Day 4 Masters Snooker Highlights

Good evening and welcome to

highlights of the fourth day of the

Dafabet Masters at Alexandra Palace.

We will feature the concluding match

of the first round between John

Higgins and fellow Scots, Anthony

McGill.

But let's bring you up today

between the encounter between Shaun

Murphy and Ali Carter.

COMMENTATOR: yes, to reflect shot.

He is favourite for the frame now.

What a strike that was, he hits

those so well. His head stays

absolutely still.

absolutely still.

Wonderful shot.

They go to the mid-session interval,

Shaun Murphy leads 4-0.

Shaun Murphy leads 4-0.

Played it

positively, made sure he got

position. He's definitely going for

it.

Needs to get it. And got it.

Here is the blue for that song. Well

played. Very well played indeed. It

is now 4-2.

is now 4-2.

Great breaking long pot.

It is there.

Yes!

Tremendous shot.

He's now only one behind, 5-4.

It is

miscible. He made that look a lot

easier than it was.

easier than it was.

I don't think

Ali Carter is going to carry on and

he's not. He offers his hand and

Shaun Murphy wins 6-4 and is through

to the quarterfinal.

It was going so well. Top players do

what they do, they don't give up and

this is the second biggest

tournament on the planet. Ali played

nicely after the interval. I missed

a couple and he capitalised. I don't

have a great record against him. The

score shouldn't have been 4-0 and I

thought, I can only lose from there.

Here is your chance to win, what can

you do and fortunately I managed to

pull it out the back, but it's not

always like that.

Sean is normally

very one dimensional but he changed

his game plan. He knew he had to to

beat me. Match Luke, I think my game

is probably better than his. I am

struggling this year. But they

turned it round, had a good week

last week at Coventry. I am

competing against the best players

in the world, so lots of positives.

A good win for Sean and he will meet

Judd Trump in the quarterfinals on

Friday.

And so a battle of youth

versus experience, John Higgins

making his 20 for the periods at the

Masters against Anthony McGill, a

first timer at Ally Pally.

John Higgins took a 2-0 lead before

Anthony McGill dug deep in frame

three. Your commentators are Dennis

Taylor and Stephen Hendry.

COMMENTATOR: This red coats back to

the left corner. The cue ball has

gone into the the reds.

gone into the the reds. The fact he

could get a thick enough contact,

good shot. Second chance in this

frame.

I know this shot you play Stephen.

You would pot the black, cannon into

the bunch of roads.

As long as he

hits the left-hand side of the pack,

there is no danger of not being on

one.

He knows he still has another form

more red is available.

He could have played this one little

bit better. Might still be able to

pot this and run through for the

black. Has to be careful with a

little nudge.

little nudge. OK, played it well.

Just two more red is available and

then he has got to get a cannon.

He is looking at the bunch. He needs

to go into the pack from this black.

He may feel he can play for the red

that's in the left middle. Go into

the pack from the blue. Depends on

the angle here. I think this angle

is decent to go into them. He has

got the loose red as a little bit of

insurance.

insurance. He couldn't have hit that

any better. He deserves to be on an

easy red and he is.

Look at where the reds are and keep

your concentration, Anthony. Cruise

to victory in this fourth frame. Has

done well from 2-0 down, great

clearance from the previous frame.

John Higgins was starting to

dominate the match. Won the first

two. As it is, every chance now it

is going to be 2-2, a couple of more

pots would be enough. Pink and one

more red, to make absolutely certain

of this fourth frame.

Somehow, I was expecting this from

Anthony McGill, because he does

enjoy the big stage and there is

none bigger than this. Just the one

table, almost 2000 people in. As you

said, he has grown up watching and

loving the game and he will have

watched the Masters so many times

and here he is out there and he will

be two frames over with the twice

winner of this title, John Higgins.

He has given John a bit to think

about in the interval.

about in the interval. John looked

to be cruising along in this match

at 2-0 and then as Dennis said, he

missed the pink, which probably

would have won him the third frame.

