Final Part 1 - Barry Hawkins v Ronnie O'Sullivan Masters Snooker

That afternoon, winter arrived across the country,

That afternoon, winter time for you to shake off

That afternoon, winter and settle down to share with us the

42nd Masters final, this event has been going here in the capital since

1975 foot of this sudden and Ronnie O'Sullivan is attempting to match

defeats of the great Stephen Hendrie, trying to win this Masters

title for a record equalling sixth time but for his opponent, Barry

Hawkins, he is aiming to make a breakthrough at long last and one of

snooker's three big major events, this has already been a brilliant

event over the last eight days with memories of maximums that might have

been and world record-breaking performances and a first ever

forfeited frame. It has been quite a week.

COMMENTATOR: Would you believe it? What a way to lose a frame.

And the defending champion is knocked out by the young man from

Northern Ireland. Is he taking this on? Is he taking this on? What a

shot. Barry Hawkins, the first time he has won a match at the Masters.

He is going for the magical maximum. There will be a raw if this goes on.

Get in there. Absolutely fantastic. He has hit it

thick. Stuart Bingham will be over the moon

having won his first match here in the Masters.

What a shot he has played there. It has been a fabulous match. He is

back. What a shot. Unbelievable. Has to

commit. How did that drop? It has been

absolutely sensational. One of the greatest matches you will ever see,

Judd Trump wins a classic, 6-5. Tough shot. It is they are, what a

shot and he is perfect on the pink. Unbelievable match, that is what it

means to Barry Hawkins. You cannot get any better, what a

pot that was. What a last red that Ronnie O'Sullivan potted and Ronnie

O'Sullivan has beaten the world champion.

Both of the finalist Armand on us but nobody feels more at home in

this event and Ronnie O'Sullivan, this is his 11th final in 22 years

and last night he broke the record for the number of matches played

you, 62 and counting, but for Barry Hawkins, he has never really felt

comfortable in this event and he has been trying for nine years to

finally win a match here, been trying for nine years to

he has done so to get to this final, huge stage for both men but they

have met on the biggest stage of all, the Crucible final in

Sheffield. Ronnie O'Sullivan draws the Cros. It

will be a packed arena, cannot expect the better occasion, if you

can't enjoy that, you might as well go home. Because of the tournaments

I have one compared to Barry, you would say he has more experience in

those situations. You don't get any easy draws, they are all tough

games. A great relief if you manage to beat the best players in the

world. He has great cueing and temperament and a great

break-builder, quite efficient amongst the balls. When I played him

in the world final, the year before I played a lot of snooker, I had a

long lay-off and I still felt I played a lot of snooker, I had a

the foundation but the last 18 months, I have taken my eye off the

ball. I played really well in the final and if you can take confidence

from that or get relief from that, there is something wrong. If you are

not firing on all cylinders, you have to make up for it with certain

things and it is having the temperament, if I find my dear, then

I can apply some sort of pressure to Barry and hopefully have some sort

of impact on the game. It will be fantastic if I manage to do it and

go on and win one. It is every player's dream apart from winning

the World Championship, to win the Masters.

Everybody at Ally Pally is anticipating a great final, a great

tournaments of, perhaps the only consent, the head-to-head between

the two players, quite emphatically towards Ronnie O'Sullivan. Not ideal

for Barry playing against somebody you have only beaten once but

hopefully the occasion is big enough that they can forget all those

defeats. Barry Hawkins one of the most underrated players, been to the

final of the World Championship and somewhere down the line he will

convert what might you would think so. He is coming against Ronnie

O'Sullivan today, so it will be a big test. Let's talk about Ronnie

O'Sullivan, he play some of the most amazing shots last night, the whole

crowd is an uproar, cheering and standing up and comes into the press

room and says, I played rubbish. It is just not going right, I cannot

hit two balls the same, what is going on, is he talking himself down

for a reason, is that what he feels because you would not have said

that, you would have said I am going brilliantly? One of the players pay

any attention to what he says any more! They are getting used to that.

Ronnie will be up for today, it sparked into life, things like that

get him going. The statistics point towards

O'Sullivan. Those figures do not reflect just how well Hawkins has

performed to get into this final or indeed how much of a struggle Ronnie

says he is having with his game right now after taking eight months

away from the sport. So what are we going to get from both men, we are

about if find out as we get a Masters final underway. MC Rob

Walker, over to you. Thanks and good afternoon ladies and

gentlemen, this is it, it is the big one, welcome to the final of the

2016 Masters, it has been one of the best weeks in the 41 year history of

this tournament and now we get to see a finish with a flourish. Ladies

and gentlemen, let's get the boys on their base.

Please welcome a player who has come of age over the last few seasons, he

won his first ranking title in Australia four years ago and has not

looked back since, beating Judd Trump to book his place in a maiden

Masters final, this is one of the biggest matches of his career so

far, so let's hear Ally Pally raw for the eagle eyed Barry Hawkins.

And his opponent, a player who has been thrilling Masters crowds in

London for more than two Becketts, bidding for a record equalling sixth

title in this tournament, five times a champion of the wild, blink and

you miss him, the Rocket Ronnie O'Sullivan.

The best of 19 friends, played over two sections but it claims this

afternoon and spend it in the company of two men no stranger to

Masters finals, Dennis Taylor and Ken Doherty.

It is cold outside but certainly warm in here. COMMENTATOR: The usual

photographs being taken there before the start of the final and what are

we in for this afternoon? Can Barry Hawkins reproduce the form he did

against Judd Trump? Three centuries and two century breaks. Absolutely,

the traditional handshake, the atmosphere is electric, can not wait

for this to start. A lot of friends and family in here.

What an introduction for both players. That is what they are

playing for, who will lift that beautiful crystal trophy tonight? An

interesting matchup, Dennis, played each other in the world final,

Ronnie has a great record against Barry Hawkins but every single out

the window now, it is different. Just look at the pace of the table,

he just played that gently and the quite still got up. Not the best

take-off shot. -- break off. He might need the extension here to

get back on the table, he cannot get off the reds beside the pink. Pretty

straightforward safety shot. Good length with the cue ball. And

what Barry would give to have a start like he had against Judd

Trump, two century breaks in the first two frames.

That just got a little glimpse of Steve Peters, who has been working

with Ronnie for a few years, sitting next to Jason Francis and that is

Steve in the middle there. That was a half chance that Barry

let slip there. Ronnie didn't risk the safety shot,

but the black has gone over the other pocket. The black will be

closer to the red, he has to be careful, he could snooker himself

behind a black, decent chance. I'm sure he will played with a lot of

pace to get the cue ball up the other side of the table. Little bit

of an early start from Barry Hawkins. Not that easy when you are

coming up against occlusion but expected to pot it. And the black

spot is not covered and it might pot into the bottom corner pocket.

Interesting to see, not the best shot from Ronnie O'Sullivan, could

have, it another 12-18 inches there. Still on this red, did have his hand

on the table. the top of the programme, Ronnie

trying to reach six Masters titles to reach Stephen Hendrie's six wins

and the greats in the game always seem to start an opening frame so

well, the number of times Stephen Hendrie made a century break in the

opening frame was amazing. Seemed to have a knack of getting off to a

quick start. That was a Filbert Street on the black. Always had a

knack of setting their stall out very early and stating their

intentions. Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis as well.

Going for the red in the middle pocket, was not quite a good angle

to nudge the red away, just above the black to open those two up.

Just the wrong side of the blue, so he will have a problem here.

