First Round: Mark Selby v Mark Williams

:00:34. > :00:40.HAZEL IRVINE: Good afternoon, three days, three deciders, that is what

:00:41. > :00:44.this Dafabet has produced at Alexandra Palace. It has been a

:00:45. > :00:46.fantastic tournament to date, with thrilling afternoon drama and

:00:47. > :00:51.compelling theatre in the evening as well.

:00:52. > :00:56.Here are the stats, 15 centuries have been made in only six matches

:00:57. > :01:01.so far. Five of them in that memorable showpiece yesterday when

:01:02. > :01:08.Judd Trump fell to a very cool and classy Marco Fu.

:01:09. > :01:19.It seemed like he hit that harder than he needed.

:01:20. > :01:23.A massive steel, so much more than the last frame.

:01:24. > :01:29.That's 3-0. Possibly tempted with the double

:01:30. > :01:36.here. What a shot that is.

:01:37. > :01:42.Judd Trump will be sitting in his chair thinking that Marco Fu's away

:01:43. > :01:46.with this. What another cracking frame of

:01:47. > :01:51.snooker. He is only one behind now, 4-3.

:01:52. > :01:55.Well, there's a bit of naughty snooker from Judd Trump, a beautiful

:01:56. > :02:02.century break. What a fabulous response. It's 5-4.

:02:03. > :02:11.He's missed it. He missed everything in that.

:02:12. > :02:20.Kick, and he has still got the pot. What a way that would have been to

:02:21. > :02:29.have lost a match in the Masters. Where's the red going? Wow... what a

:02:30. > :02:35.fluke that is. It just doesn't get any better than

:02:36. > :02:41.this. Absolutely brilliant from Marco Fu.

:02:42. > :02:44.Both players at the top of their form, one has made two century

:02:45. > :02:46.breaks, the other has made three. They are getting a standing ovation,

:02:47. > :02:53.and don't they deserve it. He is going for the black. Oh! What

:02:54. > :03:08.a good pot that was. Another solid pot from the

:03:09. > :03:13.Australian. Didn't he strike that well.

:03:14. > :03:20.Pretty impressive display, this, tonight from Robertson. A brick of a

:03:21. > :03:23.century here. It's there and there is no way back

:03:24. > :03:29.now for Ali Carter. What a great match and what a performer, Neil

:03:30. > :03:30.Robertson is absolutely delighted, and has booked a date in the

:03:31. > :03:39.quarterfinal. HAZEL IRVINE: A watchable

:03:40. > :03:43.quarterfinal draw is shaping up. Ronnie O'Sullivan is safely through,

:03:44. > :03:46.only just. He will now play Neil Robertson, who defeated Ali Carter

:03:47. > :03:53.last night. It might have been Judd Trump against John Higgins, that

:03:54. > :03:57.Marco Fu won the day against Judd Trump, and he will play Mark Allen.

:03:58. > :04:03.Joe Perry is through to his second quarterfinal, taking on Ding Junhui,

:04:04. > :04:06.who finally won a game at Ally Pally. And we will sort this out,

:04:07. > :04:09.Shaun Murphy against Barry Hawkins this evening. This afternoon, it is

:04:10. > :04:17.Mark Selby against Mark Williams. Everyone is still abuzz with that

:04:18. > :04:25.match yesterday featuring Marco Fu and Judd Trump. Five centuries,

:04:26. > :04:29.eight 100 school breaks. Marco Fu is now playing the best snooker of his

:04:30. > :04:34.career. I think he is. He has reinvented himself. It was not

:04:35. > :04:39.unfair to call him a journeyman, but now he is a winning machine. It

:04:40. > :04:41.looks like he has got a leaf will stop I know another man with great

:04:42. > :04:51.belief, Mark Selby. He has been world number one, at the

:04:52. > :04:55.top of the rankings, for 100 weeks, almost two years. In some respects,

:04:56. > :04:58.does he remind you of a certain someone like Steve Davis? You were

:04:59. > :05:02.the Rumford robot, the winning machine. You were teased and derided

:05:03. > :05:09.about that, do you see a resemblance in that regard? I think so.

:05:10. > :05:12.He is a great match player. There is nothing he does wrong in the game.

:05:13. > :05:16.He does great interviews, he turns up when he needs to do. He is a

:05:17. > :05:20.winning machine, but there is always an element of people that watch that

:05:21. > :05:24.don't want to see that relentless winner. They prefer to see the

:05:25. > :05:29.vulnerable entertainer. But long-term, I think people come

:05:30. > :05:33.around to valuing his commodity, and also liking the person.

:05:34. > :05:38.So by the end of his reign, I think he will be much more liked than at

:05:39. > :05:44.the moment. It is interesting. You talk about popularity contests,

:05:45. > :05:48.you never saw it like that, yet you won one. You have the most top three

:05:49. > :05:52.nominations of anybody in sports personality of the year. Is that a

:05:53. > :05:55.career path for him outside snooker somehow?

:05:56. > :06:00.I think it will be in the end. People accept gestures of champions,

:06:01. > :06:09.and great triers. But the most important thing is, true snooker

:06:10. > :06:12.fans like Mark Selby. The people that I don't care about are the ones

:06:13. > :06:16.that don't like Mark Selby. They only like certain types of players.

:06:17. > :06:19.The proper snooker fan likes all types of snooker players and what

:06:20. > :06:31.they bring to the table. We will be watching this match with

:06:32. > :06:36.tap in Steve Davis. You are one of the few people that have won all

:06:37. > :06:43.three majors, the triple Crown, the World Championship, the Masters and

:06:44. > :06:47.the UK Silver Vase. And held all three simultaneously. It is a

:06:48. > :06:53.difficult thing to do. Mark Selby can complete a Selby Slam if he wins

:06:54. > :06:58.the trophy this week. He would join this group of players. Only Steve

:06:59. > :07:03.Davis and Stephen Hendry have done it twice, together with John Higgins

:07:04. > :07:05.and Mark Williams, owning all three at the same time. Now, that is a

:07:06. > :07:23.club. To win the triple Crown, I think, is

:07:24. > :07:32.a fantastic feeling of satisfaction that you have truly dominated. But

:07:33. > :07:35.the type of person that is likely to win the Triple Crown is the type of

:07:36. > :07:42.player that has a relentlessness to their game.

:07:43. > :07:47.In order, I would place the World Championship first, then the

:07:48. > :07:50.Masters, then the UK. If I went through a season without winning any

:07:51. > :07:53.of them, it would be a huge disappointment, it even if I won

:07:54. > :07:57.three or four others. Those are the three that you'd grow up watching on

:07:58. > :08:02.TV, and you associate with being the best player in the world.

:08:03. > :08:11.Very few players have done it, Ronnie has not done it, amazingly,

:08:12. > :08:16.and such a great player he is. It must be difficult if someone like

:08:17. > :08:19.Ronnie O'Sullivan has never done it, and there are only four players that

:08:20. > :08:24.have ever done it. It tells you how hard it is.

:08:25. > :08:30.It lends itself to a John Higgins style player that day in, day out,

:08:31. > :08:33.plays a bread winning game under all conditions. But as they go through a

:08:34. > :08:37.tournament, can move through the gears as well. That is the vein that

:08:38. > :08:41.Mark Selby is in. Coming here, knowing that I am in a

:08:42. > :08:45.chance to join that elite group that you mentioned to hold all three

:08:46. > :08:47.titles at the same time, it is going to be tough.

:08:48. > :08:53.If anybody could do it and make it look not easy, but look like he was

:08:54. > :08:59.in control, Mark Selby is the animal, the ultimate animal. The

:09:00. > :09:03.predator. HAZEL IRVINE: Only four men have so

:09:04. > :09:08.far done it. Steve Davis, what does it feel like to have these beautiful

:09:09. > :09:11.things in your possession? Your own personal trophy cabinet at one time?

:09:12. > :09:15.You have all the keys to the sweet box, you are a superhero and you

:09:16. > :09:19.have an invincibility shield around you that lasts a bit longer for the

:09:20. > :09:22.rest of the season. And perhaps the season after that.

:09:23. > :09:27.Is it even harder to achieve now than it was in your day? It is 14

:09:28. > :09:31.years since this was actually done? I think I would have to say it must

:09:32. > :09:35.be. To do it it's hard enough. To always be on your best form, or good

:09:36. > :09:38.enough form to get through all of the matches that you had to play

:09:39. > :09:42.even on a bad day, is tough. But when you look at the standard of

:09:43. > :09:44.players you come up against now, it is harder than it has ever been,

:09:45. > :09:49.definitely. The irony is, the last man to do it,

:09:50. > :09:54.Mark Williams, is the man that Mark Selby is playing today. It is worth

:09:55. > :10:00.reminding you of Mark Williams's incredible invincibility back then.

:10:01. > :10:04.He reigned supreme, 2002- 03 season in particular.

:10:05. > :10:10.He had the code to winning matches back then. He had the formula for

:10:11. > :10:13.getting over the line, the tightrope walk of brinkmanship with Mark,

:10:14. > :10:17.potting pressure balls to get out of trouble. The trouble is, that bubble

:10:18. > :10:21.at some stage bursts, and it is tough to get it back. Mark Williams

:10:22. > :10:24.is somebody that is a potential banana skin for any player in the

:10:25. > :10:26.game, because he is a great match player.

:10:27. > :10:30.Let's look at the head-to-head series between the two, it is

:10:31. > :10:35.interesting. Williams, making his 19th appearance at the Masters, he

:10:36. > :10:40.comes with a stronger record. Selby won their most recent contest at the

:10:41. > :10:48.Welsh last year. This is the first time they have met in a major for

:10:49. > :10:52.four years. So John Parrott, pick the bones out of all of that. I

:10:53. > :10:57.would do, but I don't have too. I have commentators in my midst.

:10:58. > :11:01.Stephen, I know you don't like saying nice things about Mark

:11:02. > :11:04.Williams, but it is his credit that he is in the last 16.

:11:05. > :11:12.He is still winning matches, but if you look at the Golden generation,

:11:13. > :11:16.Higgins and O'Sullivan are still winning. Mark it on. I worry if he

:11:17. > :11:20.has given up on winning. When I speak to him, he says he does not

:11:21. > :11:23.care if he wins or loses, he turned up, he likes his life, he doesn't

:11:24. > :11:28.bother. That is a worrying attitude for me, but that is the way he is.

:11:29. > :11:32.How important is it for him to school today? It is tough to play

:11:33. > :11:38.Mark Selby. You had to compete in all departments. -- score. You don't

:11:39. > :11:39.get many chances. If there is a weakness, he hasn't scored heavily

:11:40. > :11:43.enough. He is up against somebody that is

:11:44. > :11:48.brilliant with ring craft in Mark Selby, but Mark Williams's own ring

:11:49. > :11:49.craft has given him bob runs in the past.

:11:50. > :11:54.It would give any player problems. But Mark Selby is on a high. He is

:11:55. > :11:59.number one in the world. -- problems. Saying about the Grand

:12:00. > :12:02.Slam, he has the pressure of that. Maybe that could work to Mark

:12:03. > :12:05.Williams's advantage, to keep the pressure on.

:12:06. > :12:11.But I think Mark Selby at the moment is head and shoulders. He is

:12:12. > :12:15.confident and everything else. He has an unerring habit of winning

:12:16. > :12:16.not at his best, and that is a fantastic thing to have in your

:12:17. > :12:21.armour. You could say the same thing about

:12:22. > :12:24.Mark Williams at his best. I agree with Stephen, Mark Williams is

:12:25. > :12:29.reinventing himself, but he needs a bit of silverware, or you lose the

:12:30. > :12:33.will to play, if you like. Looking forward to listening to you

:12:34. > :12:36.this afternoon. More of the same from these players, please. It has

:12:37. > :12:41.been a fantastic week. Rob Walker, take it away.

:12:42. > :12:47.Today, we complete the line-up for the quarterfinals of this year 's

:12:48. > :12:51.Dafabet Masters, which so far has been a brilliant tournament. Now to

:12:52. > :12:57.a match to be two men that have lifted this title five times between

:12:58. > :13:02.them. Could be a lot of fun here this afternoon at Alexandra Palace.

:13:03. > :13:16.Please welcome a player who first appeared at the Masters 22 years

:13:17. > :13:22.ago, twice a winner of this once, twice a world champion stop he

:13:23. > :13:26.jokingly refers to himself as the Welsh Has Been, but we know there is

:13:27. > :13:43.a touch of magic or two left in the cue, please welcome Mark Williams.

:13:44. > :14:04.And his opponent, a player of immense composure on the big

:14:05. > :14:08.occasion, five times a Masters finalist, three times a champion. He

:14:09. > :14:12.has just passed his 100th consecutive week as well number one.

:14:13. > :14:15.Reigning UK champion, reigning world champion, he's The Jester From

:14:16. > :14:54.Leicester hummer Mark Selby. HAZEL IRVINE: Here we go, Steve and

:14:55. > :14:59.John, all yours. JOHN VIRGO: Thank you, Hazel, good

:15:00. > :15:06.afternoon, everybody. This could be a very interesting match.

:15:07. > :15:13.REFEREE: Thank you, the first frame, Mark Williams to break.

:15:14. > :15:18.Mark Williams gets the match underway.

:15:19. > :15:35.And a good break-off shot it is. APPLAUSE

:15:36. > :16:04.An excellent return from Mark. Look at that. Good shot.

:16:05. > :16:41.Two fantastic tactical brains up against each other today.

:16:42. > :17:40.Snub you see a return back to walk here, so you'll have UK. -- it's not

:17:41. > :17:43.easy to see. I am not sure whether the right to the left bank goes to

:17:44. > :18:00.the right middle. No, it doesn't. So safe enough.

:18:01. > :18:11.-- the red the left of the pink. A little bit loose there, and his

:18:12. > :18:13.opponent with his hand on the table. You should have played a better fate

:18:14. > :18:22.than that. I could say the same about Mark

:18:23. > :18:26.Williams there. That was a poor shot.

:18:27. > :18:29.The worst thing that has happened there, he has opened the black up to

:18:30. > :18:45.the left corner. He may have two just swerve this a

:18:46. > :18:52.touch. Should be able to hold forth black mud playing it with swerve.

:18:53. > :19:02.He certainly didn't want to hit the red that full. OK, it has gone in,

:19:03. > :19:10.but he wanted it a bit more on the left. He will be straight on the

:19:11. > :19:16.black. He can still pot the black, but he has had a look at the blue.

:19:17. > :19:21.Although the blue is an easier pot, he will be struggling to get back

:19:22. > :19:34.amongst the reds, so he's playing the black. It's a bit high.

:19:35. > :20:06.-- high. I don't know if the pink goes. It obviously does. Not a

:20:07. > :20:09.problem to be on the side cushion. APPLAUSE

:20:10. > :20:13.As we were saying before, he has got to school today from these

:20:14. > :20:26.opportunities, winning frames in one visit.

:20:27. > :20:46.A little bit awkward, this position of shot. Two reds beside the pink

:20:47. > :20:55.Dodd pot. I don't think he would play for a red. Not straightforward

:20:56. > :21:05.to get nicely on the next red. He's played that well. He now has

:21:06. > :21:40.the natural angle just to drop on the pink.

:21:41. > :21:45.Now, can you put this red and avoid the kiss on the pink? I am not

:21:46. > :21:59.certain he can. He would love to... if he was

:22:00. > :22:03.straight on the red, he could screw back for the pink on the same

:22:04. > :22:11.pocket. But if you can't avoid the kiss on the pink, he won't be on it.

:22:12. > :22:16.He didn't want to take the risk, so played it firmer. Always knew he

:22:17. > :22:22.would have the blue in the far right corner, but he doesn't really want

:22:23. > :22:25.to be playing the blue. So he's just run out of perfect

:22:26. > :22:37.position now. I think you can pot black and screw

:22:38. > :22:45.back for the red to the right middle. I don't think the will do

:22:46. > :22:50.anything like going into the bunch from this shot.

