Day 7 Masters Snooker

Good afternoon. A major event is brewing here in north London as we

prepare for a coronation at the Palace, Alexandra Palace. Three

Englishmen Andy Scott are in contention. It should be a lovely

couple of days for you in front of the television. We have both the

semifinals live this afternoon and evening. This afternoon features

Mark Selby taking on one of his best friends, "The Magician" , Shaun

Murphy. Shaun is one of my closest friends

on the tour. If I am not doing well, I am willing him on. It will

be a great privilege for me to see him coming from the juniors, where

he was with me to the top of the rankings. He has beaten me the last

couple of times here, so I call him one. If you cannot get yourself up

for a tournament like this, you are in the wrong business. It would be a

dream come true for me to win the triple Crown. I have won the world

championship and the United Kingdom championship, so this is that one I

need to complete the set. There is nothing between these players, each

as enjoyed eight factories over the other. Mark Selby has won the most

to recent matches between the two. You may also remember him prevailing

in the United Kingdom championship 14 months ago. This should be a

cracking match. They have both left it all the last minute in this

tournament? Yes, Mark Selby was very lucky to get through against John

Higgins and also against Mark Davis in the opening round. Also, Shaun

Murphy was behind 4-2 in two different matches, when it is first

to six, you really do not want to be doing that. How much dish Shaun

Murphy get off to a good start, how important is that? He will not be so

worried about it. He said in a press conference he needs to get off to a

better start. But has to be said, if Mark Selby does get his teeth into

you, it could be a long day. He will want to get off to a better start,

but the way that Shaun Murphy is walking round the table, he is

looking very competitive. As for Mark Selby, in the elephant in the

final frame decider is he has been involved in in his career, he has

won everyone. It shows he has a big occasion player. The one table set

up here, he does not shirk his responsibilities when it comes down

to the last frame. And maybe he is an adrenaline junkie! As ever, at is

a very lively London code here that Alexandra Palace. Yes, this venue

has been brilliant. Yes, when we were in Wembley Arena, it did not

have the same atmosphere. But I think the code is full of

anticipation. I think this is one of the great sporting fixtures in the

British calendar. Yes, and it is a huge game for both players, because

they are desperate to get in the final. It gets the heroes on the

back of the neck standing up. Yes, I remember in the old days, we would

have been alive on grandstand. Yes, I think it is advantageous to be in

the first semifinal, because you can then relax and see the other two

players sweating it out in the evening. But we have a fantastic

atmosphere. If you think it is lively here, wait until you hear Rob

Walker! It is a packed house here and Alexandra Palace. We are

starting the semifinal Saturday with a bang! A thrilling occasion in

prospect. It features two best friends who took part in the United

Kingdom championship final in 2012. Please welcome, a player who has

been brilliant this week. Coming from behind twice and flourishing

with new-found fitness and you walk on music for the New Year, he is to

matches away from completing the snooker triple Crown. He is a class

act on and off the table, he is "The Magician" , he is Shaun Murphy.

MUSIC: "The Superman Theme" by John Williams.

And his opponent, a player with an incredible record in this

tournament. His victory over John Higgins is the 11th time he has come

through a final frame decider in the Masters. That is why he is the

defending champion, he is the "The Jester From Leicester" , he is Mark

Selby! MUSIC: "Fast Fuse" by Kasabian.

I totally out with John. This is the great occasion in British sport. The

first player to have a dozen frames will guarantee themselves a place in

the final. JOHN VIRGO: we have got the best

seat in the house. Already, a mistake and he has left

an easy starter for Mark Selby, not what he was looking for.

KEN DOHERTY: Mark just coming round here to see the black wood pot into

the bottom left-hand pocket. That shot tells us that it would not.

I can only assume that with his opening shot, he wanted to just make

sure she got the few food and did not want to be playing anything too

delicate. But what good shot that is

absolutely sensational with the rest. Absolutely perfect. He could

not have placed that any better with his hand. He had a lovely angle to

do just dislodge the red away from the blackspot.

Very hard to Calderwood are of this match, but I do believe, watching

both of them in this tournament, they have not really been winning

frames in one visit. Shaun did it for three frames against Mark all,

but they have not been doing it consistently. They will have to do

that today. He cannot expect to have three chances every frame. Chelsea

are to bring some more reds into play. Nicely controlled.

Just get into the cue ball just a little bit much. He has caught this

on the right-hand side instead of the centre and it has gone all

core. He is not guaranteed to be on a colour.

He has the year low to go out, but this is a nice angle, but a tough

pot. He does not like it. He is bridging

across the leather of the pocket. The rate in the heart of the pocket.

A good shot, once again. Again, a little bit awkward. He has

just lost the cue ball. He is having to work hard here.

Excellent. Excellent pot. Yes, and so far, this is a dream start for

Mark. There is every chance that he could win the frame without Shaun

getting another shot. Here is the brake off shot. As you

say, may be a slight lack of concentration.

Sometimes, you see on the circuit now, that the player who is winning

the toss of the coin very often puts the other player in to start the

match. He has worked hard to get in this

position. A fantastic start for Mark Selby. A couple more reds and

high-value colours. As you say, it was imperative on both of these

players that they started winning in one visit.

That could have gone wrong, but he is OK. Just this and a black, to

clinch the opening frame. This would put him 71 points ahead

with only 67 remaining. He used all of the pocket, but it

wriggled its way in. So, the poor brake off by Shaun Murphy has cost

him dear. this possible. Tremendous. Using the

rest and finished absolutely inch perfect. This is the start you would

always hope for is a player if you are in a big semifinal. He has had

to pull off some tremendous pots. The yellow into the rate centre was

also an excellent pot. It is amazing how he shakes his head. He will be

disappointed not to make a century. Shaun Murphy only had the opening

shot. Yes, a clinical start. What are the

chief factors in this? I think that Mark Selby answered one question

they are. He needs to score more consistently. He needs to school and

take pressure off from self, rather than having to come from behind all

the time. The other thing is that Shaun Murphy needs to tighten up his

safety play. Yes, there's nothing left to say! To snooker superheroes.

Mark Selby is Spiderman, gets you wrapped up in his cobwebs, without

Shaun Murphy is coming to save the day as Superman. If he does get

behind, he needs to go into superhero mode. So as the world does

start spending in the wrong direction, we know that it is the

fault of Shaun Murphy! Well said, Steve. I do not quite

know where he was going but never mind.

I always like to listen to what players talk about after the match.

Shaun Murphy said afterwards, that he could not compete tactically with

the likes of new Robertson on Mark Selby, so he was going to play his

natural attacking game. Obviously, we did not see any of it in that

first frame because he only got the one-shot, but clearly, he does not

want to get bogged down in long periods of safety. Yes, he will not

want Mark Selby today date the pace of the game.

This is exactly what he has to do, but he has to get the cue ball close

to the baulk cushion. He is going to play these aggressive safety shots.

It will force Mark Selby, forces hand slightly.

Another terrific part. Not on a colour, so he will just trickle up

behind this. Not tight, but he does have the

snooker on all of the reds. It should be easy enough to come off

the left-hand side and nestle on the one at the top cushion, but the

problem is, as you see the shadow covering them all, if he does not

catch this just right, he could leave careered onto the right-hand

corner, which is what he is looking at now. That is a little bit

disconcerting. This could be dangerous.

That is the shot you are talking about. As you say, it is quite

dangerous. There is the danger of leaving that one into the bottom

right. He is perhaps thinking of coming down the rate at hand side.

