:00:32. > :00:40.Hello again. Thursday marked the start of quarterfinals in this
:00:41. > :00:44.year's Dafabet Masters 2017. And we have a people's champion, once again
:00:45. > :00:48.one of the star attractions. Ronnie O'Sullivan. This is the six-time
:00:49. > :00:56.champion who many consider slightly fortunate to have made it into the
:00:57. > :01:00.quarters this year after the last gasp effort against Liang Wenbo. He
:01:01. > :01:06.will certainly hope that the flu remedies have kicked in because
:01:07. > :01:11.he'll need a clear head if he's to see off Australia's Neil Robertson,
:01:12. > :01:14.the winner in 2012. We'll share this in the company of John Parrot and
:01:15. > :01:26.birthday boy, Dennis Taylor. Very difficult to predict the winner
:01:27. > :01:30.of this one, John? Yes, talking at the top of the show about the
:01:31. > :01:33.records coming into this. I think probably the main match I'd
:01:34. > :01:38.concentrate on is the Welsh Open because Robertson was 5-2 ahead in
:01:39. > :01:44.that before Ronnie put the after burners on to win seven frames in a
:01:45. > :01:49.trot which I don't think that anybody in the game would win seven
:01:50. > :01:54.frames on the trot. But then seven frames in the semifinals and Ronnie
:01:55. > :01:57.beat him 6-0 and made five breaks over 60 in that match. So whether
:01:58. > :02:02.Neil will be remembering that or this is just a case of another day,
:02:03. > :02:05.we'll soon find out. Well, he came up short there. That
:02:06. > :02:10.was interesting because the table has been absolutely flying a very
:02:11. > :02:14.quick cloth, but this is a new cloth on and even if it is off the same
:02:15. > :02:18.roll of cloth, it will be interesting to see if this table
:02:19. > :02:25.plays as quick. It's the same table but if the cloth plays as fast as
:02:26. > :02:44.the previous one, we'll find out in a couple of shots' time. Good safety
:02:45. > :02:47.there from Neil. Might be able to get past the yellow and blue from
:02:48. > :02:51.that red, but looking at that angle, there's no value in taking that on
:02:52. > :02:56.because he'll be careering into the reds. If it was straight, he could
:02:57. > :03:04.have a go at it and get on to the black. Apparently, I just found out
:03:05. > :03:12.that just the cushion clothes have been changed. So the bed of the
:03:13. > :03:21.table will play it the way it has been. Strange why they would change
:03:22. > :03:25.the cushion cloth? They weren't really bouncing that much, John? No,
:03:26. > :03:29.I suppose if anything is going to wear out quickly, it would be there
:03:30. > :03:32.on the jaws of the pockets. That's probably why that has been done. But
:03:33. > :03:39.anyway, the best safety from Ronnie there, caught the bump on the middle
:03:40. > :03:42.pocket. Excellent cueing. From Neil Robertson. Looking straight forward
:03:43. > :04:20.that. I didn't see much of Neil's match
:04:21. > :04:26.with Allister Carter, I was on in the afternoon, but apparently he
:04:27. > :04:30.played very well. Yeah, I was chatting with Neil the other day
:04:31. > :04:34.before he came out and played and he was saying that scoring wise, he
:04:35. > :04:38.felt like he was right back to his best. He made 13 century breaks and
:04:39. > :04:41.in the little mini league thing that he was playing in. You don't do that
:04:42. > :04:45.unless you're litting the ball properly. But one of the things that
:04:46. > :04:49.you really do need to do if you're playing Ronnie O'Sullivan in what
:04:50. > :04:53.can be deemed as back yard, you need to have plenty of character. You
:04:54. > :05:02.need to stand up to it. Grit comes into it.
:05:03. > :05:07.Two fabulous players who got... You got the abundance of natural talent
:05:08. > :05:14.in O'Sullivan. The best player I've ever seen with a cue in the hand and
:05:15. > :05:17.then the Australian with a laser-like cue action, tremendous
:05:18. > :05:21.break and an all around match player with that Aussie grit. Great matchen
:05:22. > :05:34.up. I mean, what this player achieved in
:05:35. > :05:38.the 2013 and 2014 season has never been done again to make 100
:05:39. > :05:56.centuries. If you leave the one there. In fact,
:05:57. > :05:58.there's a couple of them that are available. He'lls coming up a little
:05:59. > :06:23.bit short, though. Might just be OK. He needs to pull up a little bit.
:06:24. > :06:30.That's OK. Well, he could play a little cannon into the five reds
:06:31. > :06:45.there. Because there's a big one on the blue. And this could really open
:06:46. > :06:56.things up. Went delicately into the reds.
:06:57. > :07:01.Nicely played that cannon but it could come out a little better. He's
:07:02. > :07:08.got to play this and avoid the cannon on the red just near the side
:07:09. > :07:14.cushion when you pot this one. Which he's managed to do. And already it
:07:15. > :07:17.is there with the break. You can see Neil Robertson knows the importance
:07:18. > :07:25.of a good start in this match. He looks tuned up and ready to go right
:07:26. > :07:29.from the off. Started the season off pretty well early on and had a
:07:30. > :07:33.semifinal. And a couple of disappointing results by his open
:07:34. > :07:37.standards since then. But as I say, you start to make all of the
:07:38. > :07:42.centuries in the last couple of weeks and the hard graft he's put in
:07:43. > :07:47.over Christmas time. If he gets back to his best, he'll take some
:07:48. > :08:02.stopping, he's that good. I was surprised that he dropped down
:08:03. > :08:07.to number seven in the world. He certainly, as Stephen Hendry said,
:08:08. > :08:13.he should be in the top three, you would think. But that is how tough
:08:14. > :08:18.the game is these days and you can quite easily slip down the rankings
:08:19. > :08:22.a little bit if you have a bit of a lean spell. Yeah, he's just taking a
:08:23. > :08:26.bit of time with this one because as you can see there, just over a
:08:27. > :08:31.minute. But he's just got to try to get the next positional shot because
:08:32. > :08:36.the red he was looking at, if he can he can get straight on it, he
:08:37. > :08:46.doesn't want to be playing any cannons. This is not straight
:08:47. > :09:02.forward. I was surprised that he came up off the shot there.
:09:03. > :09:10.Well, he didn't want to risk the delicate hold on the black there.
:09:11. > :09:17.Just forced in and hoping to drop nicely on pink or blue, but it's not
:09:18. > :09:24.absolutely perfect. You've got to avoid the baulk colours and get back
:09:25. > :09:30.up into the scoring end of the table.
:09:31. > :09:39.In and out of the baulk area. I think those two reds near the black
:09:40. > :09:45.definitely pot. He couldn't have hit that much better. That was a lovely
:09:46. > :09:53.shot. Really well controlled. Looking in good nick.
:09:54. > :09:57.Yeah, he got around on those two reds with the aid of a little flick
:09:58. > :10:07.on the brown here. But you can expect this from these
:10:08. > :10:12.two players. I think if the other makes a mistake the way that they're
:10:13. > :10:17.playing, every chance that they'll finish the frame off. Yes, but how
:10:18. > :10:21.important is it to stick your marker down in a match. You, many of times
:10:22. > :10:24.in commentary said about Steve Davis, used to be brilliant within
:10:25. > :10:27.the opening frame. It's very important just to let your opponent
:10:28. > :10:32.know that you're here to play and you're at your best and this is what
:10:33. > :10:48.Neil Robertson is doing. This is hugely impressive.
:10:49. > :10:55.Would be difficult to go with a century break but he's almost over
:10:56. > :11:05.the winning line in the opening frame.
:11:06. > :11:12.Will have to wait for the next frame now because Ronnie does need a
:11:13. > :11:21.snooker regardless of what happens. He's got a chance to move either of
:11:22. > :11:25.the sets of two reds there. Will have to play a double if he's going
:11:26. > :11:30.to have a chance of a century. A double but the frame is well and
:11:31. > :11:35.truly in the bag. Just checking that, looking at the score board. So
:11:36. > :11:49.he might as well have a go at the double.
:11:50. > :11:56.A lovely start from the Australian. He got one chance on that and that's
:11:57. > :12:00.all he needed and that lovely break has given him the opening frame.
:12:01. > :12:17.It's 1-0 to Neil Robertson. Well, that's a pity. The break off
:12:18. > :12:24.shot has put a red right next to the black and put it out of commission.
:12:25. > :12:33.Now the player would have liked to have seen that. It just means that
:12:34. > :12:34.Ronnie can't take the red on to the left corner because there's no
:12:35. > :13:12.colour available. Can you believe it, it's 25 years
:13:13. > :13:20.since Haas came on the scene as a referee. Yeah, one of the very best
:13:21. > :13:35.and a lovely man. We've all got older together.