:22:51. > :23:11.That's OK. APPLAUSE I think the one thing that could

:23:12. > :23:16.suit him two days, Stephen, because he's not really a power player, he

:23:17. > :23:22.likes floating bubbles in, a quick table suits his type of game down to

:23:23. > :23:29.the ground. So that could lead to his advantage. But having said that,

:23:30. > :23:32.on the table, he's just been a bit unlucky there. I don't think he's on

:23:33. > :23:37.anything. You could have done with another

:23:38. > :23:40.couple of ounces of power going into the pack there. I agree with you,

:23:41. > :24:08.John, he's a touch player. Walking to the baulk end. That tells

:24:09. > :24:12.you he's going to play safe with his next shot. It is not a

:24:13. > :24:14.straightforward return to baulk, though. He has got to be careful. He

:24:15. > :24:36.has the red near the right corner. Normally, he could glance of a red

:24:37. > :24:40.quite easily, but I don't think that is the case here. He thinks he's

:24:41. > :24:52.found a path. Just a touch short of pace. 38.

:24:53. > :25:37.APPLAUSE A little unlucky.

:25:38. > :25:47.As you can see, you can get past the brown to play a thin safety back to

:25:48. > :25:53.ball. He is not guaranteed to get this safe. He also has another

:25:54. > :26:00.opportunity on the left-hand side of the table. It could win him the

:26:01. > :26:13.frame, or lose him the frame. It is decision time.

:26:14. > :26:22.He just tried to hedge his bets slightly there. Well, he's not left

:26:23. > :26:25.anything easy, let's put it that way. He didn't fully commit on the

:26:26. > :26:57.pot. Yeah, there's a bit of pressure on

:26:58. > :27:04.the spot. If he misses it, it could cost him the frame.

:27:05. > :27:18.No, a mile away. So, that should cost in this first frame. -- cost

:27:19. > :27:41.him. Ever since I have been covering the

:27:42. > :27:45.snooker, John, sorry, the last two, three, four years, watching Mark

:27:46. > :27:48.Selby, it is amazing how we first round he doesn't play well in and

:27:49. > :27:51.goes through. Then wins the tournament. He is definitely

:27:52. > :27:57.vulnerable in the first round of tournaments. As we said, chasing

:27:58. > :28:02.this Triple Crown, joining the elite club, that is putting a little bit

:28:03. > :28:13.of pressure on him as well. There are no easy matches nowadays.

:28:14. > :28:16.I think if he has a weakness, Mark Selby, sometimes I don't think he

:28:17. > :28:22.believes in himself as much as he should. He is a tremendous player,

:28:23. > :28:29.and a man to beat at the moment, for me. Sometimes he doubts his own

:28:30. > :28:34.ability. He certainly does, but a chance for Mark Williams to get a

:28:35. > :28:49.good start you felt he needed. He should win the frame at this visit.

:28:50. > :28:55.Obviously came very straight on the yellow, and couldn't do much with

:28:56. > :29:01.the cue ball. So you would think, just make certain of this red, and

:29:02. > :29:05.play the blue. I wonder if we will see one of Mark

:29:06. > :29:22.Williams putted shops where he puts you under his arm. He wants to make

:29:23. > :29:24.sure of the pot. -- Mark Williams's shots.

:29:25. > :29:32.He doesn't want to make contact with a baulk colour.

:29:33. > :29:47.You almost missed the putt there. That is why the cue ball ended up

:29:48. > :29:52.there. He is on nothing. So that frame-winning chance now has gone.

:29:53. > :30:02.53 points the lead, but still 75 remaining.

:30:03. > :30:14.He will be very disappointed. Had to win the free from that visit. When

:30:15. > :30:18.you are playing against Mark Selby, he will punish mistakes. That is

:30:19. > :30:22.what has been happening in all the other matches in this Masters so far

:30:23. > :30:41.this week. The standard has been incredible so far.

:30:42. > :30:48.Touching the red, so there is not a lot Selby could do there. He is not

:30:49. > :30:52.going to gain any advantage. Mark Williams should still the upper hand

:30:53. > :31:16.in this tactical battle. Mark Selby is in a lot of trouble

:31:17. > :31:20.here. He will have a play off one condition that is on the black

:31:21. > :31:52.commission. Also Mark Williams has a 53 point

:31:53. > :31:58.lead, the way the red Star, if Mark Selby is to get the next

:31:59. > :33:09.opportunity, he could quickly be favourite for the frame.

:33:10. > :33:20.He has left a red. As John said, there is pressure on it now. Look at

:33:21. > :33:28.the way the raids are situated, if he misses it could cost him the

:33:29. > :33:44.freedom. He is taking a while getting down to it.

:33:45. > :34:08.I am sure Mark Williams will take this first freedom. Oh dear. I think

:34:09. > :34:15.he has been a bit fortunate. That now puts on 60 points in front. He

:34:16. > :34:27.played to come past the green, not come into it. He has needed three

:34:28. > :34:34.chances to win this first frame, as Mark. He won't be counting on

:34:35. > :35:02.getting that in most of the frames. You have got to take your hat off to

:35:03. > :35:10.him. There was a time only a cute seasons ago when he dropped out of

:35:11. > :35:14.the top 32. He has got the talent. We were talking about John Higgins

:35:15. > :35:20.who turned professional at the same time. He is as talented as him. It

:35:21. > :35:24.is strange to me that he seems to have this attitude that he is not

:35:25. > :35:30.bothered about winning any more. Maybe in a way that it takes a bit

:35:31. > :35:35.of pressure off. It is a get out, if you lose you have not put any

:35:36. > :35:36.pressure on yourself. For me, he should still be competing for

:35:37. > :36:31.tournaments and titles. Giving every shot the right care and

:36:32. > :36:34.attention. This is the free and well and truly over, he just wants to

:36:35. > :37:13.make sure he keeps getting the queue through straight.

:37:14. > :37:24.So in those of the black. He reduced the world champion to only scoring

:37:25. > :37:31.one point there. Mark Williams is 1-0 in front. A nice little emphatic

:37:32. > :37:38.statement. How dangerous is Mark Williams? Very. I think it was

:37:39. > :37:42.important for him to clear this up because even though he was a key

:37:43. > :37:47.point in front, he still looked nervous, had a couple of chances to

:37:48. > :37:52.get the points in front. That will settle down even more by the fact he

:37:53. > :37:56.cleared the table. Steven Smith at that point, he feeds, and he knows

:37:57. > :38:01.Markwell, perhaps he is not as bothered by women is often now. Is

:38:02. > :38:08.that a product of age or a protection on his pot? It could be.

:38:09. > :38:11.It could be the fact that you are getting older and you go softer in

:38:12. > :38:16.the middle. It could also be the case that Mark has always been like

:38:17. > :38:20.that. He has always been the most laid back, even when he was the

:38:21. > :38:25.ultimate winning machine. It is in his nature can not put so much

:38:26. > :38:29.emphasis on the importance of winning or losing. Perhaps a

:38:30. > :38:35.statement that he has another life. You wonder if you have to pay the

:38:36. > :38:40.price, but it has to hurt and if it doesn't hurt when you lose, then you

:38:41. > :38:44.are past your best and that is what Stephen is talking about. Is he

:38:45. > :38:49.still a player that strikes nervousness into the heart of

:38:50. > :38:53.someone like Mark Selby? Everyone respects his game. John Baird the

:38:54. > :38:59.point, we were talking before and I said Selby has a habit of winning

:39:00. > :39:02.when he was not in his best. When you get too scrappy frames at the

:39:03. > :39:08.end, he was one of the best I ever played. Very clever. They all

:39:09. > :39:13.respect. That is why I mentioned the scoring, if he can ally that with

:39:14. > :39:20.his ring craft, that will make in a match for anyone. The point John was

:39:21. > :39:27.making about the fact Selby is going for the slam, how much pressure did

:39:28. > :39:31.you feel that will exert? It could inflict pressure. But Selby doesn't

:39:32. > :39:35.necessarily put pressure on at the start, it is when the stakes rise at

:39:36. > :39:42.the end. That is when Mark Selby asks a lot of questions. He asked

:39:43. > :39:49.some questions at the start of this. The boys have been answering them.

:39:50. > :39:55.It is an interesting matchup with the two players. I am certain the

:39:56. > :39:59.bookmakers have made Mark Selby the big favourite for this match. As

:40:00. > :40:09.John was saying, you can never discount Mark Williams. Snooker for

:40:10. > :40:19.the connoisseur, this is. Sit back and enjoy.

:40:20. > :40:27.We always say, if you are going to miss that type of shot, miss it

:40:28. > :40:31.saying, if it is too thick, the cue ball will never get past the blue

:40:32. > :40:37.spot. First opportunity to Mark Selby. A chance for him to get his

:40:38. > :41:02.hand on the table and partly few balls.

:41:03. > :41:10.Well, that just shows you when you have not had any table time. If he

:41:11. > :41:21.had the black in the middle, he looks like he has a second prize

:41:22. > :41:23.here. Just off straight. It looked for a moment as if he had nothing to

:41:24. > :41:42.go out. Fortunate to be on it, but a good

:41:43. > :42:03.pop nonetheless. It goes without saying, they wanted

:42:04. > :42:09.to get rid of is the one to the right of the black. He will be able

:42:10. > :42:54.to do that now. He won't be going into the punch

:42:55. > :42:59.from this shot. He will be starting to think about it in the back of his

:43:00. > :43:00.mind. It is nice to leave that shot when there are one or two nice

:43:01. > :43:16.reference. He might choose to play for the open

:43:17. > :43:42.and to go into the bunch. That was the first black of the

:43:43. > :43:49.fifth red. He will not be playing for the black now. He is hampered.

:43:50. > :44:02.He will have two wrote this in play for pink or blue. There is a ?10,000

:44:03. > :44:11.prize for the highest break. Held at the moment by Stuart Bingham who

:44:12. > :44:44.made a 13 break. -- in 132 break. It was in the only match 30 one.

:44:45. > :44:52.He is not going to hit the blue, he is just thinking about where he

:44:53. > :44:59.wants to leave the cue ball. Maybe thinking about trying to hold the

:45:00. > :45:04.spot. He decided to play the screw shot in the end. He felt if he did

:45:05. > :45:14.stun run through, he would be at full stretch. Back in prime

:45:15. > :46:40.position. He mentioned Mark Williams always

:46:41. > :46:42.missed that long ball by a long way. It looks like it will cost him the

:46:43. > :47:05.frame. Another possible reason why Mark

:47:06. > :47:15.doesn't get those long pause as regularly as he would like. Applause

:47:16. > :47:21.as that puts Mark Selby in the position where his opponent needs

:47:22. > :47:35.snookers. You don't have to do a lot wrong to lose a frame. Still the

:47:36. > :47:45.possibility of beating the 132 break. ?10,000 is not to be sniffed

:47:46. > :48:13.at. Missed the cannon, but he will be on the red. Still a chance.

:48:14. > :48:18.This had been pretty impressive except for the shot of the first

:48:19. > :48:20.black where he was fortunate to leave a red at the pocket. He has

:48:21. > :48:46.been flawless since then. Cleverley and purposefully potted

:48:47. > :48:57.that. Now, I don't know if he knows what the hybrid is. We might see him

:48:58. > :49:08.ask the referee. I think someone like Mark Selby will know. On the

:49:09. > :49:21.right-hand side of the cue ball here. Beautifully constructed brick.

:49:22. > :49:30.With the red and black, a possible 139 on. You would think to win the

:49:31. > :49:37.prize you would want 142 plus. Absolutely. I was chatting to

:49:38. > :49:50.someone about the pot of a maximum break and it is only about 8- one.

:49:51. > :49:54.We have talked about how good the playing conditions are. The top

:49:55. > :50:07.players love that for brick building. They never have to hit the

:50:08. > :50:38.ball a. -- that hard. There will be many big breaks this week.

:50:39. > :50:53.Just about perfect. He might have to just stun one of the top cushion.

:50:54. > :51:04.Like most shots in this break, inch perfect.

:51:05. > :51:21.That equals the hybrid. This lack to set the bar that little bit higher.

:51:22. > :51:22.Wonderful. This is why he is the world champion and world number one.

:51:23. > :52:40.That was exquisite. Well, that is Mark Selby's track

:52:41. > :52:44.record at the moment. It is one each and I am really enjoying this match

:52:45. > :52:52.from the point of view, can Mark Williams somehow get a result here?

:52:53. > :52:56.I think the first frame took him three opportunities. That does not

:52:57. > :53:03.bode well for me for the rest of the match. He has two step that up. If

:53:04. > :53:05.he doesn't he will lose the match. One chance for Mark Selby and that

:53:06. > :53:29.was it, frame over. Can he get past the green to the

:53:30. > :53:35.right corner? I think you can just about get through to the potting

:53:36. > :53:59.angle. We played the cannon on the red to the black.

:54:00. > :54:09.Green looks the obvious colour to take here. If he brought the cue

:54:10. > :54:34.ball back to where it is now it would be ideal.

:54:35. > :54:41.A little bit more of an angle on this pot than he would have liked.

:54:42. > :54:47.It makes it missable. Sometimes you miss these. It could hit the right

:54:48. > :55:18.job of the pocket. Safely in. Mark Williams looked on for most of

:55:19. > :55:31.the last frame. He will be hoping he doesn't gain. If this cannon goes

:55:32. > :55:43.right, he could. He is on the black. A little bit thinner than he would

:55:44. > :55:54.like. If he can get the cannon from the black, this little cannon on the

:55:55. > :56:05.red. That was careless. Didn't get into the cue ball at all. It was a

:56:06. > :56:09.very comfortable shot in the end. He will be very disappointed that the

:56:10. > :56:13.break has ended this quickly. In the last frame he would have been

:56:14. > :56:19.looking to win this frame in one visit again. He will go back to his

:56:20. > :56:46.chair a bit frustrated. Mark Williams is playing off the

:56:47. > :56:50.main bunch. Looks too sick. And a little bit harder and the red would

:56:51. > :56:57.have dropped. He played the safety much too sick. Without having to do

:56:58. > :56:58.much, Mark Selby is back at the table. Another chance to take the

:56:59. > :57:19.frame. I can only assume the pink doesn't

:57:20. > :57:35.go to left centre because I thought he might have played for that.

:57:36. > :57:52.He has hit this one very well. He got into the cue ball so well there.

:57:53. > :58:32.It goes in between the green and brown and it picks up pace.

:58:33. > :58:40.Nice control of the cue ball, which he will need to win the frame on

:58:41. > :58:43.this visit. The red balls are spread, but there is maybe only two

:58:44. > :59:49.that are easy to get on. To red balls to the left of the

:59:50. > :00:02.black, I am not certain if one or both of those are available.

:00:03. > :00:09.As he puts one, he brings another one into the open. He still needs

:00:10. > :01:01.three of these remaining reds to clinch the frame.

:01:02. > :01:11.Maybe trying to play the black here. There was a little gap and he has

:01:12. > :01:15.played it absolutely inch perfect. And after this black, he is looking

:01:16. > :01:31.for one more red, that is why he played for the black.

:01:32. > :01:37.Losing with confidence. -- oozing. As I say, by playing on the black,

:01:38. > :01:42.he was able to nudge the red into the open. He is now 65 ahead, with

:01:43. > :02:13.67 remaining. Yeah, he's beginning to make my

:02:14. > :02:22.comment in the first round that he is vulnerable, seem like nonsense.

:02:23. > :02:50.Yeah, he's really looking on top of his game, here.

:02:51. > :03:00.Well, the frame was over before he missed that red. Mark Williams

:03:01. > :03:05.concedes, and Mark Selby leads to- one.

:03:06. > :03:11.HAZEL IRVINE: We talk about fine margins, and a safety shot from Mark

:03:12. > :03:13.Williams went awry, and the rest is history.

:03:14. > :03:22.There are shotguns to go where you think you can afford to hit them a

:03:23. > :03:27.bit thick -- shots in snooker. It looks like there is no danger, he is

:03:28. > :03:31.playing towards the left-hand side, but somehow, a bald orchestrate its

:03:32. > :03:36.way toward a pocket that was never in that direction. But as an

:03:37. > :03:39.experienced snooker player, that happens a lot.

