:00:37. > :00:39.Welcome to highlight. Tonight we are concentrating on an all-
:00:39. > :00:43.Scottish clash between Stephen Maguire and Graeme Dott, who
:00:43. > :00:49.between them have made 20 appearances at this tournament but
:00:49. > :00:53.as yet neither has been to the final before. We have known each
:00:53. > :01:00.other for maybe 15 years now. We know each other's game, how good
:01:00. > :01:05.each other art. It doesn't make any difference that we are both
:01:05. > :01:09.Scottish. We are both mates off the table, but when we go on to play,
:01:09. > :01:19.we will want to rip each other's heads off. After it is finished, we
:01:19. > :01:22.will be mate again. -- mades. wouldn't say I was playing
:01:22. > :01:27.consistently well of but I'm hoping it turns around at the right time.
:01:27. > :01:33.It is a new year now, the first big tournament of the new year, so I
:01:33. > :01:37.will try a bit harder and hopefully get some titles this year. I have
:01:37. > :01:42.been struggling for the past few months, playing a really bad, in
:01:42. > :01:48.the last tournament I reached the final in Germany, I started to show
:01:48. > :01:53.a bit of form, hopefully I can bring it into this. I think Graeme
:01:53. > :01:58.is probably one of the most underrated players in the top 16,
:01:58. > :02:02.which he shouldn't be, because I think he has proved himself, he has
:02:02. > :02:10.been world champion and two other finals in the World Championships,
:02:10. > :02:15.so he is a handful. He is obviously a very good player, he is a very
:02:15. > :02:19.aggressive player, there will not be as many safety battles against
:02:19. > :02:24.him as against other players, I enjoy playing against him. Graeme
:02:24. > :02:31.Dott made a quick start, winning the first two of frames before
:02:31. > :02:41.Maguire level things up courtesy of a century. It is 3-3 as we join it
:02:41. > :02:42.
:02:42. > :02:47.in frame seven. Dott is at the It looked as if he was going to
:02:47. > :02:51.leave a red on, but he has got excellent length on the cue ball.
:02:51. > :02:58.That was a top class safety shot. Not only has he covered that red,
:02:58. > :03:08.he has covered the path down the left-hand side to the blue. He is
:03:08. > :03:08.
:03:08. > :03:16.I suppose he could come off the side cushion and roll into the side
:03:16. > :03:26.of the reds, but he would have to hit the correct one. Absolute dead
:03:26. > :03:30.
:03:30. > :03:40.That is one way, but is he trying to get into the red behind the
:03:40. > :03:46.
:03:46. > :03:51.That was never on. The miss is called, but not taken. Knock me
:03:51. > :03:58.over with a feather, he has played that shot! I don't think he was too
:03:58. > :04:08.happy with that himself. There was a chance playing your shot, but how
:04:08. > :04:16.
:04:16. > :04:20.He will have to sit in his seat and suffer, I assume you try to get
:04:20. > :04:30.down to the top cushion and hit the red of the top cushion, he has
:04:30. > :04:34.
:04:34. > :04:44.He is a real tiger, is Graeme Dott. When he realises he has a chance to
:04:44. > :05:13.
:05:13. > :05:23.I would like to have been the right side of the blue. Maybe the pink
:05:23. > :05:57.
:05:57. > :06:07.He had stopped in his tracks. He thought he got a balance off the
:06:07. > :06:08.
:06:08. > :06:11.third cushion. -- bounce. He is betwixt and between. If it had run
:06:12. > :06:17.on a bit further, he would have been on a red to the left corner,
:06:17. > :06:27.it stopped just a fraction short. In fairness, it is his positional
:06:27. > :06:29.
:06:29. > :06:33.play, really. He has given himself But it never seems to affect Graeme
:06:33. > :06:36.very much. I am looking at this match thinking that Stephen Maguire
:06:36. > :06:46.is hitting the ball better than Graeme Dott, but I would never
:06:46. > :06:49.
:06:49. > :06:59.count him out. He just keeps on Had it is another good pot, and he
:06:59. > :07:07.
:07:08. > :07:12.He has options. He really is some competitive. -- competitor. He
:07:12. > :07:21.would be one of those annoying boxers who you keep hitting, they
:07:21. > :07:31.keep getting up and staring you in He has now decided to take the
:07:31. > :07:34.