He needs this difficult red to give

himself a chance of making his 122nd

century of his career. Playing

left-handed and he looks good

playing left-handed.

playing left-handed. Some players

switch hands and they look awkward,

but Anthony, it looked natural to

him. Looks like he is a left-handed

player.

The 20th century in this year's

Masters.

Masters. His nine this season, he

made 19 last season. And this one

coming at just the right time for

him.

him. Always nice to show a big crowd

like this how well you can play.

Two very quick frames by Anthony

McGill to the midsection interval.

He will be very pleased with his

performance.

STUDIO: That was the

20th century of this year's

tournament. We will pick it up with

John Higgins 14 points behind.

COMMENTATOR: I don't know if he got

bad contact, but that was a poor

shot. Bad misjudgement. He potted

the red thick into the right-hand

side of the pocket. This isn't easy.

Got a good angle. No. He is under at

the moment, John Higgins. He has

lost his concentration completely.

Slight heavy contact, but he is OK

and he's straight on the black. He

has plenty of loose reds to play

for. Although having said that, they

are all covering each other, but

there are a few that are available.

He could have played this one a

little better.

little better. Wanted to be further

out into the table than this.

Good recovery. That was played to

perfection.

perfection. Those six reds are all

blocking each other.

blocking each other. Just the one at

the back. He will be disturbing if

you opt the reds, so it is important

he gets the cannon and doesn't leave

himself hampered on the black.

What a chance now. It is hard to see

where he can go wrong from here.

Just got to really keep his

concentration, Anthony McGill. He's

got John Higgins on the back foot,

he doesn't want to let him back in

with an easy chance. That is the

thing about the top players in the

game. You think they are down and

out, but even one sniff of a chance,

and they take it.

And that is what I mean. Straight on

the black. Got to keep control of

the cue ball. It is just care less.

Making it difficult when it doesn't

need to be. Only needs a couple more

reds.

reds. He hit that very well. He

struck that well. Good shot.

That is going to be four in a row.

Definitely worrying times now that

the two time champion, John Higgins.

Anthony has 12 ranking titles, the

Indian open in 2016. The shoot out

in 2017, but that is only one frame

and a lot of people are surprised it

is a ranking event, with playing

just the one frame, but he has two

ranking titles to his credit. And he

is enjoying himself out there,

Stephen?

Yes, why not. He has won

four frames in a row against John

Higgins. In this magnificent arena.

He will know there is still a long

way to go in this match.

way to go in this match. It is a

pity. But it is another frame one in

one visit.

STUDIO: After losing four frames in

a row, John Higgins Teddy Bishop in

frame seven. -- steadied the ship.

So it is into frame eight.

COMMENTATOR: Another excellent cue

ball.

ball. Far from easy. Another test

for John Higgins.

This is some shots

he is taking on here, I can tell

you. Watch the cue ball...

He had to get that pot. He is on the

black, he deserves to be on the

black. Absolutely brilliant, to take

that on. He wasn't sure what was

going to happen with the cue ball,

but he deserves a bit of good

fortune.

fortune.

That is what you call

bottle, right there. The long red in

the last frame and then that one

there. When you know you are leaving

the world on if you missed it.

It doesn't take much with a player

of John Higgins' calibre, when you

let him back in and he gets his

focus back. Those two long pots will

have given him tremendous lift.

Three reds, three blacks. And the

reds are not in a bad position.

He

has made eight maximum breaks, but I

remember the first one, he hadn't

even made one in practice.

even made one in practice. If you

remember the nation cup when

Northern Ireland played Scotland and

somehow I managed to beat you on the

pink in a frame and then one frame

is against John Higgins. He broke

off and he made his first ever

maximum break. I don't think anyone

else has done it in one frame match.