:13:36. > :13:40.As it is, Ronnie may as well stay where he is because he's going into
:13:41. > :13:56.a similar position. This time Ronnie can play down again
:13:57. > :14:28.at the end of the table. You can see the edge of the pack there.
:14:29. > :14:35.Ronnie's God friend, Damian Hirst, renowned artist. He didn't think
:14:36. > :14:40.that he would be back because he thought that Liang Wenbo would be
:14:41. > :14:49.back and knock Ronnie out. And a very easy black to knock the six
:14:50. > :14:57.times former champion out. It can leave a free ball here. He's left a
:14:58. > :15:04.long pot on. I wonder how Neil will take this. Will he go around the
:15:05. > :15:09.back here. We'll just show you here. He can play around on the ball or he
:15:10. > :15:16.could play it to nuch the red away from the black.
:15:17. > :15:22.It's the first time in a while that he's going across the ball there.
:15:23. > :15:25.Usually a feature of the cue action that it goes straight through. But
:15:26. > :16:01.definitely hit across that one. Yeah, this can develop the pink and
:16:02. > :16:10.reds because the black is tied up as well at the moment. So, how hard
:16:11. > :16:18.will he hit this? Might just be able to get through. It's tight, though.
:16:19. > :16:26.Very tight. In fact, I don't think that he can get through to it. A bit
:16:27. > :16:30.unlucky there with the split. Yeah, it wasn't totally ideal with the
:16:31. > :16:39.blue. He couldn't get loads of power into that. But he'd be very
:16:40. > :16:41.disappointed if he doesn't cover it with the blue if he's planning to
:16:42. > :16:56.leave the red there. Just caught the pink half ball. Full
:16:57. > :16:58.ball contact would have been better but he was still a little bit
:16:59. > :17:20.unlucky there. The difficult thing here for Neil is
:17:21. > :17:24.that he's playing off the side of the pack but the red on the
:17:25. > :17:31.left-hand side of the pack is the one that he's got to keep covered.
:17:32. > :17:39.Cue ballually in the same place that he played from. Should be ideal.
:17:40. > :17:46.Well, he hasn't done that and if Ronnie can pot this red and manage
:17:47. > :17:54.to get the cue ball out, then it's a chance. He could finish on the pink
:17:55. > :18:02.here if he hits the reds. Can't get through to that, the main
:18:03. > :18:18.part of the shot. Normally very reliable with this
:18:19. > :18:52.type of shot but he hasn't had much table time.
:18:53. > :18:58.Obviously the black is out of commission and the pink is going to
:18:59. > :19:05.get tied up on-the-spot, it looks like.
:19:06. > :19:13.Now, is there enough room? That's the ball marker that will tell the
:19:14. > :19:17.referee whether there's spots and as John mentioned, the peng now tied up
:19:18. > :19:21.so he'll have to play up for the blue. He had to look to see if the
:19:22. > :19:25.pink would go into the left corner. But we find out the way that he
:19:26. > :19:33.plays the positional side of the shot and if it pots or not. Well, it
:19:34. > :19:36.does. The pink does pass that red by the looks of things. Well, maybe
:19:37. > :19:47.not. Otherwise he would have played it.
:19:48. > :19:51.He did look at it. So Ronnie would have known whether the pink would
:19:52. > :19:56.go, but once the red has been removed, it could develop it. I
:19:57. > :20:04.don't know where the pink would go now.
:20:05. > :20:10.Just can't quite get the position this he likes at the moment.
:20:11. > :20:13.Slightly off with each shot and the bump doesn't help there because it
:20:14. > :20:23.actually puts him straight on the blue. Might have been top side. So
:20:24. > :20:27.another good medium range pot to screw back and back for the blue
:20:28. > :20:34.again. Oh, this is tough. But going close to the left middle pocket.
:20:35. > :20:42.He'll have to be careful here. And hit it lovely. Hit it beautifully.
:20:43. > :20:46.Really well struck and the best thing there is with the position
:20:47. > :20:51.that you see, there's three below the pink but two of the bottom ones
:20:52. > :20:54.are definitely there. So he's got an area to play in there. Straightaway.
:20:55. > :21:10.That's where he is. Well, there didn't look to be many
:21:11. > :21:14.points available to him when he came to the table. The balls were all
:21:15. > :21:21.tied up and he's making a terrific job of this. Always nice to see the
:21:22. > :21:26.big breaks going in when they're all sitting nicely, but when you see
:21:27. > :21:31.them having to work hard like this, it's very skilful, indeed. Now, if
:21:32. > :21:38.he's straight. Now he's got a slight angle. So he can force this in.
:21:39. > :21:43.Yeah, and I think that both of the reds might pot. The one next to the
:21:44. > :21:47.pink and the one below it may do so. Hasn't he taken these well. I mean,
:21:48. > :21:56.the table when he first came to it wasn't brilliant, but so far, this
:21:57. > :22:02.has been superb. Both players in good nick, Dennis. And that's what
:22:03. > :22:07.everybody wanted. The packed house at the Alexander Palace and everyone
:22:08. > :22:12.watching at home. We just wanted to see both of the players playing well
:22:13. > :22:17.and it looks as if we're going to see that.
:22:18. > :22:21.There's always something a bit special about England playing
:22:22. > :22:43.Australia. At any sport. I'll just make sure of this
:22:44. > :22:56.yesterday. The other players that I can think
:22:57. > :22:58.of who would have come here to win this frame from there, O'Sullivan
:22:59. > :23:19.has. Absolutely brilliant break. Ronnie O'Sullivan has returned the
:23:20. > :23:21.compliment, he got a chance and he returned it enough to win the frame.
:23:22. > :23:50.One each. Goodness me. That's a long way off.
:23:51. > :23:58.I don't think that I've seen him miss by that far before. Hmmm. A
:23:59. > :24:11.little worrying. Well, it's not an easy starter for
:24:12. > :24:17.Ronnie. The pot is not so difficult. The position is more difficult.
:24:18. > :24:25.Well, that was a better shot than it looked to have to screw that. So
:24:26. > :24:29.still needs another good positional shot. See the way that it comes off
:24:30. > :24:31.the position here. Watch it straighten up and keep it away from
:24:32. > :24:41.the reds. He made sure of the pot there. But
:24:42. > :25:10.didn't avoid the yellow. Has he potted the yellow? Almost.
:25:11. > :25:13.Wasn't an easy chance that. But Robertson would be delighted that he
:25:14. > :25:17.got six points off of it. He must have thought when he missed that
:25:18. > :25:36.long pot by a mile he was going to be in big trouble.
:25:37. > :25:43.If he can get up and down on the yellow, he needs to get plenty of
:25:44. > :25:48.side on it to at least get up past the blue spot area. He'd like to get
:25:49. > :25:56.a bit closer to the reds. And he's got to avoid the middle pockets when
:25:57. > :26:03.he plays this. Yeah, big shot this, really, just to get position.
:26:04. > :26:12.Well, he is on one. But can he get any position off the red that he's
:26:13. > :26:17.landed on. Pretty tight to the cushion.
:26:18. > :26:32.No good, that one. To have to play something a bit special to get on to
:26:33. > :26:45.the pink from that red. Very awkward.
:26:46. > :26:54.I'll tell you what, what an effort that is. I mean, that... Is... As
:26:55. > :26:58.good a positional shot as you'll ever see. Loads of top spin there.
:26:59. > :27:03.That was a bit special. Well, you won't see a better shot played today
:27:04. > :27:11.than that one. That was absolutely fabulous.
:27:12. > :27:19.Played that just to try to clear the black spot. But to confirm, the red
:27:20. > :27:37.is still covering it. A really brilliant shot that was. He
:27:38. > :27:42.might need another one here looking at this. Has he got a bit of angle
:27:43. > :27:47.to work with here? Just a slight angle. So in a perfect world, he'd
:27:48. > :27:53.like to get a half ball off the blue and come down and split the pack up
:27:54. > :28:00.with the black. He's just the wrong side there. And you can see, taking
:28:01. > :28:13.the weight towards the baulk area. Well, just look at the cue power of
:28:14. > :28:20.the Australian there. Loads of top spin and left-hand side, but he's
:28:21. > :28:33.going to finish to the cushion. That could be the end of break. And there
:28:34. > :28:37.you can see all covering each other. In fact, the way they finished, it's
:28:38. > :28:47.very awkward to get a good safety shot in. He's just nestling on to
:28:48. > :29:11.the black here. Yeah, the last two frails, the balls
:29:12. > :29:15.have just gone a little awkward, that's why the previous frame lasted
:29:16. > :29:19.just over 29 minutes. The first frame was just over 10 minutes and
:29:20. > :29:23.the second just over 11. But sometimes, the balls dictate what
:29:24. > :29:30.happens and we're back to tipping and tapping again.