:07:34. > :07:44.I think there is a red to the left middle, he could have done with
:07:44. > :08:20.
:08:20. > :08:30.that cue ball bouncing a little bit Cannon up to the red that is an the
:08:30. > :08:35.
:08:35. > :08:43.pink spot would be absolutely When he went 3-2 down, it looked
:08:43. > :08:53.like it was danger time for Graeme Dott. And here he is, looking like
:08:53. > :09:00.
:09:00. > :09:04.It is Stephen Maguire he was under pressure now. -- who is. Yes, and
:09:04. > :09:11.Graeme Dott is the type of player, who if he gets in first in the
:09:11. > :09:18.frame, he is very hard to pick back. So the early stages a beach frame
:09:18. > :09:24.of very important, you feel, for Stephen Maguire. -- the early
:09:24. > :09:34.stages of each frame are very important. His highest break so far
:09:34. > :09:50.
:09:50. > :10:00.in the match has been a 69, in He will be on 72, but it will be
:10:00. > :10:20.
:10:20. > :10:24.If he clears the colours, it will An excellent response, this, from
:10:24. > :10:30.being too does era in front, going three-two behind, you have to take
:10:30. > :10:40.your hat off to him. He does it his way. Sometimes it isn't as pretty
:10:40. > :10:56.
:10:56. > :11:01.as other players, but it is the As the doctor says, are, he has
:11:01. > :11:05.gone for the four cushion! Didn't matter. What a good performance
:11:05. > :11:15.this is up from Graeme Dott. Stephen Maguire looked to be
:11:15. > :11:19.getting a full steam ahead but Dott Graeme Dott get his head back in
:11:19. > :11:29.front, and Stephen Maguire is coming under extreme pressure. We
:11:29. > :11:36.
:11:36. > :11:40.He has missed the reds with the plant. This may not be taken,
:11:40. > :11:47.depends if Stephen feels he can pot the red and get position on the
:11:47. > :11:57.colour. These reds are awkward. He is 28 behind. It would be a good
:11:57. > :11:58.
:11:58. > :12:04.clearance from here, to win this He could hold comfortably for
:12:04. > :12:14.yellow or green. They are not ideally placed, the reds. He will
:12:14. > :12:50.
:12:50. > :12:55.do well to win the frame at this Would you believe it! I said it
:12:55. > :13:05.would be difficult to win the frame, but I never expected him to miss
:13:05. > :13:12.
:13:12. > :13:22.I and that was a lovely kiss! I didn't expect Stephen Maguire to
:13:22. > :13:26.
:13:26. > :13:36.He was perfect on to the two reds. You as, the two awkward reds.
:13:36. > :13:45.
:13:45. > :13:49.This was it, when I was saying it would be difficult for Stephen
:13:49. > :13:57.Maguire, it was those two awkward reds that would only go in the
:13:57. > :14:02.left-hand pocket. After finishing on the green, it was on. Now he is
:14:02. > :14:08.complaining he got a bit of a bounce off the cushion. When you
:14:08. > :14:12.are playing with a bit of track, it turned into a bit of top-spin.
:14:12. > :14:22.think it did come off quicker but in fairness, the shot before should
:14:22. > :14:26.not have been anywhere near where What compounded that it was he had
:14:26. > :14:36.a choice of yellow or green, so there was no advantage in being
:14:36. > :14:38.
:14:38. > :14:44.It has caused him to miss, so Stephen Maguire will get another
:14:44. > :14:53.chance. I think they are both feeling it at the minute, they both
:14:53. > :15:03.I bet he never thought he was getting another chance, Stephen
:15:03. > :15:09.
:15:09. > :15:14.What is happening at the minute?! He has conceded. I know you're not
:15:14. > :15:18.supposed to. But the frame is conceded. There is a rule you're
:15:18. > :15:24.not supposed to concede while the game is still in play, so he might
:15:24. > :15:29.finish up with a fine for that. But just the frustration of the
:15:29. > :15:34.situation, these things happen. We will just watch it again. The cue
:15:34. > :15:38.ball was coming down the table, he just flick it away and conceded.