Medium length pot, not as easy as it would have been if it was the

correct side of the blue. 45 break, he will be disappointed he

didn't win the frame from that position, just short of the blue, it

curtailed his break. It is so important for Barry Hawkins

in this final to get a good start, because we know how good a front

runner Ronnie is anti-war just steam roller him if he gets a couple of

frames. It is important for Barry to set his stall out early in the match

and try and put Ronnie under some pressure. Get a couple of frames

early on the scoreboard. He is just a little bit out at the

moment but he will settle for that. Matt Harrison, his son -- Harrison,

his son, he was introduced to the crowd before. Usually bring a couple

of youngsters out. Barry kept running out of the practice room to

see his son. That was a tremendous shot.

Great pace, watch him swerve it defined the angle and then the

left-hand side takes off the cushion.

He was fortunately because he had to hit that read so thin and he didn't

but the other red helped the White to get back down the table. No

attempt at the pot there. But the safety is pretty good. If you can

get past the green he might be able to sneak this red into the right

corner and he can play the safety shot but that will be in the back of

his mind. Getting a little bit awkward now,

the reds, Barry needs them in open play because he is behind. Not easy

to score from. Got to be careful here, that red has

just come up above the pink spot, makes things a little bit awkward

year, does not want to put the black safe here either. That is pretty

good from where he was. One thing about Barry Hoffman 's,

his safety play is top quality. -- about Barry Hawkins.

He could do with an easy starter just to relax, get a little bit of

confidence going, Ronnie is making sure he keeps things tight and

protecting the 46 point advantage. That is pretty good if it keeps on

running. Another couple of rules and Ronnie would be snookered on the

reds on the left side of the table, it has come up a little bit short.

Now then, he has put the black safe, that is a bonus, the paint is safe.

The first easy chance that Barry has had but there were not going to be a

lot available for him. If he could get onto the blue in such a way, he

could maybe develop the black and a couple of reds. The main thing is to

get a few pots and get a bit of confidence going. Absolutely. A

couple of these reds and blues, he has to get them to even contemplate

getting the black into play and get it going.

Has to try to cut that deficit and take these loose reds here.

There's a possibility if he gets on this red the right corner that he is

cueing up at it. Maybe he could play at cannon of that and get the red

and black into the open but it will be difficult. Let's see how he

finishes on this. There is a slight chance that he could play a cannon

here. The interesting to see if he does that whether he concentrates on

the blue. He has played the cannon and brought the red and black into

play. A little bit unlucky, he might be able to cut the brown but a

little bit unlucky, he freed the red and the black. Could have easily

been on the black into the left centre. This is still cuttable.

The fact he was left-handed meant that shot little bit easier but he

can't pot this red and get onto the black. -- if he can pot this red and

get onto the black, he has a good chance.

Amazing from one shot back, he almost opened up the whole game. Try

to bring that back into play. You could hear a pin drop at the

moment in the Ally Pally. Barry got a fantastic reception as well on

this crowd when he got introduced, a very popular player and a very

likeable lad. Very laid-back. The players all think the world of this

young man. Just coming around to have a look.

If you can get the cue ball just above the pink spot he could

possibly pot this red on the right-hand side and bring the other

one just above it into play. Nice angle. He has gone a little bit too

far. Did not want to be using the rest.

He can just about reach but a bit awkward reaching over the blue.

APPLAUSE That will do. Nicely on the black as

well, he can screw back and get behind this red. Into the opposite

left centre. It has been a great break so far. Just overscrewed it

slightly, he wanted to roll it in and get to the blue and then get to

the yellow because if the yellow does not past the pink to the right

corner he would have the perfect angle on the blue to bring it into

play. He's got that one red that is near

the cushion. If he gets nicely on it shouldn't be a problem. The problem

will be the yellow that is next to the pink.

He will have to play the snooker now. You have to make him slight

favourite now, with 46 points each and he has a chance to make a good

snooker. Send the red up. The pink should be the snookering ball. Barry

Hawkins, 46. APPLAUSE A good 46 break, but he hasn't got

the snooker. That was a clever little shot from

Ronnie O'Sullivan, purposely using the black to keep the white as close

to this top cushion as possible. All you can do is just hit that and

hope you can get it safe. Ronnie knocked a long red in against Stuart

Bingham last night, and it was quite incredible, to win the match.

Just a little bit of tension in this opening frame. You can see the

yellow does pass the pink. Just having a good look, Barry.

If he can pot this, what a chance. So important to get that opening

frame. It is the best of 19 but it is or is good to get the first frame

on the board. Not the best from Ronnie. Wanted to

get that red somewhere closer to this top cushion. He has the chance

at a pot, the only problem is the cue ball might be running into the

black. He's come around to look at the angle. Definitely worth having a

go at this. Didn't quite get enough side on that

otherwise the White would have stayed near the cushion. Another

chance of a long pot, he has knocked so many long balls in in the past

eight days, and there is another one.

But, does the yellow now go, or is the green in the way? The Green must

be in the way. He's played to free it. If the yellow doesn't pass the

blue... Then it's a safety shot. Ronnie O'Sullivan, 4.

A beautifully controlled shot. Beautiful touch, to play it with

that dead weight. This looks good, is it? The yellow

needs to travel. Well, one good long pot and it will secure the frame.

It's not an easy one. It's not there.

Should have already been in the second frame, Ronnie ran out of

position when he was on 46. Got the main part of the shot, now

he has to play hopefully what he would like to see as a snooker.

A nice little kiss on the blue to send the green behind the pink. Easy

to escape from, but where are they going to finish up?

Ronnie could be in trouble here again. Roll the cue ball in behind

the blue here. Plenty of tension out there in this

opening frame. This is another decent chance for Barry.

Needs to travel a bit further. It's not perfect. Just having to come

away from the blue, somewhat. Straight on the brown and it would

have just been so easy to have clinched the frame.

He's got to try around the table now.

Good shot, and nicely on the pink. A little close to the cushion for

comfort. Just needs the pink. Very well played from Barry Hawkins.

Ronnie started with a break of 45 and he got the wrong side of the

blue, otherwise I am sure he would have clinched the frame with one

visit. Great comeback from Barry Hawkins, takes the opening frame and

leads 1-0. We thought it would be short and brisk, very absorbing

opening frame. Yes, I think Ronnie O'Sullivan would have been

disappointed. He got to 40 points, came wrong on the blue and it all

came to an abrupt halt, which are not used to sing study is the first

frame. In a way, this session is the first session they are playing where

there is no conclusion. That puts a slant on it. Barry Hawkins started

so beautifully and crisply against Judd Trump with back-to-back

centuries. He was 45 points behind, how much does it give you confidence

about the job ahead? I think it will give you great confidence. Ronnie

has not had the cue ball under control, maybe because he has not

played in many tournaments. His safety play looks a bit ragged. That

will give Barry hope. The fact Ronnie was in first, and your so

used to him winning frames and one visit. It can only give him

confidence. He told about the World Championship final between the two a

few years ago to study said he played his very best and at the top

of his game, he made six centuries against Barry and Barry made two. He

equipped ins after a well in the final. He did. The way Barry Hawkins

finally took his chance shows he is up for it. He got the balls out into

the open quite nicely. Certainly settled Barry down. Many questions

for Ronnie O'Sullivan. Frame number two.

Must be a fan of Dennis Taylor and Willie Thorne. Nice classes. --

glasses. That will do. That just makes the

safety shot little more awkward, when you are striking over a ball

like this. That is why Ronnie didn't even

contemplate trying to come back down the table, because of that difficult

cueing. REFEREE: A foul and a miss. It

didn't move very far. He's trying a miscue and he has played it well.

You can have fresh air shots at snooker. He purposefully miscued so

he didn't miss the shot. This is the first one. That was a good shot to

only move it that far. We could do with a touching ball here just to

resolve this. Ronnie might be on this red. If he

could put it, he can certainly get on the black. Got to be careful of

the pink. Yes will Excellent shot. Purposefully using

the pack of reds. Is he on this red into this left-hand corner pocket? I

think the black is now on the brown spot so he has a bit of a problem.

