Browse content similar to Day 4. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
Line | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|
Hello, welcome to the Masters at the magnificent Alexandra Palace. | :00:38. | :00:43. | |
For the first few days, players, crowds, the BBC crew, have been | :00:43. | :00:49. | |
wandering around the amazing venue in all of its history. Since it | :00:49. | :00:53. | |
opened 130 years ago it has been home to a racetrack, cricket ground | :00:53. | :00:58. | |
and recently the World Darts Championship. What about its | :00:58. | :01:04. | |
relationship with snooker? Here is Steve Davis and John Parrott. | :01:04. | :01:09. | |
The first thing that strikes you about the venue is its fast nature. | :01:09. | :01:12. | |
It is like nothing I have seen in snooker. | :01:12. | :01:22. | |
:01:22. | :01:24. | ||
I have not seen bigger plastic plants in my life! Horace went room | :01:24. | :01:31. | |
-- Horace played Willie Smith. I assume it was Horace who won. It | :01:31. | :01:36. | |
was 1936. Did you have a good seat? I got knocked out in the semi- | :01:36. | :01:41. | |
finals. Horace beat me in. The table was really slow. Please, let | :01:41. | :01:48. | |
it go. This is the players' lounge. The players can relax here and have | :01:48. | :01:56. | |
a nice cup of tea. Last year, the BBC crew had their 75th reunion | :01:56. | :02:04. | |
here, which was very nice. There is some memorabilia for the snooker. | :02:04. | :02:10. | |
Ronnie O'Sullivan, Ding Junhui. Willie Smith. And Horace. The dress | :02:10. | :02:18. | |
code was different in those days. Where have you brought me to? | :02:18. | :02:23. | |
We are playing in the West Paul next door. This is the Great Hall. | :02:23. | :02:31. | |
Over the years, great things have happened here. You do not great -- | :02:31. | :02:36. | |
get a great hall without a great organ. Look at that. We are | :02:36. | :02:41. | |
standing in the centre circle. There is a plaque. There was a | :02:41. | :02:44. | |
caption when the great fire happened in 1980. | :02:44. | :02:51. | |
How do you know that? It says so. At the weekend there | :02:51. | :02:57. | |
will be a model railway exposition. Fantastic. | :02:57. | :03:03. | |
That is just a little bit of history, but as you heard, for BBC | :03:03. | :03:08. | |
Television, this is where it began in 1936. One of the first | :03:08. | :03:12. | |
presenters introduce the early transmissions with the words, this | :03:12. | :03:17. | |
is direct television from Alexandra Palace. So this is what is coming | :03:17. | :03:27. | |
:03:27. | :03:28. | ||
direct to your television this afternoon. Two time Masters | :03:28. | :03:32. | |
champion at Wembley Mark Selby hopes to continue his love affair | :03:32. | :03:40. | |
with this tournament. One of those victories was over Stephen Lee in | :03:40. | :03:46. | |
the 2008 final. He is now back in the top 16. We will hear from | :03:47. | :03:53. | |
Graeme Dott, who has battled depression to become one of the top | :03:53. | :03:59. | |
players. You can be a millionaire and be as happy as you think you | :03:59. | :04:05. | |
should be, but you still can be depressed. It is a mental illness. | :04:05. | :04:09. | |
Until people realise that, there are still ignorant people who think, | :04:09. | :04:15. | |
how can you be depressed? And now that his war of words with Barry | :04:16. | :04:20. | |
Hearn has mellowed, we will see how Mark Allen got on against Neil | :04:20. | :04:28. | |
Robertson last night. It is time to get today's show on the road. The | :04:28. | :04:30. | |
world number one Mark Selby and Stephen Lee. Rob Walker welcomed | :04:30. | :04:36. | |
the players earlier. Please welcome a player whose | :04:36. | :04:42. | |
cueing action is described as smooth as silk. The winner of four | :04:42. | :04:48. | |
ranking event titles, a three times Masters semi-finalist, he reached a | :04:48. | :04:58. | |
:04:58. | :04:58. | ||
final in 2008, it is the talent from Trowbridge. Stephen Lee! | :04:58. | :05:08. | |
:05:08. | :05:28. | ||
APPLAUSE And his opponent, one of the most colourful characters on | :05:28. | :05:31. | |
the circuit. He has been in three of the last | :05:31. | :05:40. | |
four Masters finals. Twice a winner. He won his second ranking event in | :05:40. | :05:44. | |
China this season. He is the world number one, he is the Jester from | :05:44. | :05:54. | |
:05:54. | :05:56. | ||
Leicester, Mark Selby. APPLAUSE MUSIC: "Underdog" by | :05:56. | :06:06. | |
:06:06. | :06:19. | ||
A great reception for the players. This is the repeat of the final | :06:19. | :06:26. | |
four years ago. Mark Selby has a good record. He lost to Ronnie | :06:26. | :06:36. | |
:06:36. | :06:36. | ||
O'Sullivan in 2009, but took his revenge a year later. Stephen Lee | :06:36. | :06:44. | |
made his Masters debut in 1988 -- 1998. His best performance was in | :06:44. | :06:49. | |
2008 when he lost to Mark Selby. He dropped out of the top 16 and | :06:49. | :06:54. | |
missed the last three years but he is back in the big time. Stephen | :06:54. | :07:02. | |
Lee has lost to Mark Selby on two occasions since that final. We will | :07:02. | :07:07. | |
join the match in the first frame. Commentators are John Virgo and | :07:07. | :07:17. | |
:07:17. | :07:39. | ||
JOHN VIRGO: Is still not a formality to win the frame at this | :07:39. | :07:49. | |
:07:49. | :07:57. | ||
If the black goes... There may be a And it does. | :07:57. | :08:04. | |
STEPHEN HENDRY: I thought he had a decent angle on the pink. Obviously, | :08:04. | :08:14. | |
choosing to do it a different way. He chose to split the reds from a | :08:14. | :08:20. | |
red, which never guarantees position. A Eddie Charlton said he | :08:21. | :08:25. | |
would never played to remove reds off a red. The reason being is that | :08:25. | :08:35. | |
:08:35. | :08:40. | ||
you are not guaranteed to be on a Sorry about the Australian accent. | :08:40. | :08:45. | |
I am certainly not going to try one, Scottish two Australian does not | :08:45. | :08:55. | |
:08:55. | :09:09. | ||
This will be more difficult to get say. -- safe. I suggested nestling | :09:09. | :09:18. | |
on the red below the black spot, Maybe three cushions and hit the | :09:18. | :09:28. | |
:09:28. | :09:39. | ||
He misjudged that badly. That is Stephen Lee looked at the first | :09:39. | :09:46. | |
cushion he hit. He was not expecting the reaction he got. He | :09:46. | :09:53. | |
expected it to slide. If it does not slide, it comes off at a more | :09:53. | :10:00. | |
square angle. It looked all right for me. It came of square of the | :10:00. | :10:05. | |
second cushion. It might not be too bad because this red is tricky. | :10:05. | :10:10. | |
What makes it more difficult is he has work to do with the cue ball. | :10:10. | :10:15. | |
This is why he is refusing it. The best you can hope for in that | :10:15. | :10:25. | |
:10:25. | :10:25. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :10:25. | :11:48. | |
situation is not to leave anything This frame has already gone over 22 | :11:48. | :11:54. | |
minutes. I do not think we will see many long frames in this match. | :11:54. | :11:58. | |
Both players are capable when they get in amongst the balls. Sometimes, | :11:58. | :12:02. | |
it is the way the balls grant that dictates how the frame will be | :12:02. | :12:12. | |
:12:12. | :12:19. | ||
played. This is an example -- the The red balls are coming away from | :12:19. | :12:28. | |
a safe positions. The first mistake could cost this frame. The black | :12:28. | :12:33. | |
may just have come to his rescue. That was a dangerous shot, nudging | :12:33. | :12:36. | |
the red towards the corner. I think the black has just come to his | :12:36. | :12:46. | |
:12:46. | :12:56. | ||
This time, he will hope to on the red into another red to keep it on | :12:56. | :13:01. | |
the top cushion. He did not do that quite. What will rescue him this | :13:01. | :13:11. | |
time? The hamper on the green! Again, a smile from Mark Selby. | :13:11. | :13:21. | |
:13:21. | :13:50. | ||
That was pretty good to get it back to the baulk end, but he left a pot | :13:50. | :14:00. | |
:14:00. | :14:10. | ||
on. He can go for it with That was the only red he could | :14:10. | :14:20. | |
:14:20. | :14:24. | ||
leave and fun enough, that was the It sometimes happens when you have | :14:24. | :14:34. | |
