:00:35. > :00:40.A welcome to the last quarter-final match at this year's BetFair
:00:40. > :00:44.Masters. There is a decent crowd here despite the all weather and
:00:44. > :00:48.they are here to see Mark Selby and Mark Williams battle for the one
:00:48. > :00:51.remaining spot in the semi-finals. Both men will feel fortunate to be
:00:51. > :01:01.here having looked as if they would make their exit in the last round
:01:01. > :01:20.
:01:20. > :01:30.but they both produced a stunning Would you believe that?! Mark
:01:30. > :01:36.
:01:36. > :01:46.Williams, still with a lot to think That was a fantastic pot. Up
:01:46. > :01:47.
:01:47. > :01:57.beautifully played, and perfect on And a two-time champion booked his
:01:57. > :02:08.
:02:08. > :02:15.That is another good pot. He's having a ball at the moment! Stuart
:02:15. > :02:25.Bingham takes the frame and goes into a 5-1 lead. He has just gone
:02:25. > :02:41.
:02:41. > :02:46.off the ball in the last couple of He says, I told you I could do it!
:02:46. > :02:55.He was 5-1 down, he has won a five in a row to get himself into the
:02:55. > :03:01.The buzz word of this tournament has been comeback. A I don't think
:03:01. > :03:06.we have ever seen so many 6-5 results in the tournament's history,
:03:06. > :03:10.and so many top-class players pulling it out of the fire. And two
:03:10. > :03:14.players who will perhaps feel they have a second chance tonight.
:03:14. > :03:19.Because of the chance there is no real track record, there is no way
:03:19. > :03:23.of predicting he will be the winner of this match. If you were looking
:03:23. > :03:28.for a clue, perhaps the fact is that Mark Selby is the UK champion
:03:28. > :03:38.and has more career momentum as we speak, but Mark Williams has the
:03:38. > :03:43.
:03:43. > :03:53.Williams has a better head-to-head record against the man from
:03:53. > :03:59.
:03:59. > :04:03.So we're all set for what promises Thank you for. It is freezing cold
:04:03. > :04:08.outside but it is warming up nicely here, because it is Friday night,
:04:08. > :04:14.we are in Alexandra Palace and this is the very last session of snooker
:04:14. > :04:20.before semi- final Saturday here at the BetFair Masters. What a way to
:04:20. > :04:29.round off a Friday night! Please welcome, a player who first raised
:04:29. > :04:32.this tournament 18 years ago. Twice a winner in 1998 and 2003, a double
:04:32. > :04:37.world champion, a prolific ranking event winner, one of the best his
:04:37. > :04:47.country has ever produced. Ladies and gentlemen, here comes the Welsh
:04:47. > :05:07.
:05:07. > :05:11.potting machine, here comes Mark You have been around at the top for
:05:11. > :05:15.such a long time now. A gritty comeback against Matthew Stevens,
:05:15. > :05:19.you have got to be in it to win it? Yes, I didn't play very well in the
:05:19. > :05:23.first game, but it is a great crowd in tonight and I'm playing the
:05:23. > :05:26.number-one player in the world. If you can't get up for this, then you
:05:26. > :05:36.are struggling. Best of luck, ladies and gentlemen, Mark
:05:36. > :05:43.
:05:43. > :05:48.And his opponent, a player who has enjoyed some of his finest moments
:05:48. > :05:52.at the Masters. Twice a winner at Wembley. He produced a comeback
:05:52. > :05:57.worthy of a champion from 5-1 down on Wednesday. The reigning UK
:05:57. > :06:07.champion, the current world number one, he is at the the Jester from
:06:07. > :06:31.
:06:31. > :06:35.There is almost nothing to lose tonight, because of 5-1 down
:06:35. > :06:40.against Stuart, many people were thinking you're campaign was over.
:06:40. > :06:45.Yes go about to be fair, I didn't do much wrong, he played great, but
:06:45. > :06:55.from 5-1 I hit the next couple of frames and then I played well.
:06:55. > :06:56.
:06:57. > :07:00.was the mark of a champion, best of So here we go, the world No. 1 and
:07:00. > :07:05.two-time Masters champion, Mark Selby, against and another a two-
:07:05. > :07:15.time Masters winner, Mark Williams. A pair of fine Irishman awaiting do
:07:15. > :07:25.COMMENTATOR: A good evening to everyone watching the atmosphere in
:07:25. > :07:27.
