:00:36. > :00:41.The temperatures may be plummeting right now, but at least at
:00:41. > :00:46.Alexandra Palace the thermostat is rising. At least in terms of the
:00:46. > :00:51.quality of the matches. We are just about at the tail-end of the first
:00:51. > :00:56.round business. World number one Mark Selby and Stuart Bingham just
:00:56. > :01:00.coming to the end of their first round match for the last remaining
:01:00. > :01:04.place in the quarter-finals. We will reflect on that match shortly,
:01:04. > :01:09.but first, a quick look back on a franc lead head-scratching
:01:09. > :01:15.encounter this afternoon between two decorated Welshman, Mark
:01:15. > :01:22.Williams and Matthew Stevens. -- frankly. Two former Masters winners,
:01:22. > :01:26.Great expectations. Williams could hardly be Pot 2 balls in a row,
:01:26. > :01:31.gifting Matthew the first couple of frames. Matthew must have thought
:01:31. > :01:37.Christmas had come early and ripped through the frames and into a 4-1
:01:37. > :01:42.lead. But just as Stevens was imagining his first win in 10 years
:01:43. > :01:49.over his great mate, frame six jolted him back to reality. Awful
:01:49. > :01:52.misses on the green and the brown. That was the turning point.
:01:52. > :01:58.Suddenly Williams remembered who he was, a double world champion, and
:01:58. > :02:03.how he can play. He rattled off the next frame as well. Stevens was
:02:03. > :02:12.still 4-3 ahead, but cracks in his confidence as wide as the Severn
:02:12. > :02:21.Bridge began to yawn. His lead was gone. Having started so slowly,
:02:21. > :02:25.there was no stopping Williams thereafter. A 6-4 win. From 4-1
:02:25. > :02:35.behind, this was surely one of the most remarkably bizarre comebacks
:02:35. > :02:38.
:02:38. > :02:44.Delighted to win. More happy with myself that I never gave him. Even
:02:44. > :02:49.at 4-1 down, I never gave up, possibly trying too hard at times!
:02:49. > :02:55.I somehow managed to win. I don't think anybody would have thought I
:02:55. > :03:03.would win at 4-1 down. One of those matches, I don't really know how
:03:03. > :03:07.I'm won. Relieved but a little bemused about how he managed to win.
:03:07. > :03:11.He was free this evening to watch his next opponent. It was going to
:03:11. > :03:21.be one of the top performers of the season, either Mr Bingham or Mr
:03:21. > :03:22.
:03:22. > :03:26.We have the UK Championship just before Christmas which was great
:03:26. > :03:33.and I had a break after Christmas and then came back and won the PTC
:03:33. > :03:39.in Germany. I am confident. I've had a good start to the season.
:03:39. > :03:46.I've won three trophies, the same as Mark. I've been practising and
:03:46. > :03:51.I'm up for it tonight. Stuart is a great player, I've known him for
:03:51. > :03:56.many years. I always rated him to a high level, but he never really
:03:56. > :04:02.came through and achieved what he should have done. Over the last 18
:04:02. > :04:10.months he has shown what a class player he is. He is the best player
:04:10. > :04:15.in the world. He is back to world number one. He is the hardest
:04:15. > :04:19.player out there at the moment. Every tournament we going to we
:04:19. > :04:29.want to win and the Masters is no different. It would be great to win
:04:29. > :04:35.it again. I will be trying my best. It would mean everything to me.
:04:35. > :04:39.Over the years Hendry winning it five times on the trot, the names,
:04:39. > :04:46.Paul Hunter, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Higgins, only the best players in
:04:46. > :04:51.the world have won it. Mark Selby may be the newly crowned UK
:04:51. > :04:55.champion and world number one, but the world Number Ten, Stuart
:04:55. > :04:58.Bingham, has a winning record Bingham, has a winning record
:04:58. > :05:03.against him. He beat Selby 6-0 in the Premier League this season.
:05:03. > :05:06.Selby took the opener and now he has work to do in the second frame.
:05:06. > :05:16.Dennis Taylor and Ken Doherty are eager to get their teeth into this
:05:16. > :05:37.