:29:31. > :29:41.I'll tell you what, that was nearly a little bit too hard. But his heart
:29:42. > :29:46.was in his mouth for a second there. Yeah, nothing that you can do when
:29:47. > :29:52.it's like this. Neither player can get the cue ball back into the baulk
:29:53. > :29:53.area. So you have to keep playing until an opportunity arises to do
:29:54. > :30:16.so. Scoo he thinks that he can screw
:30:17. > :30:20.down this with some side and get it back into the baulk area. You've got
:30:21. > :30:36.to be careful with these that you don't play a push shot.
:30:37. > :30:42.Yeah, a push shot is where the tip of the cue ball and the object ball
:30:43. > :30:50.are all in contact at the same time. Tough for the referee to decide.
:30:51. > :30:54.What is a push shot. But the player normally would walk away from the
:30:55. > :30:56.table and declare it. You know yourself if you pushed it. But look
:30:57. > :31:22.at this for a safety. Nothing too appetising either side
:31:23. > :31:24.so Ronnie was looking to see if he could drop on the red that's nearest
:31:25. > :31:44.the top cushion. He tried something a bit special
:31:45. > :31:48.there to swing the cue around the angles but it was very, very
:31:49. > :31:52.difficult. He's just looking to see if the black goes into the pocket
:31:53. > :31:56.that he's going to take the red here. Not sure if it is available.
:31:57. > :32:04.It would be a big advantage if the black goes.
:32:05. > :32:10.He's the wrong side of the blue. So maybe the black was just that little
:32:11. > :32:26.bit too tight. And that looks like if you were in
:32:27. > :32:37.behind the black, that you'd be able to pot it. We might have to see a
:32:38. > :32:42.Neil Robertson special here. We talk about cue power. If he takes this
:32:43. > :32:49.red to the right corner, he's going to get a lot of action on this. Just
:32:50. > :32:55.have a look at this. Well, he had an angle so he didn't have to screw it
:32:56. > :32:59.back. He's just scrapping for position there at the moment Neil
:33:00. > :33:08.Robertson. He can't quite get them how he wants them. And slightly
:33:09. > :33:12.wrong all the time. Having to play the cue ball around the table all
:33:13. > :33:24.the time so this is a hard work break at the moment.
:33:25. > :33:32.A little bit coming up after this frame. I mean the first two frames,
:33:33. > :33:37.both players had a chance and made enough to make the frame but the
:33:38. > :33:58.last two, the balls have gone so awkward.
:33:59. > :34:08.Should leave the other red available. A big chance. That's in.
:34:09. > :34:16.And there's no real easing now from this position. Going for a kick or
:34:17. > :34:20.something to win this frame. This is really good for Neil Robertson. It's
:34:21. > :34:24.a good effort because he missed one or two shots in this frame and lost
:34:25. > :34:32.the cue ball a couple of times. One attempt at a long pot was a long way
:34:33. > :34:58.away. If he can get out at the interval 2-2, he'll be delighted.
:34:59. > :35:06.He won't be coming back to the table here. El a he be heading straight
:35:07. > :35:11.off for the mid-session interval. And sometimes the interval can
:35:12. > :35:21.change things around and as I say, the last two frames have been very
:35:22. > :35:27.awkward. And I suppose, 2-2 is a pretty fair reflection? Yeah, I
:35:28. > :35:30.would think so. As you say, just because it is awkward frames doesn't
:35:31. > :35:33.mean it's not important, does it? They're all the same. They all count
:35:34. > :35:48.for one. Doesn't matter about that. Ronnie is
:35:49. > :35:52.on his way out of the arena so a couple of awkward frames. Two very
:35:53. > :35:53.good opening frames and we go to the mid-session interval two frames
:35:54. > :36:55.each. Have a look at that for an opening
:36:56. > :36:59.pot. That was normal service resumed at the Neil Robertson action. Do you
:37:00. > :37:03.think that he could drop next to the black? That would open things up and
:37:04. > :37:08.he might have an angle on the brown to play up on to that. Yeah, it just
:37:09. > :37:11.depends on what angle he has on the brown and which shot he decides to
:37:12. > :37:14.play. It's a natural angle to split the pack but I'm sure that he won't
:37:15. > :37:25.play that. That's pretty good. He got on the
:37:26. > :37:38.red and this opens the black up for the blue this time.
:37:39. > :37:44.Still available, but if he wants to, it will go into the play. The sort
:37:45. > :37:48.of shot that Ronnie would play himself but other players tend to do
:37:49. > :37:52.it slightly different. It just depends how he feels. As I say, he
:37:53. > :37:57.has a couple of loose reds but he might go straight into the pink. No,
:37:58. > :38:02.he's going to play for the loose ones. The one at the back of the
:38:03. > :38:06.pack, if he gets on that in a few shots time, then he can open the
:38:07. > :38:11.reds. Yes, Dennis. He may play for that when he leaves the cue ball low
:38:12. > :38:15.and pots the red and screws off the pack and you bring the reds into
:38:16. > :38:24.play. And you take position. So it all depends on how he goes about it.
:38:25. > :38:28.There's the shot he's got now. He has a choice. He can generally power
:38:29. > :38:39.it through but generally they go back for the black and hopefully
:38:40. > :38:42.bring a few more reds into play. A lot more pressure on this shot than
:38:43. > :39:02.there should have been. Excellent, must have read your book
:39:03. > :39:07.there. John Parrot was probably the best in the game when he was potting
:39:08. > :39:11.there. Should have had better positional play, shouldn't I! You
:39:12. > :39:19.can only just see the top of the ball. Thinking about that first
:39:20. > :39:24.session, I think if there were two players going into it 2-2, I would
:39:25. > :39:27.have been slightly happy with Neil Robertson. Obviously he was 2-1 down
:39:28. > :39:31.in the match so it goes without saying just to level it is great.
:39:32. > :39:35.But I just think on the balance of play, I think that Ronnie was
:39:36. > :39:38.slightly better than him in the opening session. But what you've
:39:39. > :39:43.done with O'Sullivan is establish yourself in the match that you
:39:44. > :39:50.aren't going to let him run away and you kept the crowd fairly quiet. So
:39:51. > :39:59.2-2 at the interval for Neil would have been a pretty decent score. And
:40:00. > :40:06.he's starting this frame like he started the match.
:40:07. > :40:19.Still a couple more reds available after this one.
:40:20. > :40:29.Just to the left on the back of that little bunch of reds, there's also
:40:30. > :40:38.one that's potable. And the one that he's dropping on. And then, he might
:40:39. > :40:43.leave himself on the black to cannon into the reds because he's not that
:40:44. > :40:47.many pots away from securing the frame with one visit - a visit that
:40:48. > :41:02.started with a Neil Robertson special.
:41:03. > :41:07.He's got the angle to play the cannon now. This will determine
:41:08. > :41:12.whether he's going to win the frame at this visit. He wants to cannon
:41:13. > :41:18.the red that's in the middle there. But he wanted to play that with a
:41:19. > :41:24.bit of screw. He's done that in there. Needed to have a bit of screw
:41:25. > :41:28.on it so when he cannoned that, he came ae towards the left-hand side
:41:29. > :41:32.of the table, but he just put it in there. He must have thought when he
:41:33. > :41:36.played it, he was bound to be on one. But if he played the screw
:41:37. > :41:41.shot, he was virtually guaranteed he would have been. Yeah, and now he's
:41:42. > :41:47.only 59 points a very healthy lead. But not with the way that the ball
:41:48. > :41:54.was situated. That was far from being safe against an opponent like
:41:55. > :41:57.Ronnie O'Sullivan. So he could do with putting something on to a
:41:58. > :42:01.cushion if he's playing a safety shot here just as a little bit of
:42:02. > :42:06.insurance. But it's not going to be easy po put the red safe and
:42:07. > :42:13.guarantee a good position for the cue ball.
:42:14. > :42:20.I mean, he could possibly take the pot on but he's going to need a bit
:42:21. > :42:25.of help. He's going to need the swan neck, I think he's asking for. We've
:42:26. > :42:33.got three types of spider under the table there. With the extended
:42:34. > :42:37.spider. I mean, he can play this as a shot to nothing but it's awkward
:42:38. > :42:41.cueing. He's going to need the extension on the cue. He won't be
:42:42. > :42:47.able to really see the shot because he's so far away from it. His eye
:42:48. > :42:51.line, he'll just have to judge it because the cue will be so far up in
:42:52. > :42:59.the air. I mean, it helps that he's just over six feet tall. So he'll
:43:00. > :43:15.play the pot and play the safety shot also. Awkward.
