:00:33. > :00:39.Good evening. What a year 2014 promises to be for sport with the
:00:40. > :00:44.Winter Olympics, the World Cup, the Commonwealth Games and a Ryder Cup
:00:45. > :00:49.all in the mix. But this snooker Masters tournament is a perennial
:00:50. > :00:52.sporting favourite. This year marks the 40th staging of this, the
:00:53. > :00:58.greatest invitational event in the sport. What a cracking start we got
:00:59. > :01:03.on the opening day here at Alexandra Palace. If you were watching earlier
:01:04. > :01:06.on BBC Two, you will have seen the defending champion, Mark Selby bang
:01:07. > :01:11.in trouble and very much up against it in his match against Mark Davis
:01:12. > :01:15.of Sussex. Now, he had looked very comfortable at one stage, Mark
:01:16. > :01:19.Selby, going 4-0 up. He was cruising. Back came the world number
:01:20. > :01:23.14, lobbing in a break of 136 en route to a final frame decider. So,
:01:24. > :01:28.could he complete the job against the tree time champion of this
:01:29. > :01:44.event? Let's find out in the company of Dennis Taylor and Stephen Hendry.
:01:45. > :01:54.Luckily, he's knocked the black too. Mark's coming round to see if the
:01:55. > :01:59.black will pot. Got a slight angle on this pot so he can screw off that
:02:00. > :02:08.side cushion back over towards the black. It looks a bit tight.
:02:09. > :02:13.First thing's first, he's got to knock the red in. But he must finish
:02:14. > :02:30.on the pink And he's going to have to cut the
:02:31. > :02:34.black into the left corner pocket. That's the only shot available to
:02:35. > :02:39.leave himself with a chance to win this deciding frame. If he takes on
:02:40. > :02:45.the pot, which he's got to take on, it's a most... He's got to get it
:02:46. > :03:00.otherwise he needs a snooker. We've got a picture there which
:03:01. > :03:06.probably might be able to get back to you. Got a perfect line as to
:03:07. > :03:10.know whether the black will go in or not.
:03:11. > :03:29.Is it hard enough? Is it going to reach? Is it going to reach? It is.
:03:30. > :03:31.Smiles all around. APPLAUSE
:03:32. > :03:35.Mark Davis smiled, Mark Selby smiled, the packed audience smiled.
:03:36. > :03:52.Didn't know if it was going to reach. But it did.
:03:53. > :04:00.Oh, he hasn't hit it hard enough. He could have taken a very tough pot on
:04:01. > :04:05.to try and get on the black. He wanted to give himself another
:04:06. > :04:07.chance but he's under hit that. Now he's thinking, I should have had a
:04:08. > :04:28.go at that red. You think Mark Selby needs the ball
:04:29. > :04:33.over the hole. He's lucky he's got such a big lead. And he's lucky he's
:04:34. > :04:37.got the balls on the table the way they are here because he's got a lot
:04:38. > :04:50.of insurance policies there. They are safe.
:04:51. > :05:05.He got the dreaded double kiss. Smiles all around, but...
:05:06. > :05:10.No smiles from Mark Davis after this remarkable comeback. Is that double
:05:11. > :05:23.kiss going to cost him? Is it going to cost him this match?
