Day 6 Masters Snooker

Hello, good afternoon, welcome to Alexandra Palace and the fans are in

and we have a great crowd today ready to see the world champion

Ronnie O'Sullivan taking on Ricky Walden. The Rocket has won the

Masters for times and is one of six players still remaining in this year

's draw. After his dramatic 6-5 late-night win last night, Mark

Selby is through to the semifinals but he will meet Shaun Murphy, the

winner over Marco Fu. Tonight, the Robertson plays Stephen Maguire, but

this afternoon, it is all eyes on Ricky Walden and Ronnie O'Sullivan,

that is our live match. We are delighted to say that Stephen Hendry

is here with me this Stephen, you can feel the atmosphere changing in

any snooker venue when Ronnie O'Sullivan is in town. Yes, he is

the best player in the world, that is why people flock to see him, he

has got star quality, just like Tiger Woods in golf, everyone wants

to see him. How does Ricky Walden tackle the crowd effect here? He has

two just enjoy it, he knows that he is the underdog, he has beaten

Ronnie O'Sullivan before, this is a bit different, laying Ronnie

O'Sullivan in London, he will have 99% of the support, Ronnie

O'Sullivan, but it is a dislocation, it is all about how you cope with

it. It would be fascinating to see how he copes with it, but the

majority of this crowd, they want to see Ronnie O'Sullivan win, they want

him to put on a great show, so how does Ricky Walden cope with this? He

has two just block everything out, try and enjoy it, try and work on

his own game, but the crowd wants this to be a good game, they do not

want it to be all one-sided. But you get the feeling that the defeat by

Barry Hawkins is firing him on? Yes, if you cannot perform today, then,

where do you go with your career? Do you think, whenever a top player

plays you in a top venue, I will collapse, no, you have to get on

with it. Thank you. It is set up beautifully, Ronnie O'Sullivan about

to play his 54th match at the Masters. Ronnie O'Sullivan is a

genius. Is he good for the game? He has been absolutely great for the

game, following in the likes of Alex Higgins, Jimmy White. He is the man

that gets people in, creates an atmosphere, he is absolutely superb.

He has a few problems off the table, we all sit back and say, well, hang

on, if we were that good, why would we not want to play? But obviously

he has got some demons that occasionally come about, but he has

been one of the greatest things to happen with the game in the last few

years, and he has kept the game in the spotlight for it belongs. For

me, the Rocket has taken over the great Stephen Hendry and I would say

that he is now the greatest player to ever pick up a snooker cue, and a

lot of it is because of that technique on a right-handed,

left-handed. It doesn't matter which hand he plays with, you just cannot

force that technique. I think Ronnie O'Sullivan is almost up there with

John Higgins as far as the tactics around the table. When he is right,

he is not great, but when he is not right, he tries too hard in the

safety department, but when he does try, he is unbelievable. In the

break-building department, he gets closer and closer to Stephen Hendry,

Stephen Hendry has made over 700 centuries, I think Ronnie O'Sullivan

is just about 100 centuries behind Stephen Hendry, so there are plenty

of years left for him to overtake that record, the thing is, will you

be around long enough? Would he go on? When he retired? I think what he

wants to do is to equal if not better Stephen Hendry's record of

titles. I think that is his goal, and I think you can achieve it. If

he wanted, he can have it, because as I said before, he is a genius.

Ronnie O'Sullivan as was the man to beat in my eyes, he has shown that

in the World Championships. There is no better player to play than Ronnie

O'Sullivan, so I am looking forward to it. It is good that he has got

the support in his hometown, he is the best that there is, so you just

respect that and try to embrace it, really. Even if they have got their

favourites, they will always appreciate good snooker. We have had

a couple of good matters, and I know that my game hopes up, so hopefully

I can go out and do well. -- I know that my game holds up. It is a high

standard tournament, so we know there will be tough games, it is

high pressure, big crowds, it is on TV.

Delighted to be joined in the commentary box by the two men that

will be watching this afternoon, Dennis Taylor and John Parrott.

John, a fascinating encounter, a great atmosphere, a packed arena as

usual on the Rocket is in town. Fantastic, he is a London boy, he

comes and plays matches, he goes back to his home and he can come in,

it breaks up the tournament, so it suits him. This is a fantastic match

up, he is paying somebody that can score very heavily. He had the

outstanding performance, 6-1 against Robert Milkins. Yes, Ronnie

O'Sullivan needs to start well, on two frames at the start of the

matches, he did not start that quickly, he will need to start

quickly. Dennis, Ricky Walden, a player that you know quite well,

what does he have to do today to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan? He has two

do what he did when he won his first ranking tournament out in China,

they have only played twice, it tells you something, I think Ronnie

O'Sullivan's game suits Ricky Walden, he is a fast player as well,

and if you look at the cue action, they are similar, and have similar

styles, so can Ricky Walden cope with this crowd? This would be

unbelievable. He should have got into the final of the World

Championships, he let Barry Hawkins off the hook and he got his revenge

on Barry Hawkins here. How much of the first-round victory over Barry

Hawkins, how much confidence will that give Ricky Walden today? I

think Ricky Walden he hung in, and he hung in, and he got the victory

ended as breadwinner, and he deserves tie against Ronnie

O'Sullivan. It will be fascinating. The players are already backstage,

here is our MC, Rob Walker. Thank you.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, what an eagerly

anticipated quarterfinal that we have here, there is no doubt that

Ally Pally is the hottest ticket in town this afternoon! CHEERING

Prepare for the fireworks! Please welcome, a player who came through

as 6-5 thriller against Barry Hawkins on Wednesday night for his

first Masters win, twice a ranking event winner in China and a superb

run to the World Championship semifinal last season, is the pride

of Chancellor, here comes Ricky Walden.

MUSIC: "Ball And Biscuit" by White Stripes.

Now, his opponent, a player of the first raise this trophy back in

1995, he looked ominously good in his win over Robert Milkins on

Tuesday night, he is the most naturally gifted player ever to

grace the modern game, he is the reigning world champion, blink and

you were missing, the Rocket, Ronnie O'Sullivan! -- you will miss them.

MUSIC: "A Man Should Better Himself" by George Lam.

CHEERING APPLAUSE

There is no doubt that this is one of the UK's top sports stars, the

atmosphere inside this arena is electric. 1-1 in Korea wins,

head-to-head, the last time they met was in the Shanghai Masters in 2008,

good afternoon to Dennis and John. -- career wins. DENNIS TAYLOR: good

afternoon. Good afternoon to everyone watching, Ronnie gets the

first frame under way. We'll Ricky Walden be able to cope

with this large Ally Pally crowd, a very talented player. -- will Ricky

Walden. Look at this crowd. He will definitely be trying to get a good

start, playing against the Rocket in an atmosphere like this, look at

that wonderful auditorium, trying to put some pressure on him

straightaway to let him know that you are here to play. He has got the

capabilities as a heavy scorer. All about having a good start, for me.

What a start this is from Ronnie. That was a superb red. He took his

eye off the black. Concentrating on the cue ball. One early chance for

Ricky Walden. Ricky is what we call a very busy

player. He walks around the table, he chalks his cue more than any

other player, he has got some mannerisms like that. But great to

watch when he is in the balls. He really is.

A little bit nervous. He dropped the chalk. One of the nicest lads you

could ever wish to meet, Ricky. Back living in Chester, where he was

born. Not the best angle on the black. He

needed more angle to get into the reds, you cannot do that now.

Playing for the Roos -- loose one. I thought he screwed that back far

enough. Could have done a little bit more on the cue ball to widen the

angle. It makes the pot a bit more difficult. More controlled.

A key shot, a full ball on the pink, trying to make sure there are

no possible plans, no point in getting down and hitting the pink

and knocking in the plant. -- plants.

If you hit the pink half all, the odds are, you will run out of

position. -- half ball. That is what has happened. It is a funny shot,

you have to play hard on the cue ball to get to the pink.

Not a bad start from Ricky, but he would be after a few more to punish

that mistake by Ronnie. It is amazing they have only played

each other twice. Ricky turned professional in 2000. It is amazing

the way the drawers happen, I have played players 56 times in one

season. Pretty strange. -- five or six times in one season.

A good pot but not a favourable kiss on the brown.

May have to play the two-cushion escape to get away from the reds. I

think that is what he is looking at. Just nestling into the bunch. Not

bad. I don't think there is any value

taking the red that is closest to the black. You can get a good safety

shot from it as well. Yes, Ronnie spotted that straightaway. Ronnie

has got such a quick brain. That is why he did not play at the

two-cushion and try and get back up the table. He knew this would not

pot. But this looks good. It looks very good. Oh, not quite. This could

be a shot to nothing. To read is on the right-hand side, the bottom one

in play. -- two reds on the right-hand side. A great shot.

Not only a great pot, but he has dropped on the brown. That was

picked out there. Now we find out what sort of form Ronnie is in this

afternoon. That is a dos and chants. -- a decent chance.

Did not have to hit those too hard, it finished OK.