But no matter which one he chooses, he will have to be very very

careful. I am not quite certain what he is

thinking of. He is trying to nestle into these reds. It is not safe. He

has left one into the left middle. The black may be tied up, but I

think the pink goes into both of the bottom pocket some, so a decent

chance here for Mark Selby. He just about held the angle for the

pink into the middle. Just getting his extension because

he is trying to reach over quite a few balls.

Once he takes this one into the bottom right, it will clear the path

for another couple into the left-hand corner pocket.

He will be a little bit disappointed beer. He should have been the other

side of the pink. But no problem as it turned out. He

played the cannon and it has turned out nicely.

As you say, the black may be tied up, but with the pink and blue on

the spot, this is a very good chance.

Does this not just some up snooker? He came into this tremendous

atmosphere and he has had one shot in the opening frame and a couple in

this one. He paid a good aggressive safety, but Mark potted it and has

never looked back. It is the big stage, but he simply has not been

given the chance to perform. A couple of red, a couple of

colours, that is all he is away from taking this frame.

Manages to get around the black. Needs to get high on the blue. Just

about. This blue will put him 62 points in

front with 67 remaining. A fantastic start from Mark Selby,

just what people will be hoping for. When he gets in, he has that cue

ball strength. This further frame, well

acknowledged from this wonderful crowd out here at Alexandra Palace.

He missed out on a century in the first frame, which would have

disappointed and slightly, he would like to make amends for that.

It doesn't look like Shaun Murphy will have a chance to pot his first

ball of the match. This frame is long gone.

The chance of a century now increasing.

You could not think of a more perfect start, could you? No,

fantastic, he has had 318th centuries, would you believe?

Needs to be careful screwing off two questions, because the green is not

on its spot. -- cushions. Could have done with more pace on the cue ball.

He deserves a century, he has been flawless with this contribution.

I think we're going to see one now. A good shot.

Absolutely wonderful, it really has been, from the first pot in the

first frame, he has looked majestic. He did not get the pink, but he got

the century. Shaun Murphy, so to pot a ball! 2-0, Mark Selby!

We saw it Waldon struggling, he only made 35 points in his match against

Ronnie O'Sullivan, and Shaun Murphy is stewing in his chair now, and you

watched Mark Selby putting in hours of work yesterday. Yes, I had some

practice yesterday, I went into the table and I was chatting to him, and

he was grafting yesterday, working on it. He is happy to be through,

obviously, but worried that there was some adversity but he was

playing so well, but today, years focused on a good start. So crisp,

so fluid, that is his highest break of the week. We talk about horses

for courses, but why is this man in love with this event? He has

performed so well in it. It is hard to say, if you do have a good result

at a venue, you are happy to come back year after year. It could be

the case that he is naturally gifted when playing in the one-table

set-up, so it is the one time when you play on one table only, and you

have to get to the semifinals of the World Championships, so a big

occasion player but probably loves the centre of attention. He might

not be big headed, but when it comes to it, he revels in that situation.

Unnerving for Shaun Murphy right now? He has got to open up the balls

and play well, but he played probably as good a shot as he has

done, but Mark Selby has not been off the screen after he got up. If

he is playing this well, it is difficult to put the cue ball and

you were. OK, back we go. You say horses for courses, the same

applies to the late, great, Paul Hunter. He loved this tournament. He

loved this tournament, three times. There is something about the

Masters, the one-table set-up, the top 16 players in the world, it is a

very special event. And it is amazing, Mark Selby's record, he has

played in this tournament, he has said 11 last frame deciders and won

every single one. Most players would be happy with a 50-50 split, because

it can go either way, but to win every single one is an amazing

record. Once again, Shaun Murphy playing an

aggressive safety shot, opening up the reds. He has got a good cue

ball, so he is in a little spot of bother here. But Shaun Murphy will

just be glad of an opportunity to pot ball at the moment.

It looks easy enough to play safe at this red, but he has to be careful

of the red knew the baulk cushion. Needs to make sure the red does not

run into the brown. He was an easy cue ball, tied to the cushion.

He does not want the brown going in. He could have been in trouble there.

Not bad. This is the view from Hawk-eye. Just

coming around the bottom end of the table. Once to try to leave the cue

ball down by the top cushion somewhere.

He found a gap. An excellent shot. What a shot that was. Absolutely.

That is what you get with Mark Selby, as he has proved in the first

two frames, he scores heavily and of course, if you think you have got

him in trouble, he will need more than one good safety shot to force

an error. That was absolutely top drawer safety. And Shaun Murphy with

a bit of a problem here. He needs to play on himself. I do not think you

can risk playing a pot here. He has to try to get that cue ball in a

safe position. It is not a formality.

The fact that Mark is looking at the position to leave the cue ball near

the baulk cushion shows there is nothing that contempt. You can pop

the red above the black, but that is risky, and it is not guaranteed to

be on a collar, so percentage-wise, not the type of shot to go for. --

on a collar. Calling all the shots at the moment.

As you can see, he can just get through to the red, but Shaun Murphy

cannot play safe off of it. Excellent excellent return. A tap on

the table in that management from Mark Selby. -- in acknowledgement.

He might have to roll up to this red dead weight, but needs to make sure

not to push it to the middle. It is almost like he is teasing

Shaun Murphy into possibly taking this pot down the cushion. It is

very, very difficult, and particularly, he has dominated the

first two frames. Mark Selby is saying to him, Shaun Murphy is a

little bit cold, obviously. He would love to have a look at this, if he

was 2-0 up, there is no doubt he would have a go at this red, but if

you are too- zero down and have not part of a ball, it is a bit more

difficult. -- potted a ball. If he tries to screw back to the

baulk and which might not be on anyway, then the pot is more

miscible. -- missable. He got to the baulk end, and he will

settle for that. Well, this is just unbelievable.

This is unbelievable from Mark Selby. What a pot that was.

Fantastic, never touched the side, it was a well worked out shots, and

he has worked the cue ball, the black was always there. If you

missed it, sometimes it would wobble in the jaws and go safe. A great

pot. It is fair to say at the moment, he does not look like

missing much. That may have gone a little bit awkward, but what was

funny, just in the background, then that red went in, we saw Shaun

Murphy just slumping in his seat, and he thought, no! Because that was

a good safety shot from Shaun Murphy, and most players would not

have taken that red on, it just shows the confidence in Mark Selby

so far in this matter should. -- in this match.

That was a good shot, he is letting it absolutely perfect on the green,

and the reds are spread, and black is available to both corners. Do not

rule out a frame-winning contribution here.

Four reds above the black, all portable. -- pottable.

He could play for the brown or the pink, he has a choice of three

colours, if you like. He could play for the blue, but getting the brown

out of the way into the left middle, it just makes that pocket

available for a couple of reds. There is nothing you can do, you did

not have a real chance. You just have to sit there and suffer and

hope that you can get a chance. At the moment, it is looking definitely

like 3-0. Four frames before the mid-session interval to be played.

A bit of contact. It's just took the pace out of the cue ball.

This is tremendous stuff, we saw Ronnie O'Sullivan against Ricky

Walden, four frames without a reply. OK, this white not be in the same

manner as Ronnie O'Sullivan, but it is just as effective. -- this might

not be. Now, Shaun Murphy's first chance of

the match. He has not had a chance of a pot, and now he needs to find

his cue action immediately. 50 points behind a possible 83

remaining. It doesn't surprise you that, can,

does it? No, it was straight into a blind pocket, it could've been a

easier for Shaun Murphy. -- a lot easier.

Well, you looked at that red, but I am not certain that he had enough of

that red to play the part. He will have to try to get the cue ball back

to the baulk end, you cannot see enough of that red.

