01/03/2014 Snooker: Welsh Open

Good evening. A very happy St David's Day to you. We have one man

through to the final of the Welsh Open. Ding Junhui from China beat

Joe Perry earlier, but who will play him to play off for this wonderful

trophy? Tonight's semi is a repeat of last year's World Championship

final between Barry Hawkins and the tournament favourite, Ronnie

O'Sullivan. Barry is a top quality player. He made it to the World

Championships last year. He followed it up this season with some really

good results. It is great to be in the latter

stages again. That's what I want to do and that's what I've been trying

to work towards to just keep threatening to win tournaments and

if I keep knocking on the door then hopefully it will open one day.

He is a top eight player now. One of the danger men on the circuit, you

know, he is the type of player that whether you meet him anywhere you

meet Barry, he is a tough player. He is one of the top players now. So I

have to be on my game to give him a good game. I'm just going to have to

try my best. I just try and treat it like any

other game really. I know what to expect. I know I'm going to have to

play at the top of my game to have any chance of winning. He is deadly

when he gets flowing so I just need to be on top of my game really and

just try and take every chance that I can.

It will be a tough match for me, but I'm just pleased to be in the semis

and if I can play some good stuff then, you know, hopefully I can give

him a good game. If I beat Ronnie to come through a

tough draw like that and to pick up the trophy it would be a dream come

through. That's what we play for, to try and pick up trophies along the

way and any time you get a win would be fantastic. Well, there is no

shrewder judge of the game than Terry Griffiths. A lot of people

watching will say tonight is about Ronnie O'Sullivan. What sort of

challenge will Barry Hawkins provide? Ronnie is everybody's

favourite. He played such a wonderful game, but Barry Hawkins

played very well against him in the World Final last year and I'm sure

he is hoping to repeat that and hopefully go one better. Ronnie only

dropped one frame in each of his matches to get to this stage. How

would you assess his form? Well, he already lost a lot of frames, hasn't

he? I think this season Ronnie has been playing the best snooker I've

seen him play since he was a young lad. He has been exceptionally good.

I think he is very fresh because he is not entering all the events and

his form is excellent. Well, that's high praise indeed. A terrific

semifinal in prospect. Let's hand you to over to Mark Johnston-Allen.

Thank you, Mark. What an atmosphere here. Seeded number seven, a former

Australia Open champion, put your hands together for Barry Hawkins.

APPLAUSE He is up gebs the best in the

business. The biggest name in the world of snooker. This man won this

event twice. He is the reigning Masters champion. He is the Raping

World Champion, he is the sensational Ronnie O'Sullivan.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Well, what a St David's Day treat,

it is Barry Hawkins against Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Thank you very much. What a mouth watering encounter this is going to

be this evening. As Terry says, a repeat of last year's championship

final. Ronnie O'Sullivan came out the victor.

And he opens. The first frame. Barry Hawkins to break. He had a bit of a

quiet season to start off. He is starting to show a little bit of

form we know he is capable of. There is not a lot that can be said about

Ronnie O'Sullivan that hasn't already been said. That's very true,

Darren. He is certainly much fresher these days because he picks and

chooses his tournaments. I think he will have to play pretty

well tonight if he is to overcome Barry Hawkins. He is a tough player

to beat. Yes, well, what a buzz that must have been for both players

coming down to this packed house in Newport. It has been home of this

tournament for a very long time. There is speculation about this

event moving next year. Ronnie O'Sullivan, what an ovation he had

as he walked on. He is used to it, obviously. We never really

experienced that too much in our day, did we?

No, certainly not. Although, I was fortunate to experience something

quite similar in the recent shoot-out at Blackpool. It was a

very similar atmosphere to this. But yeah, it is wonderful. It really

does give you a buzz. APPLAUSE

I am not sure he thought the cue ball was going to cannon as many

reds, but very nicely cued. Is he taking this green on? I don't think

so. Well, he is going to do very, very

well here to get this one safe. I don't think he could ask for the

reds to be much opener than this. There is two reds to the right

cushion that are tight. He's going to come off two cushions and try and

get on the one below the black or the two just to the left.

That was the problem. He just slid past now. On a club table you would

say this would be a real good opportunity. As we have seen all

week, they don't like them across the cushions. He hasn't got much of

an angle on so if he does go for it, he's going to have to cue it well.

It will be handy if that black to the left corner. It means he can

play it with a little bit less pace. APPLAUSE

That will be a confidence booster you would have thought for Barry

Hawkins. Barry Hawkins crashed that one in as he had to get good

position on this black. My word, if he missed it, it would have left

Ronnie O'Sullivan in with, I suppose, an automatic frame

opportunity the way the reds are spread. Now, it is Barry Hawkins who

has that chance. The first to six frames will progress to tomorrow's

final with Ding Junhui. He is taking these very confidently.

This has been quite a pattern with Barry Hawkins over the couple of

seasons. He has grown with confidence. A very, very competent

player, indeed. A raem real nice fella off the table as well.

