Semi-Final Snooker: Welsh Open

MUSIC. Trudy evening. We are expecting something very special in

the second semi-final of the Welsh Open. The world's No. 1 ranked

player, Mark Selby, faces Ronnie O'Sullivan, he seems to be best --

back to his best this week. The big question tonight is which one of

these two stars of the game will join Ding Junhui in the final.

never doubted my ability. I knew I wasn't in the right frame of mind

to play snooker, and I accepted that. Now I have given myself the

chance to play. Mark Selby: I know that if I play my own game, I am

capable of beating anybody. Ronnie O'Sullivan: He is one of those

players that will never go away. He is prepared to battle out long

frames and do what ever it takes to win. Ronnie O'Sullivan: He is

probably one of the greatest players ever play our game. Ronnie

O'Sullivan: She is the world No. 1. He is far ahead in the rankings. He

hasn't seen to have won two tournaments that matter, you would

expect him to do that and he will want to put that right. Terry

Griffiths has watched both of these players very closely this week.

What have you made of Ronnie O'Sullivan so far? He has been one

of the best players in the tournament. You always like to see

him win. This will be very tough tonight. Mark Selby are starting to

come into form. Two very contrasting styles. Does Mark Selby

have the game and the style to Pittam office style -- off his

stride? There is no doubt about it. He has done it before at this

tournament. Everybody has got a different style and Ronnie has to

handle it. This is a repeat of the 2008 Welsh Open final which Mark

Selby won. It is still remembered here as one of the greatest games

that the Welsh Open has ever seen Ronnie had played well in the night

session. He seemed to pick up his form and looked like he was going

to run away with it. I just dug in and scraped some frames. I had a

good break did draw eggs, and I add a good 60 odd break in the last

He has produced an epic recovery to win.

I am not here in the commentary position and I were just Nascar

commentary it just a quick question. Willie, what have you made of the

form of Ronnie O'Sullivan this week? Like it was eight years ago.

He has won his first ranking tournament in a while. It'll be

great tonight because we have the current world No. 1 against

people's champion. You can get better than that. What will Mark

Selby have to do to beat him? more balls! By the standards of

Mark Selby, he has been a long way off his best. He has gone through

the tournament very quietly until last night again Stephen Maguire,

he was scintillating. If you can improve a little bits, and Ronnie

is a little bit off, he has a fantastic chance. It is an

intriguing battle to be savoured. Well, you have heard the view of

the experts. Am sure the players can wait to get out there and

entertain everyone. I will hand over to our master of ceremonies,

Rob Walker. Good evening ladies and gentlemen.

This is the last session of snookered before the climb its --

before the climax tomorrow. Without any further ado, let's get the boys

Please welcome a player who can only be described as a genius with

a cue in his hand. Beating Judd Trump in fine start yesterday, he

is on a roll after winning the German Masters this month. The --

three-times and champion of the world, it is The Rocket, Ronnie

His opponent, one of the most colourful characters on the circuit,

beating inform Stephen Maguire in his quarter final. He won this

title in 2008 and a two-times Masters champion who also won in

shanghaied the season, there current world No. 1, digester from

place in the Open final. No one is looking forward to it more than a

commentary team of Darren Morgan and Willie Thorne. DARREN: I

mentioned in my pre-match commentary to we have the world No.

1 against the people's champion. It doesn't get any better than that.

The man in form has to be Ronnie as each round has gone on. A big

That cue ball could go right up behind the yellow. There is it

possible shot for Ronnie in the right corner. Both players will

have butterflies at the start of this match. You can knock them for

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If he hits this too hard, he could leave a red into the corner. Almost

pushed the red on, but I think he These two players had made 85

centuries this season between them. Mark Selby 45, Ronnie O'Sullivan 40.

They are so good in building bricks. The only problem with that is that

he has put two reds in the corner pockets. It looks like he is dead

straight on the one on the left. It all depends whether at the black

can be potted. He has got a slight He took a chance, didn't he? He had

to finish really high on the black. He took a chance and he has been a

little unlucky not to get on it better than this. You would need a

pair of stepladders to reach this He just decided to play at

containing safety, but you never really get the advantage playing

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that sort of shot. He needs to be He is trying to decide if he can

cover the blue and yellow. If you get this just right, that line

would have been what I would have fancied, but he has decided against

You can see that he can catch that read very thin on the right-hand

side. He is worried about kissing He has put Mark Selby in a lot of

trouble. He could come on to that There wasn't a lot that he could do

with that. In an ideal world, Ronnie would love to get in behind

that yellow. I think the red in front of the cue ball is blocking

his path. He can get off it thin This long for him will give them a

chance to settle their nerves. I think Ronnie has played as --

He has managed to get away with it. Never easy. To be fair to him, that

Another miss by Ronnie. Has the pink come to his rescue? Just about.

He might be able to get through to the outside read. It will be tight.

That was not an easy shot. That Marc has to get the cue ball

This is a twitchy start by both players! It is understandable. He

has not missed many of these this That is a good shot by Mark Selby.

He always knew she was going to be He has put all his eggs into one

basket. Has he been lucky called -- lucky? He might be on nothing here.

That was a very aggressive shot. He obviously thought that the black

was out of play and that there was every chance of getting the black

back into play. It is almost unbelievable to see that he is not

on any of the reds. Unfortunately, the aggressive shot has not worked

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If you can get an angle on the red in the right corner, which I think

That is a good opening red. He did not want the cannon of the other

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When has Ronnie O'Sullivan ever Both players are getting the length

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The safety has been superb in the last few exchanges. That was a very

good shot. Mark Selby will have to be careful here. I think there is a

plant potentially in the left He has got to try and hit this as

thin as he can. I don't think he can get through to it nicely.

don't think he can get through to the plant. He is looking at this

read just below the black on the cushion. That would be one heck of

He completely missed head that. But he has not left anything simple for

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This opening frame is turning out to be really interesting. That was

That was a clever shot. Ronnie would normally take this pot on,

but he can get back into the block He got the case, but missed the pot.