:05:37. > :05:47.Although it is the best of 11, if Stuart loses this second frame, it
:05:47. > :05:48.
:05:49. > :05:58.When your opponent wins the opening frame with one visit, you want to
:05:59. > :05:59.
:05:59. > :06:39.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 40 seconds
:06:39. > :06:44.come straight back at him. He had a He might not be able to hold this,
:06:44. > :06:50.that is why he was thinking about going all the way around the table,
:06:50. > :06:55.but that would be quite difficult. He was undecided. He couldn't make
:06:55. > :06:59.up his mind. He went down on the shot and then got up. He thought
:06:59. > :07:09.about going all the way around the table and then just seemed to go
:07:09. > :07:26.
:07:26. > :07:33.down and take his eye off the pot. He's just looking at the scores and
:07:33. > :07:43.calculating. 15 ahead. Blackwood put him 22. He will just need two
:07:43. > :07:43.
:07:43. > :08:55.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 40 seconds
:08:55. > :08:59.He has missed a trick here, Mark Selby. He had a great chance to
:08:59. > :09:09.stamp early authority on the match until he missed that black off the
:09:09. > :09:31.
:09:31. > :09:41.spot if when he was a little bit A little exhibition shot. He is not
:09:41. > :09:48.
:09:48. > :09:56.worried about the black. Stuart A solid opening knock from Stuart
:09:56. > :10:06.and several more would follow. Bingham went three-1 up at the
:10:06. > :10:17.
:10:17. > :10:25.interval. Could he keep the squeeze The white will be close...
:10:25. > :10:30.REFEREE: Foul. Once it misses the blue from that angle, you know it
:10:30. > :10:35.will go very close to the corner pocket. He has left a long pot for
:10:35. > :10:45.Stuart. Already 32 points in the lead. He is usually pretty
:10:45. > :10:53.
:10:53. > :11:03.He cued that very nicely and now a great chance. That red next to the
:11:03. > :11:15.
:11:15. > :11:23.He has enough reds in potable positions to leave Mark Selby
:11:23. > :11:28.needing a snooker. Worrying times for the Chester from Leicester. --
:11:28. > :11:35.jester from Leicester. It all started so well this evening. He
:11:35. > :11:41.looked in excellent form with that 63 break. It has been all Stuart
:11:41. > :11:47.Bingham ever since. I suppose we new-look back at the second frame,
:11:47. > :11:51.I know it was early in the match, but it was a bit of a turning point.
:11:51. > :11:58.Mark Selby had a great chance to pinch it and that would have heard
:11:58. > :12:03.Stuart Bingham. Bingham got his first frame on the board and since
:12:03. > :12:08.then he hasn't looked back. He has cued very well and looked very
:12:08. > :12:13.composed and confident. He started off nervous, no doubt about that.
:12:13. > :12:18.Since that second frame, it has been Paul Stuart Bingham. But it
:12:18. > :12:28.may have been different if Mark Selby had pinched that second frame
:12:28. > :12:38.
:12:38. > :12:48.That was an excellent positional shot. He judged it absolutely
:12:48. > :12:50.
:12:50. > :13:00.62 points ahead so just this red required. That is another frame on
:13:00. > :13:06.
:13:06. > :13:12.the board. These are worrying times Yes. I think what he has to do is
:13:12. > :13:18.think about that UK championship when he was 4-0 to down against
:13:18. > :13:28.Neil Robertson and came back to win. He has to get himself positive. He
:13:28. > :13:32.
:13:32. > :13:42.A possible six frames still to be played in this match. He will have
:13:42. > :13:46.
:13:46. > :13:53.to win five of them to progress in It was funny, we walked over
:13:53. > :13:57.together at about 6:40pm. Stuart arrived with a security man. He got
:13:57. > :14:01.lost and finished up around the back, a security officer brought
:14:01. > :14:09.him in. He certainly hasn't lost his way on the table, that's for
:14:10. > :14:14.sure! Perfect angle to knock in the red and take the red off the
:14:14. > :14:24.cushion. Knock it towards the left hand corner pocket and stay on the
:14:24. > :14:34.