:05:24. > :05:48.It will be a very, very relieved Mark Selby. He looked to be cruising
:05:49. > :05:54.at 4-0 and 5-2 but Mark Davis had other ideas. And Mark Dave Is made a
:05:55. > :05:59.remarkable comeback. But in the end, he didn't get many chances in this
:06:00. > :06:06.deciding frame and he decides to shake hands. First round match in
:06:07. > :06:11.this year's Masters and the crowd stand to their feet to applaud the
:06:12. > :06:15.defending champion. It looked very easy in the beginning. In the end he
:06:16. > :06:19.worked his Socks off and Mark Selby goes through to the quarter-final,
:06:20. > :06:25.winning 6-5. Yes, a little bit of a game of two
:06:26. > :06:29.halves. Mark had the first, I took my chance well when he didn't
:06:30. > :06:34.capitalise. After that, I seemed to control the match to go 4-0 in
:06:35. > :06:36.front. After the interval, I lost concentration, had my chances but
:06:37. > :06:41.didn't talk them and Mark capitalised on them and done the
:06:42. > :06:46.same what I did to him the first session. After 4-0 down, it's a long
:06:47. > :06:50.way back, certainly against Mark, it's a mountain to climb. I felt OK,
:06:51. > :06:57.I didn't think I'd done that much wrong. I felt good and thought if I
:06:58. > :07:03.get a few chances I could score. 5-5 was, he played a good game. Safety
:07:04. > :07:07.was a bit loose in the last and needed to be tight because of the
:07:08. > :07:14.way the frame went and he played the frame better than I did. I know the
:07:15. > :07:20.feeling of picking the trophy up. To go out in the first round would have
:07:21. > :07:27.been gutting, especially being 4-0 up but thankfully I'm sat here. The
:07:28. > :07:31.defending champion there. What a fright Mark gave him though. Many
:07:32. > :07:35.feel that 2014 could be the year when Stuart Bingham, the world
:07:36. > :07:40.number seven from Essex, finally lands one of snooker's big three
:07:41. > :07:45.tournaments. Will it start here in North London? First, he had to get
:07:46. > :07:49.past John Higgins, which is never an easy asking.
:07:50. > :07:54.I was lucky enough to play in the last year of the Conference and the
:07:55. > :08:00.first year at the Arena, but I've been here, this is the third year on
:08:01. > :08:04.the trot and haven't yet got past the last 16 so hopefully I can
:08:05. > :08:08.change that tonight. Stuart Bingham disappointed but Judd Trump is now
:08:09. > :08:13.through to the quarter-final. First year that I've been in the top
:08:14. > :08:18.eight seed so I was hoping that I'd get an easier draw than Judd. There
:08:19. > :08:24.are no easy draws. It's going to be tough on current form. He's still
:08:25. > :08:28.one of the best players in the world. It's going to be tough. I've
:08:29. > :08:32.got to go out there and play like I have been for the last couple of
:08:33. > :08:38.months. If I can produce that, then there's no reason why I can't win.
:08:39. > :08:42.Let me show you Stuart Bingham's record in this event. He's never
:08:43. > :08:45.been beyond this stage of the Masters in four previous attempts
:08:46. > :08:51.and was kicking himself 12 months ago having been 5-1 in front against
:08:52. > :08:54.Mark Selby only to lose the final frame decider to the man who then
:08:55. > :09:00.went on to lift the trophy 12 months ago. Bingham's opponent this year,
:09:01. > :09:09.John Higgins, has claimed this title twice. He beat his opponent in the
:09:10. > :09:15.1999 final, there's the old gold trophy there, and he famously
:09:16. > :09:21.cleared up on a decider to win the new look crystal trophy in 2006,
:09:22. > :09:25.considerably heavier that one! This year marked John's 20th appearance
:09:26. > :09:31.in the Masters. He's reached four finals in all. He's really been a
:09:32. > :09:37.force at the Wembley Conference Centre, never really enjoyed playing
:09:38. > :09:41.at the Arena, but seems to like Alexandra Palace with journeys to
:09:42. > :09:45.the semis and the quarters in the last couple of years. The former
:09:46. > :09:49.world number one's been slipping down the rankings over the last few
:09:50. > :09:53.months. In fact, he hasn't gone beyond the last 16 stage in any
:09:54. > :09:57.event this season since June. That really is quite a startling fact. He
:09:58. > :10:00.wants to try and kick start his season.
:10:01. > :10:03.So, let's get into it then. It was Higgins who took the first frame of
:10:04. > :10:07.the evening. It was a nervous affair, this one, and frame two, as
:10:08. > :10:12.we pick them up, is down to the pink and the black, so let's head to the
:10:13. > :10:22.company of Kender hi and John Virgo in the commentary box.
:10:23. > :10:24.-- Ken Doherty. Stuart Bingham's got to get this pink safe. It's not a
:10:25. > :10:42.formality. He's done well. As you say, John,
:10:43. > :10:46.it's early days, but what a frame this could turn out to be for both.