:03:40. > :03:48.The players will have a tendency to hit it thin with a bit of side. Near

:03:49. > :03:52.a cushion, you cannot put aside on. From the sublime to the ridiculous,

:03:53. > :03:57.there is a fair bit of chat on social media about Mark Selby's

:03:58. > :04:02.hair. He is rocking the great Gatsby look.

:04:03. > :04:08.It is like his cue action, it is rocket straight. A bit of hair

:04:09. > :04:12.product has been squashed over that. Not that we should analyse it. I

:04:13. > :04:16.can't talk! Nothing wrong with a bit of product

:04:17. > :04:25.in your head, that is what I am saying. Back we go.

:04:26. > :04:30.REFEREE: Frame four. Mark Selby to break.

:04:31. > :04:35.JOHN VIRGO: Mark Selby get the frame, the one before the

:04:36. > :04:44.mid-session interval underway. As always for the man behind, it's a

:04:45. > :04:59.big frame. You don't want to be two frames behind calm the mid-session

:05:00. > :05:24.interval. -- come the mid-session interval. Decent line and length.

:05:25. > :05:38.Yeah, talking about how well Selby has played in the last two frames,

:05:39. > :05:43.he should come to this event with the best 16 players in the ward. I

:05:44. > :05:49.loved it as World War I, competing against the other best players, and

:05:50. > :05:54.proving why you were the number one. -- as world number one.

:05:55. > :06:00.You can't get much closer. And he was forced into playing it.

:06:01. > :06:04.But that, as we say, is the advantage of getting the cue ball

:06:05. > :06:08.tight to the cushion. It makes cueing that much more difficult. And

:06:09. > :06:13.so close, and the fact he got so close, he got the double-kiss. He

:06:14. > :06:52.has left a nice and easy start on for his opponent.

:06:53. > :07:06.Just about stopping short of the baulk line.

:07:07. > :07:09.You always feel it is a good chance when the black is in the open,

:07:10. > :07:25.available and to both corners. And a nice angle on the yellow. Now

:07:26. > :07:38.he will be thinking about making a sizeable contribution.

:07:39. > :07:48.Not the best angle on this black. Just coming around to see it. He

:07:49. > :07:53.would love a red, so you can follow through to both cushions. The line

:07:54. > :07:55.of three to the left of the bunch, the middle one may pot to the right

:07:56. > :08:01.corner. Excellent positional shot there.

:08:02. > :08:21.Absolutely perfect. There you see the shaking of heads

:08:22. > :08:26.on the shot. It is almost like a swing, John, not a shake.

:08:27. > :08:27.Yeah, I suppose it is an unnatural position that snooker players get

:08:28. > :08:39.themselves in. But it doesn't seem to affect him.

:08:40. > :08:45.He is pushing the cue through straight as they die.

:08:46. > :08:51.It is almost the whole body moving from side to side, but as you say,

:08:52. > :08:56.it does not affect him one bit. That is just the way he plays. Nice angle

:08:57. > :08:57.to go into the bunch here. He is not going to do it this time, playing

:08:58. > :09:19.with top skin. -- top spin. I think he will play for and angle

:09:20. > :09:20.this time for the black. Yes, and he has got that perfect

:09:21. > :09:44.angle now. Always knew he would have this red

:09:45. > :09:48.to the left corner. It is just an awkward positional shot. I thought

:09:49. > :09:55.he may have played more of a stump. He comes back he is playing now, he

:09:56. > :09:59.could have had to the right corner. That is the problem when you are

:10:00. > :10:01.running into another red, where is the cue ball going to finish? He has

:10:02. > :10:12.not finished too well. If the blue is the natural angle to

:10:13. > :10:19.miss a baulk colour, that is what he will play. If he doesn't, he could

:10:20. > :10:32.have a problem here. Doesn't look as though he can roll

:10:33. > :10:41.the blue in and avoid the kiss on the green. He is looking at the

:10:42. > :10:45.black, which is eight shot. But as I say, so far, he has looked full of

:10:46. > :10:53.confidence when he has got in. So I can't see him refusing the pot.

:10:54. > :11:12.You have to forget that you are in perfect position, and you have a

:11:13. > :11:51.really tough shot to play. He is so full of confidence.

:11:52. > :11:58.Immediately pointing his cue, so he's going to play the cannon from

:11:59. > :12:05.the blue, hit a pink fall in the face. He doesn't have to play it too

:12:06. > :12:13.hard. The reds are loose. He would be unlucky not to be on one here.

:12:14. > :12:15.That was the intention. Whatever, he has a nice, easy red to continue the

:12:16. > :12:25.break with. Yeah, I think the reason he missed

:12:26. > :12:33.was because he wanted the pink and the line landed a touch.

:12:34. > :12:39.Fair comment. He didn't want to risk anything going wrong, because he

:12:40. > :12:43.knew that he needed a red to carry on, and he would win the frame from

:12:44. > :12:51.this. I think Mark Williams is resigned to that fact now.

:12:52. > :12:59.Only potted one ball, did Mark Selby, in the first frame. But as we

:13:00. > :13:08.say, mark needed three chances, and it's now up to 281 points without

:13:09. > :13:15.reply. APPLAUSE 70 points the lead, 67 remaining. It

:13:16. > :13:35.looks like a two frame advantage going into the mid-session interval.

:13:36. > :14:09.Those two reds together to the left of the pink, one is available to the

:14:10. > :14:15.opposite corner to this lack. -- to this black. You have to say, he has

:14:16. > :14:19.really settled in now. He has the cue ball on a piece of string at the

:14:20. > :14:23.moment. And that is the key to this game. If you get good cue ball

:14:24. > :14:35.control, then you more or less make every shot that much easier.

:14:36. > :14:45.Yeah, this is as good as I have seen Mark Selby play in a first round

:14:46. > :14:54.match. Well, since my camera member. Still possible, this red, to the

:14:55. > :15:02.left middle. -- since I can remember.

:15:03. > :15:14.Yes, nicely played. A second century now looks a formality. He can't

:15:15. > :15:23.better the 139. Lots of left-hand side here. APPLAUSE

:15:24. > :15:29.I have to say, Stephen, at the moment, he is making the game look

:15:30. > :15:36.ridiculously easy. Yeah, there's no better feeling than

:15:37. > :15:39.when you are out there, and the pockets must look three feet wide at

:15:40. > :15:52.the moment to Mark Selby. Just a little shake of the head

:15:53. > :15:57.there. He will be disappointed with that positional shot.

:15:58. > :16:09.And in the and, he missed the yellow. -- and. Mark Williams won

:16:10. > :16:14.the first frame, but since then, Mark Selby has replied with some big

:16:15. > :16:18.breaks. He goes into the mid-session interval leading 3-1.

:16:19. > :16:27.HAZEL IRVINE: We saw Mark Williams in frame on, but not much sense. You

:16:28. > :16:30.used the word surgical to describe what we have just seen.

:16:31. > :16:42.That is what we have seen from Mark Selby, and that is why he's on the

:16:43. > :16:46.brink of doing the triple Crown. Two centuries and a 62 in four

:16:47. > :16:50.friends. Yeah, what was really impressive was

:16:51. > :16:55.that he lost the cue ball for the one and only time in the last half

:16:56. > :16:59.hour. He left himself tight on the cushion with a horrible black. He

:17:00. > :17:03.got down and stroked it in. Stephen said it was the best shot of the

:17:04. > :17:06.session. It looks like he will not everything in.

:17:07. > :17:10.When you are winning, you enjoy the challenge of that shot. When you are

:17:11. > :17:13.struggling, you don't want those types of shots. It is the optimism

:17:14. > :17:18.of enjoying the challenges set for you. If you are in that vein, you

:17:19. > :17:26.are a dangerous player. There are loads of time you come to the table

:17:27. > :17:30.and you are at your worst, the one at the side cushion is a dangerous

:17:31. > :17:33.one. If you can enjoy those moments, you are so strong.

:17:34. > :17:37.It looks like it was going Selby's way at the moment. One more first

:17:38. > :17:44.round match to complete this evening, Shaun Murphy will come

:17:45. > :17:48.bounding into night to Disco Inferno, taking on Barry Hawkins.

:17:49. > :17:52.That will be live online and on the red button this evening. Every ball

:17:53. > :17:58.is live with us at the Masters on the BBC. It will certainly be well

:17:59. > :18:02.worth watching. As you might remember, Barry Hawkins hadn't gone

:18:03. > :18:06.past the first round of the Masters in ten years of trying until he went

:18:07. > :18:10.on that run to the final last year. And recently, he embarked on a run

:18:11. > :18:19.that was arguably even more risky. In the car with Steve Davis.

:18:20. > :18:45.Hi. How are you doing? Not bad. Do I need a crash helmet? I haven't

:18:46. > :18:51.driven a gear changed since I last had a big accident before I started

:18:52. > :18:59.driving. You had an accident? A big one. Really? Reversed instead of

:19:00. > :19:04.forward. I drive automatics now. I wouldn't go back, to be honest

:19:05. > :19:11.with you. You passed your test? I have passed a test. I passed first

:19:12. > :19:13.time. The best drivers always passed second, apparently!

:19:14. > :19:18.Any accidents? A couple of close ones. I had a

:19:19. > :19:27.little one in a retail car park. That's not bad.

:19:28. > :19:37.Oh! Nearly had another accident then, that would have been funny.

:19:38. > :19:40.Do you know your blood type? No, I don't, actually, that's

:19:41. > :19:47.terrible, isn't it. You are in a car with me. Why don't you know your

:19:48. > :19:52.blood type? Have you got it on your phone?

:19:53. > :20:00.I might ring my mum. I don't know if she will know, even.

:20:01. > :20:04.Her son... you were adopted, you never knew.

:20:05. > :20:11.Mum, I am in the car with Steve Davis, what blood group and my, do

:20:12. > :20:15.you know? It's not important. She hasn't got a clue. He nearly had an

:20:16. > :20:18.accident, it was in case I needed some blood!

:20:19. > :20:24.She doesn't even know what her owners, that's handy as well! Oh, my

:20:25. > :20:30.God! Thanks, mum. Speak to you later. By, ma'am!

:20:31. > :20:35.If you were going to go on, what show would you go on, a reality

:20:36. > :20:44.show? Probably the jungle, I would say.

:20:45. > :20:47.Strictly? No, I have got some sheds. Me and Joe Perry can throw some

:20:48. > :20:56.shapes on the dance floor. What's the favourite style?

:20:57. > :21:01.Wants the beat gets going, we are. The leg starts twitching. We must

:21:02. > :21:04.look like old men on the dance floor, but we don't care. We are

:21:05. > :21:10.having a good time. It doesn't happen so often, we so busy now. But

:21:11. > :21:15.we make sure we enjoy ourselves when we go out.

:21:16. > :21:21.Like any cooking programmes? Not much of a cook, to be honest with

:21:22. > :21:29.you. What about gardening? I like it. Would you get somebody in? No.

:21:30. > :21:42.Would you sweep up the leaves in the winter time? We tidy up a little

:21:43. > :21:49.bit, Tara sweeps. Tara? The other half. She doesn't doom nothing else,

:21:50. > :21:56.we have to get are doing something. Sorry!

:21:57. > :22:06.I don't mind doing things that. It's all I enjoy that.

:22:07. > :22:13.No, I'm lost. You have come past it. Have I gone past it? It is only a

:22:14. > :22:18.small tent... ! I might have to do another U-turn.

:22:19. > :22:23.Do a right at that building. It is down there. That's it. Do a U-turn.

:22:24. > :22:29.You are good at them. I am getting used to them.

:22:30. > :22:31.Thanks for taking me to work, Steve. Good luck in the next part of your

:22:32. > :22:36.career. Yeah, thank you.

:22:37. > :22:44.HAZEL IRVINE: Yes, U-turn Steve Davis and Mr Hawkins in the car.

:22:45. > :22:48.Tara, the freight is domestic engineer, that's what it is. Don't

:22:49. > :22:52.let them tell you different. We have been joined by Stephen Hendry.

:22:53. > :22:56.Rumour reaches us, not about the shapes on the dance floor with you,

:22:57. > :23:00.which I am sure are fantastic, but you are picking up the cue again

:23:01. > :23:05.cost is this the start of a comeback? I don't think so. I will

:23:06. > :23:09.play in the world seniors, there is a revamp, and that is in March. I

:23:10. > :23:15.will take part. John Parrott might be dabbling as well. It is certainly

:23:16. > :23:18.not a Faure back into the full-time arena, but I am looking forward to

:23:19. > :23:23.it. It is a revamp, John, and you are a

:23:24. > :23:26.former senior world chaplain as well. Can you believe he is not

:23:27. > :23:32.playing? There is a banging techno evening I

:23:33. > :23:36.am going to! You are so 2010, you really are. In

:23:37. > :23:40.terms of this revamp, we are not getting any professional players

:23:41. > :23:45.over 39 now, and that is a big change. It is open to amateurs.

:23:46. > :23:51.It is a fantastic story for someone. Anyone that is an amateur, it opens

:23:52. > :23:55.on Monday, anyone amateur over 40 that plays a decent standard could

:23:56. > :24:00.qualify, beat John Parrott or myself. However wins gets to the

:24:01. > :24:05.World Championships. Exactly. Whoever wins this one will

:24:06. > :24:10.join in where the world another 17 will be, with three qualifying

:24:11. > :24:12.matches. A great storing in the offing for you John, and indeed use

:24:13. > :24:16.Stephen, getting back to the Crucible.

:24:17. > :24:23.Luckily we are seeded for the quarterfinals. Is that a proper

:24:24. > :24:26.incentive for you? Is that what is driving it or not?

:24:27. > :24:30.I would have to win the thing first, both of us, to even start thinking

:24:31. > :24:33.about that. But I look forward to it. I miss playing, it is what I am

:24:34. > :24:39.best at. Do you think he will be trying?!

:24:40. > :24:43.It is also a fantastic opportunity for people that have never come into

:24:44. > :24:46.the professional game to play the likes of U2. It is a brilliant

:24:47. > :24:50.chance. That is the biggest story of the

:24:51. > :24:56.whole event. Some other plays do a good standard, perhaps local league.

:24:57. > :25:00.It is best three, isn't it, so a chance to beat anybody.

:25:01. > :25:07.Anyone over the age of 40 that is a lunatic can enter, and you could get

:25:08. > :25:11.a complete loon in the first round. Two up against each other.

:25:12. > :25:16.If you want to take part, it is on the website on Monday. Good luck

:25:17. > :25:22.with that. Stephen, we are talking about the main man, Mark Selby, you

:25:23. > :25:25.had 420 odd weeks at number one, he has reached 100, and we will hear

:25:26. > :25:30.your thoughts on Mark Selby in a short while, because you know what

:25:31. > :25:34.it is like to be at the top of the pile. It doesn't happen very often.

:25:35. > :25:38.There have not been that many world number ones, but what does it look

:25:39. > :25:42.and feel like at the top of the pile looking down on the rest of this

:25:43. > :25:43.move is seen? Mark Selby has been talking to Ken Doherty about that

:25:44. > :25:54.very feeling. The Masters, one of the big three

:25:55. > :25:58.tournaments and one of the majors, of course, but this is a tournament

:25:59. > :26:01.that you absolutely excel in and love. You have won it three times

:26:02. > :26:05.and been in the final another couple of times.

:26:06. > :26:10.It is a fantastic tournament, and the history of the Masters is really

:26:11. > :26:13.special. Going out there, just one table, so every time you go out, you

:26:14. > :26:18.feel like you are playing in the final. I love that occasion.

:26:19. > :26:22.What is it, is it the atmosphere? Is it the history of the tournament, or

:26:23. > :26:28.you just like the one-table set-up? The one-table set-up, because the

:26:29. > :26:31.eyes are on you and your opponent. No other distractions, no tables

:26:32. > :26:35.either side of you, so you can focus on the job in hand, which is to win

:26:36. > :26:39.the match and get it won. What about this venue, the Alexandra

:26:40. > :26:44.Palace, how does it compared to the venues you play in? It is the home

:26:45. > :26:50.of the Masters now, it has created its own home. But do you like it?