There is one thing for certain, he won't be frightened of Ronnie

O'Sullivan. He believes in his ability. And he felt he was going to

have to have a start like this. If he wanted to have a chance in this

match. What is interesting, Dominic, is to

see how Ronnie, how this affects him because in all his other matches

this week, he has got off like his name, The Rocket. Against John

Higgins he stormed off to a 2-0 lead. This will be the first time he

has lost one frame in each match of the tournament. It will be the first

time that he has been behind. Yes, a good point, Darren. In the World

Championships he was winning all his matches with comfortable early

leads. At least it is not the best of seven match. It is now best of 11

or first to six and there will be time for him to come back, Barry

Hawkins, should he go a frame or two behind. He is certainly in a better

place, Ronnie, mentally. He feels very at peace with the game and

himself and he is probably more dangerous at the moment than in the

most parts of his career. I know that break didn't come

directly from the plant that Barry Hawkins played at the start of the

frame. He was a bit fortunate to be left on that that allowed him to

play a terrific snooker which Ronnie failed to get out of. He is well

past the winning line now in this first frame, Barry Hawkins. He would

love to make a century. It won't be easy to make a century

break without developing those two reds which he has done.

This is the perfect start for Barry Hawkins. He is cueing like an

absolute dream. Shaun Murphy suffered the ice break

in this event, 142. There is no chance of eclipsing that with this

effort. But how good a start has this been?

A little bit short of pace so he will be playing the pink into the

green pocket. He can go for it in the right centre as well, it depends

how confident he is playing. Well, he played it into the right centre,

that's perfect. Nicely on the yellow.

APPLAUSE Well, the yellow hasn't gone in, but

it is a terrific 102 and it has given Ronnie O'Sullivan something to

think about. Barry Hawkins leads 1-0.

Well, a wonderful start for Barry Hawkins. Here is the head-to-head

between these two players. You will remember that Barry Hawkins and

Ronnie O'Sullivan played each other in The Crucible final last year.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won that match 18-12. Contrast with Barry Hawkins

he has got the one, the Australian Open in 2012, but he has reached the

semifinals of the Welsh Open three times. He lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan

6-4 at this stage in 2005 and in the overall head-to-head, well Barry

Hawkins only won one of their previous seven meetings and how he

would love to do it again tonight against the reigning world champion.

Terry, that's a magnificent start for Barry, he must be delighted? He

settled in there. It looks as if all the balls were on when Ronnie got

out of that snooker, but you have got to have a very good temperament

to start when against Ronnie O'Sullivan and Barry was immaculate

and it was a good positional break. And Ronnie hasn't potted a ball yet.

He can't score if he is not at the table? Well, I dare say he will have

a chance as we go along, but Barry is in great form. He found good form

in the second half of this season and it is going to be a good match.

Yes, not the one sided afrar that many people -- affair that many

people thought it would be. We're into the second frame.

Ronnie O'Sullivan always feels he can get a wider angle from the pack

of reds when he breaks off left-handed and get the cue ball in

behind the green, but he didn't quite do it here. He left a red on

for Barry. He might play for the red just above

the black. A big target the yellow and the

brown. He has got the green there as well.

Well, that's what Ronnie tried again, but if Barry can get the

potting angle of this red, he is looking at two and he is looking at

the one to the rig corner and the one to the left. The one to the left

would be favourite T surely, he can't be going for the pot. That's

very well played. APPLAUSE

Yes, he it covered the right half of the table with the green and the

left half with the blue. So that means trouble really at first glance

for Ronnie. I can't see any easy path at all. So just find a red to

lay on or try and get to the back of the cluster maybe. But the problem

is there are a good few loose reds so he has got to be careful with

this. That's OK, I don't think Barry would

be tempted by the red that's just above the cue ball.

The bigger target is that brown and yellow. I don't think you can get

enough off this red this time. Well, he just managed by a whisker.

APPLAUSE I think he has left a red on here

into the right corner and a nice angle. Another great chance for

Barry Hawkins. Barry Hawkins is looking like he is

right up for this match. Barry was unlucky not to finish on

something after going into the cluster of reds. If Ronnie hits this

thinly, he will make this plant. You do feel he is going to have to

go go. The only problem with that. Those balls were virtually touching

together. Unless he got the thinnest of contacts on there, he was going

to reverse the plant. That's why he missed it thick. Barry Hawkins all

of a sudden is straight back in where you would have to say where he

deserved to be. He is moving on quite swiftly. This

has been a real confident start by Barry Hawkins.

He is a little bit low on this red. He could have done with that

travelling another four or five inches. He is still on the red. He

has got a relatively easy red to the right centre. He might elect to play

this one in the left corner even though it is slightly more

difficult. A brilliant shot to find the gap in

between the brown and the yellow. He couldn't have played that much

better. Well, I don't think Ronnie

O'Sullivan would have been expecting such a fast start from his opponent.

