WHO WILL POT THE FINAL BLACK ?

As the World Snooker Championship approaches it's final stages, it seems we're in for a battle between young and old. On the one hand, Judd Trump, 21, and Ding Junhui, 24, will contest one semi-final, while on the other, Mark Williams, 36, and John Higgins, 36 next month, will contest the other. Williams and Higgins have 5 World titles, and 7 appearenaces in the final, between them, while neither of the two youngsters has even reached the semi-final stage before.

The standard at this year's championship has, in my inexpert view, been excellent. Any of the remaining competitors would be a worthy champion as all have shown plenty of grit and determination as well as amazing skill so far. In particular, perhaps, young Judd Trump has exceeded all expectations with some remarkable displays of potting, now allied to at least some semblance of a 'safety game'. The two 'old-stagers' have both had their troubles in recent years but have battled immensely hard to put themselves firmly in the frame yet again, and Ding Junhui has added an entirely new dimension to the game's international appeal. Only a handful of players from outside of the traditional 'white european' culture (in which I include former colonial countries such as Australia and Canada) have ever made a mark in the game and Ding can make history by becoming the first Asian player to win the crown; he has already achieved the distinction of being the first Asian semi-finalist.

Who will triumph ? For once, I don't really have a favourite; gone are the days when I'd shout my support for Steve Davis or Jimmy White at the television and, in different ways, I can see reasons for supporting all four players. Williams for his dramatic return to form after years in the wilderness and Higgins for his rehabilitation after the match-fixing scandal of last year; young Trump as, perhaps, the most exciting player and the 'face of the future', and Ding as the man whose success so far has brought snooker to a wider audience than ever before and whose success here could revolutionise it.

I have a sneaking feeling that the final may be Williams against Trump, but then again it could be Higgins against Ding .......... or Williams against Ding .......... or Higgins against Trump. Oh dear, it could be anyone !