He played that, such is his cue power, he has the ability to play

those kind of shots. They looked dangerous, that he always has some

accident to get back to the baulk cushion will stop -- has some action

to get back to the baulk cushion. That was OK.

Well, it has always been the way in this game, when you're not having

the good chance, you never get the run here. Have a look at this kiss

off the green. This is such a tough snooker, not only to hit, but to get

safety on that. To me, it is long odds not leaving a pot on here. I

cannot think of one red that you could nestle on and not leave a

chance of a pot stop we know with the miss rule, even though it was a

fluke snooker, this will still be called if he doesn't hit a red. It

will be put back. Just have to hope that he can hit something and leave

it safe, that is all he can do. The miss was called, but unless he

is dead straight on this, if he is dead straight, I am not sure that he

can get back up to the blue. There you see it. He may have it put back

here. Do you think he will have a guilty conscience that he fluke that

snooker? No. That tells a story. These two are good friends, but

there is no friendship out on the table, that is for sure.

That is the line, but I do not know if it will slide to hit that red.

He is not getting the slide onto that second cushion, I do not know

if that shot is on, he needs to go very close to the loo, a lot of

left-hand side. -- he needs to go very close to the blue.

He needs to hope for a slide on the second cushion. He needs a lot of

left-hand side, he could maybe hit the baulk lines and widen the angle

with the left-hand side. An expensive fluke as far as Shaun

Murphy is concerned. And he could not have gotten any closer.

62 points behind now, you just feel if he doesn't hit a red and get it

safe, this frame is beyond him. He is closer this time. And of course,

Michaela Tabb has to keep calling the miss, because it is hard to hit

a red, but you would expect him to hit a red if he hit a red if he

hated with more pace here. -- hit it. Do not get me on the miss rule!

Well played! Better! Excellent shot. In fairness, that is about as safe

as he could have got it. He has still left a pot on which I'm

certain Mark Selby will go for. He has got some insurance, he can play

this red into the far corner and I know that he was looking at the Bob

Crow line, the baulk cushion, but I would be amazed if he doesn't play a

pot here. -- he was looking at the baulk line. You cannot turn down

these opportunities. But he missed it, and you can tell

from the noise of the crowd that they want to see Shaun Murphy pot a

ball at least. Shaun Murphy, that is the first ball

he has potted this afternoon. I mentioned before, Mark Selby went

for his frame-winning red with the two red on the left-hand side

cushion, the wonder the top question, if Shaun Murphy can win

the frame on this visit, it would be a minor miracle. But when you are at

the table, you have a chance, but boy, this would be something

special. He has purposely left an angle on

this red into the left centre to try and disturb one of these two on the

left-hand cushion. He took his eye off the pot. Yes, a

schoolboy error. He was concentrating so much on bringing

the red into play, he forgot about the part. Mark can pot this easily

enough. He needs red, colour, red. Obviously, the green and brown make

a good target. Could he get in behind these two? The pink is going

to be very helpful for him. Yes, that has opened up everything.

He can play this as a shot to nothing.

Now, can he get through? The body language of Shaun suggest not and

yes, we can see that the blue is in the way. The only pot on is the one

on the left-hand cushion, but this is dangerous. He has got to get

this. He had to get that. That is surely the end of the

frame, because I think that the red goes to the left corner. So, the

black and one more red and it is three frames to nil for Mark Selby.

Yes, it was a shot he was forced into playing, he did not really have

any other option. As you say, when you are playing well, you get these

little breaks, like the blue covering the reds.

Everything is pretty easy for Mark Selby at the moment.

At least Shaun Murphy dead have a chance, missing their easy red into

the middle of trying to play that can, but Mark Selby marches on. It

is an afternoon stroll at the moment.

It took Shaun Murphy 46 minutes to Potter ball and that was 246 points

without reply from Mark Selby. Strangely enough, I actually felt

more pressure when you went so long without the opponent potting a ball,

because you always expected that something was about to hit you. How

would you compare his performance with his other two matches this

week? Totally different. Jock and cheese. Basically, Shaun Murphy has

not done anything wrong. Typical, you are looking for a good chance,

and when you get it, you have got three reds stuck on the left-hand

session. -- cushion. Even though you think Mark Selby and Rodney Sullivan

are very different in terms of stale, imagine, this is the table,

they start with the cue up in the ear at the back, but when the

pre-play the shot, they come through like that and drop the back quite

significantly. A lot of players are told to keep the cue as parallel as

possible. Mark Selby, high at the back and drops down. What is that

generating? I think it can generate a lot more power. But it is not a

way people are told to play, getting the elbow involved. You actually

have the forearm and Ilbo both working, generating the gaming. I

have never seen a Coffey star been put to better use in a television

studio! Remarkable. The things that you lay in the

jungle! bit like that, he used to drop the

arm slightly, to generate more backspin. Not many people could

screw the ball back as good as John Spencer. He was one of the debates.

the blue? It does not look like it. When Mark played that part, he

thought that the only one he could possibly leave was the one he was

hurting. He could possibly have left it. Shaun can play safe of this, but

just not quite having angle to pot it.

He was looking at their plant, but that was very risky. He played it in

such a way that the cue ball would go back to the baulk area. But it is

very straightforward safety shot for Mark Selby.

The mid-session interval coming up after this frame. What Shaun Murphy

would give for this frame. What a difference, going in 3-1 behind,

instead of four frames. Look at the safety success rate.

100% for Mark Selby. Shaun and 77%. He has got to find a good safety

here. He knows that the former Mark Selby is, he cannot afford to leave

him any easy starters. There is a lot of pressure on this.

Containing safety shot and looks fine, for the team being. You still

feel Mark has got the initiative. Mark wants to put the cue ball down

towards the side of the yellow pocket.

A little bit shy of pace. But he has covered the red on the right.

Applause, but not the best safety. He did not leave a pot on,

certainly, nothing that would tempt it Mark, but he will be able to get

his hand on the table. Good length with the cue ball, but

there is a red available to the left corner.

The problem is that you will run into other red and there is no

guaranteed to be on a colour and equality is close to the ball

cushion, it does not make this any easier.

What a shot he has played there. I did not expect him to play at that

slow. Well, it just shows you. Maybe he thought he had done all the hard

work, the fact that he had got onto the black. You cannot lose your

concentration for one second at this game. What is chance he has no

handed to Shaun Murphy. Can Shaun take advantage of the situation? It

would be his first frame on the scoreboard.

He was looking at the lack spot a minute ago, just wanting to find out

we have the black would re-spot once it is parted. If it does not go

there, the pink sport is available. You really feel that Shaun has to

get a sizeable lead at this visit. Immediately playing for that red new

the black spot. So, it is now available into one corner pocket,

the pink is only open and with the blue on its part, it is a decent

chance. Thank goodness for gravity! Rate side of the blue, to just stand

down, plenty of reds to choose from, but he would probably like to

stay on the black, if he could. That is pretty good.

That was a nice cannon, but he does not want to be straight on this. I

doing, he has brought these other two red is into play. As you say, I

think he may well be a bit straight on that. He is going to have to play

the one he did not want to play, because he will run into this other

red. It is OK. That could have gone wrong.

As we keep saying, this is such a big frame. He will go to the

mid-session interval not feeling too bad if he can take this one. He did

not have much of a chance in the first three frames, so there is no

point beating himself up about the squabbling. It looks pretty

straightforward, but, as we all know, there is that little matter of

pressure. I am sure he could just drop this in

an old for the black, but he does not like it. Yes, I think he is

thinking that this is not pertain be dropping in the things did we. He

may be overdid it a bit. Such is the cue power, he could play the yellow

and screw back. With his cue action, it should not be a problem to get

the cue ball back to this end of the table.

