Semi-final: Stuart Bingham v Robert Milkins Snooker: Welsh Open

Good evening and welcome to the Motorpoint Arena here in Cardiff.

The conjoint Judd Trump in the final? Coming up in a few moments it

is Robert Milkins against them. The semifinal against Robert Milkins, it

will be tough. It is great to watch. He gets on with it and he is a great

lad. He joined the same year. He is one of the players that probably has

under achieved, but when he gets on one he can steam-roll anyone. The

Welsh is always a good tournament, even when it was at Newport it was a

good tournament. Good support there. Just over the bridge for me! Mike

Kim is in good shape. In another semifinal and hopefully, Manchester,

the English open, I got 6-5, so hopefully I can get to the final.

Winning the world was unreal. He is up there but the very best. I would

be happy with the rest of my career getting to the semifinals and

finals. One day it will happen. It's the game, isn't it? Lots of nerves.

I just to break this duck in the semifinals. Big moment in the

Spotlight for Robert Milkins. Stuart Bingham the world number two, Robert

Milkins, 32 in the world. This is the best run for Robert

Milkins at the Welsh Open is. Stuart Bingham having the edge in the head

to heads, 5-1 to Stuart Bingham. Dominic, we have seen one big star

making it into the final, could we see another top-10 player? Rob is a

fast, decisive player. I think this could be a very close match. Stuart

Bingham might be anxious because he had real problems getting over his

quarterfinal win yesterday. If he has problems again, Robert Milkins

could capitalise. We know quite a bit about Stuart Bingham and that

wonderful win in Sheffield a few years ago. What do you know about

Robert Milkins? What he has gotten abundances experience. He has played

at the many times before on the big stage. It is his sick semifinal, he

would love to get through to his first ranking final. He is a very

fast, talented, exciting player. I don't think this match will last too

long! He has every chance of winning tonight. Scott Donaldson, the

underdog against Judd Trump, everybody wanted to see Judd Trump

entertainment go through. The same thing for Robert Milkins tonight, he

has to handle that. Stuart Bingham probably does have a few concerns

about his form. He hasn't been at his best in this event, but his

experience has told he has got through to semifinal. I wouldn't be

surprised if it was 2-2 at the interval. I would like to go all the

way. They are both great guys, attacking players and they get on

with the game. I don't did we will see a lot of safety play. With a

come down to hunger? They are both hungry. Stuart loves winning titles

and getting ranking points. Robert Milkins would like to get through to

his first final. It would mean a lot to Stuart Bingham. He was in the

final three years ago, runner-up on that occasion. This weekend he wants

to get his hand on the trophy. It is almost time for second semifinal of

the day. It is time to hand over to your MC for the evening, Rob Walker.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is the last session of snooker

ahead of the Coral Welsh Open final. The big question, who is joining

Judd in the showdown on Sunday? It is time to find out what is sure to

be an atmospheric night here in Cardiff.

APPLAUSE. Please welcome, at the emerging for his sixth ranking event

semifinal. This season he has battled back canopy from a broken

collarbone, it is the first time he has made the last four at the Welsh.

He has the best walk on in snooker, he is a cider drinker, but we call

him the milkman, Robert Milkins! MUSIC: I'M A CIDER DRINKER.

His opponent, he survived a spirited comeback last night to book a

seventh major semifinal of the season. Three times a ranking event

champion, he sealed the big 12 years ago at the Crucible. Ladies and

gentlemen, they call him Stuart Bingham!

It is the second semifinal of the 2017 Welsh Open. Your commentary

team, Terry Griffiths and Willie Thorne.

TERRY GRIFFITHS: what a night this could be for Robert Milkins. Stuart

Bingham just having a bit of fun that somebody in the audience. He is

a seasoned campaigner. Currently number two in the world. He had a

bit of a scare last night. Played flawless snooker to go 4-0 in front,

then a little bit of trouble getting over the line. I think it is

essential for someone like Robert Milkins, to get a very good start.

Robert Milkins does have a win over Stuart Ingram, way back in 2001.

They have met on six occasions. Bingham is 5-1 in front. 2001 was

the win that Milkins had. Will tonight be the second?

TERRY GRIFFITHS: no certainties this year, that's for sure. A lot of the

top seeds knocked out early. He is well capable of beating Stuart

Bingham on his day, but he has to start well. He is not carrying a

great record in semifinals. APPLAUSE.

He was expecting to be on the yellow or the Green hit it so well he is

right the baulk. He didn't play that very aggressive.

I expected it further up the tables than this. If you get this straight

red he will be nicely on the blue or the pink. That was a long way away.

Unless... Good fortune strikes again!

