when Shaun Murphy thought he was getting back into it, Stuart Bingham races ahead once more. A top-class, high-quality final continues with a break of 87.

We are at the early stages of the 23rd frame. Bingham at the table.

Some reaction to our interview with snooker supremo Barry Hearn.

Martin Warren: Very impressed with Barry Hearn's vision of snooker for the next five years, particularly with a Home Nations tournament fair play.

Marcus Stead: This is a very good time to be involved in snooker. It's not a good time to be an idiot. The game doesn't owe anyone a living.

Jimi Schuler: More tournaments :) more snooker on the telly, fair play.

A much-needed frame for Shaun Murphy. That is his first frame of the day and closes the gap to two.

Murphy needs to get back into this match quickly. And a rapid 59 is a perfect way to start.

More from World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn on BBC Sport: "There will be a few sob stories. The guys who lose, who were more protected in the past. They are talking to the wrong person. Sport is brutal.

"Complacency is not in our dictionary and we are pushing ahead. We are a global sport that is growing every month of the year. There is no limit to where we can go. We can all be very optimistic. This game is at the dawn of a new era."

Last week Hearn announced a new five-year plan for snooker, with new events in Glasgow, Belfast and Manchester, while the tour prize money will also increase from £8m this season to £8.5m in 2015-16 and £10m in 2016-17.

World snooker chairman Barry Hearn on BBC Sport: "Five years ago I had a call from some of the players asking me to come back. I don't do chairmanships, I do control because I am a control freak. I looked at snooker and was saddened by the predicament it was in. There was no vision, no energy.

"You have to smash things up sometimes to start again. We've delivered to the most important people; the players. It is a level playing field based on ability. No favours, no handouts. Some of the guys who have won now would never have been given a chance under the old system."

A few years ago, the future of snooker looked bleak. There were only half a dozen ranking events, with players going weeks, maybe months without competitive action.

The man who has changed that is World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn. Our television coverage has had a fascinating interview with the boss of snooker.