Day 6 Masters Snooker Highlights

Good evening. Two of the strong men of old feature in the players lounge

area at Alexandra Palace in north London, Hercules and Sampson, not

Dennis Taylor and John Virgo, by the way. Likewise, the act the Masters,

three of the strongest contenders this week had by the start of the

evening already booked their place in the semifinals of this great

event. Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan could rain for a seventh

time this year. He beat Neil Robertson 6-3 in an oddly fragmented

match yesterday. Ronnie will now play Marco Fu tomorrow, a former

runner-up in this event. Marco Fu's form is immaculate right now, as

mark Allen found to his cost, losing 6-3. This afternoon, all eyes on

Mark Selby, the world number one, who faced a tricky opponent in last

year's runner-up, Barry Hawkins. The Hawk round his way into the lead

during a tactical first frame. In the next, the Jester got in the

scoring groove and levelled the match with 76. By frame three, it

was starting to go wrong for cell be, the reigning world and UK

champion. And, by the interval, Hawkins had stretched his lead to

two frames, his long potting giving him the edge. After the break,

Hawkins threw away a great opportunity when he couldn't split

the reds and Mark Selby showed great resilience, snatching the frame with

a gutsy 71. Hawkins took the next and then still be made the only

century of the match to still remain in touch. -- Mark Selby made. Last

year's masters runner-up, Hawkins, got on top in frame eight and

eventually went 5-3 in front. Hawkins always had too much, through

again to a second semifinal. Mark Selby's chance of a slam has gone. A

great win for me, up there with my best, especially in a venue like

this, with one-table set-up. It is up there with beating Ronnie last

year, because Mark is the world number one, so any time you beat the

world number one must be good. Disappointing to lose but I felt

that at no stage did I stamp my authority on the match. Barry was

getting in first on almost all the frames. All the frames I won, I was

clearing up from 40 or 50 behind and you can't keep doing that. I seem to

sometimes enjoy a big occasion. You get a massive buzz if you win a

match like that. No better feeling. What benefit from Barry Hawkins,

into a second semifinal. -- what an effort. For Mark Selby, the dream of

a slam, in which he would hold the world, the UK and the Masters

titles, is gone for another year. Barry Hawkins awaiting this

evening's outcome of the last quarterfinal, and this one featured

Ding Junhui, the winner of this title in 2011, and 42-year-old Joe

Perry who, after 25 seasons in the game, at only won two games in the

Masters before tonight. That included a of former world champion

Stuart Bingham in the opening round, and Perry has made an healthy start,

taking the opening frame, as we join Stephen Hendry and Dennis Taylor in

the commentary box. We have had a couple of fairly

tactical frames, the first frame lasting almost 25 minutes. This one

has been going just over 21. He could take the red on this time and

get back down the table. Terrific cueing. And now tucked up

behind the brown. You can see from Joe's reaction that

he hasn't covered. An easy out on the left-hand side of the table. A

bit careless, that. Oh, but he might have left a pot.

Chance in this second frame. Yeah, I think he can score enough

without needing the red next to the pink. He's looking good here.

REFEREE: Can you just wait there is second, please?

As you see, 35 ahead, so just this red and Ding Junhui will need a

snooker. If he pops the black and plays to

move the red, he's got to eat it or he will snooker himself. -- he's got

to hit it. He played the normal shot.

Couldn't have played the cannon any better.

He hasn't missed very much, that's for sure.

Joe Perry looks very comfortable out there. With the aid of that 55

break, he now leads Ding Junhui 2-0. STUDIO: Joe would take the next, so

what is start from Terry, who only last week said he had played some of

the worst snooker his career recently, but is easily parted ways

is a wailed away from that. Can he capitalised even further against the

former champion? Into frame three, Ding trailing.

Never spotted that one. Is that going to be a mini turning point?

Without the fluke, he could have left a locked on. -- a locked on.

It's all happening at the Ally Pally for Ding Junhui.

Suppose you could stand there and try and pot both balls from that

position and you'd never pull it off. Is long potting has been

excellent in the last two or three frames, but a bit of pressure on

this one. If he'd missed it, he was living

Ding Junhui a pot on that time. If he pops this link, it's going to go

on the black spot, which be very helpful. Oh, dear.

Yeah, I think that was helped, the fact that there was new cloth put on

the cushions yesterday, it just slid in off the angle.

A few of the players had mentioned that the tables seem to be playing a

bit more generous. Maybe that's why we've had so many

century breaks. The pace of the table is beautiful. I think, if you

get a really nice bit of cloth, they definitely slide in a bit more

easily. Level with the pink, just going into

those three reds, then it's 4-0. Careless.

He's got the cube power to screw off the cushion for the open red on the

left-hand side of the table, but this isn't the way you'd want to

play this link. -- pink. Red and pink would leave Joe 59 up

with 59 on the table. So, again, leave an angle on ink to go into the

three reds. Just show you the striking, right

down at the bottom, leaving the chalk mark again, and that's what

creates all the back spin. It all timing. And it's all Joe Perry at

the moment in this quarterfinal. Same shot again.