:14:34. | :14:49. | ||
long bouts of safety. Your potting That was much too thin. I do not | :14:49. | :14:55. | |
think he has got away with it this time. Three poor safety shots in a | :14:55. | :15:05. | |
:15:05. | :15:32. | ||
That could cost him the opening It looks like keeper Pacini played | :15:32. | :15:35. | |
the cannon on the top cushion to try to bring it in the open, but he | :15:35. | :15:45. | |
:15:45. | :15:45. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :15:45. | :16:31. | |
APPLAUSE A few mistakes made. The most important thing for Mark, he | :16:31. | :16:38. | |
has got his first frame on the scoreboard, it looks like. That is | :16:38. | :16:48. | |
:16:48. | :17:21. | ||
It did not matter about the brown. Probably, that could be the longest | :17:21. | :17:28. | |
frame of the match. Mark Selby will not be too bothered, he has won the | :17:28. | :17:38. | |
:17:38. | :17:50. | ||
Mark Selby gets the second frame under way. We mentioned earlier | :17:50. | :17:55. | |
there is a lot of movement with him. We saw it there when he was cueing | :17:55. | :18:05. | |
:18:05. | :18:25. | ||
Look at the movement. But he seems He chose to play the more attacking | :18:25. | :18:35. | |
:18:35. | :18:39. | ||
way. He was a long way off. He did not come off the cushion for an | :18:39. | :18:49. | |
:18:49. | :18:56. | ||
The red went close to the middle, but it has not been left. I do not | :18:56. | :19:01. | |
think there is any way... He could play the pot on the red in the | :19:01. | :19:07. | |
right middle. There is also a red sticking out from the main pack | :19:07. | :19:12. | |
that would cut into the left corner. As long as he gets close to the | :19:12. | :19:22. | |
:19:22. | :19:22. | ||
jaws of the pocket, the red should But he needed to screw back further | :19:22. | :19:32. | |
:19:32. | :20:06. | ||
Stephen can get to the red on the right-hand side. That is a good | :20:06. | :20:16. | |
:20:16. | :20:25. | ||
That was pretty good. He has covered the path on the right-hand | :20:25. | :20:35. | |
:20:35. | :20:41. | ||
side somewhat. The left-hand side Mark Selby not happy with the | :20:41. | :20:51. | |
:20:51. | :21:05. | ||
Mark wants to make sure that the referee put the white ball in | :21:05. | :21:12. | |
exactly the same place say he knows where to aim. It might be a further | :21:12. | :21:22. | |
:21:22. | :21:33. | ||
REFEREE: Foul and a miss. somebody of Mark Selby's class that | :21:33. | :21:38. | |
is poor, for two attempts. He will be warned because he could hit reds | :21:38. | :21:48. | |
:21:48. | :22:05. | ||
He would forfeit the frame if he He went for a red he did not want | :22:05. | :22:12. | |
to play and he has been very fortunate. That is what you call | :22:12. | :22:22. | |
:22:22. | :22:23. | ||
world number one Mark! Yes. -- luck. He was forced into playing the red. | :22:23. | :22:33. | |
:22:33. | :22:43. | ||
Otherwise he would have forfeited World number one for me! -- form. | :22:43. | :22:53. | |
:22:53. | :22:58. | ||
Stephen felt he could clip that one No such luck for Stephen. He misses | :22:58. | :23:08. | |
:23:08. | :23:08. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :23:08. | :23:57. | |
He just caught the wide jaw. He If he has covered himself on the | :23:57. | :24:04. | |
blue he is on nothing. Look at his face. He probably has. That is | :24:04. | :24:14. | |
:24:14. | :24:29. | ||
You could not imagine that You could say it is careless. In | :24:29. | :24:33. | |
all honestly, the odds of that happening, he could play it 1,000 | :24:33. | :24:40. | |
times and it would not happen. All he can do is... I would say cover | :24:40. | :24:45. | |
the path to the red over the corner. But it would not be that difficult | :24:45. | :24:49. | |
to come off the side cushion and possibly pot it. What else can he | :24:49. | :24:59. | |
:24:59. | :25:06. | ||
If he has cut off the one-cushion escape, which he might have done, | :25:06. | :25:16. | |
:25:16. | :25:25. | ||
The fact that Mark is not playing of the right-hand side cushion | :25:25. | :25:30. | |
across the table, he has got tight enough to the green to cover the | :25:30. | :25:35. | |
one-cushion escape. Considering he was annoyed and frustrated, that | :25:35. | :25:45. | |
:25:45. | :25:50. | ||
was an excellent shot from Stephen REFEREE: Foul and a miss. That pink | :25:50. | :25:58. | |
is like a magnet! That is four escapes from snookers from that | :25:59. | :26:08. | |
:26:09. | :26:16. | ||
side and both players have been, That was a poor shot. You are not | :26:16. | :26:20. | |
guaranteed to get a nice position when the red is so far into the | :26:20. | :26:30. | |
:26:30. | :26:44. | ||
jaws of the pocket, but there was It is bits and pieces. He was that? | :26:44. | :26:54. | |
:26:54. | :27:25. | ||
The Dave Clark Five. Before your He did not get his opponent into | :27:25. | :27:35. | |
:27:35. | :27:56. | ||
The reds are nicely spread. Again, you have the pink and black out of | :27:56. | :28:06. | |
:28:06. | :28:13. | ||
It is not easy to win a frame with just the baulk colours to go at. | :28:13. | :28:18. | |
You can build up a need a, of course. The left-hand side of the | :28:18. | :28:28. | |
:28:28. | :28:40. | ||
reds, he might be able to screw up It is fortunate if the blue goes | :28:40. | :28:46. | |
into the left corner. I am certain that is what Stephen Lee is | :28:46. | :28:56. | |
:28:56. | :29:03. | ||
thinking now in his seat! Very He has not made the best job of | :29:03. | :29:08. | |
that. I think the red goes to the left middle, but it depends on the | :29:08. | :29:18. | |
:29:18. | :29:23. | ||
He had to leave himself a long blue. He will be slightly hampered. The | :29:23. | :29:33. | |
:29:33. | :29:35. | ||
reds will make cueing slightly Well, he made that look easy. It | :29:35. | :29:45. | |
:29:45. | :29:45. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :29:45. | :30:47. | |
Mark still has a lot to do to win He has a choice of reds, with this | :30:47. | :30:57. | |
:30:57. | :31:12. | ||
Obviously, the green is off its spot, so he has more win to take | :31:12. | :31:22. | |
:31:22. | :31:22. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :31:22. | :32:03. | |
There are two Bridge that are easily pottable. -- two reds. He | :32:03. | :32:13. | |
:32:13. | :32:15. | ||
has decided to play the cannon. It could go wrong. At that speed, it | :32:15. | :32:20. | |
was a bit risky. That was what I was going to say, playing the | :32:21. | :32:30. | |
:32:31. | :32:35. | ||
cannon that slowly. That was a great shot. He is back in perfect | :32:35. | :32:45. | |
:32:45. | :32:47. | ||
position again. And now, with a 28. Lead, he's looking for three of | :32:47. | :32:57. | |
these remaining reds -- 28 point lead. This time, absolutely perfect | :32:57. | :33:07. | |
on the blue. Stephen, nothing he can do, he has just got to sit | :33:07. | :33:10. | |
there. He has been sitting at his chair a few times and thought he | :33:10. | :33:17. | |
was coming back to the table, but, by good luck, or could play, he has | :33:17. | :33:27. | |
:33:27. | :33:30. | ||
been kept in his seat. -- could play. -- good play. He is straight | :33:30. | :33:35. | |
enough. If he plays the deep screw he has to be careful not to make | :33:35. | :33:41. | |
contact with that red that is near his hand. Or the other one. Would | :33:41. | :33:51. | |
you believe it? That could not have worked it better. I am not saying | :33:51. | :33:55. | |
he didn't have the thought that that could happen by swinging the | :33:55. | :34:00. | |
cue ball wide but to cannon the red, and finish perfect on the blue, you | :34:00. | :34:09. | |
have to say that was a little fortuitous. And now the blue. This | :34:09. | :34:15. | |
is the one. He is swinging up wide, but if he catches that red fully on, | :34:15. | :34:23. | |
he is on nothing. And now the blue has gone in, he is 46 points in | :34:23. | :34:29. | |
front with 43 remaining. And if he rolls this red in and make certain | :34:29. | :34:34. | |
of it, I don't think Stephen Lee will bother coming back to the | :34:34. | :34:44. | |
:34:44. | :34:52. | ||
There is no reason to power this in. The red will clinch the frame -- | :34:52. | :35:01. | |
the frame. But for snookers, it should be 2-0, to Mark Selby, the | :35:01. | :35:11. | |
:35:11. | :35:16. | ||
mark -- the world No. 1. Imperative now that he gets on the black. | :35:16. | :35:26. | |
