:00:46. > :01:32.A pretty good break a shot from Mark Davis as the plan and to get the
:01:33. > :01:42.white as close to the ball cushion as possible.
:01:43. > :01:50.That first shot is not good from the defending champion. He has pushed
:01:51. > :01:56.the read write to the corner pocket. It bounced off the cushion and is
:01:57. > :02:04.dead straight. That looks easy but where the cueball is...?
:02:05. > :02:13.He couldn't do a lot with the cueball.
:02:14. > :02:20.He'll most followed in. -- he almost.
:02:21. > :02:34.What a buzz. For the opening session.
:02:35. > :02:39.Nothing better than playing the second biggest tournament of the
:02:40. > :02:42.season in front of a full crowd. They say that if you can't play in
:02:43. > :03:45.this atmosphere, you should not be playing snooker.
:03:46. > :03:58.He didn't expect that read to, but has gotten away with it. -- red to
:03:59. > :04:10.come up. I know that Mark Selby wasn't happy with his form at York.
:04:11. > :04:16.He needed a thin edge that might be OK. It depends on if there is a red
:04:17. > :04:35.that might pass the pink. And shouldn't be a problem for Mark
:04:36. > :04:39.Davis to get to safety here. He was disappointed with the UK
:04:40. > :04:46.Championship. He had been going well and then lost. On the deciding
:04:47. > :04:53.frame. He will want to make amends here.
:04:54. > :04:58.From a psychological perspective, when you have never won a match
:04:59. > :05:09.here, it is added pressure on you. He missed that are read by quite a
:05:10. > :05:27.big distance. He doesn't have to hit about them.
:05:28. > :05:55.He has to hit it this time or otherwise he loses the frame.
:05:56. > :05:58.He left a possible pot but it is not an easy one. He is not even looking
:05:59. > :06:22.at the red. Just above the pink. Mark Selby at the UK Championship,
:06:23. > :06:27.he had what we call his B game. Not his top form and still got to the
:06:28. > :06:29.final. He led Robinson 5-1 and looked like he would win but the
:06:30. > :06:48.Australian came back and defeated him.
:06:49. > :07:07.He thought he had died. -- had that. It looked in from here. That read
:07:08. > :07:16.beside the pinkies on if he misses it.
:07:17. > :07:27.Nice to see the boys back wearing ordinary tyres. Did they do away
:07:28. > :07:30.with a bow ties when he turned pro? They had normal ties during the day
:07:31. > :07:56.but I found it difficult to get comfortable.
:07:57. > :08:01.I stopped wearing after a fellow commentator fell out and grabbed my
:08:02. > :08:03.Thai to save himself and nearly strangled me. That was live on
:08:04. > :08:27.television. Very funny. Couldn't do much. He had to just
:08:28. > :08:28.rely on that. He tried to hit the pink but may have just rolled into
:08:29. > :08:44.the brown here. Slightly cagey there. I thought the
:08:45. > :08:46.blue was on to the right centre. First frame, he doesn't want to take
:08:47. > :09:26.any undue risks. Has that run far enough? He's taking
:09:27. > :09:30.a close look. A lot of balls in the way to get the white back around. He
:09:31. > :09:37.could play it slowly and it would come off the cushion...
:09:38. > :09:47.I don't think he wants to get tied up in too many frames. That would
:09:48. > :09:51.suit solely more. Mark Davis is a good tactical player. He would have
:09:52. > :09:58.to put our consulting slightly ahead in that department. -- Mark Selby.
:09:59. > :10:21.Mark Davis's tactical play has forced that error. The red jumper a
:10:22. > :10:51.little bit but he would not have wanted that.
:10:52. > :11:02.It is not an easy chance. The reds are nicely spread but the colours
:11:03. > :11:05.are awkward. You could stand in the red and leave the pink but when the
:11:06. > :11:13.pink is spotted, it would not be put anywhere.
:11:14. > :11:32.He will be using the blue for the time being.
:11:33. > :11:38.He has a lot of choices here. Looking at the angle on the blue, it
:11:39. > :11:45.would help to develop those two reds and the green. It is whether it is
:11:46. > :11:48.worth the risk. He would certainly finish on a choice of reds if he
:11:49. > :12:06.took the shot. He doesn't have to play the cannon.