And Ding, well, he may head to the practice table. I think Joe will be

quite happy in his dressing room, having a cup of tea or coffee,

because he is no need to go to the practice table, the way he's

playing, that's for sure. No really big breaks, 37 in the opening frame,

37 and 55 in the second, 42 in the third, but it is very solid snooker

he's playing. To finish off the frame, virtually,

and it's 4-0 two Joe Perry. Not touching. Just a glimmer of hope

forging generally -- for Ding Junhui here. Still a possible 59 on the

table, so he'd need four reds, four blacks to face a re-spotted black.

But the black is near the cushion, so the odds are heavily in favour of

Joe Perry. Well, just east we'd -- just a

straightforward role the red in. Doesn't really matter about the

black. Things coming to the table, but you wouldn't give him much

chance. Ding looks over at Joe Perry and

says, that's enough. Going into the mid-session interval, Joe Perry

going well so far, leading 4- L. Dish-mac needing 4-0.

REFEREE: Thank you, frame five. Joe Perry to break.

Ding was in the practice room with Terry Griffiths. He will be trying

to work some of his magic. To get Ding back into this match.

It's a good start. Kiss on the brown. That's not good.

People always ask, what are you looking at? Just watch rig's I is

going from the cue ball to the object and forwards. -- just watch

Ding's eyes. Meanwhile, Joe Perry's escape didn't work out for him and

eight chance for Ding Junhui. Joe's reaction was funny there. He hit the

red he wanted to hit but was just pushed into an awkward position. If

you were Ding Junhui, and I know he's 4-0 behind, looking at the

breaks Joe Perry has made, the highest of 55, two 30s and a 40.

He's not really outscoring him. Has just taken the chances to win each

frame. It has to give Ding some confidence going into the second

session, even at 4-0 down. That's OK, I think the red he'd just

can and is still available into the same pocket as the black. -- just

cannoned. And now he's going to have to go for the blue. Didn't quite get

the white where he intended. His highest break in the four

opening frames was 27. So it would be a nice time to knock a sizeable

contribution in. He just couldn't get himself into a

good position. He was always fighting the position there. They

can be missed in the middle pocket. If this red passes the yellow, and

it clearly does, as you can see, it's a bit of a chance, this.

Would love to get on that pink full ball here. It's a risky shot. There

are reds to play for. Mmm... Well, he's OK. Wasn't the most positive

shot in the world. I think if you are going to go into the bunch

there, you go in full pelt. The position the pink is in, makes

going into the bunch a little bit trickier here. Didn't play to hit

the reds. Although he's 4-0 up tonight, his positional play hasn't

been pinpoint, Joe Perry. Dennis? Yeah, just held up his hand to

apologise for the bit of good fortune there. Played a poor shot

but it works out for him. The pink is available into the middle pocket,

fully stretched. Have to make sure you keep your toes on the floor.

How is the angle for top spin into the five reds? Just can't seem to

buy a perfect positional shot at the moment. Just finishing a little bit

awkward. This red does cut to the left corner. But I don't think he

can avoid the cannon on the black. This red to the right corner,

position not guaranteed. This pink is tough.

It may look simple on the TV screen but it's a tough shot.

Made a lot easier by the fact you are 4-0 ahead. 4-0 behind, Dennis,

and it would be a lot tougher. He potted one into that same pocket,

might have been the opening frame, from the jaws of the corner pocket,

which was a fabulous shot. The fact that he's taking so long over it,

you can tell he knows tough this is. But he won't be dropping it in.

Maybe play with a bit of pace so the white doesn't roll off. Just below

centre. APPLAUSE He's going to need that red. That

he's leaning over at the moment. Shouldn't be a problem. Might choose

to drop on it now. Could leave himself one red to the left middle

and the choice of the one on the cushion. He's played for the exact,

which is fine, but he has to make sure he has a great angle on the

pink now. He might have chosen to play for the red on the right-hand

side cushion after the pink. If he can screw over and leave it

somewhere near that of the white I'd put in, that would be perfect.

Well, Ding Junhui has played 13 times in the Masters. He is ever

been whitewashed. I think his biggest defeat was 6-2

to Ronnie O'Sullivan, way back in 2005.

Doesn't matter too much about the yellow.

Two snookers needed, so it looks like it's going to be 4-0. It might

even be 5-0. STUDIO: It was indeed, and I know

because it's something of a double-take moment. This isn't a

scoreline that was in the script. Joe Perry is completely dominating

his younger opponent, who is a 12 times ranking event winner. But Ding

in frame six has finally got his act together and is making a

contribution, on a run of 54 now. The previous shot, he's screwed back

to close to the ocean and still didn't see that one coming. -- close

to the question. OK, he had to force it a bit, but there was a shot

before that left the cue ball there. Just when it looked like he was

going to win the frame at one visit. He misses it. On a fairly

straightforward red. But the blue has come to his rescue. Can't get

through to the potting angle of that one at the other end of the table.