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We are coming up to 20 minutes and If he is going to play the red that

his nearest the right-hand pocket, he'd better not hit it too hard or

he will leave it at the other Answers on a postcard which one he

was playing for their! She has played to come inside the green and

get just below the middle pocket. I think Mark Selby is handling very

OK, he has not started tonight very well! He is very, very consistent.

He has not really had an easy shot In goes the red. He is a little bit

Have they changed the table? They I think they will be available to

play in an amateur league if anybody wants them in their team!

They're really struggling at the There is still not a great scoring

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chance. He has come the wrong side That was a better one. He is just

on this blue, enough. He could knock the pink in and spread a few

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reds are. -- out. He has decided to The next red from the black is

virtually impossible, if he plays the pot and cannons into the four

reds, I would be looking at pink or blue, so he cannot screw past those

reds, so he might use them to get into position. This would be a very

canny short of that work, I played to get on them, and that is very

good, well played, Mark's will be. Not a lot of other players with a

spotted that -- Mark Selby. That is the shot of the frame, so far, not

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When you open a club in Leicester, Mark Selby came in as if there-

year-old boy, and spent up to six or seven hours a day. He just made

himself play and play and play, and became one of the greatest players

and the world, at them -- at this moment in time, the best player in

the world. He has got the dedication and the ability. You can

play eight hours a day, but if you do not have the ability, you are

not going to improve. The first frame, safely under his belt than.

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He has had some friends and family come up to watch him play this

evening, and they will be delighted. He has now developed this into a

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nice break. He was struggling alone Is a lovely break of 84 from Mark

will be, to take the first frame. - - from Mark Selby. Let me show you

their head-to- heads between these two. Ronnie O'Sullivan leads these

encounters 9-5, at the moment, although Mark Selby has had the

It started off as a scrappy frame, but a good break from Mark Selby in

the end. Very good. It has come as a shock to us, what has happened at

early on. Both players missing chances, but that was a special

break of 84 paw marks will be. Ronnie O'Sullivan will not be happy

with having had a 30 minute rain. Is that why he has gone out, just

to forget that, he just needs to clear his head and come back in.

With Ronnie O'Sullivan it is his mind set. I know that he does not

enjoy playing against players who take their time and shorts, who

make it difficult. The players that he regards as playing in his sort

of fashion where he makes the game look easy, but Mark Selby knows

that he can ruffle the feathers of Ronnie, if he plays frames exactly

like -- like we have just seen, and Ronnie O'Sullivan can get bored,

and out of sorts with himself. Selby looks to be exuding

confidence, smiling. He looks happy and settled. He should be. He

should have gone out in the first round, really, against some bear it.

His form has come -- Sam Baird. But his style play is what Ronnie

O'Sullivan does not like. Ronnie thinks that he plays shots that are

long, and that has unsettled Ronnie, a little bit. It is Mark Selby who

leads 1-0, and is breaking off in Finding the top cushion nicely. I

don't think I have ever seen on the Warsaw when hit so many balls

without potting them. -- Ronnie O'Sullivan picked -- hit so many

balls. He has had its seven Mark Selby plays that shot a lot,

and he is very good at it. He might go for this next port in the right

centre. He has been knocking these in all week, for fun. Mark very

pleased with the weight of the cue He has openly said he does not

really enjoy playing against Mark Silver. Probably the best player in

the world at the minute, the current world No. 1. When the likes

to be involved in matches that he is interested in. As good as he is,

sometimes he gets his head on and appears this interested. --

disinterested, and, as I say that, he has probably played the best

shot that he has played in this He has slid past them. That is very

careless, from somebody of Mark It has taken a while, but he has

eventually got it going. Scoring at That is unfortunate, he is six

inches from being absolutely perfect. When he went to bed last

night there were two tables in year, and he was used to the one that was

running, that he had played all his matches on, but the cloth and this

one is probably a little bit faster than the one he has been playing on,

and that caught him out a little bit. The crowds have commute in

their droves to see him, and who wouldn't, with it to the top 10

players in the world, on display, at the quarter-final stage? --

eight of the ten. How fortunate is that, if he can get through to the

pink? It is not straightforward, I think he has played that just

right. Unlucky. He played round does two cushions to try and hit

the middle of those two reds. If he had just missed that first red, the

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For when the has been a little bit negative this evening, with his

safety play -- Ronnie has been. He will be pleased with the result.

This cloth is definitely quicker than yesterday, isn't it?

looked like he was not going to be happy, but now that Brian ball has

come to his rescue, he has booked Mark Selby into all kinds of

trouble. He has caught two options. We have seen a lot of that this

week. Some tape has fallen off the lights. The other night, John

Higgins bucket in his pocket, for a good luck charm, it did not do him

any good, but it looked good! will try to get the red just to

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rest on bottom cushion. Still the Mark is coming round to look at the

potting angle all this red which tells me that he can get through to

it. If you have to pick, the red -- the white could cannon into the

blue. He has got to be careful. I know that Mark has made a break of

84 in the opening frame, but I am not sure that he has settled,

really. He was trying so hard to cut it then, and not thick. -- cut

it thin. I could not believe that Ronnie was going to take on the

harder red or the two. But again, he is OK, but that is not what he

played, he wanted to get on the Has he screwed the cue ball back

into no man's land? Or is he OK Because it difficult shot to play

on the pink, because I think it is cover it. He might be trying to get

on the blue, he is just looking now at a straight blue. With the black

being out of commission, that is the reason he has played, possibly,

for the blue. You have got to think You could say that he has all were

or under screwed it, take your pick. -- over or under. He is on this red

to the left corner. And there it goes. Nicely, on the blue. He has

surely trying to move the reds away from the pink spot. If the pink

stills pots to the black and corner he might still play on the pink but

if it will not, he will keep going This will free up the pink spot now.