:14:34. > :14:44.He has knocked it into a safe That is a great shot. Excellent
:14:44. > :14:59.
:14:59. > :15:09.You could see how much side he had on that white. Another exhibition
:15:09. > :15:24.
:15:24. > :15:28.Four black's, four pink's, a blue and green. -- blacks, pinks. Just
:15:28. > :15:34.as if he is having a practice session. He has become that type of
:15:34. > :15:38.player. He can go into the match arena and play a similar game to
:15:38. > :15:43.what he does in practice. Not many players are able to do that. But he
:15:43. > :15:53.has developed into one of those. He is having a lot of fun at the
:15:53. > :15:58.
:15:59. > :16:06.Well, where are you going to put the black, Stuart? Left-handed into
:16:06. > :16:09.the corner pocket? No black, but the corner pocket? No black, but
:16:09. > :16:18.what a start after the mid-session interval. He had one chance and he
:16:18. > :16:24.made a break of 86. Look at that little smile, he's having a ball!
:16:24. > :16:31.STUDIO: It is all getting very worrying for the world No. 1. But
:16:31. > :16:41.what followed was a key frame and indeed a key safety battle. They
:16:41. > :17:02.
:17:02. > :17:06.had been Pavey -- playing for 25 That is a few times that Mark Selby
:17:06. > :17:16.has got away with it. He needs a little bit of good fortune, I
:17:16. > :17:17.
:17:17. > :17:24.suppose. Has he found the gap again? Yes. He has found the
:17:24. > :17:33.Cumberland Gap. You won't remember who sang that. Ronnie Donegan. --
:17:33. > :17:43.I don't know if he made my old man's a dustman before that, but he
:17:43. > :18:02.
:18:03. > :18:12.Well, the pace of the table. A natural angle to drop in behind the
:18:13. > :18:22.
:18:22. > :18:27.It has been the longest frame of the match and Mark Selby has given
:18:27. > :18:37.it everything and he looked as if he would maybe pinch the frame, but
:18:37. > :18:49.
:18:49. > :18:58.He has it all to do, Mark Selby. Stuart will not bother about the
:18:58. > :19:00.black. Stuart Bingham takes the black. Stuart Bingham takes the
:19:00. > :19:04.frame and goes into a to a 5-1 lead. frame and goes into a to a 5-1 lead.
:19:04. > :19:08.Looking great for Bingham now, but those of you who have seen Mark
:19:09. > :19:14.Selby in action are only too aware that he never knows when he is
:19:14. > :19:24.beaten and predictably he began the regard action, winning the next two.
:19:24. > :19:37.
:19:37. > :19:43.REFEREE: Foul.. Mark Selby four. That is what he thinks of that
:19:43. > :19:48.effort. He was trying to screw back into the baulk area, hoping to get
:19:48. > :19:58.it safe if he missed the pot. When you hit it at that pace, very
:19:58. > :20:17.
:20:17. > :20:22.little chance of knocking in the That was fairly thin, which is why
:20:22. > :20:32.he could not get in good position. If he can roll in the brown, watch
:20:32. > :20:36.where the white finishes. There's a In fact there's a couple of reds
:20:36. > :20:46.that look like they are available into the left corner. That will do
:20:46. > :20:48.
:20:48. > :20:52.He was going to run it through and he suddenly thought to himself, it
:20:52. > :20:57.is the type of shot you get a kick on. He was down on the shot and
:20:57. > :21:01.then got up and had be cue ball cleaned. Wouldn't it be ironic if
:21:01. > :21:11.he now gets a kick? I don't know if cleaning the ball makes that much
:21:11. > :21:23.
:21:23. > :21:32.It's as if he relishes this sort of situation, Mark Selby. He laughs
:21:32. > :21:40.the fight. -- he loves a fight. has done it so many times. He has
:21:40. > :21:50.done at a couple of times at the UK Championship. 4-0 down to Neil
:21:50. > :21:55.
:21:55. > :22:00.Robertson just before Christmas. He If that red doesn't pot, the one
:22:00. > :22:10.directly above the black, he now has a nice angle on the black to
:22:10. > :22:15.