This is a wonderful chance. The first red was top class.

Just, political bit short, he will have to use the odds are red here.

-- a little bit short. It could be a thick contact if he plays the

run-through. It was a thick contact. Already, it is good to save both

players are looking in pretty good stroke. -- good to say. It is set up

for a nice game, this. Against Ronnie, if you do get a chance, you

have to try to clinch the frame, because you will not get many

chances. Look at that shot control with his left hand.

Playing for a baulk colour, because it much easier to rue -- regain

position. And he's playing beautifully at the moment. He makes

it look so easy. He has not done a lot wrong here, Ricky Walden. Just

take clip in the corner, position on the brown, and the rest has been

textbook. Not the best time to get a heavy

contact, that was a bit unlucky. You could see the green jumper. He is

quite close to the brown. This is age allocate cut back. He only needs

this brown. -- this is a delicate cut back.

Just under 12 minutes for this. Like to see a little bit more of this

kind of snooker. Both players cueing well. Ricky Walden went slightly out

of position, a break of 38, Ronnie O'Sullivan cleared up with a 79 and

he leaves 1-0 stop we have seen lots of matches in the Masters so far but

they have gone to a final decider, but fans had been saying, they are

scrappy affair is, this guy is proving why the crowds love to turn

up and see him. He made it look so easy, he was behind in that frame,

he pulled out a magnificent red, and Ricky Walden is a bit unlucky. A

really good safety shot, a couple of inches and Ronnie O'Sullivan, he has

the snooker on all ages. He had a shot to nothing, but he did not play

it as a shot to nothing, he was above the baulk line to put the

brown and make the break, but how easy he was to make that break.

Ricky Walden was looking good, he did not look overawed by the

situation. It looks like he is up for it. A bit unfortunate to stick

that red out, but after that, you knew what was going to happen. Here

we go, 1-0 to the Rocket, back to Dennis and John. Ricky's turn to

break off. Obviously, it is important to get a good break of

shot in the form of Ronnie O'Sullivan, the form he has been

showing there. That was careless, but he got away with it. But quite

in the middle of the table could have left a chance. -- though quite

in the middle of the table. Just cant get past the pink. Just a

little bit of the red sticking out to the right of the pink.

Ricky could not bring the cue ball back to the left-hand side, but if

he can get the cue ball over to the side, he can block off at least half

of the table, because the pink is covering the red. Trying to swing

the cue ball around straightaway. A beautiful shot.

There doesn't look to be an escape route, so he might have to come off

the side cushion and go for the red to the right. Not a lot else

delicate little shots to land on the red.

That was looking good. Got the double-kiss, but I think he is OK.

He did pretty well to extricate himself from that position. There

was a lot of trouble, so that was all he could do. Contain and safety.

Once again, Ronnie trying to keep the pressure on. The red on the

right-hand side that is on its own, the one that Ricky will play off, if

you try to play this on the thin side and hit the jaws, you can move

the cue ball down. Well negotiated, and he has cut off the path to the

right-hand side. It looks like this frame could be

the totally opposite to the opening frame. Just to visit, break of 38,

then 79, but the ball is gone awkward here.

He caught that a bit too thick, it has freed the pink. The type of shot

you can do that, but a swerve on the wall, unfortunately pushed out the

white and called it thick. I think there is a path back for Ronnie.

Usually, the first shot you see when you come to the table is the correct

shot, and he is back at that again. What a pot, but much more

importantly what a cannon to finish. That was a great pot. A nice little

bit of fortune there. Plenty of people in the audience today.

Someone who used to play for Everton, Sunderland and West Ham.

You mentioned two good teams there. Nice to see both teams from

Merseyside doing well. The table looked very awkward, but all of a

sudden it has opened right up. There is Damien Hirst. He loves his

snooker. Very much one artist to another. That is what this boy is on

the table. He is the only player I would use the word genius about. I

said that at the top of the show. That he has overtaken Stephen

Hendry. I never thought anybody would be better than Stephen Hendry.

What Ronnie did to come back after not playing for a year and win the

World Championship was out of this world.

I never thought anybody would be better than the great Eve Davis, but

even Hendry took that mantle -- better than Steve Davis but Stephen

Hendry took that mantle. He is so ambidextrous. Stephen

Hendry brought a video on his phone back from China which was

unbelievable, easily -year-old -- a three year old who potted all of the

balls on the table. One right hand, one left hand, switching hands. I

have never seen anything like it. Going about his business

beautifully. The cue ball seems to be on a string. The scoreboard

changes so quickly. It did not look on a break at the

start of this. The balls were very awkward. I thought it was going to

be an opposite frame to the opening frame but it turns out he is winning

it with one visit. I thought Ricky Walden needed a good start in this

match but it would also be interesting to see what Ronnie would

start like. He is right on it today. This is very impressive.

It is going to be tough to make a century the way the balls are

sitting, but you would not put it past him. He has caught linear jobs.

That is so impressive again. The only needed one chance. He made that

fabulous ADE break and Leeds 2-0. . He is too so -0 down. He made a

safety shot. He is sitting in his chair and Ronnie O'Sullivan when he

came to the table, he has a test on the black, within a few shots he has

opened the game up and made that sizeable break from nothing. Ricky

Walden can consider himself very unlucky. He has not missed many

pots. There is not much you can do. Ronnie looks very focused and up for

it and that is a danger for anybody. It looks inevitable that

way it is going. He is porting which can sometimes be a weakness. It may

not be a long afternoon for Ricky, but it might not be enjoyable. You

discuss that in the commentary box, the overwhelming majority of this

crowd want to see Ronnie put on a show and win today, so Ricky had to

get a frame. Any time playing him is difficult but when you are playing

him in London in a big tournament like this, particularly at the

Masters, you have the big crowd, you know Ronnie O'Sullivan is going to

be up for it because he lost this event, he has won it four times --

he longs this event. You are playing against the crowd. It is a different

scenario when you're him anywhere around the world was. Ricky Walden

is getting used to the big time. Ricky is not overawed by Ronnie.

Going back to the first frame, he had the chance and he did not get a

good split on the pack. He has done nothing wrong so far, but you do not

have to do much wrong. It is always going to be tough whenever you play

him. He has to get a frame on the board very quickly. Even if it has

3-1 at the interval, he will be buoyed by getting a frame on the

board. You do not settle down until you get that first frame. It will

give him a bit of confidence. There is a long way to go. There are

ominous signs at the moment because of the way Ronnie O'Sullivan is

playing. He steam-rolled opponents. You have to get to him very early.

When he is focused, on form, it could easily be 6-1, Ricky does not

have to do much wrong if Ronnie is porting the long balls. When we

arrived here today, the fans were here early, they want to get a

glimpse of Ronnie, you can see why the crowds flock, this guy is one of

UK's board's top ambassadors. We love the game. If we had to pay into

snooker, which we probably would not do, being from Ireland and Scotland,

the only one we would pay to see is Ronnie O'Sullivan. I was talking to

a few fans and I asked them what they thought and they looked at me

as if I had two heads. As if to say, that is a stupid question. Great

anticipation, a great atmosphere. The way he goes about the game is

fantastic. That is a bit of a sad indictment of the way the game is

that the moment if you would only need to see Ronnie. If you look at

other sports, every sport has one superstar and Ronnie is snooker's.

I do not think Ken would pay to see anything! He still has his first

Communion money. He needed then contact, but not that

in the. -- thin. He should be able to make an adjustment. He has to be

careful he does not like this red across towards the opposite corner

pocket. It has danger written all over it. If you do not get it thin.

Tough shot. A straightforward safety for Ronnie.

That might come up behind the yellow. That is a bonus. He did not

intend it to. Stephen mentioned about Ronnie's long game looking

good. He has had 79 and 88, so he is scoring. All sorts of tactical

battles he is going to win as well. REFEREE: A Farrell and a mess. --

foul and a miss. Very awkward, the pink tide up. The

black hamper also. -- hampered. They were awkward in the previous

game and he still managed to make 88.

Has he overscrewed that? Slightly. A tough shot if he takes it on. A bit

tricky. A bit tricky, but didn't he make it

look easy? The fact he was heading up the table with the cue ball, he

was always going to have the chance of dropping onto one of those

colours. Amazing. Straightaway he has the balls in a good position.

Both players were out for nearly five minutes in that last frame,

that is unusual. I do not know whether Ricky wanted to settle

himself down. He nearly missed that. There was a bit of a problem with

one of the badges that Ronnie had and it had to be re-stitched. That

is why we had a five minute break. He hardly hit that and look at where

the White has finished. He knew if he overscrewed for leukaemia and he

was going to be onto one of the colours. -- for blue.

He can do nothing about it. Except sit back and admire.

This is quite tight, just enough room.

He is really that good at the minute. You cannot hit it any better

than this. It is wonderful to watch. Look at how quickly the scoreboard

changes. It is so difficult to play against.

We have only been going just over half an hour.