This has been excellent. This break has been such hard work. He has had

to manoeuvre round those reds and now he has got the pink spot, free.

Now this becomes a frame-winning opportunity. It wasn't, until that

This red goes past the black to right corner, the pink goes back on

its spot, so he has got a couple of options, just a stun this in and

All the southern, Ronnie is looking very good again. -- all of a

southern -- sudden. He had to pick off one red at a time, before he

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got that pink back into open play. Just the ball that Ronnie needed,

to square this up, one frame apiece. He couldn't pot a ball in the first

room, now it looks like he can't miss. This has been a terrific

reconstructed effort. Everything was covering each other when he

came to the table, but he has taken this extremely well. It is unusual

for a player to take 30 points to get into a position to make a frame

winning break, but that was what he did. He can play this with lots of

right hand side and try to kiss into the black. He has got too much

side on that. The angle was there, to play it plain ball. So, with an

84 after Mark Selway, that started scrappy, but Ronnie O'Sullivan

concluded it, with a magnificent break of 80, it to seal the rim. A

fascinating match for the middle, developing, frame by frame. We have

got sometime true answer some of the questions that you have sent in

to Oz all a Twitter. -- to us, of a Twitter. One question is, are there

any Welsh players on the up and coming list who will be the next to

burst onto the scene? Yes, there was Jamie Jones, he has climbed

into the top 48, Michael white has always been a player I thought

would break through, he has got into the top 64 and is moving

forward, but the best Welsh Amateur is Dwayne Jones. He's winning

senior events on the Welsh snooker calendar. He's doing very well.

hear someone that you know well, who plays at your club? He has

played at the club. He doesn't play there anymore. He plays in

Prestatyn and then carefully. He's one of the best prospects, as a

junior, coming through into the professional ranks. I have worked

with him in the past, a little on the coaching side, and he used to

play in the generally get my club every Saturday. He is a very nice

young lad, with a massive future I was watching Ronnie, and he was

looking to his friends in the audience and laughing, as have to

say, I played poorly in the beginning, but I am OK now, and

that is one man has got away. -- 1 at that has got away. On the back

of his 80 in the last round, he refused a red that was easier than

that, into the other centre pocket. It is amazing, this game,

He was using the yellow too slow this cue-ball done but that was one

of the occasions where it did not work for him. He was unlucky to

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Ronnie always has lots of his friends come, and there is a very

famous gentlemen, Damien Hirst, the That is a good safety shot, he has

cleared the left-hand side of the table. I want to find out if Damien

Hirst plays, if he can pot if you occasionally. -- pot a few. If he

can just screw this back to the blue, there was nothing available

to the left hand corner. That is more like it. That is the can-do

shots where it used to seeing from these two great players. He has an

advantage playing into the side of the pack, or trying to bring the

black into play. He will play the cannon. He has gone a bit lower

He has played for the one in the He just made sure then that he

He gave it a good old Punch! Has he The pink would have been awkward to

get on, so he has gone up for the yellow. Similar to Ronnie's break

in the earlier frame money had to work quite hard in the early part

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I think he has gone virtually This is hard work at the minute,

isn't it? It was a glancing blow on Now he has got the angle, he can

play in to do two reds to the right of the pink. If he doesn't get

peaceful, the ball could run He played that nicely. So, he has

now got the pink available in all Ronnie will just be getting himself

ready now in his mind. He knows that this frame might be one in

this visit. But there is still a lot of work to be done. Since the

first frame, all of the sudden this standard has gone up by a long way.

Up to where we expected. And as I was saying that, he has missed a

red! He would Popat Thames-side -- he would pop that 10 times out of

10, whether in a match or in As we often say in snooker, the

first 30 or 40 points you get in a frame are generally easier. --

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Well, well, well. The blue has come to his saving grace. Even though it

wasn't easy, that was an unexpected He missed that by a long way, as

well. This is really fascinating. Just when you think they're playing

OK, then they both miss a shot by He needs a little bounce off the

cushion. He has played that Did I detect a little bounce in

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Ronnie's step as he was coming I am still not convinced that

I think money is starting to speed up around the table as well. At the

start of the match it was taking 39 -- shot. Can you believe this? He

put some right hand side on that. Mark Selby would not have believed

that he would have got another chance in this frame a moment to go.

Ronnie was starting to look good. Abounds in his step. All of a

sudden, he has got to sit there and Ronnie O'Sullivan will be very

disappointed to have played such a bad shot on the last red. Just the

pink needed to go into at two frames to one lead. Ronnie is

discussed above himself. -- disgusted with himself. So, no

sizable breaks at all. Mark Selby goes into the lead at two frames to

Mark Selby has done well again, taking advantage of another mistake.

An unexpected mistake. You would expect Ronnie to make that pot �10

out of 10. He was very, very disappointed. Mark Selby has made a

good start. Busy generally a good starter? No more than any of the

other top players, I think. We thought at the beginning of this

match that Mark Selby's natural rhythm the way he plays the match

might disrupt Ronnie O'Sullivan. Mark Selby wants mind that all of

the game becomes a bit scrappy and its broken-up? I think Ronnie

O'Sullivan will dictate the pace of the match a good start to get

faster. Ronnie O'Sullivan is happiest when he can get to the

table and make big breaks, like any player. Why does it affect him more

than other players are back at broken up? Ronnie does not like

slow play. He does not like players that and played the correct shots,

and Ronnie has a completely different style to Mark Selby. He

has got up to number one in the world with his style of play, so

you can criticise him for it. Ronnie is just a bit like that.

Ronnie wants to have all the table time, all players are the same.