:12:07. > :12:15.He has played for just about single red but... If he is dead straight on
:12:16. > :12:19.this, he is just off straight, so the only colour he can really play
:12:20. > :12:24.forward would be the yellow unless he forces it back towards the pink
:12:25. > :12:29.and the blue. That is why I thought the cannon on the green and the two
:12:30. > :12:31.reds would be an option. If those reds go past the yellow into the
:12:32. > :12:44.corner, there are three reds in the pot.
:12:45. > :12:52.Even if the black doesn't past yellow, he has the yellow available.
:12:53. > :12:59.-- pass the yellow. They can't let at risk but quite a good one,
:13:00. > :13:08.Steven. A good, positive shot. Making the frame win chance easier.
:13:09. > :13:18.It isn't guaranteed that he did do it really well.
:13:19. > :13:27.It was a favourable kiss. Did he put it into a potable position? He will
:13:28. > :13:42.finish in colour. That was quite a thin snick. He
:13:43. > :13:53.overcut it. He needs our little good luck.
:13:54. > :14:09.I think even get between the reds to pop it into the left corner.
:14:10. > :14:18.I did not think that he would go over. That was a bonus, being able
:14:19. > :14:35.to take that read because it has freed the black up.
:14:36. > :14:49.Needs to queue this one to get back up the right side of the blue.
:14:50. > :15:08.A nice angle across the black. That was a good shot.
:15:09. > :15:22.He does not want to be straight on this one. He has a slight angle.
:15:23. > :16:08.He has got to easy Reds left in the two difficult ones by the green and
:16:09. > :16:15.the one near the cushions. Another formality to clinch this opening
:16:16. > :16:16.frame. After this next shot, it might be iffy cannons the two macro
:16:17. > :16:40.reads and brings them into play. That is virtually a frame clincher.
:16:41. > :17:06.He does not need the difficult one near the cushion.
:17:07. > :17:14.Obviously Mark Davis did the hard work for Mark Selby by bringing the
:17:15. > :17:21.black into the open. Mark Selby looks very comfortable now. He loves
:17:22. > :17:26.this tournament, Mark Selby. Mark Davis, he can only sit and I'm sure
:17:27. > :17:33.he knows this frame has slipped away. But he had his chances. That
:17:34. > :17:39.has come off the cushion quite quick.
:17:40. > :18:00.He needs this read. Should not be a problem. -- red. Just a little bit
:18:01. > :18:32.of background noise putting mark off there.
:18:33. > :18:38.Always nice to start with a decent break. This looks like a frame from
:18:39. > :19:14.the defending champion. Does not matter about the green.
:19:15. > :19:19.That was a pretty good effort. It goes to the defending champion with
:19:20. > :19:48.that rate of 59. Giving him the first frame.
:19:49. > :20:23.That was such a key shot in the modern game. A player that can knock
:20:24. > :20:32.those in. It gives you an early chance. It is a shot the players
:20:33. > :20:38.Pratt was as well. -- practice. It can give you such an early chance
:20:39. > :20:49.that you can not that type of pot in. The colour amongst the Reds.
:20:50. > :21:00.Still keeping it tight, even though he is leading.
:21:01. > :21:18.He will make mark service work for every pop. Mark Davis has to take
:21:19. > :21:24.more risks. Maybe take on the odd 50-50 ball to make something happen
:21:25. > :21:26.to get back into this match. If things go the way it has been before
:21:27. > :22:15.the interval, he is going to lose. Bat Ben Cousins on the left side of
:22:16. > :22:20.the table is a bit of a distraction. -- bat Ben Cousins.
:22:21. > :22:32.Swimming the right away from the red. Has the green come to his
:22:33. > :22:41.rescue, I think it has. Got to be careful with this because of that
:22:42. > :22:44.red, the one between blue and brown. Has to try to get a cue between
:22:45. > :22:55.three blue and brown. He never likes playing those shots,
:22:56. > :23:13.he need -- never seems to get an advantage from.
:23:14. > :23:22.That is a bonus if he can get past the black to play that on the left
:23:23. > :23:49.side of the table. Nice little gap there.