Another frame one in one contribution -- won. It only needed

one visit and Ronnie O'Sullivan with a break of 72 goes 3-0 into the lead

in just over half an hour. Ricky is doing precious little wrong. Just

one mistake. He did not get enough side on it. He landed on the pink.

As he walked away, he knew he had left a golden opportunity. Ronnie

steps in with this opening red. Another frame goes west. Ricky has

to try to get this one. He needs this. He needs to go into the

interval 3-1. 4-0 would not be a happy interval. That is the trophy

they are playing for. A better break off with regards to

the pace of the cue ball. I am not having that one. That is an

amazing shot. Watch this. He swerved around the brown. He holds his hand

up to apologise. They said things happen for you if you are playing

well, and he is playing well. No matter how good you are, you

cannot pool off a shot like that, he pulled it off, but he holds his hand

up to acknowledge. Already four reds available for Ronnie after

this. On the angles, bottom red, again,

beautifully played. Not the best of a bunch to go into.

He will probably stop it rather than screw it. He usually plays that shot

so well. Does this red go past the other into

the middle? Surely not. Can he make the porting angle on the

pink? It is phenomenal. There is no other word. Not only to pot the red,

but to leave the pink, it was sold fight to get on the pink. -- so

tight. Ricky cannot believe it. You are watching the best player who

ever lived playing at his best and it is a treat.

A bit of a distraction, he spotted something on the cue ball.

The referee has to be on his toes, when you have somebody as quick as

Ronnie. You have to get out of the way as well.

He is already the tournament favourites. Who is going to beat

him? He really is that good. I think the only person who can beat him is

Ronnie O'Sullivan. Sometimes his game is not as good as

it can be, but when it is like this it is very special.

This has been just wonderful. He has made 28 centuries this reason so

far. -- season. That is his 724th century break. Believe it or not. He

is now only 30 centuries behind even Hendry's record. -- Stephen Hendry.

Whatever people have paid for their ticket, they are getting great value

for money. This is very special. That was the

14th century we have had at this year's masters.

Perfect, absolutely perfect. You have just witnessed an unbelievable

session snapper. -- of snooker. A clearance of 131 and Ronnie leads

4-0. You are watching a master at work,

this is terrific. It is perfect. The first frame we have talked about,

Ricky looked good, but since then it has been the Ronnie O'Sullivan

show. There is nothing Ricky can do, apart from sit there, and not at my,

but this guy is nailing it. You are seeing snooker in its coldest form

when a guy is sat in his chair and can do nothing about it. Ronnie had

a delicate red into the centre. You get those days where the pockets

look huge and you think, I am never going to miss. It is one of those

days for Ronnie. Does it help having the crowd behind him because every

difficult, not even difficult, pot that goes in, there is a massive

cheer which are marked -- massive cheer? Yes. He does not enjoy it as

much if it is not the perfect setting. If you are Ricky in the

dressing room you must be feeling absolutely gutted. What do you do?

You think, there is nothing I can do. You will when you come back out

you get a chance. It looks like 6-0 to me. It is for-0. Ricky Walden has

it all to do. On the BBC tomorrow we have lots of football to look

forward to. Mr Lineker will have something to

say about that. Saturday 10. 20pm Arsenal versus Fulham. What a mighty

afternoon it could be for Manchester City. They are taking on Cardiff

City. Back to the snooker. World number

one, Neil Robertson takes on Stephen Maguire this evening.

Of course, Stephen Maguire was beaten by Neil Robertson in

December. The Scott is gunning for revenge. Our panel of experts on Mr

Maguire. Stephen Maguire has got a fantastic

technique. A good solid all-round technique. He has the ability to hit

them softly when needed, but he does like to hear the ball hit the back

of the pocket a little bit like John Parrot. Now and again, you see him

banging his hand on the table and that cost him matches in the past,

but on the other hand it won him matches because sometimes giving a

little bang on the table, getting yourself more aggressive, it helps.

It has done for Stephen Maguire. Dedication. I don't know, he seems

to be going missing often for me and it is a great shame because all the

ability in the world. Dedication, I don't see him practise all the saoum

so I can't be a judge of that, but he could do better. With all the

players in the game, Stephen Maguire is up there in the safety

department. He is one of the players that likes to play the aggressive

shots. Play for safety and that will play him in good stead. When you

think you won the UK championship, I thought he would go on to lift the

world title or the Masters, but that consistency let him down and he went

quiet for a couple of seasons, but make no mistake, Stephen Maguire can

lift the world title or the masters. He can bully people on the table. A

good safety game. Very aggressive. Very good potter. All the

ingredients. Now, we talked about temperament and we talked about

dedication, he has got to do it on the table. Come on, Stephen, step up

and do it. . Stephen Maguire carrying the hopes

of Scotland at the Masters. He has a good record against the Australian.

Interestingly, he hasn't beaten the Aussie since 2009. Stephen, it was

straightforward for Neil Robertson in York. 6-2 and he cruised into the

next round? Yeah. Players play each other so many times these days, the

top players. They would forget past matches. So yes, it will be an

interesting one tonight. Stephen Maguire probably played better than

Neil did in his, but the fact that Neil should have been out and got

through, sometimes that inspires you. What was interesting about his

post-match press conference that Stephen Maguire carried just after

his win over Joe Perry, he said he switched off at 5-1 # and that

caused him a few problems. He can't do that against Robertson tonight?

No, a few players have done that. The best of 11. I don't know whether

the match is longer. They play a lot of best of sevens these days. It is

a long match, but they seem to have seen the winning line and took their

foot off the gas and he can't do that against Robertson. It is 66

centuries this season for Neil Robertson. What impressed you most

about the way he has been going around the table? It is his

attitude. He plays snooker superbly well. His long game is incredible,

but his attitude is first class. He turns up at every tournament

believing he can win. Thank you very much indeed. That's tonight at 7pm.

Now, it is all about the Swerve. Over to Ken Doherty. He is going to

give you a masterclass. Well, I don't know about a masterclass. Yes,

the swerve, in snooker terms, it is a Stephen Hendry shot. He was always

good at swerving. Ironically when the balls are quite close like this.

The swerve, you don't have to hit the ball so hard. The softer you

actually swerve the ball, the more swerve you get, the softer you hit

the ball, the more swerve you get. I'm snookedered as -- snookered as

you can see. Watch the spin I get on the cue ball to get around the blue

and pot the red. Simple as. APPLAUSE

Thank you very much. Thank you very much. I got one! I got one! If there

is a bit more distance between the balls, you have got to hit it a

little bit harder because you don't want to hit it too soft because you

will get too much swerve and you will miss the cannon. Down on the

cue ball. Raise the butt of the cue hit it harder and there you go.

That's what happens when you hit the ball too soft. I was coming to the

next one. When you hit it a little bit harder, you try and hit it a

little bit harder. Raise the cue at the back and there you go and that's

the swerve! APPLAUSE

OK. One last shot. Sometimes we will see in lots of games, where you are

snookered up here. I know John Parrot has shown us a lot of good

safety shots. The player lands into the pack. It is touching ball. OK.

Lots of players we will see in the club or even some of the

professionals play this shot off two cushions and maybe snooker him

again. What's the point? It is an easy shot back into the pack. If you

are playing in a club competition and you have got a touching ball,

why not play it down here? Look. Right into the corner pocket. OK,

you have left them on the red, but you have forced them into hitting

the reds and maybe open them and give yourself a chance to win the

frame or a lone ot. That's a -- pot. That's a masterclass. I got one

right. Did you notice how he swerved out of

the studios. That's where he belongs. He said you swerve when it

comes to paying at the bar! I have got no comment! No comment to make.

Thank you very much indeed. Well played, Ken. One of the nicest

players on the circuit, whenever you bump into Ricky Walden he always has

time for you, whether it is talking about snooker, how he is feeling and

about football and JP has been to meet him.

You must be delighted that you are still here? Yes, still going. I have

come through a tough, tough game. You played him in the World

Championship semifinal, but he is a good match player. Yes, he has

improved so much. He has become a top, top player. He scores heavily

and stuff and pots good long balls on his tactical games. I just hung

in there last night and I managed to come through. Now, as a Liverpool

fan, you will love this, you know who was tweeting about you last

night? No. A player. He said you showed great mental strength? He was

one of the mentally strong guys. It is nice. That's nice he is watching,

isn't it? They call you the quiet man of snooker. Is that deserved?

Maybe on the snooker table, but when I'm out in Vegas, are not so much.

Maybe that's a good thing that I keep it quiet. You have got to a

trip to Vegas coming up? We're going to go to Vegas in a couple of weeks

ago. A stag do kind of thing. It is not an official stag do, but it will

count as me stag do. That will teach you not to qualify? That's right.

This is your third time at the Masters, what did you make of it the

first time you played here? The first time, I was so, so nervous. I

came as a wildcard. I played Mark King and I came through that game,

but I don't really refer too much about it apart from being nervous.