The spot was occupied. It goes to the hide of -- highest available

spot. He would like to get the red away

from the black spot area, so he might take the yellow and play up

for that. How he doesn't mind, if he can get

himself onto the black. He doesn't have to play for the black here, he

could quite easily get on the blue, but interesting to see how he plays

it. He's gone up for the black. Needs to travel a little bit

further, though. Coming up a little bit short. Looks to be pretty

straight on the black here. Needs plenty of screw back and a bit of

side. There's the screw back and a little bit of side.

Just got to be careful here, got to find a gap when potting this red to

come back for the black. Gone for the blue, I thought that was a bit

risky, but beautifully cued. Let's have a look at the action he gets on

the cue ball here. Certainly open things up now.

Where is that you ball going? This is what happened in the opening

frame. He got the wrong side of the blue and then broke down. This is a

little bit awkward. He cued that beautifully from where

the cue ball was, but still awkward, the blue back on its spot means the

red to the left corner is for a difficult, in fact he doesn't even

want to know about it. Playing twice across the table to get back the

hind the brown. -- behind the brown. He has left this red, and Barry may

be forced into having a go at this. The only problem about taking this

on, the cue ball may be going into the pack of reds, around the pink.

That's one way of playing the safety shot.

Looks very focused today, Ronnie, and maybe that is down to Steve.

Maybe had a bit of a session before the match because he looks pretty

relaxed and pretty focused. Steve Peters, the sports psychologist and

Damien Hirst, just in front of him there. A good friend of Ronnie's, on

the right, smiling away. A huge fan of Ronnie.

He has made a bit of a mess of that, could have been easier than this.

The little kiss has just blocked the easy part pot.

I thought he'd put it on the right-hand jaw. A great chance now.

That was a bad mistake from Barry. This is where he makes the game look

so easy. Such rocket speed, average shot time only 16 seconds.

But you're right, Dennis, this certainly... He has the look of a

focus man this afternoon. -- focused man.

At times during the match against Stuart Bingham, he didn't look like

he was up for it all the time, but certainly produced some great

snooker. 59 head, just this red now and Barry

will need snookers. He is cueing beautifully, isn't he?

Yes, the opening frame all you did wrong was get the wrong side of the

blue and he made a break of 46, otherwise he would have scored

enough to win the opening frame. He is looking good here. Barry just

misjudged his safety shot. It has proved costly.

Wonderful little shot. He had to force the angle, and little bit

straight on the black, but forced the angle of the cue ball into the

reds and developed them. I tell you what, Dennis, the referee

has got his work cut out for him this afternoon. Ronnie is flying

around the table. Well, won't be too worried about the

red in the right centre. Ronnie O'Sullivan gets off the mark. It is

now 1-1. STUDIO: He told us last night it is scary out there, I am in

bits a lot of the time and a bit embarrassing about my performances.

Those were the words of Ronnie O'Sullivan. How much, does he seem

to you this morning? A little bit more composed. Not as much facial

expressions from bad shots. He looks quite calm. A nice break at the end.

It took him two visits to win the frame, which we are not used to when

he is at his very best. But yes, he does look a bit more composed.

Perhaps Ronnie was expected, on current form, to beat Stuart Bingham

last night. He has had a very rough time this season, by his own

admission. But when you look back early in this championship to the

game against Mark Selby Ronnie was absolutely flying, at his peak. Does

it take a level of opponent who is playing great stuff, to bring that

out of him? I think generally Ronnie O'Sullivan responds very well to

adversity. Sometimes he has to put it on himself, which is an

interesting thing. He needs to kick-start his enthusiasm by playing

in less tournaments, telling himself he's not playing great, that he has

to be fired up. He was last night, even though he said he didn't play

very well. He had a fair bit of resolve, he was digging in. That is

what he has to do today. Everyday is a different day. I think he respects

Barry Hawkins as a time when he is not as happy as he is currently. It

is the final as well. It doesn't matter who you are, you get up for a

final, especially the Masters or something like this. That will get

his focus today. And he has a target, trying to equal your record.

I wonder how you feel about that today? Listen, you want to keep your

records but I think it is inevitable that at some point he is going to

break the record. We head into frame three. Barry Hawkins to break.

Ronnie's nicked quite a few of Stephen Hendry's records. He has

overtaken him in the centuries Department. Overtaken him in the

maximum stop apartment. -- maximums Department.

Great opening plot. He has knocked some great pots in in the Masters.

Yes, his long game is good, to be honest.

I think over the years they might have been his Achilles heel, but

this week it has been sublime. The red at the back of the pack

goes. The one just left into the opposite corner.

Just watch this split, very good but he has to pull another long pot out.

This one going past the blue. Might have to play a little cannon

here. Better if you don't have to, but he can just nudge the red in the

middle there. That certainly as open things up,

just that one cannon has made quite a difference.

He just changed his mind, he did it earlier in the tournament, over the

black for security. He hadn't quite meet his mind up and played the shot

and jumped over the top of the black.

That is where you are playing into an area, you go too far for the one

he wanted but had a choice of three reds, so you put the cue ball in an

area where it sometimes gives you other options.

That's not too bad, he has a couple of reds to go out. Stephen Hendry

was talking in the studio over Ronnie O'Sullivan, a couple of

chances to win the frame and he has set one up now.

Amazing that this is his 11th final, going for his sixth but he has been

in 11 finals, that is some going. Quite amazing that he has not played

in a TV tournament since the World Championships where he lost in the

quarterfinals in April. To come back and produced this type of snooker is

just incredible. First century of the final beckons.

He has already made 806 in his career. Already had 25 centuries

this week, the record is 31. Yes, 2009, Kevin. Hill this is for the

century. Absolutely superb. We are only six and a half minutes

into the frame, it is quite incredible. Look at this shot, watch

the side to put it in between the brown on the DLO. Have a look at

that. -- and the yellow. Cannot get to the high break. Judd Trump made

our magnificent break of 140 against Neil Robertson in that incredible

match that had six centuries in 11 frames. But this is superb.

He has had 108 in this tournament already, this one supersedes that.

Absolutely fantastic from Ronnie O'Sullivan, he only needed one

chance and what did he do? He clears the table without magnificent break

of 136 and he leads 2-1. We talked about winning a frame with

one visit, you cannot do it any better than making 136 and Barry,

the mid-session interval coming up, he could still go there all square

at 2-2. It is early days, but Ronnie got in there with a fabulous long

pot. Here is the break of from Barry Hawkins. It is that red that all was

pops its head out on the right-hand side and Barry is trying to get

across behind the green and once that red pops itself out it is

almost like a shot to nothing, these days you are expecting players,

particularly of Ronnie's class to knock that in. A lot of players

would have tucked in behind the green because there are a few reds

open but Ronnie decided to knock in the long green and it was the right

decision because he won the frame from it. You're still right about

Barry Hawkins, he is going to expect Ronnie to produce some magic, there

is no doubt about that but still just one frame behind, big frame

coming up. He has got to stick with Ronnie O'Sullivan, he has got to

stick with him all the way through, don't let him get away into an early

lead. Whatever you do, do not have that

blue. At least he hasn't left one, it has turned out OK.

That there is a misjudgement from Barry Hawkins. It has not sneaked in

behind the blue. Very proficient in the safety Department. Did not get

enough spin on the ball there, wanted to bring it out for the black

and isn't on the black. Look at his focus, he has played a poor shot, he

is not bothered, just getting down on playing. This is tough. Wasn't

straightforward. The first shot, didn't quite get the side and maybe

the white drifted a little touch, hitting the red a little bit fuller

than he intended. He is doing this with left-hand side. And he hit the

full ball, that is why the white did not come away.

The referee looking carefully there. APPLAUSE

One of the top referees, from Belgium, pretty good at that as

well. He works in a hospital in Belgium.

