:00:45. > :00:51.Weekend. Happily the odds are better than a than for some of the world's
:00:52. > :00:57.top snooker players here in north London, as of now, only five remain
:00:58. > :01:04.in this year's Dafabet Masters and that they are in a chance of bagging
:01:05. > :01:07.the ?200,000 first prize. That is not a bad January payday, tonight
:01:08. > :01:12.sees the last of the quarterfinal, and it a match up between two World
:01:13. > :01:15.Champions, a four time version in John Higgins of Scotland and the
:01:16. > :01:20.reigning Crucible king Stuart Bingham. They are really go to have
:01:21. > :01:26.to go some to beat or Trump the standard that was on show this
:01:27. > :01:34.afternoon here, in a power struggle between Mr Trump and Mr Robertson.
:01:35. > :01:47.This is all the makings of a classic match. We have the double, has he?
:01:48. > :01:54.He has. He has got it: Judd Trump marches
:01:55. > :02:00.on, 2-0. Clean as a whistle.
:02:01. > :02:07.And that's it. A 139. That is break of the tournament. Interval, two
:02:08. > :02:11.apiece. He has played it absolutely perfect.
:02:12. > :02:20.Make certain of black, let's see the 100. Well played. Very well played.
:02:21. > :02:24.Well, he struck that absolutely beautifully.
:02:25. > :02:35.Judd Trump had two centuries already in this match. This will be Neil
:02:36. > :02:42.Robertson's second. Top quality. Still all to play for, four all.
:02:43. > :02:49.Tremendous shot. We are seeing some snooker today. Fantastic. It is the
:02:50. > :02:57.highest break of the tournament. Beating Neil Robertson's 139, with a
:02:58. > :03:05.140. What a marvellous shot that was. It is all square, we have a
:03:06. > :03:21.deciding frame to look forward to. What a shot! Unbelievable. What a
:03:22. > :03:27.shot! Oh! Well, how did that drop? It has been absolutely sensational.
:03:28. > :03:31.One of theiatest matches you will -- greatest matches you will have ever
:03:32. > :03:37.see. Judd Trump is in the final. He wins a classic, six frames to five.
:03:38. > :03:41.Well, three times Masters champion Steve Davis was commentating on that
:03:42. > :03:45.match. Six centuries in 11 frames. It is first time in professional
:03:46. > :03:52.snooker, the first time we have had six in a best of 11. How would you
:03:53. > :03:57.sum it up Steve? It is about boring slug fests, no subtlety. Where was
:03:58. > :04:03.the safety? Just pot something Yeah, yeah, yeah. Boredom aa side, how
:04:04. > :04:06.important a win was that for Judd? To beat the inform player Neil
:04:07. > :04:09.Robertson is a big feather I think in his cap. Even though he has
:04:10. > :04:12.beaten him before. As Judd has been saying and people have been saying
:04:13. > :04:17.round him, it is time to move through the gears, it is time to
:04:18. > :04:21.start winning more events. He has responded very well by put himself
:04:22. > :04:24.in the frame. He is through to the semifinal against Barry Hawkins.
:04:25. > :04:29.This evening we have 39-year-old Stuart Bingham playing 40-year-old
:04:30. > :04:34.Higgins Hurricanes for the right to face 40-year-old Ronnie O'Sullivan.
:04:35. > :04:38.Bit your vintage It was supposed to be becoming a younger man's game.
:04:39. > :04:42.Experience counts, if you are in shape you can play well. It will be
:04:43. > :04:46.tough for them o tonight to emulate what happened. When you consider
:04:47. > :04:51.there is different types of snooker that can entertain, 85 final it took
:04:52. > :04:55.a 68 minutes to play one frame and we missed everything, that was
:04:56. > :04:58.entertain, different types of matches, different tensions can
:04:59. > :05:00.still entertain. That what you you think. Let us get the thoughts of
:05:01. > :05:12.John and Stuart. Playing Stuart World Champion here
:05:13. > :05:16.in London. He will have family and friend here supporting him. Again,
:05:17. > :05:23.we look forward to it. It is great to play a World Champion in a big
:05:24. > :05:29.tournament like the Masters. He is one of the best players that
:05:30. > :05:35.has picked up a cue. His all round game is perfect. When he is on song
:05:36. > :05:41.he is hard to beat. Same as Ronnie, obviously I love a challenge and
:05:42. > :05:45.looking forward to it. I can't complain. It is a good
:05:46. > :05:49.feeling, because coming to tournaments in the last two or three
:05:50. > :05:53.years have been losing early and the form has been really bad, and I am
:05:54. > :05:57.thinking, God, is this the way it is goes to go? It is great to come back
:05:58. > :06:05.and play the way I know I can play. It is good to come to tournaments
:06:06. > :06:08.thinking you can do something. Performances haven't been great.