But he hasn't really had an opportunity yet, Ronnie. He planted

rather wildly. Got it all wrong. He potted that fantastic ball in the

previous frame and made 102 from it. As we were singing his praises that

one has gone a little bit stray. He is still on the red. He would have

expected to have been a little bit closer. Further off this side

cushion. He has got to concentrate on making

the hot, and the angle from the cue ball will bring him onto the black.

All of a sudden, not quite as straightforward as it was. He's

going to have to really get into the cue ball. I didn't think that shot

was on, really. He hasn't left anything at all.

Ronnie is still looking for his first pot. In this match.

That is a great shot from Ronnie because the blues covering all those

threads. And the brown is covering the one on the right hand side

cushion. He may try to slide the cue ball in

behind the black here. Shaking his head slightly there, so I wonder if

the cue ball drifted slightly? It is more out in the open in the

event that he gets an opportunity. I think you can get through to the red

further on past think, then play round the one nearest the corner

pocket, which would be favoured, if he could get through to it. He is

looking at the side cushion. Seems to be snookered on all of these

rights. -- reds. It is not a question of getting to the reds,

that is easy enough, it is getting a good cue ball. He does not want to

scatter the reds everywhere and give Ronnie a nice, easy starter.

Decent effort, but unfortunately for Barry, he caught that read too

thickly. This gives Ronnie probably his first opportunity, really.

It didn't alter the potting angle for him, that shot.

It is a big ask for Ronnie to clear up from one visit.

Once they get onto that link into the right centre, knows that he can

get onto the reds better from it. -- that pink.

That has gone away from him a little bit. He was then on this thread than

he have liked, but no problem. -- he was thinner on this thread. -- red.

Nice stun between the back of the pink and the reds there to come back

office top cushion to that position. -- off the top cushion. Just missed

those by a fraction and a little bit of left-hand side spin he had on the

cue ball created the angle to get to the side of those reds.

That was perfect. And now I think Bonnie can clear up in this frame

from the one go. I think Ronnie can.

The most difficult ball, for me, is going to be the black, because it is

so close to the left hand corner pocket, as he gets close to it, you

can drop it in. It is all about the shot, really. Brown to blue. If he

can lay up on the pink at the perfect angle. Doesn't want to be

dead straight or the wrong side, and that has gone slightly astray.

Again, he has played that very well. A little bit further away from the

pink than he would have liked. But a good shot. He wants to play the slow

drag and won through to this top cushion, the way he has played it

makes the pot more difficult, but it has gone in. This is just where he

wants to be for the black, slowly rolling pin along the cushion. And

in it goes, what a tremendous riposte from Ronnie O'Sullivan, with

a brilliant break of 67, to level this match at one frame all. How

hard is that to do? Sit in your chair for half an hour, then take

the first opportunity when it comes make a frame-winning break? It is

not easy, but Ronnie makes it look easy. He had some difficult shots to

play to make that break but he looks so comfortable on the table at the

moment. I think that his mind is more peaceful than it has been for

many years and it shows in his play. Talking about is whether at the

table, it is so easy on the eye, just very natural, the way that he

approaches break-building. He does not rush anything, and he's not very

quick but on the other and, he is quick, because he sees the shot very

early on, he sees the shot is going to play and there's not take a long

time ticked hit the ball, and it is the beauty of the strike. All of the

professionals like watching him playing. Barry Hawkins, the only

thing he has done wrong was Mr Black in that frame that let Ronnie in. --

he missed a black. We said in the commentary, perhaps he could have

gone in and out of baulk for that, but he must have thought that he had

played the shot. And in these big matches, the players, do they tend

to go for it and throw caution or is it better in the early stages to be

cautious? Barry will be very positive and take the shots, and so

will Ronnie, so it will be a fascinating game. Two positive

players, and one frame apiece. Barry Hawkins has got to put that

frame behind him. Ronnie O'Sullivan, what an absolutely fantastic

clearance. He just never looked in bother. Some players would have been

panicking. When their chance was going to come.

But he is playing some stimulating stuff.

That was a tough safety that Ronnie was faced with. I don't think he has

left anything on for Barry. There is nothing on, really. The only

possible red is the one above the blue. That would be risky.

APPLAUSE What a fantastic pot. You would only

pot that two or three out of ten. Terrific cueing.

The pink goes in the right centre but I don't think that Barry can

hold the cue ball for it. He might try to strike the side of the

cluster because he might have to try and get back up the table for the

blue from that. Can he run through and miss all the cannons on the

reds? That is what he is trying. He just caught the red. Anything could

have happened then, once he can and that red, and now he's on the blue.

I don't think he had a great contact them. He just didn't quite get

through the cue ball enough. Making this a little bit more difficult.

That was the problem. Trying to pinch a little bit and be more

clever. This one that he is looking at looks

very tight. Most players would have played the

green here. Shows you how confident Ronnie O'Sullivan is. He played that

with loads of bottom and side, again demonstrating what a lovely touch he

has got. Now perfectly on the black. That is what we have seen, the whole

tournament. He has been absolutely terrific.