:10:47. > :10:53.Keep you eye on the right middle pocket here. No, he didn't play
:10:54. > :10:57.that. To me, that is just possibly leaving yourself in trouble because
:10:58. > :11:01.it's not going to be difficult now for Stuart Bingham to play safe and
:11:02. > :11:07.he could possibly get the snooker behind the black. I thought John may
:11:08. > :11:10.have tried to send the pink round the angles but didn't want to risk
:11:11. > :11:23.it. I don't know whether both players
:11:24. > :11:26.think this table is quick quicker than it's playing, but another poor
:11:27. > :11:35.shot from Stuart. It's not easy. The cue ball will be
:11:36. > :11:50.going up and down the table. The paws of the cue ball. Seven
:11:51. > :11:54.points ahead. Takes the pressure off this black a little bit. Still a
:11:55. > :12:17.tough pot. Not there.
:12:18. > :12:24.Stuart Bingham can come and have a look now. This is just a little bit
:12:25. > :12:30.wide. On a bad day, they stay in the jaws. Is this potable? Or is it
:12:31. > :12:34.about to come back up the table? It's potable. Where's the cue ball
:12:35. > :12:46.going? It's OK. Probably the perfect outcome to this
:12:47. > :12:51.with the chances that have been on offer. It was in all fairness. After
:12:52. > :12:57.some of the shots he had played in that frame, it was a really good
:12:58. > :13:03.pot. Stuart Bingham wins the toss, puts John Higgins in. Most players
:13:04. > :13:06.these days, cue ball right hand side cushion. Black ball on the left hand
:13:07. > :13:22.side cushion. As you mentioned earlier when the
:13:23. > :13:32.punk was on the table, this is a possible double here. Left middle.
:13:33. > :13:37.Left corner pocket. Ooh! Well, he's hit that so bad. I mean, how he's
:13:38. > :13:43.got anywhere near. As you say, you think about left middle, you don't
:13:44. > :13:49.think about far left corner. .ion hitting that black honourable member
:13:50. > :13:53.full blow -- almost full blow. Here is a chance for John Higgins to take
:13:54. > :14:09.the second frame. Well, I've never seen a frame too
:14:10. > :14:13.and fro as much as this for a long time.
:14:14. > :14:21.And in it goes. Stuart Bingham will be mightily relieved. Both players
:14:22. > :14:25.had great chances there and it was a case of who was going to pot the
:14:26. > :14:34.last ball. It was Stuart bungment. He'll be very pleased. He levels
:14:35. > :14:38.1-1. But a few minutes later, Higgins found himself in front once
:14:39. > :14:43.more. He took the third frame with breaks of 32 and a 50 so we'll pick
:14:44. > :14:56.them up at frame four now. Bingham is seven points adrift in this one.
:14:57. > :15:02.Very risky trying to screw it back off the cushion, hit the red and
:15:03. > :15:12.bring the cue ball back. Very hard to get enough zip on the cue ball.
:15:13. > :15:49.Now, where does the pink go? It's certainly going to be available into
:15:50. > :15:52.left middle. Go for the blue probably off this
:15:53. > :16:05.red. He's under hit it. If he's very
:16:06. > :16:21.straight on this blue, that's careless.
:16:22. > :16:28.Doesn't want to be straight on this red, otherwise he'll be struggling
:16:29. > :16:33.to get a position on a colour. It's just the positional play #1250i78s
:16:34. > :16:35.in these frames that have cost both players -- play sometimes in these
:16:36. > :16:47.frames that have cost both players. APPLAUSE
:16:48. > :17:15.That was an excellent shot. And that looks about inch perfect.
:17:16. > :17:17.Pot the red unto the right corner, black for the left corner. What a
:17:18. > :17:32.chance this is. Opened the pocket now for the two
:17:33. > :18:31.Reds above the black spot. Just have a look at this shot.
:18:32. > :18:36.Beautiful positional shot. Two Reds above the red shot were a blocker.
:18:37. > :19:03.Perfect Shot. Over did that slightly. By potting
:19:04. > :19:07.that in the corner, clean as a whistle, that'll make it so much
:19:08. > :19:09.easier. Sawns here now that John Higgins is beginning to settle into
:19:10. > :19:25.the task. Just about got the angle on the
:19:26. > :19:28.blue. He's got the two Reds either side of the pink, the one just above
:19:29. > :19:40.the black. If you talk about missed chances,
:19:41. > :19:46.that just about tells you the story of the first four frames, 90% John
:19:47. > :19:50.Higgins, 76% Stuart Bingham. That's not good enough.