:07:27. > :07:37.here, it is fantastic. A great So with the snow doesn't stop the
:07:37. > :07:43.
:07:43. > :07:48.And what a match which could be in for here. Yes, I must say I'm
:07:48. > :07:54.looking forward to this. A great atmosphere in here, they got a
:07:54. > :08:04.grade welcome as they came down that beautiful stairs. -- there is
:08:04. > :08:11.
:08:11. > :08:19.This is going close to the corner A bit of a loose one from Mark
:08:19. > :08:23.Williams to start off. Both players didn't really play well, it has to
:08:23. > :08:27.be said, in their first round matches. But both had great
:08:27. > :08:30.comebacks in the end. We commentated on the match between
:08:30. > :08:40.Mark Selby and Stuart Bingham, he made that remarkable comeback from
:08:40. > :08:48.
:08:48. > :08:52.a 5-1 down. And of course Mark I'm sure both players will not want
:08:52. > :08:56.to get off to the same start they got off to in their first round
:08:56. > :09:06.matches. You feel they could relax a bit now, because both of them
:09:06. > :09:12.
:09:12. > :09:18.could have been back home watching I suppose Mark Selby would be the
:09:18. > :09:24.firm favourite, but it is Mark Williams who has one -- won are
:09:24. > :09:28.five times against Mark Selby's three wins. As he said in his
:09:28. > :09:38.interview, if you can't get up for this match against the current UK
:09:38. > :09:45.
:09:45. > :09:50.I think they are two great players but they are also two players who
:09:50. > :09:56.can win with their B game, they still know how to win when they're
:09:56. > :10:03.not playing at their best. Absolutely, it is the mark of a top
:10:03. > :10:13.player. Mark Selby is already at the top of the tree, world number
:10:13. > :10:16.
:10:16. > :10:21.one, but Mark Williams has been Sometimes when you play in a
:10:21. > :10:29.tournament, and you have a match like both players did in the first
:10:29. > :10:33.round, it does inspire you. It gives you that little bit of a lift.
:10:33. > :10:39.It is something Mark Williams will hope will kick-start his season, he
:10:39. > :10:45.has been struggling of late. But talking to his friends last night,
:10:45. > :10:50.he has been playing superbly in practice. Just struggling Ronnie
:10:50. > :11:00.get out on the table, but I'm sure it is there, it is just a question
:11:00. > :11:14.
:11:14. > :11:24.Well, he caught that all wrong. He has done well to get the white back
:11:24. > :11:39.
:11:39. > :11:43.that far, because he wanted a far And nice, smooth pot there. The
:11:44. > :11:53.blue is off its spot so he is OK, he has got a red off its corner,
:11:54. > :12:07.
:12:07. > :12:11.the red goes straight in the centre The pink is tied up, he has got a
:12:11. > :12:20.bit of angle with this red but he still has a bit of work to do to
:12:20. > :12:24.get out for the black or blue as you can see from that angle. He
:12:24. > :12:34.might be able to cut the black in, but he is running away from the
:12:34. > :12:49.
:12:49. > :12:59.reds here, so that wasn't the best So in theory he would only get an
:12:59. > :13:10.
:13:10. > :13:20.He will be disappointed he is not going to make more from this
:13:20. > :13:43.
:13:43. > :13:52.opportunity. It looks like a very Looks as though he is taking this
:13:52. > :13:56.one on. I tell you what, he might be rather lucky here. Once he got
:13:56. > :14:00.the cannon he could have left a lot on. He might just be able to get
:14:00. > :14:04.through to cut the one into the middle pocket, but once he missed
:14:04. > :14:14.the pot and cannoned into the reds comedy would have thought he was
:14:14. > :14:17.
:14:17. > :14:27.going to put Mark Williams right in He was a little fortunate there,
:14:27. > :14:32.
:14:32. > :14:36.This was the attempt at the difficult pot but once he can and
:14:36. > :14:46.that red and the other reds, and freed the black, he could have left
:14:46. > :14:46.
:14:46. > :15:46.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 59 seconds
:15:46. > :15:56.Just got to be careful of those two reds on the left-hand side of the
:15:56. > :16:08.
:16:08. > :16:18.Got to be careful that he does not He needs the green to come to his
:16:18. > :16:19.