:35:26. | :35:27. | ||
Where is the cue ball going? It was a chance missed. Because, if he had | :35:27. | :35:32. | |
potted that red and made for now a contract, he would have been nicer | :35:32. | :35:39. | |
on the black. He's asking the referee how he is looking with | :35:39. | :35:44. | |
regard to touching the pink. The referee one tell him. And now, the | :35:44. | :35:54. | |
:35:54. | :35:54. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :35:54. | :36:35. | |
red has gone in. That dots the I's Mark's will be one frame three with | :36:35. | :36:38. | |
a break of 57 and the in four with a century, the eight of the | :36:38. | :36:43. | |
tournament, so far. Mark Selby leads for living 0 at the interval | :36:43. | :36:47. | |
and they will be resuming shortly. It has been very professional and | :36:48. | :36:53. | |
clinical from Marks will be. That is what you expect from him. We | :36:53. | :37:03. | |
:37:03. | :37:04. | ||
call him the who grew, he Hoovers things up. -- the Hoover. For | :37:04. | :37:09. | |
someone of Stephen's capability, this miss was poor. We why is he | :37:09. | :37:14. | |
making mistakes like that? hasn't got out of first gear, and | :37:14. | :37:17. | |
against one of the top players in the world, that comes in even | :37:17. | :37:23. | |
harder. Stephen Lee possibly hasn't had the experience in the last few | :37:23. | :37:28. | |
years on the big stage. That comes into the equation. If you're | :37:28. | :37:31. | |
playing this type of venue regularly you settled down quicker, | :37:31. | :37:34. | |
and we know that Mark's will be does not need too much time to | :37:34. | :37:41. | |
settle down. He looks more efficient. Once you let the other | :37:41. | :37:50. | |
guy off the hook, then 4-0 becomes an obvious result. The fact is, he | :37:50. | :37:56. | |
has had a couple of thumpings off of him, Stephen. Mark's will be | :37:56. | :38:00. | |
totally dominating Stephen Lee at the moment and they resume shortly. | :38:00. | :38:03. | |
Let's look ahead to the match tonight between Ali Carter and | :38:03. | :38:08. | |
Graeme Dott. Graeme Dott has had to overcome troubles away from the | :38:08. | :38:18. | |
:38:18. | :38:25. | ||
table to prove himself one of the I have never really done that well | :38:25. | :38:30. | |
in the UK and the Masters, two admits I never seemed to do well. | :38:30. | :38:34. | |
If it was moved to the Crucible I might do a bit better, but it is | :38:34. | :38:44. | |
:38:44. | :38:51. | ||
not, so I will have to go there and He's not in a good place might just | :38:51. | :38:56. | |
now, but that can change with a good performance. Sometimes it can | :38:56. | :39:01. | |
be hard to play someone like that a cause they just click, and it is | :39:01. | :39:05. | |
back to normal. You can be a millionaire and have everything you | :39:05. | :39:11. | |
want and be depressed. It is nothing to do with it, it is an | :39:11. | :39:17. | |
illness, a mental illness. And there are still ignorant people who | :39:17. | :39:24. | |
think, how can you be depressed? I don't think people realise that. | :39:24. | :39:28. | |
You still get idiots who come up and say things, it cannot be that | :39:28. | :39:32. | |
bad, cheer up. But if you tell somebody they have got something | :39:32. | :39:37. | |
wrong with them, Alzheimer saw something, it is looked at | :39:37. | :39:41. | |
differently, but depression is a mental illness, and people need to | :39:41. | :39:51. | |
:39:51. | :39:53. | ||
It is a hard sport to play in, you are away from home all the time, | :39:53. | :39:57. | |
away from Kitson family, living out of a suit case. People do not see | :39:57. | :40:05. | |
that. They tune in and see us on TV, but you're stuck in a hotel room | :40:05. | :40:10. | |
for three days before that, and it can be hard, sometimes, if you are | :40:10. | :40:15. | |
not feeling great. I understand why snooker players get it. It is not | :40:15. | :40:21. | |
like a team sport, you have to battle on, yourself. It is | :40:21. | :40:27. | |
something that has annoyed me for years. Hopefully, I will do better | :40:27. | :40:32. | |
now. It is a tournament that I have never done well in. I don't know if | :40:32. | :40:40. | |
it is horses for courses but I never seemed to play well, here. | :40:40. | :40:44. | |
Korean Dott against Ali Carter is available on the red button and on | :40:44. | :40:50. | |
line from 7 o'clock tonight. Highlights on BBC Two from 11:20pm. | :40:50. | :40:52. | |
We are hearing a lot from players about the difficulties of | :40:53. | :40:57. | |
travelling away from home. We have from Ronnie O'Sullivan who spoke to | :40:57. | :41:02. | |
Hazel Irvine, saying how difficult it is to have a proper season on | :41:02. | :41:08. | |
the snooker tour now and maintain family life. Yes, I think the | :41:08. | :41:13. | |
future for snooker that is going to become full-time, not just six or | :41:13. | :41:19. | |
seven tournaments each season becomes a single man's sport. It is | :41:19. | :41:22. | |
something that you have to consider and the choice you have to make. | :41:22. | :41:25. | |
There are times when you are on the road and not much is happening and | :41:25. | :41:30. | |
you can get feeling lonely. The rewards are break, when it all was | :41:30. | :41:34. | |
right, you are the centre of attention, and that can make up for | :41:34. | :41:41. | |
it. Talking about the difference between you were at your peak and | :41:41. | :41:45. | |
when family life became more important to you. We're all | :41:45. | :41:49. | |
different as individuals. I still think there is some leeway and the | :41:49. | :41:54. | |
format, just to say, have so many of your best results in so many | :41:54. | :41:59. | |
tournaments, so that people can have a week off now and again. Take | :41:59. | :42:02. | |
the best built results from 16 tournaments, whichever way you want | :42:02. | :42:12. | |
:42:12. | :42:12. | ||
to do it. -- the best 12 results. Then, you get a balance. We wish | :42:12. | :42:17. | |
Graeme Dott good luck in his match against Ali Carter. Let's find out | :42:17. | :42:27. | |
:42:27. | :42:39. | ||
more about the world number one, I never get angry or up tight. The | :42:39. | :42:43. | |
worst thing for me is that if I lose a match I will feel a little | :42:43. | :42:49. | |
bit gutted. I have started getting into running and it knows, but I | :42:49. | :42:52. | |
find it difficult doing the exercise and fitness regime and | :42:52. | :43:02. | |
trying to cut out all the rubbish as well. -- fit this. I would like | :43:02. | :43:09. | |
to see how they lived in the 18 hundreds. It would be like luxury | :43:09. | :43:15. | |
Co -- luxury, to them, living how we live now. It would be an | :43:15. | :43:21. | |
experience. My biggest strength is that I never know when I am beaten. | :43:21. | :43:31. | |
:43:31. | :43:31. | ||
Until the final ball was potted, I never give in. I am always trying. | :43:31. | :43:36. | |
My father passed away when I was 16, just before I turned professional. | :43:36. | :43:39. | |
That was the biggest one for me, because he had watched me growing | :43:39. | :43:44. | |
up and playing in junior tournaments and he never got to see | :43:44. | :43:54. | |
:43:54. | :43:58. | ||
me play as a professional, so I Mark's will be is in complete | :43:58. | :44:04. | |
control against Stephen Lee. 4-0, the first to six frames goes | :44:04. | :44:08. | |
through to the semi-final. But Stephen Lee have a fight back in | :44:08. | :44:12. | |
him? We are about to find out in the company of John Virgo and | :44:12. | :44:20. | |
Stephen Hendry. It goes without saying that we need a unproved | :44:20. | :44:23. | |
performance from Stephen Lee if used to get back into this match. | :44:23. | :44:33. | |
He has got to cut out every mistake and get all the statistics up. | :44:33. | :44:43. | |
:44:43. | :44:54. | ||
Everything has got to improve. That He has got to attack more. His | :44:54. | :45:02. | |
safety has been quite good, but not very positive safetys, punishing | :45:02. | :45:08. | |
Mark Selby. And the long balls he has been playing, he has had an | :45:08. | :45:13. | |
element of safety to them. At 4-0 down, you have got to go, all-out | :45:13. | :45:23. | |
:45:23. | :45:36. | ||
attack. There is a little bit of There is the table time statistic. | :45:36. | :45:39. | |