:06:09. > :06:12.They haven't been bad but they haven't been great. Similar to what
:06:13. > :06:16.happened against Ding. In certain patches I was on for a match and a
:06:17. > :06:22.couple of frames later I couldn't pot a ball. I will need to pick the
:06:23. > :06:29.game up to what it was at the World Championships. To have a chance of
:06:30. > :06:34.winning tonight. HAZEL IRVINE: The head-to-head point
:06:35. > :06:38.to Higgins. Both of Stuarts win were in final frame deciders. Previous
:06:39. > :06:42.matches were against Bingham BC. Before the crucible last year. I
:06:43. > :06:46.wonder how much that counts, now in the equation, Steve? Possibly. But I
:06:47. > :06:51.think John Higgins is the type of player that plays the table. He
:06:52. > :06:55.doesn't mind where he is up to. John Higgins, couple of years ago, I
:06:56. > :07:00.thought possibly he hit a bit of a brick wall and was going to start to
:07:01. > :07:03.slide down the rankings but he proved everybody wrong. Never
:07:04. > :07:07.underestimate him. Stuart Bingham is a different story. World Champion,
:07:08. > :07:11.the best performance in his life. He has to recreate that, he has the
:07:12. > :07:16.albatross round his neck of expectation, that now he is the
:07:17. > :07:19.World Champion, he has to perform to a higher level. The best way to play
:07:20. > :07:23.is to forget about everything and just play one ball at a time. Easier
:07:24. > :07:28.said than done. It is his first quarterfinal. To what extent will he
:07:29. > :07:32.are to improve from that match against Ding Junhui? Forget about
:07:33. > :07:36.the match against Ding Junhui. Get over the line. I think once you get
:07:37. > :07:40.your first match under the belt in any venue you can use that as a
:07:41. > :07:44.Springboard to play better. Stuart Bingham has much more experience of
:07:45. > :07:48.the one table set up, the Masters can be a very overawing event, even
:07:49. > :07:52.if you have done very well in the World Championship. I know, I didn't
:07:53. > :07:56.do that well in the master, it happens. Stuart will regardless of
:07:57. > :08:02.what happened in the first match will come in in a different frame of
:08:03. > :08:06.mind. You didn't do too well. Three Masters... Ladies and gentlemen,
:08:07. > :08:10.think we are ready in here. 2,000 people in Alexander Palace and it is
:08:11. > :08:15.time to get our Masters weekend under way. Rob Walker, let us get
:08:16. > :08:18.them revved up. Good evening ladies and gentlemen. It is freezing cold,
:08:19. > :08:23.it is Friday night but we are right here in Ally Pally for the last
:08:24. > :08:27.quarterfinal in this year's Dafabet master, we are all set for a superb
:08:28. > :08:43.weekend of snooker entertainment and it stars right here, right now.
:08:44. > :08:51.Please welcome one of the finest sportsmen Scotland has ever
:08:52. > :08:54.produced. Bidding for his eighth Masters semifinal, twice a winner
:08:55. > :08:58.here in London. Four times a champion of the world, he is right
:08:59. > :09:01.back to his very best, with two titles already this season. He is
:09:02. > :09:35.the wizard of Wishaw John Higgins. And his opponent, he secured his
:09:36. > :09:39.first Masters win with victory over Ding on Sunday, win over the Premier
:09:40. > :09:44.League and the Aussie Open, but by far and away his finest moment came
:09:45. > :09:49.with that incredible 17 day run in Sheffield last year. Ladies and
:09:50. > :09:51.gentlemen, he is the reigning champion of the world, he is Stuart
:09:52. > :10:21.Bingham. Haze we will use the next hour to
:10:22. > :10:25.watch the opening exchanges of this final quarterfinal. And we will
:10:26. > :10:30.spend it in the company of the all Ireland commentary double act Ken
:10:31. > :10:35.Doherty and Denis Taylor. Evening lads. A good evening to everyone
:10:36. > :10:48.watching. Different match. Different session,
:10:49. > :10:58.and it is John Higgins who gets the first frame under way.
:10:59. > :11:05.That match between Judd Trump and Neil Robertson certainly one of the
:11:06. > :11:14.finest matches I have ever seen. What have we in store this evening?