Beginning to think that that break of 102 that Barry Hawkins made in

the first frame was a bad idea. It has got Ronnie's dander up.

On the left you have the panel did, world-famous artist, Damien Hirst,

and the gentleman to the right of him is a long-standing family friend

of Ronnie, a chap called Nick. He stayed in the hotel with me.

Just to qualify my previous comment, I don't know Mick's surname, I just

know him as Mick. Just caught those resolute will bit

full on. -- those reds a little bit full on. No problems. Perfect

position. Amazing, really, Barry has done

hardly anything wrong in this match. And looks set to go 2-1 down.

Fantastic standard we have seen so far this evening. Unbeatable,

really. A little bit more to do to win the

frame, which over, he picks, he has just got to make sure of the pot. --

whichever colour he picks. At the moment, he is totally on fire. Just

slipping past that red. It was more difficult than it should have been,

but here's one ball away from being safe in this frame.

He is absolutely on fire now. Dominic is right, that 102 from

Barry Hawkins in the first frame has fired him right up.

He's not bad left-handed as well, Izzy, to be fair to him -- is he.

And where we are. The best shot of the Championship, that would be it.

What a crowd-pleaser. The shot of the Championship, that

would have been it, without a shadow of a doubt. Terrific. And for my

next trick... What a standard we have had. Barry

Hawkins, 102, first frame, 42, second ring, then Ronnie O'Sullivan,

66 in the third frame, then, 100 and counting. What a standard we have

seen. Barry Hawkins cannot be too

disappointed. He has done very little wrong. Ronnie O'Sullivan has

just played absolutely terrific. He extends his lead, going from one

frame behind and is now two frames to one head. Terrific. Well done.

Unbelievable. We just cannot believe what we have seen. The first two

frames the highest of quality. We was new that it was going to be a

good match. The crowd is so close to you in this tournament, it is like

the Crucible. Those seats banked right up and it creates a cold one

of atmosphere, and the crowd absolutely adore Ronnie -- --

cauldron. He has played so well, sometimes, Ronnie, that when you are

Barry Hawkins, sitting in that seat, you have such admiration for what

Ronnie does, that when he does miss and give you a chance, you think, it

is my chance, but you have been so entranced by what he does. For Barry

Hawkins, he will not be sitting there too disappointed, like you

said. He has not done anything wrong at all in this match, probably

missed one plant that he has gone for, but Ronnie O'Sullivan has

looked sharp all tournament. From 1-0 down, he has looked

unbelievable, the best we have seen him for all of the event. We saw how

I'm -- how comfortable and in control Barry Hawkins was in that

first frame, but is is like the light has been switched on, for

Ronnie. Frame four. This will be the last frame before the mid-session

interval. That was a very good shot from

Barry. Barry played a good safety shot but

double-kissed one of the two reds. And just dropped nicely in front of

the pocket for Ronnie, especially now that that cue ball has kissed

the brown. There is a gap through to it, but he is just looking to see

what colour he can get on here. Doesn't feel that the black is too

easy to get to. Getting on the blue should not be too difficult for

Ronnie. Not quite enough right hand side on

the cue ball there. That would be a tough blue to take on. Can they

possibly get through to the green? -- can he? Blue it is.

He is just totally on fire, isn't the? There is not really a lot you

can say. He's making very hard pots look very easy.

I remember playing Ronnie in the semifinal of the UK, when he became

the youngest ever winner of a run ranking event, and I was 5-2 down at

the end of the first session. In the night, it was my honour to break

off. I rolled into the back of the pack and look at him and said pot

one from there. And the crowd laughed. He rolled away, played one

safety shot, not in the long red and cleared the table. So, he had the

last laugh. I remember you doing that. It is about trying to find a

way to beat somebody. It didn't work, unfortunately!

I remember him beating Alain Roubidoux, the French-Canadian

player, and he beat him 6-1, and he played the entire match left-handed.

Alan thought it was a little bit demeaning of Ronnie to do such a

thing, but if you win 6-1, how can it be?

I'm sure Barry Hawkins is sat in his chair saying, "Please, please give

me a couple of chances. He knows if he is playing anybody else in the

world at the moment, he probably wouldn't find yourself in this

position. He has missed that one. He missed

it. This is the first Barry Hawkins has had for a while, but look where

the pink and black is. It is not a great scoring opportunity.

Yes, just look where the reds were. Would that red have wriggled in. I

don't know if Ronnie could have continued the break anyway. This

will take some doing for Barry Hawkins to make a descent

contribution with this opportunity. Do you think he might try to move

the pink and the black? Well, I think that's what he tried. It is

just OK. He still landed on one of the bold colours.

