Day 4 Masters Snooker Highlights

Hello again, live from Alexandra Palace in north London on this

fourth day of the Dafabet Masters. When we started out this evening,

there was one place still to be claimed, one remaining place in the

quarter-finals and my goodness, what a scrap we've had over the last few

hours to goefrt the line. It's between the world number 6, Barry

Hawkins and his old foe, Ricky Walden from Chester. These two are

very dramatic Crucible semifinals nine months ago. This is their first

meeting since then. It is stirring up all kinds of memories.

Left-hander Hawkins began in crisp fashion taking the opening two

frames. We'll pick them up in frame three in the company of Stephen

Hendry and Denis Taylor. R DENNIS TAYLOR: Whatever you do,

don't hit the blue. That's the break-off shot. He hasn't left

anything, but still annoying when you do that. STEPHEN HENDRY: He left

the red to this corner. You have to commit to it. He could play it with

topspin and bring the cue ball back up to baulk. Does he have a pot into

the right corner as well? APPLAUSE

Fantastic at the moment. Another superb long pot. As you can

see. 8'6". Not on the table, on the cushion. Perfect cueing.

Even if he is straight, he is OK. I think he has a slight angle. You can

tell, where he is bridging, he has. Black available into the right

corner pocket. So, in a couple of shot's time - well, he may have to

play a red, pink and - to allow that black free to both pockets in a few

shots' time. I think we've established there is absolutely

nothing wrong with the conditions, Dennis. Nothing wrong with that cue

ball. That he he let that cue ball run there, about four inches too

far. He wanted to be straight on this red to the right corner. He

still should get it. It's annoying. He should have been playing for the

black there. ' Probably play now for the red closest to the black

cushion. If he can avoid the bunch. It might have been a bit too thin to

hold for that one that Stephen suggested but this one will do

nicely. He can play for that one now. He is hampered slightly but

that doesn't matter because of the red that Stephen mentioned, was

available. You can tell when a player is

confident going around the table. There is no looking up around it, he

just gets down and plays the shot. That last red was - I thought he

might have a look for it for a while when he got close to the side

cushion but he just got down and struck it in beautifully. Yes, I've

always said, Stephen, the amount of frames you are practising at, even

in those conditions, the first shot that you see, is usually the correct

shot. He just didn't quite enough

momentum, topspin on the cue ball there. You would expect him to be on

something easier than this. He has to be a wee bit careful with this.

He is close to that red. He could quite easily push that. Yeah, you'd

much rather than stunning these when they are that close together. That's

why he is not taking it on. The two reds that are together. If

the one that he is looking at pots, that's not aed about choice. The

white will push on through the reds. He would finish on the blue, or if

he heads on up the table, he would still be OK. Well-played.

I think he has travelled a bit far to put the blue into the centre. He

could drop it into the right corner and then a choice of reds to the

left corner. But this is about as good snooker as we have seen all

week. Yes, a few of the players in this

year's Masters have set off so well. Just thinking back to Stephen

Maguire. He never missed a frame in the opening games. All of a sudden

that changed around. Ronnie has probably been the most consistent

with his win against Robert Milkins but Robert was just overawed on the

occasion. But I'm with you, this is the best cueing we have seen. There

is certainly nothing wrong with the balls or the table, the way Barry

Hawkins is going about it things. -- about things.

This red would make absolutely sure of the third frame.

It's amazing, Ricky Walden got in on the opening frame when Barry went in

off that bunch of reds and Ricky didn't capitalise on it. He missed

one shot to the right middle, and he hasn't had at that chance since.

It's amazing how, as Stephen alluded to, sometimes the balls don't

forgive you and he just hasn't had a chance. Barry has looked in superb

form. Barry made 35 centuries last season.

He's made 12 this season. We've had nine so far in this year's Masters.

He is a left-hander, so he has an angle on the pink. He can drop in

behind this. Just dropping it in dead weight. So

the black for his 155th century of his career. Get in, well-played.

APPLAUSE He seems to have quite a lot of

support here this evening, Barry. His home down is Ditton in Kent, so

he is not too far away. Two good frames, these boys, and we

are both very likeable lads. You couldn't meet two nicer gents. But

he's not being very nice to Ricky Walden at the moment, is he? He is

not missing anything. One yellow, a green, a brown, five blues, five

pinks, five blacks. There's another blue.

Very impressive cueing. Even that pink went straight into the heart of

the pocket. Well-played, Barry Hawkins. That was a superb effort.

