Day Three - Part 2 Snooker: Welsh Open

You can only look back at the end of your career and say, did I get it

right most of the time? Then you start to play with confidence and

results come. You don't have time to think about everything, other than

what you are doing there and then. I am just going to try and steam-roll

through, if I can. If I can't, then they will steam-roll me. You cannot

blow everyone away. I'm hoping I will be able to have a tough match

along the way. He was sensational in round two. We are about to find out

if O'Sullivan gets the tough test he is looking for, or an easy passage

into the last 16. The Rocket's return coming up alive, but first

let's round of the best of the day's action so far on day three. Four

time when and defending champion John Higgins secured his place in

the fourth round with a 4-1 victory over Michael Georgiou. The Scot was

never troubled, despite an early start this morning. Got up at 6am. I

wanted my eyes to adjust to the early morning. Before I left the

hotel room, I kind of went back to sleep... No, it was good, good to

get through. German Masters champion Martin Gould. He won the deciding

frame with the only century of the match. It was a funny sort of game.

The table played a lot slower today. We both struggled. I lost that one

on the black. It was a big frame. A couple of shots either way can swing

a match. It wasn't my day today. Fair play to Martin Leung he made a

good break on the last frame, good luck to him. -- Fairplay to Martin,

he made a good break. There is Welsh present in the next round. Williams

had arguably his best performance this week. What a turnaround from

two days ago. It was as if I was playing with some idiot else is arms

today. I actually looks like a snooker player today. -- someone

else's arms. As soon as I saw the shot, I pulled back the cue and I

did it as fast as I could. No pausing. Nothing like that. Nothing

dangerous. As soon as I see it, as fast as I could. I thought I would

go fast. Next up for him, Mark Selby. Despite finishing his second

round but in the early hours this morning the world number one was

back in action with a comfortable victory over Fergal O'Brien. Started

off OK, first tee frames. Finished OK, which was pleasing. -- first tee

frames. It was similar to the one with Peter Lines. But a tough game.

Doggett. Never gives in. Good, all-round player. Before we focus on

tonight's action that reflect this afternoon's performances with

Dominic Dale. What do you make of this afternoon? Disappointment for

Matthew Stevens, but Williams motors on, what did you make of their

performances? Matthew has been in the doldrums. He will be encouraged

by some of his performances. He has shown good form under pressure and

won a couple of matches. Good step for him. After a couple of dismal

performances, Mark played a lot better today. He will be a threat.

He needed to show that for because he has selfie next and he will need

confidence for that one and I am looking forward to that one. -- he

has Mark Selby next. He made a point that maybe Mark has had a reasonably

easy ride, but how tough is it going to be against Mark Selby? You can

never predict somebody's form. He might have been playing well by his

standards, but you never know. Going into it it is a mental test other

than anything else. He has won two worst championships and other

ranking events over his career. More than capable of performing tomorrow.

-- two World Championships. He fancied Higgins and he is doing

well, isn't he? He is winning quite easily. I don't know who he will be

facing tomorrow. He is a guy with a great pedigree in the sport. He won

this last year. He will fancy his chances. He certainly will. Let's

see what is in store tonight. O'Sullivan was talking about how he

has been steam-rolling pastors opponents. He did that yesterday. He

won in style. And the stats, they are not too bad, either, are they?

-- past his opponent. This is the man O'Sullivan comes up

against this evening. He has never gone past the third round. This is

the first meeting between them. Let's get your prediction for this

one this evening. The two players make their mark a way out into the

arena. How do you see it going? Easy for O'Sullivan yesterday. Any

suggestion tonight will be different? Simple for me, if he

reproduces his form from yesterday he doesn't just winter night, he

wins the event. But snooker is tough. -- he doesn't just when

tonight. Will he calls a shocker? Let's

If you like good, attacking snooker, this is the man to watch at the

moment. Robertson has made over 75 big breaks, so I expect a barrage

this evening. I haven't seen Robertson play very much. By all

accounts he plays a good break game. He has done well over the past

couple of seasons. His rise in the rankings to 38 in the world. He is

up against, you would have to say, the best player in the world at this

moment in time. -- 38th in the world.

Even though he picks and chooses his tournaments. When he comes back he

seems to carry on where he left off. Different hairstyle tonight. Talking

of which, Robertson has quite a different one, as well. It must be

the way to go. What are we going to do with our hairstyles? Yes, I

forgot about mine about 35 years ago.