He will be disappointed. He wanted the cue ball to run on another five

or six inches. The other way and he could have disturbed the pink and

the black again. This way, he is going to have to try and get back up

for the blue. Just the wrong side of it, but a

good effort. Now what does he do? He is almost too straight on this blue

to go and out of baulk. Well, what a great effort from

Barry. That cue of his weighs 19.5 ounces. I don't think a lot of us

with normal weighted accuse could have played a shot like that. The

cloths are super fine and the balls are really light, so you don't

really need a heavy cue. He missed that red.

Barry has played most of his career with the same cue.

A slightly different pattern in this ball frame before the interval.

Safety and reds now certainly not in good positions.

I wonder if Barry - I don't know what red he is going to play off

here. But if he played off the second red, the one that's on the

near side cushion. It could have been a shot to nothing, but he has

decided here to play this red into the pink and black and try and

develop them. That's what he has done.

That was a test of his cueing. That was absolutely terrific.

I think he is sending a message - he is not going to go away. He got into

that a little bit too much. Barry does play with a slightly

heavier cue than most of the pros out there. It means he doesn't have

to hit the balls quite as hard. I play with one that weighs 17 and a

quarter. What weight is yours, Dom? Mine when it was originally made, it

was 17.5, but I believe it does 17 and a quarter. I tried a few accuse

out this season myself. I played a few games and didn't get good

results, but when you do change accuse, cues, you don't get as long

with something as you did in the old dayings. You have so many

tournaments you have to think when is the best time to try out a new

cue. Very often you have to try it out in a match and if you don't get

on well with it, it leaves you in a quandary. I have found something

that suits me. It was made ten years ago for me. Barry, has had that ever

since I can remember. It is close to 20 ounces. When you watch Barry cue,

you can the cue has some weight in it. He strikes the ball so

effortlessly, the cue really does do the work for him.

Yes, many debates go on about it. For most players, the cue becomes

the extension of their arms. It is quite funny, it sounds stupid, but a

piece of wood, it is a big difference. If you are not confident

with something, you can never play to your full talent and potential.

We have only got to look at golf, Rory McIlroy, he changed his clubs

and we all know what happened to him the last couple of seasons. He's

struggling a little bit. The equipment is very important in

whatever sport you play in. Yes, the other thing is, you know,

snooker now a days, we play in some very humid environments. Parts of

China, you play under so many different conditions these days. It

is a consideration to think about what cue you use, certainly. I know

a darts player has just changed his darts. Hasn't Roger Federer changed

his racket as well? It is not easy across the cushions.

I have seen it all week. There was a lot of balls that you should was

going to go in and they stayed there. The pockets are played very

tight here at Newport. It can only be a good thing.

This type of frame, you would think, would suit Barry Hawkins. I think he

feels more at home when he is controlling a player with his superb

tactical play. Of course, he is a brilliant scorer and break builder,

but the one thing you don't want frame after frame when you play

Ronnie is an open style of frame and the reds are all there and Ronnie

pots one and gets in and makes it an 80 break without having to do

anything. That's too thin, but he will be very

pleased to see that cue ball tight on the side cushion there.

Nearly went in. Not quite. Barry Hawkins has got a lot of distant

between the cue ball and the red just to the side of the green. He

can have a free shot at this. He will probably try and pot it and

drag off the two cushions. Well, that's what he did, but that's

probably the worst shot he cued so far throughout this match. He cued

right across that one. It was a long way off.

The cushions seem to be responding a little bit quickly at the moment.

They seem to be coming off quicker than they were earlier obin a match

-- on in a match. Does that red go past the green?

Barry would be a little bit unlucky to lose the frame for that mistake.

He has just got too much angle on this plus he has got to cue over the

blue a little bit. He has got to get right down into the cue ball here to

keep himself this side of the baulk line. He has done that.

APPLAUSE Definitely green. No, green it is.

He has swapped over to his left-hand as well. He is a very, very good

player with the rest and when he can play as good with the other hand as

he can, why use the rest? This is not easy.

Like I said, down the cushions this week they've played very tight and

he has had to force it a bit. He just took a bit longer over that

shot. It just told me he had a little doubt as to whether it would

go in at the pace he was playing it at all. Now then, all about the

tactical battle ahead now. One chance. It could be all that's

needed for either player to win this frame before the interval.

Barry Hawkins' only saving grace is the yellow has gone close to that

right-hand cushion. He is looking to see if he can screw off this blue

and into this yellow. If he had more of an angle he would have gone in

between the brown and the green. That's what he is looking at. He is

seeing if he can drag back off the cushion and move the yellow.

And he tried to be a bit too clever there. It has gone a little bit

astray. That's what he thought of that shot. That's what happens when

you are a perfectionist. He is not looking to pot this in the

middle pocket, is he? I think it is a lot thinner than it looks. No, a

safety shot. I think he is wise. If he can play a really good one here

and possibly snooker Barry. Well, beautiful control of the yellow ball

there. Barry is probably hoping the green is safe.

