25/02/2014 Snooker: Welsh Open Highlights

Blink and you will miss him. The Rocket. Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Good evening. It is always a special night when Ronnie O'Sullivan plays

in the Welsh Open and there was a big crowd here this evening. The

world champion still the biggest draw in the game. Ronnie O'Sullivan

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

game. Following in the footsteps of Jimmy White and Alex Higgins. He

gets people in and creates an atmosphere. He has a few problems of

the table. We all sit back and say, if we were that good, why would we

not want to play? He has a few Demons occasionally but he has been

one of the greatest things that has happened to the game over the last

few years. He has kept the game in the spotlight. Ronnie O'Sullivan has

overtaken Stephen Hendry. He is the greatest player who has ever picked

a snooker cue up. A lot of it is down to the technique. Right-handed,

left-handed, it doesn't matter. You cannot fault that technique. Ronnie

O'Sullivan is almost up there with John Higgins with regard to tactical

notes. When he does try, he is unbelievable. In the brick building

department he is getting closer to Stephen Hendry's record. Stephen has

made over 750 centuries and Ronnie O'Sullivan is just 100 centuries

behind them. There are plenty of years left for him to overtake that

record. The thing is, is he going to be around long enough? Will he

retire? The one thing at the back of his mind is to equal or better

Stephen Hendry's modern-day record of seven world titles. I think he

can achieve it. If he wants it, he can have it. Because as I said

before, he is a genius. His opponent in the second round was Barry

Pinches. The Rocket fired right from the start of the first frame.

To fix this time. The first real mistake from Barry Pinches.

That was very good cueing from Ronnie O'Sullivan. He stunned the

cue ball perfectly. This is a great chance already in this first frame.

This will open another red. He does not necessarily have to pay the

cannons for a few shots. This will be the fourth black. Whenever Ronnie

sees a chance to bring balls into play he will play at. -- play it.

The balls are in a rather nice position at the moment.

Just a bit lower on the black and he wanted. When you get to this stage

in a break, it is best to play on to read better than one. As long as he

gets past the pink spot he will be on one or another. He will be happy

with that kiss. I just love the effortless ease at

which he plays. He is playing with such freedom. It's very hard to do.

I wonder whether he is thinking about the possibility of a 147. He

started thinking about that after the second black. Ronnie O'Sullivan

brings his practice came to the matchplay but -- match table but not

many players are able to do that. He will be trying to finish high on the

balls so that if he and hits it he will still have still have another

on the black. Once again he will play for the red next to the green

or the one in the middle. That is a bad shot. He did not need to kiss

the blue. The one next to the green is no good to him because he can't

get on the black from that. I tell you what, that is a fantastic shot

from Ronnie O'Sullivan. How about that for cue ball control? Is that

blue going to get in the way again? Is it possible to get back for the

black. It certainly is. Great shot. Just a fraction too hard and that is

a shame. This is the key shot. He has got to

get really high on this black. What a shame. A fabulous break of

104. Ronnie O'Sullivan looks in great form. Ronnie O'Sullivan takes

the first frame. A brilliant start but his early

momentum stuttered as Barry Pinches got a frame back. But then the world

champion only needed one more frame for the city.

Ronnie O'Sullivan breaking off in what he hopes will be the last

frame. Not bound to get onto a colour if he

pots this. Another chance for Barry Pinches. Ronnie is not happy with

himself at the minute. Barry is not getting any old chance at the table,

he's got a fantastic chance. But would you believe it he has fouled

one of the reds at the back of the pack with his finger. We do pride

ourselves on the honesty of the players and Barry immediately owned

up to that one knowing it could cost him the match. Great sportsmanship

from Barry Pinches. Loads of loose reds on. Ronnie does

not go into them this time. He knows he can win the frame and match at

this visit. It is a pretty favourable draw. He has avoided some

of the top layers in the world like Mark Williams.