Two cushions. That is a bit slow. Are they going to get there?

He has left the tempting double on for O'Sullivan. I thought he would

play the double. He decided to go for the safety rather than put him

back into play. We all know how good he is in all

departments, Ronnie O'Sullivan. But I think part he has improved on the

most is his safety. Very, very good now. -- the part.

So far completed in the safety Department. Could have a big target

behind yellow and brown if he finishes this one off. Could be the

first chance... It is for Robertson. Not too sure whether the pink pots

in the right-hand side. But relatively easy first read. He could

get onto the black if he so wishes. Decided to go for it.

He did not put it as cleanly as he would have liked. But he's still on

the pink. I'm sure this one will go... Clearly. -- pot

Looking pretty confident out there. A very attacking player, as you can

already see. Not many people have seen him play very often on

television, but he likes to go for his shots.

And another thing, he does not hang about. He likes to get on with it.

Very attacking player. Good pot here. He has elected to play the

black down the cushion. Doesn't have to do much with the cue ball, just

drop the black in. Easier said than done. Plain ball. The cue ball

should naturally come back behind the reds, into the black spot.

He knew that was a chance of winning the first frame. The little bit of

pressure on that shot. And this is now the first chance for O'Sullivan.

He doesn't have a good angle on the red to run back for the black. Could

go for the pink in the middle. Has it gone far enough? His body

language tells me yes. Maybe not. Just a fantastic asset to be able to

play both hands. Said it many times before with O'Sullivan.

That flick could be a bad one. I think he might have a slight angle.

The only read that appears available is the one right of the pink come

into the corner. -- red. Is he going to generate enough spin to get it

there? Just. Pretty good safety. There is one he

can cut to the right-hand corner. He is thinking about playing the red

efficiently, if he comes back. He might be taking this on. Thing is,

if you hit these to send you end up careering into the back. That is why

he hasn't attempted it. Wait, he has. Well done.

CHUCKLES The boy is on fire. Bit of a strange

one for him this time. That is five frames he has played in the

tournament. He has had four hundreds and a 90. Very low-key, this first

frame. Seems to really have his Mojo back,

with regards to his playing. He has periods where he just doesn't want

to play. He went through a spell when he went for everything because

he didn't want to get involved in a long match. He said to an

interviewer that he didn't want a four our match. He wanted to get out

as quick as possible. And he has been attacking everything so far. --

four hour match. The frame is over now, so he just

has to concentrate on clearing the table.

No sizeable breaks this time for O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan takes the

opening frame and he leads 1-0. Robertson didn't get back on. Pretty

much usual service resumed. O'Sullivan won the lot. We like to

provide you with a rolling update service, the Soviet update you with

some other results. Neil Robertson, the world number three, who is

looking for his first win at this tournament. -- so let's update you.

He is into the last 16 after wrapping up a 4-2 win over Anthony

McGill. And another former winner, Ding Junhui we, who lifted the

trophy in 2012, he is also through after a 4-3 victory over Matt Selt.

Two players inside the world's top 20, it ended up with Marco Fu

beating Graeme Dott 4-2. Back we go. O'Sullivan breaking off. Happy with

the way the first frame went. It is imperative for Robertson to get a

couple of pots and settle down. This match could slide away from him in

the blink of an eye. He had a chance in the last frame. He was looking

quite good until he missed the black down the cushion.

He has hit that much thicker than he would have liked. Leaving O'Sullivan

a nice, easy starter. I think he can just about get past this red to the

one nearest the pocket. Not the one above -- not if the one above goes

direct. Guaranteed to get a couple of

positions of this one. There is a small gap between the yellow and the

black to get it back to colour. Normally nobody likes to take these

in the middle. But this one was close to the cushion so he decided

to play safety. Playing attacking, again. Going for it again.

Right over the pocket sometimes. They are very difficult shots.

At the moment he's just totally relentless, Ronnie.

He never looks like missing. Every time he gets in. He always looks

like he's going to mop up of the balls. Always looking for

frame-winning opportunities every visit. Always trying to get balls

into play as soon as he can. And it is 100 points in reply for that now

-- and it is 100 points without reply now. He isn't going to take a

lot out of him when he makes these breaks. We saw a different last

night when Ron Ludlam was playing. It took him 11 and a half minutes.