:16:19. > :16:24.And it has. He held his hand up to apologise. He's trying to get the
:16:24. > :16:30.white tight on the baulk cushion and that was a bonus here. Yes, he
:16:30. > :16:40.was always afraid of four playing that red. It may go over this
:16:40. > :16:45.
:16:45. > :16:55.This is a bit risky. He could be leaving a red into this pocket here
:16:55. > :16:57.
:16:57. > :17:01.if he does not connect properly, Both are very, very clever players.
:17:01. > :17:07.You can't see a lot of evidence of that tonight and it's going to be
:17:07. > :17:11.hard for both players to carve out openings. They're big game is so
:17:11. > :17:21.good but there safety game, their knowledge of the angles around a
:17:21. > :17:26.table, it's going to be hard. To carve out an opening against each
:17:26. > :17:30.other. That last little shot Mark Selby played, he had to be
:17:30. > :17:35.absolutely spot-on with it because he could have left a red, but he
:17:35. > :17:45.played it beautifully. Let's show you it again. Look how he judged it,
:17:45. > :18:01.
:18:01. > :18:11.Might be able to take this pot on. There is a gap between the two reds
:18:11. > :18:28.
:18:28. > :18:34.near the black spot. If he pots He could not played that much
:18:34. > :18:44.better. I bet his heart skipped a few beats before that cue ball
:18:44. > :18:54.
:18:54. > :19:01.Has he got enough pace on that? I don't think it is going to reach
:19:01. > :19:11.but it is the escape, the sort of shot you know the angles
:19:11. > :19:25.
:19:25. > :19:35.automatically there. Just needs to Better pace this time. This looks
:19:35. > :19:35.
:19:35. > :20:51.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 59 seconds
:20:52. > :20:56.Well, he's got a couple of half chances here. Straight red. The
:20:56. > :21:03.second red down from the pink does pot. Yes, the one in the circle is
:21:03. > :21:13.a free shot, isn't it? He is so good with a particular shot, isn't
:21:13. > :21:31.
:21:31. > :21:37.He got a little kiss off the red Nice friendly game, this is. Not as
:21:37. > :21:41.easy, this time, because the escape route the last time, the pack was
:21:41. > :21:47.intact. Now it is spread out so he has got to try to get to the red
:21:47. > :21:54.closest to the cushions. He's: offer four questions possibly.
:21:54. > :21:59.There is one. But there is two. There is three, there is four.
:21:59. > :22:04.There is the hit on the red for sub not what he intended but he will
:22:04. > :22:11.take that. If he might have left the pot but is there a colour
:22:11. > :22:18.available? He can get the potting angle to the left middle but if the
:22:18. > :22:22.black was near the pocket, he would take it on. I don't know if he can
:22:23. > :22:30.pot this and miss the cannon on the pink. If he could do, he could run
:22:30. > :22:39.up towards the blue and find that little gap there. He has done. Well
:22:39. > :22:49.played. So that last shot, Mark Selby didn't get away with it. He
:22:49. > :22:52.
:22:52. > :23:02.So plenty of reds available. But only the blue in a good spot at the
:23:02. > :23:03.
:23:03. > :23:13.He did not get into that, did he? He needed to get into that a little
:23:13. > :23:15.
:23:15. > :23:19.bit more. More top on the blue. I suppose, being a left-hander, if
:23:19. > :23:29.he drops the blue and has the one to the right of the little group of
:23:29. > :23:58.
:23:58. > :24:02.It might come down the right-hand side of the table, to the right of
:24:02. > :24:08.the pink. It is in open play. He would love to get on that. This
:24:08. > :24:18.looks just about perfect. I'm almost sure this pink goes into the
:24:18. > :24:22.
:24:22. > :24:26.He is one of the best in the business, when the balls are a
:24:26. > :24:33.little awkward. He seems to keep pulling pots out and can make
:24:33. > :24:39.breaks from positions where it just does not look on. He might just try
:24:40. > :24:47.to free the pink here with a little cannon. He wanted to hit it full
:24:47. > :24:57.ball. He has lost height. He could still pot one to the right of the
:24:57. > :24:58.
:24:58. > :25:08.That is the one I thought he could pot but he has taken the one near
:25:08. > :25:18.
:25:18. > :25:22.He would have loved to have been straighter on the blue. If you are
:25:22. > :25:32.a left-hander, it is more straightforward. The black is not
:25:32. > :25:40.