It was a tough, tough game. Like any venue you come to, you always feel

edgy, kind of thing. It is a great, great tournament and I'm happy to be

involved. Why is it a great tournament? I think the crowd

really. It is more rowdy and it is a little bit more electric. You have

got Ronnie and they come in their droves to see him and stuff and I

think the other lads benefit seeing so many punters coming through the

door. The other thing as well, you have the top 16 players so you know

if you have a good run, you can get through and win it. You have beaten

as good as there is? The tough round is always tough. The 16 lads are the

best players in the world and they are meeting from the off. High

pressure game to start really and that adds to the tension. Now, you

have won two ranking events, but they have been abroad, haven't they?

Yeah. Any reason why? No, I don't think so. There is reasons why that

might be, but I don't really look into it too much myself really. The

conditions are dimp in China -- different in China. Maybe people

aren't as tuned in there and I took that opportunity. From my point of

view, they have been tough finals against Stewart Bingham and Ronnie

O'Sullivan. China is a growing market and that's where most of the

tournaments are now so you need to be able to win out there which is

what I've done. You think you have got more left in the locker. What

does Ricky Walden have to do to get to the next level? I'm just working

on a few things. I know my game on the day is as good as there is out

there, but it is trying to get it out there week in week out which is

something I've struggled to do. I practise hard. I work hard. I try

and change a few things. Maybe I need to start changing and stick

with it for a little longer to get into the groove, you know. I've

tinkered with it and changed my cue and my tech nook and -- technique

and I'm hungry to get to the top of the game that I'm maybe tweaking 250

250 many things. Everton or Liverpool Champions League spot? I

have been impressed with every tonight, but we're going to edge it.

We're going to sneak into it. All the best. Yes, he does like his

football. He is a big fan. Ken, let's ask you about where Ricky

Walden is right now. He says he is hungry to get to the top. How far

away is he? Not far at all. I think that rung to the World Championship

will give him confidence. He is disappointed not getting to the

final because he was dominating early on and he tapered off, you

know. I think tiredness, fatigue, pressure got to him a little bit. I

think the experience of that, even though it was like a battle, but

getting to the semifinal is a great experience as well. It will stand

him in great stead. He has proven himself on the big stage. I think he

needs that, you know, are to consistently be at the business end

of tournaments and have beaten O'Sullivans and take it to the next

level. Stephen, how far away is Ricky Walden? Ken is right. He needs

to be beating the top three players regularly to get himself up there.

He won two ranking events which a lot of people haven't done. He has

been a winner, but he needs to be, these events, the UK, the Masters,

he needs to be up there. Ricky Walden 4-0 against Ronnie

O'Sullivan. The players are due out shortly. Let's hear more from The

Rocket. He won his first ranking title at the age of 17. Let's hear

about his other hobby, that's running and that's the title of his

autobiography. There is always pressure on me to do

wm and I learnt to play with that type of pressure, if you like, ever

since I was a junior. I was used to winning tournaments,

you know, if anything, winning the tournament it was kind of like

relief at the end of it. Everyone is excited. You won the World

Championships, to me, it was, "Thank god, that's over." I turned up and I

won a five mile race. I was buzzing. I dreamed, you know, that was the

first race I had done when I started running, I came 100th out of 200.

Six years on, I won it. I was pretty chuffed with myself. So in some ways

I have got more of a sense of achievement out of my running than

snooker. If I didn't win, it was seen as, you know, I have probably

not fulfilled my true potential or everyone's expectations of me. I

think I got more satisfaction out of running and doing good races than I

have done out of my snooker. I used to get miserable that I had

to leave from home because of my running. I connected with a lot of

running clubs where the snooker was. Snooker, tournaments became a chance

to explore different running clubs so in a way snooker became a hobby

for me about 2004, about 2005, as long as I had my running kit. I

would take my cue and running would come first. It got me to the snooker

tournaments in a way. We were playing at the top level, if you

don't perform then someone, a top player, will take you out. I don't

care whether it is Usain Bolt or Tiger Woods. If Usain Bolt don't run

9.6, they are running 9.7. You have to go out there and produce the

goods. Fans favourite, fans love him. You are on Twitter aren't you,

on social networking. I'm looking at the Twitter account now and Ronnie

O'Sullivan is trending right now which means he is one of the most

talked about issues in the whole of the United Kingdom right now? Yeah.

If anybody is watching this, it is great to watch. It is sport at its

highest level played at its best and there is no better protagonist than

Ronnie O'Sullivan in a game like that. A word from you? Walden can

only hope the interval has taken his focus away. Are you boys on Twitter?

Not anymore, Jason. I don't think JP is a tweeter.

Not the best break. He is in the pocket. It is now a good break shot.

Well, can you get your breath? Even when he plays a poor shot. When you

are trying to get the white is behind the green tight on the

cushion and have a look how he got there.

I just popped my head into the practise arena and Ricky Walden was

there with his manager practising away right up until walking back

into the arena. That's OK. Anymore pace and he would

have left this red on. Not just a great buzz in the

auditorium today, we were in the lounge, and everybody is coming in

and a wonderful crowd there. They are coming in the lounge and saying

how well Ronnie had played and everyone is just amazed about his

talent. But as Stephen Hendry mentioned in

the studio there, the only chance that Ricky has is if the interval

might change things around and sometimes it does. We have seen it

happen in plenty of the matches here this week when a player has been

dominant before the interval. It is not easy to get nicely on to a

red. I think if he screws the blue in and

comes back, I think he should be OK. But he can get through to the brown

also and that will maybe get him back up the table a little bit

easier than that straight blue you're looking at. That's just about

perfect. Yes, a lovely clean pot that around

the angles again. Potting 97%. It must just be the black he missed

in the first frame, the only on Everything else has been straight in

the middle of the pocket. That was a strange little stat for Ricky Walden

100% pot success rate. He potted 11 balls out of 11 Ricky and that was

in the opening frame when he made the break of 58 and since then he

hasn't scored in the last three frames.

And who is to say as to whether he will score in this frame the way

that has finished? Yes, Ricky Walden, this is looking serious.

Black only available into one pocket at the moment. That doesn't seem to

be the perfect angle on the red. Let's have a look. He can manoeuvre

the cue ball somewhat. But not straightforward. It has gone a

little awkward this, hasn't it? It is just getting that cue ball out of

the area. The reds are all sort of close in. He has decided to flick

past them and play the pink instead and the back red will pot.

Yeah, in a couple of shots time if he can get on that red that's to the

left of the black, it will clear things.

He doesn't necessarily have to play for that red that I mentioned. There

is enough reds available here to clinch the frame.

And there is a delicate little shot to get on that red that was

hampering the black to one pocket and it is looking pretty ominous

again here, JP. Yes, this is the best performance I

have seen for a long, long time from anybody. It logical is that -- it

really is that good. The touch, the finesse, the positional play. He

simply can't hit the ball better than thisment -- this.

The frame is already over in a matter of five-and-a-half minutes.

Double. No double, but Ronnie O'Sullivan has come out after the

mid-session interval and he only needed one more chance and that

break of 77 gives him a 5-0 lead. You have to have a lot of sympathy

for Ricky Walden. It is 43 minutes and seven seconds and counting since

his last pot. It is incredible stuff. It is like Ronnie O'Sullivan

has to be somewhere else today because he is in a hurry. He is

playing in sync with his cue action. You feel sorry for Ricky Walden

because he started off the match really well. If he had won the first

frame on that first visit, we might have had a different completion on

the match. Mark Selby, you know, have gone right down to the wire as

rival players. Are they sitting there and watching this guy and

thinking, "Oh my goodness, we have to come up against this fella." They

will be taking notice. Last year Ronnie wasn't here. This year they

have got the problem and it will be at the back of every player's mind.

Ken, you see a big difference in Ronnie O'Sullivan? What I would say,

the other players are looking on, but they know the game inside out.

They know every game is different. O'Sullivan is playing well, but

those type of players had success against O'Sullivan, I don't think

they will be scared of them, but Ronnie is up for it, and he is the

man to beat. There is no doubt about that in this tournament.

A nice moment John and Denis with the crowd giving Ricky a round of

applause. Yes, Jason, it was terrific. He got

a brilliant reception from the crowd before he broke off and then well,

what does Ronnie do, he knocks in a long red and gets himself on the

black and off we go again. They have been terrific all week here. They

have been fair to every player if they have produced the goods, they

are getting the reception from this super crowd. We need crowds like

this at the game. It is great to see. They have certainly been

treated to something very, very special this afternoon. This really

is snooker from the gods. Already this looks ominous. It

really does. Well, the fact that he screwed back

from the black tells you something. I wonder is he after another record

that the gentleman in the studio holds, Stephen Hendry has 11 maximum

breaks as Ronnie O'Sullivan has? No special prize for a maximum here

just the high break prize which carries ?10,000.

So the red nicely on the black. And well, it is not nicely on the black

to go into them here. But he has got the one loose red that he is coming

around to see if he can leave himself on that. It is not possible,

surely. He couldn't finish with a maximum break.