When you say the correct shots, what do you mean? I don't need he

plays too defensively all the time, just the positional shot to be a

different pattern from Ronnie Their tactics are very interesting

in this match. Mark Selby is in the lead at the moment. This is the

last frame before the mid-session WILLIE THORNE: That was an

excellent safety shot. I think Ronnie O'Sullivan admires the

players who he believes plays the This is one option for Mark Selby.

He has got to make sure he is not Nicely played. He was very close to

leaving that close read. If he had copied slightly thicker he would

have left the pot arm. If he had just caught that full ball rather

than half-ball... Ronnie is faced with the situation now what he can

get back into the baulk area -- He was hoping that that was going

to be a touching ball, but I don't think he can get to the one thin

So, this fourth frame has been finished very prematurely! They are

whacking the ball so again. They will start again. No one wants to

see that little nip and tuck, rolling in and out all the time.

Good choice by both players. Ronnie has just nicked Dowds while the

referee is setting up the bolts again. We sold the shot from Ronnie

in the last Braemore he played a shot to nothing that was very good,

and we also saw him make a bad mistake on a red. Mark Selby can

feel quite pleased with himself, he is not playing his best but are

still leading and that is the are too good matchplay. We saw a shot

to nothing that Ronnie played in the previous frame. The art of a

shot to nothing is that when Duke do that, you have got to find the

top cushion. He has declared in such a way that it begets the pot

any has the chance of getting on the ball. Look at the weight of

this cue ball the way it bounced off the cushion to leave him the

perfect angle on the green. That is the perfect example of a shot to

Has he covered the red? It is tight. We have not seen a long red

available from the break of this evening. -- break off. I don't mean

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he can play this shot has a shot to It has not costing anything though,

this time. He has left Ronnie a little tempter. It is near enough

straight, this one to the right corner. He will be playing it with

Well, he has had that dead straight. That was really bad cueing. He is

not liking that as he goes back to his seats. Have you ever seen him

do that? He has pushed straight Even though we're into the fourth

frame, neither player looks like they're going to run away with this

He was trying to cut but in, but he Not far away from being a plant.

You might take this on. There are three sets of balls, 1 just below

the pink, then two sets of reds to get there just to the left of the

pink. There could be three plants on here! That looks pretty good,

I don't think I have seen that situation before! Excellent safety

That was a very good shots apart from the red coming down the table,

which she could not legislate for. I think Mark Selby will be playing

I don't think I have ever seen either of these players play so

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Almost a very good safety shot. If he had covered this up with the

yellow, it would have been excellent. Surely he can get

through the gap? That looks a bit Very well played! He has just

overrun it. I think the blue will He has left Sean me -- he has left

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Ronnie with the shot but this read. That is where you would fancy him

to try to put the cue ball. As I say that, he has played for the

pink. Either way she was always Every frame has been like this, the

black camping out of play. Not The pink will go on to the blue

He may play the cannon on that red now. He has got three reds that can

Now that pink spot will be free again. It will be back in play.

Just a couple of inches short with the cue ball there. Still no

He has missed the cannon. He is This is not the Ronnie O'Sullivan

that we have seen all week. He is struggling a little. He never

He just seems to have gone into his I think that is the end of the

break. He is too close to the red on the right. I think will be a

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That is not the best safety shot he That was very, very fine. It is a

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fortune for Mark, it was never the red over the corner he will

play the shot I would have thought one you would have played a while

That was the best one Ronnie has had for a while. Very good killing.

-- cueing. It is amazing to think of some of the ones he has missed.

I cannot believe he was looking at the blue. That is much bigger than

what it looks on the screens at It will always be hard to get on

the road. I can't see what he was playing for their. -- the red. --

I think they will be pretty pleased at the interval, they will probably

It has not been a cynical expected this evening. -- do snooker we

expected. -- at the snooker we The cue ball comes off very square

in the club but on these tables as soon as it has any side on it at

once the angle. -- on it, it winds There was a bit too thick. Whether

red has gone, there was unlucky. -- The 22 point lead did not sound

much when he came to the table but , he definitely needs to get the

I think he has landed on the perfect angle here to land on these

two reds and if he can get the left-hand side of the red it will

push the one to the right hand The only thing he did not want to

do there was hit that full in the face, which is what happened. If he

could have got the cannon to these raids, full in the face, it could

be the end of this little effort. Ronnie will be pretty pleased to

get back to the table after his That was terrific. He played that

with loads of bottom right hand That looks just about perfect.

is as good a shot as he played deceiving. He had to get the pace

right this time. Look at the gap he has got and the pace he had to play

just to get on the red. If he was naturally going round the back of

the black he would play it, but it is not on, so you will stun it in.

Ronnie has missed more balls in this match so far than in the whole

An excellent positional shot. He knows he needs a colour of this

road. -- off this red. Very The interval will come at the right

I do not think there'll be any heroic so on this yellow to green

unless he can screw back off the Mark Selby will carry on if he does

What an effort this is. He does know his way around a snooker table,

Mark Selby. A beautiful shot. We had to play a stunning run through

That is well played. He knows his way around a table as well. That

The yellow he potted was also This is looking OK unless he gets a

big bounce. I think he has, it just The trouble is both players are

more than capable of running six brilliant shots on the trot.

Against the lesser player you would feel you have won the frame but

against these it is never over unless you have potted a ball that

you need to make it more than say. Mark Selby admitted that at that

attempt at a snooker. If Ronnie pots the green I am sure we will go

to interval very surely. Unless he He did not judge it at all, that

shot. He did not expect the cue Mark Selby will be delighted. I

suppose both players will think they could have lost a session. But

Not a classic start but at least it is all still to play for. Dominic,

why do you think it was so scrappage? I don't know. I think it

is the contrast of styles and a few misses early on. I think both of

these players are surprised as we are that it has worked out like

this. Does that mean the interval has come at a good time for both

players and hopefully will flow better in the second half? I think

you will get better after the interval. It would not be surprised

if Ronnie comes out with a new tip because he keeps looking at it. It

is not unlike him to put a new one on in the interval. He can do that

and still go and play superbly. More to come in a few minutes but

now an update on what has been happening at this evening's World

In a moment and we will see some big finals involving Sir Chris

Horley and Joanna Rowsell in the women's individual pursuit but

first, a race involving Victoria Pendleton, another gold medallist

in Beijing and she goes in the face on here and she would love to

win this and go through to the final. It will be a real nail-biter.