:43:16. > :43:21.Yes, very difficult that shot. Certainly striking down as well and
:43:22. > :43:25.also trying to get some safety with it. It's one of those shots that if
:43:26. > :43:30.you play all out for the pot, you've got a better chance. If you try to
:43:31. > :43:37.get a two in one shot, sometimes you don't get the safety and you don't
:43:38. > :43:47.get the pot. So, can Ronnie make a counterpunch? And after all the hard
:43:48. > :43:51.work at the start of the frame from Neil Robertson... Will he have set
:43:52. > :43:57.the frame up for Ronnie O'Sullivan to come and steal it? The way that
:43:58. > :44:04.the reds are, Dennis, they're lovely, aren't they! Couldn't be
:44:05. > :44:08.better, John. Even the one next to the pink will be available because
:44:09. > :44:13.as he pots the head, they're clearing the path for another.
:44:14. > :44:19.Straight on the black but that doesn't matter. No problem. A little
:44:20. > :44:25.bit of reverse side here. Just to spin off the cushion to the right.
:44:26. > :44:29.Oh, hang on! What has he played there? I was going to say, it was a
:44:30. > :44:33.careless shot the one before. I know for a player with visibility, a
:44:34. > :44:40.straight shot with a little bit of side shouldn't be a problem but he
:44:41. > :44:45.shouldn't have been straight. But there's such a margin for error here
:44:46. > :44:50.and just over hit that. It's a lively cloth but that was... Very
:44:51. > :45:03.poor. Now, can he cut this one in? I mean, what a shot this would be. No.
:45:04. > :45:21.So that... Excellent opportunity has disappeared rapidly.
:45:22. > :45:27.Neil Robertson can't contain his excitement. He must have thought
:45:28. > :45:31.that the frame was going. Ball all in the open the way that Ronnie had
:45:32. > :45:37.been hitting it this afternoon when he had chances and he'd been cueing
:45:38. > :45:53.beautifully. I was amazed that he was back at the table.
:45:54. > :46:03.It would be very interesting to see how that affects Ronnie O'Sullivan.
:46:04. > :46:17.He's looked very focused this afternoon. But inside, he will be
:46:18. > :46:22.seething at what he's just done. If you want to give your opponent any
:46:23. > :46:26.more confidence, keep doing what you've just done. And they'll be
:46:27. > :47:31.feeding off that. This has been going less than 12
:47:32. > :47:54.minutes. A little bit of an exhibition shot
:47:55. > :47:59.there. So much there. Looked like the white was going to stop near the
:48:00. > :48:11.cushion behind the black and inside, just spun it up the table.
:48:12. > :48:21.And there's another exhibition shot from the Australian.
:48:22. > :48:28.And is that in? Two visits, Neil Robertson. An earlier break of 59.
:48:29. > :48:32.Ronnie had a chance to counterattack. He didn't take it and
:48:33. > :48:52.nearly cleared up with 62. The Australian leads 3-2 frames.
:48:53. > :49:01.And that's a pretty good break off shot. I mean, if the red wasn't near
:49:02. > :49:05.the black, he would have a go at the long red in the left-hand corner and
:49:06. > :49:09.play it as a shot to nothing, but because of the red next to the
:49:10. > :49:16.black, he can't. He would leave that on. So he's just containing the
:49:17. > :49:21.escape off the side cushion. Which could have been judged a little
:49:22. > :49:27.better. Doesn't want to be leaving any sort of pot for Neil. I know
:49:28. > :49:30.it's awkward bridging so he's not even contemplating that red to the
:49:31. > :49:39.left of the blue. Well, he holds his hand up. A nice
:49:40. > :50:01.little flick. And that is another careless one
:50:02. > :50:33.from Ronnie. You can't just keep presenting
:50:34. > :50:36.opportunities. Well, you can if he misses them. Started to look
:50:37. > :50:40.worrying for Ronnie in that frame. Like he was losing momentum. He can
:50:41. > :50:46.go between the red and the black there. Well, he decided that was a
:50:47. > :50:48.little bit risky. On the wrong side of the bl. Possibly could have held
:50:49. > :51:16.for the black. Six. Going to have to swing this
:51:17. > :51:25.around again. 7. Such a good shot. Controlled that you'd unclear. --
:51:26. > :51:32.beautifully. Played that really well. Well, how does that look?
:51:33. > :52:01.Pretty good. 13. Just OK. I thought that red
:52:02. > :52:14.would block the blue. But it is easily possible. Just wondering,
:52:15. > :52:17.even that little shot Rob missed. How important that is. The first
:52:18. > :52:27.opportunity. It is little things like that in these matches that make
:52:28. > :52:39.all the difference. Hanging with the top boys. 18. 19. There's the shot
:52:40. > :53:00.in the little pocket. It has gone to Ronnie. Will it be
:53:01. > :53:04.costly? 22. 23. Pink, out of commission. The black is awkward.
:53:05. > :53:19.May be in the right corner. Perfect angle on the blue. The black is
:53:20. > :53:24.available but needs to be straight on this red so he can roll it in. No
:53:25. > :53:32.threat on the red. Has to wait for another chance. Back into the blue
:53:33. > :53:44.again here. A slight change of plan again. 1 of those shots where you
:53:45. > :53:52.err on the side of being pacey just in case. Oh. You don't want to be
:53:53. > :54:10.missing the green. Ronnie O'Sullivan. 29. I put that to a
:54:11. > :54:14.lapse in concentration. Maybe a little of the previous frame in his
:54:15. > :54:19.mind. If he has not got position he has been very lucky. Neil Robertson
:54:20. > :54:24.is looking at that right in the back. Does it pot? It is difficult
:54:25. > :54:51.to know. Well, that was your answer. Didn't
:54:52. > :54:57.expect him to make such a poor attempt at
:54:58. > :55:11.That. He is giving Ronnie an easy comeback. You cannot leave him these
:55:12. > :55:27.longshots. He is good at them. That is a useful cannon on the blue.
:55:28. > :55:38.Let us show you this terrific long pot again. He has got an angle on
:55:39. > :55:58.the brown to get back up to the reds.
:55:59. > :56:04.You have to say, one or two worrying signs that Ronnie is looking second
:56:05. > :56:12.best in the match. Careen off the spot which you would not expect him
:56:13. > :56:18.to miss ever. -- green. 6. Make no mistake about it, the Australian,
:56:19. > :56:20.Robertson, will pick up on those. That will give him a little extra
:56:21. > :56:34.boost. As a competitor, you can remember as
:56:35. > :56:38.well as anybody, when you see a weakness in your partner, it is up
:56:39. > :56:52.to you to make the most of it. That is what Neil Robertson is doing. 14.
:56:53. > :57:04.21. Can he bring any reds out? He has to force them through and bring
:57:05. > :57:14.the single red out. That was a good shot.
:57:15. > :57:29.A little bit more on that. He may have to go up the table. Is the blue
:57:30. > :57:33.is available he could play on that. It would be nice to get it back but
:57:34. > :57:42.not essential. That is what he has in mind, to pop the red and get back
:57:43. > :57:51.onto the blue and get back to the scoring end of the tabe. -- table.
:57:52. > :57:56.Having a look to see if there were three reds behind the pink. I do not
:57:57. > :58:03.think that is on. What do you do hear? Play for the single red? He
:58:04. > :58:07.has a natural angle to play a cannon into the pink and three reds, but it
:58:08. > :58:12.is not a big target. That is the angle he has. If he wants to play
:58:13. > :58:20.into the pink. He is looking at the single red. He is looking at the
:58:21. > :58:31.options here. Yeah, I do not blame him there. If he can pop this red...
:58:32. > :58:36.But the cue ball has gone further. It is quite an easy cannon into the
:58:37. > :58:47.pink and blue reds. It was awkward for him. He did not want to risk
:58:48. > :58:56.potting the blue and disturb the three reds and pink. He did not cue
:58:57. > :59:03.that well. Neil Robertson, 35. Just cued across that one slightly. For a
:59:04. > :59:06.Potter like Neil Robertson, you would have to say that is a poor
:59:07. > :59:28.miss. A nice little half ball on the blue.
:59:29. > :59:33.This is all about the cannon here. Need do is to open up and land on 1.