Oh, he has gone too far. He might be able to clip it in and catch the

edge of the bunch. Well, it is a tricky shot this. But if it goes in,

it will be a big chance because these reds will get splattered. I

think he can, John. Well, it was a great effort. He just

ran slightly out of position there with the frame. The frame is not

safe just yet. Come on, Ricky. Well, Ricky only knows too well that

one more mistake and that's the end of this year's masters for him.

It has been said before this afternoon, but it is worth

repeating, Ricky Walden is a seriously good player and he has

just run into something very special this afternoon. There is not a lot

he could do in most of the frames. There has been long reds potted by

Ronnie and it has been all over in one visit. It can happen at this

game, Denis. It is not like golf, when someone makes a birdie, you can

make a birdie. When the cue ball is not in your hand, you are in trouble

when you are playing someone as good as O'Sullivan.

Yeah, I don't think Ricky is going to be too disappointed. OK. If he

gets whitewashed 6-0, he still can't be disappointed because he has done

nothing wrong. He made a 38. The pack didn't open nicely for him and

that's it. He hasn't had another chance really.

It is just all departments with Ronnie. The long game is good.

Safety is good. His pressure on everything, every time he comes to

the table. He is just getting so little

opportunity that you can't get any rhythm. No flow in your game.

He is just tying his laces there, Ricky.

He is being very disciplined there, Ronnie. Could have taken that red

on, but he played the correct shot. OK, the cannon on the brown spoiled

it somewhat, but whichever pot Ricky takes on. He looked at both reds

there. You would feel he would have to get it. He is playing the safety

shot. It is not a good one. That could be Ricky's last shot in this

year's Masters. Yes, the only good news I suppose is the red went next

to the pink unless it pots. If that pink pots in there that could be the

end. Obviously after that shot, it does.

It is going to be very interesting to hear Ronnie's interview. I hope

he doesn't say, "I didn't play too badly today. I was struggling a

little bit." He is the sort of character, Ronnie, he may not get

too excited. I've watched snooker for many, many years. I have seen

Ronnie do unbelievable things on the table, but this is up there with his

best performance you would have to say. You just cannot play any better

than this, John. No. It has been a virtuoso exhibition. That good.

Ricky Walden, well he can't be too disappointed, he just didn't get a

shot. Well, the only good thing from Ricky's point of view, he had the

best seat in the house to watch this. He is one of the nicest lads

you will ever wish to meet, Ricky Walden, but he ran right into a

genius here this afternoon. He lost position. Well, Ricky Walden

shakes the hand and says to Ronnie, "Well played." Unbelievable from The

Rocket, he had breaks of 89, 72, 134, 77, 56 and 39. That is one of

the best sessions of snooker you can ever wish to watch. 6-0 to The

Rocket. That was just epic. That's the only

word to describe Ronnie O'Sullivan's performance this afternoon? Awesome.

Absolutely awesome. One of the best displays probably the crowd has ever

seen at the Ally Pally and you would have to feel sorry for Ricky Walden.

He ran into is O'Sullivan who was on fire and everything he looked at

went in. He was totally in sync with his cue action and you couldn't

fault him on that performance. Often we put up a series of clips to show

people. You would put up a clip of this man's performance, 58 minutes.

We were on air to 6pm! Thank you very much indeed. I don't know what

we're going to do between now and 6pm! Ken was saying, are you in a

rush? Have you got somewhere to go? Stephen and Ken can go out there!

What is it about this venue, the crowd loves you, everyone loves you.

What is it like out there? Are you feeling the love? Yeah, absolutely.

I'm from London, I suppose. I'm from around this area. I suppose I'm

looked upon as the home player if you like. It is great support. But

they support all the players. It is just a fantastic event. It is one of

those tournaments when you are turning pro, it is your dream to

compete. The crowd know that as well. It is one of them special

events really. Magnificent. The way you're playing today, it is one of

the best performances we have seen. You never missed the ball? I scored

well. I potted long ones for a change which was good. The safety

was OK. I got a few snookers. It was an accident!

A little birdie told me you had been practising up in the academy for

this! You can't go anywhere, Ronnie. I was up there for a few days

practising. I enjoy it up there. It was good to get away from home and

get the head down and get away from the distractions of home sometimes.

There was a lovely moment when Ricky had a round of applause there before

he broke off. You didn't allow him to get into the match at all? Yeah,

but that's snooker. I had that plenty of times. I played him

numerous times and you sit there as a passenger and sometimes it is a

good, good seat to have when someone is playing, watching him and John

Higgins play. It can be embarrassing there, but at some point you have

got to go, "This guy is on fire." It is good to watch. I'm not saying

that's how Ricky felt. What I'm saying is I've been on the receiving

end of a few of them. How is the running going? Not too bad. I'm

putting a bit of weight on though. Are you still running? Yeah, I will

always run. It is something I enjoy. It is something I like to do. I have

been trying to put a few hours on the practise table. I wasn't happy

with my form for the last five or six weeks. I thought the only way to

get it right is to put a few hours in. What have you got planned for

this afternoon? I suppose I can go and pick the kids up! It is nearly

time! Ronnie, it is a pleasure to see you. A magnificent performance.

The only word I can use off the back of your victory was epic. He said

awesome. Congratulations. Well done, seeing as we are on air until 6pm.

We are going to show you snooker from last night. Mark Selby taking

on John Higgins. We are going to pick up the action from the third

frame. How is the cue ball? Oh, it is

nearly brilliant. There is no way Mark could get over

towards the green from the position he was in. John can do. I'm just

wondering, I can't really take a pot on to play of nothing. Play the two

reds that are together and try and get a little bit better than the

previous shot. Has he hit it harder this time? Not far away. Oh, he is

getting close, isn't he? Mark Selby knows he can't play his

shot to get around that himself and every time he plays, the only shot

he can do is leaving John an opportunity to get behind the green

and brown. It is just the way the balls are rolling at the minute.

John's in the ascendancy in this tactical exchange. Sometimes there

is nothing you can do about it. You just have to hope they don't get

behind there. He is doing very well just to get

out of trouble at the moment, Mark Selby.

Well, those good safety shots from John Higgins has paid off. He kept

putting Mark in trouble and Mark just couldn't find the gap that

time. So a bit of a chance for John, although the black is off its spot

and the pink is up the other end of the table.

And black will be back on its spot after this shot. So a pretty good

chance for John Higgins here. Oh my goodness me, what have you

done there, John? I can't believe he played that shot. He is just trying

to pot that, come there through the gap for the red on the left-hand

side and he over hit it. I don't think he is on any ball. He will be

absolutely kicking himself. What a chance he let go begging there.

It never ceases to amaze you what can happen on the green bays. He

just overhit that. -- over hit that. There is no easy safety. If someone

actually asked you Denis to play a shot where you could put why you

have in that much trouble, you would be hard-pressed to pick one. It is

amazing. What a let off for Mark Selby that was.

A chance for Mark to get the cue ball up behind the green. Not quite

there, but still a desent shot. He is going to play past the blue.

There is a chance here behind one of the ball colours off this if he gets

it right. He got a good cue ball, but knocked

a red over a corner pocket. It is not easy to control this. He should

be able to find the gap back down the table. Well, if he is too hard

for the blue, the colours are there. He doesn't want to be over that

side. He wanted to be anywhere around the green spot area and he

was perfect. It is a funny shot that, you play it thinking and you

bring you the cue down and you think you are on a colour and you are on

nothing. So both players will be dus appointed with the -- disappointed

with the last couple of minutes. John particularly when he was in

amongst the balls there and Mark not to be on a ball colour so one chance

each gone begging. John looking for a path to land on the red behind the

black, the one that's near the cushion because all the other reds

are in open play. So an important escape here. I don't think he can

get twice across the table because there is a red in the way either

side. Yeah, definitely. That one on the left-hand side of the black is

the big problem. If that wasn't there, he would be coming off the

side cushion and playing on to that one, but as I say, that one on the

left of the black is the size of a football at the moment for John.

Well, if this red keeps on running, he is going to block the path. It is

amazing he only hit one ball there. He thought they were going to be

flying all over the table. Yes, couldn't see a way out and just

played that, but funny enough this is not a gimme what he left Mark

Selby, but he made it look simple, that's a beautifully struck shot.

That was tough. Excellent cueing. And really the balls here around the

black spot and it should have been John's. I don't expect - there are

plenty of reds left after this and I think these will all be going. It is

just like you are playing a little practise routine these reds at the

moment. Really well cued this. Right into the centre of the pocket.

It came off the cushion for the reds in the other corner, but he always

knew he had this one if he didn't get on those.

So this is a frame that both players had chances initially that went

begging. But these are absolutely lovely now for Mark Selby. He has a

49 point lead. A couple of reds. A couple of colours will see him over

the line in this frame. So just this red will do it. I don't expect any

problems here at all. John Higgins has had his chance here. A brilliant

competitor, Mark Selby is. Even when he is not at his absolute scoring

best which happened a fair few times in the big tournaments, he just

plays the right shot and competes every time he takes his cue out of

the case. He is very, very tough to beat.