:11:15. > :11:20.Yes, an interesting question. Two great players. It is going to be
:11:21. > :11:26.interesting what sort of confidence John Higgins will be bringing, a lot
:11:27. > :11:31.of confidence to the table. He played excellent in the first round
:11:32. > :11:35.encounter. Stuart Bingham has been struggling a bit, because he has won
:11:36. > :11:39.the World Championship, and he, Steve Davis said a bit more
:11:40. > :11:42.expectation. But even though he struggled against Ding Junhui,
:11:43. > :11:46.certainly if you can struggle and win, Denis, if they take the
:11:47. > :11:55.positives out of that. It would be nice to start with a plant, wouldn't
:11:56. > :11:59.it. Once again it is amazing when you
:12:00. > :12:03.take a plant like that on you forget about the cue ball. A number of
:12:04. > :12:08.times you don't finish on the colour.
:12:09. > :12:10.This is delicate. It mean, it is a tough little shot to get round on
:12:11. > :12:22.the yellow. It can be a bit twitchy those shots,
:12:23. > :12:27.rolling up behind the baulk colours. It's a good position to put Stuart
:12:28. > :12:30.in. There is reds either side of the pack, he can't come off the cushion
:12:31. > :12:34.and nestle in, he can't play for the one tight on the cushion because he
:12:35. > :12:39.would leaf the one near the black, he will be need to be careful here.
:12:40. > :12:58.Leave. Can he see enough of that side
:12:59. > :13:07.cushion to come off it and into the bunch? Another side on that, I don't
:13:08. > :13:09.know that is going to reach. REFEREE: Foul and a miss. John
:13:10. > :13:13.Higgins four. John will have a look to see if
:13:14. > :13:17.there is anything available. There might be a long straight red up into
:13:18. > :13:42.the corner pocket, past the pink. He hit that poorly. Didn't miss many
:13:43. > :13:46.of those against Liang Wenbo. He played very well in that match.
:13:47. > :13:52.Three century, could have had a fourth but it was a nervous one. He
:13:53. > :13:58.is bound to feel nervous, both player, they will get a few decent
:13:59. > :14:03.pots. He played is in such way, he is a clever player, one of the
:14:04. > :14:05.cleverest you will see. He wasn't leaving much. Nothing for Stuart to
:14:06. > :14:42.go at. Just a safety shot. He has to find the gap here, to get
:14:43. > :14:47.back down the table. He did find the gap. Hit it a little bit on the
:14:48. > :14:53.thick side. There is a red coming over near the corner pocket.
:14:54. > :15:03.He can get on to the black. I don't think it is dead straight.
:15:04. > :15:10.APPLAUSE. So what a great opportunity for Stuart, he has a lot
:15:11. > :15:16.of support here, he is from Basildon, only about an hour from
:15:17. > :15:20.the venue. I know he had about 100 supporters came along for his first
:15:21. > :15:24.match. Very popular player, is Stuart. A
:15:25. > :15:36.terrific guy as well. Look at the reds here.
:15:37. > :15:41.The way they are spread. Just got to be try and keep that cue ball on a
:15:42. > :15:46.string. He is normally very proficient when
:15:47. > :15:54.he gets in round the pink and black spot. Very heavy scorer. Almost had
:15:55. > :15:59.a maximum, in his first match. Missed the yellow on 120. This is
:16:00. > :16:06.where he is best at. He has a nice pace round the table. He is
:16:07. > :16:11.confident. He is always on top form. One of the best players round the
:16:12. > :16:16.pink and black spot, that's for sure.
:16:17. > :16:25.And just as I say that... The commentator's curse comes into
:16:26. > :16:31.effect. He wasn't expecting that one Denis. Well, I mean that is the the
:16:32. > :16:36.easiest of pots he has just missed there. That will sap his confidence
:16:37. > :16:42.somewhat, especially if John Higgins scores heavily here.
:16:43. > :16:45.Because Stuart, I mean, he said himself, against Ding he almost made
:16:46. > :16:48.a maximum, a couple of frames later he couldn't pot a ball. With Stuart
:16:49. > :16:55.this season, being World Champion, he is trying probably too hard, you
:16:56. > :16:59.know. He is is a great ambassador for the game,
:17:00. > :17:04.you just sometimes try that little bit too hard, and it is amazing what
:17:05. > :17:51.can be missed. He played that right into an area.
:17:52. > :17:58.He had a chance of dropping on three reds.
:17:59. > :18:30.So he didn't play specifically for one red there.