That really unfortunate for Barry Hawkins. He played a terrific shot

there and somehow the green has gone into the corner pocket and if it is

a free ball which it is. So this has turned into a total disaster. He

couldn't have played it much better. Very, very unfortunate.

It looked too pacy that did. He has got to drop this in very slowly if

he wants to get really good position on the green.

I think it is OK. Just. APPLAUSE

But even so you can see how far away he left himself from the green here

and now he has got to try and screw back about six inches or run through

maybe, not dead straight. No, he managed that. That's another great

shot. So ten points ahead. Just brown and blue required for the 3-1

interval lead. Well, Barry must be thinking what on earth has he got to

do to compete with Ronnie O'Sullivan this evening? He is playing really

well and yet, he is going to be 3-1 down now.

APPLAUSE This is brilliant stuff from Ronnie

O'Sullivan. Know big breaks in this frame and it is Ronnie O'Sullivan

who has taken the next two frames to go into the interval.

Well, that's been a brilliant session. Fantastic snooker from both

players, I suppose you could say that Ronnie deserves his 3-1 lead.

Barry Hawkins could maybe count himself unlucky that he is not going

in all square? Ronnie is on a little run. The balls are running OK for

him. When he missed one or two, they went safe. When he is in this type

of form, he is almost unbeatable. This is as good as he ever played.

What effect does that have on his opponent when he just seems to be in

such terrific form? Well, it forces your hand a bit, you know, Barry has

got his own speed of play. He is a very aggressive player, Barry. He

goes for his shots, but you get dragged in with Ronnie and you start

to play at his pace and you go for shots that you may turn down against

another opponent because he puts the pressure on you to make the balls

now when you are on the table unless he is going to make them. And that's

something you think Barry has been sucked into a little bit? Well, I

wouldn't say he was sucked into there a lot. He took one red along

the cushion that was risky. I don't think Ronnie played the snooker

behind the green, I think he played to put the white behind the pink.

Barry played it perfectly. It gave him a free ball. You could say it

was an easy clearance, but he potted a yellow there and then a good

green. He is just playing stuff that nobody else is playing as good as

that. It really has been terrific. Both these two players are hoping to

join Ding Junhui in tomorrow's final here in Newport. Ding Junhui played

Joe Perry this afternoon in the first semifinal. After losing the

first frame, Ding Junhui got his nose in front and build up a 5-4

lead. Perry needed to hit back in frame ten or the match was over.

. He didn't strike that well at all.

It was much too thin or otherwise he could have got around the black and

got around towards the baulk area. I'm not sure if Ding Junhui has got

anything easier. The black may come into play there. If he has plenty of

top spin, he may bring the black into play. But he is not bound to

bring this black into play. He did and that's an excellent shot. It is

amazing how the balls line up sometimes. The plant was perfect. If

Ding gets on to a red nicely, it could be the end. If he made the

red, he would not have been unlucky. That's the way you have got to look

at it. You can give as many stories as you

like why you lose a match, but every time, it is because you miss pots.

He would definitely take the yellow if the blue wasn't where it was. He

can play this side and get on to the red that's the same line.

Is there a gap to get on to this red? He maybe fortunate. He maybe

able to get on the one nearest the pocket. Yes, he can, he can play

that slowly if he wants and come on the black.

If he plays the red in the middle, he can only play for the yellow or

the blue. It is worth the risof dragging this in and staying on the

black and you can start at the business end of the table.

APPLAUSE He knows it is his chance to win

frame and match and get to the final.

At times we thought it was going to be excellent and the safety has been

so good in this match that now and again a player has got bogged down.

He needs this to go well, which it hasn't. This black is nasty. He will

take it on, but it is tricky. He is not 100% whether to pot this

or get a good cannon on the red and gain position. He has got the pot.

APPLAUSE There are two reds on.

Cueing off the side cushion is never easy.

Very good. He is very still on the shot and you need to be on those.

He doesn't like the yellow. He is taking the more difficult pot on the

brown. He would like to get down to this

black spot area as quickly as possible.

He seemed to have potted a lot of balls for just the 36 break.

I just feel one good position shot here on to these reds could clinch

it. This all started, of course, when

Joe Perry went for a long red and made a mess of it and looked as if

he got away with it, but there was a plant on for Ding that also led to

him kissing the black into play as well.

This was the long red that you were talking about, Terry. It was a

straightforward shot really to go around the back of the black and

completely mis-hit it and then look where the ball finished. It looked

at first glance as if there was nothing on.

This is the next shot. Look what happens. Think you are safe -- you

think you are safe and the black springs into action. He played a

very poor positional shot there. To keep this break going, he needs to

play for a baulk colour. Which way will he play? He is playing the thin

cut. You have no idea where the cue ball is going.