:23:50. > :23:58.He did not attempt that pops, but it was pottable. Didn't even look at
:23:59. > :24:16.it. A total mishit from Mark Selby. He
:24:17. > :24:19.may have got away with it. There might be a gap through to red for
:24:20. > :24:29.the right corner. He mishit that one completely. At least one red is
:24:30. > :24:34.available. Not a direct plants but he can make it and get on the black
:24:35. > :24:46.but he wishes. He has to play the first reared to the left of the pot.
:24:47. > :24:48.-- red. A bad misjudgement. He needed to get that little bit more
:24:49. > :25:06.thought. Not just a natural plant. He played at in such a way as if it
:25:07. > :25:14.was in a direct line. He did not adjust enough. A bit of pressure on
:25:15. > :25:21.this one. He can cut in near the left corner.
:25:22. > :25:29.Has he screwed it back far enough to leave it. Will it be safe? I think
:25:30. > :25:55.he has. This is just a safety shot. A good length of the cue ball, he
:25:56. > :26:02.snookered on that red. Everything is safe.
:26:03. > :26:19.Might not reach. Might not reach. Did not.
:26:20. > :28:10.He frame scorers for -- nil. The match is for -- nil.
:28:11. > :28:30.The Canon did not help there. Left a path through for the one to the left
:28:31. > :28:36.and the red. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. A good pot but not the Canon he
:28:37. > :28:41.desired. A full ball cannon would have left on the black.
:28:42. > :28:49.Quite a thin snack. He may cannon the other red if he pops it. He did
:28:50. > :29:15.cannon the red. He has his luck. That is the last red Mark Davis
:29:16. > :29:16.bought Mark Selby would finish on but the Canon worked out well for
:29:17. > :29:36.him. When you are confident, you get
:29:37. > :29:52.these things happen for you. -- you let.
:29:53. > :29:57.Has he left a long red, that is the thing? That is the first time he has
:29:58. > :30:04.lost concentration because that is all that was. The first obvious pot
:30:05. > :30:09.that he has lost in a match, didn't even get close. Perhaps he is not as
:30:10. > :30:20.sharp, lost a little focus. Sometimes when you are four - zero
:30:21. > :30:37.up, you relax a bit and think that the job is done. -- 4-0 up.
:30:38. > :31:00.Come on, Mark, can you knock in a few here.
:31:01. > :31:26.Played for the red at the bottom of the pack in the left corner. This is
:31:27. > :31:30.not easy. He split on the right-hand side to get the blue and that is a
:31:31. > :31:38.good shot to get the far side of the blue.
:31:39. > :31:47.There must be a couple of reds available, the way he is walking
:31:48. > :31:51.around the table. Yes. You might be able to run the white
:31:52. > :32:07.through that gap. He could do with a sizeable
:32:08. > :32:21.contribution here, get a bit of confidence going.
:32:22. > :32:37.When he pots is red, it will get it into the right corner.
:32:38. > :32:45.It is the first time he has been around the blackspot area with a
:32:46. > :32:49.chance. Sometimes you can go frame after frame and never get a chance.
:32:50. > :33:08.In this one, you need it and you have got -- he has got it this time.
:33:09. > :33:26.Two more obvious reds are pottable. For reds and the pink.
:33:27. > :33:41.Into shots time, he can play a cannon.
:33:42. > :33:49.He wanted to be playing for the black from this red but he will have
:33:50. > :33:52.to go for the blue. He might be straight enough to follow through
:33:53. > :34:04.for the black. Four reds at the same time.
:34:05. > :34:09.I am just wondering if there is a possible plans on but if not he can
:34:10. > :34:13.cannon straight into the pink and bring those reds into play. If he
:34:14. > :34:21.shot works out, he could give himself the first frame.
:34:22. > :34:48.You wanted it to hit the pink and little more full than that.
:34:49. > :34:57.A good recovery there. Never easy when you are coming into other reds
:34:58. > :35:02.but he played it well. He is marching around the table now. He
:35:03. > :35:03.knows he is only a few pots away from getting this first frame on the
:35:04. > :35:26.board. You always feel that when your
:35:27. > :35:32.opponent need to frames, you are in their chance. This is the beginning
:35:33. > :35:51.of comeback. -- you are in with a chance.
:35:52. > :35:58.We talked about missing that ball and he was being punished for it.