:15:38. > :15:46.Graeme Dott is now just one frame away from a place in the quarter-
:15:46. > :15:51.Conceding that frame in such Amman may not have been the best decision
:15:51. > :15:56.he has ever made, he may get a potential fine, but he did compose
:15:56. > :16:06.himself to get back into the match by getting the next frame. We
:16:06. > :16:13.
:16:13. > :16:17.Half a chance there for Graeme Dott. As soon as he is playing a shot
:16:17. > :16:27.where he is having to hit a low centre at pace, he is not as
:16:27. > :16:30.
:16:30. > :16:40.I tell you what, this is a test for your cue action, these are really
:16:40. > :16:54.
:16:54. > :17:03.Brilliant. Absolutely. You couldn't have described did any better. A
:17:03. > :17:08.superb shot. -- described it. Such a dangerous player. His own worst
:17:08. > :17:18.enemy at times, but when he is on terms with himself, he can pot
:17:18. > :17:22.
:17:22. > :17:25.That newly went wrong, but it is OK. Just managed to nudge the red
:17:25. > :17:35.towards the left hand corner. Otherwise he would have been on
:17:35. > :17:41.
:17:41. > :17:49.You may have noticed that he potted the red into the left-hand side,
:17:49. > :17:59.just to widen the angle to come back for the black. The cue ball
:17:59. > :18:26.
:18:27. > :18:30.Not quite how he played that, but He is OK. For a moment I thought he
:18:30. > :18:40.had gone a little too far, but he can get through to the cue ball
:18:40. > :19:04.
:19:04. > :19:14.It is the follow-through that is the problem there. You have to be
:19:14. > :19:26.
:19:26. > :19:32.Graeme Dott just has to sit there patiently, hoping he gets a chance,
:19:32. > :19:37.if not in this frame, then in the next one. That is what he will have
:19:37. > :19:41.been thinking from the moment he was by-3 in front. He is just
:19:41. > :19:47.thinking, I am bound to get a couple of chances. He didn't get
:19:47. > :19:54.much of a chance in the last frame. That excellent opening red from his
:19:54. > :19:57.opponent hasn't given him much of a chance in this one. He's on the
:19:57. > :20:07.perfect angle on the blue to go into the pink and red, but what is
:20:07. > :20:07.
:20:07. > :21:07.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 59 seconds
:21:07. > :21:17.the point? Try and keep it simple He will be disappointed with that
:21:17. > :21:22.
:21:22. > :21:29.Stephen Maguire is still one frame behind, and he is straight on this
:21:29. > :21:39.black, he shouldn't have been. He was able to force it across, at the
:21:39. > :21:46.red to the left middle... Since he has conceded that frame before, who
:21:46. > :21:53.started hitting the ball superbly well. -- he started. He will be
:21:53. > :22:00.fined for giving game eight or way. But he has really cued Welten t got
:22:00. > :22:05.that frame out of his mind. -- cued well since he got that frame out of
:22:05. > :22:15.his mind. He is going to try and leave an angle on the blue to
:22:15. > :22:17.
:22:17. > :22:27.He hasn't really gone far enough, he might be able to force it down,
:22:27. > :22:28.
:22:28. > :22:35.but it is easier to stun it in and So this could be the key to the
:22:35. > :22:45.frame. Can he get a good position on the colour, to bring a -- of the
:22:45. > :22:47.
:22:47. > :22:53.reds into play? This is the last of He is asking for the cue ball to be
:22:53. > :22:58.cleaned. I don't know if it was such a bad contact or he didn't hit
:22:58. > :23:08.it hard enough. You can see the red jumped, it took all the pace out of
:23:08. > :23:10.
:23:10. > :23:15.Just looking around to see if there are any plant in the cluster, I
:23:15. > :23:25.can't see any. He can still get into these, but it is a much
:23:25. > :23:37.
:23:37. > :23:47.He is just about on one. And he is looking for red and one more black
:23:47. > :23:50.
:23:50. > :23:58.This will be some frame-winning contribution, when you consider the
:23:58. > :24:08.red he started with. Just building himself up for this one. Red and a
:24:08. > :24:25.
:24:25. > :24:35.That opening red was an absolute duty. Cueing across the table,
:24:35. > :24:55.