That needed to run on a couple of inches. This is a bit trickier.

It is always the problem. Once you start running out of position, it

tends to magnify. This is a lot tougher than the last one. This will

be a test of his cueing. Nope, he has missed that.

As you say, that is the problem. He was not good on the red which was

difficult enough anti-boot all his into that and lost control of

desertion, but at least he has not left anything easy. So, a 47 point

lead. Mark Selby is looking at the porting angle of this, but this is a

tough one to take on. Super shot. He thought it was worth

taking that on and all of a sudden, a chance for a counter.

This is the red that Shaun Murphy refused a few shots ago because he

would be struggling to hold for the black. It mean you cost him. This is

what Mark Selby is very good at, these tape of situations.

The way he has been point, you might expect him to finish the frame

here. It is a tall order, but all of the ball is our out in the open.

The lowest one of these three, we know that that will go into the

bottom left-hand corner. He just has to be slightly careful here.

That is inch perfect. We know have a new favourite for the frame. Both of

the red are available into the left middle, but the pink clears path for

the reds into the bottom right-hand corner.

It just shows you! He was just trying to hold nicely for the pink

and nearly missed the red. He was more concerned about the cue ball.

It was imperative that he got on that. He has played that

beautifully. Shaun Murphy will be absolutely

kicking himself. OK, it was a very difficult pink, cueing from

underneath the cushion. Here was the shot, he was going up

for the blue. And this is where he began to run out of position.

Mark Selby will need up to and including the pink to take a four

frame lead. As I said, if Shaun could have won

this and gun in 3-1 behind, he would not covered too much to tell himself

off about. On reflection, he barely had a chance in the opening three

frames. But he had a chance in this one and this will really hurt.

In goes the blue and he is perfect for the pink and that is all he

needs. Any laws. That was not like the

first three frames when Mark Selby had to make a counter attack. Shaun

Murphy in first with a 48, but that they cost 62 has Mark Selby a four

frame lead at the mid-session interval.

I have now been joined by Stephen Hendry. He was not just to be on

until this evening, but he could not stay away. To me, Mark Selby looks

mentally stronger. The likes of Mark Selby, new Robertson, the seem to

have overtaken Shaun mentally in the big two moments. Shaun is getting to

quarterfinals and semifinals regularly, but he is not going that

extra step and looks as if he's slightly getting left behind. As the

guy said in court commentary, he did not have a lot to berate himself in

the first three frames, but in the fourth frame he did have a chance.

Yes, I have said that a few times commentating on Shaun, he has been

getting to 40 and in breaking down. It is costing pencil much. I have

noticed that happening many teams in the past year. He has two stop it

out. You are literally for Fife pot away from winning a frame and he is

not doing it. Is there any way back for him? Not against someone like

Mark Selby. He has become something of a machine in the big events and I

cannot see a way back. Something we talked about before the match

started. Shaun said he had to counter what is sometimes a

defensive style from Mark Selby and that has not happened. You have

always been an exponent of getting in Delhi. Yes, but I always admired

the other week Steve played in the 1980s. As I say, you can not win a

match in the first session, but you can put a big marker down. Oh there,

Shaun Murphy did not have a sniff for three frames. Yes, when you are

at a big semifinal like that, with this standard, that is going to cost

you. We saw eight yesterday, with Ricky Walden, when he scored 38 and

then sat down, possibly feeling quite pleased with himself and then

Bailey had another shot during the next six frames. What you think of

that match? Atlas fantastic. It was just one of these days we have the

pockets looked like buckets. He just controlled that match from the

beginning to end beautifully. And you can see the second semifinal

later tonight featuring Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Maguire this

evening. Mark Selby seems to like the high wire act, and in the last

few years, he has left his comeback until later. How has he done this?

We have been speaking to him about it.

How do you feel about your own game at the moment? At the moment, I am

winning, which is good, I do not think I'm playing as well as I did

in the last few seasons, I am not as clinical as I have been in the past,

but the result is all that counts, and I'm getting that at the moment.

You have become a specialist at this event, you have won it three times

already. What makes it so special about you? It is the one-table

set-up, there is a crowd, and you feel like it is such a special

tournament, this is like one of the pinnacle tournament of our sport.

The single session format, you always get a result, you have to

start with the first ball. Yes, I seem to be doing that, in my first

matches I got off to good start is normally I am playing catch up, so I

suppose at the interval, I have come out and not really played well, so

I'm used to being 3-1 behind instead of in front. Do you know how many

final frame decider as you have had in this tournament? I think it has

been 11, and I have won them all, which is incredible. What do you put

that down to? I think it is because I never give in, I never let my head

go down and give in. I try to rely on the matches I have played in the

past when I been deciding frames and try to get a positive. You had a

very important double yesterday, and important shots, do you feel that

you have to quicken your tempo to play better? I play my best when I

play a bit quicker, sometimes in the safety shot you have to think a bit

more, rather than just play the first shot you see, but I tempo,

when I speed up, I think it is a bit better. It is hard out there, you

have to tell yourself to get on with it when you know that you're not

confident at times. When you are faced with adversity, you seem to

produce your best. Yes, it is strange, when I was 5-3 behind

against John, I probably felt as relaxed as I had felt to read the

match. When I was ahead, I felt a bit nervy, but it is a big name, but

5-3, it was strange. I seem to be like that for the majority of my

career, when my back is against the wall, I feel relaxed, baby because

you have nothing to lose, so you go and play your natural game. -- may

be because. What would it mean to claim your fourth Masters title? To

be up there like O'Sullivan and Hendry, to have another title under

your belt, it is a fantastic achievement, but with it being the

Masters, one of the three major tournaments, it would be a great

feeling. Thank you for your time and good luck.

He is trying to equal Ronnie O'Sullivan. Interesting to say what

he said about going to sleep on a big lead, I guess the priority for

him here is to avoid that scenario happening again. Yes, one of the

differences between Mark Selby and Ronnie O'Sullivan, O'Sullivan is one

of the best frontrunners in the game, you just steam rollers. Mark

Selby, we will see what happens after the interval, he went 4-1 up

on a high standard and then lost the plot after the interval, so it would

be interesting what happens today. The importance of the semifinal will

be different today. Why do you think that happened? E had the 3-1 lead

against take on the other day, and it is the same scenario. They get so

psyched up and the adrenaline and the concentration, the focus, and

then you relax a bit at the interval and you speak to people, because

you're not speaking to anybody out there, and your mindset changes and

its take the intensity from your concentration. We look forward to

seeing what happens in the next coming frames. You are on duty

tonight in the commentary box is for Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen

Maguire. Stephen Maguire does not like to be bullied around, he will

be looking forward to that! Thank you for coming to see us, there is a

masterclass going on outside their, at on the table, and now there is

another masterclass outside on the practice table out in the arena in

Alexandra Palace. There would be some high wire walking from Steve

and John, they would be doing a live demonstration, what could possibly

go wrong? ! We are here with Jungle Jim!

What is going on? I will give you a good hiding! I have a tournament

coming up, whilst muggins is still on the circuit, he has retired, you

have to practice match play, the only thing to do is get to the

events, but you can practice it to a degree, you can play against another

good player in playing matches, but one part that is the practice to

strongly is the equivalent of the penalty shoot out, that is the

re-spotted black. You have to know what shots to play. That they best

of five, practice in your club with your mates, had a best of seven, it

blackballed shoot out. The most important level, top class

level, play object ball safety, to try to guarantee getting be

blackballed safe on the cushions. -- the black ball. What is the main

advantage of that? The main way to pot that is the double, there is a

risk of that. In a perfect world, you want the black slightly lower.