:19:51. > :19:58.But these matches are best of 11, so no need to panic when you go to the
:19:59. > :20:09.interval 3-1 down which looks a certainty now.
:20:10. > :20:28.Just signs the last couple of frames that John has settled in and got the
:20:29. > :20:32.pace of the table a bit better. Yes. Particularly the pace of the table.
:20:33. > :20:38.No doubt about that. He gets a round of applause.
:20:39. > :20:43.68 ahead, 59 remaining. John would love to tray and string a decent
:20:44. > :20:49.break together here though. -- try and string a decent break
:20:50. > :21:09.together here though. Another example of John Higgins
:21:10. > :21:22.having the pace of the table. Perfect position on the red.
:21:23. > :21:29.The only thing is for certain, when Stuart Bingham goes to the dressing
:21:30. > :21:33.room, or the practise table maybe during the interval, he knows what
:21:34. > :21:34.he's got to do. He's got to raise his game. John Higgins now is
:21:35. > :22:10.starting to cue beautifully. It's an awkward yellow. He could
:22:11. > :22:16.make the century. Good shot needed. He feels as though he can drop it in
:22:17. > :22:20.the middle. And he's played it absolutely inch perfect. Now can you
:22:21. > :22:25.play it with pace? Looks easy but a bit of an angle here. Just decided
:22:26. > :22:28.to drop it in. Makes the green a little bit more difficult. Green and
:22:29. > :22:50.brown needed for the tonne. Oh! He's trying to jump up and down
:22:51. > :22:54.and knock it in with the vibration. He'll be pleased. Stuart Bingham,
:22:55. > :22:59.lot to think about in the mid session interval, trailing John
:23:00. > :23:02.hiking begins by 3-1. John Higgins, who changed his cue
:23:03. > :23:06.several times this season seems to have found some fluency with this
:23:07. > :23:11.one and with it some confidence as well. A break of 65 follows in the
:23:12. > :23:15.next frame after the interval as well and Bingham was looking at a
:23:16. > :23:18.three frame deficit all of a sudden. So picking them up once more in
:23:19. > :23:28.frame six now, it's Bingham marginally ahead.
:23:29. > :23:38.It's just not happening for Stuart Binghamtonite. A couple offal early
:23:39. > :23:47.frames -- couple of early frames really upset him. Even when John
:23:48. > :23:58.Higgins makes a mistake, not being punished helps your confidence.
:23:59. > :24:23.By the end of this, it could be 400 more for John Higgins.
:24:24. > :24:33.Or 300 for certain. But if he wins the frame on this visit, and there's
:24:34. > :25:10.every chance he could, he'll be growing in confidence.
:25:11. > :25:26.Could build up a nice lead here before he contemplates bringing more
:25:27. > :25:47.reds into play. Pot success getting higher and
:25:48. > :26:01.higher for John Higgins. John hug begins twice the winner of
:26:02. > :26:03.the Masters. In 1999, Ken, he beat you in the final. Don't remind me,
:26:04. > :26:14.John! Too late. And in 2006, one of the greatest
:26:15. > :26:18.matches we've ever had here at the Masters when John Higgins beat
:26:19. > :26:22.Ronnie O'Sullivan and I'll never neat clearance when he rolled the
:26:23. > :26:26.last red in and it never looked as though it was going to reach the
:26:27. > :26:28.middle pocket and it just dropped in and he cleared up. It was
:26:29. > :26:41.sensational stuff. He jumped up and asked the cue ball
:26:42. > :26:43.to be cleaned, but I'll be honest with you, it always looked wide to
:26:44. > :26:57.me. A little bit of a bounce. Takes the town go into the Reds
:26:58. > :27:00.here. He can screw it and he'll be screwing to the right hand side of
:27:01. > :27:04.the table so he's always got the red over the right middle. There you see
:27:05. > :27:11.it. Has he covered the one on the right? He hasn't. Still one come out
:27:12. > :27:29.that's closest to the cue ball so he's still OK.
:27:30. > :27:45.That's really opened up, splitting the Reds.
