:00:47. > :00:52.Last time I played mark was in the 2008 final. It was the very first
:00:52. > :00:56.time I won a major tournament and I played Stephen. What I remember, I
:00:56. > :01:00.played observation in the first session and see vep didn't really
:01:00. > :01:07.perform. The second session I played really well and didn't give
:01:07. > :01:11.Stephen a chance. It can happen in a final. That's probably the last
:01:11. > :01:15.time I played Stephen until coming here this year. Obviously I have
:01:15. > :01:25.great memories of playing Stephen the last time and obviously beating
:01:25. > :01:27.
:01:27. > :01:37.him in a major final. A cracking game. You don't get to be number 1
:01:37. > :01:44.
:01:44. > :01:49.Stephen is a great player. For years he had been struggling, the
:01:49. > :01:54.past few years, but obviously he has won four major tournaments.
:01:54. > :01:59.Shows his class. But the last year or so he has shown he is back to
:01:59. > :02:04.his best. When he gets to his best he is more than a handful for
:02:04. > :02:13.everyone. It's going to be a tough game. Rpblgs I'm playing OK. Just
:02:13. > :02:19.had some work done on the cue. I struggled over Christmas, didn't
:02:19. > :02:25.really do anything so I'm really up for the match. I have a great
:02:25. > :02:32.record at the masters but that was at Wembley. With it moving here, I
:02:32. > :02:37.don't know. I'm not really superstitious like that. As long as
:02:37. > :02:47.I play well and give myself the best chance, that's all I can ask
:02:47. > :02:48.
:02:48. > :02:53.Hello and welcome to Masters Snooker Extra and day 4 of the
:02:53. > :03:03.masters. Our feature match tonight is a repeat of the 2008 masters
:03:03. > :03:04.
:03:04. > :03:14.final. How will this one unfold. We'll join it at the start of the
:03:14. > :03:24.
:03:24. > :03:31.He gets the second frame under way. We mentioned early on there is a
:03:31. > :03:37.lot of movement with Mark. We saw it very early there when he was
:03:37. > :03:47.cueing up and breaking off. Just have a look at the movement. He
:03:47. > :03:57.
:03:57. > :04:07.seems to get everything set, ready for the shot. Chose to play the
:04:07. > :04:08.
:04:08. > :04:17.more attacking way. Off the black. It was a long way off. A slight bit
:04:17. > :04:27.of safety there. Leaves the red just next to the black. Where is
:04:27. > :04:29.
:04:29. > :04:35.this red going? It's not being left. I don't think there is any way that
:04:35. > :04:40.-- well, he could play the pot off the red. There is a red just stick
:04:40. > :04:46.out from that main bunch that was cut into the left corner. It's this
:04:46. > :04:55.red. As long as he gets near the jaws of the pocket the red should
:04:55. > :05:05.run safe. He needed to screw back a bit further than that and I'm sure
:05:05. > :05:36.
:05:36. > :05:46.that was his intention. He has left That is good target, that yellow,
:05:46. > :05:57.
:05:57. > :06:02.green and brown there. Get that cueball up off the cushion. That's
:06:02. > :06:06.pretty good. He has covered the path down the right-hand side of
:06:06. > :06:13.the table somewhat. The left hand path is quite congested. That
:06:13. > :06:21.little shake of the head tells you Mark Selby not happy. So coming off
:06:21. > :06:31.the side cushions and going into the main bunch. Miss judged this. -
:06:31. > :06:36.
:06:36. > :06:43.Mark left his cue on the table. Wants to make sure the referee puts
:06:43. > :06:53.the white in exactly the same place. Might be a millimetre further to
:06:53. > :07:04.
:07:04. > :07:09.I have to say, for someone of Mark Selby's classs that is poor. To
:07:09. > :07:16.attempt, he can't hit red -- he will be warned here because he can
:07:16. > :07:26.hit reds on either side. If he doesn't hit one this time he
:07:26. > :07:34.
:07:35. > :07:44.forfeits the frame. It's as simple He went for a red that he didn't
:07:45. > :07:49.
:07:49. > :07:54.want to play and he's been very fortunate. The world number 1. He
:07:54. > :07:59.was forced into playing the red. We said if he didn't play the red he
:07:59. > :08:06.would forfeit the frame. He played a shot he didn't want to play. This
:08:06. > :08:11.went off the second red, didn't leave the black safe. World number
:08:11. > :08:21.1 form. Didn't leave the pot open for his opponent. They've all had
:08:21. > :08:25.
:08:25. > :08:35.it. Stephen felt he could clip that one in. No such luck for Stephen.
:08:35. > :09:08.
:09:08. > :09:18.He misses the red but leaves one. Well, that was a surprise. He will
:09:18. > :09:19.
:09:19. > :09:26.be disappointed. There is the red over the far left corner. But he
:09:26. > :09:32.would like to keep that in reserve. Surely he's not covered himself on
:09:32. > :09:42.the blue. If he has he is on nothing. Surely not. The look on
:09:42. > :09:46.
:09:46. > :09:56.his face, he probably has. That's amazing. Well, you couldn't imagine
:09:56. > :10:00.
:10:00. > :10:04.that happening in a month of Sundays. You could say it's a bit
:10:04. > :10:10.careless but in all honestly, the odds of that happening, he could
:10:10. > :10:14.play that a thousand times and it wouldn't happen. All he can do here
:10:14. > :10:18.is just cover the path to the red over the corner, but it wouldn't be
:10:18. > :10:28.that difficult to come off the side cushion and possibly pot it. But
:10:28. > :10:36.
:10:36. > :10:46.If he has cut off the one cushion escape which he may have done by
:10:46. > :10:52.
:10:52. > :10:57.getting very tight to the green, that is a very good shot. The fact
:10:57. > :11:02.that Mark is not playing off the right-hand side cushion across the
:11:02. > :11:06.table, he has got tight enough to the green to cover the one cushion
:11:06. > :11:16.escape. Considering his an annoyance and frustration that was
:11:16. > :11:19.
:11:19. > :11:29.an excellent shot from Stephen. Apparently that pink is a lot
:11:29. > :11:30.
:11:30. > :11:40.bigger than the other balls. It's like a magnet! All four shots by
:11:40. > :11:46.
:11:46. > :11:51.both players have been, well, That's a poor shot. Never
:11:51. > :12:01.guaranteed to get a nice position there if theed very so far into the
:12:01. > :12:07.
:12:07. > :12:17.jaws of the pocket. But there is a lot of margin for error there.
:12:17. > :12:43.
:12:43. > :12:47.The red closest to the left corner, well, he's not even looking at that.
:12:47. > :12:53.Maybe he was hampered by the blue or maybe he thinks safety is a lot
:12:53. > :13:03.easier and he could get his opponent in trouble. Well, he
:13:03. > :13:23.
:13:23. > :13:28.(APPLAUSE) The Reds are nicely spread, but
:13:28. > :13:38.once again as in the first frame we've got the pink and black out of
:13:38. > :13:41.
:13:41. > :13:49.commission. So it's never easy to win a frame with just the blue --
:13:49. > :13:55.you can build up a useful lead of course. The left-hand side of these
:13:56. > :14:01.two reads he may be able to screw up for the black if he fancys it.
:14:01. > :14:11.The fact it's too scrappy for him, he will want to get some points on
:14:11. > :14:20.the board first by using the blue. If the blue goes into the left
:14:20. > :14:30.corner, that's quite fortunate. I'm certain that's what Stephen is
:14:30. > :14:35.