:26:51. > :26:56.I do. I prefer it to the Masters arena, where I won a couple of

:26:57. > :27:03.times. It held about 15,000. The venue was 2500.

:27:04. > :27:06.This one, I am not sure how many it holds, but it is more compact, and

:27:07. > :27:13.the atmosphere is better. You beat me in the semifinal there,

:27:14. > :27:16.I vaguely remember, it set you on its way. I got all my confidence

:27:17. > :27:24.after that! You are one of the few players that

:27:25. > :27:29.can hold all three majors at the same time, along with Steve Davis,

:27:30. > :27:32.Stephen Hendry, John Higgins and Mark Williams. That would be very

:27:33. > :27:36.special, wouldn't it? It would be. I still have a tough

:27:37. > :27:40.four matches if that is the case. Just to even be in this position to

:27:41. > :27:44.try to join that elite group that you have mentioned is a fantastic

:27:45. > :27:48.feeling. I will go out confident, looking forward to it, and who

:27:49. > :27:51.knows, thinkers crossed at the end of the week I can join these people.

:27:52. > :27:57.Hopefully I will. Does it make you try harder? Do you

:27:58. > :28:01.want to be part of that history? I think so. Winning in general, once

:28:02. > :28:04.you have won one tournament, and you have the feeling of the winning

:28:05. > :28:11.mentality, you want to repeat that all the while. I want to try to

:28:12. > :28:13.repeat my one win so far. If it is winning another Masters, that is

:28:14. > :28:19.what I entered it. You have had a few peaks and troughs

:28:20. > :28:22.through your career, but you are on the crest of a wave at the moment,

:28:23. > :28:26.what is the difference this season? I think a few years ago, beating

:28:27. > :28:33.Ronnie in the world final to win my first world final. From then, I have

:28:34. > :28:37.doubted myself before that, people said I shouldn't do that, but I have

:28:38. > :28:41.always been that kind of person, doubting myself about my game. But

:28:42. > :28:45.to beat Bony world final in the biggest Ford would we play in live

:28:46. > :28:49.on the BBC, and the way I won it, coming from behind. I told lies, if

:28:50. > :28:54.I do not get confidence on that, I will. From then, I have been

:28:55. > :28:59.confident and believed in my own ability.

:29:00. > :29:02.Winning the UK as well, just before Christmas, that was a nice notch on

:29:03. > :29:06.the board as well. That will give you tremendous confidence coming

:29:07. > :29:10.into this one. I played well. It was a great final

:29:11. > :29:18.in the end, especially the second session, me and Ronnie both played

:29:19. > :29:23.well. Sometimes coming back, the wave he wasn't coming back winning

:29:24. > :29:29.frames, one visit, one visit, for 4-5 frames, to stand up and do the

:29:30. > :29:34.same bag of him, I was proud of it. Your relationship has simmered a

:29:35. > :29:36.little bit over the last year, it seems that way looking from the

:29:37. > :29:44.outside in. A little bit, to be fair, I would

:29:45. > :29:48.see him at tournaments and say hello, not knowing him as a person.

:29:49. > :29:52.But over the last few years, we have spoken more, and seen eye to eye a

:29:53. > :29:55.bit more, doing a few exhibitions together, and spending time

:29:56. > :30:02.together, and we are getting better, which is good. The media seem to

:30:03. > :30:06.hype it up a little bit. But I don't hate anybody, hate is a big word.

:30:07. > :30:08.Playing Ronnie, one of the greats of the game, it is a great feeling

:30:09. > :30:12.here. You are also playing another great

:30:13. > :30:16.over the last number of years as well, Mark Williams. He has won this

:30:17. > :30:20.tournament, the world and the UK, always a tough opponent as well. How

:30:21. > :30:24.is your history with him? I'm not too sure. I have played him

:30:25. > :30:29.quite a few times. I played him many is ago on my first year on the tour,

:30:30. > :30:33.and he beat me 9-0, which he reminds the opt out! He was world number one

:30:34. > :30:37.at the time. Mark is one of the all-time greats of the game as well,

:30:38. > :30:40.like you say. In the last few years, he has struggled, but in practice

:30:41. > :30:44.this year he has played some great snigger. You sometimes looks back to

:30:45. > :30:47.his best. I know it will be tough, he will not go out and freeze,

:30:48. > :30:51.because he has been out there and done it. It will be a tough match.

:30:52. > :30:55.That is the beauty of the tournament. The top 16, any match

:30:56. > :30:59.could grace the final. That is why someone like Stephen

:31:00. > :31:02.Hendry puts this in front of the UK tournament, because it is the cream

:31:03. > :31:05.of the crop, the top 16 in the world, and every match is capable of

:31:06. > :31:09.being the final. What would it mean to Mark Selby to

:31:10. > :31:11.lift the Masters trophy on Sunday night?

:31:12. > :31:15.Yeah, it would be amazing. Holding or three tournament at the same time

:31:16. > :31:21.would be a fantastic feeling. To win it for a fourth time, and join the

:31:22. > :31:23.group United before. Better than Leicester winning the

:31:24. > :31:32.premiership? Yeah, I have two be selfish.

:31:33. > :31:42.He traded number one spot with Neil Roberts. There was Judd Trump and, I

:31:43. > :31:46.forget actually, Ding Junhui. He wasn't comfortable with the mantle

:31:47. > :31:53.of the first time. What is it that hard to get used to about being

:31:54. > :31:57.number one? You put massive expectation on yourself to prove

:31:58. > :32:00.what you are number one. You come to events, you are introduced as that.

:32:01. > :32:05.Sometimes players feel they have to live up to it. When Stuart Bingham

:32:06. > :32:11.became world champion, the season after, he put himself under huge

:32:12. > :32:16.pressure. Some players, when it first happens, it maybe takes you a

:32:17. > :32:26.while to get used to. Not Mark Selby is completely comfortable. He wears

:32:27. > :32:31.it well. It might be why some players who win the world champion

:32:32. > :32:35.don't do well at the Crucible. When he completed the win over Ronnie in

:32:36. > :32:41.the UK final, that was in effect a triple Crown final against Ronnie.

:32:42. > :32:48.He has done the plot against Ronnie. That is a massive thing. And beating

:32:49. > :32:52.him as well. He is as good as you have ever seen. I don't say that

:32:53. > :32:56.lightly. O'Sullivan is as good as you have seen. For him to beat him

:32:57. > :33:04.in those finals, if that isn't a boost, nothing is. We talked about

:33:05. > :33:08.his popularity. He is greatly appreciated. He went through the

:33:09. > :33:12.period where is the game was all he was producing. Clearly, that has

:33:13. > :33:19.been wiped away and we are seeing more great stuff from him. He has

:33:20. > :33:23.looked vulnerable in first rounds of Germans, but today, when you come

:33:24. > :33:26.here as a top 16 player, you are with number one, world champion, you

:33:27. > :33:32.want to enjoy this venue and prove what you are the best. He is loving

:33:33. > :33:38.every minute. As the standard gets ever higher and the players bunch up

:33:39. > :33:42.in what is achievable, it becomes a psychological game. It becomes which

:33:43. > :33:49.player believes the most. Mark Selby has the ultimate belief. It is

:33:50. > :33:54.amazing to think, he was sending text messages saying do you think I

:33:55. > :33:57.played well? I am thinking, you have just played as good as anyone could

:33:58. > :34:01.possibly play. That has stopped happening and he is not asking the

:34:02. > :34:11.opinion from other people. Let's get back. These men have won the Masters

:34:12. > :34:21.between them five times between them. Three for Mark Selby and two

:34:22. > :34:25.for Mark Williams. Well, Mark Selby is playing brilliantly so far in

:34:26. > :34:38.this match. He will not be scoring off this one. That is the break from

:34:39. > :34:42.Mark Williams. He is not guaranteed to get this safe. He is going to

:34:43. > :34:50.have to come off two cushions, nestle into the cluster just below

:34:51. > :34:52.the pink, avoided the blue. As he judged it? He has. Perfect. Very

:34:53. > :35:56.well played. He may have left a pot on to the red

:35:57. > :36:00.corner, but with the cue ball tied to the Kishan, it is a tough pot.

:36:01. > :36:05.The black isn't available into the opposite corner. Is there any value

:36:06. > :36:20.in taking it on? Playing the containing safely. I the

:36:21. > :36:35.road to the left of the black is not going be available.

:36:36. > :36:41.Looking for a position to leave the cue ball where you would not like it

:36:42. > :37:18.to be. There is the view from behind the

:37:19. > :37:27.pocket, so to speak. It is always difficult, cueing when you are right

:37:28. > :37:33.in the job like this. Not much room to bring the Chewbacca. No attempt

:37:34. > :38:14.at a pot, just trying to play the containing safely.

:38:15. > :38:26.Caught the red to sin. He just avoided the double-kiss.

:38:27. > :38:36.When it here, he courted too soon. Just avoided the double-kiss. Had he

:38:37. > :38:42.got the double-kiss and left the cue ball by the blue it would have been

:38:43. > :38:53.a good chance. Nothing that will tempt marquee. He is playing safe.

:38:54. > :39:04.Cat that much too sick. But he has left nothing. When you're playing

:39:05. > :39:20.well, you always seem to get the run of the balls. Mark Williams would

:39:21. > :39:32.like to have that one occasion. -- that one occasion.

:39:33. > :39:38.It is not a straightforward return to the baulk end. At least with his

:39:39. > :39:41.hand on the table he can venue for the cue ball better than he could

:39:42. > :40:41.have done had it been paid to the baulk cushion.

:40:42. > :40:44.You could save Mark Selby certainly did not want but interval. He was

:40:45. > :41:20.absolutely flying. He was more concerned with getting

:41:21. > :41:22.the cue ball back to the baulk end. Had it gone in it would have been a

:41:23. > :41:42.bonus. More than 40 minutes since Mark

:41:43. > :42:28.Williams last pot of a ball. -- potted a ball.

:42:29. > :42:34.They were good shots, but just thinking, is there a gap, is there a

:42:35. > :42:44.red that might be pottable into the red corner here. He can just get to

:42:45. > :42:45.the potting and. He might have a chance at this. There was no easy

:42:46. > :43:28.safely. He was so close to the cushion so he

:43:29. > :43:33.had to just put the blue in. He would have liked to court the red

:43:34. > :43:34.ball a bit harder to catch the cue ball. It is a little bit awkward,

:43:35. > :44:16.this. That was really well controlled.

:44:17. > :44:20.Very well played. He has got an angle if he wanted to go into the

:44:21. > :44:22.black and the red. With the pink being in the open, he does not have

:44:23. > :44:42.complained that shot. The way he was going in the last

:44:43. > :44:54.three frames, I would have to say, there is a strong possibility of 4-1

:44:55. > :44:55.from this visit. He has not scored a point since winning the first frame,

:44:56. > :45:14.Mark Williams. Of course, that is one of the things

:45:15. > :45:19.that is unique to snooker. When your opponent is at the table, all you

:45:20. > :45:20.Kunduz sit and watch. You have no right of reply. You have to sit

:45:21. > :46:09.there and suffer. He has a problem with this right

:46:10. > :46:23.corner pocket. There are five Red Bull is all covering each other.

:46:24. > :47:00.He would like to finish high on the pink to give him the angle to

:47:01. > :47:06.stumble across. He is going for the blue. If he finished high on the

:47:07. > :47:12.pink he could stun off the black cushion and go into the five reds.

:47:13. > :47:27.He can still do it offer this glue. Brilliant. If he had another 50

:47:28. > :47:32.shots, he would not do that again. How has he not made contact with a

:47:33. > :47:36.red. That is amazing. If the cue ball had gone another couple of

:47:37. > :47:42.inches he would have snookered himself. The balloon would have gone

:47:43. > :47:43.back on its spot. He held the blue spot and the brown spot was

:47:44. > :48:14.available. Had to bite the bullet and put every

:48:15. > :48:57.effort into playing a good safety, which he has done.

:48:58. > :49:12.That was a bit careless. I think he has left this red on. If he has left

:49:13. > :49:18.the red, that is as bad a shock as you will see Mark Selby play. He has

:49:19. > :49:31.an angle to go into these five reds as well. The first ball he has

:49:32. > :49:36.partnered since the first frame. Gifted it, you could say. There is

:49:37. > :49:51.pressure on this pink, I will tell you. Good shot. It is not easy when

:49:52. > :50:01.you have been frozen out. This was the gift. He just caught the red

:50:02. > :50:11.little bit too thick. Mark their needs to screw back. He was playing

:50:12. > :50:15.to hit a bit thinner. When you're flying in a match and everything is

:50:16. > :50:51.going well, the thing you battle against is a lack of concentration.

:50:52. > :50:58.He is on the pink in a fashion. He might be able to pot the pink and

:50:59. > :51:10.carried the two reds on the right-hand side of the table.

:51:11. > :51:14.Stunned across. The one on the extreme left, he must feel he can

:51:15. > :51:28.get through to that. A good shot on the pink. The only thing he doesn't

:51:29. > :51:38.want to become too straight on the pink. He has. He might have the

:51:39. > :51:43.angle to play top spin and cannon into the two reds on the side

:51:44. > :51:50.cushion. He won't have angle to force into the black, will he? This

:51:51. > :51:56.is tough. He will have to play with a bit of Pierce to get the cue ball

:51:57. > :52:09.out. He will probably just play for the

:52:10. > :52:15.pink it was always going to be tough. That was a pretty good

:52:16. > :52:21.contribution. Remember he hadn't potted a ball for three frames. Then

:52:22. > :52:26.he had the mid-session interval. He got some good balls there. He got

:52:27. > :53:37.himself right back in this frame. Just 11 points behind.

:53:38. > :53:48.Excellent safety. I don't know if he can play the pot on this red and

:53:49. > :53:52.avoid the case and the two reds. In the end, I don't think he even

:53:53. > :53:59.played the pot, he just had the city. He could not afford the colour

:54:00. > :54:04.on the baulk line. It is never going to be that good a safety. It is

:54:05. > :54:18.quite a big target now. Green, brown, blue, to try to hide behind.

:54:19. > :54:51.It is going to be a bits and pieces end to this frame. You wouldn't

:54:52. > :55:03.expect the next mistake will cost the frame. I just get the feeling

:55:04. > :55:23.that this is the type of frame that Mark Williams has got to win.

:55:24. > :55:28.That is probably the recent Mark Selby has taken that red on. He

:55:29. > :55:34.knows it would not have cost them the frame. In fact, it hasn't. It

:55:35. > :55:40.won't cost anything. Even if he left the red on, you could safely say,

:55:41. > :55:59.Mark Williams would not have cleared up.

:56:00. > :56:13.It is going to be a game of cat and mouse.

:56:14. > :56:30.Why was he looking at the pot on this red?

:56:31. > :56:37.I thought the only red he could leave was the one he was playing. He

:56:38. > :56:44.got close, but he has not left that one. That was a sort of half-hearted

:56:45. > :57:23.attempt at the double. As you say, Stephen, Mark Selby

:57:24. > :57:32.looks to me, and the opportunity he will go for it. If he knocked the

:57:33. > :57:45.red in, it could build on his 11 point advantage. He got close, but

:57:46. > :57:50.once again, I think, looking at Mark Selby's facial expression, that Mark

:57:51. > :58:03.Williams can just get past the yellow. As we said, the chances of

:58:04. > :58:19.winning the frame on this visit, practically impossible.

:58:20. > :58:35.That was a lovely little shot. A beautiful touch.

:58:36. > :58:49.That one was as bad as the last one was good. Just got into the cue ball

:58:50. > :58:53.a little too much. The little flick on the green ruined his position.

:58:54. > :59:06.There are only five points in it now.

:59:07. > :59:39.That was a good head. Excellent shot.