You would have to say he was unfortunate to get that kiss but he

still has got the brown to the middle. Lots of players would just

have rolled up to the yellow. Looks unnatural angle to get on one

of the reds. -- a natural angle. After all the effort of putting the

brown, he forgot about the position. -- potting. He played it plain bold

thinking he would be on to the reds behind the pink and the one nearest

the black. And the angle was not there. So he is now faced with

another very thin cut. How does he miss the kiss on the red on the

I don't think he can. He's having good look at it. The last thing he

wants to do is kiss that red out, but he's having a go.

He avoided the case, but where is the cue ball going? Very close to

the cushion of the baulk line, so another good port needed. -- pot

needed. He has potted some good balls and made some excellent

positional shots. He needs another one here. Two reds at the back of

the pack available into the left corner.

What a brilliant shot. The second of the two is not available, he had to

play for that gap. Couldn't have played it better. Brilliant. These

top players, when you think about winning the game and the match, they

do not refuse anything. A couple of times he has been out opposition and

got back into it, and Joe Perry knows now that it is the end of the

line. The very top players are different.

They can play at their best when they are feeling their worst. And

that is what he has done here. Excellent performance. Joe Perry has

put up a good show. Played some good snooker. A good safety shot here and

there would have made the difference, but that is always the

case. Remarkable performance from Ding, in

his fifth final of the year. He certainly has a chance of equalling

Stephen Hendry's record now. I am sure whoever gets to the final,

I think this new port cry would like a Ronnie O'Sullivan - Ding Junhui

final, but Barry Hawkins is playing well. -- this new port crowd. --

Newport. Now a chance for his second century of the match. It would be

fitting, because this has been an excellent break. Played some risky

shots when he could have played it safe, but that was never his

intention. He was going for the win. And the black goes in as well. A

break of 118 has taken him into tomorrow's final, beating Joe Perry,

6-4. He came back, I had some mistakes. After that, I take two big

frames and they both have a chance, but we miss some balls. I just keep

fighting very hard. I just keep putting pressure to my opponent. We

don't know each other, what we think about, and how much we can do. I

just do my best. I do the shots for the best way to go.

And keep going, never stop. An incredible story this season which

continues, on course now for his fifth ranking title if he can win

here in Newport. It is remarkable the way he is playing. We have

talked about how hard it is to win just one tournament. To do it five

times in a season, that this stunning. Yes, he has 13 on the

spin, and five times, which is special. So many good players out

there. What is remarkable about Ding Junhui is that towards the end of

his matches in the deciding frames he just lights up, he has the

confidence of winning. Even if it comes to the deciding frame, he is

ready and prepared before the match starts. He has had lots of big

breaks in the last frame to win titles. Is that the mark of other

good players you have seen in the past? Yes, the likes of Stephen

Hendry, Ray Reardon, John Higgins, Mark Williams, all those great

champions, they have just got something special inside them that

other players haven't got. Ding Junhui is in the final tomorrow

evening. We are waiting to see who he is going to play. We have had a

terrific start to the semifinal between Ronnie O'Sullivan and number

five seed Barry Hawkins. Barry Hawkins got the match of their

terrific start with that century break in the first frame. He has

shown tonight that he has a terrific all-round game.

Robertson has got to be up there. Probably is the best break-builder

in the game. You have got to go for the best, so Ronnie. And Robertson.

Have to pick one. Higgins has got to be up there, as

well. Probably hits the ball a little bit

harder than most people. So you would have to say Judd Trump.

Higgins. So many matches over the years where he has won the game from

miles behind and cleared up when he needs to clean up. Definitely,

Higgins is up there. Higgins again, really. He wins so many frames from

behind. That is so important in frames.

Higgins again, really. Everybody misses balls, but he was placed the

right shot. Alan McManus. Angles McManus. Ronnie. Once he gets ahead.

He seems to get stronger and stronger, really. So many players,

it is hard to pick one, John Higgins, Mark Selby, Robertson, and

Graeme Dott, he never gives up. Lots of respect between the players on

the professional snooker circuit. And not least between these two, the

world number five Barry Hawkins against world champion Ronnie

O'Sullivan. There he is coming back into the arena after the mid-session

interval, and it is Ronnie O'Sullivan who needs three frames to

one. Remember, it is the best of 11 frames. -- who leads.

Barry Hawkins breaking off. After the mid-session interval. Sat down

with his manager. Waiting to come out.

The second half of what possibly could be an epic. Both players have

played terrific. Looks like he's going to get a nice, easy starter.

It looked like that was going to finish right over the middle pocket.

It snowed up. -- slowed up. This red is slightly awkward for the

left-handed Barry Hawkins. The yellow is not making it easier.

Very tough, when you have come back after the interval to be faced with

an important shot like that, and as you can see, he has given Ronnie and

great chance. They say that intervals turn matches in many

sports, including snooker, of course. It had that effect this

afternoon in the match between Joe Perry and Ding Junhui, and Ding

Junhui did eventually go on to win it.

I can see two reds that are close to a plant for this right corner.

Because he caught the apex red quite fully, it didn't make that plant.