:14:35. > :14:41.He's not made the best job of that. I mean, I think this red goes to
:14:41. > :14:46.the left middle but it depends on the potting angle. It's getting
:14:46. > :14:53.down pretty quick so can he go for the blue? No, he is having to leave
:14:53. > :14:59.himself a long blue. He will be slightly hampers. There is one red
:14:59. > :15:09.near the left hand cushion that will make it slightly awkward. This
:15:09. > :15:09.
:15:09. > :15:58.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:15:58. > :16:08.That puts Mark four points in front now. Still a lot to do to win the
:16:08. > :16:11.
:16:11. > :16:21.Just got right side of the blue, with the follow through off the
:16:21. > :16:41.
:16:41. > :16:51.This makes shots a lot easier. There is a lot more room to take
:16:51. > :17:27.
:17:27. > :17:31.(APPLAUSE) There are two reds in easily
:17:31. > :17:41.pottable positions, one close to the corner and one in the middle of
:17:41. > :17:47.the table. He has decided to play the cannon and he could go wrong.
:17:47. > :17:57.Don't know whether he went into that too much, but that speed was a
:17:57. > :18:05.
:18:05. > :18:14.bit risky. That's what I was going That was a great shot. Back in
:18:14. > :18:24.perfect position again. Yes. Now with a 28-point lead. He is looking
:18:24. > :18:25.
:18:25. > :18:35.for three of these remaining reds. This time absolutely perfect on the
:18:35. > :18:37.
:18:37. > :18:43.Stephen, nothing he can do. Just has to sit there. In his chair a
:18:43. > :18:49.few times. I thought he was coming back to the table but by good luck
:18:49. > :18:58.or good play he has been kept in his seat. A little bit too straight
:18:58. > :19:02.on this red, though. 34 points the lead but still 59 remaining. He is
:19:02. > :19:11.straight enough. If he plays a deep screw he has to be careful he
:19:11. > :19:18.doesn't make contact with the red that's near his hand. Or the other
:19:18. > :19:27.(APPLAUSE) That could not have worked out
:19:27. > :19:30.better. I'm not saying he didn't have a thought that could happen by
:19:30. > :19:40.screwing the cueball wide but to cannon the red and finish perfect
:19:40. > :19:44.on the blue, you have to say that was a bit for tutious. Now the blue.
:19:45. > :19:49.This is the one here, he was swinging it wide. But if he catchs
:19:49. > :19:55.that red full he's on nothing. He is perfect on the blue. Now that
:19:55. > :20:01.blue has gone in. He is 46 points in front with 43 remaining. If he
:20:01. > :20:11.just roll this is red in and makes certain of it I don't think Stephen
:20:11. > :20:13.
:20:13. > :20:23.will bother coming back to the No reason to try to power this in.
:20:23. > :20:27.
:20:27. > :20:37.Just make certain of the red. To clinch the frame. It should be 2-0
:20:37. > :20:47.
:20:47. > :20:52.to Mark Selby, the world number 1. Imperative now he gets on the black.
:20:52. > :20:56.And an easy pot of the red. Where is the cueball going? Well, it was
:20:56. > :21:01.a chance missed. It was a chance missed because if he had potted the
:21:01. > :21:10.red and made a thinner contact he should have been nicely on the
:21:10. > :21:15.black. Is asking the referee how he is looking with regard to touching
:21:15. > :21:25.the pink. The referee won't tell him. Now the red has gone in.
:21:25. > :21:26.
:21:26. > :21:36.(APPLAUSE) . Dots the Is and crosses the Ts in
:21:36. > :21:37.
:21:37. > :22:24.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:22:24. > :22:32.(APPLAUSE) The frame before the mid-session
:22:32. > :22:42.interval. Wouldn't Stephen Lee like to win this one and. Going into
:22:42. > :22:42.that interval 4-0 behind, the first of six. Not many positive thoughts.
:22:42. > :22:52.Good pot. (APPLAUSE)
:22:52. > :22:54.
:22:54. > :23:02.Again lovely pot but didn't play it with a whole lot of conviction to
:23:02. > :23:12.get on the black. 3-0 down you need make things happen quickly. At the
:23:12. > :23:33.
:23:33. > :23:40.moment Mark Selby is having a very Not the best of safety shots.
:23:40. > :23:46.Another chance here for Stephen. He just needs, if you like, to fire a
:23:46. > :23:56.big break in here just to build his confidence up.
:23:56. > :23:57.
:23:57. > :24:03.(APPLAUSE) Just about. He is perfect on the
:24:03. > :24:09.black. Finished awkward. The two red to the left, I don't think
:24:09. > :24:19.either of them followed. He will go in the right centre. I think that's
:24:19. > :24:22.
:24:22. > :24:27.the shot he would like to play off That's the trouble when you're not
:24:27. > :24:35.absolutely in perfect you're trying to do a bit with the cueball. He's
:24:35. > :24:40.got no excuse for missing that. A bad day at the office so far. His
:24:40. > :24:50.percentage was 70%, which is well below what is needed and below
:24:50. > :24:56.
:24:56. > :25:00.still after missing the black of I always think you need about 90%
:25:00. > :25:10.off everything. But long pot success, I think that's reasonable
:25:10. > :25:13.
:25:13. > :25:19.The only reason, I don't look at 90% is I think sometimes people are
:25:19. > :25:24.playing long shots are erring on the side of a shot for nothing. He
:25:24. > :25:30.will be disappointed with that. He has overrun that. He played for one
:25:30. > :25:37.of those two reds in the left corner. Certainly not this one. I
:25:37. > :25:47.know it goes. He is stooping. Wouldn't have done that a few years
:25:47. > :25:47.
:25:47. > :25:57.A good pot. (APPLAUSE)
:25:57. > :26:23.
:26:23. > :26:32.. Not quite. So he's not recovered The long one is made a lot easier
:26:32. > :26:42.when you're 3-0 in front and not 3- 0 behind. If it didn't go in,
:26:42. > :26:48.blocked pocket for the red he's about to play. And also, I think
:26:48. > :26:55.when you're standing to chase Stephen Lee, it doesn't make you
:26:55. > :26:59.feel any better... No, I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a lack of
:26:59. > :27:05.respect. But he's not too concerned about what is behind him. That's
:27:05. > :27:15.how you feel, any way. It can be a psychological game, this. Well, it
:27:15. > :27:47.
:27:47. > :27:51.is. There is no doubt about it. Not Be a good ask to pot the black and
:27:51. > :27:56.go into the red. But he may, the way he is feeling at the moment,
:27:56. > :28:01.very confident, he could play it. There is the loose red to play for.
:28:01. > :28:11.He did play for it. He thought at the worst I will be on the loose
:28:11. > :28:51.
:28:51. > :28:56.red. At the moment he has got the Just having a look to see if there
:28:56. > :29:03.is a red in the middle. He's got a couple of reds he can play for.
:29:03. > :29:12.There is no need play any cannons now, because that could go wrong.
:29:12. > :29:17.Just basically chip away at what's A bit straighter on this red would
:29:17. > :29:22.have been better. Then he could have just held for the blue nicely.
:29:22. > :29:30.But may have to play for the bought colour here. Decided to come in out
:29:30. > :29:35.of the balk and come on to the blue. But he underhit it slightly. I did
:29:35. > :29:42.say there is no need to play any cannons but he may be forced into
:29:42. > :29:52.playing one here. He is playing for the brown and he is playing for
:29:52. > :30:09.
:30:09. > :30:14.Now, he did look to see if the red was available in the left corner,
:30:14. > :30:20.the one immediately below the pink. If it does he won't have to play
:30:20. > :30:28.any cannons. It does go. There is a nice angle on the blue to play for
:30:28. > :30:38.it. That puts him 55 points in front. 67 remaining. So just a red
:30:38. > :30:48.