He just can't do a thing wrong at the moment. Breaks of 85, 57 and

that 132. He leads 3-0. Quite brilliant start for Barry,

playing virtually flawless snooker so far. Hawkins underlined his

superiority with another searching Toure, 112 after the interval to

lead 4-1. This match in complete contrast to that Crucible semifinal

in which Walden last year streaked away early, only to get overhauled

by Hawkins late on. Into the sixth frame now and it is Ricky Walden,

the world Number 11, in front by 30 points.

He might just have got ah way with this. -- away.

Oh, this would be a cracking red to knock in and bet on the black. This

would be a little beauty. Oh, he has caught the knuckle.

He knew he was leaving this tempter for Ricky. Can he pull it off?

Well-played. That was a calculated risk that Barry Hawkins took at his

previous shot. He knew he was going to leave a half chance for Ricky.

Already 39 in front, but there is a few difficult reds coming up.

Two fairly comfortable ones and then it starts to get difficult. He is

going to knead a couple of difficult reds, to clinch the frame.

Still got the one tloos red. He has the perfect angle to the blue, but

is he going to risk cannoning the two reds there. What is he in front?

He is still going to need one of the difficult reds.

It just came off the right knuckle here.

left side of the table, one away from the cushions, potable, but the

others are all difficult, so just leave the angle with the blue, take

a risk with the cannon on the two reds near the black because you have

the other one to the left of the black. If he plays this and it works

out, this would be a frame clincher. That will do nicely. He should have

hit it slightly harder. The red to the left corner, the black doesn't

go to the right corner, so he has to play the pink to the right, centre.

That was a good shot because these pockets are very tight. He really

did play it well. It was an important frame for Ricky

Walden to win and it keeps him right in this match. As I mentioned 5-1

behind t would have been quite a mountain to climb but 4-2, he is

back in it. Barry is the one that has been

knocking in the frame-winning breaks. He has breaks of 85, 57,

132, 112. Ricky had a 50 in frame 4. This is his highest, coming at just

the right time. Well that clung to the cushion that time.

This is a bit more like the Ricky Walden that we've come to see over

the last few seasons. He produced his best snooker out in China. He

won his two ranking titles out there.

He has made 15 centuries so far this season and 23 last season.

Good cueing, well-played, Ricky Walden. Another century in this

match. Barry Hawkins has had two. Ricky Walden has now had one. That

was an important frame he took. He now trails 4-2.

? STUDIO: Yes, a pugnacious response

from Walden with that century of his own. Every frame so far with a

50-plus break at least. Great quality from these two men. Hawkins

went within one frame of victory at 5-2 in front. But Walden has kept

himself in it with a contribution of 73 in the 8th. It is now 5-3 to hue

Kens. He desperately wants to get over the line but we are into a

pressure frame now. Well, it's not over just yet, this

frame. That was a universal sign of a snooker player when you miss a

shot like that. Stick your elbow out when you know you haven't hit it

properly. I mean, the thing with it here is

that he can tie at the moment but if he can pot the brown and blue and

get in behind the pink, he could play a great snooker in behind the

black. I mean, he doesn't have to clear up here. Well, now he has got

an angle to pot the blue and just free that black and finish on the

pink but there was a couple of ways he could have gone about this, so

this will certainly open things up. Could we have a respoted black in

this frame that Ricky Walden looked like he'd won but all of a sudden he

might have to see the toss of a coin. I mean he rolled T he normally

stuns them, Ricky. And that's - as Stephen was saying, showing you, he

didn't push the cue through in a straight line. Wow, what tension if

he can pot this pink and black. It's going to be a respoted black. And

you want to win the toss. That's for sure.

APPLAUSE. Amazing. Ricky Walden had an earlier

break of 56. He looked a strong favourite. He missed that green. Now

he has to suffer a re-spotted black. As I say, you want to win the toss.

I'm not so sure you know, Dennis. I think the players are so good at

playing the negative safety, the black on one side of the cushion,

the white on the other, sometimes you are maybe better hoping he makes

a mess of it. Well, Ricky did win the toss. He has put Barry in. Let's

see how he plays it. Not very well. Not very well. Did that turn off

slightly? He looks a bit confused? And Ricky Walden, well, he can't

believe the chance he has here. He is still in this year's Masters,

is the man from Chester. Barry played a poor shot on the black

there. Maybe the white drifted slightly, but game on, it is 5-4.

? STUDIO: Game on indeed, Hawkins

reeling from that mistake on the black and Ricky managed to level the

match 5-5 in a tense 53-minute tenth frame, so he has won the last three

frames in a row to force a decider. He well-remembers that defeat by

Hawkins in the Crucible in the semifinal last year. How he would

like to avenge T they started this final frame at 11.10pm this evening

and here is Walden on a break of 30. -- to avenge it.