It just shows you. -- we saw things a bit different

last night. Essential, this time, to get an

angle on the black. And that is just about perfect. Not guaranteed to get

the one in the corner, but he can certainly push for the left hand and

right-hand middle. He would like to get the half ball on the top right.

But it might be a problem now. It takes all of the pace out of the

ball, hitting it full. He has found one. There is something on it. Very

good. 65 in front. This is frame ball. And within the blink of an

eye, a O'Sullivan looks like going two in front. -- within the brink of

an eye, O'Sullivan looks like. He will play the cannon on the red

now, probably, just a nudge it toward the corner pocket. The little

bit slow, but he brought it into play.

The crowd loved a century. Are we going to get one? -- love.

It is just unbelievable. Well, no century. Jimmy Robertson stays in

his seat. He has not done much wrong, it is just Ronnie O'Sullivan

is on fire. STUDIO: On average, yesterday, we looked at ten minutes

per frame will stop that was 6.53, to be precise. He is unstoppable. He

is a bit warm, isn't he? And Ronnie as he said, he is having fun,

choosing events to play in and when he comes to an event now, he is

there to win it, but he is fresh. He comes with a different attitude. He

loves to play in Wales. That is why he is here. A lot of events he does

not like playing in but he likes to play in Wales. It is brilliant for

us. It looks like an exhibition match, I do not know any player who

can play with such freedom and it will be great to do that because

that is when you play your best. Wales loves to have him. Any hope

for Robertson? Jimmy looks comfortable out there, but Ronnie is

such a good player, he sometimes does not give an opportunity, no

matter how good you are. We can go back to Darren Morgan and Willie

Thorne. You are quite right, there is a long

way to go in this match. I think the bottom red will pot. The black is

available. It is an added chance. Maybe it does not pot.

You would think he could almost pot that. He has decided it is not on. A

thin safety shot. You have to do avoid the cannon on the blue when

you play this. Well, he is making it look very easy

at the moment, he really is. Purposely playing that to get the

black spot area free. We said in the last frame, Ronnie always tries to

make every chance a winner. Always plays to get the balls in the open

quickly. Even though there are two, three

loose reds, he might be able to cannon into the second, or screw

back between these two. He had a massive kick, but he is OK.

That was very big, indeed, probably the biggest I have seen this week.

Another player would have the cue ball cleaned. He never has it

cleaned, Ronnie. This is the first test in three frames, but it made no

difference. This is the key shot and if it

works, it could be another frame gone. And another kick. There was a

grimace on his face, but again, he did not bother having the ball

cleaned. Never touched the sides. He is enjoying himself because he

laughed when it wobbled and then fell in. And why not, when you are

playing like this? It is quite unbelievable, really. When you

think, he is 40 years of age. I do not think at any time in his career

he has played any better than what he has been playing this week at

Cardiff. Absolutely faultless. It is not like he is missing when he is

in, every time he is in, he seems to make 50 and above.

Already close to the winning line in this third frame.

And with the next black, he will be the winning line in this frame.

Probably playing a cannon into the pink. The red, instead, but the same

result. He deserves a century the way he has

played this frame. I am sure there are gentlemen in the

audience, and if you ladies, who love to play snooker, but there is

one thing for certain, they have not seen snooker like this before. -- a

few ladies. Would somebody tap him on the

shoulder and tell him it is supposed to be difficult, this game!

Not guaranteed to get perfect on the red. The only way is to play the

pink, which he has done. Stand-by, genius at work. Ronnie

O'Sullivan compiles another century. I think the crowd, as we are,

Darren, are mesmerised at how easy he is making it look. Absolutely

frightening, there is no other word. Well, that is quite amazing.

Absolutely flawless century from Ronnie O'Sullivan. 800 12 -- 812

centuries in competitive play. Jimmy Robertson, I can think he has missed

two shots that maybe he felt he should have got. Two bad safety

shots and he is three behind. He has not done a lot wrong. Jimmy

Robertson is not used to be on the big stage in front of the big crowd,

whereas Ronnie has played every single match out there, this week.

There will always be a big advantage, and everybody comes to

see... Look at the crowd, a full house again for Ronnie. So he should

command the main table. The only thing Jimmy Robertson can do is to

hope he misses a couple. But that is not going to happen any time soon.

Another excellent safety shot. Cutting off the left-hand side of

the table. Jimmy, I think the only way is to take one on, my friend,

that is the only way you are going to get back in the game at the

moment. If the black pots, he is in trouble

again. That is what I mean about

O'Sullivan, look at the reds. The pink is also in play.