:30:48. > :30:55.and a black. And Stephen Lee will Then the pink will do. 92%, 68% for
:30:55. > :31:03.Stephen. That's very disappointing. That pink should definitely mean
:31:03. > :31:09.now that Mark Selby will go into the dressing room with a 4-0 lead.
:31:09. > :31:19.Stephen, as I say, he will be disappointed. But he has got to
:31:19. > :31:24.
:31:24. > :31:29.start producing. Has he got it in him today to do that? Just finds,
:31:29. > :31:38.particularly in this frame, that Mark Selby definitely growing in
:31:38. > :31:46.confidence, Stephen. He is only going to get stronger. He will get
:31:46. > :31:52.the world number 1 -- he didn't get to world number 1 without punishing
:31:52. > :31:58.your opponent for his mistakes. Stephen has been looking forward to
:31:58. > :32:02.this event but he is just not showing what he is capable of.
:32:02. > :32:12.There was times last season when he really looked as though he was back
:32:12. > :32:23.
:32:23. > :32:28.to his best. But was it a false Deep screw this with left-hand side.
:32:28. > :32:38.He played that one nicely. (APPLAUSE)
:32:38. > :32:40.
:32:40. > :32:50.. Still needs the yellow and the green. Nice break -- highest break
:32:50. > :32:56.
:32:56. > :33:04.still stands with Shaun Murphy at 139. So he's not going to beat that.
:33:05. > :33:12.Career high of 223 at the moment. Make it 224. Well played.
:33:12. > :33:19.(APPLAUSE) Already, 25. He had 54 last season.
:33:19. > :33:25.So he is nearly halfway there. We've only just gone past the turn
:33:25. > :33:30.of the year. But the world PC tournament, the century list will
:33:30. > :33:36.get higher and higher. He played a bit of an exhibition shot there,
:33:36. > :33:42.playing with a lot of right-hand side. He is playing the double. Not
:33:42. > :33:49.quite but he will be pleased with the first four frames which is not
:33:49. > :33:57.what you can say about Stephen Lee. He will be very disappointed. Mark
:33:57. > :34:07.Selby marches on. Goes in for a cup of tea. 4-0 in front. That's the
:34:07. > :34:07.
:34:07. > :34:15.trophy they are playing for. think he has to attack a bit more.
:34:15. > :34:23.(APPLAUSE) The long balls he has gone for he
:34:23. > :34:32.has played with a degree of safety. I think 4-0 down you just go on the
:34:32. > :34:37.attack now. Not so bad when it's a best of 11 and 9, which still
:34:37. > :34:47.leaves two frames to run. There is a bit of leeway there, but not a
:34:47. > :34:48.
:34:48. > :34:56.lot. Table time, two thirds Mark Selby and just a third of it to
:34:56. > :35:06.Stephen Lee. Have a look at the total points. This will tell the
:35:06. > :35:06.
:35:06. > :35:16.tale. 337 against 76. Four frames only scored 76 points. That's
:35:16. > :35:31.
:35:31. > :35:41.usually his highest break or more Where is the red going? It's near
:35:41. > :35:41.
:35:41. > :35:48.the pocket. I think he may be able to get past the brown. If he can.
:35:48. > :35:55.He will have to bend this slightly with a bit of left-hand side. The
:35:55. > :36:00.only problem is if he was to catch it a little bit too thick with all
:36:00. > :36:05.the sides he has on he could take the cueball into a bunch of reds
:36:05. > :36:13.and he could be on nothing. Maybe he doesn't have to bend it that
:36:13. > :36:17.much, to be honest. He did. That was the problem. With the Reds on
:36:17. > :36:21.either side he was always going to swing the cueball wide. He was
:36:21. > :36:26.looking to see if he could get through to the black. Even if he
:36:26. > :36:36.can, it wouldn't be the easiest of shots. Stkwhr and it would help if
:36:36. > :36:39.
:36:39. > :36:46.he was to play safe, if he could He must feel as though he can hit
:36:46. > :36:56.it. I don't think he would risk playing the pot. If he can hit it
:36:56. > :37:05.
:37:05. > :37:11.As I say, if he can hit it, he can It's almost like a guide.
:37:11. > :37:18.(APPLAUSE) He was a little unlucky not to
:37:18. > :37:28.finish up on a red. So a good pot. But it will only give him the extra
:37:28. > :37:41.
:37:41. > :37:51.That was a loose safety. It was a good target there behind green and
:37:51. > :37:58.
:37:58. > :38:08.brown. He must be in with a chance Just not happening, I'm afraid, for
:38:08. > :38:08.
:38:08. > :39:42.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:39:42. > :39:50.Well, that's unlucky. It can always happen, of course, going into a red
:39:50. > :39:56.with such pace. Couldn't really envisage that happening. So is this
:39:56. > :40:04.the Lifeline that Stephen Lee was looking for? I would suggest he
:40:04. > :40:10.needs to win the frame at this visit. Not only for the confidence
:40:10. > :40:20.booster but just to get some rhythm going. He has got none at the
:40:20. > :40:44.
:40:44. > :40:50.Probably the best chance he has had in the match really. Nothing do.
:40:50. > :41:00.Doesn't have to disturb anything. Just keep his mind on the job for a
:41:00. > :41:23.
:41:23. > :41:27.Amazing, though, when you're 4-0 behind, even though the Reds are
:41:27. > :41:31.set up almost like a practice row teep you see problems there when
:41:31. > :41:37.they are not really there. You also can't get the scoreline out of your
:41:37. > :41:44.mind, either, 4-0. You want the games or the frames to be over as
:41:44. > :41:54.quick as possible. You just need to hold your concentration one ball at
:41:54. > :41:58.
:41:59. > :42:03.a time. He should get this. Just not pinpoint position. Good
:42:03. > :42:09.recovery, though. He might choose to play a cannon here, right off
:42:09. > :42:15.the cushion. Three reds to the right. The two reds to the left
:42:16. > :42:24.don't pot to the right corner. Something like a line like that if
:42:24. > :42:31.he could find it. He is OK I think... Just. He just needed to
:42:31. > :42:37.either play it a little bit more to the side. He played it plain ball.
:42:37. > :42:41.He is just about on this red but lucky to have it. I was thinking
:42:41. > :42:47.red to the right corner, not thinking red to the far left corner.
:42:47. > :42:55.He has got a nice little angle. With possibly the black in the same
:42:55. > :43:05.pocket. The only thing is, he is close to the red and it's a tricky
:43:05. > :43:34.
:43:34. > :43:44.(APPLAUSE) Gravity took over. It didn't look
:43:44. > :43:54.in. Any more pace and I'm certain it wouldn't have dropped. Now back
:43:54. > :43:54.
:43:54. > :44:01.on track with a 27-point lead. Three of these reds, they couldn't
:44:01. > :44:11.be better situated. Looks like he will get his first frame on the
:44:11. > :44:25.
:44:25. > :44:35.He does strike the cueball so well. As well as anybody in the game.
:44:35. > :44:48.
:44:48. > :44:58.Just this red to go 41 points in front with 35 remaining. So the
:44:58. > :45:00.
:45:00. > :45:04.red... Mark Selby was a bit unfortunate,
:45:04. > :45:08.the black cannon into the red knocked a red into the middle. But
:45:08. > :45:18.on balance in the first four frames, although you only deserve what you
:45:18. > :45:30.
:45:30. > :45:39.get, but the run of the balls did Two blues, three pinks, five blacks.
:45:39. > :45:45.So he has stayed on the high-value colours for this break. Obviously
:45:45. > :45:55.he can get through to the green if he clears these five remaining
:45:55. > :46:33.
:46:33. > :46:38.Well played Stephen Lee. It couldn't have come at a better time.
:46:38. > :46:48.Still got a mountain to climb but he has got his first frame on the
:46:48. > :47:09.