Now Barry's supporters are saying - come on, Barry, but there is no pot

on here. It was quite a risky one. He wasn't

guaranteed position off that. But I suppose it has to be said the run of

the ball starting it favour Ricky. Earlier on in this match everything

was going against him. I wonder if he'll take the double on or play

back on the cushion? There was a possibility that he could have had a

go at a double and not left a red there but he didn't fancy it. I

thought he might have left this red on to cut into the corner.

A touching ball, that would make a lot of difference. He can still get

back. REFEREE: Touching ball. There is still a shot on to get back

behind the black. In fact, no. Well, there is a bit of an advantage of

getting in behind the black but, it is a bit early to be knocking the

black safe. He has a 34 point advantage. If he was a few more in

front, he would just roll off the black and put it tight on the

cushion. A little bit of a stalemate at the

moment. There'll be no re-rack, that's for sure, what with Ricky

having a 35-point advantage. But the way the balls are going to finish

up, a 35-point advantage is not going to be that big a lead.

Eventually they will open up. You can only do this so many times and

then it'll become more difficult to just roll to a red.

, , the slight advantage at the moment is with Ricky Walden, in this

situation. Yes, he is doing what you have to do

in this situation, getting the cue ball too close to the top cushion

for Barry to play the same shot. Not quite on the cushion this time.

So, can somehow Barry reverse the roles here? But he'd have to raise

the butt of the cue in the air if he is going to screw back off the three

reds that are near the pink spot. And it is tough on these very fine

cloths, because that type of shot, where you raise the butt of the cue,

they strike down and tend to be bounds around more. It is slightly

easier this type of shot with the old, thicker cloths that they used

to use. He is now in a situation. He is

going to try that shot that I mentioned.

Where is this red going to finish? I say he is OK. I don't think there is

an easy red to the left, middle pocket but look at the reds now, the

way they are spread. If there is no pot on, one good shot from Ricky

Walden here and he could put himself right in business. He could off to

the red that's to the left of the black.

A little touch little touch aside off that red. He could get in there

and he would have Barry in all sorts of trouble.

Well, he could have played a better one than that.

He has a straight red to the left centre, but if he fancies it and

misses it, it is a shot that might be his last shot. Well, I'm sure

Ricky didn't intend to leave him this as a tempter. He could have had

him tight on the cushion behind the black but Barry Hawkins. Well, it is

make your mind up time. This is a huge shot. I feel it is one he has

to take on, though. Yes, no point in looking what you

might leave. Forget about that. Concentrate on the pot. If it goes

in, Barry, you've given yourself a great chance but there is so much

pressure on this. There really is. I think it is the safety, from the

way he was lifting the butt of the cue again. Yeah, if he was going to

take it on, he should have played it by now.

Where is this red going to finish? If it bounces off the cushion? Well,

this is a big shot now for Ricky Walden.

Well, there is so much at stake for these two players. I'd much rather

go out playing a pot, being aggressive, though, than going out

on a bad safety. That leads a very bad taste.

Well t might turn out the right shot. What a chance. There were two

ways of playing that, you tun stun it or roll it in and get the other

side of the black. Whichever way, it was difficult but there's nothing

difficult at the moment. What a chance, as you said, Stephen. Can he

hold himself together? This is a very situation to a match

he had the other week against Mark Fu. He had the easy shot and Fu had

the difficult shot. He zrnt to do anying with the cue ball, just

concentrate. You -- he didn't have to do anything.

Now I'd be looking to stay around the pink and blue. No need to play

for blacks. You wouldn't think you would ever need to get out of

position now, if you stayed on pink and blues.

Yes. That's what he is doing, he has reds either side of the blue. It

doesn't matter which angle he leaves himself. He's always had a pretty

good temperament, has Barry, but, well, Ricky Walden was a strong

favourite to go through to the next round about five minutes ago.

Well, that was a nervy one. Dear me. No wonder he was tapping his head.

Lucky for him that red that's near the middle pocket, still cuts in.

But it should have been straightforward. He didn't cue that

green very well. You pointed the green on right-hand

side of the pocket. The cue ball went nowhere. You would think it

would be impossible to bed land somewhere, in this situation, but he

has managed it. He has finished up, he may have to try and get himself

on to the black off this. So he has to be very careful.