:18:31. > :18:39.That wasn't the best shot in the world. OK. Still pretty
:18:40. > :18:46.straightforward you would say, but this cue ball could have been a lot
:18:47. > :18:51.closer to this red. In fact I think he was playing the red below the
:18:52. > :18:54.pink to the right into the left hand corner pocket. A it bit of tension
:18:55. > :19:42.in his arm. John was saying this table is
:19:43. > :19:45.playing beautifully. Like all the players -- I think all the players
:19:46. > :19:50.would agree with that. The amount of century breaks that have been made
:19:51. > :19:56.and six centuries in that match this afternoon. Best of 11. That was some
:19:57. > :20:00.going. I think the only time anything like that was, was Stephen
:20:01. > :20:04.Hendry with you in the UK Championship, he made five centuries
:20:05. > :20:11.in seven frames. Yes, seven centuries in ten.
:20:12. > :20:17.UK Championship up in Preston. That was an incredible match this
:20:18. > :20:22.afternoon, and great to see. Two players playing at the top of their
:20:23. > :20:28.game, entertaining the crowd. We have had so many great matches
:20:29. > :20:32.already this week. It is going to be another good one
:20:33. > :20:51.tonight. Just having a look at score. Just
:20:52. > :20:57.doing up the calculation, he is 17 points ahead. Head. 24 will be the
:20:58. > :21:00.black. He will need another three reds and colours to secure this
:21:01. > :21:15.frame. You can see him glancing at score.
:21:16. > :21:22.He is working out the situation in his head, which this red and the
:21:23. > :21:30.black, and then possibly his next choice will be the the red that is
:21:31. > :21:48.on the right hand cushion. Maybe this red on the top cushion here.
:21:49. > :21:59.Just away from the cushion, but it shouldn't be a problem. I say
:22:00. > :22:04.shouldn't be a problem. What a miss. So we have seen a few very easy
:22:05. > :22:08.misses, that was pretty straightforward, because the missed,
:22:09. > :22:23.the cushion has been clinging to it. But he hit that very poorly there.
:22:24. > :22:29.Can't play for that red that is closest to his hand there. Not from
:22:30. > :22:39.this position. So it is not straightforward by any
:22:40. > :22:57.means. It goes up into the green pocket as
:22:58. > :23:00.well, into the right center, but he is taking it up into the green
:23:01. > :23:08.pocket. That is all the way, good shot.
:23:09. > :23:12.APPLAUSE APPLAUSE. It looks to be straight on this
:23:13. > :23:17.blue. Has he got an angle. Almost dead straight. That is is a
:23:18. > :23:22.bit unlucky. Any sort of angle, he could screw
:23:23. > :23:27.back to the red. It is closest to the cue ball. The other way, he
:23:28. > :23:30.could have got closer to the one down the bottom right hand corner
:23:31. > :24:00.pocket. In an ideal world if he could get
:24:01. > :24:03.the white. I have two whites on the table, anywhere near those as long
:24:04. > :24:06.as he is not dead straight. He would be perfect to drop in behind that
:24:07. > :24:13.red. Wants to miss the red.
:24:14. > :24:17.And he has just, just about OK. Although he has knocked the red
:24:18. > :24:22.nearer the cushion, so you would normally screw up for the blue, from
:24:23. > :24:30.this position. To give yourself a chance to get on to the yellow.
:24:31. > :24:37.Oh, he is just about OK. Straight off, he screws it back a couple of
:24:38. > :24:41.feet. He has a great chance of taking this opening frame now.
:24:42. > :24:50.He should never have had this chance, really. I mean, that was a
:24:51. > :24:58.surprising miss from John Higgins. It really was.
:24:59. > :25:06.Here, he wanted to drop it in and stay on the black. Always missable.
:25:07. > :25:12.He cued that in nicely. That was very nicely cued indeed.
:25:13. > :25:21.He has to be careful with this green, he doesn't want to overscrew
:25:22. > :25:27.it. Played it well. Just glancing at the
:25:28. > :25:36.score board. So he needs brown, blue and pink.
:25:37. > :25:43.That looks about perfect. If it pulls up. Very fast this table,
:25:44. > :25:50.isn't it Denis. It looked like it was going to stay below on blue. He
:25:51. > :25:55.will have to take it mid range pink here.
:25:56. > :25:56.So just the pink needed, and this will hurt John Higgins. The frame
:25:57. > :26:09.was in this bag for him. And Stuart Bingham, he will pot the
:26:10. > :26:16.black as well. It doesn't really matter about the black. He will be
:26:17. > :26:19.absolutely delighted. That is a big confidence boost for the World
:26:20. > :26:22.Champion,s John Higgins let him off the hook there and Stuart Bingham
:26:23. > :26:24.takes the opening frame and leads 1-0.