:24:55. > :25:00.excellent. He deserves everything So that chance that Graeme Dott
:25:00. > :25:09.felt was bound to come his way hasn't been this frame, I didn't in
:25:09. > :25:13.the last. He will be hoping he gets his opportunity in the decider.
:25:13. > :25:23.I said earlier, Stephen Maguire is going to have to play very well,
:25:23. > :25:55.
:25:55. > :26:00.We have had six century breaks so far in the Masters this year. The
:26:00. > :26:10.sick if one was this evening in the third frame, by Stephen Maguire. --
:26:10. > :26:22.
:26:22. > :26:26.It looks as though he's going to make his second century. The
:26:26. > :26:36.highest break so far is by Mark Allen, 100 and statistics. That
:26:36. > :26:42.cannot be bettered here, but what a sensational break. -- 136. He just
:26:42. > :26:48.needed the one opportunity. A tremendous pot on the red. And top
:26:48. > :26:53.drawer, to win the frame in one visit. It sets us up for a decider.
:26:53. > :27:00.Graeme Dott, waiting for that chance to clinch the match, he has
:27:00. > :27:08.had two of frames and he has not had one. He will be hoping for an
:27:08. > :27:18.opportunity in that all-important But such are the vagaries of
:27:18. > :27:21.
:27:21. > :27:31.Absolutely superb. When he plays like that, you wonder who can beat
:27:31. > :27:33.
:27:33. > :27:37.him. Sometimes, I only himself. But It was almost inevitable that we
:27:37. > :27:47.would end up with a final frame decider command here it is. Graeme
:27:47. > :27:53.
:27:53. > :27:59.Dott at the table. It is already a Whereas the cue ball going? --
:27:59. > :28:05.where is the cue ball going? It just means that Stephen Maguire is
:28:06. > :28:15.now a point in front. All the snooker has been hard fought, after
:28:16. > :28:51.
:28:51. > :28:56.three hours and 48 minutes, there Looking at that scoreline, in 1972
:28:56. > :29:04.when Alex Higgins beat Rex Williams in the semi-final, that was the
:29:04. > :29:14.frame score. How things have changed. Of course, the match was
:29:14. > :29:29.
:29:29. > :29:34.Alex, of course, went on to win it, And that red on the right-hand side
:29:34. > :29:38.cushion is certainly the biggest ball in this frame. These two reds
:29:38. > :29:48.now are pottable, if he can get on them. But the one on the right
:29:48. > :29:54.
:29:54. > :30:04.cushion will be the key to this I think for pink has come to
:30:04. > :30:16.
:30:16. > :30:22.Well, it does this red go past the black? Looking at Graeme Dott's
:30:22. > :30:27.body language, I think it might. Yes, and he doesn't have to do
:30:27. > :30:33.anything with the cue ball. If he just stuns it, he will definitely
:30:33. > :30:43.be on the pink. But you can't put a lot of pace on this so you have to
:30:43. > :30:51.
:30:51. > :30:58.It is not there. Well, funnily enough, he was looking up as the
:30:58. > :31:04.red drifted away. We saw a ball like that on the first day. Neil
:31:04. > :31:11.Robertson saying that a ball drifted away. Never really behind
:31:11. > :31:21.the line of the shot so we can't confirm that. All I do now -- or
:31:21. > :31:38.
:31:38. > :31:43.like do know it is Graeme Dott has Well, this is a far from easy pot.
:31:43. > :31:53.If you're going to try to win this frame, you have to play on the
:31:53. > :31:56.
:31:56. > :32:06.Don't get me wrong, this is a very tricky pot. But if you do want to
:32:06. > :32:11.
:32:12. > :32:21.remove that red, you have to play Well, he has got the perfect angle
:32:22. > :32:22.
:32:22. > :32:26.on the black. I don't know why he He can play to move this or drop
:32:26. > :32:36.behind it. If he could roller to along the cushion, the pink would
:32:36. > :32:46.be on. -- roll it. Played to knock it out. Just needed a fraction more
:32:46. > :32:46.
:32:46. > :32:52.pace. Just a fraction harder and he would have knocked this red on.
:32:52. > :33:01.Could not have played it better. always had the look of being in
:33:01. > :33:10.important ball. Now the yellow has gone near the baulk cushion...