Little bit of tension on that one, he didn't miss any of these against

Judd Trump. Of course, it puts added pressure on you when you have Ronnie

O'Sullivan coming behind you, playing the way he is. You cannot

afford to miss too many of those, Barry.

Very purposely leaving himself long on this black, will try to go into

the reds on his next shot. That is what he has done. He has to generate

a lot of power from this just to spin it through the reds. He is OK.

The red has come over the left centre. Getting a lot of back spin

on it, still OK. Listening to Ronnie's interview

after the match, he said the pockets are playing a little bit more

generous than usual. Only a fraction but they are so widely, the cloth,

the shot you play into the bunch, it is amazing how much the open up more

easily with a fast cloth. It still requires a lot of skill to play the

shot correctly but look how he has got the reds open now. They seem a

lot bigger when you are playing so well as well. When you are not

laying too well, that is when the fuel a lot tighter. -- feel a lot

tighter. Other moment he is -- at the moment he is making them look

like buckets. The referee waving his finger at the audience,, maybe

somebody with a camera. He doesn't just concentrate on the match, he

has to see what is going on the crowd. Fabulous crowd in again,

2000. Magnificent, look at that. Trying to win it in one visit again

here. The interval will be coming up after this frame. You set your stall

out for many sessions in long matches and Ronnie would be thinking

if he can take this 3-1, 4-0 would have been a bonus, but you would

take this. He thought the cue ball was going to

run on. Just a little bit onto this red. Maybe not. 52 points ahead. He

is playing the double here. Probably played that double in

frustration more than anything else. It wasn't like it was a shock to

nothing because he has left this red. The double again, he has left

this red. Great shot. Not that he has run out of position

many times. In the opening frames when he ran out of position he has

played the straightforward safety shot but Ronnie missed the double

and has let Barry back in. A cracking opening red. Very difficult

with the awkward reds. But as it -- it is a chance that Barry did not

think he was going to get. He won the opening frame after Ronnie had a

break of 46. 45 it was. What sort of an angle does he have

here? He can screw back behind the red into the corner.

He has got a little bit of angle, if you can get on the black in such a

way and get onto the red on the left-hand side of the table.

He did manage that. Tee shot coming up. If he parts the black he can get

the red as, one of those, keep your eye on the black. It can take care

of itself and put the red into play. He can get in behind it, being a

left-hander. He might take that option. Never really sure you are

trained to take the red out, but being a left-hander, it could be the

better option. -- not really sure that you are trying. Ilona Key has

gone too far to reach it, so has to use the rest, makes this pot more

difficult. Great shot. Fantastic shot with the rest.

Another very tough one he is faced with.

Brilliant. Little bit straight on the black but it was a cracking pot

on the red and you can see, almost dead straight. We'll need quite a

bit of screw back here. Just going to leave the long yellow, big shot

coming up. He did not want that double-kiss

there. He expected himself to get that yellow. It was a fantastic rate

up until then. And what a frame it will have been to have pinched after

Ronnie risked the double, made that break of 52. Nine points ahead. Just

brown and blue required. Put that camera away, please. Somebody still

with the camera. APPLAUSE He will be disappointed, he had a

chance. The pink goes in, Ronnie will not need the black, and other

frame on the board, Ronnie goes into the interval 3-1. Worrying times for

Barry Hawkins, he looked up for it after the first frame but the yellow

cost him in the end in that frame. Fantastic break up to them, didn't

look like an opportunity to win the frame, potted two great reds with

the rest, but these are the shots you have to make to win finals.

Should he be concerned about the score right now, they like this

early? It is just the waiters, that is Nagar, on another day you missed

the yellow Nichols said, you can't account for how the end up but nice

if they go into the pockets,. I was doing some digging as I do in terms

of career stats just before we came on air. I was looking at Barry

Hawkins and would you believe that it was in 2001, the LG cup, the

first time that John, Stephen and I worked together as a commentary team

and there was a young 21-year-old, Barry Hawkins made his first

breakthrough, got to the quarterfinals, that was the first we

had seen of him and taken him such a long time to earn his corn and get

through here, but did you spot the Nugget of talent that there was even

then? It is hard to predict where everybody was going to be. A player

like Barry Hawkins didn't stand out from the crowd for a long time until

he started getting to the final stages of the World Championship,

argue belief that might arguably he looked like one of many good

journeyman and that happens to a lot of those, it is the Robert Huth

because we talk about the best players in the world, until recently

this stock as a player. 15 years later, he is not flashy, his stock

has risen and is held in great esteem with a lot of his fellow

professionals. John Parrott had a quick word when he had beaten Judd

Trump in a really important semifinal yesterday which he made

the centuries to book his place and John chatted to him about the

magnitude and achievement of just being here today.

We will talk about the final in a minute, let's go back to the start

of it, you turn up this week, you have played five times at the

Masters and you have never won a match, what were you thinking, what

was the expectations at the start of the week? Is to win a game, just to

win one game. Every year I have driven across on the day, it is

local, it takes an hour, I have driven over every time and I thought

I would come over the day before and have a practice on the tables,

treated like any other tournament and lucky for me it seems to have

worked, I have played pretty solid all the way through. Started off

against your friend, he is one of your best mates. That was horrible,

not a great draw. Play together all the time on tour, me and Joe Perry.

When we both get beaten, we are the first at the bar to have a few

drinks, spending a long time with him. Wasn't a great draw but when we

are out there, it is business as usual. I was pleased to win that

match because Joe Perry is a great player. The second match, against

Mark Allen, you match play was good. The difference was my safety was

easy. He left me easy chances. Mark was playing really well against

Shaun Marsh fake, so I had to keep them off the table because when he

gets going he is hard to stop, he scores heavily and he doesn't mess.

I didn't set the world alight but I played solid matchplay. The safety

was the difference in that match. New got to the world final a few

years ago. That must have been magnificent experience for the

majors. You cannot buy that sort of experience. The biggest tournament

we can play. I played really well in that final. If you cannot take

confidence from that or a little bit of belief from that, there is

something wrong, it is a great experience and it has stood me in

good stead in the last year. New have got Ronnie O'Sullivan again in

a major final, what will that be like? Flea doesn't play as well as

he did in the final last time! It will be an unbelievable atmosphere

-- hopefully he doesn't play. It will be a packed arena and you can't

expect a better occasion than playing Ronnie in a major final. If

you can't enjoy that occasion, you might as well go home! It is the

Masters final, massive occasion, first or second biggest in your

Snicko career. What will it mean to be champion? It would mean

everything. -- in your snooker career. It would be fantastic if I

could win it, to win one, especially a big one, it is every player's

dream apart from winning the World Championship is to win the Masters

title, so I will try my best. If you have won here, you have beaten the

best. , Exactly, you don't get easy draws, they are all tough games, the

standard this week has been unbelievable. You get great belief

if you manage to beat the best players in the world and lift the

trophy. I wish you all the best. , Does Stuart Bingham like Barry

Hawkins does he need a major title to validate the work he has put in

over the last 20 years? You will have the win tournaments let this to

be recognised as a top player, when you talk about winners of the big

events, you will never put Barry as one of the potential winners and

that is now disrespected him, he is like Robertson, Selby, Sullivan, he

will not be there until he went something like this. He has won the

players championship and the Australian open, his big break

through a couple of years back but same sort of thing, does he deserve

to win a major title given his record in the last few years? I dun

think anybody deserves, you have to earn it. If you are looking at

application, then arguably perhaps more so than others. I don't know

his practising routines. Plenty of people in life that worked really

hard and get nothing for it and in the end one of the fascinations of

sport are the different types of animals that come to the table, some

seem to make it look easy, some have to graft their way through, what

would happen if Barry Hawkins won a big one, his family, friends,

everybody around him would all say the same thing, he thoroughly

deserves it because he put everything into it and that is all

you can ask. A bit like Stuart Bingham goes it is the same scenario

with him, been there, he was the journeyman to use that horrible

expression but suddenly it all came together and everybody said, he was

a champion in waiting all along. I don't think anyone, I didn't tip him

in the last three matches in Sheffield and I still don't tip

Stuart Binny and against the top players for that -- Stuart Bingham.