:59:40. > :59:48.Well, Wilma pink stop or drop? It stopped. He was a bit fortunate

:59:49. > :59:50.there because the red knocked the pink out of the way because it might

:59:51. > :00:08.have run into the pink. Believe it or not, I'm sure that was

:00:09. > :00:20.an attempt at up pot, when you play that sort of shot, you always error

:00:21. > :00:26.on the side of hitting it to sin. -- seven. Quite easy to play safe now

:00:27. > :00:44.with the pink in the left corner. I wonder if he'll play the shot we

:00:45. > :00:47.saw Ali Carter play, the red tape to the cushion, fitted full ball and

:00:48. > :00:54.get the double-kiss to get the cue ball back to the baulk end. That's

:00:55. > :00:58.what he's played. But the problem is with that shot you're never certain

:00:59. > :01:02.how much the cue ball's going to go back on the red is going to come out

:01:03. > :01:08.and he's left the pot on for his opponent.

:01:09. > :01:17.APPLAUSE Good pot. Didn't overhit it. Stroked

:01:18. > :01:25.it in nicely. That was a good shot. That's

:01:26. > :01:48.unlikely. -- unlucky. Slowly but surely he's got a two

:01:49. > :02:33.advantage in this frame. The reason he wanted to play safe

:02:34. > :02:42.from the red, he feels he can get in behind the yellow, blue or brown but

:02:43. > :02:48.he doesn't feel he can get it with this red at the top cushion. He

:02:49. > :02:57.didn't hit that one at all. Norway she should be leaving pot on.

:02:58. > :03:18.Misjudgement. I think he oversaw tip, really. -- over thought it.

:03:19. > :03:26.Mark Selby has definitely been knocked out of the rhythm he was in

:03:27. > :03:56.before the interval. Long way away from that pot.

:03:57. > :04:09.APPLAUSE Good pot there from Mark Williams.

:04:10. > :04:15.Here's a short maker. And he pulled one out there. -- shot maker. But

:04:16. > :04:22.didn't play that position will shot very well but is a good opportunity

:04:23. > :04:26.to get the cue ball back to the old cushion and get the snooker behind

:04:27. > :04:31.the yellow, blue or brown to give them a real good advantage. I

:04:32. > :04:42.wouldn't be concerned by the red finishes, just get the cue ball down

:04:43. > :04:47.in that area. He's got the snooker. To take it to the frame now, ten

:04:48. > :04:51.points in the lead. Mark Selby faced with the age-old problem, got to hit

:04:52. > :05:32.the red and somehow get it safe. So here's a chance. But he cannot

:05:33. > :05:37.this red in and get on a colour, it should be a free man. A frame he

:05:38. > :05:41.needs badly. -- should be a frame-winner.

:05:42. > :06:08.Yes, you can almost see it was like a typical Mark Williams winning

:06:09. > :06:15.frame. Always been so good at winning this type of frame. He's

:06:16. > :06:25.just left a tricky angle where he cannot avoid the cannon on the blue,

:06:26. > :06:38.can he? He could, comfortably. Don't know what the problem was there.

:06:39. > :06:52.It should be all over now. Just the brown needed to go 24 ahead with 18

:06:53. > :06:57.remaining. Battled hard to get this frame on the scoreboard. And that's

:06:58. > :07:01.why I thought it was an important frame for Mark. If you can't win

:07:02. > :07:10.scrappy once he's not going to get anything out of this match. As you

:07:11. > :07:15.alluded to, Stephen, knocked Mark Selby out of his stride here a

:07:16. > :07:22.little bit with this type of frame. But they all count. There are no

:07:23. > :07:26.pictures on score boards, Mark Williams is back in the match, just

:07:27. > :07:32.one behind, 3-2 to the World Championship. STUDIO: It's not a bad

:07:33. > :07:37.effort considering that half an hour of playing time he didn't pot the

:07:38. > :07:40.ball and then had the interval, so almost on our he's had to wait

:07:41. > :07:44.before getting himself right back into the thick of this match. I hate

:07:45. > :07:49.seeing vintage Williams because he's obviously a scoring machine as well

:07:50. > :07:52.at his big but that frame is why he's been a champion he's been

:07:53. > :07:57.because I don't know many players who can play and quite horrible type

:07:58. > :08:01.of frame better than he can play. Mark Selby's good at it but Mark

:08:02. > :08:05.Williams was absolutely superb. Individual pot, lost position a

:08:06. > :08:11.couple of times. Individual potting, Aqua charts, leaving his opponent in

:08:12. > :08:16.awkward positions, that was a fabulous frame for Mark Williams to

:08:17. > :08:18.win. Stephen put it, potting the champion out of his stride, the

:08:19. > :08:22.world number one actually looking slightly uncomfortable for a minute.

:08:23. > :08:25.Possibly, the interval changes thing sometimes, one of those types of

:08:26. > :08:30.frames. Mark Williams had a chance with the second to last red and

:08:31. > :08:34.potted the black and failed to get position. He's not clinching but

:08:35. > :08:38.he's scrapping and would be very unfair to criticise him because he's

:08:39. > :08:41.3-1 behind and playing against one of the greatest players of the

:08:42. > :08:44.modern-day game. Every credit in that respect for him to win this

:08:45. > :08:48.match, somewhere down the line he has the stamp his authority more in

:08:49. > :08:54.the match and win a bit more comfortably in frame. Job done. He's

:08:55. > :09:00.got his way back. He dollar Mark, you're looking at 4-1 and probably

:09:01. > :09:05.all over. Very much so, very much with Mark Selby in the form he's in.

:09:06. > :09:08.In the context of the match, a very important frame. Vintage Williams,

:09:09. > :09:12.it was a nightmare playing against them when you had things like that,

:09:13. > :09:17.so you think it's a clever shot, I'm in trouble here, clever shot. He's

:09:18. > :09:21.very adept at it. Makes you think, that's the mark of a champion. Two

:09:22. > :09:25.great champions out there. It's getting close, only one frame

:09:26. > :09:56.between them now as we head into the sixth.

:09:57. > :10:24.Fees on the green. Doesn't look to have the perfect angle.

:10:25. > :10:34.Just dropping in, that will ease himself that long straight red. The

:10:35. > :10:38.black is available to the opposite corner, soulful concentration on

:10:39. > :10:44.this one. Got to fully commit to these. And dead and played it

:10:45. > :11:11.superbly. APPLAUSE Yes, good confident pot. That was a

:11:12. > :11:17.valid point that Steve Davis made in the studio,. You can hang on in the

:11:18. > :11:20.match in those scrappy frames but when he gets opportunities like that

:11:21. > :11:32.he's got to start winning frames in one visit.

:11:33. > :11:48.Needs to run. He's on the red but hampered. It's amazing how many

:11:49. > :12:00.times Mark Williams gets out of position. He still on this red...

:12:01. > :12:44.Again, didn't play that with the power a lot of players would have

:12:45. > :12:46.played with. It's end of break. So, again, not able to win the frame in

:12:47. > :13:49.the first scoring visit. Much too thin and very fortunate.

:13:50. > :13:50.He's cannoned into the green but the blues covering the red to the left

:13:51. > :14:30.corner. As you can see. Typical Mark Williams. One of the

:14:31. > :14:39.best ball putters the game has ever seen. -- potters. I was gone to say

:14:40. > :14:45.that but I never understood really what it meant. I think what it means

:14:46. > :14:49.and I remember Ray Reardon, they always seemed to be able to pot

:14:50. > :14:55.these balls with an element of safety, they always aimed to see it

:14:56. > :15:00.as shot to nothing. There's no doubt, he has started to knock the

:15:01. > :15:06.long ones in. Four in a row the last of frames. I think a lot of players,

:15:07. > :15:10.when they actually play to pot a ball, they're determined to get

:15:11. > :15:14.position on the next one but I think Mark has bat that he thinks it's a

:15:15. > :15:19.difficult shot, you can just put all concentration into the red and not

:15:20. > :15:24.be too bothered about position. Sometimes it's hard to tell yourself

:15:25. > :15:28.to do that. Yeah, I suppose, it's like when you bring a pot and you

:15:29. > :15:33.know you possibly not going to get anything from it, just making sure

:15:34. > :15:41.of the pot so you're playing the next shot. So close, just the pace

:15:42. > :15:44.kept it out but fortunately he missed the cannon.

:15:45. > :15:53.APPLAUSE Was only the pace that kept it out.

:15:54. > :16:05.Rattle, rattle, rattle. APPLAUSE

:16:06. > :16:24.Good length. Asking a question of Mark

:16:25. > :16:31.Williams, 32 point advantage in this frame. We'll have to be a good

:16:32. > :16:36.safety year. -- will have to be a good safety here. That's the

:16:37. > :16:46.player's view. He could hit the red on the

:16:47. > :16:50.left-hand side of the table but you'd try to get back to baulk of

:16:51. > :16:57.that, you could easily get a double-kiss. Just nudging into it.

:16:58. > :17:01.Feels as though that's going to be safe enough. He didn't want to risk

:17:02. > :17:05.playing off the main bunch because he could have knocked one over the

:17:06. > :17:28.corner pocket, so just played a containing safety.

:17:29. > :17:51.Struck it beautifully. Struck the right side of the blue but couldn't

:17:52. > :18:02.have played that much better. Trace of right-hand side. Not enough

:18:03. > :18:50.right-hand side. That's careless. I mean, that was so

:18:51. > :18:58.obvious that red was going to go to the right corner. He's just lost his

:18:59. > :19:05.focus, it appears, at the moment. I did see. That's a shocker from Mark

:19:06. > :19:08.Williams. I did say the only thing that Mark Selby is going to battle

:19:09. > :19:15.against this lack of concentration when everything is coming so easy

:19:16. > :19:25.for you. This is a tough black that Mark Williams has left himself.

:19:26. > :19:29.Lovely shot. At first glance I don't know how the next red is coming

:19:30. > :19:39.from. Typical Mark Williams pot this. Dropping it in dead weight. I

:19:40. > :19:45.think he's on this one along the black cushion. How will he play it?

:19:46. > :19:50.As a shock to nothing so he comes away from the pocket? He's gone all

:19:51. > :20:03.out and it's a great pot. Looks like he might have the natural

:20:04. > :20:13.angle just to miss the yellow of two cushions for a choice of raids to

:20:14. > :20:14.the right corner -- reds. Just picked a lovely time to leave the

:20:15. > :21:42.arena. Hard enough, is it? Maybe he can

:21:43. > :21:53.just get through to the bottom red. He do it and it was commonly easier.

:21:54. > :21:57.Only the red required that 55 points in front with one remaining.

:21:58. > :22:31.Comeback complete. Highly unlikely that Mark Williams

:22:32. > :22:33.will be asked to play on here. Mark having a look. 62 points difference,

:22:34. > :22:53.51 remaining. That equates three, four point snooker is

:22:54. > :23:06.required. Where's the blue ball going? Only a half-hearted attempt,

:23:07. > :23:07.so unbelievably of the mid-session interval Mark Williams is now all

:23:08. > :24:13.square. 3-3. And would you believe it, Mark

:24:14. > :24:25.Williams is mopping them up again? He's been in float mode.

:24:26. > :24:31.I disagree with you. You don't have to win in one visit, he are

:24:32. > :24:42.uselessly at this level but is 12 things with 36 and 59 breaks. In a

:24:43. > :24:48.perfect world is one of the few. Full of shots raising heavily saying

:24:49. > :24:51.that Mark Williams Bilis 's office says that once again. Yes,

:24:52. > :24:56.Featherweight frothing device if this affect positional shot. Potting

:24:57. > :24:59.along the top position to commit to the positional shot. Nothing wrong

:25:00. > :25:03.with his bottle, perhaps he just needed a bit more confidence and we

:25:04. > :25:14.all need that. Fascinating the first four frames, saying we have the best

:25:15. > :25:19.-- the best we've seen absolutely. You can play well for the two is a

:25:20. > :25:24.different contracts. Mark Selby can graft as well and a great match

:25:25. > :25:27.played at the end of matches. A strike rate winning the last rate

:25:28. > :25:32.was important. I think Mark Williams's style, definitely

:25:33. > :25:34.contracting the world number one. Real test of nerve for them both

:25:35. > :25:50.coming up. COMMENTATOR: All look so good at

:25:51. > :25:53.3-1, 3-3 now. We're going to show you a shot year. Playing the blue

:25:54. > :25:59.into the five reds in the corner, if he makes contact with a red dirt on

:26:00. > :26:05.its 4-1 and it could be a completely different match. In the late lost

:26:06. > :26:17.concentration and focus. But now that shot the opening long red Sea

:26:18. > :26:20.life of the mission. Unless he's lining up an angle on this thread to

:26:21. > :26:32.make a cannon on the black. It's very risky. -- lining up an angle on

:26:33. > :27:04.this red. Olly tempted to play the cannon on

:27:05. > :27:19.the black. It might bring one of those players well. In the cannon

:27:20. > :27:25.and got the cannon. Might just have one of the wrecked it is just that

:27:26. > :27:32.it out. When that black move, just like a red and black is available

:27:33. > :27:42.into the same pocket. When it's free spotted.

:27:43. > :27:47.Just watch the black it just nudges this red. Was that enough to make

:27:48. > :27:59.the black available? He can play the cannon you possibly.

:28:00. > :28:04.The red to the left corner of the cushion. To the right of the black.

:28:05. > :28:15.Can he do that without missing the black? He didn't get anywhere near

:28:16. > :28:27.enough side on the cue ball. He got no reaction.

:28:28. > :28:55.Make the best of that opportunity. -- didn't make the best.

:28:56. > :29:11.Missed it. And left it. One of those reviewed play date shot and think

:29:12. > :29:16.the only red you are leaving is the one you are playing. You don't want

:29:17. > :29:23.the red to come back to the baulk with the cue ball.

:29:24. > :29:57.Not the best positional shot from Mark Selby. Clear

:29:58. > :32:27.From here onwards, the best it is going to be tough match snooker of

:32:28. > :32:31.these two. Yeah. And this type of frame, as we have alluded to a few

:32:32. > :32:40.times, suits Mark Williams more than Mark Selby. It is probably the only

:32:41. > :32:47.time we would say that, that this sort of friends sued someone over

:32:48. > :32:53.Mark Selby. -- this sort of frame suits someone better. A better way

:32:54. > :32:54.of explaining it is to say someone is comfortable playing this type of

:32:55. > :33:01.frame as Mark Selby. A mistake. The green is not coming

:33:02. > :33:11.to his rescue. He is certainly rolling back the

:33:12. > :34:06.years now. Well, I say that, and he misses it.

:34:07. > :34:18.But he may have just about got away with that. That was pressure. It was

:34:19. > :34:32.like he had seen a chance to go 4-3 ahead. That was a much easier shot

:34:33. > :34:34.than the peak he just ported. But the black and pink have come to his

:34:35. > :35:26.rescue. I thought it was a bit too thick,

:35:27. > :36:13.but such is the pace of this table that he has played it perfectly.

:36:14. > :36:29.That is a bit thick. Mark Williams can't get through to the red.

:36:30. > :36:45.Is he forced into playing the plant here? I don't know if the red that

:36:46. > :36:52.is nearest the black goes past. It is one of those situations where the

:36:53. > :38:02.safety is as difficult as the pot. Very difficult, the plant.

:38:03. > :38:08.Sometimes, when you're in this type of situation where you can't see a

:38:09. > :38:20.safety, you try and put your way out of trouble. -- pot your way out of

:38:21. > :38:33.trouble. But he can't even do that, I don't think.

:38:34. > :39:07.Coming up to one and a half minutes of thinking time.

:39:08. > :39:13.He thought he could find a safety, and boy, that's a good shot. That is

:39:14. > :39:49.an absolute cracker. It's funny how the run of the ball

:39:50. > :39:53.is just turning slightly. Not like that good safety shot from Mark

:39:54. > :40:06.Selby. The blue this time comes to Mark Williams' rescue. That is more

:40:07. > :40:08.like the Mark Williams of old. I think he used to say the same thing

:40:09. > :41:11.about you, Stephen! Has he got away with that again? I

:41:12. > :41:15.think he was half-heartedly playing the plant and then he was saying he

:41:16. > :41:21.thought it rolled off, but he has not left the easy read. There are

:41:22. > :41:25.couple of other reds that are pottable, but they are very awkward.

