Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

It was very interesting watching Shaun leave there. His head was down there. It was a complete about turn.

As long is Shaun is no worse off than where he was this morning he will go into tonight with a chance.

100 for Selby - and a three-frame leadpublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 3 May 2021

14:48 BST 3 May 2021

Frame 21: Selby 12-9 Murphy

A fantastic break of 107 from Mark Selby re-establishes that three-frame advantage.

Mid-session interval now, it's as we were at the start of the day - but Selby is getting within sight of that finishing line.

The balls have fallen far friendlier for Mark Selby in this frame though and he's going to extend his lead back to three frames at the mid-session interval.

He has that look in his eyes of wanting a century break. We haven't had one yet.

Meanwhile, at the Beardmore household, there could be a tactical battle to rival Selby's greatest.

Even the Jester might struggle to get out of this predicament.

Referee's call. Re-rack.

Image source, BBC Sport

For all his tactical reputation, Mark Selby is not afraid to take a risk when he thinks it worthy.

He spots a plant in the pack of reds and bangs it in.

Again, though, he runs out of position a few shots later.

But, in more traditional Selby style, he plays a good snooker, Murphy fouls and the Jester is back among the balls again.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

You start every session cold and sometimes that can dictate proceedings. The score is irrelevant. You have to fight whether you are in front or behind for every frame.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

Shaun will be delighted to get the crowd going and get some momentum.

Yesterday it just seemed like there wasn't much between them. When you get to Monday the end is in sight. Unforced errors at this stage can be costly.

Fans celebrate as the World Snooker Championship hosts the first capacity crowd at a UK sporting event in over a year.

Steve Sutcliffe, our man at the Crucible, has been chatting to fans about how it feels to be back at such a high-profile sporting event.

The World Snooker Championship, remember, has been one of the Government's sporting pilots for a return to normality...

Speaking of the spectators, check out this reception the players were treated to at the start of this third session of the final.

Gets you right in the feels.

Shaun Murphy survives a scary spell of Selby snooker-seeking by pumping in a long blue.

He takes a quick break, cheered out of the arena by a crowd delighted that they have a real match on their hands.

But he misses a cut-back black after a poor positional shot.

Another chance for Shaun Murphy who plays an absolutely sublime shot on a mid-distance yellow to get perfectly behind the green on the right cushion.

Selby needs two snookers but he'll play on. He always does!

Shaun Murphy might regret that decision.

Mark Selby pulls out one of the best long reds you will ever see from almost the jaws of the corner pocket with the cue ball.

It wiped its feet but it went in.

If Selby steals this one too, is there any way back?

Image source, Getty Images

Discretion is the better part of valour, Shaun Murphy decides.

He has a 51-point lead to protect so you can't blame him.

Mark Selby ditches the spider in favour of the traditional rest as he can cue the right-hand side of the white without fouling.

It's a good effort to reach one of the reds at the other end of the table but it falls short.

He hits a red at the next attempt but leaves a thin cut for Murphy who pots it but hardly lands great on a colour. Decision time.

Instead, Mark Selby gets out the fishing equipment as they call it - the long spider and cue extension - and tries to cue over the brown from several feet away.

It looks difficult and he completely miscues, the white ball moving a couple of inches.

And then he does it again. Wow. He needs a rethink here.

Alan McManus
Former Masters champion on BBC Two

This could be a hit and hope, there’s not much else on.

He can't make it count, breaking down on 37.

But a safety and a long shot-to-nothing red gives him the chance to lay a nasty snooker on Mark Selby behind the brown.

Judd Trump
World number one on BBC Two

I’m not sure how the players were feeling earlier, whether they were calm coming out but there will definitely be a few nerves in their bodies now.

Credit to Shaun Murphy - first impressions are that he hasn't let the loss of that big frame perturb him at all.

I'm running out of ways to describe his long reds and we're only in frame four of the day. I'll go for bludgeoned this time.

It's given him a chance but he needs to make it count. He did in the day's opener but when he broke down in frame two, Selby pinched it.