:47:09. > :47:19.That's a decent break. At least he hasn't left the possibility of a
:47:19. > :47:25.
:47:25. > :47:35.red for one of the corners, which Well, it didn't look to be the best
:47:35. > :48:03.
:48:03. > :48:07.of safetys but the flick on the Just come up a little bit too thick.
:48:07. > :48:17.He can't afford to make any mistakes now, Stephen, because the
:48:17. > :48:51.
:48:51. > :48:55.Although that's not the best of That's one safety shot. Wouldn't
:48:55. > :49:05.leave much because the black is covering one red and the other two
:49:05. > :49:09.
:49:09. > :49:17.reds are covering each other. You don't want to make it too thin.
:49:17. > :49:27.Slightly thicker than he intended. So it's a mistake. How costly it
:49:27. > :49:27.
:49:27. > :50:45.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:50:45. > :50:50.That was a terrific pot. He is just far enough away from the cushion,
:50:50. > :50:56.not much you can do about that, right in the heart of the pocket.
:50:56. > :51:04.And long put success, I think about, well, maybe two thirds success rate.
:51:04. > :51:10.About a good 66%, I think. He just was away from the cushion enough to
:51:10. > :51:20.make that green easy enough to get the cueball down to the business
:51:20. > :51:24.
:51:24. > :51:34.end here. This is a great opportunity. This visit for frame
:51:34. > :51:35.
:51:35. > :51:45.and match. As with all the top players, when Mark sees a chance to
:51:45. > :51:51.
:51:51. > :51:55.get over the winning line, he Looking to play for the black as
:51:55. > :52:05.soon as possible. Possibly screw back to the black in the same
:52:05. > :52:20.
:52:20. > :52:26.Looking to see if the black pots in the left hand corner. He really
:52:26. > :52:36.wants to get rid of a red left to the black spot. It would really
:52:36. > :52:42.
:52:42. > :52:46.I think the black is available to both corner pockets funnyly enough.
:52:46. > :52:56.It's definitely available into the left corner and I think into the
:52:56. > :53:28.
:53:28. > :53:38.The black now available into both corner pockets. He will be thinking
:53:38. > :53:39.
:53:39. > :53:44.this is a quarter final place for Match time less than two hours.
:53:44. > :53:48.First frame was quite a slow one. Just over 28 minutes. But we said
:53:48. > :53:53.at the time that we didn't think it was going to get any longer than
:53:53. > :54:03.that, just the way the game is played nowadays. You see average
:54:03. > :54:12.
:54:12. > :54:22.Took the opportunity put another couple of reds into play. He would
:54:22. > :54:41.
:54:41. > :54:45.He might have thought for a second he missed that. Once you cut near
:54:45. > :54:55.those jaws invariably they stay out. That could probably have been
:54:55. > :55:00.
:55:00. > :55:06.Stephen's last chance of getting Usual thing, when you getaway with
:55:06. > :55:14.a shot like that, works up your concentration again. You think,
:55:14. > :55:18."I'm not gonna let that happen again." But as you say, John, the
:55:18. > :55:24.first jaw of the pocket, normally they don't go in. I have seen a few
:55:24. > :55:30.this week at the jaws and gone in. Sometimes if they are not played
:55:30. > :55:34.with too much pace gravity takes over, but there was enough pace in
:55:34. > :55:41.that to keep it out. He didn't play the best positional shot on the
:55:41. > :55:46.pink but he has recovered it nicely. Doesn't have a lot to do. He may
:55:46. > :55:50.have to get the extension out. Unless he plays the red to the left.
:55:50. > :55:56.This basically boils down to a couple of reds and colours. This
:55:56. > :56:06.ball to the right, always using the extension, doesn't have to do a lot.
:56:06. > :56:24.
:56:24. > :56:29.If he gets good position on the I don't know. I'm like you, you
:56:29. > :56:35.think the top players are not going to be trying when they get to the
:56:35. > :56:41.finishing line. But the last three shots he looked a bit shaky. For
:56:41. > :56:45.some reason. He shouldn't be. black he almost missed. He got down
:56:45. > :56:55.without chalking the curbgs ue. It was a shot he would never have
:56:55. > :57:00.
:57:00. > :57:07.expected to miss. It's as if it has This is Stephen Lee's last chance
:57:07. > :57:17.to get back into this match. It is. We see in sport so many times how
:57:17. > :57:26.things can turn around on just one shot. Not for one minute am I
:57:26. > :57:36.thinking that. But he certainly let his opponent off the hook here.
:57:36. > :57:56.
:57:56. > :58:02.This match should have been over Still 40 points behind which
:58:02. > :58:08.equates to him needing all the balls on the table. That's what
:58:08. > :58:17.it's gonna take to pull this frame out of the fire. But it's certainly
:58:17. > :58:23.an opportunity Stephen would never have expected. I think whatever
:58:23. > :58:30.colours he takes, he is gonna need them all. Just four reds, four
:58:30. > :58:35.blacks would be 32 points. So to go into the colours two points behind.
:58:35. > :58:45.So he will just concentrate and pot all the balls and he will win the
:58:45. > :58:59.
:58:59. > :59:04.Again, just a little bit more angle than he would like on the black
:59:04. > :59:11.than he would like to comfortably drop in these two reds. That's why
:59:11. > :59:21.he has had to play on the red beside the pink. Someone
:59:21. > :59:22.
:59:22. > :59:27.straightforward. He has to play for the ping here. Come past the pink.
:59:27. > :59:32.He could play for pink or black. He may be able to run through here and
:59:32. > :59:39.avoid the kiss on the pink. But if he plays for the pink he doesn't
:59:39. > :59:44.want to... He decided to go through for the black. Once again in the
:59:44. > :59:54.position where it seems the only surefire way to be on a red is to
:59:54. > :59:56.
:59:56. > :00:01.play a cannon. Which can always go wrong. Mm. Delicate little shot
:00:01. > :00:07.needed now. Of course in the position he is, he knows if he
:00:07. > :00:17.misses it, he is out of the masters. But I think he can just about drop
:00:17. > :00:27.it in. But will he want to play it with a little bit more pace so if
:00:27. > :00:32.
:00:32. > :00:42.he miss it is it doesn't stay in the jaws?
:00:42. > :00:43.
:00:43. > :00:53.(APPLAUSE) Another one that just caught the
:00:53. > :01:05.
:01:05. > :01:11.near jaw. But that was a little bit Hmm. He has gone a little bit too
:01:11. > :01:15.far for the blue. I don't know why he didn't stun that in then and go
:01:15. > :01:25.up the left-hand side of the table. No matter which colour he played he
:01:25. > :01:31.
:01:31. > :01:36.Ed too hard for the blue, you are... I think there was more chance.
:01:36. > :01:46.Straight yellow. This should be frame over.
:01:46. > :01:53.
:01:53. > :01:59.He probably cued it too well but it shouldn't cause a problem. I always
:01:59. > :02:09.think this clearance, if he pots the brown and gets good on the blue
:02:09. > :02:13.
:02:13. > :02:18.He is good on the blue. We're just going to roll this in. Only the
:02:18. > :02:25.pink will be needed. Well, as I say, I'm sure he was in his seat
:02:25. > :02:34.thinking he was out of this tournament. Not just yet. This pink
:02:34. > :02:41.all that was required. In it goes. So Mark Selby will be thinking why
:02:41. > :02:46.are we playing another frame? But we are. Because he missed a very
:02:46. > :02:56.easy ball. Stephen Lee now, well, still a mountain to climb but he's
:02:56. > :03:04.
:03:04. > :03:11.When you look at the way frames pan out and when you look at the 6th
:03:11. > :03:21.frame when Stephen Lee was in and that straight ball, the red, to the
:03:21. > :03:24.