:26:25. > :26:29.HAZEL IRVINE: Quite an evasion for the World Champion. He has a lot of
:26:30. > :26:33.fans in here in the London area, any way, what a strange frame in some
:26:34. > :26:37.respects because he broke down on 24 with a relatively easy miss. That
:26:38. > :26:41.could have set the tone tone for the whole evening It wasn't that hard a
:26:42. > :26:45.shot. That shot, he wouldn't have missed during the World
:26:46. > :26:48.Championship. That was a glaring error, more so than John Higgins'
:26:49. > :26:53.error, along the top cushion, you can miss those. And funny how the
:26:54. > :26:57.vagaries of snooker work, in as much as if John Higgins punishes
:26:58. > :27:02.completely there, and all of a sudden goes 1-0 up, makes a break in
:27:03. > :27:06.the next. Stuart Bingham's sitting in his chair thinking it is 23409
:27:07. > :27:10.working for me. I am missing shots I should never miss. All of a sudden,
:27:11. > :27:16.slate wiped clean, he forget about the shot. He made a good clearance
:27:17. > :27:21.and he is 1-0 up and his tail is up. Indeed. From John Higgins' point of
:27:22. > :27:25.view. It is ten years since he won the second of his two Masters title
:27:26. > :27:29.and he has come here this year with a realistic chance of getting to a
:27:30. > :27:32.fifth final and winning a third master title. Setbacks like that
:27:33. > :27:38.don't phase someone like John, do they? No, and John Higgins can win,
:27:39. > :27:41.could win a masters in a number of different way, having said that,
:27:42. > :27:47.after what we saw this afternoon, there may only be one way to win
:27:48. > :27:52.snooker tournaments now, and that is attack, attack, attack. Plenty of
:27:53. > :27:56.attack in that match, ass you said this afternoon, with six century, 11
:27:57. > :27:58.frame, that was a world record, I wonder what these guys are going to
:27:59. > :28:25.give us this evening? APPLAUSE APPLAUSE.
:28:26. > :28:29.A tap on the table tells us John can't have a go on this red over the
:28:30. > :28:44.left hand corner pocket. Just covered it.
:28:45. > :29:17.He has a safety shot but he is just double checking there to make sure
:29:18. > :29:21.he can make it into a three ball plant. There is every chance the way
:29:22. > :29:25.they are sitting he might squeeze it into the pocket. It is aiming for
:29:26. > :29:29.the left as you can see. Let's see if it heads into the pocket.
:29:30. > :29:46.Yes, well judged. He got a plant in the opening frame.
:29:47. > :29:55.It is a bit better this time: He does love a plant, doesn't he. He
:29:56. > :30:00.must do the gardening at home! But, he hadn't got the angle to pot
:30:01. > :30:03.the brown and leave a red, so this time he is tucked in behind the
:30:04. > :30:09.green. The first frame after the plant, he was in behind the yellow.
:30:10. > :30:15.REFEREE: If Stuart comes off the right side cushion and lands in the
:30:16. > :30:20.red, he could leave the red next to the pink. So, that's not really an
:30:21. > :30:24.option. He might have to try to land on the two reds. That's near the
:30:25. > :30:31.black, but even that isn't straight-forward. He could come into
:30:32. > :31:08.the back of the reds from there. I think that's what he's trying.
:31:09. > :31:21.He won't be happy with that one. That was an error. OK, it's not an
:31:22. > :31:23.easy putt, but one you fancy Stuart to knock in here and get nicely on
:31:24. > :31:32.the black as well. Oh. Well, you could see from the
:31:33. > :31:37.body language that that ball drifted on the way down the table. Just
:31:38. > :31:42.watch his cue here and the body language here. Watch it as he's
:31:43. > :31:53.going up. Yeah. It's drifted off to the left. Has to be careful if he
:31:54. > :31:57.take this is on he doesn't go into the middle pocket with the right.
:31:58. > :32:01.Which of the reds is he taking? Away, that's the one that kept him
:32:02. > :32:14.away from the middle pocket with the cue ball. One good positional shot
:32:15. > :33:17.and it's not a bad opportunity. We show you that pot again.
:33:18. > :33:21.Purposefully playing down for the red on the black spot. Get the black
:33:22. > :33:38.back on its spot. Amazing, players always want to get
:33:39. > :33:43.the black back on-the-spot straightaway, don't they, Dennis?
:33:44. > :34:02.All the business is done down this end of the table.
:34:03. > :34:08.You're looking at one of the greatest break builders in the came,
:34:09. > :34:18.made 607 centuries. That's some going. -- game. Ronnie O'Sullivan
:34:19. > :34:19.and Stephen Hendry are the only two players with more centuries than
:34:20. > :34:51.this man. One good split on the reds here and
:34:52. > :34:52.he'll have a terrific chance. He will e ready indicate that mistake
:34:53. > :35:30.he made in the opening frame. Wanted the cue ball down another
:35:31. > :35:51.couple of inches. He's come dead straight on this black.