He doesn't appear to be on the black. He might play for the loose

thread. -- loose red. It is so unlike Ronnie not to go into the

pack early. He will not be happy with his

performance tonight. He has played a lot of poor shots. He will be

pleased with the scoreline but that's about all. After that

terrific start, almost a maximum break in the first frame, he has

been struggling ever since. He has touched the red, though when he is

pointing to with his finger, as he was attempting to make of the bridge

to pot the easy read. It has not cost him the match, not just yet.

That is a very acute angle into the minute -- into the middle. He made

that look very simple. That was so tough.

It is hard to see a mistake coming now. It is OK porting these raids in

the middle but when you play with the deep screw like that to get back

onto the black, it's a lot more difficult.

Only two more reds after this black and two colours and he will have a

victory by four frames to one. He has done enough but it was

workmanlike rather than brilliant tonight. He will be happy with the

4-1 scoreline. It is not look like Barry will get into this match again

now. He has got the feel of the table and the venue and he has set

himself up well enough for the next round. The applause from the crowd,

knowing that was frame ball. He did enough and Barry Pinches at

-- is coming back to the table that it looks like Ronnie O'Sullivan is

the victor. -- but it looks like. The crowd now hoping for some

exhibition snooker from Ronnie. Barry will be pretty disappointed.

He has had every chance in most of the frames apart from the first. It

is just the occasion that got to him this evening.

Breaks of 104 in the first, 50, 44 and 30, and finished the match were

fabulous break of 58. Ronnie O'Sullivan gets warm appreciation

from the crowd. Barry Pinches disappointed as Ronnie O'Sullivan

storms into the next round. Barry is a top player.

He's one of the best amateurs and has grown up and is a little bit

older than me and I remember him being the top boy. He played as well

as he could tonight. He missed a few and gave me a few chances and I was

able to score a few. We both didn't play brilliant but I was pleased to

get the win. I would love to win another Welsh Open. I've had some

good tournaments here and I'd like to have a good run here. A long way

to go but I always loved playing in this event.

Ronnie O'Sullivan wasn't the only big name in action today. Here's a

round-up of some of the other winners and losers. World number one

Neil Robertson breezed into the third round with a 4-0 demolition of

England's Rory McLeod. He wrapped the matchup in fine style with his

82nd century of the season. The first few friends there were no big

breaks made but my overall game was very good and went 3-0 in the third

frame and Rory made a really good century break. Really pleased with

the way I finished the match. But there was heartbreak for Jamie

Jones, who lost out to former world champion Graeme Dott in a final

frame decider that went down to the black ball. Bridgend's Ryan Day also

made an exit today on the losing 4-1 to Scotland's Anthony McGill, who

will now play Judd Trump. He will be joined by Ding Junhui, who beat

English than Jamie Cope 4-1 this afternoon. Ding has got four ranking

titles already this season and looked in ominous form.

Winning is always good. Two Welsh players making the short journey

home but what about Mark Williams, the two times world champion? He'll

face Tian Pengfei in his match and he started well. -- he faced. Your

commentators are Willie Thorne and Darren Morgan.

REFEREE: Foul and a miss.. It's all going wrong for Tian Pengfei. A

little miscue there. A great pot. He played to catch the

middle jaw and could have done with a cue ball stopping about six or

eight inches less. He just cued straight over the top

of the cue ball there. Not enough chalk on his tip. It's amazing how

players always took their cue after a miscue. Why do they do that?

Answers on a postcard. A little bit of drift there. Darren

is talking about his cue. Obviously a mess but it won't be taken. -- a

miss. It's going to be tough for Tian to get on a colour but he's got

to start scoring. He must have touched it with his hand on the way

back there. It is all going wrong for Tian Pengfei at the minute.

