"Where's the cue ball going?" is the time-honoured question from John Virgo in the commentary box as Ding Junhui escapes a snooker but goes in-off.

Mark Allen misses a long red by some distance but Ding fails to punish him and now an easier chance for the Northern Irishman in this must-win frame.

Robin W: Won't even be a mid-session interval tonight at this rate.

Nathan Roe: Frankly the 'Pistol' has to win the final frame to win tonight.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

Image source, Getty Images

It's a lovely feeling in a final when you're dominating and you know your opponent can't do anything.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

Ding is not being put under any pressure by his opponent and once again we see how great a player he is.

All the really top players in the game are good bullies - they love being frontrunners and they like it their own way. The hole gets deeper for Mark Allen but Ding is putting the damage in.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at York Barbican

That's three centuries for Ding with that effort of 102 coming after a 126 in frame four and 135 in frame five.

The good news for Mark Allen is he only has one more frame in this session before he can regroup. Can he get some damage limitation and take the last frame of the afternoon session?

Ding 6-1 up, playing superbly and in complete control at the moment.

Mathew Hulbert: Ding is running away with this final.

Andy McKinstry: Fair play Ding. He is flying.

Another ton for Dingpublished at 16:22 Greenwich Mean Time 20 November 2022

16:22 GMT 20 November 2022

Allen 1-6 Ding

A third century in four frames from Ding Junhui who is gratefully accepting the gift-wrapped chances Mark Allen is presenting him with.

A 102 break opens up a five-frame advantage.

He's showing no signs of missing. Quickly racks up a half-century and counting.

Snookers required for Mark Allen but I don't think he's getting back to the table.

Things are really getting away from Mark Allen here.

After Ding Junhui starts the seventh frame with a break of 24, Allen has a chance to respond but misses a red he'd pot 99 times out of 100.

Leaves Ding bang in the reds.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at York Barbican

How costly is that missed blue with only three balls remaining going to be for Mark Allen?

Ding Junhui gets halfway to his target and is going to take some stopping now. But there's still a long, long way to go.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

Mark did come into the studio last night and say he was exhausted after playing his semi-final.

I don't think he's in sparkling form. He's doing really well in the tournament, it just seems he's git out of form as the tournament has progressed. It doesn't usually happen - but it can happen.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

To win snooker matches, you've got to pot balls - and Mark Allen isn't potting enough balls.

It was the same last night against Jack Lisowski until he went 5-3 behind.

I'm looking at his pace - he's taking 30 seconds per shot, that's too slow for Mark Allen. He needs to change something or this final could be over this afternoon if it goes 7-1.

In case you missed it, the draw for the Masters was made during the mid-session interval of the final.

Check out Michael Emons' recap of the draw here.

And then he strokes in a far-from-easy black just off the side cushion.

Huge frame and potentially a hammer blow to Mark Allen.

Another snooker from Allen, this time intentional, puts Ding Junhui in bother.

He hits it but leaves a decent chance on the blue to the left corner. It's a shot Allen would usually get but the pressure tells.

Ding can't miss it, he gets perfectly on the pink...

And just as I write that, Ding plays a shocker, leaving the brown right over a corner pocket for Mark Allen.

A tricky blue is miles off, though. But he's snookered Ding behind the pink.

Ding looks up to the heavens in exasperation but then gets some luck himself when he escapes the snooker and a double kiss leaves the blue unpottable.

Some quality safety from both players here, each not giving the other a sniff of a pot on this brown for a good few minutes now.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at York Barbican

If Mark Allen was to fall 5-1 behind it would start to look a really tough task to claw this one back as Ding Junhui would be halfway to the finish line of 10 frames.

This could well be a crucial few minutes in this match.

Mark Allen runs out of position on the green. Pots it but a very tough, long brown is his reward. Level at 49 points all now, massive frame.

He knows that so plays safe.

Ding Junhui comes off two cushions and the cue ball finishes literally a millimetre off the red. Maybe closer.

Then misses it by miles with his second attempt. These penalty points are aiding Mark Allen's cause.

As is Ding's third attempt - he hits the red this time but leaves it on. Not an easy clearance though with several colours off their spots.