:35:52. > :36:07.Just coming around to see when he pots this red. No. He looks a little
:36:08. > :36:10.bit nervous tonight, there's no doubt about that, John Higgins.
:36:11. > :36:13.Under hitting the ball a couple of times. Over hit it a couple of
:36:14. > :36:19.times. That was a bit more difficult than it should have been that red.
:36:20. > :36:33.That all came from getting too straight on the previous black.
:36:34. > :36:50.Close, but not close enough. You've got to be absolutely spot on with
:36:51. > :36:54.these pockets. But that was a bit of a chance, it has to be said. John
:36:55. > :37:32.has missed three-balls that he has looked a little bit edgy on.
:37:33. > :37:37.If you're not comfortable, he has done the best thing there, get up
:37:38. > :37:55.off the shot and start all over again.
:37:56. > :38:01.He's got that red up next to the brown, it's available into both
:38:02. > :38:09.corner pockets also. These four reds, he's looking at the scoreboard
:38:10. > :38:13.to see how many pots he needs. So he'll play for that red that I
:38:14. > :38:15.mentioned. Those four reds look to be all
:38:16. > :38:29.blocking each other. I'm not sure if there's a plant on.
:38:30. > :38:38.That's probably what he's looking at.
:38:39. > :38:45.He's had a look at these two reds a couple of times. Looks pretty close.
:38:46. > :38:53.Close to a plant. Just slightly going to the right hand side of the
:38:54. > :38:57.pocket there, isn't it? Well, if he's not absolutely sure, he's got
:38:58. > :39:01.the perfect angle to cannon into them here. We'll find out whether
:39:02. > :39:07.the plant is on or whether he cannons the pink and red.
:39:08. > :39:16.Well, does this red pass the pink? That's the question.
:39:17. > :39:25.He only needs one more red there, you can clearly see, it
:39:26. > :39:39.doesn't. So he hasn't clinched the frame.
:39:40. > :39:45.Is he taking a double on here? He might risk it because he can play a
:39:46. > :39:52.safe at the same time. There's something - he just seems a wee bit
:39:53. > :39:57.unsettled this evening, John. A couple of times he's got down. Very
:39:58. > :40:01.unusual. Looks like he's almost a little bit dizzy at times. Not quite
:40:02. > :40:08.quite sure, there's something irritating I think he him. 'S taking
:40:09. > :40:14.the double on here. There's something wrong with him. There's
:40:15. > :40:25.something wrong with him. Definitely doesn't look himself. His eyes look
:40:26. > :40:38.a little bit heavy, maybe he's got a touch of the flu.
:40:39. > :40:43.Wow, that was another half chance for Stuart to get back into this
:40:44. > :40:48.second frame. REFEREE: Thank you.
:40:49. > :41:20.COMMENTATOR: Not a straight-forward pot, but it was a reasonable chance.
:41:21. > :41:28.Yeah, if you've got a bit of a head cold, it never really affected me,
:41:29. > :41:32.Ken, when you were playing because you concentrated a lot harder. You
:41:33. > :41:36.know, it depends how bad it is. There is maybe nothing wrong with
:41:37. > :41:48.John, but he just looks a little bit off. Yeah, quite funny. I remember
:41:49. > :41:53.when Steve Davis won his last Masters crown, back in the
:41:54. > :41:57.Conference Centre, I think he was 8-6 down to Ronnie O'Sullivan and
:41:58. > :42:04.beat him 10-8. He was suffering from the flu all week and funnily said -
:42:05. > :42:11.people have jabs to stop them getting the flu. He said I want a
:42:12. > :42:17.jab to make me get the flu it makes me play better. John looked like he
:42:18. > :42:19.was blinking his eyes, a little bit dizzy. Hopefully, it will settle and
:42:20. > :42:42.he'll be feeling up for it. He'll try and clear the lot here
:42:43. > :43:49.just to build on his confidence. Well, he needed a couple of chances,
:43:50. > :43:53.but he won't be bothered. A nice break to get him up and running. One
:43:54. > :43:57.frame all. If he seems unsettled we are not sure of the reason. I had a
:43:58. > :44:01.chat with him this morning he seemed fine. What is your impression of how
:44:02. > :44:06.he's playing in that frame? Struggling a little bit. And, he
:44:07. > :44:10.turned down a plant to go into the reds and didn't get on one. That
:44:11. > :44:14.frustrated him a bit. Disappointed with how he started off. Yeah, one
:44:15. > :44:18.all, early days in the match that's yet to take off. It's not so much
:44:19. > :44:27.how you start as how you finish. John will know that. Absolutely. We
:44:28. > :44:32.talked about the in between them, eight wins to two for Higgins. 1999
:44:33. > :44:36.was Stuart's first and only one of two wins. That was in the Welsh and
:44:37. > :44:40.the semi-finals of the Premier League in 2012 not a sparkling
:44:41. > :44:44.record against John. It's one of the questions we bring up, is it
:44:45. > :44:49.significant? Does it have a bearing at this major status of a big
:44:50. > :44:53.tournament like that? Well, I think, you know, he over the years John
:44:54. > :44:57.Higgins has been a great player he has a great record against most
:44:58. > :45:02.players. You could argue that Stuart Bingham has come of age as a snooker
:45:03. > :45:06.player, started in the last couple of years himself, I think it's not
:45:07. > :45:12.necessarily anything that's a problem for Stuart. It's not like
:45:13. > :45:16.he's a bock player. . Don't think he has a problem with it. John Higgins
:45:17. > :45:21.is one of the best tactical masters out there. If Stuart Bingham is not
:45:22. > :45:26.up to that standard perhaps that is an issue. Stuart has shown he's
:45:27. > :45:29.tactically aware as any player He showed that recently. When he won
:45:30. > :45:34.the world title after so many years of trying. John, of course, is a
:45:35. > :45:39.four time winner of that title. He hasn't won the World UK or the
:45:40. > :45:48.Masters since 2011. How he would love to put that right this year.