:35:59. > :35:59.This is the one where he lost to some concentration, focusing more on
:36:00. > :36:18.the position. Frame for Mark Davis and he has died
:36:19. > :36:27.in style. It is always nice if you can win a frame and always better if
:36:28. > :36:32.you can win it with one visit. He can be feeling a little bit better
:36:33. > :36:33.but it is only the start of the long haul back. It doesn't matter about
:36:34. > :36:38.that. Mark Selby may have won this set.
:36:39. > :37:14.Mark Davis took full advantage. He has finished up here, right tight
:37:15. > :37:16.against the yellow. Obviously didn't play that break to put the cue ball
:37:17. > :37:32.in the ball cushion. He doesn't have an easy out where he
:37:33. > :37:34.can leave it safe. If you could guarantee to get the shot everytime,
:37:35. > :37:41.you are tried. Trying to get the white on the
:37:42. > :37:47.cushion... With the reds open, it is difficult to land on anything and
:37:48. > :37:52.leave it safe, as you say. No raid near a cushion that he can play to
:37:53. > :37:53.land on. If he goes to the side of the pack, he would leave that red to
:37:54. > :38:12.the right of the blacks and red. You are absolutely right, Steven. He
:38:13. > :39:07.didn't have a get out shot about. Just hit that one little harder he
:39:08. > :39:15.intended. A slight change of plan. He will have to leave the red to the
:39:16. > :39:19.right corner pocket. That want to the left of the three reds are
:39:20. > :39:33.there, just above the blackspot but he overheated slightly.
:39:34. > :39:36.He doesn't fancy that so years back looking at the red he originally
:39:37. > :39:49.played for. It was a slightly difficult pot but
:39:50. > :39:55.he did have his mind on it. The difficult part and he has lifted so
:39:56. > :39:59.he is stuck up. An unexpected chance for Mark Davis who couldn't wait to
:40:00. > :40:04.get out of his chair. I thought that was a red into either corner pocket
:40:05. > :40:06.that he missed. That one was more difficult than the one he missed in
:40:07. > :40:31.the previous frame. He will have to strike this shot
:40:32. > :40:32.well, going off the site cushion. This has to be struck well on the
:40:33. > :40:50.left-hand side. He has hit it too well. He has
:40:51. > :40:53.overrun that by about 12 inches, 18 inches. He is still on the red but
:40:54. > :41:04.it shouldn't be a problem, drop it in with the rest. He had a choice of
:41:05. > :41:24.reds to play on. He overscrew did but it shouldn't be a problem.
:41:25. > :41:32.He wants to punish Mark Selby. He had that break of 80 and could do
:41:33. > :41:52.and other sizeable break here and make Mark Selby pay for that.
:41:53. > :42:06.You has to hit the red and the right. A half ball.
:42:07. > :42:14.He just jabbed a little bit of that one and didn't get the action. Still
:42:15. > :42:18.OK but he was so close to the red, he had to be more careful. A bit
:42:19. > :42:40.more screw and he would have been perfect on the black.
:42:41. > :42:48.He was hoping that the white would slip past the red but it hasn't. If
:42:49. > :42:50.he finds the gap, he has a choice of reds in the left corner. This is
:42:51. > :43:02.awkward. I think that he can hold for the
:43:03. > :43:04.black if he can take it on but he is having to bridge over the three reds
:43:05. > :43:14.he is bridging over. A good recovery. Will it reach? Well
:43:15. > :43:46.played. One of Mark Davis's great strength.
:43:47. > :43:52.He has a great temperament. It is standing him in good stead here. He
:43:53. > :43:55.is giving himself a chance here. He's not that far in front in this
:43:56. > :44:58.frame but he is doing well here. 41. One loose red. There is the pot
:44:59. > :45:07.success rate, he has gone up to 92%. He didn't have any chances earlier
:45:08. > :45:14.on. Now he is over the 90 mark. Needs a bit of luck. The red has
:45:15. > :45:19.come off the cushion and block the path to the pocket. Cleared the shot
:45:20. > :45:25.as well as he could. He did not get the run of the ball. He needs to
:45:26. > :45:28.plant one on the other. He could not have played that much better. Very
:45:29. > :45:47.unlucky to finish like that. He did play that perfectly. That is
:45:48. > :45:52.painful when that happens. Another tricky one bridging over the reds.