That is more difficult. You have to chip onto the top cushion or you

could be aimed at and try the double, but that will not work.

There are some other ways to play it, to start off. Up and down the

spot, the old-fashioned way. We put the cue ball over here, out of the

way. It is difficult to get right, massed that up. Play it again.

Across the face of it. Up and down, that is a difficult shot because of

the fast cloth, you play it for here, look at where it finished.

What about if I play on? But that black on the spot for me. This is

the most important shot of the match that you will play. What is wrong

with the long double? Try it. Did not get the double, but second

prize, object ball safety. Object ball safety is the most important

thing, we will try to send around three cushions, object ball safety

put the black here. It is OK, it is all right. You

cannot play that's now. What are you going to play? We will just try a

three quarters ball, just chip it on the rail. Object ball safety. That

is OK. What will you do off that? Play the blackballed there, leave

some distance and get the black safe on the side cushion. Far too hard, I

twitched. No! Where that has gone, it is quite tricky.

Object ball safety, that is the priority! That is the lesson from

that, unless you get a kick. Kicks are perennial problems in snooker.

So many people have had their say on why they happen and because so much

damage. We saw on earlier with John Higgins going for a green, he got a

kick on the green when it was more or less match ball against Mark

Selby and Mark Selby got a rip reef and the rest history, Mark Selby is

here in this semifinal. What can you do about the kick?

He has got a horrendous cake! -- kick.

The kick has for decades but snooker players in dire straits, and it has

always been that the cause for this is a subject of debate. In the last

few months, Shaun Murphy has conducted extensive research with

retired teacher and former snooker coach Bob Ledger in an invention to

look at the kick. There is a massive difference between a kick and a bad

contact. The bad contact can be caused by chalk and dust, a bad

strike. The kick with the balls collide and leave the bed of the

table which results in the loss of position, a miss, the loss of the

match, all of these things, that is chemical. It is solvable. I always

thought there was a logic to the kick. The three theories, the first

was static, the second was chalk, and I thought this could be

chemical. The oil that is present in the cloth during manufacturing, when

laid on the table and subjected to the heat, which a lot of the public

will not be aware of, just how hot that playing conditioners, the

tables are heated from underneath, and the TV lights from above, that

heat generates a reaction whereby that oil on that ball actually

erodes the surface of the balls that are on the table, and when you get

to balls that collide, with two exposed areas, if you like, that is

a kick. If the kick is a chemical reaction rather than caused by

random factors, the effect can not only be measured, but also

predictors, indeed Bob has held the theory for many years that the kick

is an intelligent force, so in layman 's terms, and a kick occurs,

you know what will happen to both the cue ball and object ball. There

is an area of the ball that has got a higher friction than the other

parts of the ball, and when this area is contacted, then we have got

some logic, for instance, all of the kicks, when the cue ball, that is

the ball that you strike with the cue, one that has got forward

rotation, then the cue ball tries to climb the object ball when a kick

takes place. With reverse spin on the cue ball, it is the object ball

that is thrown in the air and the cue ball follows slightly

afterwards. When a shot is missed, it is missed on the side and it is

predicted by a heightened friction. The governing body in its ongoing

quest to improve the game is undertaking extensive research. This

is with the manufacturing partners to lessen the impact of the kick.

This is very useful research, and we continue to look at the materials

that are used, the oils that are used, things like that, and we're

doing extensive research to see how we can improve the conditions and

the conditions here are already very, very good, the best in the

world, actually. We are working closely with manufacturers and with

our own team and our players to try to improve these conditions. Despite

the shared goal of eliminating the kick from the competition, there are

different ways to look at how this can happen. If we can turn off the

heaters, I do not know why we have them, they are unnecessary, if we

turn that off, that would slow down the chemical reaction from

happening. It would not stop it, but it would slow it down. The table

heaters are on to keep it dry, if the court is done, the ball feel

heavy when they are being struck, and you're the player saying, it is

difficult to screw back the cue ball or are, we're not getting the same

reaction to applying side to the cue ball. That heat on the table is now

at a constant temperature, and we monitor that throughout the events.

Whilst they disagree on the role of table heaters, there is another

possible solution that is agreed upon. What we are doing is getting a

little bit of outside advice, Bob has been very helpful, and we have

dogged with another gentleman called Ben Plummer who has been very useful

about having different polishers with the ball. -- we have talked

with another gentleman. It clings to the ball like a car polish, you

apply it and buff it off, and spend what it does is, it restores the

outer covering to how it was when it left the factory. We polish them and

make them new again, so that however many frames, be it five or six or

whenever you start to see a kick, you can change a new set of balls,

that like they do in tennis. With a number of new remedies on the table,

could we have a situation where the kick is finally given the boot.

Some interesting comments there, who won the black ball challenge? It was

a draw! What did you think of those assertions? I think you're barking

up the wrong tree talking about the cloth of the table heaters, because

the one thing that was not mentioned was the effect that the gloves of

the referee place on the whole occasion. When the ball is a very

dry, they grip each other more, so the natural surface of the ball as

being dried out, possibly more by the cloth, because you do not have

those in practice, you do not get as many kicks in practice because you

do not wear gloves. I would say, if you're going to start relaxing the

balls, like they do in pool in certain countries, perhaps even

impregnate the clubs with some wax. It is a question of changing the

balls after some sessions, which was play along with your theory, with

that go down with the majority are players, they have won three frames

in a row, they would not be happy with changing the balls after that?

Yes, there is that, they have some weight in them also. There is

carrying them all about. The funny thing is, I will place on Devils

Advocate, sometimes a kick in professional snooker isn't the worst

thing to watch. As a player, you hate it. Don't get me wrong, it is

another anomaly that can happen in a game. As a player, I would hate it,

as a spectator, we should leave it alone! I am sure you can say that

because you have retired! I'm sure John Higgins is at home watching

this and is livid! It is all part of the game. Let's hope that this

doesn't happen here, let us hope that Mark Selby doesn't succumb to

slow puncture syndrome, that is what John called it earlier, it is for-0.

-- 4-0. It is funny that you mentioned about

the referee's gloves, Michaela Tabb, before she comes out, she always

weds her gloves, but somewhat on them just to stop them being to

dry. -- put some water on them. It stops them from being slippy at

times. In the last few years, we have seen times when the referee has

dropped the ball when they go to put it back on the spot and it drops on

the table. There have been some funny moments, yes. Anyway, there is

nothing for us at the moment for Shaun Murphy. His opponent only two

frames away from the final, he has got to start putting frames on the

scoreboard. He has two do this to have any chance in this match. You

would have to feel he would win this frame to have any chance in this

match. I saw Shaun Murphy in the press room

sitting on his own, and his coach came in and sat with him and was

talking away to him, and he looked a bit amused, you know. It is very

understandable, particularly after that last frame before the end, that

would have really hurt him. Could not do too much in the first two

frames, but that last frame before the interval, that would have been

very disappointing for him. We have seen it on before, many

players have come back from 4-0 down. Mark Selby was 51, five --

5-1, 5-2 up in a previous match, so it is not the and the realms of

impossibility. Trying to force the cue ball back of

the table, and the way things are going, you just know that it will

not run safe, so this is an easy starter for Mark Selby.

A nice angle on the blue of who wishes to go into the red. He

doesn't have to, but there is an opportunity.

He did go into them, and he might been a little bit fortunate here.