Not going to plan for him. in this game he has miscued. He just

didn't get his fingers out the way. It's all happening here! I don't

think I've ever seen that before. I've seen it when they try a really

deep screw and haven't got time to get their hand out of the way but he

had plenty of time. That's just a lack of concentration. He was

probably watching the white all-weather pack was splitting,

rather than whether cue ball was going to end up. Whatever the case,

Mark Williams is in the balls again. You'd be surprised if he didn't make

at least 40 from here. Obviously, he's played for the plant

just below the pink. It's not exactly on but he's just got to

catch it about quarter ball. Nicely on the pink but the cue ball's gone

very close to the two reds. He has got a room she can just roll his

pink through. -- a red he can just roll has been

Trying very hard to bring balls into play there but it hasn't quite

happened. You'd expect him to win the frame

now he's got the pink clear. He could win the frame at the next four

reds, four colours. That used to be punishable but not

any more. Frame over, trying to bring balls

into place to make a century. Not had a great tally of centuries this

season. He's made a magnificent 306 career centuries, which is up there

with the best. He's a bit more bothered about

centuries than he used to be. He needs to move the red out and

hasn't quite got it. He can He needs to move the red out and

get on that register try to move the other red out.

Well done. He deserves a century now. What a shame. No century from

Mark Williams. But Chan jump high will be distraught with the chances

he's had and given away. The Welshman needed just one more

frame for victory. Would it come with the fourth? We can see that

now. Williams is at the table, trailing by nine points.

WILLIE THORNE: Looks slightly thicker than he would do normally.

Trying to force him into making another mistake, which could be his

last. He struck that one very good. The

red didn't go in but he's got the second prize. He did strike that are

very, very good. This is not easy. Should land of one of the reds. Just

skim off the cluster. There we have it. Very well played. One has been

pushed out into the middle. If that red Hat and come away from the pack,

it would have been tough but he's now got a chance to get the frame

and the matchup this visit. The horror story for Tian Pengfei will

continue because he had chances in the first frame and had chances in

the last frame. A lot better player than we've seen today.

For those who are watching Tian Pengfei for the first time today,

he's had nine centuries this season. He's already had 49 centuries and,

at the moment, it looks like he's going to be short of 50 but that's

what happens sometimes. Got to the last 16 of three

different tournaments. World ranked 58. He is possibly got a chance of

not being on the tour because 64 is the key number, really.

This is Mark Williams at his when he's in and around the black

spot area. No need to play a cannon. The two

reds are available, one into the left-hand corner, the other into the

right. After a shaky start, he played well

in the first round, but was very shaky in frame two. This has been a

good performance from Mark Williams. He's going to be a handful for

whoever he plays. This is frame ball and match ball. A

good performance, really, apart from a little twitch in the second frame.

He's scoring when he gets in. This has been very good from Mark.

It's great to see him playing at his very best. Let's hope it continues.

Not that I'm being too biased, mind! What a treat we've got for you

on BBC Wales. Robertson coming up against Rory McLeod and then the

great Ronnie O'Sullivan is coming this evening at seven o'clock. There

won't be a spare seat in the house for that one.

Very well played, Mark Williams. And this large crowd applaud another

century from their hero. Will we see an exhibition shot here?

The pink doesn't disappear but a very good performance from Mark

Williams. He's got to go back to the drawing board. He'll be very

disappointed but Mark Williams goes storming through into the next round

84-0 winner. I was happy to win by that

scoreline. I was happy to finish the match off well. Probably finish the

match of better than I played for a long time. That's the kind of form

I've been looking for and I managed to find it two frames in. Hopefully

I can find it again. Well played, Mark Williams. Let's just complete

our round-up of the day's other results. Shaun Murphy's good recent

form continues and he's safely through to the third round after

beating Craig Steadman. He'll play Liang Wenbo, who whitewashed Fergal

O'Brien. A good day, too, for Stuart Bingham, who beat Thepchaiya

Un-Nooh. 13th seed Ricky Walden is also into the last 32 after a four

victory over Matthew Selt. Now we know the 32 names in the third

round. -- a 4-2 victory. Tomorrow we begin our coverage with an absolute

cracker. It's Mark Williams against World War I Neil Robertson. We're on

air at 1pm here on BBC Two Wales. Join us then. That's for watching

and good night. -- thanks for watching.