You And this is' gone wrong, I think unless it pulls up, it needs to pull

up. Oh, it'll still just about pot but another fraction harder and he

was completely out of position. So the tension - well, you can see it

on both players' faces. It might work out in his favour. The only two

reds that are safe are the two that are together. He may cannon into

them here. No, that's a twitch. That really is pure pressure. He hasn't

dropped on a red that he played for. Ricky hasn't got a straight-forward

shot. But that was just pure pressure that caused him to miss

that. This red, well, he was up straight away. He knew he mis-hit

that. But Ricky hasn't got an easy opener. The red will pass the black.

He needs to pot it cleanly into the pocket. No use flicking it in off

the black. I think when Barry missed the black, he thought - well, that's

it all over but not just yet. Amazing. It is who can just hold

themselves together that is going to get through to the quarter-final.

Again with that red, a stun run-through. Surely it makes the pot

more difficult. I know he was worried about leaving reds to the

centre but I don't think he should be thinking about that at this

stage, just get the ball potted the easiest way possible. I am he a just

wondering if he is cut a red into the middle pocket, right of the two

reds and back up for the black. That might be on, you know, I think he

can. He goes past the pink and red and he can get on the black.

Well, he almost went in-off. He left it awkward. Well, now Ricky has a

red to the middle pocket and he'll finish on the black buts' not

guaranteed to get it safe. -- finish on the black. But he's not

guaranteed to get it safe. I tell you what, this is not a gimme.

He's overcut it. He was on the black. But it makes you wonder if he

wasn't trying to get the white on the cushion as well, instead of

putting everything into the pot. It is understandable. I mean, it is

just so tense out there for these boys.

Almost tight on the cushion. If he was off the cushion, the red to the

middle would be potable. It's still potable but from there, whichever

red he takes, is difficult. And the fact there is no easy safety shot.

He is going to have to take a pot on.

Oh, that could be the one. He didn't push the cue through in a straight

line. He couldn't see an easy safety shot. But, well, Ricky Walden, what

a chance you have now to take a match that it looked you weren't

going to get anywhere near it. 4-1 # down and at 5-2 down, Barry was

dominating the match but it just shows you, what has happened in the

last half hour or so, what the pressure of the Masters can do to

you. He just has to give himself a little

bit more time, Ricky. Sometimes he tends to rush. He is very fluent but

in these situations, just give yourself that extra little second so

that you don't make that mis mistake.

Well, he's still got a bit of work to do, has Ricky. It's not over just

yet. He didn't want to be that close to

the cushion. It should be OK, but... Oh, that wobbled. That wobbled a

touch. So, he just needs the green and the red next to the pink and a

high value colour and Barry will need a snooker. He doesn't have to

worry about that difficult red. With the pressure out there, though,

he would have liked to have been closer to this red. Wondering what

should have been. One snooker needed. He will try and

make sure of this red. This will get Ricky Walden into the quarter-final

of the Masters for the very first time. He didn't even attempt the

pot. So, barring a snooker, Ricky Walden has pulled off a remarkable

victory from 4-1 behind to win 6-5. And that maybe Barry's last shot.

Yes, he will be really disappointed in the way he has finished this

match, Barry. That's the one. Roll up to the black

and Barry will come forward to shake his hands, I feel. He is on his way

it shake hands with his good friend, Ricky Walden. Barry absolutely

dominated the first part of the match. He led 4-1 and 5-2 but Ricky

Walden stuck in there and what a remarkable win in the end. He has

won the last four frames to put himself in the quarter-final, for

the figs time, 6-5. Well-playeded boy thes. Very tough. I thought I

was out of the tournament so many times tonight, I hung in and stuck N

I wasn't playing very well myself but I tried my hardest and came

through in the end. I know that you stick in there, sometimes momentum

can turn and you can have luck come your way. I stayed with it and

hopefully to get the chance in the last which I did. The main ambition

is to win it. It is a tough ask, so many good players, the best in the

world, so a tough couple of days for me if I can do it. One game at a

time. Ronnie O'Sullivan is next. Ricky has at time bemoaned what he

calls, his lack of killer instinct. He'll need it again tonight. We are

left with aurt quaer final line-up that is as red hot as an Aussie

summer. But who is going to wilt over the next cup quell of days.

What a contest when Seoul bane Higgins go and Murphy and Fu. Then

world number 1 against 5. Robertson against Maguire and Ricky Walden

earned that date with Ronnie O'Sullivan. Well, snooker Extra is

next. Then we have tomorrow afternoon,

Murphy against Fu. Those of you with long memories will remember the UK

final six years ago, it was epic. That's all for now. Goodbye.