:59:34. > :59:33.That would be a massive favour. APPLAUSE
:59:34. > :59:56.. Six. Yes, nice to have plenty of
:59:57. > :00:00.enthusiasm. But just shouting out at the wrong time can put the player
:00:01. > :00:03.off. I mentioned earlier it would be seriously worrying times if he does
:00:04. > :00:22.not get this 1. These are absolutely lovely now. Levelling the match at
:00:23. > :00:26.three each. OK. Green to brown could be the only slight problem, but you
:00:27. > :00:34.wouldn't expect it. Certainly 4. Another 1 of those that might go all
:00:35. > :00:38.the way, John. Yeah. Neil Robertson will be sitting in his chair and
:00:39. > :00:44.kicking himself about the red that he missed. It was not easy. But he
:00:45. > :00:55.was in command in the frame. Would not fancy knocking that 1 in. Just
:00:56. > :01:09.needs to make sure of the green. 24 is the difference. This is to secure
:01:10. > :01:18.the frame. APPLAUSE. Did not have to play position on the brown, but he
:01:19. > :01:20.did. And a good response from Ronnie. And once again, all square.
:01:21. > :01:42.Great match. 42. 48. Well, the Australian, Robertson, a
:01:43. > :01:47.chance to open up a two-frame advantage but did not take it.
:01:48. > :02:08.Ronnie O'Sullivan took his chance. All square, three frames each.
:02:09. > :03:18.Now, what is the angle like that he has left for Neil? Has he got a pot?
:03:19. > :03:30.Yep. There it goes. You never know where the red that you play is going
:03:31. > :03:33.to go. But that has finished up OK. A very attacking shot on here.
:03:34. > :03:37.Whether he will take it, I don't know. No, he has decided to play the
:03:38. > :03:53.safety shot. There's a pot with the red on the
:03:54. > :04:07.right-hand side. He was not having any of that. He has taken the pot
:04:08. > :04:11.on, but look at the cue ball. It will go to the black and reds. Where
:04:12. > :04:20.will it finished up? Finding a gap. Has he got a shot on the green? If
:04:21. > :04:24.he had the green, he is right-handed, over 6 feet tall, he
:04:25. > :04:36.has got quite a stretch. But even then, he would have to force this.
:04:37. > :04:40.And he could miss the pot if he tried to hit it too hard. It looks
:04:41. > :04:48.tight on the cushion. He has cued it well. Just to make
:04:49. > :05:05.the pot. He'd just misjudged it slightly. A similar sort of shot for
:05:06. > :05:19.Ronnie. Neil Robertson found the gap. Where will the cue ball go this
:05:20. > :05:24.time? This is a little hard. He has to power this. Brilliantly struck
:05:25. > :06:22.and controlled. 8. Perfect. Just feel with this
:06:23. > :06:26.match, the way it has been going, the boys mentioned in the studio
:06:27. > :06:28.that one player could step up and grab hold of the match with scoring.
:06:29. > :06:48.They could run away with it. 21s. 22. 1 red at the back of the bunch.
:06:49. > :06:56.Let us see how he gets on to that red.
:06:57. > :07:08.He has left it in such a way he can develop a few more. Does not help
:07:09. > :07:19.his position, though. 13. Stumbling through. Getting the cue ball
:07:20. > :07:24.running through it. One good cue in here. That is exactly what you got.
:07:25. > :07:52.Beautifully struck as well. 37. He did the right thing like a
:07:53. > :07:56.golfer. He had not made up his mind and got up on the shot and went back
:07:57. > :08:02.down again. That is the worst thing you can do, change your mind and
:08:03. > :08:05.then continue. A lot better. Had to strike down on that. It had to be
:08:06. > :08:23.straight through the middle of the white. Very well cued. 43. Striking
:08:24. > :08:28.down on it, right the way through, then back up for the brown.
:08:29. > :08:48.A lot better than it looked. He can obviously play some sort of cannon
:08:49. > :08:54.of the blue into the reds. But he is worried about losing the cue ball.
:08:55. > :08:57.Thinking about coming off the angle with the brown. It is time to
:08:58. > :09:15.guarantee position here as opposed to taking a chance. He took too long
:09:16. > :09:21.on that. Is he going to fluke it. Surely not! No reaction from me but
:09:22. > :09:30.that is one of the biggest is flukes you could ever see. Did not make up
:09:31. > :09:36.his mind. Did not want to risk the cannon. Then missed the brown by a
:09:37. > :09:43.long way. But how did he fluke it into the corner? He has just played
:09:44. > :09:49.a few strange... 47. It is as if he lost his concentration somewhat. I
:09:50. > :10:02.mean, he just got down on the plant. If that is down you do not just get
:10:03. > :10:04.down and hammer it like that. It is as if he felt guilty for getting the
:10:05. > :10:20.fluke. Well, it might come back to haunt
:10:21. > :10:26.him, the way he played that plant there. But, I mean, just to hit it
:10:27. > :10:34.that hard, did not give it a chance. But this was amazing. He just could
:10:35. > :10:42.not make up his mind. And in the end, he missed it by a long way. And
:10:43. > :11:12.then to see it go in-off the red. Meanwhile, this is not a
:11:13. > :11:31.straightforward chance for Neil Robertson. Left-handed. Those 2 reds
:11:32. > :11:34.on the left-hand side cushion will be as much a problem for him as a
:11:35. > :11:39.right-hander. Nevertheless, these are not ideally situated. APPLAUSE.
:11:40. > :11:58.13. 14. As the option, he could play
:11:59. > :12:07.this firmly and click the red out. He could have played it firmly, as
:12:08. > :12:18.if he missed the cannon... Well, he chose not to do it that way.
:12:19. > :13:16.30. Not the best position he has ever played. He is probably already
:13:17. > :13:20.thinking about the two awkward reds. One very much so. The other not too
:13:21. > :13:26.badly placed. Before the break, on the black, he could have tried to
:13:27. > :13:32.flick that. I know he is left-handed, but that is a tricky
:13:33. > :13:43.shot, where that is. That is to be negotiated later. We will soon find
:13:44. > :13:49.out. APPLAUSE. 33. He has got a slight handle on the black. He is
:13:50. > :13:54.left-handed. He can play a drop in behind it. Or he can try and get it
:13:55. > :13:59.out. Not be perfect angle. He would have to really try and power this
:14:00. > :14:08.in. And he certainly powered this in. But not quite far enough. It
:14:09. > :14:17.looks like it will be a safety. And Ronnie O'Sullivan will be relieved
:14:18. > :14:21.because I think he felt that he might have messed up. But that was a
:14:22. > :14:32.great effort to bring that into play. Neil Robertson, 40. So, still
:14:33. > :14:39.in the balance in this frame. When Ronnie missed the brown. He had an
:14:40. > :14:47.alternative shot that we might be able to show you. I thought he could
:14:48. > :14:53.take the blue and get the cannon on the two reds. But it could not make
:14:54. > :15:05.up his mind. He got the brown and missed it. This is a little bit
:15:06. > :15:08.pacey. Oh, the blue, the blue has come to his rescue there. Yeah. Neil
:15:09. > :15:14.Robertson raises his eyebrows slightly walking towards the com
:15:15. > :15:29.box. Thinking that was going to be a chance. The greenies in the corner.
:15:30. > :15:47.-- green is. There you go. Yep. Nice blue, he is saying. Because if it
:15:48. > :15:51.slips past the blue, the red, he might have a chance, maybe not to
:15:52. > :15:54.pot the red, but certainly to put Ronnie in trouble. He has to
:15:55. > :16:03.negotiate the swerve. He could be knocking it towards the other
:16:04. > :16:06.pocket. So, he was in a lot of trouble there. And he will take
:16:07. > :16:11.that. He might not like the next shot. Trying to get in behind the
:16:12. > :16:27.black here. . He has not hit it hard enough. He has missed a trick there.
:16:28. > :16:31.I see the ties, they are wearing normal ones, you can see him pulling
:16:32. > :16:39.at it. That is why we used to wear bowties, because a normal 1 gets in
:16:40. > :16:43.your way slightly. Oh. I am a massive fan of Neil Robertson, I
:16:44. > :16:49.really am, but he has played 2 was 3 shots today that are totally out of
:16:50. > :16:56.character for him. He never usually does that.