Two-thirds of it for Mark Selby and just about one third for Stephen | :45:39. | :45:49. | |
:45:49. | :45:56. | ||
In four frames, Stephen Lee has only scored 76 points. For Mark | :45:56. | :46:03. | |
Selby, his highest break is more than that. Touching ball has been | :46:03. | :46:13. | |
:46:13. | :46:13. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :46:13. | :47:08. | |
called so he has to play a Almost got to be a little bit wary | :47:08. | :47:14. | |
with these. Is he playing safe or is he playing the pot? He played | :47:14. | :47:18. | |
the pop, so maybe he is when to take your advice, Stephen, and | :47:18. | :47:28. | |
attacked a bit more. -- he is going to. He wasn't going to leave Ilott | :47:28. | :47:38. | |
:47:38. | :47:38. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :47:38. | :48:21. | |
He could have left it, but he Where is the red going? It is near | :48:21. | :48:29. | |
the pocket. I think he may be able to get past the brown, and if he | :48:29. | :48:35. | |
can... He will just have to bend the slightly, with a little bit of | :48:35. | :48:42. | |
left-hand side. Problem is, if he was to catch it to thickly with all | :48:42. | :48:46. | |
that side, it could take the cue ball into the bunch of reds and he | :48:46. | :48:54. | |
could be on nothing. He maybe doesn't have to bend it that much, | :48:54. | :49:04. | |
to be honest. That was the problem. With that amount of side. It was | :49:04. | :49:08. | |
always win to swing the cue ball wide. He is looking to see if he | :49:08. | :49:13. | |
can get through to the black. If he can, it wouldn't be the easiest of | :49:14. | :49:22. | |
shots. It would help, if he was to play safe, if he wants to flick off | :49:22. | :49:32. | |
:49:32. | :49:33. | ||
the black. He must feel as though he can hit it. If he can hit it, he | :49:33. | :49:43. | |
:49:43. | :50:02. | ||
It was almost like a guide. Little unlucky that he has not finished up | :50:02. | :50:12. | |
:50:12. | :50:31. | ||
For that was in a loose safety. There was a good target their | :50:31. | :50:41. | |
:50:41. | :50:47. | ||
behind green and brown. He has left Just not happening, I'm afraid, for | :50:47. | :50:57. | |
:50:57. | :51:02. | ||
That is a shot he is normally so good at, Stephen Lee. He is lower | :51:02. | :51:12. | |
in confidence at the moment. Yet again, it is Mark Selby who has got | :51:12. | :51:22. | |
:51:22. | :51:22. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :51:22. | :52:32. | |
If well, that is unlucky. It could always happen, of course, going | :52:32. | :52:37. | |
into the reds with such pace. You couldn't really envisage that | :52:37. | :52:46. | |
happening. Is this the lifeline that Stephen Lee was looking for? I | :52:46. | :52:53. | |
would suggest he needs to win the frame at this visit, not only for | :52:53. | :52:58. | |
the confidence boost, but just to get some rhythm going. He has got | :52:58. | :53:08. | |
:53:08. | :53:34. | ||
Probably the best chance he's had and the match. He doesn't have to | :53:34. | :53:39. | |
disturb anything. Just keep his mind and a job, one shot at that | :53:39. | :53:49. | |
:53:49. | :54:13. | ||
time. -- keep his mind on the job, It is amazing. When you're 4-0 | :54:13. | :54:18. | |
behind, Andy see the reds sector almost like a practice routine, and | :54:18. | :54:24. | |
you see problems, and they are not really there. You want that frame | :54:24. | :54:31. | |
to be over as quickly as possible. Just need to hold your | :54:31. | :54:39. | |
concentration. One ball at a time. He has overhit that slightly, this | :54:39. | :54:49. | |
:54:49. | :54:49. | ||
red, although, he should get it. Good recovery, though. He might | :54:49. | :54:54. | |
choose to play a cannon year. Plea it off the cushion, the three Ritz | :54:54. | :54:59. | |
to the right, because the two reds to the left don't pot to the right | :54:59. | :55:09. | |
:55:09. | :55:13. | ||
corner. -- three reds. He has caught that, but he is OK, I think, | :55:13. | :55:20. | |
just. He needed to stun that with a little bit more side. He played it, | :55:20. | :55:28. | |
plain ball. He is just about on this red, but lucky to have it. I | :55:28. | :55:32. | |
was thinking red to the right corner, not the red to the far left | :55:32. | :55:42. | |
:55:42. | :55:43. | ||
corner. The only thing is, he is close to the red and, using the | :55:43. | :55:53. | |
:55:53. | :56:30. | ||
extension, it is a tricky one to Gravity took over. Any more pace, | :56:30. | :56:40. | |
:56:40. | :56:43. | ||
and it wouldn't have dropped. Now, a contract for a 27. Lead -- back | :56:43. | :56:53. | |
:56:53. | :57:13. | ||
He does strike the cue ball so well. As well as anybody in the game. | :57:13. | :57:18. | |
This is the first chance we've had to see it in this match. He will | :57:18. | :57:25. | |
feel a lot better here, winning the frame in one visit. Just this red | :57:25. | :57:35. | |
:57:35. | :57:35. | ||
to go 4-1 in front with 35 remaining. And so, the dreaded | :57:35. | :57:45. | |
:57:45. | :57:50. | ||
Mark's will be was unfortunate when he potted the black, cannon the | :57:50. | :57:55. | |
reds, and knock a red into the middle, but on the balance of the | :57:55. | :58:01. | |
first four frames, they say you deserve what you get, and that one | :58:01. | :58:11. | |
:58:11. | :58:23. | ||
of the balls did favour Mark. -- Two blues, three pink's, 5 blacks, | :58:23. | :58:33. | |
he has stayed on the high value colours for this break. If he | :58:33. | :58:39. | |
clears these five remaining cholera has, it will be 100. -- these five | :58:39. | :58:49. | |
:58:49. | :59:20. | ||
The 9th century break of the tournament and it could not come at | :59:20. | :59:23. | |
a better time for the man from Trowbridge. Still has a mountain to | :59:23. | :59:29. | |
climb but he has his first frame on the scoresheet. He trails 4-1. Good | :59:29. | :59:34. | |
character from Stephen Lee. Century number nine. We had said that he | :59:34. | :59:39. | |
hadn't got in in the first four frames, but he has now. You need a | :59:39. | :59:44. | |
little bit of help sometimes. He got it when Mark knocked that red | :59:44. | :59:49. | |
into the middle pocket. If you give them enough chances he will get | :59:49. | :59:55. | |
back in the game. You can see why he is in the top 16 now. He is back | :59:55. | :00:01. | |
in the top 16. He missed out for three years. Rob Walker said that | :00:01. | :00:04. | |
Stephen Lee has a smooth as silk cueing action and everybody talks | :00:04. | :00:10. | |
about him in such high regard, but his record, is one, sadly not quite | :00:10. | :00:15. | |
up to that. He has won four ranking events which is very good, but it | :00:15. | :00:21. | |
should be better, with the way that he hits the ball. Even though Mark | :00:21. | :00:25. | |
Selby knock one in, there were still pressure, because you have | :00:25. | :00:29. | |
got to make the frame clearance there. The balls are lovely but you | :00:29. | :00:32. | |
still got to clear them. A little bit of pressure on him, but that | :00:32. | :00:40. | |
was more like it from hem. He looks up at the scoreboard and sees 4-0, | :00:40. | :00:50. | |
:00:50. | :00:53. | ||
but he's going to be feeling a lot Sometimes with Stephen Lee, against | :00:53. | :00:58. | |
the big names in the game, he time's up a fraction. He fancies | :00:58. | :01:06. | |
the game against lower-ranked players. He annihilated me recently. | :01:06. | :01:16. | |
:01:16. | :01:31. | ||
But against the big players, he John -- JOHN VIRGO: That is a | :01:31. | :01:41. | |
:01:41. | :01:49. | ||
There are two reds above the black. If he leaves a nice angle on the | :01:49. | :01:54. | |
black he could carry into the right hand one of those two. He could | :01:54. | :02:04. | |
:02:04. | :02:11. | ||
open more with a little bit of pace Coming off the top cushion, it can | :02:11. | :02:21. | |
:02:21. | :02:34. | ||
He caught that thin. I am looking at his face to see if he is on the | :02:34. | :02:44. | |
:02:44. | :02:47. | ||
He had such a good angle, I thought he would play with more power into | :02:47. | :02:57. | |
:02:57. | :03:09. | ||
That was well played. He could not have played that better. He could | :03:09. | :03:19. | |
:03:19. | :03:20. | ||
not have got through to it plain He is not perfect on the black. He | :03:20. | :03:24. | |