Not a very good long pot. He's been missing quite a few of those. But

all he needs is a colour. And one more red. And then it won't be a

whitewash. That's fine, the red behind the pink

goes. So no whitewash. Joe stays in his

seat. And Jean John the -- Ding Junhui will be quite relieved. That

earlier break of 54 paved the way to giving him his first frame, but it's

still an awful long way back. 5-1 two Joe Perry.

REFEREE: Oh, thank you. Frame seven, Joe Perry to break. You might think

you're funny, but nobody else does. Pack it in, please.

APPLAUSE Paul Callier telling one individual

off. Good job he doesn't know where he is, or he might be out of the

arena, because he did shout out just at the right time.

Now let's see if Joe can not a long red in, because that little flick on

the brown has left a half chance. Yeah, he's just got to look at a

path for the cue ball. Played with lots of bottom and screw in behind

round the back of the black. Well, that is the furthest he's been

away from a long pot in a long time. I think he's got a little bit of

angle with this red. Could get himself on black, or certainly pink

is no problem. Normally he would knock that type of

shot in at, as I say, being so far behind makes everything difficult.

Not a good chance just yet. He can pot this, might need the spider, but

he can go up between the bunch of reds and another red and leave

himself a choice of reds. Shouldn't really be a problem. Yeah, he won't

go that line, just to the right of the second line.

Didn't expect Joe to miss that, even though he was using the spider.

He can drop on the black. Natural angle. Oh, no. Oh, no!

Second bite of the cherry, and... What can he make this time?

Choice of colours. He could play for pink in the same pocket or onto the

blue. A big result this, for Joe Perry, if

he goes on to win this match. Never been to the semifinal of the Masters

before. Looks like end of break. Or does

this red just sneak into that middle right pocket? Great shot.

Not out of the woods yet, though. Needs a good shot here to get back

in position. Yeah, a couple of years ago, he lost

in the quarterfinal to Mark Allen. But the seven other appearances, he

went out in the opening round. But it has to be said, Joe Perry in the

last couple of seasons is playing the best snooker of his professional

career. And that's developed another red,

and he's still on the one to the left middle, so already 40 in front.

He's got an ace angle to go into the four reds here.

That surprises me, because he does need to go into them. He's going to

need more reds to win the frame at this visit. I don't think any of

those reds pot, so I'm surprised he didn't take that opportunity. Are

those two a plant, do you think? Because I, like you, thought he

would go into them... They are not far off a plant. I thought he would

go into them because he had a bit of insurance with the other red. It

looked from this shot that the red wouldn't go, but clearly it does, so

that was probably why he didn't play the cannon. These have worked out

nicely, haven't they? Never really got going in this match, Ding

Junhui. Never really buzzed up a head of steam.

Well, that's what it means to dad. That was a nice shot, that,

deceived. -- to see. It would be nice to finish with a century,

wouldn't it? Yeah, how many matches did you win,

Stephen, making a century in the last frame? Quite a few.

He'll be feeling good, and he plays his good friend, Barry Hawkins,

tomorrow night in the semifinal. I think some people think they are

still at the darts, Dennis. They did try a tournament once where

they let the crowd shout out during play, and it didn't work at all.

Now, this tricky red down the cushion to give himself a chance to

possibly finish with a century. To beat Stuart Bingham 6-1 and now

to do the same to Ding Junhui, superb stuff.

Going to need a little bit of help again. Extension on both the cue and

the extended rest. Well done, Joe Perry! That's the

19th century of this year 's's Masters. What a time to do it!

And so he should be, the way his son is performing here.

Well, what a way to finish the match! Ding Junhui just never got

going this evening. But solid match snooker from Joe Perry. But didn't

he finished the match in style, that break of 127 taking him into the

semifinal a comfortable 6-1 winner. Most of my game was in good order. I

didn't run the breaks in like I did against Stuart, but that is

sometimes due to have the balls run, but everything else was good, my

long potting was as good as it's ever been, safety was pretty strong,

so a good solid match performance. It means everything. It is the blue

ribbon event. The World Championship is what it is, but that's a major

event, everybody is allowed to win that it every year. This is

prestigious, only the top 16 players can enter, so to get to the semis of

the Masters is up with my highlights. Congratulations, a

fantastic win. Tomorrow afternoon, Ronnie O'Sullivan, still on track

for an outright record of seven masters finals, taking on Marco Fu,

in a repeat of the UK championship semifinal. Marco Fu is now in the

form of his life. What a match! Tomorrow evening, the two

Englishman, Barry Hawkins, attempting to reach his second

consecutive masters final, against Joe Perry, who has at last made it

through to the semifinal of this major event in his ninth appearance.

Very many congratulations. Snooker Extra is next, with a rerun of this

afternoon's match between Barry Hawkins and Marco Hawkins, -- Mark

Selby, and then we will be back tomorrow. Not to be missed. Catch

you then. To break someone physically... Agh!

..is not a problem.