The adrenaline rush is about to begin. What will the tactics be?

She has firm position and I think she will try to keep it. It worked

well for a before. She launched an attack, trying to get the front.

Over the years they have said Victoria Pendleton is more a pure

sprinter. Once she gets ahead of the race and get us in control

again it is very difficult to get round her. Her jump has improved,

definitely. Victoria Pendleton is a lighter Rieder and can accelerate.

She is sharp and nippy. She loves a wheel to a match. If you have not

seen sprinting before it is about trying to outwit your opponent.

When you feel you have the wrong position, that is the time to

commit yourself. 1.5 laps to go. Pendleton looking back Fourie

strike from her opponent. Very very the throttle. Anna Mears goes

through into the final. Was that a tactical error? Am not sure. She

did come off the track. She came off there and I am not sure...

Pendleton was looking there but they were not inside the sprinter's

line. There has been a lot of aggravation between these two, it

came early on when of Anna Mears skills. You have to say was a brave

move. They have the space of maybe a few centimetres to manoeuvre.

There was a courageous thing to do. It epitomised the bravery of Anna

bronze and Anna Mears will race in Hoy's heat. Two lengths ahead of

his legs. This is the fastest man on the planet for the only lap in

the two sprint. That is why Germany are now the world champions. There

they are, on the line, waiting for current Olympic champion on the

inside, Ronnie endeavours. A very juicy line up here. They should be

some fireworks in this one. From Simon band Belle Trewidden. Some

the motorbike there. That in the other riders pass. You can see the

changes style there. His tactic was so readable before. They had the

length and legs to dictate this. It is hard to beat when you manage to

make it work, to sit on the front and keeps accelerating. Right now,

a different approach. I was down to his awesome power, being a

kilometre ride it. The maximum speed and as you say, it would blow

His eyes are piercing the back of this final, so we have to watch out

for that. Mulder, the Dutchman, last but one at the moment. World

champion la 2005, also a world kilometre champion, very quick. We

are going to lose that pacing bike in the back straight this time. The

Kiwi just dangling off the front looks as though you will get

involved in going for a long one. He is. Chris Hoy sees the danger

being done by the French manner. Enders, the man with dynamite in

close. That big clenched-fist comes out for Chris Hoy, the real McCoy.

The Scot delivered in style on the line. I think he denied Enders.

thought his status would get the better of him there. Ball-game was

ignoring everyone else and waiting for Kris Boyd. But he did not fall

into the trap and the French man led him out. -- for Chris Hoy.

a lap. Celebrating their with his father. -- celebrating with his

father. It was a blanket finish on the line. The New Zealander let it

out, they left the French man with all the work to do. We started on

the back straight, the distance still left to make up, I was

worried when they came into the final bend because Chris Hoy is

having to go round three other riders, that is a long way to come

around but he had the confidence to do it clearly, he knew he had the

power to get around but it was very close on the line. He got it easily

on the end. Enders second. Only one man missing really. That is the

current world champion from Australia, but the rest are here.

He wrote it in a completely different way to the style is

renowned for, all away from the back. It just shows he can do it

any which way he wants. Or somehow for Chris Hoy. Hugely impressive

display. -- awesome power for Kris Boyd. He has sent a message to the

rest - if you want to win the middle here I am the man to beat

Hello. Bin workers in Leeds have voted by an overwhelming majority

quality wine. He gets better and better. He delivered and the crowd

Amazing. We knew it would be some race and I tell you what, it did

Standby for the raw now. It will resonate around the arena. It will

His 33rd World Cup gold medal and it will go to Sir Chris Hoy. This

is a dress rehearsal for the summer. His family there, loving it. Such a

sporting gentle man. He personifies bronze medal and it was a me Kia of

Australia that got the better of Sally Kightly of Lithuania. Who

will join her on the podium for the gold and silver? Rowsell is the

current national champion for Great Britain and is a lady who starts

the team pursued for Great Britain. She was the start when they

established the world record just a day ago. Paul Manning is the coach

trackside. He is an Olympic champion for the team pursuit and

look at that start. This is impressive. The 23 year-old has

blazed away into the front door ready. A great start by the 23

seconds at the moment, the advantage. Can she back this up

over the next couple of kilometres? She was 4th in the World

Championships in 2009 in Poland. It has gone up a bit more, 1.3 now.

Rowsell really does have the bit between their teeth and is inspired

by the fact she has a gold medal already in her pocket from that

team pursued performance the other classic ride by Alison Shanks.

Rowsell will have to dig deep. Has she given to match in the early

stages? Alison Shanks will take some toppling. Inside a second now,

0.6 is the difference. House Rowsell gonna wait too early in

this out. It will be right down to the wire and the crowd are trying

to lift Rowsell who is digging deep. The pain is beginning to show on

her face. Shanks coming back to the straight she started from. It is

double. It has stayed at 0.4 for the last lap. This will be so close.

It will come down to passion, who Rowsell. She has some extra

strength here and is beginning to out to 0.7. Rowsell is really

is a glittering performance. Gold performance by Joanna Rowsell route

takes the individual pursuit of. Shanks get silver. There should be

two gold medals, one for winning and one for Supreme courage. That

was a great race. I love it when they are close. Great to watch.

Rowsell on fire. Testimony to the superb form she has got and her

speed from the game reflected because she is a star rider in the

team pursuit. I know her team-mate in the commentary box will be

delighted. The winner of the individual pursuit is Joanna

That bodes really well for the Olympics. Tomorrow we will be able

to see Geraint Thomas competing in the team pursuit event. Let's

return to the snooker now and the players are moments away from

coming back out to resume this semi-final match at the Welsh Open.