:22:15. > :22:25.Just about perfect. He can stun up through the gap now. He will have
:22:25. > :22:32.
:22:32. > :22:38.He has just gone a little far. Which does make it quite difficult.
:22:38. > :22:42.He just got into it too much. He may have to cannon the red towards
:22:42. > :22:50.the left corner pocket because it is not straightforward with the
:22:50. > :22:58.angle he has. I'm not sure if he can run it through and get on to
:22:58. > :23:04.that red. Well, he could. But he is a bit close to the cushion. It is
:23:04. > :23:14.amazing, when you go slightly out of position, it starts getting more
:23:14. > :23:24.
:23:24. > :23:34.Good cueing. Looking good. He might have to use the pink as a little
:23:34. > :23:42.
:23:42. > :23:52.He doesn't need the difficult red and all of a sudden Mark Selby is
:23:52. > :24:30.
:24:30. > :24:35.I think this crowd at Alexandra Palace thought they were in for an
:24:35. > :24:45.early night. I think a lot of people for that, but Mark Selby had
:24:45. > :24:52.
:24:52. > :24:56.different ideas. -- people thought At 5-1 down, he was looking a bit
:24:57. > :25:06.rattled, he missed a few long pots by a long way, but Stuart didn't
:25:07. > :25:19.
:25:19. > :25:29.take advantage and now Mark Selby His highest break. 63 was his
:25:29. > :26:00.
:26:00. > :26:10.highest, in the opening frame, And the fightback continues. Mark
:26:10. > :26:17.
:26:17. > :26:21.Selby has had breaks of 57, 45 and Stuart Bingham hat to believe it,
:26:21. > :26:25.but could he stopped Selby's momentum and the comeback by
:26:25. > :26:35.plundering over the safety line in frame 10? Let's find out. --
:26:35. > :26:44.
:26:44. > :26:51.Still cueing well. He has done it Almost a carbon copy off the
:26:51. > :27:01.previous frame. Perfect on the black as well. Right into the heart
:27:01. > :27:04.
:27:04. > :27:09.of the pocket. Let's see what split That is pretty good. He has a red
:27:09. > :27:13.to the right corner and also her red into the right centre.
:27:14. > :27:17.couldn't have played that any better. It was a terrible back to
:27:17. > :27:27.go into. He stunned into it. He couldn't have played that any
:27:27. > :27:38.
:27:38. > :27:42.His choice is the red into the left And again, as in the previous
:27:42. > :27:52.frame... REFEREE: No more shouting out when
:27:52. > :28:01.
:28:01. > :28:11.the players are at the table, thank Someone got the thumbs-up, but it
:28:11. > :28:19.
:28:19. > :28:26.You don't mind a bit of noise and a bit of atmosphere, but you don't
:28:26. > :28:30.want it on the shot. It is a little bit different to darts. They seem
:28:30. > :28:40.to be able to carry on playing with noise, but this is a slightly
:28:40. > :28:40.
:28:40. > :29:57.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 40 seconds
:29:57. > :30:02.I just wonder, will Mark Selby choose to get the pink on spot? It
:30:02. > :30:12.is in an awkward position, should he get an opportunity to split the
:30:12. > :30:13.
:30:13. > :30:23.reds from the blue. That is a surprising shot. He is over on that
:30:23. > :30:26.
:30:26. > :30:30.cue ball. At least 12 inches. looks to be straight on the green
:30:31. > :30:35.but the red to the left of the pack is available to the right corner,
:30:35. > :30:45.so he can screw back on that if he is dead straight and he is, as you
:30:45. > :30:58.
:30:58. > :31:08.I do not think there is an available red after this one. He
:31:08. > :31:08.
:31:08. > :31:15.needs a good angle on black or pink. We have said how fast this table is.
:31:15. > :31:20.That was a great shot. The pink was in a terrible position to go into
:31:20. > :31:25.the fans but he has left himself on a baulk colour. The green would be
:31:25. > :31:30.the better one to go into the pack, you would feel. The brown is the
:31:30. > :31:35.easier part, so it is the brown. Just to get somewhere near the
:31:35. > :31:44.middle pocket on the right hand side and sped on to the reds...