:27:46. > :27:54.The only one that's tied up is the one close to the left centre pocket.
:27:55. > :28:04.The frame will be well and truly over by the taupe he has to solve
:28:05. > :28:07.that problem. -- by the time he has to solve that problem. 47 points to
:28:08. > :28:26.lead now. To lead now. We were saying at the start, it was
:28:27. > :28:30.hard to pick a whipper here, but we didn't realise it was going to be
:28:31. > :28:35.this one-sided. But that's because Stuart, in all fairness, hasn't
:28:36. > :28:43.performed. And he'll know that -- pick a winner.
:28:44. > :28:46.But never say never. You never know what can happen. He might just burst
:28:47. > :29:16.into life. He'll need to. You would have expected this match
:29:17. > :29:21.to go all the way. But he just hasn't performed tonight, Stuart.
:29:22. > :29:28.Just this red needed to go 60 aids head with 51 remaining. And in it
:29:29. > :30:06.goes. And that's another frame surely in the bag for Joe Higgins.
:30:07. > :30:22.Bingham cam into the tournament in much better form than Higgins. It's
:30:23. > :30:27.not turned out that way. Made a break at 94 and looks like he may
:30:28. > :30:42.make a century. He may make one this time. .ior A bit of work to do with
:30:43. > :31:04.the cue ball. Perfect on the yellow as it turned
:31:05. > :31:20.out even though he was close to the cushion.
:31:21. > :31:29.And this for the tonne. Well played. APPLAUSE
:31:30. > :31:36.Picking up the pieces maybe, but there has been signs in the fourth
:31:37. > :31:41.frame break of 94, 65 in the last, 103 and counting in this, and in
:31:42. > :31:47.goes the pink and John Higgins must be feeling very, very good about
:31:48. > :31:52.himself. He's not bothering about the black. Well, it doesn't matter.
:31:53. > :31:57.Stuart Bingham must be very disappointed with his performance.
:31:58. > :32:03.The spring in John Higgins' step, he's only one step away from a place
:32:04. > :32:09.place in the next round. He leads 5-1. The four time world champion
:32:10. > :32:14.beginning to accelerate away now, on the brink of the win, but don't
:32:15. > :32:18.forget, Stuart Bingham staged that heroic comeback against Robertson in
:32:19. > :32:21.the semi-final last month. So let us see what he's made of now in frame
:32:22. > :32:41.seven. That's a possible indication, John,
:32:42. > :32:45.of John Higgins still not 100% comfortable with his cue. Tulse a
:32:46. > :33:05.new cue. We have mentioned it a few times, but quite a long way away
:33:06. > :33:10.with that. Needless to say, Stuart Bingham's got to start scoring.
:33:11. > :33:14.I think the black is still available, but is it going to tie up
:33:15. > :33:22.the black once it's respoted? Trying to get the angle on the
:33:23. > :33:36.black. Well played. Nice angle on the
:33:37. > :33:43.black. Leave a nice angle on the black after potting this red, into
:33:44. > :33:47.the pack of reds, maybe still be on the red to the left corner. There is
:33:48. > :33:54.a loose red available at the bottom of the pack as well. But that was
:33:55. > :34:00.perfect. Well played. These are the type of situations where Stuart has
:34:01. > :34:06.to really fill his boots, win this frame from one visit and win it
:34:07. > :34:11.quickly. Looks like he's trying to pick up the pace a little bit.
:34:12. > :34:31.If ever there was a time he needed a good break, it's now.
:34:32. > :34:39.There you go. Big difference in the high break.
:34:40. > :34:46.When you consider his main strengths, he's fallen down on both
:34:47. > :35:10.counts so far this evening. He is the type of play they're can
:35:11. > :35:17.rattle off frames in no mind at all. -- in no time at all. Given
:35:18. > :35:23.opportunities like this. The main thing you've to do in these
:35:24. > :35:28.situations is forget the score board. Easier said than done. One
:35:29. > :35:37.frame at a time, but forget the scoreline. Oh!
:35:38. > :36:16.APPLAUSE Thank goodness for gravity!
:36:17. > :36:28.Going to need one good split here. 59 points ahead. Just over
:36:29. > :36:30.three-and-a-half minutes. 59 break. He'll need one good shot here to win
:36:31. > :36:57.the frame. This is virtually frame ball. Well
:36:58. > :37:12.played, Stuart Bingham. Definitely needed this.