:16:57. > :17:04.One. For him to play that, obviously, do not put the object
:17:05. > :17:36.ball over the pocket. He has overhit that and now it will
:17:37. > :17:45.be awkward because he needs the brown also. He is having a quick
:17:46. > :17:49.look at the scoreboard there. 15 ahead. Green and brown, and he will
:17:50. > :17:53.need assistance. I do not know if he can get it with the rest. He may
:17:54. > :18:03.just be able to get it passed the blue. But if he gets it too card. --
:18:04. > :18:15.hard. You can try to flick it in. That was the good news about that
:18:16. > :18:18.shot. Well, one could long pot, and we are right down the line of the
:18:19. > :18:32.shot. It is there. 16. APPLAUSE. Ronnie O'Sullivan, 16. A lapse in
:18:33. > :18:53.concentration, but Neil needs... Settle down, please. He needs a
:18:54. > :18:56.snooker, as you can see. Did that previously in the match when he
:18:57. > :19:07.missed a pink in the middle and had to wait another 10 minutes. This is
:19:08. > :19:11.the blue again. Looks like nothing, but it stops your momentum. You
:19:12. > :19:16.think you are going to win the frame but it is all over. It gives you 10-
:19:17. > :19:26.15 minutes of complete aggravation for no reason at all.
:19:27. > :19:40.It's been a funny frame this. It's had a little bit of everything.
:19:41. > :19:53.Only needing the one snooker, there is no way he will be potting the
:19:54. > :19:58.blue if he had a chance. More chance of the snooker with pink and black
:19:59. > :20:00.on the table. But as well as playing for the snooker, you have the try
:20:01. > :20:10.and keep the object ball safe. Well, he didn't mean to pot that!
:20:11. > :20:16.LAUGHS He's looking down... Didn't plan to
:20:17. > :20:21.pot that. But he might be able to get by with the black here. More
:20:22. > :20:26.difficult now with just the one Snookering ball on the table. And
:20:27. > :20:30.more difficult, Dennis, because the black is off the spot. The cushion
:20:31. > :20:34.for the black - easier to get a snooker behind. But where it is
:20:35. > :20:38.now... You have got to be absolutely perfect. You they would he would
:20:39. > :20:42.have to get it right tight behind. He has one real good shot left at it
:20:43. > :20:45.and it's not great, what he's got left anyway. So, good luck with this
:20:46. > :20:57.one. I will tell you what - it's a pretty
:20:58. > :21:00.good effort if the pink holds up. Just ran a bit too far.
:21:01. > :21:10.APPLAUSE Not a bad effort.
:21:11. > :21:17.In or over is how you may that shot. CHEERING
:21:18. > :21:21.That's in! It's a frame either play would have won, but in the end
:21:22. > :21:23.Ronnie O'Sullivan. He will be absolutely delighted. He gets himg
:21:24. > :21:44.into a four frames to 3 lead. A good length with the cue ball, but
:21:45. > :21:47.there is a bit of a free pot for Ronnie. He can go around the back of
:21:48. > :22:18.the black and take this on. An interesting part in that last
:22:19. > :22:23.frame, Dennis. It ultimately went down to the last red. There was a
:22:24. > :22:27.shot where I was saying Roberts could have potted the red. If he
:22:28. > :22:31.plays it nice and firm and plays that, knocks it out, he could end up
:22:32. > :22:36.going on to win the frame F he missed it he was a red baulk. So a
:22:37. > :22:40.bit of a shot to nothing really. I think he may have missed a trick
:22:41. > :22:42.there. Ultimately that red was the last one he had to get and he
:22:43. > :23:00.couldn't get on it. CHEERING
:23:01. > :23:08.Well, that was what we call an Aussie special! I mean, one of the
:23:09. > :23:12.greatest long potters the game's ever seen, without a doubt.
:23:13. > :23:16.Tremendous cuing. I mean, such a hard pot anyway. But to knock it in
:23:17. > :23:19.with a top spin Yan get back on the correct side of the blue is just a
:23:20. > :23:28.wonderful shot. Yeah. I think I mentioned at the
:23:29. > :23:32.start of the tournament how many great left-handers there are in the
:23:33. > :23:39.game and what great potters they are. Going way back, there was only
:23:40. > :23:45.a few. There was a great potter from South Africa.
:23:46. > :23:56.But now there's... I mean, there's so many great left-landed players.
:23:57. > :24:01.Then Jimmy White came on the seen, Barry Hawkins...
:24:02. > :24:10.Well, he knocked in an unbelievable opening red. How do you see a
:24:11. > :24:14.missing one like that? I know. If anything, I was looking at Neil
:24:15. > :24:20.Robertson today and haven't seen him play much this season other than
:24:21. > :24:24.when we ump # -- we bumped into him. His concentration is never as high
:24:25. > :24:28.as it usually is, that's the only thing you can say, because he would
:24:29. > :24:34.never miss a shot like that. CHEERING
:24:35. > :24:43.Great pot from Ronnie. Did well to avoid the cannon on that red there.
:24:44. > :24:47.So, # -- Ronnie's turn to sense weakness in his opponent. Can he
:24:48. > :25:11.make the most of it? I agree with Stephen Hendry -
:25:12. > :25:19.standard-wise probably one of the worst matches. Although it's still
:25:20. > :25:26.very, very exciting. But no century break, highest 74, Ronnie's highest
:25:27. > :25:30.63. But fascinating stuff. Yeah. Interpret similar to yesterday's
:25:31. > :25:33.match with Mark Selby and Mark Williams. It doesn't have to be one
:25:34. > :25:36.with the snooker all the time to make it fascinating. A brilliant
:25:37. > :25:39.match yesterday and Mark Williams desperately unlucky. He played some
:25:40. > :25:51.fantastic match play. What is going on here at the minute?
:25:52. > :25:56.What is going on? Are we now at the stage where both players are maybe
:25:57. > :26:20.trying to that little bit too hard? Well, he got a heavy contact there.
:26:21. > :26:34.The red's gone in, but it's spoiled the position outside of the shot.
:26:35. > :26:40.Supposed to be fair, in this year's Masters there hasn't been a great
:26:41. > :26:44.deal of kicks. Less than there has been for quite some time, I think.
:26:45. > :26:47.Unfortunately when it happened, look it did yesterday -- like it did
:26:48. > :26:51.yesterday for Mark Williams on the blue. Neil Robertson having to take
:26:52. > :26:55.on here, it was magnified. But this is a big shot to take on. . Wow!
:26:56. > :27:00.APPLAUSE What a pot! To do it after the
:27:01. > :27:10.disappointment of the kick and the loss of position is fabulous.
:27:11. > :27:14.Think he is still keen on winning this match after that shot? As I
:27:15. > :27:31.say, they both want it so badly. But it has to be said, Ronnie was in
:27:32. > :27:41.the balls and he was looking good and... He will have just gone to
:27:42. > :28:18.clean hi # -- clean his hands. A little bit sticky maybe.
:28:19. > :28:25.That's gone wrong. It is amazing. I was just about to say with these
:28:26. > :28:30.players, you normally expect to them a win with one visit. But what's
:28:31. > :28:34.been happening - there is all sorts of hitting things going on. There is
:28:35. > :28:38.another one, when it ran on to the red and out of position. I don't
:28:39. > :28:42.think it is December Pratt. He has the one insurance policy in the
:28:43. > :28:46.baulk area. May have lost position there, but the way his long
:28:47. > :28:48.potting's been, this will be going in.
:28:49. > :29:02.APPLAUSE Not all bad news there. Got a chance
:29:03. > :29:08.here. He can pot the yellow off the said cushion and into the pack, if
:29:09. > :29:12.he wants to. The red over the middle pocket would be there as well.
:29:13. > :29:17.That's what he played. But he hit that so badly he was nowhere near
:29:18. > :29:21.it! I don't know about how, John, but you just sense... Normally you
:29:22. > :29:25.would say they are in, they are going to win the frame you sense
:29:26. > :29:28.with what's going on, they are not confident of winning the frame with
:29:29. > :29:33.one visit. If there is a three-ball plant what a bonus that is. I don't
:29:34. > :29:37.think it will go in... Unless there is a gap between the two reds. P
:29:38. > :29:41.those two reds are close together it will squeeze it away from the
:29:42. > :29:46.pocket. Well, let's see. The first two to the left... Close together,
:29:47. > :29:48.the angle he's got, he won't make - he will squeeze it away from the
:29:49. > :30:00.pocket, I think. Well, from that angle maybe he could
:30:01. > :30:11.possibly make it, because there is a little gap between the reds. But
:30:12. > :30:13.still doesn't fan it is. -- fancy it . Well...
:30:14. > :30:20.CHEERING 25. He would be kicking himself.
:30:21. > :30:24.Such a margin for error there. Comes off there, the side of the cushion,
:30:25. > :30:30.goes into the pack with the balls, red over the middle. Looking like a
:30:31. > :30:44.frame-winning chance but it's gone now.