:41:26. > :41:30.Funnily enough, Mark has put his hand up and apologise. But I just

:41:31. > :41:38.looked at Mark Selby's face, and he was getting a bit frustrated it all.

:41:39. > :41:46.As we said before, bar for the cannon, he probably would have been

:41:47. > :41:50.4-1 up. When things start running against you, there have been three

:41:51. > :41:59.occasions here were Mark Williams was entitled to leave with a pot on.

:42:00. > :42:16.You think, is it not my day? Well, he has got the plant. He is on the

:42:17. > :42:21.brown, so a chance. Let's see if he can get back to focusing on where he

:42:22. > :42:23.was before the mid-session interval. This brown is not as easy as it

:42:24. > :43:26.looks on the screen. Before the interval, you said this

:43:27. > :43:46.was frame over. He needs to be straight on the blue

:43:47. > :44:09.than this. Just over two hours of playing time.

:44:10. > :44:13.Still not back in prime position. The pot on the red is easy enough,

:44:14. > :44:24.but he has a bit of work to do with the cue ball. He has got to Matt

:44:25. > :45:15.Angle on the red. -- too much angle on the red.

:45:16. > :45:19.The two reds to the left of the pink, at least one of them is

:45:20. > :46:15.available into the opposite corner. Would you believe it? He kept slowly

:46:16. > :46:26.but surely running out of position and in the end, it caught him out. I

:46:27. > :46:30.didn't see him missing that, but of course, when you have to do a little

:46:31. > :46:33.bit with the cue ball, you can always just take your eye off the

:46:34. > :47:02.pot. And got one. Excellent shot. He

:47:03. > :47:03.would love to be open to play the red below the black for the right

:47:04. > :47:53.corner. It is a good shot, but he never had

:47:54. > :47:57.the perfect angle to screw a bit further across to be on the red.

:47:58. > :48:10.He's not going to win the frame at this visit.

:48:11. > :48:28.Just one red left on the table, easy to hit. But you have got to get it

:48:29. > :48:29.safe. The lead that Mark Selby has no count for nothing if he leaves

:48:30. > :48:51.the red on. Would you believe it? He has left

:48:52. > :48:53.the red now. Boy, this game sometimes will have you tearing your

:48:54. > :49:03.hair out. He looked to have hit the red

:49:04. > :49:33.absolutely perfect. The yellow must have been too

:49:34. > :49:36.straight. He is just the wrong side of this green. I don't think he can

:49:37. > :50:01.drop it in dead weight, he will have to come in up and off the table.

:50:02. > :50:12.He has thought about playing it into the corner pocket.

:50:13. > :50:19.We have seen him so many times drop these types of shots in dead weight,

:50:20. > :50:24.but he would still be living a distance between himself and the

:50:25. > :50:29.brown if he played it that way. He has gone for the corner pocket. Oh,

:50:30. > :50:48.so close! But not there. A great effort at the pot, but he

:50:49. > :50:50.has missed a fantastic opportunity to win the seventh frame. This isn't

:50:51. > :51:04.easy. Never easy to judge when the object

:51:05. > :51:29.ball is right in the jaws of the pocket. Still needs brown and blue.

:51:30. > :51:41.Well, it's wobbled its way in and the blue is all he needs.

:51:42. > :51:53.Mark Williams missed a golden chance and he won't be getting another one.

:51:54. > :51:57.Mark Selby led 3-1. He was pulled back to 3-3 and looked to be

:51:58. > :52:03.wobbling a bit. Mark Williams let him off the hook there.

:52:04. > :52:10.HAZEL IRVINE: and stopped the rot after the last couple of frames,

:52:11. > :52:13.having won by Mark Williams. There was a really good opportunity for

:52:14. > :52:17.Mark to close that out and make it three in a row. What was the

:52:18. > :52:21.situation you are about to refer to? Mark Selby has knocked the red

:52:22. > :52:24.towards the bolt and unluckily gone off in the corner pocket and he

:52:25. > :52:30.leaves Mark Williams with the cue ball-in-hand. Here is the situation.

:52:31. > :52:32.I might have been tempted, the yellow into the green might be the

:52:33. > :52:35.awkward position of shot. I might have been tempted to drop that in

:52:36. > :52:40.and leave myself virtually straight on the green. I pot the green with

:52:41. > :52:46.the rest, I'm on the yellow and the rest of the break is easy. The

:52:47. > :52:48.difference between a player who is confident and absolutely on former

:52:49. > :52:54.is that they make clear decisions under pressure. He plays the shot,

:52:55. > :52:59.he's got a bit of an angle. He gets on the blue, he gets back on the

:53:00. > :53:03.green. He probably thinks he will be able to play yellow to green well,

:53:04. > :53:06.but he misjudges the pace of deep positional shot, which he has done a

:53:07. > :53:12.couple of times already. But putting the green on its spot is so much

:53:13. > :53:16.easier. So this is the pressure manifesting itself when you are out

:53:17. > :53:22.there. To think clearly is easier said than done. Of course it is. It

:53:23. > :53:26.is a lot easier sitting up here in judging it, but if you showed that

:53:27. > :53:30.to Mark Williams again, he would go, you're right. But there is such a

:53:31. > :53:34.dramatic change in the rhythm of this match. This is the key thing to

:53:35. > :53:39.it. I haven't been in the seat that long, but I can't remember playing

:53:40. > :53:43.Mark Williams. It gets bitty and awkward. The frames become horrible.

:53:44. > :53:46.And to score when all of that is going on is why Mark Williams is

:53:47. > :53:49.brilliant at winning these friends and other people find it more

:53:50. > :53:54.difficult. Mark Selby is one of those that can do that, but it is

:53:55. > :54:09.difficult to play. It is the world number one who is on top again.

:54:10. > :54:15.They just had to play a slight swerve. There was a possibility he

:54:16. > :54:19.could have parted the red, but that was the last thing on his mind. Just

:54:20. > :55:17.wanted to contain the situation, which he has done well enough.

:55:18. > :55:26.He needs a bit of luck here. Is he on one? The one to the left of the

:55:27. > :55:36.black is available, but is the one above the black? He thinks he can.

:55:37. > :56:17.A difficult pot, but a good one. Wrong side of the blue.

:56:18. > :56:24.Every time Mark Williams gets to the table, you sense that he is battling

:56:25. > :56:33.the whole time to keep the break going. He is eyeing up this red to

:56:34. > :56:39.the right of the bunch. Excellent reply there. We have seen

:56:40. > :58:17.some very good safety. What we are seeing here is the fact

:58:18. > :58:22.that Mark Selby and everyone saying he is the number one player and has

:58:23. > :58:26.been now for nearly two years, and he is the man that everybody has got

:58:27. > :58:34.to beat. But fair play to Mark Williams, he is certainly bring the

:58:35. > :58:39.game to him. Absolutely. He is maybe not winning frames in one visit, but

:58:40. > :59:08.he is in this match. Another excellent safety shot their,

:59:09. > :59:31.and I can't see another path back to the baulk at first glance.

:59:32. > :59:52.Touching ball, which means that Mark Selby can now fire away.

:59:53. > :00:27.Steady hand needed. He has not managed to do it.

:00:28. > :00:36.These players are both excellent at playing Finn glances -- thin

:00:37. > :00:54.glances. not as thin as that. But again, no

:00:55. > :01:13.damage done, I don't think. Looking at this plant but it's the

:01:14. > :01:22.safety shot that's the most important part of this. He'll be on

:01:23. > :01:44.the green if he gets it. That cue ball travel.

:01:45. > :01:48.If you could easily get black and played. But he can't. He's just

:01:49. > :04:23.playing the safety. They clapped in the wilderness. But

:04:24. > :04:32.that's the only thing he could do, of course. That's the danger ball to

:04:33. > :04:42.the right corner, got to cover that. Needs to. Have done. Good shot, that

:04:43. > :05:36.was a more attacking safety. Having replaced because he can get

:05:37. > :05:50.through to this red to the right corner.

:05:51. > :06:12.And that's where it was, that's for it is now. Looks pretty good to me.

:06:13. > :06:25.Had to catch it didn't, he caught it too sick. -- caught it too sick. It

:06:26. > :06:39.might be Mark Selby's turned to be fortunate.

:06:40. > :07:19.Unless someone does something drastically wrong, which you

:07:20. > :07:26.wouldn't expect or these two players were in for a long frame. The red

:07:27. > :07:34.just below the pink might be available to the right corner. And

:07:35. > :07:45.it is. There's up path back to baulk, so he can play this. Caught

:07:46. > :08:30.it two Extra seven. He's not got a bad cue ball, not bad at all.

:08:31. > :08:40.Well, better to miss them than them on the way down. There is a red left

:08:41. > :08:54.of the black spot that is portable to the left corner.

:08:55. > :09:16.Surely he can't refuse it. He is, he's having it put back. Surprises

:09:17. > :09:19.me a little. Me to. The way the balls are situated on the way this

:09:20. > :09:35.frame is going, it's half chances that you've got to take.

:09:36. > :09:51.That looked almost all. Mark Williams missed a trick there.

:09:52. > :10:34.The red he's looking at, he could come off

:10:35. > :10:57.Is hoping to force a mistake from Mark Selby but could be a long time

:10:58. > :11:05.waiting for that. Did well to take on that red there. Good pot from

:11:06. > :11:23.Mark and just a little bit too far. We'll just add to his frustration.

:11:24. > :11:30.Not certain how much she can get on this. Might have to play a little

:11:31. > :11:46.bit site. That's one way. Just don't want to

:11:47. > :11:55.put too much side on it and hit the reds on the way down. Follow the

:11:56. > :12:35.white line all the way down. Brilliant.

:12:36. > :13:07.Now this is top quality. Tactical smoker. -- tactical snooker.

:13:08. > :13:17.Looks like just another containing safety here. Get the ball up to

:13:18. > :13:37.these riots. -- these reds. Is it going to reach? That's so careless.

:13:38. > :13:50.Left with choice of three reds. Just trying to drop on the red and as

:13:51. > :14:10.soon as he hit it he knew he didn't hit it hard enough.

:14:11. > :14:18.The cue ball. He's got three reds near this right corner. , the

:14:19. > :14:21.right-hand one will go to the right corner pocket, got to be closer to

:14:22. > :14:38.control the cue ball. Yes, this moment in time, and

:14:39. > :16:41.definitely getting two marks. 34 points is the lead. Four reds by

:16:42. > :16:57.slit open. But as it would be enough to get because at that stage.

:16:58. > :17:04.And he does win the frame at this minute, it would become the best of

:17:05. > :18:07.these. Red and colour. He's on the pink.

:18:08. > :18:16.That will put him 62 points in front with just 59 remaining. Mark Selby

:18:17. > :19:03.has caught about along here. Bart Williams is potting Mark Selby

:19:04. > :19:07.under a lot of pressure. STUDIO: He seems to be unsettling him. Doesn't

:19:08. > :19:14.matter how well you've been playing in the past. Number one in the

:19:15. > :19:21.world, well ahead as number one. You have to keep proving it every time

:19:22. > :19:29.you go on the table you can turn this around. You really want the

:19:30. > :19:33.entry, top quality and safety we're watching. Paramedic or Stephen

:19:34. > :19:39.Hendry in the commentary box! He's absolutely right. It happens in the

:19:40. > :19:42.Gimelstob and Mark Williams at the moment is playing a brand of sticker

:19:43. > :19:53.that's very difficult to play against. Done that everything gets

:19:54. > :19:55.petty, look at the scoreboard, 139, 69 and 100 and since then Mark

:19:56. > :20:18.Selby's biggest break is 39. Mark Selby is used to playing a lot

:20:19. > :20:22.more open, aggressive Snooker amongst the players he is bumping

:20:23. > :20:28.into often, so he is not getting so much of the style.

:20:29. > :20:35.As it is, it has become an old-fashioned style game and that is

:20:36. > :20:40.more to Mark Williams' likely than Mark Selby, who is becoming pretty

:20:41. > :20:49.free amongst this scoring department. It is fascinating. 100%.

:20:50. > :20:54.I think they are matched up in that department. Ring craft is a massive

:20:55. > :20:57.part of the game. Maybe is not as much as it used to be, but both

:20:58. > :21:03.these players have tonnes of it. So when you get these two players,

:21:04. > :21:19.where it is going, Mark might even be favourite. Best-of-3, boys.

:21:20. > :21:36.They were talking about winning frames in one visit and since the

:21:37. > :21:43.interval, that break from Mark Williams has been the highest break

:21:44. > :21:52.on offer. They say there are no two friends alike in snooker. But the

:21:53. > :22:00.last four frames have been very tactical. Any idea what Mark Selby

:22:01. > :22:05.could do to change the flow? I was about to say, maybe play a more

:22:06. > :22:15.aggressive safety shot, get the reds opened up early, force Mark Williams

:22:16. > :22:38.into scoring again. At the moment, Mark Williams is outSelbying Selby!

:22:39. > :22:52.He thought he could play that as a shock for nothing. Has he got away

:22:53. > :23:01.with it? Has he covered it? Mark Selby must be thinking, what has

:23:02. > :23:06.happened here? You can't take away from Mark Williams to get back into

:23:07. > :23:11.this match. He has scrapped so hard. The boy has had a tremendous run of

:23:12. > :23:15.the ball since the interval. The strange thing about this one is that

:23:16. > :23:19.if he could hit the right-hand side of the cue ball, he could maybe

:23:20. > :23:22.swerve this slightly to pot this red, but he can't because the yellow

:23:23. > :23:32.is in the way. It is a double whammy. Look at the opportunity if

:23:33. > :23:49.he can get the black in the open. If you tempted by a double here?

:23:50. > :24:13.A puff of the cheeks. It is hard work at the moment.

:24:14. > :24:25.Come on, JV. In all honesty, I can't see one. I can see how you could hit

:24:26. > :24:36.a red, but to cover or not leave a pot on is nigh on impossible for me.

:24:37. > :24:46.It is one of those situations where you just hit in hope.

:24:47. > :25:02.You would think he could flick on. But he is so tight to the green.

:25:03. > :25:39.He would love to nestle on the red that is near the corner pocket.

:25:40. > :25:56.Looks like this red just goes past the red that is closest to the

:25:57. > :25:58.pocket. He doesn't have to do anything with the cue ball to get

:25:59. > :27:10.position on the pink. He let that cue ball run three

:27:11. > :27:12.inches too far. Still shouldn't be a problem, but he has had to think

:27:13. > :27:27.about it. I think the red immediately below

:27:28. > :28:29.the pink is available. Those two reds to the left of the

:28:30. > :28:33.red he has just put it look as though they are almost set for a

:28:34. > :29:08.plant. He is just having a look at it now. It certainly could be made.

:29:09. > :29:16.If he does have to squeeze it, he will not be playing for the black.

:29:17. > :29:30.He's going to have to hit the right-hand side. The positional side

:29:31. > :29:34.of this is not straightforward now. It is not a formality to get

:29:35. > :29:37.position on the pink. He could play the red to the left of the two

:29:38. > :29:49.together and stun up for the pink or blue.

:29:50. > :30:07.He is on the pink, but not as he would like.

:30:08. > :30:19.Hmm, not there. He was taking full advantage of those types of

:30:20. > :30:31.opportunities. He has dried up since the interval.

:30:32. > :30:39.He was automatic before the interval. Didn't have to think about

:30:40. > :30:42.any shot. Almost every single shot in that break, he had to get up and

:30:43. > :31:07.down, look at the situation. And remember, that plant is still

:31:08. > :31:13.there. He could play it. I can see no reason why he wouldn't. He is

:31:14. > :31:19.nice and high with the cue ball, so he can play this comfortably. I

:31:20. > :31:22.understand why he is not playing it already. From where the cue ball is,

:31:23. > :32:17.it looks unmissable. He had a huge margin for error to

:32:18. > :32:32.finish on a red there. This was where he thinks he had a big bounce.