:37:13. > :37:18.Snooker is a bit of a mind game and this is just showing Stuart whether
:37:19. > :37:23.it's too little too late I don't know, but it's showing John Higgins
:37:24. > :37:27.that if you make a mistake and I can win the frame in one visit in no
:37:28. > :37:35.time at all. He's not done that at all this evening. And his hopes of
:37:36. > :37:42.staying in the Masters are hanging by a thread. But this is a great
:37:43. > :37:56.response. This is what we expected at the start.
:37:57. > :38:11.There is ?10,000 for the high break this week, which is quite a lot.
:38:12. > :38:24.Well, what a shame. But he did that in one visit. If he ones the frame,
:38:25. > :38:28.it will make him feel better, but is it too little too late? He still
:38:29. > :38:32.trails by 5-2. John Higgins one frame away from the second round.
:38:33. > :38:36.A spirited response, as John Virgo said, from the world number seven,
:38:37. > :38:40.having been largely kept off the table for the last four games. But
:38:41. > :38:47.is it the start of something good or the end? Higgins ahead in frame
:38:48. > :38:54.eight. Oh, he's missed it. Doesn't want to
:38:55. > :38:59.leave a free ball. He's left a free ball. Can't believe it. You think
:39:00. > :39:06.you've seen everything in this game. It never'ses to amaze you, does it
:39:07. > :39:13.-- never ceases to amaze you. He struck down and swerved the cue ball
:39:14. > :39:16.away from the red. And that blue counts as a red. He wants that brown
:39:17. > :39:21.to slow up. Might have to play the snook er now
:39:22. > :39:34.which was not the plan. There's been some twists and turns
:39:35. > :39:37.in this frame. The first three frames, it was hard to puck out who
:39:38. > :39:55.was going to one a frame. -- win a frame. The best option is
:39:56. > :40:03.roll up for the brown. Don't double kiss and go in off though.
:40:04. > :40:05.APPLAUSE Not the greatest shot he's ever
:40:06. > :40:23.played. Ponchts no attempt at a pot from
:40:24. > :40:28.John Higgins. -- no attempt at a pot from John Higgins. Well, this is the
:40:29. > :40:33.old hit the cushion first and kick the red up the table and leave the
:40:34. > :40:42.cue ball there. But they're OK, these, as long as you get right in
:40:43. > :40:48.behind them. Yes. Top cushion first, right hand side. Tray and leave the
:40:49. > :40:50.cue ball exactly where the red is and leave a snooker behind the green
:40:51. > :41:25.and that looks just about perfect. It's where it was a couple of shots
:41:26. > :41:32.ago. Unfortunately, the cue ball isn't. That's the problem. He's hit
:41:33. > :41:37.it twice and he's left it. And surely John Higgins will not turn
:41:38. > :41:40.down this. Now, 20 points the lead. Red, blue, yellow would leave Stuart
:41:41. > :42:09.Bingham needing a snooker. Would do. So it's got to be the
:42:10. > :42:14.brown then, hasn't it? Looks very straight though, the brown. He
:42:15. > :42:20.doesn't like it. He doesn't feel he can get the cue ball away from the
:42:21. > :42:24.cushion. It's a tough shot, the yellow. I'd prefer the brown. Brown
:42:25. > :42:31.and yellow woulded put him 27 points in front with 25 remaining. I think
:42:32. > :42:38.the black is a little awkward for him. It's in the way.
:42:39. > :42:52.Good shot. Well held. Yes, nation shot. -- nice shot.
:42:53. > :43:05.28 points ahead, 25 remaining, one snooker required. You could say John
:43:06. > :43:09.Higgins is falling over the line, he's played some good snooker prior
:43:10. > :43:18.to this, but he's really struggled at the end.