:33:10. > :33:19.Still plenty to play for. A decent safety, a good length with the cue
:33:19. > :33:28.ball. So important. He can push this up and down, but it is the
:33:29. > :33:38.dreaded double-kiss he has to worry He missed the double-kiss and he
:33:39. > :33:47.
:33:47. > :33:53.will be very happy with that result. Graeme didn't want that red to
:33:53. > :34:01.bounce, but it is -- it has bounced slightly. But I wouldn't say it is
:34:01. > :34:11.easy. The green will hamper his bridging. He feels as though he can
:34:11. > :34:22.
:34:22. > :34:25.Over done it! Now, it is it potable coming off cushion first? Do it is
:34:25. > :34:32.Stephen Maguire's turn to have some fortune. It is probably as awkward
:34:32. > :34:36.as it could be, where the cue ball is. I still think Graeme Dott can
:34:36. > :34:46.get past the pink and on to the cushion. But it could have been
:34:46. > :35:00.
:35:00. > :35:08.Well, another chance for Graeme Dott, but the yellow is going to be
:35:08. > :35:18.difficult. I don't care how he gets on it, it is going to be difficult.
:35:18. > :35:22.
:35:23. > :35:29.Yes, it's the only hope Stephen He has played it really well. The
:35:29. > :35:39.cue ball has gone a little further than he would have liked. You could
:35:39. > :35:42.
:35:42. > :35:48.be very tempted to play safe here. Well, it's decision time. A big
:35:48. > :35:53.decision. This is a big match. He has got every respect for his
:35:53. > :36:03.opponent. This would be a real feather in his cap if he was to win
:36:03. > :36:04.
:36:04. > :36:11.this one. He just needs the yellow Well, he tried to hedge his bets by
:36:11. > :36:21.playing the screw. It has not turned out too bad. Not too bad, it
:36:21. > :36:24.
:36:24. > :36:28.is an absolute result! Nearly a If he could see all of that,
:36:28. > :36:38.Maguire, he would be stunning it and leaving Graeme Dott snookered.
:36:38. > :36:41.
:36:41. > :36:47.Year, it is obviously tricky. I'm not sock -- I'm not sure how much
:36:47. > :36:57.of this yellow he can hit. For one thing for certain, he has to get it
:36:57. > :37:11.
:37:11. > :37:17.safe. Graeme Dott it just needs the That was about as good as he could
:37:17. > :37:27.have done. It is the yellow ball fight because these balls are
:37:27. > :37:36.
:37:36. > :37:46.The longest frame of the match, coming in at 35 minutes. We had a
:37:46. > :38:03.
:38:03. > :38:08.34 minute first frame, but since Well played. Yes, absolutely. He
:38:08. > :38:18.was in a spot of bother. The motor important thing was to get it safe,
:38:18. > :38:18.
:38:18. > :38:25.but he has not put a lot of Well, a surprise, I thought he
:38:25. > :38:35.might have played a more attacking shot. I am quite happy with that
:38:35. > :39:14.
:39:14. > :39:18.shot. It is very tricky to get safe He went for it. No doubt about it.
:39:18. > :39:22.Now, has Stephen Maguire got an angle to go for this yellow and
:39:22. > :39:27.screw back to the green? This is a massive shot in the final frame of
:39:27. > :39:32.a major tournament. There's a possibility of one of the best
:39:32. > :39:42.shots he is going to play. The angle looks good to me, but this is
:39:42. > :39:57.
:39:57. > :40:01.Just the pace that kept it out. Where's the yellow going? I don't
:40:01. > :40:11.think Graeme Dott can pot the yellow, but it looks like a certain
:40:11. > :40:28.
:40:28. > :40:33.snooker. Just the pace. He got back Well... He could obviously pot the
:40:33. > :40:43.yellow. He jumped up in the air because he thought he could pot it
:40:43. > :40:53.
:40:53. > :41:00.and avoid the kiss on the green. It There's a gap. I think there's just
:41:00. > :41:10.a gap, but can he get the green safe? There's also a gap behind the
:41:10. > :41:14.
:41:14. > :41:23.brown. Can he come around the That is what he has played for. So
:41:23. > :41:33.close. Great effort. It was a great effort, wasn't it? 20 points in it
:41:33. > :41:46.