It is two all and before the player's head back, one of our

experts, Dominic Dale, has been analysing the two actions of boast

-- both players. I will explain the fundamental differences in how the

Mark Selby lifts the queue as he strides through the ball. I will

back of my cue as I went through the ball. When the O'Sullivan does

something a bit different, he lowers his back arm as he comes

through the shop and back through the ball to deliver the queue. I

That is Ronnie O'Sullivan. It is much flatter. And the cue plane is

much flatter than Mark Selby's is. This frame should be important in

setting the tone for the rest of the match. Yes, the fourth frame is

always very important. He'll do that rattled. If he had gone 3-1

down, I think he would have been in trouble. It is 2-2. Mark Selby and

Ronnie O'Sullivan both competing for a final place to play against

Ding Junhui. Commentating, we have Ronnie also love and was very

relaxed in the interval. He went outside for a breath of fresh air

and ate a couple of bananas. It felt a bit blustery out there.

Maybe that has given him the boost that he needs did -- needed. Mark

Selby spent his time in the Whatever you get from that type of

Obviously, he can get to the black to the right corner. That is a

bonus. He also has the pink. We can see now, that he has played for the

Surprising. The players of today leave a long way behind these pinks

into the middle pocket Kama and make it look so easy, in our day,

you were never comfortable going into the middle pocket unless you

were at most if it behind the He has played that very well. Good

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 68 seconds

He is in real full flow this time. Just over the cue ball on that one.

You can see her disappointment in his face, there, up because all

that has left now is the safety. A big area to play for, there, as

He did not play for that red to go all the way down towards the baulk

area. He meant the cue ball to stop about there but it troubled another

six inches. And because of his frustration the red has come back

He went all out for the pot, but that has left the red over the pink

spot and pottable into the right hand corner. Just not cueing well

at the moment, Ronnie. He has been playing a match in which snooker

this week. In all of us matches, he has been scintillating. -- his

matches. Of the four semi-finalists you would say that Ronnie had been

They are now playing the best of seven which they have not played

for the first three rounds of this Welsh Open. Again, he is potting

Great balls but he is not making anything from them. That was, again,

end of the pot, he controlled the cue ball very nicely. -- a lovely

pot. That is not too bad. He just is having a look to see if the pink,

which will not go on to its own spot, to see if it will go on to

the black. Ronnie doesn't want it to go on the black. He wants it on

the blue. It is all about the next shot, and the cannon. It is not a

certainty. He will play this more firmly than normal, just to try to

free up the pink and the black. He has played that so well that both

of them have now gone into open You always get the feeling that if

Ronnie finds himself 3-2 in front after this frame, he will wonder

how he has done it. Both players He certainly played the cannon into

the cluster but the CRUSE reds nearest the pink there's a little

gap there to go right into the middle of them. If he can get that

He just caught the red first, Honestly, I just cannot believe it.

Whenever he puts right hand side on it, I must be gripping the cue too

tightly. Every single one of them. -- he must be. Out to, Mark Selby

is 40 it behind, but he has just become favourite to win this frame.

Mark Selby is having a little laugh, somebody coughed or sneezed and the

crowd. Gives the crowd a laugh, just allows it to relax itself, and

Ronnie is now sitting at this frame, when it looked as if he was going

to go one frame up. But all of a sudden, he has given Mark Selby

this unbelievable chance of pinching another frame. Apart from

the blue, you would have to say, there are no really awkward balls.

Three reds and blacks, and a couple of pinks, and he will be right back

This is one of those situations where the player once the points,

but he takes blacks with these two reds he will only need the blue.

Just going to work it out. 16 points behind, two reds and blacks,

gays and level, up to 14 in front with the pink but if he takes any

other colour, then he will have to go from blue to pink, which is in a

big problem. He has probably realise that now it. -- realised

Has he come up high enough to get on the black? He knows that he has

made a mistake there. As he plays this red with running side, that

guarantees him on the black, or, he's going to have to play the hard

blue, when he is clearing up. But, both shots are going to be

difficult. He has played it with running side, and he wants the cue

ball to slowdown. That was a very well played and controlled shot. A

little angle on this black, so he's going to have to force the cue ball.

That is very good. A good example of how important it is to look at

the scores. He knows that if he gets on the brown, all he needs is

the white tight on the top cushion, That was the only problem. He

wasn't happy with that shot from the green. He landed slightly on

the wrong side. He could a played the cannon into the brown, but he

has been playing a deep screw and trying to all the cue ball and he

has lost it a little bit. He can play up and down the table, but it

is a big shot, a lot of space to cover, 10 ft one may, it will put

the other. He might just pot the brown and then try to drop the blue

in. He will then be playing with a lot of running side, to help the

He has decided to not play the stun shot, and go all round the table.

Just keep an eye and the white. He's going to play the white off

two cushions. He knows that the blue has got every chance of

sticking on the pocket. If it was not frame ball you would not even

play the pot, but the fact that it is frame ball... He's just going to

have a look at the potting angle He doesn't like it. He's not going

to play it now. He has had another look at the angle, but I can assure

you, it has not changed since the last time he looked. He's a long

way off, but he has played a good cue ball, to get it somewhere near

the black. There was a lot of a bale you in going for that. He will

be relieved he is still in this frame, for now. -- a lot of value.

Again, not the best shot Ronnie O'Sullivan has ever played, unless

he has a bit of luck, I think he has just handed this frame on a

plate to Mark Selway. He is not with it at the moment. -- Mark

Selby. It is hard to comprehend This will be a very relieved Mark

Selby, playing to a standard that he is not used to playing, and

still finding himself in front. Another very scrappy frame, Mark

Selby made a break of 57 which was What on earth has happened? We have

had Ronnie O'Sullivan up and the Studio three times this week,

relaxed, confident and feeling like he is playing the snooker and of a

sudden that has changed. What has happened? We have talk about how he

does not like playing against Mark Selby but it is not all about that.