:43:19. > :43:28.But near snooker, John Higgins in the second round -- but for that
:43:29. > :43:33.snooker. You would have to say brown and pink, good positions for
:43:34. > :44:09.snookers. If you don't fancy getting a
:44:10. > :44:15.snooker, you must get the object ball safe because at least you are
:44:16. > :44:18.going to get another chance. You don't want to risk playing a snooker
:44:19. > :44:21.if you are going to send the cue ball towards the pocket. Or send the
:44:22. > :44:39.object ball towards the pocket. Great shot. Superb shot. Excellent
:44:40. > :44:59.shot from Stuart Bingham. It's an easy swerve. He's swerved it
:45:00. > :45:05.too much. But it will straighten up and he didn't hit it on the way
:45:06. > :45:09.back. Well, would you believe it? I
:45:10. > :45:13.thought once he'd missed it on the way up it was going to straighten up
:45:14. > :45:17.and hit it on the way back. Just misses it on the way back. I was
:45:18. > :45:25.with you, thought he was going to hit it on the way back.
:45:26. > :45:32.Could have played that better. Chance for John Higgins. Green up
:45:33. > :45:40.and down in and out. Cue ball back over behind the pink, if possible.
:45:41. > :45:54.If he'd have just flicked the green, it wouldn't have been a good shot.
:45:55. > :45:59.Just missed the green. It's OK now even if Stuart hit the shot. Had to
:46:00. > :46:06.be careful he didn't knock it towards.
:46:07. > :46:24.Obviously not the snooker but John Higgins has got to be careful -- got
:46:25. > :46:29.the snooker but John Higgins has got to be careful. He's played the
:46:30. > :46:32.double. He played it. Fathers 4 Justice trace, annoyance, call it
:46:33. > :46:38.what you will, but that now puts him 27 points in front, 22 remaining --
:46:39. > :46:46.frustration. This brown the clincher. Too many snookers needed.
:46:47. > :46:51.APPLAUSE A very relieved John Higgins but
:46:52. > :46:58.very happy as well. He's not had his best season and this is a big result
:46:59. > :47:04.for him. Stuart Bingham, well, he'll be very disappointed, shakes his
:47:05. > :47:10.hand, congratulates John Higgins. Stuart Bingham never really turned
:47:11. > :47:14.Uptonite apart from the frame where he made 91. Congratulations to John
:47:15. > :47:18.Higgins, struggled to get over the line, but over the line he got and
:47:19. > :47:25.he's in the second round beating Stuart Bingham by 6-2.
:47:26. > :47:30.To take it over the line when you have not won any decent matches, now
:47:31. > :47:36.you begin to get the nerves a little bit. Happy enough the way I played.
:47:37. > :47:41.I played better than the last couple of months so that's the pleasing
:47:42. > :47:50.thing. Maybe I overtried. I've been playing well in the ranking events
:47:51. > :47:55.and sort of lost a bit of form and the Christmas break done me no good
:47:56. > :48:01.really. My nan was in the crowd tonight and she could have beat me
:48:02. > :48:05.tonight. There is a long way to go from the quarter-finals. If you want
:48:06. > :48:10.to win, you would probably have to beat Selby and another strong
:48:11. > :48:15.favourite so you've only won one match, a long way to go. Johnos
:48:16. > :48:19.better than anyone, there's no easy matches at the Masters, so two out
:48:20. > :48:25.of the eight have been complete and this is how the draw looks now. Our
:48:26. > :48:31.defending champion, Mark Selby survives by the skin of his teeth
:48:32. > :48:43.and he will now face John Higgins in the quarter-final. Tomorrow, Judd v
:48:44. > :48:47.Fu. Ding meets Shaun Murphy. Neil Robertson taking on Northern
:48:48. > :48:57.Ireland's Mark Allen. Scotland's Stephen Maguire faces Joe Perry.
:48:58. > :49:02.Hawkins and Walden and O'Sullivan facing Milkins on Tuesday night.
:49:03. > :49:06.Next up, snooker Extra features an action replay of the opening match
:49:07. > :49:12.between the defending champion, Mark Selby and Mark Davis. That is next.
:49:13. > :49:18.Live snooker returns at 1 o'clock this afternoon. An intriguing match
:49:19. > :49:24.between Judd Trump and Marco Fu who's never played at Ali pale. Last
:49:25. > :49:29.time we saw him here was in the Wembley Arena in 2011. There's no
:49:30. > :49:31.suggestion we don't like Mondays here, we are looking forward to it.
:49:32. > :49:36.Good night!