is desperately looking to see if there is a ball that is pot able | :03:24. | :03:34. | |
:03:34. | :03:55. | ||
macro without having to disturb In potting that, he will be running | :03:55. | :04:01. | |
into other reds. It is the shot again. You prefer to screw the he's | :04:01. | :04:10. | |
back. This one I would prefer to run through. If you screw back on | :04:10. | :04:15. | |
this one I do not see... Unless the pink is available. And it was. But | :04:15. | :04:21. | |
where does the next red come from? Yes. That was slightly negative to | :04:21. | :04:27. | |
play for the pink. You trust to fortune when you follow through the | :04:27. | :04:34. | |
pack, but with his cue action, it is a comfortable shot for him, I | :04:34. | :04:39. | |
would have thought. The only shot I can see is to pot the pink with a | :04:39. | :04:49. | |
:04:49. | :04:57. | ||
lot of top. Come off the side He might be able to make the angle | :04:57. | :05:02. | |
unless he has to force an angle. He did not think he could. That is all | :05:02. | :05:12. | |
:05:12. | :05:30. | ||
he is going to get. An extra six.. It should have been a better one | :05:30. | :05:35. | |
than that. I know there was a nice target he was thinking behind green | :05:35. | :05:44. | |
and blue. But it is basic inputting your eggs in one basket. He has not | :05:44. | :05:54. | |
:05:54. | :06:07. | ||
That was a chance for Mark Selby, He is on the completely wrong side | :06:07. | :06:16. | |
of the red. If you miss that far, it is a shock to the system. A lot | :06:16. | :06:22. | |
of unintentional left-hand side which pushed it to the right. I | :06:22. | :06:32. | |
:06:32. | :06:43. | ||
have not seen Mark hit a ball that That was a tough shot. Whenever you | :06:43. | :06:50. | |
are close to the side cushion, it will always be tough. He probably | :06:50. | :06:56. | |
thought the only red is the one I am playing but he nudged two reds | :06:56. | :07:06. | |
:07:06. | :07:36. | ||
He did not have the best angle on the pink to play the cannon. He may | :07:36. | :07:41. | |
be wishing he had played something else now. It was always going to be | :07:41. | :07:45. | |
difficult to develop too many reds and be certain of where the cue | :07:46. | :07:55. | |
:07:56. | :07:56. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :07:56. | :08:46. | |
It has turned out OK. Tighter to the top cushion would have been | :08:46. | :08:56. | |
:08:56. | :09:09. | ||
And he has misjudged that. He would be lucky for it to go in! Digby. -- | :09:09. | :09:12. | |
dear me. Stephen Lee, who was at this end of the table, has gone | :09:12. | :09:22. | |
:09:22. | :09:26. | ||
back, thinking, what is going on? If it had rattled in the jaws, | :09:26. | :09:31. | |
Stephen Lee would have had an easy opener. Now, look at the position | :09:31. | :09:36. | |
he is in. He tried to run the red into the yellow. He misjudged it | :09:37. | :09:44. | |
completely. Did he apologise? I do not know whether he did. He did | :09:44. | :09:54. | |
:09:54. | :09:55. | ||
apologise, I am hearing. Not much of an apology. You would apologise. | :09:55. | :10:05. | |
:10:05. | :10:06. | ||
There is no point. Are you sorry? No, you are relieved. The man with | :10:06. | :10:11. | |
ginger hair in the studio never apologised. Yes. What were we | :10:11. | :10:21. | |
:10:21. | :10:21. | ||
saying? World number one's luck. That was a stroke of luck. He | :10:21. | :10:31. | |
:10:31. | :10:36. | ||
played a good snooker. But I am not He has not taken advantage of it. | :10:36. | :10:40. | |
Stephen Lee is still in the frame and still, you would think, if he | :10:40. | :10:50. | |
:10:50. | :11:02. | ||
He will play it with bottom check side. Right-hand side to square it | :11:02. | :11:12. | |
:11:12. | :11:32. | ||
APPLAUSE He played that nicely. He got a kiss off the red. It was a | :11:32. | :11:39. | |
helpful kiss. He would have liked to have been straighter. There are | :11:39. | :11:46. | |
reds in the baulk end he can play for. Possibly a red below the pink. | :11:46. | :11:56. | |
:11:56. | :12:04. | ||
That made him inch-perfect on the Oh, Stephen, Stephen! How has he | :12:04. | :12:14. | |
:12:14. | :12:20. | ||
That was carelessness. It was not a twitch or nerves. He completely | :12:20. | :12:30. | |
:12:30. | :12:30. | ||
He will be disappointed. That was a great chance to get this frame and | :12:30. | :12:40. | |
go to 4-2. It was the point I was making earlier. I was probably | :12:40. | :12:43. | |
behind him match is more than you were. Sometimes, you think I have | :12:43. | :12:49. | |
the chance, get this frame over, 4- 2, and you are looking ahead | :12:49. | :12:59. | |
:12:59. | :12:59. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :12:59. | :13:48. | |
instead of staying in the moment. It is all about pace, this. It is | :13:48. | :13:58. | |
:13:58. | :13:58. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :13:58. | :15:14. | |
OK. He can get his hand on the He knew he had a choice to play for | :15:14. | :15:19. | |
the one to the middle. It has overrun -- if it has, you would | :15:19. | :15:27. | |
have the one left. This is the one he wanted out of the way. A little | :15:27. | :15:32. | |
bit surprised he played for the paper. I would have played for one | :15:32. | :15:38. | |
of the balls in the baulk end. would have chosen to play the red | :15:38. | :15:44. | |
close to the corner pocket and keep the white up that end of the table. | :15:44. | :15:53. | |
I'm sure he could have health. -- man held. It is now not a formality | :15:53. | :15:58. | |
to get position. He needs a good shot. He has a slight angle to | :15:59. | :16:08. | |
:16:09. | :16:37. | ||
Maybe that red will go to the far Obviously landed too straight on | :16:37. | :16:47. | |
:16:47. | :17:00. | ||
the yellow and so will play the The green spot is not available. It | :17:00. | :17:10. | |
:17:10. | :17:21. | ||
should not make any difference If he pots the blue, it will go on | :17:21. | :17:26. | |
the green spot. But he is down quickly on the brown so he liked | :17:26. | :17:36. | |
:17:36. | :17:57. | ||
The green will put him 23 points in front with 22 remaining. Stephen | :17:57. | :18:04. | |
Lee must be sitting in his seat very disappointed. He missed a | :18:04. | :18:09. | |
straightforward red. I think the problem was he was thinking the | :18:09. | :18:19. | |
:18:19. | :18:43. | ||
In the fifth frame, Stephen Lee was handed a lifeline and he did not | :18:43. | :18:48. | |
take it. Mark Selby is one frame away from a place in the quarter | :18:49. | :18:55. | |
final. You get those days, Stephen. You did not have many, but Stephen | :18:55. | :19:00. | |
Lee is having a horrendous day. We will look at the mistakes he has | :19:00. | :19:08. | |
made. The first four frames, he did not get a lot of chances. These are | :19:08. | :19:12. | |
shots that you must get at this level. He played that as a sort of | :19:12. | :19:20. | |
shot to nothing. He needed snookers, but you expected him to get this. | :19:20. | :19:27. | |
Again, he has not looked comfortable today. This red, it was | :19:27. | :19:31. | |
an unforgivable miss. He was fortunate to get good position and | :19:31. | :19:37. | |
must have thought, I have my chance. But as you said, he took his mind | :19:37. | :19:43. | |
of the job. You can see the look on his face. As a player, it is a | :19:43. | :19:49. | |
shock to the system, it makes the heart pound, when you get down to a | :19:49. | :19:52. | |
red you cannot possibly miss and you look up and it is still on the | :19:52. | :19:57. | |
table. Sometimes you cannot believe it. You are just looking for the | :19:57. | :20:03. | |
next shot. There is the trophy. It is looking a long way out of reach | :20:03. | :20:13. | |
:20:13. | :20:24. | ||
That was a decent break off. He has not left the possibility of a red | :20:24. | :20:34. | |
:20:34. | :20:42. | ||
to one of the corners, which is a It did not look to be the best of | :20:42. | :20:49. | |
safety shots but the fluke on the green has made it good now. -- | :20:49. | :20:59. | |
:20:59. | :21:24. | ||
He just caught that a bit too thick. He cannot afford to make any | :21:24. | :21:34. | |
:21:34. | :22:09. | ||
mistakes now, Stephen, because the That is one safety shot. It would | :22:09. | :22:13. | |
not leave much. The black is covering one red and the other two | :22:13. | :22:23. | |