The table is playing a little in consistently. But you can see the

shots, and that was an important frame because it looked as if

Ronnie was going to win it, and Mark Selby has come back and stolen

it, on the blue. Ronnie just totally mistimed hitting the ball

and that is what has been happening to him tonight. Whilst it has been

scrappy, Mark Selby has come out well, from those exchanges. Ronnie

has only himself to blame for that. He was in control. Every time he

plays a shot with a little bit of right hand side, he's hitting them

thick, and missing pots, and messing up the safety shots as well.

That blue was a shot with right hand side. I don't know whether

he's happy with his cue tip, whether he has changed that, I

don't know, but he's won to have to change things, or, years going to

find it difficult to win this match. -- he is going. His cue tip looks

absolutely perfect. We mentioned at the beginning of the tournament,

that he would be playing this tournament with that tip, then have

That, again, was a strangely executed shocked, by Mark Selby,

the double-kiss. -- executed shot. Another chance for Ronnie

O'Sullivan to get going. He should be able to build a very sizable

break, here. Absolutely amazing. He played that with a litter but a

right hand side, you can tell that, from the way that it has come off

the cushion. He's having some problems with his mind at the

moment. He is getting very frustrated with himself. Referee

match -- REFEREE: foul, Mark Selby, That was a very nice pot on a red.

Leaving him on the black. Whether he will try to cannon into the red,

or the cluster near the pink... That is OK. If he can get on the

one to the left corner that will be a big bonus. He has a couple of

options. One, to the yellow corner. It can just be a little drive back.

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 68 seconds

He might have to play a little stun shot, here, to widen the angle a

That's was just about perfect. Could be some value in playing off

this black into the reds just above He has made sure, this time, he is

on the right side of the blue. I don't think anything goes, unless

there is one to the outside of the It didn't go, so he has tried to

develop some. All of a sudden that, he did not want the other three

reds, because nothing would come of it, but the white just cracked, and

stuck on the top of the red. -- One not the easiest blue to play,

He needs four more of these reds, That is amazing. You cannot believe

how much side he put on at to make the white completely changed course.

He has played it to arc into the three reds, the three in line, we

will have to put another look at that because I cannot believe how

much movement he has got into that. He was trying to play to the reds

in a straight line and he has put that much side on it, but it

The break comes to a premature end at 45. Ronnie O'Sullivan still won

As long as Mark Selby cannot get this red to the right corner, that

was a much better safety shot from Ronnie O'Sullivan. You can see that

it is tight, but I think he can just about get through to that red,

although it is very tight. We have another piece of takers say

dropping down. He's doing is impression of Zorro! It is still

going and I think that it has just Obviously, he did not feel that he

could get through and see enough of that red so he has played a very

good safety. Back on to the baulk What a fantastic pot! He cannot pot

the black, but what a great pot that was. He was in all kinds of

trouble. He was unlucky not to knock another red in front of the

black. The pink out of the commission at the moment, he needed

Are we going to seek Ronnie the Rocket blast off? We have been

waiting for it. He has been very I am not too sure if he can get

onto the red next to the black without playing a cannon. For the

next be raised there is no problem but he would like to be in a

position where he has enough room to drop behind it at some stage,

but, ideally, he would like to play a cannon at some stage. He has

played these last couple of shots more positively. Looks like he has

got through the cue ball more crisply, like he is finally finding

his touch. In the second frame the seem to have a little bit of bounce

about him, but he will play the cannon now, play two cushions and

it does not matter if he hits the red or the black, he has actually

played the loose one, I'm surprised. That was the perfect angle to screw

down two cushions. But see if he He has to be careful the blue

doesn't come out of the pocket. He got a lot of angle on that from

virtually straight blue. This is He could play the cannon on the

black and send a white into the baulk area but he will miss the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 68 seconds

Very rarely -- you see a player play double. If he got the double

he would be in behind the black as That was a very good shot. Very

good cue ball. There is always a chance he could have caught that

read much too thin and can and the A better shot from Ronnie. He did

not one that cue ball to bouts. He has to be sure to miss the cannon

Not bad, a bit thinner than he would have liked. He can either

play the delicate screw shot, or, round of three cushions. There is

value in playing the delicate screw shot because if he misses it the

green will stay in the corner That is what he has played, but

that Green has gone in. -- the green. Worrying times for Ronnie

O'Sullivan. It's the first time we could see him go two frames behind.

The difference with these players, Mark Selby does not worry if he is

not playing his best, he still finds that a challenge to win a

frame of playing good, whereas Ronnie O'Sullivan I am not sure can

be in love with the game when he is not playing well. Mark Selby is

battling their. But he has every chance now of going forward in

front. That is the difference. You have to try to win scrappy frames

when you are playing bad. Everyone can win when they are playing well,

can you win when you're playing Once again, not the prettiest of

frames. O'Sullivan replied with 36. frames. O'Sullivan replied with 36.

Selby gets the 24 break to lead. Selby double disadvantage. We keep

thinking here that we are about to see Ronnie O'Sullivan burst into

life and he gets started I break and we think here we go, this is

the Ronnie O'Sullivan we know and love and again it is breaking down.

It is, but this match is perfect for Selby. The frames are closed,

the balls are going awkward leap, which is just what he wants. It is

stifling a sudden's break-building prowess. If I were him now I would

play some thick safeties, get the reds out in the open. That might

take Mark Selby out of his comfort zone. We asked you for some

questions to put to the panel of experts. You have been busy on

Twitter. Another interesting Do you think there'll be another

Hendry Davis era all his snooker too competitive for that happen

again? It is too competitive. I do not think we will see that at the

moment but who knows what will happen, like with Judd Trump for

instance? He is the first player that has come along that could do

it but because of his style of play you feel perhaps you want -- he

went Dominic for a decade like Hendry, or Davis. So you think it

is unlikely anybody would put together a championship victory

again just because these days you have to get so far-out in front on

the standard is higher? It is not that. Davis and Henry dominated.