The only likelihood of a red is the one just above the cue ball. But it

is a shot he can play with a bit of freedom. There is nothing obvious

for Barry Hawkins if he misses it. here's right over the pocket. Full

of confidence at the moment, Ronnie O'Sullivan. Some players would have

elected to go into the pack of reds. He has got three or four, although

the positional side of it is a little bit awkward. He would like to

move the pink out of his road. He played that very confidently.

There is a red to the right centre, one to the left, the one to the

right centre has comfortable cueing. You can see the way that he is

bridging his hand over this red, it is not perfect.

It is thin, this black, very thin. He is looking at it.

How delicate a shot was that? And how well did he play it? Now, does

this red go? It is so impressive to carry on after a 20 minutes interval

just the way he was playing before it. How did that red not cannon the

other one? It just squeezed by. All of a sudden, the reds are in great

positions and he is in a break of 36. And there is more to come. It is

hard to see him missing. It must be a great concern for

Barry. He really has not done much wrong. In the match against Barry

Pinches, which I was covering, he had a rather comfortable lead

himself. At the moment, he must be wondering what on earth he has got

to do to compete. Already at the point of no return.

Playing through 70 now. At the moment it is like shelling peas.

This is as good as it gets, folks. This is just like he is down local

smoker club, having a knock with the boys. Makes it look so easy. -- the

local snooker club. All you can do is sit and admire him.

As to knock that red down the cushion and then come back up for

the century. And that is what he has done, he has dragged up for the

blue, for the 100. That is the third century of the match.

Barry Hawkins played that one match at the start of the frame, that long

red, and missed it, and has had to sit and watch. And he must be

admiring. Even though he is sitting on his seat and is on the losing

end, he is part of something very special that we are seeing here.

This blue, now. It will mean a break of 113 in this match, one point to

the good, and counting. And that is looking about perfect.

Just doing a couple of exhibition shots. And when it goes good, it

goes good. A little blip on the black, left-handed. -- clip. Barry

Hawkins did not do a lot wrong, he missed a long red, and Ronnie

O'Sullivan extends his lead, and he now leads, for frames the one.

Dominik come what can you say? Just absolutely breathless. Watching

Ronnie at that stage during the mid-session interval, sitting with

Damien Hirst, and Mick, who I alluded to earlier on, he just

seemed at peace with himself, just reading the paper and not really

doing anything. Came out for this fourth or fifth frame and just

carried on the way he was before the interval. That is so hard to do. I

cannot fail to be just utterly impressed with what I am seeing. The

main thing for Ronnie O'Sullivan at the moment, he is happy with life

itself. He had a couple of years where he was despondent with the

game, didn't know what direction he was going to go in, he took one year

off, came back, and did the unthinkable, winning the World

Championship. He has played more events this year, but he is very

choosy in what he plays in, and it has got to fit around his running

regime. He does lots of running. He admits he is not a great runner, but

he enjoys it, and whatever he is doing, it is working. Because he is

absolutely relaxed out there. Absolutely. It is just the freedom

with which he plays matches. It is like he is down the local club,

practising. Nobody really can do that. And at the end of the day, you

are playing snooker match and you want to win, but he seems able to

just play snooker and block out everything else, including his

opponent. It is wonderful. Of all the praise is that we have

song for Ronnie, that is probably the worst shot he has played in this

match. It shows how confident he was, to pot the red and stunt the

black. -- stun for the black. Now, Barry, remember what you did in the

first, and then the second frame, he was unfortunate not to go 2-0 up in

this match, and he has not had a sniff since. He must take this

opportunity, you feel. You almost feel that he has got to

win the frame from the, which is not necessarily true, of course, but if

Ronnie gets back in, you feel that he will win the frame in one go.

It goes without saying, it would be fair to say, that this crowd in here

are certainly biased. They would love to see this match get extended.

They will be enjoying this that much, they will not want it to

finish too quickly. He's going to have to be careful.

Those two reds to the right of the pink are close to being clamped, but

if he went into them wrongly... -- to being a plant.

Well, you could see how wide those pockets are then.

He can play into the pack of raids. -- reds. And he has played that very

well. All of a sudden, this is turning

into a very good opportunity. Do you think he has its needed up

his game a little bit? He looks to be playing a little bit quicker,

Timmy. -- to me. When someone is playing slowly and methodically, you

tend to get dragged into that, and when you're playing Ronnie, he's a

very fast, and it is easy to speed up, even if you don't want to. He's

definitely playing a little bit more fluently than he was.

This is a very good performance in this frame from Barry, after all he

has been through in the last four frames. To make the break their way

he has is very good. -- the way he has. He will be disappointed if he

does not go on to win the frame from here.

I'm afraid that our two hours on BBC Two Wales are almost up, but you can

follow the conclusion of this match live on the BBC sport website. If

you have not got the computer tablet handy, we will bring you highlights

at 11:25pm on BBC Two Wales. Thank you very much for watching this

evening. We will see you later. From all of us here, good evening.