:22:23. | :22:27. | ||
reds are covering each other. You He caught it slightly thicker than | :22:27. | :22:32. | |
he attended which is why he has only reached the baulk line rather | :22:32. | :22:37. | |
than the baulk cushion. It is a mistake. How costly it will be, I | :22:37. | :22:47. | |
:22:47. | :22:47. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :22:47. | :24:00. | |
APPLAUSE That was a terrific pot. He is just far enough away from the | :24:00. | :24:10. | |
:24:10. | :24:14. | ||
cushion. Not much you can do about Two-thirds success rate for the | :24:14. | :24:22. | |
long pot in is a good rate. He was away from the cushion enough to | :24:23. | :24:32. | |
:24:33. | :24:51. | ||
make that easy enough to get the As with all top players, when Mark | :24:51. | :24:57. | |
Selby sees a chance to get over the winning line, he rarely does not | :24:57. | :25:07. | |
:25:07. | :25:09. | ||
Looking to play for the black as soon as possible. Possibly screw | :25:10. | :25:19. | |
:25:20. | :25:35. | ||
back for the black in the same Looking to see if it pots in the | :25:35. | :25:45. | |
:25:45. | :25:52. | ||
I think he played for that there. No, he is going to play for the red | :25:52. | :25:56. | |
to the right corner. I think the black is available into both corner | :25:56. | :26:03. | |
pockets. That tells that it is definitely have bailable into the | :26:03. | :26:13. | |
:26:13. | :26:45. | ||
With the black available into both corner pockets, he will be thinking | :26:45. | :26:55. | |
:26:55. | :27:00. | ||
The match time is less than two hours. The first frame was slow. | :27:00. | :27:04. | |
Just over 28 minutes. We said at the time we did not think it would | :27:04. | :27:14. | |
:27:14. | :27:25. | ||
get any longer than that. Just the He took that opportunity to bring | :27:25. | :27:35. | |
:27:35. | :27:54. | ||
He might have thought for a second he missed that. When you catch the | :27:54. | :28:04. | |
:28:04. | :28:05. | ||
near jaws, invariably, they stay That could probably have been | :28:05. | :28:15. | |
:28:15. | :28:18. | ||
Stephen Lee's last chance of You usually find when you get away | :28:18. | :28:23. | |
with a shot like that, it works up your concentration and you think, I | :28:23. | :28:31. | |
will not let that happen again. When it hits the first jaw, | :28:31. | :28:36. | |
normally they do not go in. I have seen a few this week that have hit | :28:36. | :28:42. | |
the jaws and gone in. I sometimes say if they are not played with too | :28:42. | :28:47. | |
much pace, gravity takes over, but there was enough pace in that to | :28:48. | :28:52. | |
keep it out. He did not played the best positional shot on the pink. | :28:52. | :28:58. | |
He has recovered it. He does not have a lot to do. He might get the | :28:58. | :29:08. | |
:29:08. | :29:11. | ||
extension out, unless he plays the Although he is using the extension, | :29:11. | :29:17. | |
he does not have to do a lot. If he gets position on the black, surely, | :29:17. | :29:27. | |
:29:27. | :29:41. | ||
Well! There was something about it. I am like you, you think the top | :29:41. | :29:44. | |
players will not be frightened when they get close to the winning line, | :29:44. | :29:49. | |
but the last three shots, he has looked shaky for some reason. He | :29:49. | :29:59. | |
:29:59. | :30:00. | ||
should not be. The black he almost missed, he got down and obviously | :30:00. | :30:05. | |
it was a shot he would not expect to miss. It was as if it put him | :30:05. | :30:13. | |
back a little bit. When you almost miss a shot, you think, I will not | :30:13. | :30:18. | |
let that happen again. Is this the last chance for Stephen Lee to get | :30:18. | :30:26. | |
back into the match? We see in sport so many times how things can | :30:26. | :30:34. | |
turn around on just one shot. I am not for one big it thinking that, | :30:34. | :30:43. | |
but, he has certainly let his opponent off the hook. This match | :30:43. | :30:53. | |
:30:53. | :31:26. | ||
Still 40 points behind. That is what it is going to take to pull | :31:26. | :31:29. | |
this frame out of the fire. It is an opportunity Stephen would never | :31:29. | :31:37. | |
have expected. Whatever colour as he takes, he is going to need them | :31:37. | :31:47. | |
:31:47. | :31:53. | ||
all. -- whatever colours. So, just concentrate. Pot all the balls and | :31:53. | :32:03. | |
:32:03. | :32:14. | ||
Just a little bit more angle than he would like on the black to | :32:14. | :32:21. | |
comfortably drop on these two reds. That is why he has had to play for | :32:21. | :32:31. | |
:32:31. | :32:35. | ||
the red by the pink. Needs to make sure he has an angle if he wants to | :32:35. | :32:44. | |
play for the pink, here. He could play for pink or black. He may be | :32:44. | :32:49. | |
able to run through year and avoid the kiss on the pink. If he does | :32:49. | :32:55. | |
play for the pink, he does not want to finish straight. Decided to one | :32:55. | :33:00. | |
true for the black. Once again, the only sure-fire way to be on the red | :33:00. | :33:10. | |
:33:10. | :33:16. | ||
is to play a cannon, which can Delicate little shot needed now. | :33:16. | :33:22. | |
And then the position he is, he knows, if he misses it, he is out | :33:22. | :33:32. | |
:33:32. | :33:35. | ||
of the Masters. If he can just about dropping in, -- drop it in, | :33:35. | :33:45. | |
:33:45. | :33:51. | ||
with not too much pace, in case he APPLAUSE in it went, and he has | :33:51. | :34:01. | |
:34:01. | :34:03. | ||
found a nice angle on the blue. Another one that just caught the | :34:03. | :34:13. | |
:34:13. | :34:21. | ||
near jaw, but it was a bit further He has just come a little bit too | :34:21. | :34:30. | |
far for the blue. I don't know why he didn't just stun that in, and no | :34:30. | :34:40. | |
:34:40. | :34:47. | ||
matter which colour he played, he I think there has been more chance | :34:47. | :34:51. | |
of her era, the way he has played it now, the straight yellow. If he | :34:51. | :35:01. | |
:35:01. | :35:13. | ||
Probably cued it too well, but it I always think, if he pots the | :35:13. | :35:23. | |
:35:23. | :35:26. | ||
brown and gets good on the blue, it He is good on the blue. Just got to | :35:26. | :35:36. | |
:35:36. | :35:36. | ||
roll this in. Although the pink will be needed. I'm sure he was in | :35:36. | :35:43. | |
his seat thinking he was out of the tournament. Not just yet. This pink, | :35:43. | :35:49. | |
all that is required. And then it goes. Mark Selby will be sitting in | :35:49. | :35:56. | |
his seat thinking, why are we playing another frame? Because he | :35:56. | :36:02. | |
missed a very easy ball when he was in. Stephen Lee still has a | :36:02. | :36:08. | |
mountain to climb but he is on his way back. 5-2,-Mark's will be. | :36:08. | :36:12. | |
There is still life left in this match. There have been moments when | :36:12. | :36:16. | |
Stephen Lee is not under pressure and he does not perform, but in a | :36:16. | :36:19. | |
situation like that he's under enormous pressure and he does | :36:19. | :36:25. | |
perform. Yes, no where else to going that situation, but he has | :36:25. | :36:32. | |
got some fight in him. Looking at the Forums, Stephen Lee is probably | :36:32. | :36:41. | |
one of the biggest under achievers in the game. You wonder what, it is | :36:41. | :36:48. | |
still not too late for him, he is a great player. The funny thing is, | :36:48. | :36:53. | |
if you are Mark Selby, just trying to get over the line, you know that | :36:53. | :36:59. | |
when you have made that mistake, the you -- your upon it is going to | :36:59. | :37:07. | |
clear up. Sometimes matches change. -- your opponent. Mark's will be | :37:07. | :37:12. | |
warned not be showing too much pressure, at this stage. -- Mark | :37:12. | :37:21. | |
Selby will not be. It is just a case of him having enough prize at | :37:21. | :37:31. | |
:37:31. | :37:34. | ||
getting over the line. -- enough tries. When you look at the way | :37:34. | :37:39. | |
that frames pan out, and you look at the sixth frame when Stephen Lee | :37:39. | :37:45. | |
missed that straightforward red to the corner, it could have been 4-3 | :37:45. | :37:55. | |
:37:55. | :37:58. | ||
now. Mark Selby will be mildly irritated rather than too bothered | :37:58. | :38:05. | |
by that last frame. He could have done his press conferences and | :38:05. | :38:15. | |