You might have one to the left middle, but those to read you the

right corner, they could easily be made into a planned, you would have

thought. He's good at this type of shot, but of course, a former world

eight ball champion, so he is good at combination shots, as they call

them in pool, we call them plan. -- plants.

Dead straight on the painkiller. Would love to get to two of those

reds. If you take the red he's looking at, the red is close to the

pocket on the pink. Those two reds, blocking the black, he wants to try,

that is exactly where he would like the cue ball there, if he could

leave the cue ball Berry is positioning his cue, you would be

able to get the red to the right of the black. -- where he is

positioning his cue. I don't think that has worked out

too good. He may not have anything to go for here. Just watching his

body language, you can always tell with a player, the drooping of their

shoulders, that is a tell-tale sign that he is on nothing. And now the

fact she is looking at the baulk and at virtue leave the cue ball, that

is end of rake. -- that were to leave. That is end of break. There

is the cue ball going? There is a lot of cheering, come

on, Shaun Murphy, but there is not a lot to go with here. Needs a good

safety shot here. Not a bad target, particularly with the yellow not

being on its spot, so, the yellow, green and brown, if he can get

somewhere near the baulk Kristian and use those as the blockers. --

baulk cushion. Pretty good. Excellent shot. That

was a crafty shot! The perfect line. Half a chance for Shaun Murphy.

Under normal circumstances you would expect him to pot this long ball,

back up from the blue. That is better. Excellent.

He didn't play that confident. Usually likes to stay behind the

baulk line, so just stay behind the green. The red are spread, so he is

not guaranteed to hit a red here, Mark Selby, and leave it safe. But

if any one time, he can. His knowledge of the angles is as good

as anyone in the game at the moment, escaping from sneakers and the like.

Absolutely, if he can get to this left-hand cushion, well, you cannot

see it, but he is trying to lay on the red as close to the left-hand

pocket. He purposely came down to make sure

that the red doesn't go right into the centre, that is what he could

say that shot, because the red would come past the pink entity would have

to play a different shot. Was very well work dead, could not play much

better than that. If that had been straight, you would

have played it, I can only assume the fact that he wrote up to the

green, you did have a look at it, but if it had been straight, he

would have played it, but he did not want to risk it. You cannot blame

him, 4-0 behind, but every mistake he makes now is going to be

magnified, in his own mind, apart from what happens on the table. He

is really under pressure here. Could pot. Now, this needs to slow

up a touch. Is that not always the way? When you always need the run of

the ball when you are behind, you never seem to get it. Excellent

pot, but as you say, it is Murphy 's law. When you need that little bit

of luck, you do not get it. He has had to very good parts in this

frame. Very unlucky to finish there. The problem with that is, he has

made it awkward cueing, but not so much to play the one on the

right-hand side of the cushion, which he can come off the side of.

Is fairly straightforward shot for Mark.

Yes, this is the one he is looking at. It is not really awkward for

him. He could be in trouble here, Shaun.

He left Timmy straightforward safety shot.

Just looking to see if he rules this red onto the top cushion, will he

leave everything safe. He does not see a way back to the baulk area.

That is the only one he can hit. He cannot try and pot his way out of

trouble, because this will not go past the pink. I wonder if he may

try and come off two cushions and clip that couple of reds the. That

is very good. That is superb. There did not look as if there was any way

he could get the cue ball back to the baulk area. He does not normally

take that long over a shot, but that was worth the wait. He played it

with the touch of right-hand sidespin. Superb safety. Getting

plenty of respect from Mark Selby. Well, excellent safety shot from

Shaun Murphy, but he is in trouble once again. This time, he is in

accord on all of their heads. He knows that one more mistake,

given the way the ball is situated, and it could be another frame gone.

Yes, a similar shot to the one I was suggesting last time. It is a very

dangerous shot. Anything more than quarter ball and he is virtually

guaranteed to leave one on. Well played. Excellent shot. Well

done. And a good cue ball. That is to create a skit is from Shaun. --

two great escapes. And another top drawer safety from

Mark Selby. Both his potting and his safety plea has been of the higher

standard today. Mark Selby is certainly calling the

shots in this tactical exchange. He does not have far to walk when he

gets out of his seat, does he Shaun?

This could be very good. It just ran a fraction too far and there could

be a chance of the pot on here for Mark. I think the right-hand one, if

he can hit enough of it. Now he took the other one, he

thought that would offer him better position and get the cue ball back

to the baulk line and the green is possible.

Well held for these two grades. This has been very good stuff from Mark

Selby. It is his excellent safety shots which have created this

opportunity. A bit straight on the blue, so he

had to play for the open red. He is wanting to leave himself a thin pot

on the pink, so he can come background and disturb that pack of

reds. He can hit this with as much pace as

you like. Could actually have hit it a lot

harder than that. There are so many balls the that it was always going

to cushion the cue ball. When we saw the replay, that was the

last red that he actually wanted to hit. It was acting as something of a

blocker. It does not look as if he can win the frame from this visit,

he is looking at the safety. Well, you cannot beat a bit of

luck. At the moment, Shaun could do with it. A good run of the ball is

will help if he is to make a comeback.

Just looking at the safety shot, but if that red that he ported had

nestled up at that pocket, the frame could have been over.

Yes, that is a snooker. Michaela Tabb having a close look, just in

kiss she has two replace any of the balls.

As I said earlier, he is very good at peacekeeping from these. --

peacekeeping. on, but I think that Shaun will be

quite happy to put this back. That, of course, is why she was

having a good look at the situation. If the Miss gets cold, then

obviously, the balls have to be replaced.

He is just wanting to catch that quarter ball. You always feel with

this type of shot, that you feel more comfortable playing it with the

trace of sidespin, but he is not doing that.

Of course, because he cannot hit anything, he can have as many goes

as he wants at this. I think Shaun is just having a bit

of exercise! I think Mark Selby is questioning

the scoreboard. In the arena, the scoreboard is

slightly different to our run. They have got an 18 point difference and

we have a 31 point difference. Yes, the score should be 50-19. He

is getting on the phone. Maybe he is ordering a pizza. Hello, we have got

is problem with the scoreboard! It should be 50-19, that is what we

have on the score. They have now reduced marks score!

Rate, that is what we have got. We have got the same as they have

there. It had better be right, we have got

no nails to phone! -- no one else. That tape of shot, as you said, if

you catch it too thick, you are virtually always going to leave it,

and that is what he has done. He cannot afford to miss these have

chances. He has to play no mistake snooker from now on.

He could swear of it, but he would be leaving something.

Being 31 points behind, he simply can leave another chance for Mark

Selby. It shows you how quickly things can change. That is probably

as good as he could have done, but he has still left this chance. If

this goes on, you have to fancy Mark Selby taking the frame.

This is class. Everything is going into the centre of the pocket from

Mark Selby. His safety has been top quality.

He let that one go a little bit, but he does still have this. I think he

suspected that the raid that he wanted to cannon into, he was going

to have a much thicker contact with it. This is as good as I have seen

him playing for a while. That is virtually the first easy one

he has missed in this match. He has the choice of ink or blue.

The problem ball is obvious, that one on the left hand cushion.

No, he missed that by a long way. That surely no means it will be

5-nil. This will put 44 points in front he should have looked at the

scoreboard. If he had played the pink no, wait, it is me who has made

a mistake. I am getting carried away. There is only 35 remaining!

Nearly. Things are just not running the way of Shaun this afternoon.

Mainly due to the high standard Mark Selby has set.