It is to his credit what he has achieved. To be known as a top

player you have to win these events and repeatedly win them and people

can say you are one of the top players. For Barry he has run into

Ronnie O'Sullivan in a similar situation the last end the Met in

the World Championship final. Ronnie has taken an eight month sabbatical

away from the game, not the first time he has done it and in 2013 he

practically took the whole year off and turned up at the Crucible to

defend six as fully his world title and who did he beat? Barry Hawkins.

He doesn't make things difficult for itself, jumping in the deep end once

again and Steve chatted to him after he got through to his 11th Masters

final. Even though you got over the line

relatively easily, it was a struggle out there, the post match interviews

you were saying you are struggling to get the shots right. Just

struggling to get online and get the cue on the chest and when you are

playing normally with the cue on the body usually get unit but just now

the not working as a unit, having to fight it out there. Sometimes you

have to do that. That is what I did. You are not the type of person to

make the numbers up, never been the case, this is the first tournament

of the season for you. You have come here to win, it must have been a

tough challenge knowing that you're back wasn't perfect. Yes, but I was

in the tournament and decided to enter. I am here now. I have to try

to forget about all of that stuff about not feeling right and just go

with what I have got and hopefully find some spells and moments where I

can produce some decent snooker to give me have a chance. New me to

fight hard in the first match against Mark Williams, that was

tough. Years was going to make it tough, he is a brilliant player, he

has the ability to be dog-eared and fight hard as well. One of the best

match players we have ever had. -- to be dog-eared. We know each

other's game very well. Fortunate to get over the line. In your second

match against Mark Selby, did you expect more of him? You talked as if

you did. I was that a tough match with Mark but if he scores well, he

will win most of the matches he plays because tactically at his

temperament, there is nobody better in the game. He just wasn't scoring

as much as he was have liked to. If he doesn't score, he is the

favourite to win any Trinity prison. -- if he does score.

The last time you had a big lay-off you played Barry Hawkins in the next

final. Fairway off this time, but once again, Barry Hawkins. He has

been the best player in the tournament with Judd Trump for the

standard they have produced match after match. Barry has great cueing

and great temperament and a great break-builder, quite efficient

amongst the balls. Never seems to move the white ball that far. As as

they prepare you like to watch somebody like that, when I played

him in the world final, the year before I played a lot of snooker so

even though I had a lay-off, I still felt I had a good foundation from

all the matches I had played in the previous years and may be the last

18 months, two news I have taken my eye off the ball and have not played

anywhere near as much as I should have done and maybe that is part of

the reason why my game is not as strong as it was three years ago.

You other favourite coming into the match, in your own eyes, how you

experienced enough to have that on your shoulders? I don't get phased

by me being the favourite. I know because of the tournaments I have

one compared to Barry, people will say that I have more experience in

those situations, but if Barry plays how he did today and I played how I

did tonight, I know whose corner I would like to be in, I would not

discount myself because I can find a gear and if I do find a dear, I will

be able to apply some pressure to Barry and hopefully have some sort

of impact in the game. Just to allay the fears of snooker fans, your back

is not in pain, you will not struggle by the end of it, it is

more just the feeling that could go at any moment in the second session.

Not at all. I have gone past that stage, it is about starting to know

your own body, at the moment I cannot feel where my knee, my back

and my arm, I feel very uncoordinated, quite off-balance,

every now and then I feel OK and it is not too bad. There are spells out

there when I played with Stewart in the semifinals when it was a real

struggle. Good luck tomorrow. 11th final for running. A man in his

corner as part of his team, is Turner Prize winning artist Damien

Hirst. You have been in the dressing room.

How is he doing? He is up and down. I was happy in

the practice. He is doing good.

3-1. He seems a lot more settled than last night. He said he was not

feeling good about his game. Do you know some of the underlying reasons?

What goes on in his head is not what goes on out there.

It is difficult. He watches it back and says he played pretty good but

in his mind he is playing terrible. That makes me laugh. I tried to give

him constructive criticism. I don't know why I am bothering!

You have been a friend a long time, what attracted you to Ronnie and the

game of snooker? How much does snooker player in your own work?

I love snooker, it seems impossible. It is about that human element that

won't let you do it. It has amazed me since I was a kid. I watched it

on black and white TV. I remember you!

Both of you! Someone said money is not the mercurial flawed genius of

the past, he is like a free bird. When did I say that!

I can't remember. Do you believe that, it is he a different type of

player to everyone else? It is instinct.

Trump has a similar instinct but he gets, you he doesn't seem to know

where he is. He is the only player I have thought

I would love to see through their rise to see what they are seeing

compared to normal mortals. Do you think he has something that is extra

special in his imagination? Is he getting different signals?

It must be. When you watch him, it is almost like being a little bit...

He can see the shape of it on the table, what to do.

He is not analytical. But then you are a bit like that.

In the artistic world, you have people like that who get something

other people cannot see. The close word I can think of is

instinct. The red, the long wanted a corner pocket, why would you even go

for it? To not miss it. Do you talk about snooker in the

dressing room? Yes. I said, 137.

He said it felt like 337. Last night, it is almost like he can't

live with snooker and can't live with it.

At the tail end of your career, you cease to be winning like a machine

but how can you win the -- but not with as much style, is that enough?

Winning was everything for me. That is why I still play, I enjoy

playing. Take away the winning, take away the enjoyment.

That was a big part of it. I was critical of my own performance.

It is a quest for affection, do you identify that as an artist?

People say, you must love all the big tanks, building the show, three

weeks before people in tanks and suits. I say I hate it. I like the

opening when it is finished and perfect.

Does he look good for another title? 3-1 makes me feel good. That is all

I can say. You can't get nervous, you don't know what will happen.

Thank you for popping in. We welcome John parrot and John

Virgo. Good afternoon, Hazel.

After a very close fought first frame which went to Barry Hawkins,

Ronnie has turned on the style with breaks of 70, and 136.

The type of red, John, which has been indicative of money in this

tournament, he has been knocking them in. It is his long game

sometimes which is below par. You are right there, John. This week

it has been very good. Damien Hirst mentioned in the studio that long

red he knocked in, against Stuart Bingham, something special. It has

been a feature all week, pretty good.

The last frame with the chance for a clearance if he had got that, who

knows. It boiled down to the fact when he

potted the good last red, straight onto the black. The problem is he

could not get close to the yellow. Not the best safety shot from money.

He has left his opponent with a chance.

-- from Ronnie. A good, clean pot. A kiss on the

blue hasn't harmed things. He could play the blue or yellow being

left-handed. Playing the blue he has two avoid the baulk of colours. He

has to be a little careful here. Obviously the pink goes to the right

corner. He would love to get on that red just above the black sooner

rather than later. Yes, and he could do with a sizeable

Koch vision in one of the frames, in one visit. To start putting doubt in

your opponent's mind, and for your own confidence. He started the match

yesterday against Judd Trump absolutely Bentley. Right out of the

blocks. He could do with getting back to that scoring level. Changing

the scoreline quickly. A little tight. But he feels like it

is not a problem. A nice, neat scorer, Barry Hawkins,

his cue ball control is very good. Yes, excellent. A couple of years

ago when he got to the final of the World Championship, it is like he

came of age. Black spots was covered by that red,

he did not have the angle. He is not perfect on this red, he hasn't got

the angle to go for the black. He might just be able to. He has had to

leave himself a thin cut on the blue. He has to get in between the

green and brown here. The way he has gone about this, he

must have thought this black was going to shot -- spot. It was always

going to be tricky for the next colour.

