Judd Trump may be favourite to win the World Championship title but qualifier Gary Wilson held his own in Thursday’s opening session of their semi-final.

With so many big-name stars crashing out of the prestigious event in the early rounds, Trump is now the leading light and expected to lift the trophy next Monday.

However, he is locked together at 4-4 with a man who had made only one visit to the Crucible prior to this year’s event.

The first two frames were shared before Wilson notched his eighth century of the tournament to edge 2-1 ahead but Trump then moved into a one-frame lead.

If there were any thoughts that north-east native Wilson would crack they were soon dispelled when he levelled affairs once again and ‘The Escape Artist’ took advantage of some uncharacteristic sloppy play from his opponent to take the lead.

Trump showed his class with a break of 54 to win the final frame of the day and it is all to play for on Friday afternoon.

Wilson is the outsider at 4.00 to win the match with word number seven Trump on offer at 1.22 but, on Thursday’s showing, there is little between the players and it could go all the way.

Trump has enjoyed a superb season, with victory in the Masters while also taking the World Grand Prix and Northern Ireland Open, and he does have the pedigree to pull away from Wilson over such a long match.

However, Wilson has not looked flustered and has already accounted for Mark Selby and Ali Carter in Sheffield.