Having a little look at them. The red in the right centre. Roll into

the cluster, I would have thought. And that is what he played. It is a

touching ball. He can play straight across, again behind the black and

try to get the cue ball tight under the cushion. That is not tight.

Ronnie would be able to lift up his cue.

That is quite good. He has left a tempter for Jimmy.

That was the problem. He has had no table time. But he has had a result,

the brown coming off the cushion. That is the beauty of Ronnie, does

not worry about good luck, bad luck, he just gets on with it.

Did not quite work. Try to get onto the green to the left-hand middle

pocket. No attempt at the pot, just putting

the white on top of the red. The first frame lasted 13 and a half

minutes and the second just over seven. The next frame just over nine

minutes. It is nice to breathe, isn't it?

He has left Ronnie a tempter. He should have left him hampered.

Phone the police, he is having the white ball being cleaned!

Frightening. But, in fairness, it was not a good shot from Jimmy. He

should have left him hampered. You cannot let Ronnie get to the centre

of the white ball the way he is playing at the moment. Surely he is

not going to clear up again! You would not put it past him. I would

have thought it unlikely from where the balls are this time. This is

quite unbelievable. Jimmy Robertson will not be able to believe it, 300

points to no reply. 307, now. It is not that he has had many

mistakes, Jimmy. And against someone else, he would have had

opportunities, but at the moment, Ronnie O'Sullivan is playing

sublimely. Even that little shot, playing a

cannon to openly two reds. -- open. He will have to take some of the

reds at the baulk end. Not as planned, he planned to go by the two

reds. Oh! A mistake! Has he got away with

it? That is amazing, when you do not have much of a shot, you expect to

have been left a red. He has been left nothing. Only his second miss

of the match. That was about all Jimmy Robertson

could do thou, a containing safety. The balls are starting to look

untidy. He cannot be looking at the 3- ball

plant, surely? He is! Not even Ronnie is cheeky enough to

play that. Obviously there was no risk in that

shot, apart from the red he was playing, he could not leave anything

on. Well played, a good pot. I am sure

this crowd would like to see a little bit more of Ronnie this

evening, so they will be cheering Jimmy on in this frame. His first

pot in 35 minutes. He has not had much to go at. It was a pretty good

one, as well. A little bit of a wobble, but the

cue ball travelled enough. This is thinner than he would've liked, but

he has a red to the middle you cannot blame him for taking this

one. He did not play for it, but he will take it all the same.

He will be feeling better inside. He knows he could not do much about the

first three. I am sure he was thinking he would

get whitewashed and not pot a ball. At least that is now gone.

One is Sullivan had a 30 point lead before Jimmy came to the table and

where the ball style, money is still favourite. It is amazing. Having to

work hard for this 16 and counting. -- Ronnie is still favourite.

And now the work starts, after this red.

He just started to lose position on the last three shots. Everyone

became more and more difficult. Ronnie is not likely to win the

frame at this visit. I do not think he left a good angle.

Heath -- he will have to play for one of the loose ones. There must

have been a foreign body on the cue ball to have it cleaned. It

certainly would not have been chalk. Not nicely on the yellow, not nicely

on the black. Deciding to play for the one open

red. How good did he strike the black? He

made E shot look ridiculously easy, but it was real hard. -- made the

shot. And swapping to his left hand. He played it well but it has

backfired. Probably the best shot that Jimmy Robertson has had, so far

will stop and it was not of his doing.

He thought he had played the perfect escape. Bringing the red into play,

he has given Jimmy a lifeline. He did not want to snooker himself.

It never rains, but it pours. A little bit unlucky.

With 22 points behind, he could do with bringing the blue into play,

but maybe bringing the pink into play is as good as anything. That

was not the best shot, Jimmy. This is very difficult, because you

do not know where the cue ball will end up, all the red. He will be

pleased with that. There is no pot on the red this time. Only a safety

shot for O Sullivan and the frame is still in the balance.

STUDIO: It looked as if we were going to be able to bring you the

four match, but a cliffhanger ending. Find out how it concludes

later in the highlights show when we will round up the best of the day's

action at 11:15pm. Thanks for your company. Goodbye.

Houses across Britain don't fit our needs...

We are going to feel like sardines in a can. ..or our dreams.

We really want to strip it out and start again.

I'm here Piers Taylor and I've hand-picked a team of experts