Looking at that, you couldn't see the black going on the spot.

We have found this little bit last night with Stuart Bingham, it is

these mid range shots. They are difficult enough, I know. But at

this level, you can't afford to be missing those.

No hesitation from Ronnie, immediately trying to get that red

away from the black spot. Somewhere down the line, if he can continue

this break, try and play position and get the black back up the table.

Not ideal there. No, he didn't get into it enough.

A nice pot on the blue, though. And another chance now, you would think,

to put this red and get position on the black. Black on the spot

certainly makes it easier. He needs to slow up a little.

Just about OK. He actually got a really nice angle.

He could screw in from the left-hand side into the pack. Unless there is

a red going. If not, he is certainly on to play the shot to them.

This is the line John is talking about. He didn't hit the reds, but

the pink. I don't know. He is close to the cushion. A red to the left

middle. The good news is that yellow getting

knocked off its spot before will come in handy if he can pot the red.

It went past the black but being tight onto the site cushion doesn't

make the pot any easier. -- side cushion.

Well, you would have thought he would run past the black at the

back. I don't think he can get more than one point here. There was no

way you'd be tempted to take any colour, hampered as he is. The pink

and black are not available. An excellent shot he has played. He

has covered the red on the left-hand side... It doesn't look like he has.

That was very close to being a lot of trouble.

What a great reply from Ronnie. It is a good target behind that

yellow and brown, that is what Barry will be looking for.

Just can't quite get to this colours. He has had a couple of

chances. Fine margins. The difference between having your

opponent in a lot of trouble, or having your hand on the table.

What a flick. What a flick, absolutely. It is the brown full in

the face. It is a poor safety. Now it is an excellent one, I am not

sure Barry can get through direct past the green, I don't think he

can. He will have to play this with a trace of side and if he catches

the red too thick, it is danger. He may be choosing to drop on it.

Did he hit it hard enough? This is shocking. One thing you couldn't be

is short. Could well have cost him the frame.

He hit it badly. Meant to go past that red, that is

not as planned. A good positional shot from yellow to the next month.

-- next one. A good pot. It looks as though it is

going on to the red. I was surprised he did not play for the pink in the

middle. He will have to go for the blue here.

He couldn't have landed better therefrom that yellow. He covered it

very well. The first shot wasn't a good one.

He overscrewed that slightly. If he is straight enough on the green,

good cueing needed here. We can usually rely on money for good

cueing, he played that beautifully. -- on Ronnie.

To screw back like that so easily and put it exactly in the spot you

wanted. The plaque will pot. An example of excellent cueing, perfect

control. A pot on this black. He should have done a flick on the

red. A misjudgement. He still has this

red to the far right corner but he was looking for something easier.

We are right behind it, it is fair. -- air. -- there.

An excellent recovery. This is worryingly looking like 4-1, four

Barry Hawkins. He simply has two school with the chancers, you don't

get many. A bad mistake when he was in the

snooker, to leave it that far short and gift this opportunity. Just this

red to go and 34 points in front, with 27 remaining.

39 ahead, 27 remaining, no way back on this table for Barry. He did get

a chance earlier. As you said, it needs to be taken, he needs to score

from these opportunities. I understand there is a great amount

of pressure on him but this is what comes with the territory.

It won't matter about the brown, that will be enough. Barry Hawkins

stays in his seat. Ronnie was misfortunate to get the snooker

behind the green but he should have made a better attempt to make it

safe. Only now leads. 4-1. -- Ronnie.

There is Ronnie. He liked to have a cup of hot water. He thinks it is

good for his digestion. I like his manner around the table today. And

through the tournament. I know he has been critical of himself. He is

not going too far. Years ago, you felt he would throw his toys out of

the pram and not attempt the next shot. I listened to an interview

when he said he was Keith with himself. He has exacting standards,

when he said he was Keith with high standards for himself. Doesn't

like to play anything less. His attitude has been fine. Nothing

wrong with that. He is hitting the ball pretty well.

A big frame four Barry Hawkins. Like all great players, once they

start building up a lead, they don't look over their shoulder too much.

He sent a right up to the other half of the table but it is covered by

the brown. He can get through to it. Will he take the pot on.

Tremendous pot. Needs the cue ball to slow up. A great pot. Tough black

if you decide to take it on. Don't blame him for refusing that

one. If there was a county position from

it, but it was a difficult shot. -- guaranteed position.

His safety looks to be improving every frame, which is worrying.

A good escape this time. every frame, which is worrying.

Catching the baulk colour, leaving the tuple by the baulk of mind. No

easy pot to go at for Barry. Now being 4-1 down, brings its own

pressure. Don't want to be taking too many risks.

When you are playing that type of shot, air being too thin. He did hit

that well at all. -- err. Well... That was a long way away.

Wasn't great by his standards. But he's not having a bad one of the

balls. Putting Barry in all sorts of trouble. Could have left this one a

lot easier. Despite the fact he is playing pretty well, the snooker

gods are looking kindly on him. A nice pot, just about on the blue.

There is not a colour on its spot, not the easiest of chances.

Not certain... We have the blue on the spot, not certain why the pink

will go. If he eventually gets on the pink.

Controlled that nicely. The pink will go back on their, no

trouble. Barry, you have got to school. -- to

score. That was a bad misjudgement. Run

past the pink. OK, he can still put it but it is hampered by the rates,

awkward cueing. -- reds. The cue ball has slowed up in time.

I don't think it is available into the opposite corner. He will be

playing the red on the right with the rest. If you can screw back to

leave a half ball on the blue. He can split the pack up.

If he could just get it. As ever, difficult to judge with that cue

extension, it changes the weight and the feel of the cue.

Critically when the balls are close together, Unison have hit it than

you need to get the cue out of the way.

Doesn't want to catch the bump of the middle pocket. That is not what

he wanted. It looks as if he can get through to

this red. It is admissible. -- missable.

He hit it much too thick. He won't be too unhappy with the way the ball

has finished tight to the green. Ronnie won't be too unhappy with

that either. Tough cueing, he needs to avoid the

cannon. Which he managed to do. About as

good as he could do from there. Badly hampered by the brand, he

can't play safe on the main bunch of reds.

Could not hit a ball on the cushion cleaner than that.

Sometimes you had to hold your hand up and say, what a shot that was.

Unbelievable cueing, to hit it so well, and to bring the cue ball up

to the pink, incredible shot. That is handy for money that the

pink won't go on its own spot. You would think he would take the

opportunity to cannon into the main bunch.

He has played for the loose red. No one ever questions his shot

selection when he is in amongst the balls.

I think the pink will go on its spot now.

I agree with you, it is an interesting way he went about that.

I wouldn't have thought that before he got the pack out of the way. He

has obviously sorted something else out.

It is certainly a more difficult break than it would have been if he

had potentially opened those reds up earlier.

No, it is not often that I question Ronnie's break-building and shot

selection, but that is a strange one, he had a nice angle, he played

for the loose red that was occupying the pink spot, and then he was just

a little bit short of pinpoint position. It is a unexpected end of

visit. He wants the cue ball to bounce. And

it hasn't. There is one loose red at the end of the cluster, he can play

for it at the opposite middle. Tough shot, this, digging in.