5-0. No, Mark Selby simply just one frame away from the final of the

Dafabet Masters. Any team he has had the chance, he

has not been able to take it? Yes, he had a chance in the fourth

frame. I know it was difficult, but that at this level, you simply need

to get these and score. When you are playing one of the best players in

the game, you simply have to score. Ken was saying that he had not seen

him playing so fluently as this for quite a long time. Even at the

United Kingdom Championships, he was relying a lot more on his defensive

skills. Yes, he looks in very clinical mode. If he gets to the

final and Rodney Sullivan does beat Stephen Maguire, let alone to

superheroes, it will be the irresistible force against the

immovable object and it will be interesting who is going to give

weight first? They're clearly bit we have a long way to go before that. I

am sure Stephen Maguire will something to this day about that.

Now, what can Shaun do? He simply asked to play snooker with no

mistakes. He has come back before? Yes, but not in this sort of

situation. If you are a 4-1 in front, you are still two away from

the finishing line. When you get that first one, you are sunk in that

year and it is a big hole to dig yourself out of. In the old days,

when it was first to name, you still have a chance, but when it is first

to only six, you are in a very difficult situation. Mark Selby has

never achieved a whitewash in all of his matches at the Masters. That is

strange, given his dominance. He is now looking at his first final in

seven years, which is extraordinary. Yes he is a tremendous competitor. I

take my hat off to him. Whenever he comes up, he really compete.

Mark Selby breaks off in the frame which will put him into the final if

he is victorious. It is an unexpected squabbling. Yes, I

thought this would be a much closer match.

So difficult when you are five behind and everything your opponent

seems to it is going in in his safety is top quality. When the

chances to come along, they just become much more difficult to take

them. He did get a couple of chances, Shaun, . You always get

chances, but in the first couple of frames, Shaun was completely frozen

out. It was nothing to do with him. It was just the standard that Mark

was showing. There, he has played the part, got the double kiss and

look where the cue ball has finished. When you do not need the

luck, you always seem to get it. That is the one thing about this

match, Shaun Murphy never stopped playing the aggressive side. And I

do not think he is going to stop now, 5-0 down. He needs a bit of

help from his opponent, but you cannot see that coming. , because it

is not as if Mark Selby is a 1-dimensional player, by any. I

cannot recall anybody coming back from high five and zero behind on

any event. -- 5-0 behind. I think in a final once, Stephen Hendry was 8-2

behind. Well, he has misjudged that, and

Shaun Murphy can get through to this red. He just has got to try and keep

a positive thought in his mind here. Forget the scoreboard, forget

everything else, just concentrate on one shot at a time. Easier said than

done, but that is what he has got to try and do.

He wants to leave an ankle after potting this red on the pinks so he

can pot that other red away from the pink spot. -- leave an angle. He

needs to keep the pink available into a couple of pocket. --

pockets. A little bit thinner on this blue

then he would have liked it. But he has controlled the cue ball nicely,

and now back in good session. There was a heavy contact there in

fairness to Shaun Murphy. Let's have a look at it again. Not quite sure

why the red jumped, but it sounded like a heavy contact. You heard the

signing from Shaun Murphy the moment he played that shot. -- sighing. It

seemed to come off a bit square, the red, you would not expect to miss it

under normal circumstances. I always say, the frame that takes

you past the winning line is the hardest one to win, but he has paid

so well, Mark Selby. -- played. There you go. He wasn't doing that

early in the match. I thought it was in for a moment. It was the pace

that kept it out. He does not want to risk playing

cannons at the moment. An example of his cue action, just a

lazy cue action through that cue ball with no effort.

He will have to play the cannon this time. He needs a bit of luck.

Not bad, but he would have liked to have been closer to these red.

Gone are little bit strappy at the moment, just a little bit of oil. --

gone a little bit scrappy. Shaun Murphy needs to take his

chances. He played the blue, but just

overscrewed it slightly. He has played it nicely, just run a

fraction too far, would have been good...

Just about. Need more paid on that link and it would not have dropped.

-- more pace on that pink. Again, he has lost the cue ball, but

he is OK, he has got the pink into the green pocket or the right-centre

if he wishes. No, just not happening now for Shaun

Murphy. Mark Selby comes to the table 41

points behind with 59 remaining. He looks to drift past the blue, but he

didn't. I doubt whether he would be winning the frame at this visit.

He is attacking this yellow and a positive manner.

He played it pretty well. If it had run down a bit further, he might

been able to pot this red and hold for the black, but I do not think

this is the case, you will have to go for the blue.

Just caught him out. Another chance for Shaun Murphy. 38 point lead. He

cannot really get on the pink. The black is not going to be available,

Sophie plays blue or baulk colour, he will need more of these remaining

reds. -- so if he plays. It is not a given.

Just another glance at the scoreboard, the blue would put him

ahead. Once new crew needed, but this could

be his first frame on the scoreboard. -- on snooker needed.

His first step on the ladder, possibly.

He hit that all wrong, but he has got away with it. Shaun Murphy will

play the double to the right middle, if this goes in, it is frame over.

He has left a chance here. Red off the right-hand side cushion, cue

ball in behind the black, there is enough room behind the black for the

cue ball here. It needs to run. He just needs to be a little bit

careful here, Shaun Murphy. Mark Selby need on snooker, but we all

know how good he is at the Angles. -- needs one snooker.

He tried to get back on the blue, that will not be helping his cause,

because he is not on it. He should take the green, that would put 40

points behind so he would need a second snooker.

If he was going to play the pot on the red, he could have stunned down

to the black, but now, he needs two snookers.

Wo snookers is it take ask. -- two snookers is a big ask. You can

always rely on Mark Selby, normally thinking of something.

Nearly got behind the black. If he had have done, that would have been

a really telling snooker but not quite. He does not want to bring the

pink away from the baulk cushion, but I do not see how he can avoid

it. He did with the double-kiss, so that is pink and brown. Two balls

that Mark cannot snooker behind. A good shot. And if Mark doesn't hit

this red, I think he will concede. I think you may look at Shaun

Murphy. They are nodding at one another. Shaun Murphy avoids the

dreaded whitewash and you can hear this reaction on this packed crowd

here at Alexandra Palace, they want more, can you give them or? We will

see, but he still trails by five frames to one.

Having courage and, have irony from the crowd, and he will be really

relieved to the crowd, and he will be really

invite the whitewash, the embarrassment potential is gone.

Yes, thankfully he has won a frame. He had a couple of chances on that

one, but Mark Selby. Near the line and he had a look at it and thought,

well, I will not get over it so easily, so he got a view lifelines,

which good to see him get off the mark. Has the quality dipped a

little bit for Mark Selby in that frame with the line inside?

Possibly, but you should never judge a player by one frame. Generally, a

day 's play is how you judge yourself, by tournament, yes, by

year, yes, but on a frame, and a thing can happen. It would be

understandable that if he didn't keep that up all the time, but you

would expect him to win one of the frames. He is not going to be in a

situation where he doesn't get chances, even though Shaun Murphy

has gone off to the telephone box to get changed into the kit. The

Superman on the! -- onesie! In the first few frames, he has been

virtually powerless, what is he doing compare to the form he had all

week? He is just up against a better quality of opponent this time. He

definitely should have won frame for, but you do not win those

frames, and you put yourself under or pressure. Four - zero, 5-0

behind. He has not done too many things wrong today, but what he has

done has been highlighted by this play on Mark Selby. You practice on

the practice table before the match, but if you're sitting on your chair

for two, three frames, then you have not played for about an hour or 45

minutes. We have got one, will be more to come, let us find out?

Shaun Murphy will be hoping that is not the last time he has broken off

in this match, but he has left the chance of a pot for Mark Selby and

the black is available. At first glance, it looks that he

has got away with it. Quite a long way away from that pot.