:45:53. > :45:58.He pulled one off into the middle pocket. Not this time. Very
:45:59. > :46:30.unfortunate. All of a sudden, Mark Selby, surely
:46:31. > :46:36.it has not landed tight on the brown and covered everything? There is a
:46:37. > :46:41.red to the right corner pocket. How close is he to the brown? He has
:46:42. > :46:48.covered that. Have a look at that. Mark Selby in Mr Nutt asserted
:46:49. > :46:55.there. -- missed another sitter there. He was neither cushion, but
:46:56. > :47:07.he would have knocked that in eight out of 10 times. It was an easy pot.
:47:08. > :47:13.Under the circumstances, he should have had a much easier one since the
:47:14. > :47:19.White landed on the brown. If there were no other pots on, he would have
:47:20. > :47:24.landed it no problem. But something was preying on his mind. He knew he
:47:25. > :47:39.should have had an easier shot than the one he had to play.
:47:40. > :47:49.That might be the big turning point in this match. He had a great chance
:47:50. > :47:57.to get just two behind. Show you the must again. He should not have been
:47:58. > :47:58.playing this year. There were some easier options until Mark landed on
:47:59. > :48:14.the brown. This is probably what Mark Selby
:48:15. > :49:01.needed after the few misses. An easy opportunity.
:49:02. > :49:10.There is only the one red that is slightly awkward, to the right of a
:49:11. > :49:51.pink. But for a right-hander it is not too difficult.
:49:52. > :49:56.Did not make that one well. Directed to the left-hand side of the pocket.
:49:57. > :50:31.Still no problem. It just depends on angle he has
:50:32. > :50:36.here. The red to the right of the bank, he has to get a position, I
:50:37. > :50:44.would put the other white up, it would be perfect. But he has other
:50:45. > :50:51.options. He has to decide where he will place the cue ball after the
:50:52. > :50:54.spot. He needs to play through another few inches to play that
:50:55. > :51:07.shot. It is a big target from this red. Too straight to do here.
:51:08. > :51:18.Going to be awkward now. Can't take the green and screw the cue ball off
:51:19. > :51:32.to cushions. He is going to avoid the yellow and
:51:33. > :51:34.the blue. He has to find the path between them if he pots this. A
:51:35. > :51:56.great effort. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. 23 is the difference. As we show you
:51:57. > :52:09.the shot he played, the one Stephen mentioned. They then snack this. --
:52:10. > :52:26.-- a thin snick this. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. He played it
:52:27. > :52:31.with a bit of place and he only needs the blue. Not imperative he
:52:32. > :52:35.gets on to the yellow. Mark Davis seeing this frame slip away. A frame
:52:36. > :53:03.it looks like he was going to take. He has left himself a longer show
:53:04. > :53:11.shallow. 19 in front. He needs the yellow and green. A similar shock to
:53:12. > :53:14.the one he played previously. He has to pop this yellow and screwed two
:53:15. > :53:25.cautions out on to the green. A chance. A chance for Mark Davis.
:53:26. > :53:56.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. Psychologically, this would be a
:53:57. > :54:06.great frame for Mark Davies to take. He has been unlucky. Thrown it
:54:07. > :54:10.away when he was lucky when he went into the pack. All that will be
:54:11. > :54:27.forgotten that he can clear up and win the frame. -- if he can. To have
:54:28. > :54:35.any chance in this match, he has to win the first two frames to get
:54:36. > :54:38.himself back into it. Has to play a slightly longer pink and a White to
:54:39. > :54:47.get back to the black. This is the one. Little bit of
:54:48. > :55:12.screw, right-hand side. Needs to keep coming. Coming up
:55:13. > :55:17.quite short. He potted the pink into the bright side of the pocket. That
:55:18. > :55:20.is the reason he did not get onto the black. Was far too thick, almost
:55:21. > :55:34.missed it. I would have tried to stun that cue
:55:35. > :55:37.ball off two cautions. You will always give yourself a pop. -- two
:55:38. > :55:46.cautions. That is a pretty good pace. CHEERING
:55:47. > :56:00.AND APPLAUSE. You cannot beat the excitement of a
:56:01. > :56:29.blackball finish. If he tries to play the same shot,
:56:30. > :56:38.he has to be careful of the double curse. He might have two double it
:56:39. > :56:40.up to the right corner pocket. That is what he has done. He has played
:56:41. > :56:56.world. Made a very good job of that. Just watch this blackball go all --
:56:57. > :57:00.all the way round the angles and finish somewhere near the cushion.