:32:33. > :32:36.Poor shot. It is situations like that that might just make Mark Selby

:32:37. > :32:41.settle a little bit. When he missed the pink, he thought it could have

:32:42. > :32:42.cost him the frame. It hasn't done. In fact, it didn't cost him much at

:32:43. > :33:03.all. A chance for Mark Williams. It is

:33:04. > :33:13.getting tough out there for both of them.

:33:14. > :33:38.15 points behind. That will equate to taking the remaining reds with

:33:39. > :34:19.colours to get to snooker's required stage.

:34:20. > :34:47.This pink to just go one point behind.

:34:48. > :34:59.That wasn't a clean pot, but in it went. The red that is close to the

:35:00. > :35:20.blue, I think he can get on that to the left middle.

:35:21. > :35:33.It was a bit careless to leave himself short.

:35:34. > :35:46.Not the best positional shot, but this gives him another opportunity.

:35:47. > :35:49.The only problem with leaving the red behind the black till last is

:35:50. > :35:58.that now he will have to play a decent positional shot to get on

:35:59. > :36:12.that. And it is not going to be easy from there.

:36:13. > :36:48.You see the disappointment on Mark's face that he didn't win the frame on

:36:49. > :37:03.that visit. He is a big favourite now.

:37:04. > :37:10.Good hit, and a double-kiss. Mark Selby suddenly put his hand up to

:37:11. > :37:16.apologise. I don't think I would have been apologising. He has been

:37:17. > :37:25.favouring his opponent for the last couple of frames. But even though he

:37:26. > :37:27.has left this red safe, there is every chance that Mark Williams can

:37:28. > :37:53.lay another snooker here. That wasn't the best shot for me. He

:37:54. > :38:01.has not put Mark Selby in any trouble here. So any advantage he

:38:02. > :38:11.had in this tactical exchange has gone now. Mark Selby is brilliant at

:38:12. > :38:23.digging himself out of holes in matches, and he is going to need

:38:24. > :38:29.that. He is in one here. He is scratching his head now. I know he

:38:30. > :38:31.can't hit the right-hand side of the wreck, but he could try answering

:38:32. > :38:42.around behind the angles. Normally, he wouldn't think twice

:38:43. > :39:42.about it. I think he has left this red.

:39:43. > :40:21.Certainly, he has left a pot one. That does surprise me a little bit.

:40:22. > :40:35.I thought he might have been tempted by the pot there.

:40:36. > :40:39.You wouldn't believe there was a gap around the back of that read. You'll

:40:40. > :41:02.have it replaced. The fact he's got this natural two

:41:03. > :41:06.cushion escape. He is looking to hit the red full in the face, leave the

:41:07. > :41:16.cue ball at this end. Just a minor adjustment required. But misjudged

:41:17. > :41:28.it again and now this time we will be taking this red one. This is a

:41:29. > :41:31.test, this first red. He's not been comfortable, not comfortable at all,

:41:32. > :41:49.since the interval, certainly since that break he was on in the fifth

:41:50. > :42:05.frame. There is pressure on this. Good shot. Here, Mark Williams will

:42:06. > :42:09.be fearing the worst now. Still a little bit to do of course.

:42:10. > :42:14.Particularly with the Brown not being on its box, makes it a little

:42:15. > :42:21.bit more awkward. The blue will be going back on its spot after this.

:42:22. > :42:27.Couple of key shots coming up now. Position from yellow to green, then

:42:28. > :42:36.green to brown, if he can cope with those three, then the frame's at his

:42:37. > :42:40.mercy. Yeah, he needs to be closer to this yellow. The shot from green

:42:41. > :42:44.to brown is the deciding shot in this frame but because he's left

:42:45. > :42:48.himself a tough shot just to get on the green... Even tougher to get the

:42:49. > :43:11.right angle on the green. He's up there saying it's a bad

:43:12. > :43:19.contact. It certainly looked heavy. The cue ball seemed to jump. That's

:43:20. > :43:26.the thing, if you're striking down slightly. Unless he's got the

:43:27. > :43:30.perfect angle to roll this green in and can the Brown... It's a tough

:43:31. > :43:47.pot. Tough to get good position. Good pot, where is the cue ball?

:43:48. > :44:00.Flicks off the Brown. Nearly went in the middle. The other downside,

:44:01. > :44:10.knocked the Brown safe. The difference, three points. Both

:44:11. > :44:24.players now needing brown, blue and pink.

:44:25. > :44:38.Good line. Isn't length, the only problem with this is if Mark

:44:39. > :44:44.Williams can come off the top cushion and hit this brown full in

:44:45. > :44:53.the face, he could get a snooker back here. Not beyond the realms of

:44:54. > :45:01.possibility. Didn't hit it full in the face, though. So Mark Selby gets

:45:02. > :45:51.another chance. He looks very much under pressure,

:45:52. > :46:02.to me, at the moment, the world number one.

:46:03. > :46:06.This is a tough shot. But he's had a look at the potting angle, so you

:46:07. > :46:23.feel as if he's going to take it on. So close. He hit that good, didn't

:46:24. > :47:06.he? He's left a very awkward Brown. It's difficult to say from our

:47:07. > :47:12.commentary position whether it's easier to cut it in the right,

:47:13. > :47:16.Middle or... Looks like the right middle. He's played it well, where

:47:17. > :47:29.is the cue ball going? Where is the cue ball going? Four. Still needs

:47:30. > :47:38.blue and pink. Whatever happens with blue, it'll be a pressure pink from

:47:39. > :47:39.distance. That cue ball is a little bit closer to the side cushion than

:47:40. > :47:57.he would have liked. Big shot. Right into the heart of the pocket,

:47:58. > :48:02.puts his cue down. You storming off to the dressing room. He's a mighty

:48:03. > :48:06.relieved man just one frame away from a place in the quarterfinal.

:48:07. > :48:12.He is, really having to work hard for this, a fight on the Brown, then

:48:13. > :48:16.the difficult cue ball went over the pink. There was a situation early on

:48:17. > :48:21.in the frame, Mark Williams possibly could have passed on from here. This

:48:22. > :48:27.different from Mark Williams in his prime and now, perhaps the thinking

:48:28. > :48:30.process isn't as good. He's in full control of the table. You don't

:48:31. > :48:35.leave the last red on the top cushion, as Stephen Hendry said,

:48:36. > :48:38.until last, it can go wrong positionally. He gets himself a bit

:48:39. > :48:43.in trouble and has to play the safety shot. It was good, but let

:48:44. > :48:47.his opponent back to the table. Mark Williams of old would have

:48:48. > :48:51.identified it quicker, made sure he got on the last red, second to last

:48:52. > :48:57.red, then all of a sudden it makes it easier. In that break we were

:48:58. > :49:00.talking about it, he only had two reds left, what next the blue

:49:01. > :49:04.committee should have made sure he was high the other side so he didn't

:49:05. > :49:09.have to play the cannon on the blue, making the top red easier. You sit

:49:10. > :49:13.here watching but in the pit it's a lot more difficult. Mark Williams

:49:14. > :49:17.still sitting out there. Is there one last gasp left in him in this

:49:18. > :49:21.match? He played a good shot with the rest, could have gone in, he

:49:22. > :49:26.played it to the far jaw, the right place to play it. Still skin of the

:49:27. > :49:30.cheap stuff. Not easy to predict the outcome because both players are

:49:31. > :49:33.looking slightly wobbly, no one has quite got control of the game.

:49:34. > :49:38.Williams has to take confidence the way he's come back into this match,

:49:39. > :49:42.the way Mark Selby was flying before the interval. The old craft has come

:49:43. > :49:47.back. I don't subscribe to him not caring about winning or losing, it's

:49:48. > :49:51.a mechanism for taking pressure off. If somebody was like that he

:49:52. > :49:54.wouldn't be trying as hard as he is this afternoon. He is still in

:49:55. > :49:58.there. I agree with Stephen in commentary, he's had a good run of

:49:59. > :50:03.the balls as well. People may expect me to go out, nothing to lose, I'll

:50:04. > :50:06.keep plugging away. Mark Williams is still in the top 16, hasn't been

:50:07. > :50:12.winning events. It's a step back up the ladder to beat Mark Selby in the

:50:13. > :50:16.Masters. It's an OK win for Mark Selby if he gets over the line but

:50:17. > :50:22.it would be an excellent win for Mark Williams, the position he's in

:50:23. > :50:26.in the game, players struggling a fraction. I read some very funny

:50:27. > :50:31.quotes from him the other day, he said he had to laugh at himself, the

:50:32. > :50:36.fact he's still in the top 16. He's very self-deprecating, does himself

:50:37. > :50:41.down, that could be a mechanism. No danger of that, Hazel, he's too good

:50:42. > :50:45.a player, he knows deep down. His game still stands up to as close

:50:46. > :50:48.scrutiny. If Mark Selby comes through this, this will have been a

:50:49. > :50:53.proper work-out for him, make no mistake. I was about to mention this

:50:54. > :50:56.time last year when Ronnie O'Sullivan was in here and it was

:50:57. > :51:02.Mark Williams who gave him the toughest work-out of the entire week

:51:03. > :51:07.with a final frame decider. We've got history when it comes to causing

:51:08. > :51:08.quite a few banana skins for top player Mark Williams. Here we go,

:51:09. > :51:21.with the break. Hoping that his last break shot of

:51:22. > :51:29.the match. If he wins this frame he's through to the quarterfinal.

:51:30. > :51:39.Mark Williams has put him through the ringer. Friends have started to

:51:40. > :51:51.be a bit more drawn out, that's why we're onto the three hour mark.

:51:52. > :52:02.The obvious frame time is practically 20 minutes.

:52:03. > :52:11.He came over to look at the black. Thinking about the red, to the light

:52:12. > :52:19.of the pink, stunning the cue ball across... Now, this shot, you can

:52:20. > :52:23.play it more positively around the ankles, thicker contact on the pack,

:52:24. > :52:32.or you can just brush it, which is what he's done. That was a nice

:52:33. > :52:41.little brush off the yellow, blocked the left-hand side of the pack. It

:52:42. > :52:50.certainly was. Stopped the escape room down the left-hand side of the

:52:51. > :53:07.table. He's taking this red one. Tremendous shot. Look at the cue

:53:08. > :53:11.ball control. Brilliant pot. If Mark Selby doesn't get the lucky brush

:53:12. > :53:16.off the yellow he plays a safety shot, Mark Williams. Absolutely. He

:53:17. > :53:29.was forced into playing it because he couldn't see safety.

:53:30. > :53:35.Again, doesn't take him long to get out of position. Frustrating to

:53:36. > :54:01.watch, never mind how he must feel. He's got this red to left middle. He

:54:02. > :54:11.likes it easier than this. In it goes. He needs a good angle on the

:54:12. > :54:16.blue. Then he just dropped this in and hole for one of those two reds,

:54:17. > :54:21.to the right of the cluster. He couldn't, he's having to play for

:54:22. > :54:29.the red along the top cushion. These are tough. Especially because he's

:54:30. > :54:39.going to play it with a bit of pace to get out for the black. Plenty of

:54:40. > :54:46.shots into the pack. A bit tentatively so far. How is he going

:54:47. > :54:55.to play this one? Again, played a touch shot. It's not worked out.

:54:56. > :55:00.This red does cut to the right corner and he can play for the

:55:01. > :55:16.black. With lots of bottle. On the left-hand side, with the cue ball.

:55:17. > :55:18.That was a Mark Williams special coming up there, the only player in

:55:19. > :55:39.the world who can do that. Now, is he on a colour? Does he get

:55:40. > :55:46.a good angle on the green? It's not a bad one. It's not bad. The red

:55:47. > :55:59.that's loose is available, amazing how he can contort himself into that

:56:00. > :56:05.position. Textbook. Rolled it in and it's perfect on the next red. Choice

:56:06. > :56:13.of two reds and in playing this one he will nudge another interplay. --

:56:14. > :56:16.into play. What a time in the match to win a frame in one visit. It'll

:56:17. > :56:34.take us to a decider. Once again, under hit it. Should

:56:35. > :56:47.have been straight. He'll go for the blue now. But it gave him an

:56:48. > :56:56.opportunity. His wife, Jo, feeling every anguish, willing every ball

:56:57. > :57:16.into the pocket. It's worth watching them playing.

:57:17. > :57:27.This is a good positional shot. If you're being picky, you would say

:57:28. > :57:32.maybe it should have been a fraction more.

:57:33. > :57:44.It doesn't. I think he can stun down for the black. No problem. He's got

:57:45. > :58:09.a nice angle on the black. Mark. It can only be a little bit of

:58:10. > :58:40.tension in the arm, can't be anything else.

:58:41. > :58:47.A disappointing round. He was going to win the frame in one visit there.

:58:48. > :59:31.A strong 53 point lead. The last thing he wants is the pink

:59:32. > :59:35.tight against the cushion. But then I suppose he is forcing Mark to

:59:36. > :59:45.bring this red away from the cushion. He's not played it well. So

:59:46. > :00:15.here's a chance for the counterattack now, for Mark Selby.

:00:16. > :00:30.Well, I think decider here we come. Looks like Mark Selby is going to

:00:31. > :00:33.win this match, he'll have to fall over the line. -- if Mark Selby is

:00:34. > :00:43.going to win, you'll have to fork over the line. He can't buy a

:00:44. > :00:57.positional shot at the moment. Nope. He's looking at the scoreboard, he

:00:58. > :01:01.needs red - colour- red. Played it well, upload it nicely. It's on the

:01:02. > :01:17.Brown. And he's on the red to clinch the

:01:18. > :01:28.frame. This red will put him 65 points in front with just 59

:01:29. > :01:40.remaining. It goes. We're going to have a decider for Joe to have to

:01:41. > :01:44.live through. -- for Jo to have to live through. Mark Selby will not be

:01:45. > :01:50.coming back to the table, even now he will be preparing for the

:01:51. > :01:53.deciding frame. Should you go out the arena and wash your hands or sit

:01:54. > :02:05.there and wait for the referee to set the balls up? We've already had

:02:06. > :02:14.three of these first-round matches that have gone to a deciding frame.

:02:15. > :02:18.I don't supposed you'd expect to have any runaway victories.

:02:19. > :02:27.Particularly with the top 16 players in the world. I'll be honest with

:02:28. > :02:33.you, Stephen, went Mark Selby went to the midsection interval three in

:02:34. > :02:37.front, I didn't see this. No, not at all. We have mentioned that shot

:02:38. > :02:41.that went wrong for Mark Selby when it looked like he was going to go

:02:42. > :02:47.for one up. Every credit to Mark Williams. He keep mentioning he

:02:48. > :02:47.hasn't won a frame in one visit. Tremendous character, tremendous

:02:48. > :03:18.matchplay. As we all say with a decider, it

:03:19. > :03:26.literally can be the toss of a coin. World champion, UK champion, world

:03:27. > :03:34.number one... And the chances of holding the three majors at the same

:03:35. > :03:42.time are all going to be down to a deciding frame. Not on the blue, but

:03:43. > :04:02.he's not bothered. Once again, we have parity. This

:04:03. > :04:06.time it's five apiece. First to six. Decider to come.

:04:07. > :04:15.Isn't it ironic, the man who last held all three of snooker's majors

:04:16. > :04:19.simultaneously, Williams coming 2003-2004, goodness me, could he be

:04:20. > :04:23.the man to prevent Selby from doing it? Yes, not necessarily in the

:04:24. > :04:29.style you were big, nicking this particular match would be a feather

:04:30. > :04:31.in Mark Williams's cap. It would be. Mike Williams cue ball patrol is not

:04:32. > :04:37.vintage but he's getting away with it. You said it's an under suit at

:04:38. > :04:42.the moment but he's finding a way. Yeah, he was always very good at it.