There is not enough to make a century break, but it is always nice

if you can clear up and keep your opponent firmly in his seat. And

things really have changed around since that second frame when John

missed the red when he was bridging over into one into the corner. It

has been all Mark Selby since then. So it is two in a row for Mark Selby

and with the aid of that 70 break he now leads 2-1.

Yes, just too pacy and you can't afford to leave this red for Mark

Selby. Not after he knocked the 70 in in the previous frame. That white

should have been close to the ball cushion. So an early chance and the

reds are nicely open. I thought he was a little bit closer

than that. Yes, I think so far, he missed one

or two long ones, Mark. They are the ones that can change matches as well

and give you a bit of confidence, but it has not quite happened yet

and this is a chance for John. It is open to the green pocket. I fancied

him to pot that. What a superb shot that was. I can't

tell you how difficult they are. Beautiful. Yeah, the little bit of

right-hand side helped that one. It will be that little bit more

difficult as well because it is just slightly off the cushion and he

really did hit that beautifully. Yes, this was Mark's attempt at the

red I thought he would knock in. Well, he could have left something a

little bit easier, but I still expected John to knock that long red

in. It is difficult to judge that type

of shot. He has done reasonably well with it. It is one of those little

cutbacks. It is always difficult to judge it spot on. So a delicate

little cutback here. Well, if he is on this red, it is a

great chance. You can play up from the blue here.

Yes, that black was a lovely shot. Never easy. Cut back. Blind pocket.

He needs to put a little bit of control on. He is not guaranteed

where the cue ball is going. Sometimes you can take your eye off

those. Really nicely controlled this was. And never anywhere else, but in

the pocket. It is a shot like that that caused Barry Hawkins a frame

last evening. A similar type shot. A little stun run through there. He

held the cue ball a little bit too much. A bit closer to the cushion.

It makes the cueing a bit more difficult. Cueing down on this. Once

again though, really well struck. Not bad. A choice of reds. There is

Vicky in the audience. She was a little bit concerned the way John

Higgins set off, but she knows there is every chance her husband can go

to the mid-session interval 3-1 up. But having said that, slightly out

of position here and needs one more good pot. Yeah, it was the cannon

before I was a little bit surprised with. He chose to play a different

one. So just slightly lost the cue ball, but you would expect Mark to

knock this in. Taking these particularly well so

far. As I say, when he looks close in amongst the balls, it doesn't

look like there will be too many mistakes from Mark. Only one or two

long pots this evening caused him a bit of trouble. As for John Higgins,

he has not kept the pressure on Mark Selby. He had a couple of chances.

OK, it wasn't the gimme that red into the yellow pocket, but John

Higgins of old would have knocked it in, that's for sure.

. So little between the player, shots like that make all the

difference. He is playing now, the way he played

when he won three master, what a record when you think he has been in

four finals in six year, and won it three times. You know who was the

first one to win back-to-back Masters, JP? No, I am. I am going to

tell you, it is his birthday, he might be watching on television.

Cliff Thorburn, 66 today. He was the first to win back-to-back master, 85

and 86 I think it was. Fantastic achievement. -of- happy birthday to

the grandad. If you are watching. He had a break of 70 in the previous

frame, and John is going to have to regroup, maybe go on the practice

table. He set off cueing so well, knocked a cracking long red in, ever

since he missed that one on the second frame, he hasn't really had

much of a chance. Just that last frame, Denis, this is

the one he has missed in the second frame. Definitely didn't help him.

And losing position in that last frame was crucial, really. He had a

great chance. He let that go. Since then, it has all been Mark Selby.

This is more like Mark Selby. We mention about his B game being so

good, his A game is pretty special. When he starts scoring, 70, 80s,

100s every shot, you are in big trouble.

Not going to be easy to make the century break with the red frozen

the baulk cushion up there. He has made 29 centuries this season so

far. Made 36 last season, so this is the

shot. He had an angle on the black, he will want to get as close to that

red, not tight on the cushion. Leave himself an angle. Just watch this

for a positional shot. Watch the white reverse side. Needs

to miss the blown. No century break, but Mark Selby

lost the opening frame, but he has done very little wrong since, he has

took three frames in a row and with that break of 98 he boss to the

mid-session interval leading 3-1. So Mark Selby two frames in front. We

will know vow what happened in frame -- show you what happened in frame

five. There is no score. Might be able to see enough of one to flick

it into the left corner and play the safety shot. This one, it is

sticking out a little bit. That is the one.

The cueing is slightly more awkward. Not 100% convinced he can get by.

Just having a check on that. Also the other problem. He won't be able

to get the cue ball out because there's a red to the right of the

one he's going to pot that will stop that. Not particularly appetising

this. One of those that might be a shot, you have got to pot the red

and play the next shot safety-wise. Can't see him scoring many off this.

It drifted to the right. Why not play the pot and play a safety?

Strange one that. Must have been tighter than we

thought. And this is an awkward shot that John is faced with. He has the

extension on the rest, the extension on the cue, he has got to get it out

of the way pretty quick, because the white has to come back towards him.

He might possibly... Well, look at this! He caught a salmon with that

last week! John is not nervous.

Couldn't stop that wobbling round there, it was difficult to control

the cue ball. There is extensions all over the

place here! Tricky little shot this. Once again,

one of those pots into a blind pocket. It is just dead weight,

nothing on the cue ball really, but the pot itself.

It needs to be got. Well played. He will know the importance of this

frame, going 4-1 to Mark Selby will start to look pretty difficult, so

win this one and get back to one behind.

A good chance this. A few reds in the open.

Well, that is not what he intended. The black's away up on to the yellow

spot. He didn't want to hold the black

spot there, now he will have to force this in to get up for the

blow. -- blue.

We call it a spot because they always used to put spots on the

snooker table, and nowadays on the cloth you put a little cross there.

The spots are there to protect the cloth, if you put the cross on a

club table, it will, there will be a hole there in a matter of a week or

so. Might just be OK, the one at the

back of the little bunch of reds, there is a gap through to that.

He was playing up for the black to get that down to table as quickly as

possible, come a bit too far, maybe a case of taking the brown and

keeping the break going before that. He could take the black but it is a

lot thinner and a more difficult pot. It might just be the brown.

I mean, to pot the brown and try and free the pink and reds, they are not

ideally situated. He deserves to be on a red the way

he played that. At first glance he is very unfortunate. I think he has

covered everything into the left corner he couldn't have played that

any better and he certainly deserved a better outcome than that, that

looks very tight to me. Left-hand side off the cushion. Into

the pink. Very unfortunate.

You are not kidding! I mean the thing is, if he can't see the red,

he would be playing ball and I cross the table and he might be able to

get on the pink. Be it is obviously too tight.

-- plain-ball. Really unlucky that. He is got to be

a bit careful here, he is back looking at it again, he has an easy

safety shot to play the white up to the yellow. But if it doesn't pot,

it doesn't pot, and... Usually your first instinct is correct.

John Higgins, what you doing? He tried to convince himself there that

he could pot that, and he had to play it with pace. He had an easy

safety shot on. I think he was so disappointed where

the white finished he tried to convince himself he could pot that.

He will be kicking himself. He would have loved to have stole himself

there and played the correct shot, which was down the table, but you

have done it now. Just have to hope that Mark Selby isn't proficient

with the rest, because if this black goes in it is a fabulous chance.

APPLAUSE That depends whether he, there is a

couple of reds available, he can get through to the one he wanted. Just a

stun shot again to leave the black. Can he make John Higgins pay for

that strange shot that he took? He didn't think he could pot it, then

he thought "I might be able to pot it," but...

That is not the best shot he has ever played. He would like that one

back again! Just wondering whether the red to

the left of the cue ball pots. It does indeed.

Apparently, there is a bit of a downpour at the moment, so I am

wondering if, yes, it is rain on the roof.

Believe it or not, we once had a snooker match stopped, rain stopped

play. Fred Davis against Alex Higgins in Manchester, there was a

lovely photograph of the boys with an umbrella.

It came in through the roof. Leaked in through the roof. I am sure that

won't happen here. It is raining on his parade after

that shot! He will be disappointed there, that

was a good chance. 43 is not the best for Selby Seb but

John is not up to his usual standards.

-- Mark Selby. He has another chance here, although the white is going to

be almost tight on the cushion, you would think he doesn't have to play

this with too much pace, because the way he will canon the other red, you

would think he has every chance of finishing on pink or black. Just

doesn't want to get the canon from behind. Keep the cue ball trapped.

So interesting to see what happens off this.

He didn't need to hit it that hard and he would have finished on pink

or black, I am surprised he played it at that pace. Just wondering

whether he was worried about getting the canon from behind.

I agree with you, why hit it that hard?

He has second best, he has Mark in all sorts of trouble here.

But there is not many better at knowing the angles than Mark Selby.