It is hard to understand why Shaun Murphy hasn't been on his game

today. He did look quite good against Marco Fu in the previous

round. Some days, I know we are nit-picking a little bit, but I

think that first frame, that first framework he broke off and gave Mark

Selby that... Is the door shut? We have got... This seems to be some

noise. That seems to be some noise coming from the back of the arena.

I think you can come into a match with a game plan, but when you break

off as badly as Shaun Murphy did in the first frame, and a know it is

only one frame, but that really did give Mark Selby a left, to get on

the table, when the frame in one visit, and he gets a chance in the

next one. Made 104, so he had gone two frames, Shaun Murphy, which

lasted about 25 minutes and not patted a ball, and then the third

frame, Selby got in and made 50, and all of a sudden, you feel like you

are getting no table time and all that practice you have done, on the

practice tables, it was just getting nothing on the match table, and it

soon can start to slip away from you. Everything snowballed as well,

every time you come to the table, when you have been so cold,

everything looks a little bit more difficult and it usually does. I

think the other thing that we must... Where is the cue ball going?

That is careless, years left the red to the middle. That could be very,

very costly. I was also going to say, apart from the potting and

brick building from Mark Selby, his safety play, all right, it might

have dropped a bit in the last frame, but prior to that, it had

been excellent. He was winning the tactical exchanges and freezing Sean

ad, but here is the chance to score in this frame but he needs for a

place in the final. Just a wrong angle on the black. If

you can get the cue ball somewhere where it is now, he will have a read

up into the green pocket after potting this black. There you can

see, he would love to be on that one into the same pocket as well. -- he

will have a red. He played an excellent shot, that

was inch perfect. It is good to have another look at

that shot. Absolutely to the inch. The black is available into both

corners, and actually on this red. I might be thinking about playing the

middle to read this. -- two read all.

Of course, potting that one opens the red beside it into that pocket

as well, and he has got a lovely angle on this red if he wants to

bring some order into play. Just slide off the bunch and screw back

if he wishes. He will play the follow through, just playing from

the red above and staying on the black. He misjudged that, I do not

think he is on the black. OK, pink is second prize, but this is not

what he played on. I say it wasn't a problem, he made

certain of the pink, you knew it would not be perfect on the red, but

with new being in the middle pocket, just do not miss the pink. And this

is not too difficult a pot. Did not look too difficult, but he

has missed it. A bit on the thin side. Where is

this red going? Near the pocket. And it will cut in. There is a lot of

distance between cue ball and object ball, but it is another half chance

for Mark Selby. He already has a 43 point lead. If he can pot this red

and get a position on the colour, this could be the match-winning

opportunity. Ingo was the red. And it looks like

he is going to line absolutely perfectly on the black. This is the

chance to clinch it. He played a similar shot before, and

he has played that absolutely perfect again.

There is one loose red the top of the cluster, and he hasn't really

got the perfect angle, so I think he will play for that one loose red. He

decided to go into the cluster, it was risky, but he has got on to the

left middle. Whether it is automatic is a

different matter. But he obviously decided to go for the frame and the

Murch. -- match. Not far enough. He really wanted it

to slide past the red, so that is probably end of break. Still 83

points remaining, so it is not over yet.

The straightforward safety shop would be off that red he is level

with on the right-hand side of the table, but he does not want to bring

that one back into play. Once again, his safety play as top

quality. May just roll-up to the pink here.

If he can get it as state as possible.

He decided to play an firm and that was a clever shot, trying to bring

the other reds back into play. Well thought out and well played.

Mark walking round the, complemented Shaun on that shot. Sure and it off

to such a bad start that we do not know if his plan to attack would

have worked it. He has got a slight problem, but

when you have a lead such as 5-1, you can always take the chance of

trying to pot your way out of trouble. He has tried to play the

containing safety shot, but it is not a good one. He has left the red

into the rate centre. -- rate. Shaun knows he cannot afford to miss

any more in this frame. Well played. He held his nerve there.

He is going to try and get the back black back onto its spot.

The black will leave him 40 points behind, with 51 remaining, so he

does not necessarily need to take a value colours. I think he was trying

to just nudge one of the reds away from the cushion.

It is amazing. Stephen Hendry says Shaun Murphy is one of the best rest

players in the game and his percentage with it is normally very

good, but it has not been in this match. Now, just a red and the

colour required. There was unnatural angle to drop in

behind these two, but he just made sure of the hot. -- pot.

It is not looking good now for Shaun Murphy and his supporters. But you

have to take your hat off to Mark Selby. OK, he has missed a few shots

in the last couple of frames, but you have to expect that. But he

excelled in the earlier part of the match. To snooker 's now required.

Vicky will be very pleased and proud of the way that Mark has played.

We spoke about his record in this tournament. This will be his fifth

appearance in the final in seven years. And as Steve alluded to, he

likes the one table centre stage. They call them the Jester and this

Alexandra Palace arena has become very special. We have had the

tremendous turnout and the atmosphere is also just tremendous.

We call him the Jester from Leicester and this is centre stage,

he can express himself. In the two table situation, you feel slightly

inhibited sometimes. He did not want to knock the

yellowing. He was not too bothered about that.

He is just wanting that one chance to what the red which will result in

the handshake. He could go for this. If this goes

on, that will be the end. Well played, Mark Selby. That is

an. Shaun Murphy will be ready to concede.

This has been a marvellous all-round performance. High-scoring Everly on

in the Murch, great tactical play and you always felt, the way he was

playing, that once he went five frames in front, he was never going

to be pegged back. Shaun comes out of this chair and congratulate Sam.

They are great friends. Nothing Shaun could do about that. Mark

Selby as shown his class. Getting congratulations from everyone and he

is in the final, yet again. He runs out a very comfortable 6-1 winner.

Yes, his fifth final in seven years. What sort of statement that he make

today? Yes, he is in a very good state for the final. The real Mark

Selby town. , simple as that. He always competes. Today, that was

more like his 80 game. He often relies on his defensive skills, but

that was more like that. A bit easier than you might have

anticipated? Yes, I got off to a good start and it was really the

fourth frame before Shaun really got a chance. But I built up a

convincing lead and it was just a question of keeping it that way.

Lately, I got to the United Kingdom championship, but as I said to John,

I have not been taking my chances as much in the past. I have maybe been

listening to too many people in tinkering with things. I have gone

back to playing away I did which got me there. Is there a difference? I

think so much of the game is mental. When I play a bit quicker,

that is my natural pace, a play a lot better. But out there, it is

more difficult, because if you are struggling, everything becomes more

difficult. We have been talking about horses for courses and you

have a fantastic record to you. I enjoyed the one table setup. Every

time you go out there, it feels like a final. The code are fantastic. I

seem to do that every team I come here. As a statement, whoever you

face, who do you think it will be, Stephen Maguire or Ronnie

O'Sullivan? I think Stephen has been struggling for a few years, he would

say that himself, he has not won as much as he should of done. But not

many people could stop Ronnie Sullivan on the performance he gave

yesterday. It will be a great game tonight and I look forward to the

final, whoever it is. Will you watch the match tonight? I have got a few

friends and family down and proper just relax and go out for food and

forget about it. Can you describe why you love this tournament so

much? I do not know. I have had a lot in deciding frame is one

everyone. It is just the venue. To do it here, I do not know. It is a

prestigious tournament and it is the will to win, I never want to lose.

It was a terror threat performance and we very much look forward to

seeing you tomorrow. -- traffic. We will have the second semifinal at

seven o'clock this evening. I match of the Day is on 10:20pm on BBC One.

Seven o'clock on BBC Two this evening. See you later.