MARK Williams is the oldest man left in this year’s Betfred World Snooker Championship and he used that experience to stay in touch with Barry Hawkins in the early going of their semi-final, writes Luke Baker.

The Cwm cueman trails 5-3 in the best-of-33 contest but importantly took the final frame of Thursday evening’s first session to remain within striking distance instead of falling four frames behind The semi-final in Sheffield is a battle of the Golden Oldies with 39-year-old Hawkins and 43-year-old Williams proving they still have what it takes to compete at the very top end of the sport.

Kent potter Hawkins is playing his fifth World semi-final in six years and no player, even three-time champion Mark Selby, has won more than the 18 matches he has during that period.

Williams is no slouch when it comes to the Worlds either – he is a two-time champion and although the last of those came in 2003, a resurgent season has seen him win two ranking events already this term.

World No.6 Hawkins flew out of the blocks on Thursday with breaks of 129 and 74 giving him a 2-0 advantage before the Welshman responded with an 88 to get on the board.

Hawkins won three of the next four frames however – compiling knocks of 52 and 90 in the process – to take complete control at 5-2.

But Williams showed his trademark grit and gave himself something to build on with a 110 in the evening’s final frame, leaving the score at 5-3 overnight.

The players return for the second of four sessions at 2.30pm on Friday, before concluding their contest on Saturday, with 17 frames the target for victory.

Watch the snooker World Championship LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport Player with Colin Murray and analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.