We have another Scot Alan McManus was brilliant but this fellow knows

his way round the table. Have a look at this! In fact, the

last tournament I called him SatNav Selby. He knows his way round so

well. Brilliant. There has been two or

three of them, this evening. People have got out of difficult situations

and every one has been playing to perfection.

Obviously that red in the baulk area makes it trick yerk Mark is having a

look to see if he leaves the cue ball over by the green pocket, and

keep that covered. -- trickier. He decided to play the red up and down

and leave that cue ball in the corner.

Well played. Excellent that shot. All about the

cue ball. It is difficult to get the cue in

there and dig down into the back of the white, even if he hits that red

he can't bring it back in the baulk area. Couldn't have played that much

better John Higgins. Here we go. He has the butt of the

cue up in the air. This will be a good shot.

Well, it wasn't a bad effort, but he has left a possible pot. These are

the sort of shots that John Higgins used to knock in.

Where is this red going? Seems to hit that harder than he needed. That

is the type of shot John used to knock in with regularity.

Yes, some of his long game this evening is causing him problem, and

giving Mark Selby chances. He really shouldn't be getting them.

There is one he has missed. Surprise.

Another little turning point, maybe, in this match. We had one in the

second frame, when John missed one into the right corner.

Could this be another? So a 23 point lead already. Balls in

the middle of the table. John Higgins... He could accrue a very

useful lead if not the frame. He will be disappointed if he doesn't

win the frame from this. I bet he can't believe he is back at

the table. After he missed that long pot.

Shouldn't be a problem, stun the green over for the red in the baulk

area. Make sure he doesn't touch that blue. Well, he is going to play

the run through up and down. Still keeps his head so still on the

shot, John Higgins, there is nothing really changed with his cue action

of the years. -- over the years. It was a frame he badly needed and

he was handed a lifeline and Mark Selby missed that. Co-fortable red

into the left middle possibility. -- comfortable.

Just the black to make absolutely sure.

Red REFEREE: Foul. Mark Selby four. So

Mark Selby concedes the frame and John Higgins,ed by that break of 43

takes the fifth and he is only one behind at 3-2.

STUDIO: We will show you what happened in frame six, but the

reason you are watching extended highlight of that match from last

night is because this afternoon Ronnie O'Sullivan dismantled Ricky

Walden's Masters dreams by winning 6 frames to nil in just 58 minutes and

31 seconds, it was a wonderful performance from Ronnie O'Sullivan.

So, back to Selby-Higgins. Had he potted that red I don't think

he would have canoned the one he did, but he has got away with it by

the looks of things. He might be taking this on and round

for the black, he is, and he has played it perfectly, he needs to

pull up though, needs to pull up. He is unlucky I think.

Just a fraction off being perfect. I would have been a good chance. A few

reds if the open round the black spot.

Couple of canons later there would have been a really good chance.

That is pretty good. It is awkward when the red is near the cushion.

Might just be able to see enough of the red to the right of the pink.

To swing this round the angles. I think he can head up to the yellow

if he gets this right. Plenty of left-hand side on it.

It is one of those you have to hit right. You get this thick, there

could be reds going towards corps here.

-- corner pockets here. Or blues.

It is amazing, there is never too frames the same. Have a look at the

patterns of the reds there. Three reds together, three reds together,

and then the black. It is like some sort of sign.

It is like one of those little blow up balloons you make, like a little

animal. The ones I make are like that.

That is a UN on my Denis, you are seeing crop circles now!

-- a nun on me. -- a new one on me.

Not what he wanted. They are awkward little shots those. The harder you

hit those, the more the cue ball gets trapped. Doesn't get any pace

on it P if it had been closer to the baulk cushion it is a shot he could

have played with bottom on, where it finished was a bit awkward, it was

more difficult than it looked. Of course, now there is not a lot to

play to get in behind the yellow is out of commission, the brown right

side of the table. Just a matter of trying to get close

to the cushion. This tactical battle will need a bit

of sorting out. Not a lot to play in behind.

A bit of a chance here. If he's got a slight angle, he could screw back

for the pink. He's got enough angle to do that.

Hitting above centre so it's the top spin. Thought he might have played

on the black. A bit congested, the right hand side

of the black, but he hit that nicely to get where he did. There'll be a

gap through to the extreme red on the right. Just hold the cue ball

virtually where that is, obviously pot the black. Should be on that red

on the right hand side. Oh, dear, me. I don't think he's got

away with it. It's been a boift an awkward frame. Maybe he's losing a

bit of concentration. The scrappy frames are just as important as the

ones that are made with one visit. He couldn't have played that any

better. All sorts of chowses here. There's four Reds available. Near

the black. An angle to go into the pink. It's just what he feels like.

He's going to try and get the black opened up into both corner pockets.

Only available into one at the moment. But there's a shot on after

this if he gets a good angle on the black to play a delicate little

cannon. If he gets the cannon correctly

here, he's in business. Bottom side near the cluster of Reds as well.

That's going to be available. You could always open a few of them out.

He won't leave anything. Important shot this is into the middle pocket.

Just having a look there. Pretty sure the bottom cluster is potable

now near the pink. Needs be high on this so he can pot

it. The block only tops in the left hand pocket as we look at it. That

was almost straight and look at the angle he forced. Something that he

couldn't have done. A bit of left hand side on that. He

swung it off the cushion to widen the angle up, to come back and

cannon the Reds out. Got a long straight red up into the

corner past the green but he refers the one that's to the right of the

black. That's made a mess of everything.

The last shotted, he was unlucky where he finished. Now, this is such

a tough shot from the cushion. That should tell us a lot about how

he's feeling as well. Lots of pressure on this. Not bad, is the

answer. What a good shot that was. A JP special. One of the best John

Parrott from that position. John Higgins played it beautifully.

Very important for John to keep the pressure on Mark. He's gone off the

mark a bit since the break, Mark Selby. Had a few chances he's not

taken. A bit unlucky do slip past that, but

well past the winning post in this frame.

A bit of wizardry there from the wizard of Wishart.

A little exhibition-type shot there. He's gone for a double, a treble.

Two in a row, he breaks a 43 and 69 and we are all square at three

frames each. As Dennis says, John Higgins has won

two frames on the bounce. Could he take the next and edge close to

victory? Let us show you frame 7, Higgins back at the table, no score.

Beautifully played. A shot though that Mark Selby shouldn't have left.

His shot was just a little thinner than he anticipated.

If he gets a good angle on the black, it would be a good time to

two into the pun W that red to the right of the black as a bit of

insurance. You are absolutely right. It's amazing how many times you see

play aers at this level do it. I'd have been doing what you said if he

could have gotten the angle. You have got to trust the luck a

little bit. It's a shot you really do need to

hit. The pink. There is a gap between the pink and the red so you

have got to make sure you get this full in the face if you are going to

play it hard. Played it well. A bit unlucky. Look

where the pink has gone and look where the black finished up.

Beautiful split but it knocked the black awkward and the pink awkward.

The punk was in the open, all of a sudden the red landed on it.

I think the black may pot here but it's a little trickier than it would

have been. Trying to hold for the black. John

didn't fancy playing for it. Tried to get top spin in. Always

difficult, especially using the extended rest there to get the

momentum on the cue ball. So he's a bit low on this blue.

To knock both of them in to such awkward positions, very unlucky. The

only good news is here, he's gotten away with that one because I don't

think he's left anything. You are absolutely right, John, they are all

covering each other, as you can see from that picture.

Going to take this pot on along the cushion and head up towards the

yellow. If it goes in, gl a bonus. Great shot. Second one of those he's

potted this evening and that was more difficult than the first. So

touch on these Championship pockets. He knew he may not finish on a

colour but he knew he could do this if he knocked the red in. That's

given him the advantage. Look at the way he's played that as well, Dennis

he's played three quarter ball to the left hand side to stop John

Higgins going across the table. That would have made his escape from the

snooker easily, so he's purposely played the cue ball to that side of

the yellow. He'd have to go twice across to get rid of that red there

and that's not easy to judge. I don't like this shot. Why did he

not attempt to go twice across the table. That looked very difficult to

get awhich with it there. I honestly don't know what he's played there,

Dennis, I really don't. It's so unlike John Higgins, A to play a

shot that looks like the wrong one, but to play so it badly. I mean it's

a natural angle for Mark Selby to run this through. OK, this black

isn't over the hole, but you would expect him to knock this in and he's

just presented Mark with a fantastic chance.

Here is John's escape again. What is he trying to do? I don't really know

which red he's played on there. Second look and I still don't know.

Not an easy run, the winning line in this frame from this position.

A little trickier, the black. The good news is, he can play a little

flick cannon on the three Reds here. Plays the outside one, he'll open

them all up to play. Yes, there you go.

The only real awkward shed the one next to the pink.

Went past the winning post. If he can keep knocking these in, he won't

need that red. Needs the black tworks more Reds

with blacks. John will need a snooker.

He's made it difficult now for himself.

The cue ball's gone more to the right. Didn't get that absolutely

straight in. Another black and he would have been 44 in front with 43

on the table. He's going to have to go all the way around the table if

he's going to try and get on that red. No angle to do that, so it's

just a safety shot. Looked as if he was going to clinch the frame there.