:38:15. | :38:16. | ||
signed his autographs, and been in Yes, he would have missed the | :38:16. | :38:26. | |
:38:26. | :38:26. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :38:26. | :39:15. | |
There is a path back to the baulk end but the red in the middle of | :39:15. | :39:21. | |
the table, you have to catch it just right, otherwise you leave the | :39:21. | :39:31. | |
:39:31. | :39:34. | ||
He does not like the thought of playing off that red that is third | :39:35. | :39:44. | |
in, if you like. Can he get back to baulk? It is a thin one. Not quite | :39:44. | :39:49. | |
certain what he has played there. That it this way. He would like to | :39:49. | :39:59. | |
:39:59. | :40:06. | ||
Can only assume he was trying to put that red into the pack and | :40:06. | :40:13. | |
leave the white on the top cushion. He misjudged it by a long way. He | :40:13. | :40:22. | |
can get this red and screw back for the black into the same pocket. | :40:22. | :40:28. | |
beautifully played. The back spin comes when you hit the second red. | :40:28. | :40:38. | |
:40:38. | :40:47. | ||
He played it beautifully. Now, has The bottom red will go, but can he | :40:47. | :40:57. | |
:40:57. | :41:00. | ||
hit enough of it? He is giving it the one I'd faster -- one-eyed | :41:00. | :41:10. | |
:41:10. | :41:19. | ||
If he could get enough of that red, From behind the pocket it looked as | :41:19. | :41:29. | |
:41:29. | :41:29. | ||
if he could hit enough of it, but cut it too thin. There are is a red | :41:29. | :41:34. | |
available, the one in the middle of the table to left middle. Has to | :41:34. | :41:44. | |
:41:44. | :41:48. | ||
Now, I don't think he has left anything apart from the red that is | :41:48. | :41:58. | |
:41:58. | :41:58. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :41:58. | :42:42. | |
near the baulk cushion. We will see Stephen Lee is going to play this | :42:42. | :42:45. | |
red that is in the baulk area, and try to bring the white back to the | :42:45. | :42:52. | |
baulk cushion. Has to just be careful where the red ends up. He | :42:52. | :43:02. | |
:43:02. | :43:09. | ||
The red he played has just come down for enough so that Mark can | :43:09. | :43:19. | |
:43:19. | :43:55. | ||
just come down past the yellow, and Got a good cue ball, no. -- though. | :43:55. | :44:05. | |
:44:05. | :44:19. | ||
He is in a spot of bother, you, He may just be on the black, here. | :44:20. | :44:24. | |
Looking at his body language, he is either not on it or he doesn't | :44:24. | :44:32. | |
fancy it. He was in so much trouble, you see players forced into playing | :44:32. | :44:42. | |
:44:42. | :44:44. | ||
a pot. And he knocks it in. He just can't get through to the potting | :44:44. | :44:53. | |
angle on the black. It is imperative that he gets the cue | :44:53. | :44:59. | |
ball tight against that baulk cushion. He would like to cover the | :44:59. | :45:04. | |
right hand side of the pack for the easy escape back to ball. Which I | :45:04. | :45:14. | |
:45:14. | :45:14. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :45:14. | :46:20. | |
If not for the first time, much too A couple of the reds are pottable. | :46:20. | :46:30. | |
:46:30. | :46:30. | ||
Maybe he's finished that shocked, - - short that he will be hampered | :46:30. | :46:40. | |
:46:40. | :47:04. | ||
for the reds in the left corner. Big shot, this. It was one that you | :47:04. | :47:10. | |
felt he needed to get. With the reds as open as they are, any miss | :47:10. | :47:20. | |
at this end of the table could cost him. It is amazing. Sometimes a bad | :47:20. | :47:24. | |
safety shot forces you're a poignant to take on a red that they | :47:24. | :47:28. | |
are not entirely comfortable lost. He gets the chance, but he has not | :47:28. | :47:38. | |
:47:38. | :47:43. | ||
He may have been a little bit fortunate here. Stephen is looking | :47:43. | :47:53. | |
:47:53. | :48:03. | ||
at this red. Certainly not all the If he knocks it in, he is | :48:03. | :48:07. | |
automatically on the black. Three- quarters of a pocket he has got to | :48:07. | :48:14. | |
go at, and teenage to get it. Good shot, good shot! And on the black - | :48:14. | :48:24. | |
:48:24. | :48:30. | ||
Fully committed. There was not all the pocket, but he slaughtered it | :48:30. | :48:36. | |
in, lovely. Terrific chance now to put the score line at of his mind. | :48:36. | :48:45. | |
Just one ball at a time. And who's to say where that could take him? I | :48:45. | :48:51. | |
agree with you, Stephen, at the start of this frame, was in the | :48:51. | :48:56. | |
last one, Mark Selby would be slightly irritated, but if he was | :48:56. | :49:02. | |
to lose this one, he may be getting a little bit concerned. Every | :49:02. | :49:06. | |
mistake he makes now, his mind goes back to that red that he missed | :49:06. | :49:11. | |
with the rest, that should have been game over. It is quite tough | :49:11. | :49:16. | |
to put these things out of your mind when your opponent starts | :49:16. | :49:26. | |
:49:26. | :49:26. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :49:26. | :50:09. | |
creeping back up on you, like This was the red that Stephen is | :50:09. | :50:14. | |
referring to. If he rolls up in Mike he needs the black and one | :50:14. | :50:20. | |
more red for a place in the quarter final. He has made a few mistakes | :50:20. | :50:29. | |
in this frame as well. Doubts will start to come into his head. And | :50:29. | :50:35. | |
this trophy does not look as far away from Stephen Lee as it did a | :50:35. | :50:42. | |
few frames ago. He has got to hold himself together, of course, but he | :50:42. | :50:51. | |
has got every chance in this frame now. I am not certain that is the | :50:51. | :50:57. | |
red he played to cannon, but I think he's OK. There is the one on | :50:57. | :51:07. | |
:51:07. | :51:09. | ||
the right hand side, which he has just won by. -- run by. Went up to | :51:09. | :51:14. | |
the blue, left himself a nice angle, where he can hold the cue ball and | :51:14. | :51:24. | |
:51:24. | :51:43. | ||
When Stephen Lee missed that red a couple of frames ago, he looked | :51:43. | :51:53. | |
:51:53. | :51:57. | ||
There's a few things you need when you are playing catch-up. You need | :51:57. | :52:05. | |
to start raising your game. You need a bit of luck. And the that of | :52:05. | :52:09. | |
help from your opponent. He has certainly had that in the last | :52:09. | :52:19. | |
:52:19. | :52:27. | ||
Decided to play for the red along the top cushion. Many people | :52:27. | :52:33. | |
spondees, but if he knocks it in, which he has done, just a little | :52:33. | :52:39. | |
bit too much pace, just looking at what sort of angle he has caught on | :52:39. | :52:49. | |
:52:49. | :52:53. | ||
these -- on this black. Needs to be an inch law, that's all. -- lower. | :52:53. | :53:01. | |
Looks like screwing back for one of those reds, that pair of reds, into | :53:01. | :53:11. | |
:53:11. | :53:12. | ||
the same pocket. One of these should going to the right centre. - | :53:13. | :53:21. | |
- should go, into. Just the pink needed to go 62 points in front | :53:21. | :53:31. | |
:53:31. | :53:31. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :53:31. | :54:18. | |
with 59 remaining. This match seems Mark can't have a little bit of a | :54:18. | :54:22. | |
laugh about that, what a fluke that was, but the frame was well and | :54:22. | :54:27. | |
truly over. That is what he has always been capable of, Mark Selby. | :54:27. | :54:32. | |
Having a sense of humour. He will need it, if Stephen Lee wins the | :54:32. | :54:42. | |
:54:42. | :54:45. | ||
next rain. -- frame. Stephen Lee has already made a 100 break in | :54:45. | :54:52. | |
frame five. Which was the 9th of the tournament. This could be the | :54:52. | :55:02. | |
:55:02. | :55:05. | ||
10th. He could have done without It is all happening now, though, | :55:05. | :55:15. | |
:55:15. | :55:15. | ||
isn't it? He is starting to get that silky, smooth cue action going. | :55:15. | :55:21. | |
And probably, for the first time in the match, he can see a light at | :55:21. | :55:31. | |
:55:31. | :55:37. | ||
Pity, pity. He will not be too unhappy with that. I don't know | :55:37. | :55:41. | |
what Mark Selby is thinking, but Stephen we will be thinking that he | :55:41. | :55:49. | |