:03:24. > :03:30.corner, it could have been 4-3 now. Ifs, buts and makes. I think Mark
:03:30. > :03:36.Selby will be mildly irritated than too bothered by that last frame. He
:03:37. > :03:46.will know he should have done his press conferences, signed his
:03:47. > :03:47.
:03:47. > :04:40.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:04:40. > :04:45.autographs and be on his way home This is a path back to the ball,
:04:45. > :04:50.Ken. But whenever there is a red in the middle of the table you have to
:04:50. > :04:56.make certain you kept it just right otherwise you leave the pot open.
:04:56. > :05:03.Don't think he can play safe off the red in the middle of the table.
:05:03. > :05:10.Doesn't like the thought of playing off the red third in, if you like.
:05:10. > :05:17.He is playing this in the middle of the table. Can he get back? It's a
:05:17. > :05:27.thin one. Not quite certain what he has played there. Let's put it this
:05:27. > :05:38.
:05:38. > :05:46.He was almost trying to to put that red into the pack and leave the
:05:46. > :05:50.white on the top of the cushion. Screwing back to the black off the
:05:50. > :05:58.same pocket. (APPLAUSE)
:05:58. > :06:06.Beautifully played. The backspin you've got comes when you hit the
:06:06. > :06:16.second red. Played it beautifully. Now, is he on anything? Has he
:06:16. > :06:19.
:06:19. > :06:29.landed on anything? The bottom red will go but can he hit enough of
:06:29. > :06:30.
:06:30. > :06:40.it? He has given it the one-eyed stare. What do you think at home?
:06:40. > :06:49.
:06:49. > :06:55.Maybe just can get enough of this From behind the pocket it looked as
:06:56. > :07:03.though he could hit enough of it. But hit it too thin. There is a red
:07:03. > :07:13.available. The one in the middle of the table, it goes to the left
:07:13. > :07:13.
:07:13. > :07:22.middle. Has to trust a lot with position. I don't think he has left
:07:22. > :07:32.anything. Well, apart from the red that's near the baulk cushion. Not
:07:32. > :07:32.
:07:32. > :08:14.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:08:14. > :08:22.sure whether that will count, Mark Try to bring the white back to the
:08:22. > :08:32.baulk cushion, but just be careful where the red ends up. Played it
:08:32. > :08:34.
:08:34. > :08:38.I thought he had played it well, but I'm just wondering, the red he
:08:38. > :08:48.played has just come down far enough so Mark can get past the
:08:48. > :09:15.
:09:15. > :09:22.yellow and pot it. You know I think He missed it. Got a good cueball,
:09:22. > :09:29.though. I don't think there is a path back to the ball here. In a
:09:30. > :09:34.bit of -- spot of bother here, Stephen. You try to pot your way
:09:34. > :09:44.out of trouble sometimes in this situation.
:09:44. > :09:45.
:09:46. > :09:51.(APPLAUSE) He may just be on the black here. I
:09:51. > :09:57.reckon, his body language, he is either not on it or he doesn't
:09:57. > :10:02.fancy it. It can only be one of the two. He was in so much trouble,
:10:02. > :10:08.couldn't play the safety shot. How many times do we see that? Being
:10:08. > :10:13.forced into playing the pot, he knocks it in. He is walking up
:10:13. > :10:23.there now and it tells me he just can't get through to the potting
:10:23. > :10:26.
:10:26. > :10:33.angle on the black. It's imperative here he gets the cueball tight.
:10:33. > :10:43.also he would like to cover the right hand side of the pack for the
:10:43. > :10:43.
:10:43. > :11:32.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:11:32. > :11:37.easy escape back. Which I don't For the first time, too thick on
:11:37. > :11:42.the safety. It's a painful thing when you leave your opponent with
:11:42. > :11:51.his hand on the table this side of the baulk line. Stephen knows that.
:11:51. > :12:01.There are a couple of reds that are pottable. Maybe he finished short,
:12:01. > :12:23.
:12:23. > :12:33.but the brown is probably the mark Much too thick. Much too thick. Big
:12:33. > :12:35.
:12:35. > :12:40.shot, this. Mm. It was one you felt he needed to get. Because with the
:12:40. > :12:47.Reds open as they are, any miss at this end of the table could cost
:12:47. > :12:53.him. It's amazing, sometimes a bad safety gets you an opening, forces
:12:53. > :13:03.your opponent to take on a red that they're not entirely comfortable
:13:03. > :13:10.
:13:10. > :13:15.Well, I think he may have been a little bit fortunate here. Not
:13:15. > :13:25.certain whether Stephen can -- well, he's looking at this red to see if
:13:25. > :13:31.
:13:31. > :13:39.it will go past. Certainly not all the pocket available. If he knocks
:13:39. > :13:49.it in he will automatically go on the black. Needs to get it. Good
:13:49. > :13:53.
:13:53. > :13:59.shot. Good shot. And on the black. (APPLAUSE)
:13:59. > :14:03.Fully committed. Like I say, there wasn't the all the pocket but he
:14:03. > :14:10.slotted it in lovely. This is a terrific chance to put the
:14:10. > :14:18.scoreline out of your mind and concentrate on one ball at a time.
:14:18. > :14:23.Who is to say where that could take him? I agree with you, Stephen, to
:14:23. > :14:29.start this frame losing the last one Mark Selby would be slightly
:14:29. > :14:35.irritated. But if he was to lose this one he may be getting a bit
:14:35. > :14:39.concerned. Every mistake he makes now, his mind goes back to the red
:14:39. > :14:46.he missed. And the match should have been over. Very tough to put
:14:46. > :14:56.these things out of your mind when your opponent starts creeping back
:14:56. > :14:56.
:14:56. > :15:38.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:15:38. > :15:45.Mark Selby can only look on. This was the red that Stephen was
:15:45. > :15:51.referring to. If he rolls that in he needs a black and one more red
:15:51. > :15:56.for a place in the quarter final. And he has made a few mistakes in
:15:56. > :16:02.this frame as well. Doubts will start to trickle into his head.
:16:02. > :16:09.That trophy may not look as far away from Stephen Lee as it did a
:16:09. > :16:19.few frames ago. He has to hold himself together of course. But he
:16:19. > :16:37.
:16:37. > :16:43.has every chance in this frame now. Up for the blue. That's OK. Left
:16:43. > :16:53.himself a nice angle on the blue. He can hold the cueball and do
:16:53. > :17:09.
:17:09. > :17:15.nicely on the next red, 26 points Stephen Lee missed a very easy red
:17:15. > :17:24.a couple of frames ago and looked demoralised but now he looks
:17:25. > :17:31.There are a few things you need when you are playing catch-up. You
:17:31. > :17:41.need to start raising your game. You need probably a little bit of
:17:41. > :17:43.
:17:43. > :17:48.luck. What does help, it -- you need help from your opponent and he
:17:48. > :17:58.has certainly had that for the last couple of frames. Decided to play
:17:58. > :18:01.for the red along the top cushion. Some people spurn these but he
:18:01. > :18:06.knocks it in. (APPLAUSE)
:18:06. > :18:10.Left a little bit too much on. It just wonder what sort of an angle
:18:11. > :18:20.he has on this black. He just wanted to be a little bit lower,
:18:21. > :18:27.
:18:27. > :18:32.just an inch, that's all. Looks like a screw back for the red.
:18:32. > :18:42.pairs of red into the same pocket. The top one of these two must go
:18:42. > :18:53.
:18:53. > :19:01.Just the pink needed to go 62 points in front with 59 remaining.
:19:01. > :19:11.I'm daring to suggest this match is back on.
:19:11. > :19:46.