:41:46. > :41:55.in favour of Graeme Dott. The green The way the balls are situated, as
:41:55. > :42:00.John said earlier, whoever pots the next ball should win the match. It
:42:00. > :42:05.is that close. 20 points the difference or not. That green is
:42:05. > :42:11.not going past that brown. It has also finished in a very awkward
:42:11. > :42:17.spot. If it was slightly higher up, Stephen Maguire would be playing a
:42:17. > :42:27.safety behind the brown. Where it has finished his awkward. Difficult
:42:27. > :42:31.
:42:31. > :42:41.This is tricky. Yes. If you overcut the green, it could kiss the brown
:42:41. > :42:44.
:42:44. > :42:54.Not straight forward at all. Just to reiterate, it has just gone into
:42:54. > :43:11.
:43:11. > :43:21.That is a tremendous shot. It really is. Just to get it as safe
:43:21. > :43:34.
:43:34. > :43:43.That is a clever shot from Graeme. Very clever. Pushed the black onto
:43:43. > :43:53.the top rail, making it as difficult as possible. Yes, if he
:43:53. > :44:03.
:44:03. > :44:13.plays a cross double, your dreaded He went for it. So close. But he
:44:13. > :44:21.
:44:21. > :44:25.has not left it. That was a heck of Well, green off the side cushion,
:44:25. > :44:30.somewhere towards the black. But does he want to leave the green
:44:30. > :44:34.near the black if he doesn't get the snooker? Stephen Maguire will
:44:34. > :44:40.counter-punch with moving the black off the cushion. You have to think
:44:40. > :44:50.about all of these things. If he pushes this green towards the black
:44:50. > :44:50.
:44:50. > :44:57.and maybe go behind the brown. I Although the cue ball has just run
:44:57. > :45:07.awkward. If it hadn't had got there, he would have left Stephen Maguire
:45:07. > :45:34.
:45:34. > :45:42.What is happening here? The pink is going in. Oh no! 26 points behind
:45:42. > :45:47.now and only 25 remaining. A snooker needed. Unlucky. Yes.
:45:47. > :45:51.Desperately unlucky. He had to play the shot like he did. Look where
:45:51. > :46:01.the green has finished. If he doesn't pot the pink, he has Graeme
:46:01. > :46:06.
:46:06. > :46:12.Another thing about Graeme Dott but in the blacks safe is of course you
:46:12. > :46:19.can't get a snooker behind it. He will do very well to get a snooker
:46:19. > :46:29.here, Stephen Maguire. You usually want a colour near the cushion
:46:29. > :46:30.
:46:30. > :46:37.somewhere. Well, in goes the green. Unbelievable. Stephen Maguire led -
:46:37. > :46:41.- trailed 2-0, went 3-2 in front, 5-3 behind, had his chances,
:46:42. > :46:49.couldn't take them and in the end Graeme Dott falls over the line and
:46:49. > :46:53.Graeme Dott is through to the quarter-finals for the third
:46:53. > :46:57.successive year and will play either Judd Trump or Barry Hawkins.
:46:57. > :47:02.Time to show you what happened in the days of a match between John
:47:02. > :47:11.Higgins and Ali Carter. K another fascinating match, as
:47:11. > :47:19.they all are when you get the top Well, he has taken his eye off the
:47:19. > :47:29.pot. That is just a lack of concentration. What a steal offices.
:47:29. > :47:34.
:47:34. > :47:39.He has pinched another frame. Ali Carter could be 2-0 down, but he is
:47:40. > :47:49.2-0 in front. That is the sign of a true champion. John Higgins making
:47:49. > :47:59.a magnificent century break. He could make this. He has. He has now
:47:59. > :48:09.got himself two frames ahead and he He is now just one frame away from
:48:09. > :48:18.
:48:18. > :48:24.Very good, excellent shot. John Higgins, a twice winner of the
:48:24. > :48:26.Masters, is through to the quarter final, winning 6-3.
:48:26. > :48:35.final, winning 6-3. Ali is such a tough player to play
:48:35. > :48:40.against and he plays all the shots I would play. He plays the right
:48:40. > :48:46.game and he is such a tough player to play against. I'm over the moon
:48:46. > :48:50.to have beaten him. The second day is done and dusted. Snooker extra