:30:45. > :30:48.APPLAUSE Good stuff, though. I don't know
:30:49. > :30:53.what's going to happen next! LAUGHS
:30:54. > :30:55.What happened next? That used to be a programme. How many years were you
:30:56. > :31:11.the captain? What happened next? Well, he thought he could pot that.
:31:12. > :31:14.And the white needs to keep running, otherwise he's left it. Yeah. I
:31:15. > :31:39.think he can get past the blue. CHEERING
:31:40. > :31:43.Just someone shouted out there, "Get in." Before the white got near the
:31:44. > :31:49.red. We don't need anyone like that shouting while the player is playing
:31:50. > :31:56.the shot because it will put the player he's supporting off.
:31:57. > :32:05.Once again, though, the position... Not ideal for Ronnie. This - the
:32:06. > :32:09.choice of it up into the yellow pocket, which is what he's doing,
:32:10. > :32:12.but he played for it in the centre. CROWD: Oh!
:32:13. > :32:21.CHEERING He should be taking this one! Quiet
:32:22. > :32:36.please! Listen, you get enough bad luck at
:32:37. > :32:43.times in a game. If you get a fluke like this, why not take full
:32:44. > :32:47.advantage? Left of the cushion. Then seemed to come back in. I think
:32:48. > :32:50.there was a bit of swerve on it, hitting the angle. Yep. Arced it
:32:51. > :32:59.around into the pocket. I'm with you - you get a fluke, you
:33:00. > :33:06.make sure you get the most of it. You see it's the jaws, and then it
:33:07. > :33:13.hits the caution and... Flick off the brown? Wow! That brown's been
:33:14. > :33:17.pretty good, hasn't it? It should have been in the other one, but of
:33:18. > :33:20.course he played the plant afterwards with not a lot of care.
:33:21. > :33:38.But what a fluke that was! He didn't play that too well. That's
:33:39. > :33:43.a bit careless there. Miss challenged the cannon completely.
:33:44. > :33:50.He's just battling himself a little bit at the moment. You can see the
:33:51. > :33:53.about jebt disappointment on -- abject disappointment on his face
:33:54. > :33:56.when he losses position. Welcome to our world Ronnie. That's what
:33:57. > :34:14.happens to most players. APPLAUSE
:34:15. > :34:19.Welcome back to Ronnie's world! LAUGHS
:34:20. > :34:28.Yeah. For all the great play and misses and bad safeties Yan # --
:34:29. > :34:32.safeties Yan great safeties, you can't beat a little bit of luck.
:34:33. > :34:45.What a fluke that was! CHEERING
:34:46. > :34:54.Very focused. Great temperament, but that was hard to take. Because it
:34:55. > :35:01.means now that he's going to have to win the last three frames. He's
:35:02. > :35:05.quite a while capable of doing that, as Ronnie overscrews the yellow. But
:35:06. > :35:10.that doesn't matter. He will stay in the seat. Or he might leave the
:35:11. > :35:15.arena just to compose himself, but it doesn't matter about the green.
:35:16. > :35:16.That was an unbelievable fluke for Ronnie O'Sullivan!
:35:17. > :35:22.CHEERING No wonder he's leaving the arena.
:35:23. > :35:25.He's now just one frame away from the place in the semifinal. It's 5-3
:35:26. > :35:49.to The Rocket. Ronnie, a bit short with the
:35:50. > :35:55.break-off shot. Could do with a long pot here.
:35:56. > :36:47.Given the cue a clean there, just to make sure it's nice and smooth. He
:36:48. > :36:54.could do with a couple of Robertson specials. He's at the stage now
:36:55. > :37:10.where he knows he can't afford many more misses.
:37:11. > :37:34.Just having a look there to see if that red at the back of the black is
:37:35. > :37:38.pottable. At some stage... Obviously not playing on it there, but he's
:37:39. > :37:44.just seeing if he can pot that and get it away are the black. It will
:37:45. > :37:53.free it. But... I don't know about that one.
:37:54. > :38:04.Here he is again, checking just to see. All those ones you have to keep
:38:05. > :38:08.the qubl high, so -- cue ball high so when you get the natural angle
:38:09. > :38:15.you can screw off for the black. It is a tough angle for the black,
:38:16. > :38:19.certainly on these tables. And he would be disgusted with that. You
:38:20. > :38:24.can see him turn his head away because the one thing he didn't want
:38:25. > :38:32.to do was come low. Just got into that a bit too much.
:38:33. > :38:42.Not even sure that pots. It's very tight.
:38:43. > :38:48.Yeah. Not from angle. Had the white been near and to the right he would
:38:49. > :38:58.have been OK. He worked that out an if you shots ago. Stephen mentioned
:38:59. > :38:59.in the studio that struggling for positional play today. A good
:39:00. > :39:35.example. A very good example. A good opening pot. Played as a shot
:39:36. > :39:39.to nothing. Because if the red doesn't go in - have a look where
:39:40. > :39:41.the cue ball was. The fact he potted it, he knew he was always going to
:39:42. > :40:05.have a chance of the brown. CROWD: Oh! Boy, to hit it that hard
:40:06. > :40:28.and expect the pocket to accept the brown was asking something.
:40:29. > :40:38.Foul! Oh, he fouled it. He was looking and he may have thought he
:40:39. > :40:49.was OK, but he touched it with his sleeve. Yeah. Bad news on the foul.
:40:50. > :40:55.Good news was - that red came across and hit the black and didn't leave
:40:56. > :41:25.one on. Could have been all bad for Neil there.
:41:26. > :41:34.APPLAUSE Interesting, though, Ronnie tapped
:41:35. > :41:38.the table a few times. He tapped the table before the white got anywhere
:41:39. > :41:45.near the cushion. He knew where it was going to finish up.
:41:46. > :41:53.Don't mind him missing altogether with the first attempt... Much
:41:54. > :42:01.better doing that than hitting the red thick. He will have another go
:42:02. > :42:06.at it. He will want to really make contact this time, because three
:42:07. > :42:09.misses from this situation and you lose the frame. So, can he get a
:42:10. > :42:21.thin enough contact here? No. The referee will now warn
:42:22. > :42:25.Ronnie. I said earlier anything else going to happen in this match?
:42:26. > :42:35.Certainly he won't lose a frame from missing the reds she times?
:42:36. > :42:40.UMPIRE: I have to warn you this time. Put plenty on chalk of the
:42:41. > :42:48.tip. The last thing you want to do is miscue.
:42:49. > :42:57.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Well! In the end it was a terrific
:42:58. > :43:01.safety shot he played. But... He hasn't reacted, but he couldn't stop
:43:02. > :43:05.smiling there. It looked, from that... He must have tried to plant!
:43:06. > :43:08.LAUGHS I will tell you what - this is a big
:43:09. > :43:13.shot to take on. Well, you were right, John. It was a
:43:14. > :43:40.big shot. Don't be giving too many chances to
:43:41. > :43:45.someone like Neil Robertson. He was in the jaws of the pocket. So close.
:43:46. > :43:58.But very tough shot he took on there.
:43:59. > :44:04.Yes. Not a brilliance chance this. Blackcurrantly is out of commission
:44:05. > :44:06.-- black currently out of commission. Pink certainly is. Brown
:44:07. > :44:22.on the side cushion. Not perfect on the blue. I suppose
:44:23. > :44:27.he could take the green, being left-handed. It might actually be a
:44:28. > :44:33.natural angle back at the red at the bottom of the cluster, because that
:44:34. > :44:46.will pot. But is he hampered with his cuing? Mmm. Looks like it.
:44:47. > :44:52.He is looking at the blue to the middle pocket. This is a thin cut.
:44:53. > :45:01.He will go into the pink and reads and it will open the game up. Foul.
:45:02. > :45:05.That's a bit unlucky. It was a very thin snick required. He got the main
:45:06. > :45:11.part of the shot. Didn't quite enough get screw on it. But to go in
:45:12. > :45:15.off was very unfortunate indeed. Yeah. Added unfortunate part of that
:45:16. > :45:19.shot - I think he's opened the pink into a pottable position as well. I
:45:20. > :45:24.think the pink now goes - the red removed from the side of the pink -
:45:25. > :45:27.if Ronnie can pot this and come through, then he's got pink or blue
:45:28. > :46:23.that's available. What he needs to do is get his focus
:46:24. > :46:24.back that he had at the start of the match.
:46:25. > :46:31.APPLAUSE It has to be said, just a few little
:46:32. > :46:35.signs that he is getting a little frustrated with himself. He sets
:46:36. > :46:54.himself such high standards, Ronnie O'Sullivan.