This is exactly how you want the

reds. All around the middle of the

table. Believe me, he won't be

thinking about it at the moment. The

most important thing is getting back

on level terms in this match. But

just the weather reds are, he almost

had to play for the black, unless he

plays a bad positional shot. It is

automatic at the moment.

£10,000 for

the highest break, but no individual

prize for a maximum break. I know

you are not a big fan of that?

No,

don't get me started.

Looking at the scoreboard, I think

actually he forgot he was on it.

actually he forgot he was on it. It

is in the back of his mind.

Playing for a choice of reds. Just

getting the cue ball into the middle

of the table. He knows there will be

a red to either corner, left or

right.

He has got a lovely angle on the

black. Maybe cannon into the middle

bread. But the cue ball might not

travel forward far enough. He may

not have the angle to play for the

black again.

black again. He got the middle red

and he is perfect.

and he is perfect.

There is quite a

buzz now around the Alley Pali.

He needs that cue ball to travel.

That is the frame, still in

position.

And there is a little bit

of history on here, if he was to go

on and make a maximum. It is a long

way to go, but. There has never been

a UK snooker player made a maximum

in the Masters. Kirk Stevens from

Canada, Ding Junhui and Marco Fu,

three maximum is ever in the

Masters.

Got to play a good shot

here. Just drop it in. I think it is

a joke there is no special prize for

a maximum, but to do one in this

arena and this atmosphere would be

incredible.

incredible.

The black seem to

straighten up. He will be a little

bit disappointed, but he won't be

disappointed with the way he won.

That gets him back all square. The

Wizard of Oz shard is back again.

This match started this evening at

7pm. The best of 11 frames. It is

now down to just the best of three,

the first to 6 goes through to the

next round.

I do not know if he has got the

angle to pot this and get himself

onto the black. Almost 26 minutes

since his last pot. It would be

special if he manages this.

STEPHEN HENDRY: He has landed pretty

straight on the black. He enjoyed

it. LAUGHTER.

I tell you what, the crowd enjoyed

it.

He did have just enough angle. This

is an attacking shot. He will have

to go into the bunch, screw the cue

ball back off the side cushion and

stay on the black in the same

pocket.

The more controlled shot, less

space. He played it well. -- less

pace. This match is boiling up now,

Dennis.

He just cued across it slightly but

hang on, has he covered the pocket?

Maybe not. He was cueing so well but

that did not push the cue through in

a straight line and the red passes

the black, so after that brilliant

opening red... He just didn't push

the cue dead straight.

Will John go

into the pack from this red.

He might go into the pack off the

black the way it has finished,

because he has finished awkward on

the pink and blue.

How is your luck?

At first glance, it looks like red

to write middle.

to write middle. -- right middle.

That was strange.

The green is on but there is a red

hampering him, that is why he's

getting the extension so he does not

foul the red. He will have to lean

over that.

He has played it well. It needs to

keep going.

keep going. He wanted to be straight

on the red to the left of the bunch

of reds and he could have rolled

through for the black, but that is

not available now.

not available now. He found the gap

nicely and this looks to be perfect.

He has also found a deer. --

gear.

And I think it is Top Gear.

A couple of years ago I was in

Poland with Ken Doherty and watching

John, he was playing in China in the

final with Stuart Bingham, and

invitational tournament, and he made

three centuries in a row to clinch

the final.

It shows you what he can

do when the pressure is on. And he

has done it from 4-2 down, with

breaks of 67 and 81.

It is amazing the change in body

language, John Higgins. From where

he went 4-2 down.

The way he is striking the ball now,

with so much more authority.

There is no need to play any

cannons.

Has he hit that hard enough? Looking

at his expression, he has left it

very tight. I thought he could hold

for the other one at the back. He

will have to play this with

left-hand side to straighten out red

up.

I thought he would play for the

red closest to the black.

He has a

lot of side on this. And he has

played it well.

It is amazing that shot, the normal

swerve you raise the cue. But the

little bit of side squares up the

potting angle.