That is about as good as he can do with the blue being of its short,

because the blue is fairly up towards the baulk end, it was pretty

straight. Yellow and brown being of the spots

doesn't make the situation any easier for him, even if he drops it

in, certainly only the green he can play on. The cue ball is running

away. Now, then, has he got the angle of

the side cushion with this green into the pack's this is a big shot

coming up. He has caught the pink rather than

the reds. He may have this red to the right middle, but it is not

ideal. It would have been enough to have

that cue ball nestled on the yellow committee can just cue pastor, as

you can see. It made all the difference -- he can just cue past

it. Ronnie hit that a little bit too thin, Barry with his hand on the

table, he would expect a better safety shot, eight points to the

lead. You have got to be a little bit

careful with this one, the one he was lining up, to play the safety

shot, he has been knocking the red towards the corner pocket, the two

read that as together, if he plays off the right-hand side of one of

those, that is what he was looking at initially but he has changed his

mind for all the two reds. Yes, a clever shot, he played it in

such a way that he knew that he was sending the tube or near the top

cushion. The only thing he could possibly leave was the one that he

was playing -- sending the cue ball. He wasn't playing the one that he

thought. There you see it. Barry can't get

through to the potted angle if he went in the baulk end. But he can

play this to the far corner. And he played it, thinking the only red he

can leave is the one that he's playing, isn't it always the way,

that is exactly what he has done. The position wasn't easy to attain,

there. This is one big shot coming up on the blue.

Played really well. APPLAUSE

Just about. As my dad used to say, I hope he wiped his feet! A quick

glance at the scoreboard, he is one point in front, sorry, one point

behind. So he is going to need the brown.

That is fairly good maths. I used to sit in my chair wondering what was

needed to win the frame! Ronnie O'Sullivan starts winning the

scrappy frames as well, it is going to be a very long afternoon.

Expecting Ronnie to win those games with a nice and open. His matchplay

is looking very good as well. Yes, you complimented me actually on my

good maths. I thank you at the time, but he doesn't need the brown, as it

turned out, just yellow and green. Did cueing is needed here. -- good

cueing. So, that puts Ronnie 21 points in

front. This green to go 24 points in front with just 22 remaining. And it

goes! APPLAUSE

A brilliant contribution from O'Sullivan, it really has. It is not

there, the blue. Barry Hawkins has had enough. It is very worrying for

Barry Hawkins' supporters. STUDIO: It is looking ominous for

Barry Hawkins. Was he always going to leave that read onto the green

pocket? If you are for-1 up you don't leave it, if you are for -1

behind you do. He's just not getting any easy chances, Barry, he is not

coming to the table, things are not falling into place around the pink

and black and being able to put together a nice break. I mean, that

was a scrappy frame, there. Ronnie is getting the best of him. It

doesn't seem that Barry has been able to find much rhythm. He had

more rhythm against Judd Trump yesterday. He needed a bit of help

either the run of the ball, it has not been massive but it is enough,

and a bit of help from Ronnie O'Sullivan. And when you miss a

shot, some days they go safe and others they don't. It is a very big

up Telstra call now for him to turn this match run from 5-1 -- it is a

very big struggle for him. If he wins the next two frames of the

session that would help no end. We have seen one century, 136 from

Roddy, and some individual gems from him. There was another one in that

frame the with the red in the bottom corner right on the cushion, it was

a sparkling shot. I'm not going to say it was an easy shot but it was

easier for fact that the red was touching the cushion, but fantastic

cueing. That was like last night, the last red of the match. You think

he is not on form, then he has this fantastic putt. He is kind of just

doing enough, the century in the third frame, but clearly he is doing

enough to keep Harry at bay. Are these individual moments of

brilliance enough to keep the momentum and the interest and

motivation, when you know you camp all the big shots up when you need

to? Possibly, but at the moment we do not see Ronnie shaking his head

enough. It has been sparkling stuff. It does depend on the day, perhaps

winning is more important than we were led to believe. If he were to

get over the line very easily, he would be delighted that he had put

in a great performance for the whole week. This is his astonishingly 11th

final in 22 years. It looks like he could be on his way here and less

Barry has something to say in the next couple of frames. Two more to

play this afternoon. COMMENTATOR: Just a bit short with

the break of shot, and little grimace from Barry that, he knows he

has left his reds in the right corner.

There are obviously not easy shots, those, but it hasn't been quite as

good as it was early on in the week, I think against Mark Selby, he was

absolutely sensational. That was an opportunity.

APPLAUSE I have been saying it for the last

couple of games, watching get it has been awkward for Barry, he hasn't

had the cue ball and watching it has been awkward, what can happen. Some

afternoons you come to the table and everything seems easy, some

afternoons you come to the table and you have to scrap, but this is a

good opportunity. If he's in the form he was yesterday against Judd

Trump I can see him making a big break. But his 5-1 down in a major

final against the best player who has ever lived.

He has not made a 50 break yet in this final.

Well, he is just about on a red, the one just the right of the pink in

right corner. That it is not what he was looking for.

Even that shot, I mean, as he played yesterday, it seemed to be landing

perfectly after he had played the cannons, a couple of shots ago you

wouldn't think you would have needed have to play that, but this has got

a greater degree of difficulty than it should have had.

It is all just a little bit awkward, just not quite right with the

cannon, and it just puts pressure on you, shot after shot. As we say,

Stephen Hendry says it on many occasions, when you are not getting

the perfect position it just knocks you out of your rhythm. If you are

perfect, you go round and marketing, play the next one, but every shot

has a little bit more difficulty in it -- go round the table. And it has

caught him out. It has caught him out.

Cue ball control is so important in this game.

I think Ronnie played that in such a way that he wasn't going to leave

much if you missed it, the only pottable for Barry is the red to the

left of the blue. There is pressure on this, and he has decided to play

it safe. This final of course, the best of

19, the first to turn. So no real need to start pushing the boat out

and start taking too many undue risks -- the first to 10. Good

choice of shot, really. I don't fault him in the slightest

for that one, this has got a degree of difficulty, it just getting back

down to the baulk area is tough with this one. It could easily contact

something on the way back if you don't hit this right. Well played.

Tap on the table from Barry there. And you don't want to start chasing

everything, sometimes you look at the scoreboard and it is 5-1, what

you don't want to do is start playing the wrong shots.

Is the yellow going to come to his rescue? I think it has. It is always

dangerous of course, knocking a red over near a corner pocket.

Played that nicely. OK, he did not have the yellow, but he played that

one on the right-hand side, giving off the cushion first. -- side

cushion. Sometimes you can get down and look at these and think, well,

with that red be any closer to the pocket? It makes the pocket look a

little bit bigger. Problem ball here of course, for the safety, is the

pink, that is what you were trying to avoid. Barry should do it easily

here. That was the cue ball. Gave you know, he may have had half

the night on knocking that read in -- no, he may have had half a night

on knocking that red in. If he is not on the pink, he has got a tricky

black. He is not on the pink. This is a tough shot on the black.

Goodness me. APPLAUSE

That was beautifully cued, a very tough pot indeed. He didn't look

anywhere else, did he? That is a lonely seat that Barry is

in at the moment. And with the ball spread like this,

Barry will be fearing the worst once again. This is a great opportunity

for Ronnie. He deserves everything he gets in

this break after that wonderful black, that really was fabulous. A

little disappointed not to be on the pink, he played that plant.

No need to play for that loose red on the top cushion there, why take

that risk? The reds is on the open. There is Barry, wondering whether he

will get back to the table. He will be thinking, as I am, the odds are

that he won't. Because there is only one awkward

red, really, the one near the right middle, but if Ronnie can get past

without needing that... That is why I like my golf these

days, the one thing about golf is that you have your own ball. You are

sitting there watching Ronnie O'Sullivan play, you just sit and

watch and there is nothing you can do about it. In golf, if somebody

makes a birdie, you can do one straight back with your own ball,

but not here. He is just sitting there and hoping he going to miss.

34 points to the lead, three of these remaining reds would be more

than enough. Are two great champions sitting in

the studio this afternoon, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, will be

appreciating those performance. Those two were relentless. They

might be nice guys now, John, but they were not when you play them.

No, they have mellowed over the years, haven't they?