The fightback continues from Stephen Lee. We promised that we | :55:50. | :55:54. | |
will show you what happened between Mark Allen and Neil Robertson last | :55:54. | :56:00. | |
night. For the early part of the match, Alan Clinton control, | :56:00. | :56:06. | |
leading 3-1, but he was later to admit to losing interest. Neil | :56:06. | :56:09. | |
Robertson won five frames in a row to book his place in the quarter | :56:09. | :56:14. | |
finals, where he will play Mark Williams, next. Good performance | :56:14. | :56:19. | |
last night from Neil Robertson. Did you read that Mark Allen criticised | :56:19. | :56:24. | |
Neil Robertson's style play, said he did not enjoy playing against a | :56:24. | :56:29. | |
player whose style he did not like, made it difficult to watch. Not the | :56:29. | :56:35. | |
sort of mental approach you want to see from someone. I am surprised at | :56:35. | :56:38. | |
him saying that because I commentated on that match. He was | :56:38. | :56:44. | |
not particularly slow. When he got in amongst the balls, he did not | :56:44. | :56:50. | |
miss. His long game was not so good, down to 4-4% at one point, but he | :56:50. | :56:55. | |
was not playing slowly or slowing the match down. A couple of scrappy | :56:55. | :57:02. | |
frames, and you just cannot have all the balls open all the time. | :57:02. | :57:12. | |
He's very high up the rankings, Mark Allen. And the press lives, he | :57:12. | :57:15. | |
gives them good column inches at the moment. We come straight off | :57:15. | :57:19. | |
the table and go to the press room, and some players are more | :57:19. | :57:26. | |
considered than others. He may consider that that is the way, but | :57:26. | :57:31. | |
you have got to beat all types of players. You know what you're going | :57:31. | :57:37. | |
to face. We almost lost interest in this match because it looked as if | :57:37. | :57:42. | |
Marks will be lost through at 5-1, but it is all change. Mark's will | :57:42. | :57:45. | |
be has lost his concentration. He was a better player before the | :57:45. | :57:50. | |
interval. He has had one or two since he came back. That red with | :57:50. | :57:54. | |
the rest is playing on his mind at the moment. It is not quite panic | :57:54. | :58:00. | |
stations yet. But at 5-4, it might be. How well is Stephen Lee | :58:00. | :58:05. | |
playing? He has got some inspiration and that is the hardest | :58:05. | :58:13. | |
thing for Marks will be to cope with. -- for Mark Selby. He knows | :58:13. | :58:19. | |
now that Stephen Lee is in a good situation, certainly a better | :58:19. | :58:29. | |
:58:29. | :58:29. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :58:29. | :00:24. | |
is one that he would take on 90% of The only way you play it with drag, | :00:24. | :00:31. | |
you feel you could hit it harder. That was careless, whatever you | :00:31. | :00:39. | |
want to call it. That could be a turning point. Of course, being so | :00:39. | :00:42. | |
tight the yellow, he did cut off the escaped down the left-hand side | :00:42. | :00:47. | |
of the table, which I was suggesting was the way to do it. It | :00:47. | :00:54. | |
is difficult to know how much he can hit here. That is a possible | :00:54. | :01:04. | |
:01:04. | :01:04. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :01:04. | :01:45. | |
He seemed to come off very square He did come off very square. He | :01:45. | :01:50. | |
expected to be at least one foot down past the middle pocket. Anyway, | :01:50. | :02:00. | |
:02:00. | :02:09. | ||
it was his own fault for not Cam Mark Selby now clinch this | :02:09. | :02:19. | |
:02:19. | :02:20. | ||
frame and match -- can? If he can leave a nice angle on the black in | :02:20. | :02:25. | |
potting the red, he has got the red to the right corner, play the black, | :02:25. | :02:29. | |
cannon into the cluster, still be on the red in the open. If he can | :02:29. | :02:39. | |
:02:39. | :02:56. | ||
Well, he did. The reason I suggested he would not is because | :02:56. | :03:06. | |
:03:06. | :03:09. | ||
he could end up finishing up on He just about got through. The | :03:09. | :03:14. | |
danger of forcing the angle, I thought he might nestle into them, | :03:14. | :03:24. | |
:03:24. | :03:46. | ||
as he did, and finish up on no red Stephen Lee will be thinking, all | :03:46. | :03:52. | |
the hard work to get back to 5-3, to throw it away with a careless | :03:52. | :04:02. | |
:04:02. | :04:07. | ||
roll up on the yellow. He will be There are many ways to lose a frame | :04:07. | :04:17. | |
He only had to roll the cue ball four inches. Instead of that, he | :04:17. | :04:27. | |
:04:27. | :04:27. | ||
rolled it, what, three and 31 and 30 seconds as they used to say in | :04:27. | :04:37. | |
:04:37. | :04:51. | ||
It is looking very good now for Mark Selby. He might have had a | :04:51. | :04:56. | |
negative thought at one time, but they will be disappearing with | :04:56. | :05:06. | |
:05:06. | :05:13. | ||
Maybe a few negative thoughts will come back here. I suppose he played | :05:13. | :05:16. | |
the cannon because he did not want to put right-hand side on the cue | :05:16. | :05:26. | |
:05:26. | :05:26. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :05:26. | :07:02. | |
For obviously wanting to put a red It is a decent target, the yellow | :07:02. | :07:08. | |
being so close to the baulk cushion. Is he taking a pot on? Can he avoid | :07:08. | :07:18. | |
:07:18. | :07:23. | ||
That is the last thing you need when you are behind, the black | :07:23. | :07:28. | |
being tied up. Maybe if he had caught it at the right angle to pot | :07:28. | :07:34. | |
it, it would not have kissed into the other red, but a risky shot to | :07:34. | :07:44. | |
:07:44. | :07:44. | ||
Apology for the loss of subtitles for 82 seconds | :07:44. | :08:24. | |
He was so far away, I can only APPLAUSE That was good. | :08:24. | :08:34. | |
He has left a nice angle on the blue. OK, sometimes he is going to | :08:34. | :08:38. | |
-- some time he is going to have to bring the black into play, but if | :08:38. | :08:48. | |
:08:48. | :09:10. | ||
you are at the table, anything is If he could roll this in and leave | :09:10. | :09:20. | |
:09:20. | :09:22. | ||
a nice angle on the pink, that Is it worth the risk to play the | :09:22. | :09:32. | |
:09:32. | :09:34. | ||
cannon? The lower one of the three That pink did not go in the middle | :09:34. | :09:39. | |
of the pocket. It meant he hit it too thick. That is why he is short | :09:39. | :09:45. | |
of pace on the positional side of the shot. He is playing the cut | :09:45. | :09:54. | |
here. Why not play safe off the red on the left-hand side? And try and | :09:54. | :10:00. | |
get a good snooker? His choice. am with you, I would play the red | :10:00. | :10:10. | |
:10:10. | :10:27. | ||
That was an all or nothing shot in all honesty and I think he has left | :10:27. | :10:37. | |
:10:37. | :10:53. | ||
As far as Mark is concerned, he is happy with the black being tied up. | :10:53. | :10:59. | |
He goes 48 points in front. Still 59 remaining. Uncertain where the | :10:59. | :11:09. | |
:11:09. | :11:10. | ||
Well, he played the cannon but missed the blue. He has got the | :11:10. | :11:20. | |
:11:20. | :11:21. | ||
cannon. Well, another term. Another twist. -- turning point. Playing | :11:21. | :11:27. | |
out with a lot of left-hand side. That is what caused him to miss. | :11:27. | :11:35. | |
Now, I am wondering if he stunned... Has he got the angle? Could he stun | :11:35. | :11:45. | |
:11:45. | :11:51. | ||
the other red down to open the He would have liked to have | :11:51. | :12:01. | |
:12:01. | :12:07. | ||
It would be risky if you try to bring the red away from the cushion, | :12:07. | :12:17. | |
:12:17. | :12:20. | ||
APPLAUSE I suppose that was the only advantage. | :12:20. | :12:28. | |
As long as he has an angle, it is not too bad. He has got a bit of an | :12:28. | :12:38. | |
:12:38. | :12:50. | ||
angle. So Mark Selby might not be The blue needs an angle on the | :12:50. | :12:57. | |
second-last red. If I felt I could get the cannon on the red and the | :12:57. | :13:01. | |
black of the blue, I would definitely risky it. Because, if he | :13:01. | :13:11. | |
:13:11. | :13:14. | ||
tries to do it off the red, it He decided to play for the red. And | :13:14. | :13:20. | |
he is not on it good. Another glance of the scoreboard. 30 points | :13:20. | :13:30. | |
:13:30. | :13:46. |