:25:41. > :25:50.That is a poor shot. He will be disappointed. A good chance for
:25:51. > :25:53.
:25:53. > :26:03.Yes, I expected him to get that. And that would have, more or less,
:26:03. > :26:06.
:26:06. > :26:10.given him the frame, you would have And now the chance is there for
:26:10. > :26:20.Mark Selby to get right back into this opening frame. The only colour
:26:20. > :26:25.
:26:25. > :26:35.He has not played the best shot. This black is quite tricky on the
:26:35. > :26:37.
:26:37. > :26:47.cushion. He has got to inject a bit He has played it well. Played it
:26:47. > :27:21.
:27:21. > :27:26.very well. That was a really good Both players making mistakes. That
:27:26. > :27:30.was a much easier pot than there one Mark missed. I think he took
:27:30. > :27:34.his eye off the pot there, concentrating getting on the black.
:27:34. > :27:44.And because it was a little bit tighter there, he had to get the
:27:44. > :27:53.
:27:53. > :28:02.white in the correct position to Doesn't want to land behind the
:28:02. > :28:05.green here. Just about OK. Brown will get him up to the reds. The
:28:05. > :28:13.blue is an easier pot but he has got a lot further to travel from
:28:13. > :28:17.the blue. Brown is much better. He has missed it again. Can you
:28:17. > :28:23.believe it? So both players looking a little anxious here in this
:28:23. > :28:30.opening frame. That is two clear- cut chances that Mark Williams has
:28:30. > :28:40.thrown away. I don't know if he got a heavy contact there. The cue ball
:28:40. > :28:44.
:28:44. > :28:54.is being cleaned. Well, maybe he It usually would straighten up and
:28:54. > :28:57.
:28:57. > :29:07.go the other side of the pocket if He has got a chance to get back in
:29:07. > :29:10.
:29:10. > :29:13.He did have a little look earlier. He would love to leave the cue ball
:29:13. > :29:17.potting the pink in the same position it's in now because it
:29:17. > :29:27.would give him a lovely angle on the red to take out the next red
:29:27. > :29:28.
:29:28. > :29:34.which is not really close but it There is still plenty of room
:29:34. > :29:44.behind the red, but he did have a look at leaving that possible angle.
:29:44. > :29:46.
:29:46. > :29:50.Yes, he has got a margin for error here, if he stands in behind the
:29:50. > :30:00.red he can leave it for the middle awful the corner, so he has got a
:30:00. > :30:21.
:30:21. > :30:26.But he wants an angle on the colour to be able to get up for the
:30:26. > :30:36.difficult yellow. If he doesn't get far enough up the table, look at
:30:36. > :30:38.
:30:39. > :30:45.the brown and blue, he would be So it is a thin black to get him
:30:45. > :30:50.back up to the yellow. So he can go off a couple of cushions or
:30:50. > :30:53.straight up and down the table, depends how he feels. The only
:30:53. > :31:00.problem is, if he comes off top cushion and right hand side cushion,
:31:00. > :31:04.he has got to avoid the contact on the green. He's may be better off
:31:04. > :31:10.coming off one cushion. That is what he is looking at now. If he
:31:10. > :31:15.comes straight up, off the top cushion, he has got to come up
:31:15. > :31:25.almost in a straight line. He's just going to play a snooker, this
:31:25. > :31:26.
:31:26. > :31:36.He could have potted the black and gone right up that line and left
:31:36. > :31:55.
:31:55. > :32:00.the yellow, but decided to play the Not sure if he has got enough angle
:32:00. > :32:10.to pot this, screw across it to spin it towards the green. Looks as
:32:10. > :32:13.
:32:13. > :32:23.We have had lots of misses in this tense opening tussle between these
:32:23. > :32:27.
:32:27. > :32:36.It is a bit of a nervy start from both players. Though important to
:32:36. > :32:46.get that first frame on the board, the first frame of the match. Not
:32:46. > :32:56.sure if he can play it half ball. Bring the yellow up. Trend get the
:32:56. > :33:05.
:33:05. > :33:15.cue ball behind the black. -- try A big target now behind the black
:33:15. > :33:20.
:33:20. > :33:23.He didn't want to risk it. The only problem with that shot is you're
:33:23. > :33:33.giving the advantage to your opponent. He could be in a lot of
:33:33. > :33:46.