This needs to be a perfect length, because he has got into this too

much. 47 points in the lead, he needs this red to go 48 points in

front with 43 remaining. He has left this red a little trickier than it

should have been. He doesn't have to do much, just pot the red. It's

there! He is in the zone at the minute. His

cue ball control is pretty much exemplary, Barry is struggling for

second position. It is the difference at the moment.

Well, if he had just got the right line, he played the perfect weight,

double. Anyway, it didn't matter, the frame was over. Once again,

Barry, who got in first, has to say that he is just not scoring and he

cannot keep the cue ball is tight in position as Ronnie O'Sullivan is

doing. And it is 6-1. Once again, John, he was first in

there, Barry, is it bad luck or is it just the run of the ball when you

keep running out of position? It is a funny one, John, he plays this

shot here, the safety is not great, and of course the rest is history,

but he was first in. His cue ball control early on wasn't good enough,

was it? He let it go. We are making excuses for him because there have

been genuine ones, awkward chances he has had this afternoon, but that

was not awkward, that was a good chance. The bulls were in position,

he missed the cue ball, and it just compounds. Missing chances when you

are in amongst the balls with good chances, that is debilitating. And

of course, Barry, when he played that safety he left Ronnie the

plant. It was one of those that Roddy couldn't really get the cue

ball away from the cushion. And then he was left with this very tough

play. And, believe me, these are difficult. Look at his head. Still.

And that blacks, as John said at the time, never looked anywhere else but

right in the heart of it. Intent on winning the frame.

He breaks off in frame eight. And at the moment, if you were talking to

Barry, and saying, what can you do? You are just playing for a bit of

pride at the moment. I just can't see him winning this match. Even if

he is 6-2 behind, to get back to playing like he did yesterday, he

was fabulous in that match with Judd Trump. If he can just get over

momentum going... APPLAUSE

Can he just get past the pink to cut this red to the right corner? He

must be able to. He did. Good shot.

APPLAUSE But wrong side of the blue. He had

to put all his efforts into the pot. Well, that's the problem when you

are running in at out of the ball, you have got to miss the bold

colours. You would suggest that is the end of break. There is a loose

red to the right of the main punch for the right corner, but that is

much too risky because you could pop the red and not be on a colour. I

can only see a safety here. A tough afternoon for Barry. He

Well, well. Well, you can't beat a played a good safety there, though.

I think he has just about on the red bit

I think he has just about on the red here. Maybe Ronnie can just get past

the green. He was downplaying as though he could. And he can't.

Just trying to nestle on one of those three reds just the right of

the black... Oh, he has played completely different shot, I'm not

quite sure what that is. Then again, he's lucky that the situation, maybe

that red he has just hit went past the yellow into the left middle.

Maybe he thought it was dangerous to play that type of shot.

Well, the flick on the brown has not affected the safety. And there is

lots of pressure now on Barry with the safety shots. The reds spread.

Whatever he plays, he has got to catch it just right.

Toothache. -- to six. -- toothache. He is playing to survive at the

moment. The safety, when he came before he was short, rolling up to

the red, that one was far too thick. Just not there at the moment.

APPLAUSE Playing the player he is, he is

becoming exposed. He is a much, much better player than his performance

today, we all know that. He will be disappointed.

APPLAUSE He played that pink is very

aggressively, trying, I think, to try and loosen the pink spot. It is

an lucky he didn't, he didn't want the pink to go up on the brown spot.

He was just a fraction away, there you see it. He was making the pink

spot available. He needs to pull out another good

shot here, pretty thin, this blue. He is doing what is required today,

Ronnie O'Sullivan. Good match good attitude.

Absolutely, we set out earlier, we have seen that during the week.

I have been liking his attitude. I know he comes in and does his

press conferences and says how bad he had played.

He sets such high standards. Even as watching, we expect those high

standards all the time. A little nudge this way or the other

can soon spoil your rhythm. He has stuck at it.

When you consider, let us not forget, he came into this tournament

having had nine months off, he was bound to be a little bit rusty.

Nine months off, coming straight into the top 16 tournament. The

other time he had 11 months off and won the World Championship. The

first match at Sheffield, first to 10, he had the qualifiers. A tough

battle with Marcus Campbell, he used that to tune himself up.

Right here, off the bat, a top 16 player.

A marvellous performance. Just having to drop the pink in and

play for the cut on the red into the right corner. You wouldn't think it

would cause a problem. To win seven of the first eight

frames. With a six frame advantage.

A little awkward on the pink. A change of plan. Once again,

beautifully controlled, look at that cue ball control.

Excellent. Inch perfect on the blue. This was

the one that John was saying. 40 points the lead. A red and a

colour is all that is required. It has been a bad afternoon for Barry

Hawkins. And it looks certain now, according

to this evening's final session, he will be six frames behind -- going

into this evening's final session. To make the century, he would have

too play the pink. He let us down there.

It didn't matter. Barry Hawkins out of his seat to shake his hand. Barry

will be very disappointed. Not vintage Ronnie O'Sullivan, maybe

didn't have to be, but it was good enough. A six frame advantage going

into this evening's session. STUDIO: It looking like a sixth

Masters title for Ronnie O'Sullivan. Explain the standards he has played

to today. He has put in a very effective

performance, helped by the fact that Barry is under par which is

frustrating. Frustrating for the final. As we know full well, you

can't make something happen and can't predict. Especially after

Barry Hawkins won the first frame. That peak performance against Judd

Trump with three centuries back-to-back and another couple of

70s, breaks of 46 and 48. That will be dispiriting.

He just seems to be, he did well to win the first frame, he seems to be

a little intimidated, whether it is the atmosphere, everyone here to see

Ronnie. Ronnie is doing enough. He hasn't been up against much and been

put under pressure. Will he have any answers this

evening? Possibly. He might come out and if

he can win the first frame, get his tail up. So Barry Hawkins, if he

loses the first frame, he will unravel. Ronnie will be stronger and

stronger. It is a great crowd that comes along. Nobody likes to see a

one-sided final and Kopczak other than the hard-core and the fans.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, the 9-1 head-to-head tells its own story.

He turned 40 in September. This is the 24th season he has been at the

top of his game. He has made 13 maximum breaks. You may remember

some of those. One stands out, his very first, at the Crucible, it

remains the fastest maximum on record. Compared that to then at 21.

It was much too thin a safety shot to leave these on for money. --

Rahane. -- Ronnie. That is the fifth red and the fifth

black coming up. Important now to leave a nice angle

on the black. Has he ever done that? Or can he force the cue ball into

the cluster? He can. Wondering if he can get that into

the left centre, looks as if he can. This is amazing.

One more red and the frame is safe. But Ronnie has other things on his

mind and so has everybody in the audience.

Listen, John, I know you have commentated on a maximum before, I

have never and I am starting to get a bit excited here.

A little matter of ?147,000 on offer this year for a maximum break.

I think those raids below the pink, one will pot in the left corner. --

reds. They will now, he needs to be lucky. That is OK, great chance.

Four minutes for the century, amazing.

This is the key shot, he needs a good angle on the red to get onto

the back, he has got it just. -- black.

Perfect. Yes, absolutely perfect. I don't believe this.

What a fantastic maximum break that is. Ronnie O'Sullivan is delighted.

The crowd is delighted. We are delighted. Five minutes. An

unbelievable maximum break. The players over the other side of

the screen. Poor old Mick Price with his

upside-down losses could not believe it.

There wasn't even a moment of birth when he realised this is for

?147,000, he got down and hit the black.

It looked like he was trying to break the record of six minutes.

He doesn't look too much difference with the shots, a lazier backswing

stop he hits the ball far better. So a player.

He has said so many records, trying to equal yours with a sixth win at

the Masters. Steve Davis in 1988, your score

then. We'll Barry Hawkins have a say?

Ronnie O'Sullivan needs three more for another Masters title. Join us

at 7pm for the second part of this drama, catch you then.