:46:55. > :46:59.That was a good shot that Neil played there. Knew he would be
:47:00. > :47:03.clipping the red towards the corner, but as long as he could use the
:47:04. > :47:08.yellow, green or blue to cover it up, it was OK. Similar shot for
:47:09. > :47:12.Ronnie here, but Ronnie has to be careful with... Don't want to hit
:47:13. > :47:22.the pump in the middle pocket either. Has he covered it?
:47:23. > :47:29.He's covered the one closest to the pocket. And the one on the left-hand
:47:30. > :47:52.side he is hampered by the yellow. So, not great for Neil.
:47:53. > :47:58.I just noticed, John, something with Ronnie when down on the shot. It is
:47:59. > :48:02.as if he's moving around a little bit. He never used to do that. Rock
:48:03. > :48:13.solid. But detected just a little bit of movement while he was getting
:48:14. > :48:40.ready to deliver the cue. That was just a containing safety.
:48:41. > :48:55.A tough shot, these. Yeah. Not surprised he missed it actually. One
:48:56. > :48:59.of the ones... That is on the thin side. Ronnie isn't looking to see
:49:00. > :49:04.about the red on the right-hand side. He doesn't fancy that. Well,
:49:05. > :49:11.that, I suppose... He normally he could have potted that and got on
:49:12. > :49:15.the pink. Didn't even look at it, did he?
:49:16. > :49:24.Just while they are replacing it there, just... You see, there's
:49:25. > :49:28.where it is, nearly on the brown spot. Mmm. Looked as if he could
:49:29. > :49:37.take it on. Wouldn't have left a great deal but he had it replaced.
:49:38. > :49:47.Now! It's Robertson's turn to be warned. He won't even look at the
:49:48. > :49:51.red this time. Of course, if he did it and missed it three times then
:49:52. > :49:55.this would be frame and match. Do you know what I think happened? It
:49:56. > :50:02.happened in the Irish Masters, and I think Ken was playing Steve Davis.
:50:03. > :50:07.Was it Steve who lost the match with three consecutive misses? Yep. Yep.
:50:08. > :50:10.You're dead right. That's what happened.
:50:11. > :50:13.REFEREE: I have to warn you this time Neil. This will be too thick
:50:14. > :50:36.now. Needs to be very careful here. APPLAUSE
:50:37. > :50:44.Yep. Too thick. But I tell you what - he will be glad when it's finished
:50:45. > :50:54.T -- finished. The blue's come to his rescue.
:50:55. > :50:59.Played that with a loaded check side. Just to straighten the cue
:51:00. > :51:05.ball up. APPLAUSE
:51:06. > :51:11.He's played it very well. Where the reds have turned out, he's had a
:51:12. > :51:15.little bit of luck, of course. He's covered those two red near the
:51:16. > :51:22.corner pocket. Little bit of luck with one of the balls, but it was
:51:23. > :51:31.well played. On first glance, looks like a fair bit of trouble.
:51:32. > :51:38.Well, that is what he is faced with there. As you can see, a very
:51:39. > :51:48.difficult situation. He will have to give this one a
:51:49. > :51:54.little bit of thought, because he knows one mistake here and he could
:51:55. > :51:58.be out of this year's Masters. Yeah T two reds that are near the top
:51:59. > :52:03.corner, the bottom one, Neil was looking at trying to roll up and
:52:04. > :52:06.drop on. But if you don't get that right you are leaving a red into the
:52:07. > :52:11.middle pocket. That's what he's had a look at. If he can just come up
:52:12. > :52:28.dead weight and rest on it. But you have to get that right.
:52:29. > :52:37.Well, this is very delicate. It isn't going to reach. Foul.
:52:38. > :52:46.Oh that was the way he was trying to get in behind that red. Ronnie's not
:52:47. > :52:51.having the one in the middle pocket. So, obviously the... That pot isn't
:52:52. > :52:53.something he fancies. But he's got Neil in a right load of trouble
:52:54. > :53:13.here. Same shot, is it? Has he done the same thing again?
:53:14. > :53:20.And then... REFEREE: Foul. And a miss. Yep. He
:53:21. > :53:25.will have to be warned again. For the second time... That doesn't
:53:26. > :53:30.happen very often where a player is warned twice in one frame.
:53:31. > :53:31.REFEREE: I have to warn you again, Neil. You played a miss. You will
:53:32. > :54:02.lose the frame. Yeah. And the match. Oh! Well! He's given a foul away. 7
:54:03. > :54:07.points. But the... Black, will it go on its own spot! I think it's the
:54:08. > :54:10.ultimate whammy. I think everything pots.
:54:11. > :54:15.REFEREE: Settle down, please. Quiet now. Thank you! He is so many
:54:16. > :54:20.trouble. He thought he had to take on that pottable pot. There was no
:54:21. > :54:29.pocket to go in. But some of the balls were very awkward, but have a
:54:30. > :54:32.lack at how they have split up. For those to finish like that, and
:54:33. > :54:35.forget the black on the spot, with everything in the open, you couldn't
:54:36. > :54:38.ask for anything more. The only thing is... The way it's gone this
:54:39. > :55:04.afternoon, will it be over? They have played each other twice in
:55:05. > :55:12.the Masters. Neil one 6-1 in the semifinal 2015. Ronnie won 6-4 in
:55:13. > :55:27.Round 2 in 2010. Even that shot wasn't played up to
:55:28. > :55:32.his usual standards. You could see him down in shot, he was in two
:55:33. > :55:36.minds, the way he played. Obviously to knock the black he should be
:55:37. > :55:41.knocking this in. But just little unpositional blips from Ronnie
:55:42. > :55:48.O'Sullivan that you don't normally see. These are just spread lovely.
:55:49. > :56:02.No excuses now. Before this match started, we
:56:03. > :56:06.were... Thought we were going to be in for century breaks flying in all
:56:07. > :56:11.over the place. But... Ronnie's highest break had been 63. Neil's
:56:12. > :56:16.74. But... I will tell you what - there's been lots of 50s and 40s and
:56:17. > :56:21.misses. We've had a bit of everything. Yep. It's been great
:56:22. > :56:27.theatre this afternoon, that's for sure. You know, this audience this
:56:28. > :56:31.afternoon, OK, as you say, not centuries rolling off every frame,
:56:32. > :56:36.but it's been fascinating right the way through. It's been difficult to
:56:37. > :56:40.commentate on because we know what was going to happen. On occasions
:56:41. > :56:46.people looking like they are going to clear up, pole positions, and a
:56:47. > :56:51.few missed pots you wouldn't get. But fascinating nonetheless.
:56:52. > :56:59.APPLAUSE That's the frame and the match
:57:00. > :57:05.secure. Neil Robertson had a chance to go 4-2 in front. And for me, that
:57:06. > :57:10.was the big, big turning point in the match.
:57:11. > :57:18.The crowd here at Alexandra Palace have been very fair to both players.
:57:19. > :57:24.A lot of Ronnie fans here, but Neil Robertson's had terrific support
:57:25. > :57:30.also. But it's not going to be his year.
:57:31. > :57:38.Just looked as if he had lost a little bit of focus. He was very up
:57:39. > :57:43.for it. The start at match, but just seemed to lose his way towards the
:57:44. > :57:46.end, and... Probably because he set such a high standard.
:57:47. > :57:55.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 61. He's had a few flukes here and
:57:56. > :58:02.there which always help. APPLAUSE
:58:03. > :58:05.Interesting... Well, he will be delighted, Damien Hurst, his good
:58:06. > :58:08.friend. It will be interesting to hear what Ronnie has to say about
:58:09. > :58:11.the match. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
:58:12. > :58:19.Both players big smiles for each other. It's been a fascinating
:58:20. > :58:21.tussle between these two great players. There Ronnie acknowledges
:58:22. > :58:28.the crowd. He will be delighted. In the end a comfortable win, 6-3, for
:58:29. > :58:33.the Rocket. Curious match. But Ronnie O'Sullivan is over the line
:58:34. > :58:37.and into a 13th Masters semifinal. He's only ever lost one of those and
:58:38. > :58:41.ironically that was a couple of years ago to the very same Neil
:58:42. > :58:45.Robertson. He aadvantaged that one. We will be back with more live
:58:46. > :58:51.snooker in yet another quarterfinal. It is Mark Selby, the world number
:58:52. > :58:56.1, and threetime winner of the great event, against the runner-up, Barry
:58:57. > :58:57.Hawkins. We will catch you for 1:00pm BBC Two.
:58:58. > :58:59.Goodnight. Why would James Delaney hate
:59:00. > :59:03.the India so?