:57:01. > :57:11.That is near the middle pocket. He played at round behind the
:57:12. > :57:23.blackspot area. Misfits that slightly. Can mark cups the black
:57:24. > :57:32.in. Cut shot for the player here. Well done, Mike Davis. It looked as
:57:33. > :57:37.if Mark Selby was going to take that frame but he did not. Four -- two to
:57:38. > :58:11.Mark Selby. Mark just use -- mark just has to
:58:12. > :58:26.give it his best shot. Hopefully not it in. -- not it then. His back is
:58:27. > :58:30.against the wall. All he can do is go out and give it his best shot.
:58:31. > :58:32.Sometimes the arm frees up a little bit and you start cueing the way you
:58:33. > :01:19.can. As you can see, there is still
:01:20. > :01:21.another red available at the back of the bunch. It doesn't necessarily
:01:22. > :01:34.have to go into it. In fact, it left an angle so this is
:01:35. > :01:38.a key shot coming up. He would be coming into other reds, making sure
:01:39. > :01:44.he gets enough action on the white to come away from the reds. I do is
:01:45. > :01:47.feel that it is better scrolling back from this shot. You have a
:01:48. > :02:09.choice of three colours. Always difficult to judge when you
:02:10. > :02:14.play that sort of shot. He got in very well. You can see he is hitting
:02:15. > :02:15.the cue ball at the bottom and he really did get hold of that, in
:02:16. > :02:27.fact, too well. He opened the reds beautifully and
:02:28. > :02:34.he dropped the colour there at the end of the frame. This is such a
:02:35. > :02:38.delicate shot, so close to the pink. He knows that this could be
:02:39. > :02:45.the last shot in this year's Masters.
:02:46. > :03:09.So difficult to judge when you are so close to the ball like that. This
:03:10. > :03:15.is great stuff from Mark Davis after what happened in the previous frame.
:03:16. > :03:19.It looked like he had a chance to get back to just one behind and he
:03:20. > :03:24.missed that easy read but he has loosened up here and this is the way
:03:25. > :03:29.he has been playing for the past few seasons. This is the reason he is
:03:30. > :04:35.number 15 in the world. Both players, the highest break in
:04:36. > :04:40.the match is 80 at the moment. This could supersede that. Might even get
:04:41. > :04:42.the first century in the Masters this year. Make sure that the frame
:04:43. > :05:08.first of all... Is taking this really well though.
:05:09. > :05:14.That one hiccup in the middle when he opened the reds and had to play a
:05:15. > :05:18.tricky pink... As you say, sometimes when your back is against the wall,
:05:19. > :05:25.you relax a bit and play a natural game.
:05:26. > :05:32.After being four down, he must be a little embarrassed. He is now
:05:33. > :05:36.showing us what is capable of. Very fluent, a Break builder who gets
:05:37. > :05:59.amongst the balls. You can't do any more than this, can
:06:00. > :06:03.you? Perfect snooker. It would be nice if he could make a century. A
:06:04. > :06:15.great way to keep yourself in the match, isn't it? A century.
:06:16. > :07:06.A great reception from this big crowd here at the Alexandra Palace
:07:07. > :07:09.for the first century in the Masters this year. Coming just at the right
:07:10. > :07:18.time. Mark Davis is marching around the
:07:19. > :07:29.table now. They would think that he was leading 5-2. Another small step
:07:30. > :07:33.and another comeback. Mark Selby is still a strong favourite but you
:07:34. > :08:10.never know with this game. That's a fabulous clearance from
:08:11. > :08:15.Mark Davis! If he keeps himself in this year 's Masters, that was a
:08:16. > :08:19.superb century break. Clear the table with 136 but is still 5-3,
:08:20. > :08:32.behind. He is still here, Mark Davis, but
:08:33. > :08:40.for how much longer? That is the big