Wednesday's World Snooker Championship predictions and betting tips: Heavy scorers set to shine

Where to watch the World Snooker Championship

BBC & Eurosport, 10am, 2.30pm & 7pm Wednesday

Best bets

Highest break over 124.5 in Kyren Wilson v Ryan Day
1pt 17-20 Coral, Ladbrokes

Mark Selby -3.5 frames v Matthew Selt
1pt 4-5 Hills

Over 15.5 frames in Shaun Murphy v Si Juahui
1pt 4-6 Betfair, Paddy Power

World Snooker Championship day five first-round predictions

Kyren Wilson v Ryan Day (10am)

It is difficult to confidently predict what might happen when Kyren Wilson takes to the auditorium against Ryan Day because many of their previous matches have been polarised and qualifier Day leads their personal series 11-7, having won 53 of the 98 frames they've contested.

Wilson is understandably the favourite by virtue of higher rank and greater consistency, but Day is playing well this season and is such a good player on his, er, day that an upset cannot be ruled out.

It could be closely fought, although that's not certain to be the case. But given that the pair have been in fine scoring form in recent weeks, the best way to punt on the match could be to expect further big compilations.

A 147 break is 25-1 to happen with bet365, and this isn't the worst match to have that bet on, but punters should take the 17-20 about the clash featuring a break of 125 or higher.

Day made a 146 in qualifying for the World Championship – a target that has twice been matched by Neil Robertson in this year's Crucible finals – and at the end of last month he made a 147 in the Tour Championship.

Wilson, meanwhile, made a raft of centuries in the Tour Championship recently and, although he has drawn one of the toughest qualifiers, the Warrior should also put on a good show in Sheffield.

Mark Selby v Matthew Selt (2.30pm)

Matthew Selt is such a capable performer that assessing Mark Selby's level of superiority over the qualifier isn't an easy task, but the four-time champion rarely takes too long to click into gear at the Crucible.

Bookmakers are taking few chances on Selby in the match betting although the oddsmakers are a little split between a 3.5 and a 4.5-frame start for outsider Selt on the handicap.

Take a chance on Selby crossing the finishing line before Selt wins seven frames. The underdog can be a seriously heavy scorer but inconsistency has been a problem for him.

That is likely to be the crux of this match, because Selby is one of the most consistent performers in the game and Selt may struggle to maintain his concentration long enough to stay with the Jester from Leicester over the best-of-19-frames contest.

Selby leads their head-to-head record 9-3 and all three of Selt's wins have come in the best-of-five-frame format of the Championship League. When the pair met in the first round of the 2013 World Championship it finished 10-4 to Selby in a match that failed to yield a century break.

Shaun Murphy v Si Jiahui (7pm)

Shaun Murphy is all the rage to land a second Crucible crown but, while the Magician has been the player to beat in the second half of the season, he is no certainty to progress against the hugely capable Si Jiahui.

Never mind Murphy's brilliant displays to win the Players and Tour Championship double – Si's qualifying wins over Tom Ford (10-5) and Jordan Brown (10-7) entitle him to serious respect no matter who he's playing. The Chinese 20-year-old posted runs of 126, 102, 92 and 87 in downing Ford and 115 and 90 in denying Brown.

Murphy has produced some top-drawer performances in recent months but, as well as the good times at the Crucible, he has had his fair share of trips to Sheffield when things failed to click.

And if by any chance Murphy turns up not quite at the level that he has been showing in recent months, he could still be vulnerable against an opponent of Si's ability and potential.

The choice looks to be between backing Si, who won his only previous meeting with Murphy 6-5 in the 2021 UK Championship, with a handicap start or going over the total frames. As is often the case, the second option enables backers to get another frame on their side and that is preferred.

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