A quick glance at the scoreboard. A

little bit early for that. He will

need a few more pots.

Those two reds near the pink spot,

I'm not sure if one is available

into the right middle pocket.

into the right middle pocket. 15

front. He needs one off them and he

has the perfect angle on the blue to

cannon those two. He would be very

unlucky not to be one.

Ideal to hit

right in the middle of the two,

which he has done.

Well... He is coming to the table

but barring snookers, John has got

himself one frame in front.

STUDIO: Just one frame away from a

place now in the quarterfinal.

Leading 5-4.

DENNIS TAYLOR: John Higgins is faced

with a red and we have seen him

knock a couple of these in. 41

points behind, can he knock a third

one in? The previous was similar to

this.

this. Where is the cue ball going?

It will be awkward. He might have a

slight angle on the yellow to get

back up to the reds. He has to get

past the blue spot at the least. I

think he has enough angle to stun

up.

He might have to run through for the

blue. He is OK, he's perfect! I

thought he was covered on that. He

is perfect. This is a chance. To get

right back in this frame, a frame

that will take him into the next

round.

Somebody just sneezed. Very

untimely.

If he wins the match from

this visit, from 4-2 down, it has

been the story of three fantastic

long pots from the left-hand side

pocket.

Just a couple of reds are awkward.

The one near the pink I do not think

will pot and the one near the

cushion, so a still long way to go

in this frame. It will be some

clearance if he can clinch it, the

way the balls are situated.

I think if he gets the angle on the

black he will play the cannon on the

red next to the pink.

red next to the pink. He knows if it

does not come off, there is every

chance of there being the loose...

Well, he did the one thing that was

going to pull him out of position,

hitting it full ball. If he hits the

red half ball, it was knock -- not

quite full ball.

APPLAUSE

A fantastic pot.

Control of the cue ball. A lot of

players would have hit that 100 mph

and hope to be on something.

Will he tries to drop in behind the

difficult red? He tried it from

there and the cue ball is close to

the corner. He tried to cannon the

red out from that position. He

thought he had a good enough angle

to screw back and nudge out the red.

Not a bad choice, he would have been

unpicked macro, or black. But he

misjudged it. Now we are -- he would

have been on pink or black. Now we

are in for a tense frame.

If you

leave the cue ball near the yellow

pocket, you are there.

Quite clever to push the blue said.

He knows he can win the frame

without the blue but he knows if

Anthony gets a chance will need the

difficult blue.

He did not hit it hard enough and

has left John Higgins with a similar

shot. He has potted about five like

this. But this has got added

pressure. This could give him the

match, if it goes in.

He was planning a headache smack

that is quite amazing. He put the

blue safe and got an unintentional

cannon on it.

It has been a cracking, absolutely

cracking match between these two

very talented Scottish players.

You

would have to say tremendous

character John Higgins has shown

from 4-2 down. The red he potted

with no safety was phenomenal. He

potted one in this frame.

potted one in this frame.

Just the

brown needed. Anthony McGill, first

time at the Masters, has put up a

fabulous performance.

But in the end of the Wizard of

Wishaw has waived that magic wand.

Well played. The best of friends.

Smiles all around. Another cracking

match at the Alexandra Palace and,

in the end, John Higgins, who has

won the title on two occasions, goes

through to the next round.

I am

buzzing to beat Anthony. When I was

4-2 behind it was not looking good

and he was hitting the ball well and

dominating me. To come back to beat

him 6-4, I am buzzing. I knew it

would be a dogfight to get over the

line. Over the moon to come back and

win because at 4-2 it was not good.

STUDIO: We are down to the last

eight and this is the quarterfinal

line-up...

We should not be surprised there are

more great matches to come.

And some

of the legend still involved, Ronnie

O'Sullivan, John Higgins, Mark

Williams, Shaun Murphy.

We have

highlights of Shaun Murphy and Ali

Williams, Shaun Murphy.

We have

highlights of Shaun Murphy and Ali.