:45:49. > :45:53.COMMENTATOR: Yes he certainly would. It is so tough as the standard this
:45:54. > :45:57.year has been quite incredible. Every match would make a good final
:45:58. > :46:15.of any tournament. Now, that's the type of ball that
:46:16. > :47:05.Stuart Bingham was knocking in when he won his world title in Sheffield.
:47:06. > :47:11.Well, how unlucky was that is? He played the shot perfectly, he
:47:12. > :47:16.stunned it rather than screwed it. It looked as if he opened everything
:47:17. > :47:23.up and they've all sort of covered each other. Now a possibility red
:47:24. > :47:29.into the left centre or even a cross double. Then he can get back on the
:47:30. > :47:31.black. He wouldn't be leaving too much if he missed this, taking on
:47:32. > :47:43.the double I think. Tough shot on the black. He will be
:47:44. > :48:01.going into the reds as well. Looks good. Again, it has to be
:48:02. > :48:06.said, very unlucky could have been on something a lot easier,
:48:07. > :48:13.particular where the cue ball has finished on the side cushion.
:48:14. > :48:21.-- particularly. Yeah, these are difficult, cutting it back into what
:48:22. > :48:27.was a blind pocket, you can't see the pocket in your eye line. You're
:48:28. > :48:38.just using your judgment. He's played it well. Wonderful little
:48:39. > :48:43.touch on the black as well. Splay played it that way because of the
:48:44. > :48:49.pace of the cue ball, the way he played it. One good positional shot
:48:50. > :48:56.here. Look at the way the reds are situated. This will be, dare I say
:48:57. > :49:02.it, four reds, four blacks. Yeah, I knew I shouldn't have said it! He's
:49:03. > :49:07.still got a red into the left centre pocket, depending on the angle, he
:49:08. > :49:11.might be able to get back for the black, if not, might need a little
:49:12. > :49:25.cannon to leave the pink. I think he was trying to get on the
:49:26. > :49:28.black there. Now, the blue will be his choice, but he's got to make
:49:29. > :49:34.sure he misses the yellow to get back up to the reds. Even then, just
:49:35. > :49:39.looking at them, as Stuart is there, they are all sort of blocking each
:49:40. > :49:46.other into the right corner pocket. So he's got to not only pot the
:49:47. > :49:53.blue, negotiate the yellow, but be pinpoint with the cue ball.
:49:54. > :50:02.He couldn't avoid the yellow. But there's a lot pot into the right
:50:03. > :50:11.corner. He'll automatically, you would have to say, finish on the
:50:12. > :50:16.black. -- long. That's the one he initially looked at. He's now
:50:17. > :50:29.looking at one into the left corner. Just as difficult.
:50:30. > :51:07.May take this on because he may finish on the yellow if it goes in.
:51:08. > :51:15.Hasn't got away with it. Sometimes, when you miss those, the ball runs
:51:16. > :51:25.safe, it hasn't on this occasion. Another chance for Stuart.
:51:26. > :51:45.Already 39 in front. Every chance here of getting another frame.
:51:46. > :51:51.Yes, the type of shot you try to concentrate on the blue. If he's
:51:52. > :51:55.going to take the blue on, he may take brown or green on as well.