:33:46. > :33:52.As I said, a huge target behind the But he has gone the other way and
:33:52. > :33:58.put the cue ball in a perfect position. That is a great shot.
:33:58. > :34:08.That was the only problem, playing a containing safety shot, in his
:34:08. > :34:19.
:34:19. > :34:26.Even if he swerves this, he still And the one cushion get out order
:34:26. > :34:36.to cushion get that -- get out that he is looking at, they are all
:34:36. > :34:37.
:34:37. > :34:41.He's going to have to bend it quite a bit to get round both the black
:34:41. > :34:46.and the -- brown and the blue. No matter how good you wire at
:34:46. > :34:56.escaping from snookers, you need a bit of good fortune to knock this
:34:56. > :34:59.
:34:59. > :35:04.You just go to hit it and hope for the best. -- you have just got to.
:35:04. > :35:14.That is a little bit straight, so he can't leave the green for the
:35:14. > :35:24.
:35:24. > :35:34.And the pot, no use to Mark Selby here, because the green will not
:35:34. > :35:34.
:35:34. > :35:38.pass the blue. He tried to leave the green for the middle, or corner
:35:39. > :35:44.pocket, but... Just wondering, trying to pot this yellow into the
:35:44. > :35:54.top right-hand corner pocket, try and screw back into the opposite
:35:54. > :36:11.
:36:11. > :36:16.I wonder if he will play cushion first here. Trend leave the cue
:36:16. > :36:20.ball exactly where the yellow was. He played the same type of shot
:36:20. > :36:30.previously, but it was a little bit easier. He still can do that, he
:36:30. > :37:00.
:37:00. > :37:08.This frame, coming up to the half Is that going to reach? I don't
:37:08. > :37:18.think so. A because he wants to just land on it, if he clipped it
:37:18. > :37:35.
:37:35. > :37:38.on the left-hand side, as we look He has got the line right, but he
:37:38. > :37:48.doesn't want to hit it with any pace, so quick light at the
:37:48. > :38:08.
:38:08. > :38:13.scoreboard. -- a quick glance. 19, It is one of those situations where
:38:13. > :38:19.the extra eight. Doesn't really make much of a different, because
:38:19. > :38:29.of the position of the balls, you would expect either player to win
:38:29. > :38:32.
:38:32. > :38:39.the frame. Another good shot from This is just the evidence... He
:38:39. > :38:49.knows his way around the table. there is enough room to slip round
:38:49. > :38:59.
:39:00. > :39:06.the back of this yellow, he would Mark Williams needs a yellow and he
:39:06. > :39:10.needs the green to leave Mark Selby needing a snooker. Not a good angle
:39:10. > :39:20.here to take the pot on and try and get on the green, he is looking at
:39:20. > :39:30.
:39:30. > :39:36.It was never going to be easy to get on the green. But I'm just
:39:36. > :39:41.wondering here, if he played two shots in one, he could take the
:39:41. > :39:46.double in the green and screw into the brown. He could play a straight
:39:46. > :39:51.forward snooker, but I am wondering if he will play two shots in a one
:39:51. > :39:58.he and attempt the double and a snooker. Might be worth the risk,
:39:59. > :40:08.that. This is what he has done. Hasn't got the double, but has got
:40:09. > :40:38.
:40:38. > :40:48.Needed to run just another six or so inches to be safe here. Maybe
:40:48. > :40:51.
:40:51. > :40:56.worth taking this pot on for Mark I thought he would have just rolled
:40:56. > :41:00.it, it is more difficult when you play it the way he did, because he
:41:00. > :41:05.only needed the green. As it has turned out, it is not that bad but
:41:05. > :41:15.he could have stuck the green up. I thought he could have played it
:41:15. > :41:18.
:41:18. > :41:21.plain ball, he is so good at that There was a possibility of getting
:41:21. > :41:25.a snooker here, he could send the green up and down the table and
:41:25. > :41:30.from the white up and down towards the black. He'd usually pretty good
:41:30. > :41:40.at that type of shot. You have got to keep the object ball safe as
:41:40. > :42:01.
:42:01. > :42:05.He can't really risks sending this around the angles, because if he
:42:05. > :42:08.plays it as if he was trying to double the green into the right
:42:08. > :42:15.hand pocket, he could cannon into the brown, so he has to be careful
:42:15. > :42:25.here. That is why he has gone the way he has and he has played it
:42:25. > :42:46.