:04:43. > :04:45.He is under enormous pressure. I still believe he wants to win as

:04:46. > :04:51.hard as he ever did, I'm not falling for that line. He's in they're

:04:52. > :04:55.competing, his matchplay has been exemplary, he's not been scoring in

:04:56. > :04:59.one visit. He's tough to play against and the games get fractured

:05:00. > :05:03.and broken up and you have to beat him when he plays like that. You

:05:04. > :05:07.come to the table and every time you come there is something awkward

:05:08. > :05:10.about him. He's saying, that is the shot I played, play better than

:05:11. > :05:14.that. I say, Mark Selby has been on the end of it this afternoon, it's

:05:15. > :05:19.been a very hard work-out for him. Does he seem like a man under

:05:20. > :05:23.pressure this afternoon? The hole has been dogged by not keeping the

:05:24. > :05:28.pressure on Mark Williams. Whilst the? May still be if Mark Williams

:05:29. > :05:32.gets a chance in the last frame can he hold it together and keep

:05:33. > :05:38.position? There are? Over whether there is a little bit of tension.

:05:39. > :05:43.And expectation. More so on this man than we think. He's succumbed a bit

:05:44. > :05:48.to the problems of thinking too much ahead, as to what it would be like

:05:49. > :05:52.to hold the grand slam victories. He's now in a pressure situation in

:05:53. > :05:57.a match and it's about a pure fight, how much but has he got? Is that

:05:58. > :06:00.you're reading? The fact these factors might come in. Stephen made

:06:01. > :06:06.a point about the concentration, when you're playing that well and

:06:07. > :06:12.things are coming easily, how easy is it to lose focus when it's going

:06:13. > :06:15.your way? The hard bit is getting it back, it's not some you can switch

:06:16. > :06:19.on and off. One point he made, we've seen time and time again, the

:06:20. > :06:23.interval came at the right time, Williams and the wrong time for Mark

:06:24. > :06:28.Selby. Mark Williams lost the final frame decider. At this point last

:06:29. > :06:32.year, to Ronnie O'Sullivan. Will there be a sting in the tail this

:06:33. > :06:44.time? Can he defeat the world number one?

:06:45. > :06:55.The brake off. Left a possibility of a pot. Not getting the cue ball so

:06:56. > :07:32.close to the cushion. Not too difficult a safety shot either.

:07:33. > :07:46.Looks like he's just going to play the containing safety. Surprises me

:07:47. > :08:02.a little bit. I assume he's not left this red to the right of the black.

:08:03. > :08:14.I wonder if he can play the double. A kind of shot to nothing. He can

:08:15. > :08:19.maintain some sort of position on the black. He's played it. He

:08:20. > :08:22.thought he would leave the cue ball further to the right-hand side the

:08:23. > :08:38.table. This is definitely on. It doesn't appear he can get a read

:08:39. > :08:47.to the left middle, the only problem with the one to the right middle is

:08:48. > :08:53.it's definitely miscible. He has to play it and he's not happy, though.

:08:54. > :08:59.If he was comfortable with the shot he would have been down by now, so

:09:00. > :09:07.he's feeling it. The comfort zone has long since gone in this match,

:09:08. > :09:13.Vermaak. I'm shocked that he has refused that red. Fair enough, the

:09:14. > :09:18.cue ball might have been cannoned into ball colours. Will he get a

:09:19. > :10:03.better chance than that? He is looking at this long red to

:10:04. > :10:09.the left corner. A dead weight for the black or is he looking at

:10:10. > :10:16.another containing safety? I I suppose if he rolled it in he

:10:17. > :10:23.could get position on the black, but... I think he's getting a bit

:10:24. > :10:28.bogged down now, it can get you, the game, it has not been smooth, smooth

:10:29. > :10:36.running in the last few frames, and he is just getting to him a bit.

:10:37. > :10:40.Yes, I can only presume he couldn't see the red on the left hand cushion

:10:41. > :10:51.because of the yellow, a simple cue ball to bring it back to where it

:10:52. > :10:55.was. That could be a mistake, he has left

:10:56. > :11:04.his red on to the middle. He won't refuse this one.

:11:05. > :11:12.This is, again, one of these that looks very easy on the screen. But

:11:13. > :11:18.under this pressure, it is very smelly indeed. And the fact that you

:11:19. > :11:22.have to roll it in dead weight, if he plays it with any pace, he is not

:11:23. > :11:26.certain to be on a colour, he wants to roll it and be on the blue. You

:11:27. > :11:28.have to trust the table and trust your cueing and hit the centre of

:11:29. > :11:40.the cue ball. Oh, and he missed it. So the first

:11:41. > :12:02.chance falls to Mark Williams. Like the red to the left middle is

:12:03. > :12:05.the one to play, but slightly hampereded so no gimme.

:12:06. > :13:03.-- hampered. Surely not! Surely not. He had a

:13:04. > :13:09.choice of two reds, the one below the pink and the one past the pink,

:13:10. > :13:14.to the right-hand side. Surely he is on one of them. Again, it is the

:13:15. > :13:20.position that has let him down, isn't it John. Yes, but to be fair,

:13:21. > :13:23.you would have to say there a bit unfortunate. I mean you play to an

:13:24. > :13:29.area, as you say there was a couple of reds you could be on, but to not

:13:30. > :13:37.be on one of them, it is unbelievable really.

:13:38. > :13:44.So he is now having to play this very risky pot.

:13:45. > :13:59.Good shot. To wipe the dispointsn't of not being on an easy red, that

:14:00. > :14:35.was fantastic temperament. -- disappointment.

:14:36. > :14:46.That is what it's like, folk, watching your hubby play snooker.

:14:47. > :14:57.Ooh, he got the kick. Has it thrown the blue off line? It has. He has

:14:58. > :15:03.had a very good run of the ball since the interval but that was

:15:04. > :15:11.cruel. If that has cost him the match, that is awful.

:15:12. > :15:29.This is horrendous. And the worst type of bad contact, the fact that

:15:30. > :15:36.it threw the blue off line. Count have played this better. Yes, why

:15:37. > :15:41.was he playing for the blue? Well, OK, he might think he wanted it on

:15:42. > :15:48.the spot, but I mean you play it hard enough so you are on blue or

:15:49. > :15:54.baulk colour. Now using the rest, OK, I mean he's, he is quite capable

:15:55. > :15:57.of playing the deep screw and getting the cue ball back to this

:15:58. > :16:00.end. The more distance the cue ball has to travel, the more likely it is

:16:01. > :16:27.to not get perfect position. He has played this well. At this

:16:28. > :16:30.stage, it is just one shot at a time. Can't start thinking ahead of

:16:31. > :17:29.yourself at this stage. Now referee Paul Collier probably

:17:30. > :17:35.here him say give me a second Mark, because I don't think the pink spot

:17:36. > :17:47.is available. There is one red that is on. So it is not going to affect

:17:48. > :17:56.the next pot. Close to its spot, not touching the red, as it can go. He

:17:57. > :17:59.will pot this and try and nudge the red near the right middle. Just

:18:00. > :18:02.nudge it over the middle. He will still be on the blue.

:18:03. > :18:06.That is where he played. Didn't want it to drop. That is the last thing

:18:07. > :18:11.he wanted. He didn't want that, he wanted that

:18:12. > :18:23.red to stay over the pocket. Now it has gone in, he will have a

:18:24. > :18:30.problem getting on the next red. Oh, that is is a good shot. Well, a

:18:31. > :18:35.good shot. He has cued it well, but, you have to say sometimes it just

:18:36. > :18:39.dedepends on the potting angle and it was perfect to play the blue and

:18:40. > :18:43.bring that red into play It was a natural, wasn't it.

:18:44. > :18:49.Unfortunate to knock the red in the middle, but a bit fortunate to have

:18:50. > :18:52.that natural angle. Now, green and into the bunch of

:18:53. > :18:54.five reds and the pink. This could be the frame and match winning shot,

:18:55. > :19:10.coming right up here. Could have been better. Could have

:19:11. > :19:15.been better. Yes, absolutely once you got into

:19:16. > :19:24.them, you thought, well, he will have a nice easy red to continue

:19:25. > :19:29.with, but that is not the case. He almost needed to hit the pink

:19:30. > :19:33.there to get the perfect split. And this red he is looking at, to

:19:34. > :19:37.left middle. I think he can play for the black to perhaps the left

:19:38. > :19:50.corner, but he won't leave anything should he miss it.

:19:51. > :19:54.Looking to see where the cue ball... He is locking at playing this to the

:19:55. > :19:59.far left corner, the yellow pocket. Again playing for the black, but, I

:20:00. > :20:04.wouldn't like to be playing that shot under pressure.

:20:05. > :20:33.Back to this one. Good shot. He won't be taking this for granted.

:20:34. > :20:39.Liang Wenbo will tell you that. Great shot.

:20:40. > :20:41.OK, can't play for the black after this, but this was a much better pot

:20:42. > :21:06.than it looked. The kick on the blue, it would be a

:21:07. > :21:11.terrible way to lose a match. This was it, straightforward blue,

:21:12. > :21:14.you never fancied to miss it. You got the heavy contact and you see

:21:15. > :21:17.through his cue on the table, apart from the heavy contact, it threw the

:21:18. > :21:32.blue off line. So 18 points the lead. Three reds,

:21:33. > :21:40.three colours. And he has three reds in the open.

:21:41. > :21:46.Would take him into the quarterfinal. He may have to take

:21:47. > :21:47.this red with the rest. He has finished awkward on that red beside

:21:48. > :22:11.the pink. Just got to put a positive stroke on

:22:12. > :22:17.this. Decelerate in any way, he will miss to it the left knuckle.

:22:18. > :22:28.He is screwing back for the blue to take that out of the equation, this

:22:29. > :22:33.is a more positive way of playing. He has not gone far enough.

:22:34. > :22:39.He will probably play in between green and brown, lots of right-hand

:22:40. > :22:52.side, baulk cushion, right-hand side cushion.

:22:53. > :22:56.That's a good shot. I thought maybe he wouldn't play it, because if you

:22:57. > :23:03.have too much side on it you end up nowhere. He couldn't have played it

:23:04. > :23:06.better but if the black doesn't go to the right corner, it is not a

:23:07. > :23:21.formality to win the frame at this visit.

:23:22. > :23:42.Good pot. What song of angle on the blue? Absolutely inch perfect.

:23:43. > :23:52.Is he too hard? Is he too hard? He's too hard.

:23:53. > :23:56.And I don't think he can see enough of the red above the pin. To pot it

:23:57. > :23:58.in the right middle. So the chance of winning Frayne and match has

:23:59. > :24:04.gone. -- frame. He was looking at the

:24:05. > :24:08.cushion, like a big bounce, unlike you I thought it was too hard toe

:24:09. > :24:13.start with. As soon as it came off the blue it looked like he has too

:24:14. > :24:19.much pace on it. Can he hit enough of that red to pot it in the middle?

:24:20. > :24:25.It is not what he played for. I don't know, it is tight.

:24:26. > :24:33.Needs a red and colour, he thinks he can pot it.

:24:34. > :24:36.He is lucky to have this alternative. It is not the red he

:24:37. > :24:40.played for. If you are in the practice room you can play this

:24:41. > :24:52.right-hand side, to make the angle thicker to allow yourself to pot it.

:24:53. > :24:54.Brave man to play that shot here. I think he is convincing himself to

:24:55. > :25:13.go for it. It o only when you are right down

:25:14. > :25:20.behind it you feel you can pot it or not. This is decision, he is playing

:25:21. > :25:30.it with right-hand side, you can see that, to try and square the red up.

:25:31. > :25:36.And he did it. He has done it. And that is frame and match.

:25:37. > :25:47.He knows he didn't think that red could go, he didn'tn't play for that

:25:48. > :25:51.red. -- didn't play for that red. Mark Williams must be cursing his

:25:52. > :26:00.luck, how hard he has battled in this match.

:26:01. > :26:12.APPLAUSE Fortunate to still be on this red,

:26:13. > :26:16.but he looked comely -- completely under pressure, out of sorts.

:26:17. > :26:21.Terrible bad fortune for Mark Williams but this has been an

:26:22. > :26:26.awesome break to win the match. Yes, Hazel said in the studio, last

:26:27. > :26:35.year, Mark Williams took Ronnie O'Sullivan all the way. It is a bad

:26:36. > :26:40.habit to have, just losing in the odd frame. It is a heart pill to

:26:41. > :26:43.swam hoe, particularly the way it has gone, without bad contacts on

:26:44. > :26:59.the blue. -- swallow.

:27:00. > :27:02.Extension in hand, ready to leave the arena.

:27:03. > :27:23.In goes the pink. APPLAUSE And in goes the black, so

:27:24. > :27:27.Mark Selby, world number one, world champion, UK champion, eventually

:27:28. > :27:31.gets over the line, every credit to Mark Williams, really really pushed

:27:32. > :27:39.it all the way. But the Triple Crown is still on. He is in threw to the

:27:40. > :27:43.quarterfinal. He wins 6-5. HAZEL IRVINE: It was tough. Very

:27:44. > :27:47.very tough. The world number one knows all about that, if it hassen

:27:48. > :27:52.been for that kick on 20, from Mark Williams, it moo have been a

:27:53. > :27:56.different story. A fourth day afternoon, on the trot we have had a

:27:57. > :28:00.decider. People think we are setting it up. Unbelievable match. I feel

:28:01. > :28:04.sorry for him. There is no way worse to lose than a kick like that. He

:28:05. > :28:09.was playing the shot and I thought we haven't had many kick, the table

:28:10. > :28:13.seems to be good. He gets a monster kick, after that Mark Selby showed

:28:14. > :28:16.why why he is world number one. The cue ball jumped up in the air. It's

:28:17. > :28:21.a horrible way to lose. It is not great. Mark would be honest and say

:28:22. > :28:25.his positional play let him down, sometimes if you start at the top of

:28:26. > :28:31.the table you wouldn't have got that anning but in the end Mark Selby

:28:32. > :28:34.showed what he was worth, he has been under pressure situations so

:28:35. > :28:42.often you fancy she going to get out of jail. Mark Williams, there is no

:28:43. > :28:45.way it won't hurt. Yes. And Mark Selby thought long and hard there,

:28:46. > :28:49.but it went for him. You said it was going to go. Steve said it would

:28:50. > :28:55.pot. It is one of those you don't want to play. Congratulations Mark.

:28:56. > :29:00.Briefly, he put you through the wringer there. Yes, he showed his

:29:01. > :29:03.class, he didn't win that many frames in one visit but he is such a

:29:04. > :29:09.clever player, he puts you in trouble. Pots a great long red and

:29:10. > :29:15.that is how he found his way back, to shut me out for a while. You had

:29:16. > :29:20.the run of three, two on thes and a 60 break and what happened to turn

:29:21. > :29:25.things round? Frame five. I was in control. I played a blue to go into

:29:26. > :29:28.reds, went through the gap but later on I played like, just amateur

:29:29. > :29:32.safety shot. I am clipping off the red and left him a cut back in the

:29:33. > :29:36.middle. He got back and showed his class then the match seemed to turn

:29:37. > :29:41.on that point. It did. We were talking about that kick in the final

:29:42. > :29:47.frame. If I am playing I would probably punch it in to take the

:29:48. > :29:53.kick out, but that is the way Mark play, he rolls everything and it has

:29:54. > :29:59.won so much so why should he change, it is unfortunate. Selby slam is

:30:00. > :30:04.alive but how much extra weight does it carry? That was on my mind coming

:30:05. > :30:08.here, it is such a tough tournament to win, but it will be better if I

:30:09. > :30:12.go out there and just play and I did that at the start. Well played. We

:30:13. > :30:19.will have to leave it there. You can get your breath. Thank you for

:30:20. > :30:23.coming in. Mark will play either Shaun Murphy or Barry Hawkins, you

:30:24. > :30:28.will see it live on the red Button and online, Jason will be back with

:30:29. > :30:33.the highlights at 11.15. But, goodness me, another afternoon of

:30:34. > :30:37.high drama, after noons are made for pure neat a at Ally Pally. Thanks

:30:38. > :30:39.for being with us here. Tara for now.

:30:40. > :30:52.-- pure theatre. To break someone physically... Agh!

:30:53. > :30:57...is not a problem.