:51:56. > :51:58.Those are the type of shots, aren't they Dennis, you cut them into the
:51:59. > :52:02.right centre and you've got to concentrate on the pot because you'd
:52:03. > :52:24.think you'd have to be on one of these reds here.
:52:25. > :52:34.Cued that in nicely off the side cushion. Never easy. Yeah, you can
:52:35. > :52:39.only just hit the top of the cue ball when it's tight on the cushion.
:52:40. > :53:30.We've seen players miscue with that type of shot.
:53:31. > :53:41.A little bit low on this black. He may have to go into those four reds
:53:42. > :53:48.now to try and hold the cue ball down here. This could go wrong. Just
:53:49. > :53:53.got to be careful, a shake of the head, he's not too happy. Yeah, he's
:53:54. > :53:58.not in a good position to get on the loose reds, which leg would do
:53:59. > :54:03.because he's 51 in front, but the position the cue ball has finished
:54:04. > :54:13.in has given him a slight problem here. Didn't risk the cannon, just
:54:14. > :54:20.played for the loose red. Is he on it? That's the question? I'm not
:54:21. > :54:25.sure. He might not have a pot here. Isn't it strange the way the mind
:54:26. > :54:32.can sometimes work. If he's 51 behind he would have no hesitation
:54:33. > :54:45.of potting that black and going into these four reds. He's just to build
:54:46. > :54:48.on this red. Good pot. Look as bit straight on the black. May have to
:54:49. > :55:07.take the pink into the left is there.
:55:08. > :55:21.Now, you see, 65 ahead. He just needs red and any colour to secure
:55:22. > :55:24.this third frame. Then he'll know that he'll be going to the
:55:25. > :55:27.mid-session interval, certainly not behind and every chance he could be
:55:28. > :55:58.3-1 in front. He certainly looks a lot more
:55:59. > :56:04.confident than he did against Ding Junhui.
:56:05. > :56:10.Yes. Ding was very poor against Stuart. I don't know what has
:56:11. > :56:16.happened to Ding. He's been changing cues. His original one was a bit
:56:17. > :56:21.Brittal at the end. -- Brittle at the end. He still had to beat him.
:56:22. > :56:30.It doesn't matter now that he's ran out of position here. John will stay
:56:31. > :57:03.in his seat. Might just be able to cut this back into the corner.
:57:04. > :57:11.Well, as I say, it doesn't really matter about missing the blue, John
:57:12. > :57:17.does stay in his seat. So the World Champion takes this third frame
:57:18. > :57:20.heaven leads by 2-1. The story of a thin cut red to keep that break
:57:21. > :57:29.going. That was the story of frame three? He had to play three good
:57:30. > :57:33.shots in a row, the double then the cut back black then left with that
:57:34. > :57:37.shot missable under pressure. Excellent recovery and knocked the
:57:38. > :57:39.black into play. He looks sharp all of a sudden and will be delighted
:57:40. > :57:44.with his play. When of a sudden and will be delighted
:57:45. > :57:48.Crucible last year he never got past the quarter-finals in 20 years of
:57:49. > :57:51.trying and came through and won the world title thchl is a different
:57:52. > :57:54.atmosphere. You would think as a World Champion he would feel
:57:55. > :57:59.instantly comfortable. Would that not be the case early on, Steve,
:58:00. > :58:04.from his point of view? Well, it could be the fact that straight from
:58:05. > :58:08.round one you are in a one table setup. That is not the case in the
:58:09. > :58:14.Crucible. If I try to work out why I personally didn't feel I had a great
:58:15. > :58:20.record at the Masters at the Conference Centre I couldn't put my
:58:21. > :58:24.finger on what was. I used to think the atmosphere wasn't the same as
:58:25. > :58:37.other venues. This is more like a venues muches you could argue this
:58:38. > :58:40.is more nerve-wracking. Also the presence of Ronnie O'Sullivan in the
:58:41. > :58:44.draw this time. As we look at this they are going into frame four, the
:58:45. > :58:49.last before their interval. As promised we are leaving you on BBC
:58:50. > :58:54.Two right now. We are already streaming this match on all of your
:58:55. > :58:58.connected devices via the BBC Sport website and of course on the Red
:58:59. > :59:02.Button you can continue to watch it live or if you have a Friday night
:59:03. > :59:08.date elsewhere we won't hold it against, you will we? I will be back
:59:09. > :59:12.at 11.05pm to see how it turns out then. That's it from the action from
:59:13. > :59:16.the last of our quarter-finals here at Alexandra Palace from Steve and
:59:17. > :59:30.me and the team, have a very Good Friday night and I hope to catch you
:59:31. > :59:31.at 11.05pm. Bye, bye for now. -- good.