Semi-Finals - Part 3 Snooker: Welsh Open

Apologies to you, we had a technical fault, we lost power at the

Motorpoint Arena and we missed the start of our second semifinal in

Cardiff, but we are able to now join our commentary team. We can join

Dominic and Terry Griffiths. Sorry about that. COMMENTATOR: We

have not missed very much. Joe Perry had a couple of long pots to go for,

but he just missed them. That was a penalty, six points. LAUGHTER

It will not be easy for the referee. I think a few balls moved. He is

just looking round at the monitor. The score underneath will help him

to replace the balls. Can you speak a bit louder? For the television

matches, the official marker of the game has a DVD player and he is able

to get a freeze-frame of the previous shot. That is a real aid to

the referee, to get the balls back exactly in the right positions.

The whole pack moved, yes? That is the original? Could you wipe it up

and down so I can see the original and then how it is now?

As Dominic mentioned, assistance for the referee, but still difficult to

get them exactly right. I'm not quite sure if there is a great deal

of importance because O'Sullivan will play the same shot that side of

the pack. So, here we go. Close enough. A bit more side this

time. Oh! Still close. Maybe be left in the centre? -- may be the. I

think he is OK, he will have two hit the extreme right edge of the red,

but I don't think he can. He could double it in the opposite centre,

but that is far too risky and there is no value in that. In behind the

brown is the order of the day. Joe Perry will be comfortable with

the safety practical is -- the safety pack. He is a good safety

player. He does not score as many as Ronnie, but who does? Looking to

bring his skill levels out better than he has done in the last two

years, he has always been a tidy player, top 16, but I think he has

pushed up further, may be in the top eight. He is not far off.

I must apologise to viewers watching this match. We still have a few

technical difficulties and we are able to only show you a limited

coverage at the moment, one of our cameras is experiencing

difficulties. We hope to get it up and running very soon.

Didn't finish perfectly, that safety for Joe Perry. There is a red on

here for Ronnie into the centre. Decided to play it into the green

pocket, instead, for position on the black. I'm sure Joe Perry, going

into this match, would have known he has every chance of beating Ronnie,

he ran him very close in the 2014 World Championships, he did superbly

well in that match and he only lost it 13-11. He is obviously not afraid

of Ronnie and has beaten him a couple of times.

Certainly giving Ronnie something to think about, that is for sure. Can't

return the cue ball to the top of the dish and because of the

excellent safety from Joe -- to the top of the cushion. Having to play

the cue ball towards the ball cushion. That looks pretty good,

unless Joe can get through, but if he can, it could be considered a

good opportunity. APPLAUSE

That is a confidence booster for Joe. He will be disappointed if he

can't score a good few points from here. The reds are awkwardly

positioned, quite a few of them. Very tricky when the reds are like

they are, they sort of blocking one another, really. At least he can get

down for the black or pink from this one.

Joe Perry glanced at the top of the table, before he potted that read,

he will not be happy with what he has seen, I'm afraid. -- red. Five

reds below. Just taking his time. The first time

he has troubled the school board. -- score. He did have a 6-point penalty

from Ronnie hitting the pink out of the snooker.

It is a big night for Joe Perry. If he should beat Ronnie O'Sullivan

tonight, he will play his best mate again, Neil Robertson, in the final.

He played him last season in a final in China, I think it was. Certainly

abroad, anyway. I think it was 9-8, very close match. It looked as

though he was going to win it. Ronnie said something to Joe,

talking about something on the way past, unusual for Ronnie, he does

not talk to his opponents generally. Probably said something to Joe

like," do you fancy starting again, I can't make 100 from here? ".

The heating is a bit hot. Ronnie speaking to the referee, from

Bavaria, Germany, saying it is very hot in the arena and it needs to be

called down a little bit. -- cooled. Maybe that is what he was saying to

Joe beforehand. Jo could take this red on, screw

down the table for the pink or black, possibly. Tough shot. Oh!

That was close. He has been unfortunate, it has come back to the

centre pocket. Ronnie O'Sullivan is facing the same problem, those reds

down the bottom of the table. Joe Perry 14 points in front at the

moment. The match started late, and nothing much has happened so far. He

could be nothing there. He will have to take the blue on. He can't see

the yellow. A bit unlucky. APPLAUSE

That was a great pot, but he has lost position. So definitely now a

safety shot but he will bring the red off the cushion.

Choice of safety is now for Joe. -- safeties. One near the yellow pocket

could see a return to the black spot end of the table for Joe with the

cue ball. If he hits it very thing, he can flip it, just like that.

APPLAUSE You do not often go for a one in ten

shot like that, and I think therefore it was just a bonus.

This is a big shot for Joe, if he makes is, he will fancy winning this

first frame. Oh! You would have expected him to have got that, to be

honest. Because he knows if he misses it, he still has a good

chance of winning the frame. He still has a 15 point lead, so very

competitive in it. Not the sort of frame that Ronnie O'Sullivan likes.

Not the sort of find that anybody really likes. -- sort of frame.

Very close to that. Hasn't done too much damage. There's still three

weds that are difficult to get at. -- three red. Using the extension

with the rest for this pot. Will be hitting this with back spin now.

Nicely played. Very smooth with his cue action, Joe. He is more of a

stroke of the ball than a hater. -- stroker of the ball than a hitter..

Jo, of course, he won the PPC finals which is a ?100,000 ranking event.

It was his first ranking win. I remember him getting to the final

against Stephen Hendry in Malta. That would have been something like

2001, I think. I was there, actually Terry. I think Stephen Hendry won

that final, 9-2. That was the one, wasn't it, Terry?

Got away with it. That is key in this match. I suspect that Joe will

miss some pots, if it is not your lucky day will keep leaving Ronnie

in but as long as he gets away with the odd one or two, Joe, there's no

reason at all why he cannot win this match, none at all.

APPLAUSE He's having a look at this, so he

must have a slight angle there. A bit more pace, and a good chance

now. A few minutes ago, it seemed all the balls were in awkward

positions, now they are in straightforward positions. 13 points

behind, Ronnie O'Sullivan. No, is safe at the moment. The brown is off

its spot, and the blue will be back on its spot after this.

Just about went right through the pocket, then. Playing a left-hander,

as well. Just think needed, then. Just Mac

just the pink needed With only one camera working we are

experiencing something legal difficulties after the power cut

that we had early on. What we will have to do is come off air for ten

minutes to try to fix the problem. World Snooker have agreed to take

the players off whilst we perform a bit of a reboot. Hopefully, normal

service will be resumed after that. Pleased there with