:19:46. > :19:50.(APPLAUSE) Well, Mark can have a little bit of
:19:50. > :19:55.a laugh. What a fluke that was. But of course the frame was well and
:19:55. > :19:59.truly over. But that's what he has always been capable of, Mark Selby.
:19:59. > :20:09.Having a sense of humour. Will he need a sense of humour, though, if
:20:09. > :20:14.
:20:14. > :20:19.Stephen Lee wins the next frame. Stephen Lee is -- has already made
:20:19. > :20:29.a hundred break in frame 5. That was the 9th of the tournament. This
:20:29. > :20:32.
:20:32. > :20:42.could be the 10th. Could have done without the kiss on the pink. It's
:20:42. > :20:47.
:20:47. > :20:57.Starting to get that silky smooth cue action going. Probably for the
:20:57. > :21:00.
:21:00. > :21:05.first time in the match he can see a light at the end of the tunnel. A
:21:05. > :21:09.pity. He won't be too unhappy with that. I don't know what mak Selby
:21:09. > :21:19.is thinking but Stephen Lee will be thinking he is back in this. Just
:21:19. > :21:31.
:21:31. > :21:36.The break, this time he has left a possibly red to the right corner,
:21:36. > :21:43.which may temp Mark Selby. He doesn't want to government too much
:21:43. > :21:53.in his shell here. He is going to play the safety. You don't want to
:21:53. > :21:58.err on the side of protecting your lead too much. I agree. I think the
:21:58. > :22:04.red on the right side of the table is a red he would normally take on
:22:04. > :22:13.90 per cent of the time. Put it this way, the match tomorrow
:22:13. > :22:16.between Sullivan and Trump I don't think you will see that.
:22:17. > :22:22.(APPLAUSE) That was the red you were referring
:22:22. > :22:28.to. A good pot from Stephen. He didn't fully commit. I don't blame
:22:28. > :22:32.him for that, being 5-3 down. Now he has knocked it in, a good
:22:32. > :22:40.snooker behind the yellow, tight as you can, cut off the escape down
:22:41. > :22:50.the left-hand side, you would have thought. No! No, it didn't reach.
:22:50. > :22:56.Would you believe it. So many players play their shots and drag
:22:56. > :23:03.them in the bottom of the right. I always play high off the white. I
:23:03. > :23:09.never liked the drag shot. Not saying it's the wrong way, everyone
:23:09. > :23:15.is different, but I couldn't play it that way. You feel as though you
:23:15. > :23:19.can get it harder, with a bit of drag, but obviously he didn't hit
:23:19. > :23:24.it hard enough. Well, that's careless, whatever you want to call
:23:24. > :23:28.it. But that could be a real turning point. Being so tight to
:23:28. > :23:33.the yellow, he did cut off the escape down the left-hand side of
:23:33. > :23:42.the table, which I was suggesting was the way to do it. It's very
:23:42. > :23:47.difficult to know how much he can hit here. That is a possible way.
:23:47. > :23:53.Come off very square off that first cushion and not for the first time
:23:53. > :23:59.-- I was going to say he hit the pink. He hit the red with you I --
:23:59. > :24:04.but I think he may have left it. Seemed to come off very square off
:24:04. > :24:10.that first cushion. That's at least the fourth or fifth time neither
:24:10. > :24:20.player has escaped that first cushion. It hasn't split at all.
:24:20. > :24:25.
:24:25. > :24:32.Has to be careful with this. Very close to the red. This is it. He
:24:32. > :24:37.did come off very square. You expect him to be at least a foot
:24:38. > :24:47.down past the middle pocket. Any way, it was his own fault for not
:24:48. > :25:04.
:25:04. > :25:11.Can Mark Selby now clinch this If he can leave a nice angle on the
:25:11. > :25:15.black here by potting this red, he has got the red to the right corner,
:25:15. > :25:21.play the black, cannon into the cluster, still be on the red in the
:25:21. > :25:27.open. If he can hold for the black and, as I say, leave a nice angle,
:25:27. > :25:37.well, he obviously felt he couldn't because he won't be cannoning off
:25:37. > :25:41.
:25:41. > :25:51.Well, he did. The reason I suggested he wouldn't, because he
:25:51. > :25:55.
:25:55. > :26:01.could finish up on nothing. Just about got through. The danger of
:26:01. > :26:11.playing it that way and forcing the angle, I thought he might finish up
:26:11. > :26:34.
:26:34. > :26:41.Stephen Lee would be sitting there thinking all of that hard work to
:26:41. > :26:51.get back to 5-3. To throw it away with a careless little roller
:26:51. > :26:59.behind the yellow. He would be There are many ways you can lose a
:26:59. > :27:07.frame of snooker, missed pots,a bit of bad luck. But, well, only had to
:27:07. > :27:17.roll the cueball four inches. Instead of that, he rolled it, what,
:27:17. > :27:21.
:27:21. > :27:26.3 and 1/32, as we used to say at my old school. Millimetres.
:27:26. > :27:31.(APPLAUSE) Now, if he can -- he has got one to
:27:31. > :27:39.the middle as well. It's all looking very good now for Mark
:27:39. > :27:49.Selby. Might have had a little negative thought at one time but
:27:49. > :27:54.
:27:54. > :27:59.they will be disappearing with Maybe a few negative thoughts will
:27:59. > :28:03.come back here. I suppose he played the cannon because he doesn't want
:28:03. > :28:13.to put right-hand side on the cueball and play for the red that
:28:13. > :28:22.
:28:22. > :28:32.was in the open. What is he on? Is that end the break? I think it is.
:28:32. > :28:32.
:28:32. > :29:50.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:29:50. > :29:55.Obviously wanted to put a red safe. It was a decent target that yellow
:29:55. > :30:02.being so close to the baulk cushion. Might be putting a pot on here. If
:30:02. > :30:08.he does, can he avoid a kiss on another red? Hmm. That's the last
:30:08. > :30:18.thing you need when you're 55 points behind, the black getting
:30:18. > :30:18.
:30:18. > :30:28.tied up. Maybe if he had got the right angle to pot it he wouldn't
:30:28. > :30:34.
:30:35. > :30:44.have kissed the red but it's a He was so far away I can only
:30:45. > :30:50.
:30:50. > :30:56.assume he didn't play the pot. I can't believe he played the pot and
:30:56. > :31:06.then he just played safe. He knows it's a good lead particularly, as I
:31:06. > :31:13.
:31:13. > :31:22.(APPLAUSE) He has left a nice angle on the
:31:22. > :31:32.blue. Hoping at some time he will bring it back into play. Here at
:31:32. > :31:51.
:31:51. > :31:56.He is just having a look. Don't necessarily leave blacks. Well, he
:31:56. > :32:00.will obviously because the last red is tied up by the black. Let's have
:32:01. > :32:09.a look. If he could roll this in and leave a nice angle on the pink
:32:09. > :32:15.that wouldn't be too bad, I don't think. Is it worth the risk playing
:32:15. > :32:19.the cannon on the three reds? The lower one will pot to the corner.
:32:19. > :32:23.Depends how he see it is. He played for the one red. You see that pink,
:32:23. > :32:27.it didn't go in the middle of the pocket. So that meant he hit it a
:32:27. > :32:32.little bit too thick and that's why he is short of pace on the
:32:32. > :32:38.positional side of the shot. He is playing cut here but I don't know,
:32:38. > :32:45.why not play the safe off the red on the left-hand side of the table?
:32:45. > :32:51.And try and get a good snooker? His choice. I'm with you, John. I would
:32:51. > :33:01.be playing a red on the same cushion. Quite a big target here, a
:33:01. > :33:05.