:42:46. > :42:56.And there is another one. Very well Not a lot to separate these two in
:42:56. > :43:00.
:43:00. > :43:10.I bet they were both good at hiding Sikh! Well, he hasn't he did green
:43:10. > :43:20.this time. -- hit the green. He missed that pink, so a key shot
:43:20. > :43:26.
:43:26. > :43:31.But he has played it well. I think we could be in very long opening
:43:31. > :43:41.frame. Neither player wants to take a risk here, because
:43:41. > :43:52.
:43:52. > :43:57.psychologically, it is a good frame Good shot. Just gone past the
:43:57. > :44:02.middle pocket. If he's going to take it on, it's going to be into
:44:02. > :44:12.the corner pocket. It is a tough one. Well, he can't take this one
:44:12. > :44:36.
:44:36. > :44:46.on. The one he refused was easier A chance here to possibly get a
:44:46. > :44:50.
:44:50. > :45:00.snooker behind the brown and double He has played it well. He has
:45:00. > :45:21.
:45:21. > :45:26.Perfect picture there of the swerve Amazing how he got between the
:45:26. > :45:36.green and black into the pocket there. He can only tie now, so as
:45:36. > :45:37.
:45:37. > :45:47.Amazing how he missed the black and the green and found the pocket.
:45:47. > :45:49.
:45:49. > :45:53.referee can't call a miss because he can only time now. -- tie now.
:45:53. > :46:03.Every possibility of starting as much now with a re- spotted black,
:46:03. > :46:32.
:46:32. > :46:36.it's on the cards. Mark won't be Clever shot from Mark Selby. Got to
:46:36. > :46:46.the green in the middle of the table but the blue is blocking the
:46:46. > :46:52.
:46:52. > :47:02.Could be in trouble here, Mark. The green up into the middle of the
:47:02. > :47:19.
:47:19. > :47:26.baulk cushion. The cue ball behind Yes, you see, when you are close to
:47:26. > :47:31.the cushion, it a little bit more difficult. It may have been a free
:47:32. > :47:37.ball as well. Well, that's a double whammy. He couldn't actually have
:47:37. > :47:46.called a miss there because he's 25 points ahead. The referee should
:47:46. > :47:50.not have called a miss because this 25 points left on the table. He has
:47:50. > :48:00.called a free ball so he shouldn't go behind the pink but he could
:48:00. > :48:01.
:48:01. > :48:04.It's definitely worth taking the blue, surely, try to cut to the
:48:04. > :48:10.blue in, miss the middle pocket on the left-hand side and try to get
:48:10. > :48:18.up close to the green. Or get the green off the cushion. The angle is
:48:18. > :48:28.certainly there. It might just be a little bit short. It looks a bit
:48:28. > :48:50.
:48:51. > :48:56.This is a big pocket, isn't it, Dennis? This is a big chance for
:48:56. > :49:06.Mark Selby. This blue is helping his cause here. Makes his pot a lot
:49:06. > :49:17.
:49:17. > :49:27.Purposely didn't play the direct pot. Off the cushion was so much
:49:27. > :49:33.
:49:33. > :49:37.OK, it's the opening frame. The best of 11. But, from a
:49:37. > :49:47.psychological point of view, this is going to hurt Mark Williams
:49:47. > :49:48.
:49:48. > :49:58.because he had two or three chances This should not be a problem
:49:58. > :50:08.
:50:08. > :50:18.So both players are a little bit edgy in this opening frame. Both Mr
:50:18. > :50:18.
:50:18. > :50:27.The longest frame of this match but Mark Selby, he will be delighted to
:50:27. > :50:31.have taken it in the end. He leads 42.5 minutes for what opening frame.
:50:31. > :50:36.Although it may not have looked to be a fluent one, Steve, it was
:50:36. > :50:40.definitely one of great safety play. High-calibre safety, tactics and
:50:40. > :50:44.years of experience went into so many of those shots towards the end.