:31:44. > :31:54.There is this side, there is the pot, and there is the cannon.
:31:54. > :31:58.
:31:58. > :32:08.think he is OK if he can get at He is pretty close to the left hand
:32:08. > :32:11.cushion but does not have to do any work with the cue ball. He just has
:32:11. > :32:21.to calm of the right hand cushion, back into the middle of the table
:32:21. > :32:30.
:32:30. > :32:40.for a blue or pink. -- he just has This is great stuff, it has to be
:32:40. > :32:44.
:32:44. > :32:50.said. Mark Selby was all at sea, but he has tried something up from
:32:50. > :33:00.his bootlaces, I was going to say, but his new shoes. Those are the
:33:00. > :33:04.ones that his wife bought him. I think at one stage she thought she
:33:04. > :33:10.would be on her way home, but she is still there and that is her
:33:10. > :33:20.sister next to her. She has seen her husband do this are many, many
:33:20. > :33:45.
:33:45. > :33:55.occasions. He just never knows when They think the middle read of that
:33:55. > :34:12.
:34:12. > :34:19.bunch of four dos pot into the This was the mess on the middle
:34:19. > :34:23.pocket and it was a great chance, wasn't it? He will have to quickly
:34:23. > :34:32.forget about that and he might have to get his mind set and get ready
:34:32. > :34:42.for a decider. Mark Selby is not going to slip up here. He is back
:34:42. > :35:04.
:35:04. > :35:08.Two of the things we used to say about this game, you need a lot of
:35:08. > :35:18.determination but a great temperament. He has got both of
:35:18. > :35:33.
:35:33. > :35:43.He may have to play a double. We are seeing all of the great
:35:43. > :35:51.
:35:51. > :35:55.qualities of Mark Selby tonight. 60 He is thinking about that double
:35:55. > :36:04.you were talking about. Stuart Bingham is thinking about a
:36:04. > :36:14.deciding frame. Normally he would take the double on. This time he
:36:14. > :36:23.
:36:23. > :36:28.does not. He keeps it tight. We did indeed have a decider. So,
:36:28. > :36:38.whose nerve would hold? This time, Bingham finds himself in pursuit
:36:38. > :36:39.
:36:39. > :36:47.He has to be careful, there is a red in that pack available into the
:36:47. > :36:57.right Middle. What a fantastic shot! He will be happy with that,
:36:57. > :37:07.
:37:07. > :37:10.Very difficult to get back down the table. He is really Hambridge. He
:37:10. > :37:20.can go SEN of this black but he is having to bridge right over that
:37:20. > :37:32.
:37:32. > :37:35.red. -- she can go then off this Mark Selby tapped the table with
:37:35. > :37:42.his cue in acknowledgement because he knew that was not
:37:42. > :37:52.straightforward. The only thing against Bingham was that he had to
:37:52. > :37:59.
:37:59. > :38:09.For a moment I thought he was going to go behind Stuart Bingham and
:38:09. > :38:13.
:38:13. > :38:19.leave a free ball. Can he get in behind those three colours? He has
:38:19. > :38:29.got the yellow, blue and brown as his target. As long as he misses
:38:29. > :38:35.
:38:35. > :38:43.Harleys the pace on this? He has opened the reds. He has headed a
:38:43. > :38:51.little bit too hard. Has the brown come to his rescue? What a lot of
:38:51. > :38:55.pressure on Ms. That was an aggressive shot. He knew he was
:38:55. > :39:05.bringing reds into play, trying to get big you will be high in the
:39:05. > :39:06.
:39:06. > :39:13.yellow and blue. He has left half a chance. He is looking to see, if I
:39:13. > :39:20.pot this and leave myself on the pink, what would I leave? He has
:39:20. > :39:26.got to fully commit to this. If he does not he will leave a pot. I am
:39:26. > :39:33.not sure if there was something in his line of sight but he has walked
:39:33. > :39:43.away from mid-table to compose himself. -- walked away from the
:39:43. > :39:57.