:33:05. > :33:11.snooker behind the yellow and green. He is guilty of the jealously thing
:33:11. > :33:15.thinking, "I've got to win the frame at this visit." That was a
:33:15. > :33:24.nothing shot in all honesty. I think he has left this chance of a
:33:24. > :33:33.pot on the red. You can clearly see he can get past the blue.
:33:33. > :33:38.(APPLAUSE) As far as Mark is concerned he is
:33:38. > :33:44.quite happy with that black still tied up. He wasn't bothered about
:33:44. > :33:50.bringing the black into play. Pots the blue, gets 48 points in front.
:33:50. > :33:55.Still 59 remaining. Not certain where the next red comes from. Well,
:33:55. > :34:05.he has played the cannon but missed the blue. Has he got the cannon? He
:34:05. > :34:09.
:34:09. > :34:14.has. Well, another turn. Another twist. Playing that with a lot of
:34:14. > :34:18.left-hand side. That's what caused him to miss the pot. Stephen, if he
:34:18. > :34:28.has stunned the left hand of these two reds into the left corner,
:34:28. > :34:39.
:34:39. > :34:46.could he stun the other red down to No. Might have this red in the left
:34:46. > :34:51.corner. Have to cut that red away from the black. It's not gone high
:34:51. > :34:55.enough. It would be a little bit risky if he was to play this red
:34:55. > :35:04.and bring it back from the left- hand side cushion, he could finish
:35:04. > :35:08.up on no colour at all here. The only advantage, he has the blue
:35:08. > :35:13.near the middle pocket, catching the red as he did, as long as he is
:35:13. > :35:23.on a bit of an angle it's not too bad. He has got a bit of an angle.
:35:23. > :35:41.
:35:41. > :35:44.So Mark Selby may not be sitting as I must admit, if I felt I could get
:35:44. > :35:52.the cannon off the red and the black off the blue I would
:35:52. > :36:02.definitely risk it. Because if he tries to do it off the red then it
:36:02. > :36:03.
:36:03. > :36:13.could go wrong. Into, decided to play for the red. He has not done
:36:13. > :36:49.
:36:49. > :36:53.it. Well. 30 points behind, 43 Decision time. I'm certain if this
:36:53. > :36:58.brown passes the green -- oh, neighbour doesn't. If it doesn't,
:36:58. > :37:08.then play the snooker. He is 29 points behind. There is still a
:37:08. > :37:09.
:37:09. > :37:15.possible 35. He is going to play the snooker. Make it a tough one to
:37:15. > :37:19.hit, though. It's pretty good. That's pretty good. He has covered
:37:19. > :37:27.the easy one cushion escape down the left-hand side of the table. Of
:37:27. > :37:37.course with that red being so close to the black, free balls can come
:37:37. > :37:43.into it here and also of course the dreaded miss rule. We're not in the
:37:43. > :37:53.snooker's required stage. You have to be very accurate with this. He
:37:53. > :37:55.
:37:55. > :38:05.is playing it dead weight and he is Nowhere near. It's that dreaded
:38:05. > :38:10.
:38:10. > :38:14.side cushion again. Amazing. It seems to be coming off very square.
:38:14. > :38:18.I know it's still very much possible but the left has been
:38:18. > :38:23.pushed into a less pottable position than it was before.
:38:23. > :38:30.Whatever colour he takes off the last red is a bit more of a
:38:30. > :38:35.difficult positional shot. Stephen Lee has said, "I have definitely
:38:35. > :38:43.covered the escape down the left- hand side." Which he did. That's
:38:43. > :38:46.why he came through. It's so far away. It will take a bit of an
:38:46. > :38:56.adjustment. The pace he played it, if he was to hit it he would feel
:38:56. > :38:57.
:38:57. > :39:02.he would be in trouble again. There is always the fear if he plays it
:39:02. > :39:12.with pace he will leave a free ball. But I would be taking a bit of a
:39:12. > :39:20.
:39:20. > :39:25.That's what I'm thinking of. This way you can play it -- all right,
:39:25. > :39:27.mightn't want to play it too firm but he wants to hit it. Good shot.
:39:27. > :39:37.Very good shot. (APPLAUSE)
:39:37. > :39:44.
:39:44. > :39:48.But he has left a chance for I don't think he is cannoning the
:39:48. > :39:58.brown from the green. I think he can concentrate fully on the pot.
:39:58. > :40:00.
:40:00. > :40:09.Come back down possibly for the (APPLAUSE)
:40:09. > :40:13.In it goes. I suppose he is just happy to see that red. But the
:40:13. > :40:22.brown going safe, that's going to be one big hurdle to overcome if he
:40:22. > :40:27.is going to win the frame at this visit. Couldn't have played that
:40:27. > :40:30.pink any better. But because the brown is such a distance from the
:40:30. > :40:35.blue, it's going to be very difficult to pot that brown with
:40:35. > :40:41.any kind of pace. It's right in the middle of the ball cushion. It's
:40:41. > :40:46.not as if it favours one side or the other. The way he played the
:40:46. > :40:52.last red, you usually find players under pressure would rather stand
:40:52. > :40:57.the ball than play follow through shots. The brown is the key shot.
:40:57. > :41:01.Has an angle. He could cannon it here. I think I would be temped to
:41:01. > :41:11.play the cannon. Because even if you were perfect on the brown it's
:41:11. > :41:12.
:41:12. > :41:18.a tough shot along that baulk cushion. Played the cannon, called
:41:18. > :41:28.it wrong. 11 points behind, 22 on the table. So his opponent needs
:41:28. > :41:35.
:41:35. > :41:40.the brown and blue. So a good Well, it's safe but no real
:41:40. > :41:46.pressure. Although I think Mark Selby has introduced his own
:41:46. > :41:56.pressure in this match. Another frame he almost looked certain to
:41:56. > :42:06.
:42:06. > :42:11.Much too thin. He has caught the middle pocket. I suppose in a way
:42:11. > :42:16.he is a little bit fortunate he has left this straight. If one man
:42:16. > :42:19.could pot this and screw back with any amount of ease, that's Stephen
:42:20. > :42:28.Lee. It has to be accurate because he is going to be playing it with a
:42:28. > :42:38.little bit of pace. Uhe certainly has the cue action to make this
:42:38. > :42:38.
:42:38. > :42:45.shot look comfortable. Zoo well, has he left it, as he left it? I
:42:45. > :42:49.think he has. Selby was a little bit fortunate as well that the
:42:49. > :42:59.brown was tight on the cushion, which made that pot a little bit
:42:59. > :43:01.
:43:01. > :43:06.more difficult. AUDIENCE: Oh! Well, well, I have
:43:06. > :43:12.seen it all now. I thought there was nothing in this game that could
:43:12. > :43:22.surprise me. I have seen it all. Unbelievable. He just wants brown
:43:22. > :43:34.
:43:34. > :43:44.and blue for victory. Pot the brown Needs to bounce because he needs
:43:44. > :43:45.
:43:45. > :43:50.the pink and the black. Sorry, my mistake. He just needs the pink. In
:43:50. > :43:57.it goes. I can't believe it. I don't know whether Stephen Lee can.
:43:57. > :44:07.I'm sure Mark Selby can't. Stephen Lee is now within one frame.
:44:07. > :44:16.
:44:16. > :44:25.Just a little bit straighter. It's hard to play this in a neglect
:44:25. > :44:35.testify way. All or nothing here. - negative way. Probably choose to
:44:35. > :44:38.
:44:39. > :44:44.(APPLAUSE) He didn't fully commit. What a
:44:44. > :44:52.tremendous pot this was. I think he may have wanted to come through a
:44:52. > :44:58.little bit more but he is OK. He has overcut it. He has overcut it.