Were they loads better or was the general standard better? They were

better than the other players and they get better because they are

winning more confidence. It is fair to say they were better, they were

both great champions and I cannot see it happening again because now

there is so many young players coming into the game that are so

good it will be hard to dominate. It is an interesting era, we were

talking about Mark Selby the, the world No. 1 ranked player but you

would have difficulty saying he was the best player in the world.

the best at the moment because he has won more ranking points than

anyone else, he is working the system. But is he the best? You

cannot say at the moment because he has not won enough tournaments, he

has not won the World Championships so I am not saying he cannot become

the best player but not at the moment. He is looking good at the

moment to get the final of this I would say he is certainly a top

four player. He needs to learn how to win ugly. I am not sure

O'Sullivan has learned how to do I can't believe that within 24

hours he can be playing not well. All week he has hit the ball

Mark is giving Romeu a chance, he is missing and had been straight

back. -- Ronnie the chance. -- he is missing and -- market is giving

Ronnie the chance, he is missing Normally they just drop them in and

A great pot. Not a great Kitts but he landed -- not a great kiss but

he landed in not a great position. That is what happens when you're

not playing well. Everything you do seems to be awkward. Good enough?

If it catches the other jaw, it is OK. It comes down for the red. A

little wry smile there. It is a tough game when you don't get the

There was a clever shot. He tried Everybody has a tough day at the

office, this is one of those for Ronnie O'Sullivan. And for Mark

Selby, but he is coping with it There was a long off -- long way

off for him and his standard. -- that was a long off -- that was a

long way off for him and his Sometimes it is nice to see players

who you think are unbeatable look a bit vulnerable and tonight he has

shown he is vulnerable, he is not back to his unbelievable best when

he used to steamroller everybody. Ronnie once again can't believe the

two kisses he got when he missed the brown and the white is suddenly

coming back. Came perfectly white That is a good safety shot because

both brown and blue are in the way. He negotiated the path that cue

Decided to play it thicker but once again has hit the yellow. A pop

have remark which are don't think he will take on. -- a pop here from

Mark. -- a pot here from Mark which I don't think he will take on. Good

Another good safety shot from Ronnie. He is playing some good

shots, then playing the one which He looked a bit frustrated.

have to say Mark Selby is having the run up the ball. He is probably

playing the better snooker. -- run He tried to do it then. In some

ways it is probably better in the pocket -- do-it- thin. -- do it for

He decided to go for one of the ball colours. It is just a case of

when he gets rid so he can play for If he has an angle on this red, we

could see him play up for the black. If not, he will have to go back

down for either blue, or yellow win Just about OK as long as he has

travelled far enough for this blue. He seems to be getting a good lead

together at the right time in every frame. It is a hard work break with

the red being over the pocket, covering the pocket up, pink and

black slightly out of position. Just one good shot away from making

this a good chance. The reds are The yellow makes this blue much

Mark Selby's wife, Vicky, is watching. Things are not going

according to plan, but he is winning. That is the art, not

playing at your best, but win. There was so much room between

brown and yellow to get back into Can he get to the one over the

pocket. He could even play for the He thought he'd play for the hello

there. -- I thought he would play Amazing how tough this break has

been. He has gone all round the table and still not perfect. It has

been one of those matches. Neither He is not looking too happy there

in the seat. That is not the best You can't have big breaks in every

match and unbelievable plots, there has to be a bit somewhere along the

way. You find when you struggle if you struggle and get to win, not

only next match, it turns around and you start playing well again.

When they play well, then Laurel capable of winning, it is how good

you will be Davis. -- your B game is. Mark's at the moment is better

than Ronnie's. I can't believe how close he got there. If he had got

it off, that would have been end of frame but look how close it is. I

thought that was sure to go in with Ronnie is started to look a bit

disinterested, but he is probably There may be a gap here. Obviously

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 68 seconds

not. He has put the cue ball right Another poor safety shot from

running. -- Romeu. -- body. -- You have to take your hat off to

Mark Selby. He is just battling their as things are not going his

way. He has taken a lead them playing anywhere near his best. --

The referee misunderstood what Mark said. The asked for the extended

rest and he thought he said clean the cue ball. Marc looked at him

Completely miskicked that. -- mishit. This is strange. We get so

used to seeing these top players never played badly. He was nine

inches from where he wanted to be Ronnie has awkward cueing over the

brown so again you can see is full ball snooker on the one red. He has

any mid- distance shot. Not easy. It is just not happening for him at

If he had potted that and got him round the black spot area, they are

the shots that can bring you into form. That is not the best one.

Just look at Ronnie's reaction Bromley will have to try to pull

something out of the back and won the last four frames -- Bromley. --

I am sure Mark is making this a challenge. He is not playing good

but making every shot a challenge, You have to take your hat off to

Mark and the way he is sticking Only been one break over 50. Ronnie

If you have just tuned in to see Lucian Freud painted live here on

BBC2 Wales, that programme will now follow the conclusion of the

snooker because we have at least Ronnie O'Sullivan is staring at the

brink now. One more frame will decide this semi final match. We

have perhaps framed our chaps about Ronnie O'Sullivan blowing his

opportunity, but Mark Selby is good at winning them. He is a very good

safety player, he can sit out for long periods and still make a break

when he gets the chance. I think at the moment Ronnie does not look

like he has a lot of fight left. will have to be an incredible

fightback. Selby made a great fightback in the 2008 final to win

against Ronnie O'Sullivan, I wonder whether it can work the other way

round? It would be nice to see a bit of a comeback, then we can get