:39:57. > :40:07.He knows the importance of this shot. He is having an little word.
:40:07. > :40:09.
:40:09. > :40:13.Is he OK? There is maybe someone in the front row... After fighting
:40:13. > :40:23.your way back and winning four frames in a row, there is a lot
:40:23. > :40:37.
:40:37. > :40:40.winning on this pot. -- a lot What a superb pot that is. Under
:40:40. > :40:48.the circumstances that was excellent. Fully committed, didn't
:40:48. > :40:55.he? Just looking at Stuart Bingham's reaction, it was like a
:40:55. > :41:00.little lot of -- not have their head to say, that was some shot.
:41:00. > :41:09.That was nice to see, after what has happened. He is one of the
:41:09. > :41:15.nicest lads in the game, Stuart Bingham. Boy, would this hurt, to
:41:15. > :41:25.lose from 5-1 in front, especially after beating him 6-0. Idlib as if
:41:25. > :41:25.
:41:25. > :41:30.he was going to do it again. -- it You could not see this at 5-1.
:41:30. > :41:37.Stuart Bingham was in total control. Mark Bingham looked -- Mark Selby
:41:37. > :41:43.looked completely out of sorts. He just managed to dig out something.
:41:43. > :41:50.This does not surprise us, we have seen him do it in the past. We were
:41:50. > :41:59.not expecting it against a player playing but wait Stuart Bingham was.
:41:59. > :42:05.He is doing it again. There are still some two pot, but the black
:42:05. > :42:15.is out of commission, the blue is off its place. Maybe he can get for
:42:15. > :42:16.
:42:16. > :42:23.the pink List time. Yes, not a He is looking at those two reds in
:42:23. > :42:33.the middle of the bunch. They do plant into the bottom right-hand
:42:33. > :42:39.
:42:39. > :42:47.corner pocket. Would you believe it? There is still a bit of life
:42:47. > :42:51.left in this match yet. It is the old saying, he took his eye off a
:42:51. > :43:00.part, concentrating on Nick cannon and he was annoyed with himself and
:43:00. > :43:10.Craig Whyte you so. -- quite rightly so. That would probably
:43:10. > :43:32.
:43:32. > :43:35.have clinched the match for him but That was again were of a chance for
:43:35. > :43:44.Stuart Bingham but what has happened in May last four frames
:43:44. > :43:50.has taken quite a bit of the confidence away. In little shake of
:43:50. > :44:00.their head. He is bemused. He is wondering how this match has
:44:00. > :44:22.
:44:23. > :44:30.Mark Selby is not world No. 1 for He is not many more pots away from
:44:30. > :44:40.securing one of his best comebacks. To do this against an inform Stuart
:44:40. > :44:44.
:44:44. > :44:54.And there is the planned to help his cause. -- the plant. He just
:44:54. > :45:21.
:45:21. > :45:29.52 ahead, 59 remaining. One more He must be looking up at his wife
:45:29. > :45:35.and her sister and sighing, I told you I could do it! It is a great
:45:35. > :45:45.feeling, it really is, to have made this sort of comeback. This is a
:45:45. > :46:22.
:46:22. > :46:32.bit special. Every credit to Mark Well, that tells you how he's
:46:32. > :46:36.
:46:36. > :46:41.feeling. What a match we have had here at the Alexandra Palace.
:46:41. > :46:46.Smiles all round as Stuart Bingham congratulates Mark Selby. He was 5-
:46:46. > :46:51.1 down, last five frames in a row, he has come back and won five
:46:51. > :47:01.frames in a road to get into the quarter final, winning the match 6-
:47:01. > :47:01.
:47:01. > :47:07.Those comebacks are definitely his trademark. You want quality? You
:47:07. > :47:10.have got it in abundance in this Betfair Masters. When we let go
:47:10. > :47:17.ahead to the quarter-finals, no fewer than five of the remaining
:47:17. > :47:27.eight players are world champions West UK and Masters winners like
:47:27. > :47:48.
:47:48. > :47:54.Either way, snooker extra is a long next with the Stevens-Williams