:44:58. > :45:03.He would be annoyed. I think the pocket is covered. Which in a way
:45:03. > :45:10.makes it a worse miss, because there was no real pressure on that
:45:10. > :45:15.black. As you said, he is now back in the match. Takes on a completely
:45:16. > :45:21.different aspect from Stephen Lee's point of view. Prior to that he was
:45:21. > :45:26.just taking the scraps and taking what was there. Now he has got
:45:26. > :45:36.expectations of winning it. Different ball game.
:45:36. > :45:45.
:45:45. > :45:50.Thought this may have been a little bit of a swerve. But going over to
:45:50. > :46:00.the left corner, that's the problem when you try to swerve it. Caught
:46:00. > :46:13.
:46:13. > :46:22.it much too thick. Checked the AUDIENCE: Oh! This game can do that
:46:22. > :46:32.to you. Believe me. It's all in the mind. His mind will be scrambled at
:46:32. > :46:38.
:46:38. > :46:48.the moment. Could play this red to the centre. The only red he could
:46:48. > :46:52.
:46:53. > :46:59.He got too close to the miss, didn't he? For a moment I thought
:46:59. > :47:06.it was going to turn and drop in but it stayed up. So a let-off for
:47:06. > :47:15.mak Selby. Now, what can he make of this opportunity? Easy starter,
:47:15. > :47:21.Committee put all of those negative thoughts -- can he put all of those
:47:21. > :47:31.negative thoughts behind him now? The yellow into the pot. That's --
:47:31. > :47:56.
:47:56. > :48:06.Certainly think he can pot this red into the left hand corner. Let's
:48:06. > :48:18.
:48:18. > :48:28.put it this way, if he doesn't pot Just looking to not leave Stephen
:48:28. > :48:40.
:48:40. > :48:48.Lee a chance to put this in the Mm. A little unlucky to finish
:48:48. > :48:53.there. But sometimes you have your opportunities and they say at cards
:48:53. > :48:58.the cards never forgive you. Well, sometimes the balls never forgive
:48:58. > :49:03.you. It was a good pota good pots never certain where the cueball was
:49:03. > :49:13.going to finish and it couldn't have finished in a worse place. He
:49:13. > :49:15.
:49:15. > :49:20.is playing the pink but he could leave a red to the left middle here.
:49:20. > :49:30.I don't think he is certain to leave it safe if he doesn't hit the
:49:30. > :49:35.
:49:35. > :49:41.pink. I would be surprised if he The reason, the rest of the table,
:49:41. > :49:46.because of the black being close to the corner, that becomes a big
:49:46. > :49:54.pocket. (APPLAUSE)
:49:54. > :50:01.I get the feeling that red is pottable in the left middle. If not
:50:01. > :50:04.it's easy enough to play safe off it. The way he is pointing his cue
:50:04. > :50:09.that's his intention. But as you said with Mark Selby's shot,
:50:09. > :50:15.Stephen, you wouldn't want to leave a red pottable into this left
:50:15. > :50:25.corner. Just the black being near the pocket always makes the pocket
:50:25. > :50:52.
:50:52. > :51:02.The main thing he needed was a good length with the cueball and that's
:51:02. > :51:08.
:51:08. > :51:13.I think he will take on this red. It's the only red committee leave.
:51:13. > :51:16.But he will try to leave the white on the top cushion, which will
:51:16. > :51:21.leave him on the black. That's a nice shot.
:51:21. > :51:29.(APPLAUSE) . That was a tremendous shot.
:51:29. > :51:39.Stephen Lee couldn't have done much more. Left the cueball very close
:51:39. > :51:59.
:51:59. > :52:09.to the baulk cushion, you just It was a great pot but it wasn't a
:52:09. > :52:14.great positional shot off the black. What is he on? Drop the black in,
:52:14. > :52:18.force the red off the black from the top cushion into the right
:52:18. > :52:24.corner. Obviously didn't feel comfortable playing the black as a
:52:24. > :52:29.dead weight. Or he was looking for something easier. Whatever. He is
:52:29. > :52:35.playing this red to the left corner and he could get position on the
:52:35. > :52:45.black. But boy, this is a tough pot. (APPLAUSE)
:52:45. > :52:53.He played it well. Every credit. That's a couple of good pots now he
:52:53. > :53:00.has pulled out. He is under pressure now, believe me. He has
:53:00. > :53:06.played that well as well. Could not have played that any better if he
:53:06. > :53:12.put that there with his hand. match has taken some twists and
:53:12. > :53:16.turns the last few frames but I would say that there is the match
:53:16. > :53:21.whening shot. I would be very surprised if he doesn't win the
:53:21. > :53:31.match from here. A tremendous opening red. And then that
:53:31. > :53:31.
:53:31. > :53:39.tremendous red into the left corner. On the cannon. Gives him that
:53:39. > :53:49.opportunity that -- well, didn't feel he needed a while ago. But
:53:49. > :53:57.
:53:57. > :54:06.things conspired to open this match up. Just flicked the near job but
:54:06. > :54:14.it's well inside. He is potting them a lot cleaner now. But with
:54:14. > :54:20.what has happened before, I'm not going to count my chickens. Twists
:54:20. > :54:25.and turns that you can't believe. Will Stephen get back to the table)
:54:25. > :54:34.It's looking doubtful but stranger things have happened. And in this
:54:34. > :54:44.match. That little shot has not gone past the blue. It's slightly
:54:44. > :55:04.
:55:04. > :55:14.right of the blue but it wanted to Able to stand-off one cushion for
:55:14. > :55:37.
:55:37. > :55:44.That puts him 51 points in the lead. But he has underhit that, he has
:55:44. > :55:49.underhit that by a long way. He played the red for the right corner
:55:49. > :55:59.but he wanted to be almost straight on it now. Stephen Lee may be
:55:59. > :56:13.
:56:13. > :56:17.thinking he could be getting back But he has recovered the situation.
:56:17. > :56:27.It will be a little bit more difficult to get position on one of
:56:27. > :56:29.
:56:29. > :56:34.these reds. They look to be Are Stkpwhr This yellow, I assume
:56:34. > :56:39.he plays the yellow, or even if he played the brown it still won't
:56:39. > :56:44.make any difference, he is still look for one more red. Does the red
:56:44. > :56:51.pot or does he have to disturb something? He has to disturb
:56:51. > :56:58.something. Oh, that's worked out nice. That will make Mark Selby
:56:59. > :57:08.Goes. (APPLAUSE)
:57:09. > :57:09.
:57:09. > :57:15.He has put himself through the wringer this afternoon. A little
:57:15. > :57:19.rye smile there from Stephen Lee. It looked for all the world that he
:57:19. > :57:29.was going to come back and create one of the biggest upsets I have
:57:29. > :57:38.
:57:38. > :57:42.ever seen on a snooker table, but (APPLAUSE)
:57:42. > :57:50.The red doesn't go in but it shouldn't matter. Stephen Lee
:57:50. > :57:55.shakes his hand and says "well played". I can only say it wasn't
:57:55. > :58:02.down to Stephen Lee, I think Mark Selby put himself through the
:58:02. > :58:07.wringer but he scrapes through in the end. I'm playing really well
:58:07. > :58:12.actually. I was looking like I was going to win the match 6-1.
:58:12. > :58:19.Probably missed a red that I should have got. If I potted that I would
:58:19. > :58:24.probably be sitting here 6-1. But I missed that. Probably lost
:58:24. > :58:28.confidence. It come back to 5-4 and it could have gone either way. That
:58:28. > :58:33.match obviously I showed some good form and towards the end I seemed
:58:33. > :58:38.to fade away. If I'm going to go on be
:58:38. > :58:42.a lot stronger and clinical. It's early days. I have got through the
:58:42. > :58:48.first round which is the main thing. Obviously I can go back on the