Mentioned it earlier, didn't you? You said there's no such thing as an

easy shone snooker table that's why. Er shot on the snooker table that's

why. Even if he doesn't finish on a

colour, if he could pot this, he could put Mark in all sorts of

trouble. Put him tight up behind the brown

and he might get a few from this position, especially if he gets

tight to the brown. We have seen already how good he is.

This will have to be very special. The targets are so small.

John won't take it on because he can't get on the black. 31 behind.

There is a slight angle there with it.

Except lent shot. I don't think he's got an angle to move that red. --

excellent shot. He forced the angle. I didn't think that was on, but if

he hit it any harder, it would have swung away from the red. Good chance

of getting a snooker here though, behind the pink.

Does he play this dead weight to land on the red or does he play it

with pace and try to put distance between object ball and cue ball.

Might play it with pace. If he hits that ball, he could send it up the

table. That's the sort of line he'd have to take to do that.

Good innovation we have used here. A few years ago, they didn't have

this. Seems obvious to use the facility that was there. Absolutely.

You cath you can guarantee that the blue is not near the cushion. John

Higgins wouldn't have pushed it out of play when he played the snooker

before because he needs the ball balls. Doesn't look too bad now.

I've got a line up previous previously. The white is near enough

spot on. He'll be playing the same spot again. I think they've got the

blue better now. Certainly away from the cushion a little bit more than

it was just before. Played the same shot again. I think

he'd play it with pace because if he does hit it full ball, he could send

the red back up the table. Let's see if he can get near to the line this

time. Tell you what, he'll settle for

that. He holds his hand up. That could have gone anywhere.

Couple of shots he can play. He might clip off this and put it at

the side of the cushion and try to line it up with the blue, keep the

snooker. Nothing wrong with that. Mark just having a look to see where

he can get the red out to. He's got to hit it very thin. Having to look

to see where if red geesing to two. If he can he get white, he's hitting

the cushion first now, isn't he? ? Tell you what, that was almost a

terrific shot there. He misses the pink. Really well thought out, that.

Very clever. Needed that cue ball tight on the

cushion and the black prevented that so this is a bit of a chance. It's

far from easy under the circumstances. I suppose from what

we have seen so far this even evening, his long game hasn't been

up to scratch but this is seriously tough. Good cueing for this one.

Where's the red going to finish? He's going to leave it up by the

looks of it if it misses the green. Oh, what a result he's had there!

What a result. If he misses the green with the red, he sticks the

lot up. Once it hit that cushion, it misses

the green, he sticks it up. But there we go.

He had a chance there to play that shot. He's just got the red too

thick. The big target there behind the pink with the cue ball but

because he hit the red thick, he'd thrown the white wider. Good news

is, he hasn't left the red in a potable position. Thought he'd get

closer than that. That was a much better shot. A

couple of balls that John's knocked in when the cue ball has been frozen

on the cushion. Never been in front in the match so

far, John Higgins. Did win the first frame, but he lost

three in a row. But this would be three in a row for him if he could

take it. I suppose the only good news for

Mark Selby before with the shot he played was the green came down the

table. If it would have been on its spot, it would have been definitely

all over. Yellow to green and green back to

brown here. It's not all over yet. Has to get past the blue. This is

the shot. This is the key shot, as John looks round at the score board.

It's in a funny position as well this green. It's one of those ones

you would love to stun it in but the middle pocket might be in the way.

He needs all the balls. He's the wrong side of the blue but he should

be OK. He hasn't had enough side on it. He

hasn't played it with enough side. If he pots the pink, Mark Selby will

be automobile to tie. What did he do with that blue? He cannot believe it

himself. The only thing he couldn't do there was not get into the cue

ball. He's got to try and pot the pink now and cannon the black,

that's the only way he can get on the black.

And he's missed the cannon. Tried to flick the black out. Unbelievable.

He cannot believe it, John. He's just looked at the sky and he cannot

believe what he's done. If you'd have said to him play the blue and

put yourself if an awkward position, he couldn't have done a better job

of it! Hit it thinner than he needed. But

it's not an easy pot by any means. The things you can do when you're

under pressure. Playing gets addled, it's a bit fuzzy, you make poor

decisions -- brain gets addled. This is a massive shot. Wasn't easy.

In fact, he's in a position here, if he doesn't pot this, every chance he

can stick it up. Big, big shot. The thing in John's faink, he gets

two bites of the cherry -- in John's favour. I think Mark Selby is going

to try to double this back into the right corner and bring the white

back up the table by the looks of it.

Well, he had the safety in mind as well. Look where he put the cue

ball. Well, this is a fabulous return

safety shot. That's the best shot of the match. Seriously, that's the

best shot of the match. Absolutely wonderful judgment.

And that's not too bad either, I can tell you.

Brilliant. Wall to wall to wall. Three consecutive shots all top

class. That's OK. It's going to be hard

enough. John's got a shot here where you send a black all around the

angles and hopefully get it on that ball cushion. Keep your eye on the

black, see how many cushions it hits. Where's the white... Look

where he's got the black! This is some of the best standard of

safety play on a black that I've seen for a long, long time. Both

players superb. Oh, he hasn't hit it hard enough

this time. This is the chance that John Higgins has been waiting for.

After that fabulous safety battle on the black, just this needed.

And in the black goes. Mark Selby had a break of 56. It wasn't enough

and John Higgins wins that frame on the black ball fights and he's back

in the lead for the first time since the opening frame, 4-3.

The Scot in the lead but then they share Ed the next two frames, so

Selby at the table in the next frame and he's five points ahead.

-- shared the next two frames. He might have got it behind the blue

but not the pink. Oh, he hasn't. Oh! Chance John Higgins.

Setting himself up for this difficult, long

Oh, he's potted the cracking red but he's not on the green, he's going to

have to play the snooker. He needs toe get this absolutely dead tight

if he can. He didn't, but OK it's still a

snooker, Dennis, but... Tell you what, John Higgins was a few inches

away from getting himself into the semi-final. That great red, if it

had have dropped away from the green and brown...

This was a good pot and he just come right on to the green. A bit

unlucky. Played it this way to get distance.

Very good shot. There might be a chance to get the

snooker behind the pink but he can play it thin off the yellow on the

left side if he wants. But that's the one he plays. Is he hard enough?

Still a good shot. He had a chance of getting the snooker there.

It's been a fabulous frame, this. A little bit of everything.

Not a particularly appetising pot that one, is it? No. I think he

might be sending this one around the angles.

It's not bad. Might get the snooker. Else to escape from. Even someone

like Mark Selby, he at times, you're never absolutely sure where the

object ball's going to finish up. He's almost potted that. He

mis-hitted that. That was not the way he intended to get out of the

snooker. Almost potted it and almost snookered him.

Wow, what a shot he's taken on there! What a thin yellow he took on

there. I don't think Mark Selby thought he was going to try and put

that in. I didn't think he was going to take that on. What a shot! Oh,

and that is unbelievable. He's potted the most fabulous yellow to

get himself on the green, to put himself in the semi-final, and look

what happens. Oh, that is just so cruel. It really is.

The things that can happen in this game. That was an absolutely

brilliant yellow. All set to go and he has a kick like a mule.

Looks as if it's a bit too thin for Mark Selby to hold with the

brouvenlt you would have to play it with so much more left hand side,

making the pot that much more difficult. He can square it and come

back in line with the black possibly. Boy it makes the pot so

much tougher -- to hold with the brown. It's not that easy to play

safe, is it? It's not one of those you can run down the table easily.

Is he playing it with the side He is and that's what can happen. He got

on the brown but he had so much side on that, on these lively cloths, it

maybes the pot so much more difficult.

-- makes the pot so much more difficult.

He needs the brown, he needs the blue and he needs the pink.

That is just pure pressure. Is he going to fluke a snooker behind the

blue? No. But he hit that so hard. That was just...

There's nothing gone in this situation.

What a pot that is! Under the circumstances, he stroked

that into the pot beautifully. Not going to be perfect on the pink.

He's going to have to cut this in with the rest. OK, the black is

safe, takes a little pressure off the pot, but it's not a given.

I don't blame him coming round looking at the angle. Not

guaranteed, this. It's there. John Higgins played a

poor round and Mark Selby's not done with yet, he's taken the frame and

we are all square. We are down to a one frame shoot out.

So, incredibly, another match of this year's Masters goes the

distance. Which one of those heavyweights will hold their nerve?

Let's find out, Selby at the table, he's five points behind.

Oh, he's missed it. This could be a free ball as well.

It's not only a free ball. The flick off the brown has left him with a

pot. But of course, at first it looks good but the two Reds aren't

pretty. If he can get on the colour off the brown though.

He's trying to get over into the spot that you mentioned and he's

come up up a bit short. If that runs a bit further across the table, he

would have had the angle to get to the reds. He's going to have to

leave a tricky one along the cushion and would you want to thank you