:50:44. > :50:47.They were both playing cat-and- mouse to force a good opening from
:50:47. > :50:51.their opponent. It didn't come for a long period of time but the
:50:51. > :50:56.safety was unbelievable. In the early part of the frame, Mark
:50:56. > :51:01.Williams looked good and then he fell down. It was not clear cut who
:51:01. > :51:06.have the dominance but, in the end, so many clever shot. In the end,
:51:06. > :51:11.Mark Selby turn down a couple of 50-50 chances in preference for a
:51:11. > :51:18.safety shot in order to get a better leave from his opponent, and
:51:18. > :51:22.finally he got one. A great shot off the blue. But he still cleared
:51:22. > :51:27.up well, potted the brown. Marvellous frame of snooker. Not
:51:27. > :51:32.quick snooker, by any means, but that was fascinating. You mentioned
:51:32. > :51:36.Mark Selby and the fact he took a long time before he decided to go
:51:36. > :51:41.for it. That is the sort of thing which comes from experience and
:51:41. > :51:45.that's what we have got. It's also conference in your own ability
:51:45. > :51:49.because anybody can go for every 50-50 ball and Gamble but actually,
:51:49. > :51:55.you realise there's times to gamble and not to gamble, and the first
:51:55. > :51:58.frame against equality opponent is not the time to gamble. If both
:51:58. > :52:03.players are getting each other in snooker's, there's an element of
:52:03. > :52:06.luck and when you escape from the snooker, where it's going to end up
:52:06. > :52:12.but is also an element of skill playing an escape at the right
:52:12. > :52:16.speed, so you can maximise your chances of sticking your opponent
:52:16. > :52:21.up and a general, great standard. Mark Williams looking more fluent
:52:21. > :52:25.at the start of the match. Then falling apart. He struggled earlier
:52:25. > :52:29.on against Matthew Stevens. I think they both look in great form. Even
:52:29. > :52:39.though it may not be obvious from that particular frame, I think it's
:52:39. > :52:47.
:52:47. > :52:57.COMMENTATOR: Well, let's see if he can knock this long one in. It's a
:52:57. > :53:01.
:53:01. > :53:11.free shot, the only one he could Nicely on the black. The red he
:53:11. > :53:28.
:53:28. > :53:33.attended has gone into the bunch Two ways of playing the safety shot,
:53:33. > :53:38.thin of the pack or thick off all the pack, open them up a bit more,
:53:38. > :53:48.make sure you get a good cue ball. It just depends how you feel. It is
:53:48. > :54:27.
:54:27. > :54:32.But he has not cover this red which That was a very good shot and an
:54:32. > :54:37.interesting choice there. He missed a similar blue in the opening frame.
:54:37. > :54:45.Plus the fact the yellow was there much more difficult pot in a better
:54:45. > :54:55.position. Purposely played for the yellow here. Trying to split the
:54:55. > :55:01.
:55:01. > :55:11.It is a nice but, he has been a bit unlucky not to free the cue ball
:55:11. > :55:34.
:55:34. > :55:44.Could have been a lot kinder for him, offered the yellow, knocking
:55:44. > :55:47.
:55:47. > :55:51.Yes, he was unlucky when he tried to split the pack. Played exactly
:55:51. > :55:57.the same sort of shot and got a slightly different result but, on
:55:57. > :56:07.that occasion, it did not work out and it knocked the black safe. Very
:56:07. > :56:36.
:56:36. > :56:40.It just ran up a little bit far, for this blue. The blue is a bit
:56:40. > :56:43.easier to go in off the bunch but the only problem is, if for the
:56:44. > :56:48.pink was tighter to the reds, this would be a lot easier from the blue.
:56:48. > :56:58.The fact that it is a few inches away from the reds makes it a
:56:58. > :56:58.
:56:58. > :57:03.little bit more difficult, so Not too bad. Is that red in the
:57:03. > :57:13.middle of the bunch? Would it go? He is walking around to have a look
:57:13. > :57:18.
:57:18. > :57:28.And this time, Mark knocked the pink on the other side of the table
:57:28. > :57:42.
:57:43. > :57:52.so the split from both players was So, at the moment, he's only got
:57:53. > :58:02.
:58:02. > :58:06.the blue and the baulk colours to There are two reds. I'm not sure if
:58:06. > :58:16.there is a plant. It's gone slightly to the right of the pocket.
:58:16. > :58:20.
:58:20. > :58:24.The red just to the left of his arm, A long way to go in this match. We
:58:24. > :58:34.could be in the saddle for while this evening, the way that opening
:58:34. > :58:36.
:58:36. > :58:41.RISHI PERSAD: A high quality match in progress but I'm afraid we've
:58:41. > :58:45.got to go for now. However, Mark Selby and Mark Williams will
:58:45. > :58:48.continue their quarter-final battle and you can followed online or