That has been his first look of the tournament. They all tell you that!

Why is the other guys so lucky and I keep losing?!

I don't think he played for red in baulk, surely? He was looking at the

cushion, for it to come off slightly faster than it came on. That happens

sometimes. He did give that one a bit of a dig.

Pink and black in open play. He will be disappointed if he doesn't get at

least 40 here after that fluke to get a good lead in this frame.

Carrington only scored three points in the first four games, such was

his dominance. He came quickly backed down to earth in the second

half! Carrington made a very spirited fightback, perhaps a little

lucky to get a level at 4-4. Not straight enough to screw

directly back for the black, but there is a gap between the pink and

the pack if he wanted to go for that. He could screw directly back.

Just the two remaining loose reds, then he would have to go into the

bunch. He would like to go into it early, off the next colour rather

than having to wait for the last one.

There is plenty of mileage in going into the bunch here. There is one to

the right of the pink, he might play for that one, which he is. The one

just below the pink goes into the corner.

He looks to be striking the ball very well here, starting this match

as he did against Scott Donaldson. Robert Milkins won't be too happy,

after he started this break with the fluke. If he had made 20, Rob

wouldn't have minded. The ball is always go but they want to. There we

see the fluke. He missed the pocket by a long way, which is unusual for

Stuart. Very dedicated young man, is Stuart.

Plays in virtually every tournament. The only tournament he has not

played in is for the given birth of his children. Apart from that, he

loves to travel, goes to all the tournaments, big or small. He needs

another red and colour. There is one right at the top left of the pack

that just about pots. Not a lot of margin of error with this one,

though. I'm not even sure he can get through to it. Has he sorted out a

plant? Yes, playing the plant. Very well done!

The fact that he is taking the blue means he will need one more red.

Well, in the other match, they started with this century. I think

it was 131 that Judd got. This second semifinal will probably start

with the century. We have seen a fine example of how

players cannons into balls and things. Stewart is not the best of

that, -- at that, but his brick building is as good as most. He can

get a lot of spin without too much speed.

He has already made two centuries so far in this tournament. Almost a

certainty now to make his third. Very well done! Help To Buy bad

fluke in the second or third shot he played, but everything else has been

played to perfection. Both semifinals have been started with

the century. Robert Milkins will be a bit disappointed about how this

frame has gone, he didn't do anything wrong. Stuart got a

fantastic opening red, then has sat -- has had the fluke.

It's always nice to get off to a great start, and nothing better than

the start from Stuart Bingham. As we said before, he was helped by her

fluke. He was just acknowledging that there are, just saying to

Robert Milkins that he was a bit fortunate.

Good start your second semifinal here on Saturday evening. Great

start from Stuart Bingham. He said maybe one to nerves at yesterday,

but that will ease the nerves. It should do. A perfect start, total

clearance. Temp two hasn't got off the starting blocks. Stuart God and

amazing red early on. He left himself a three quarters distance

red that he missed by a mile. He hit this nearly straight. It came off a

couple of cushions, it went almost dead with into the centre pocket.

Unfortunately, Robert Milkins had to stay in his chair. I like the way

Stuart Mill Prince held his hand up straightaway before it even went in.

The etiquette, just to say, sorry, didn't mean that. What about Robert

Milkins, how do you see him doing if he goes a couple of frames down?

Does he have the ability to come back? He always has the ability to

come back from a deficit because he is the sort of guy if things are

going wrong he will try something different. If the style of play

isn't working, he will experiment and try to do something to change

the pattern of play. He can't speed up, go for more shots, refuse a few.

Some to do that. You will admire that pink bowtie! A man of your

tests include them. Where is the green jacket tonight? I think it is

going to be auctioned at the end of this show! Might raise a few quid!

Bingham, he has been in good form throughout the tournament. Yes, he

has. As we have seen in the last six months, or most of the season for

Stewart, every night and again something quite inexplicable

happens, and quite often the Leafs Stuart exasperated. It happened the

UN he missed that early red by a mile, before his fluke that led him

to clearing the table. Let's rejoin commentary.

TERRY GRIFFITHS: Robert Milkins was not the best of our break-off. Rob,

plays very quickly, but he is also a very clever safety player. I worked

with him for a few years in the Southwest Nagar Academy in

Gloucester, where Rob is from. He is a bit like Mark Williams, he take

shots on that look a bit risky, but then when the doors than you think,

well, that was handy, because he has left anything on anyway.

Towing of the side cushion and for the black, I think. This is tough.

You see, that is the problem with somebody who plays fast like Rob,

when they miss the don't look great, but he plays like that all the time.

WILLIE THORNE: Robert Milkins is fantastic with his pots, we saw that

with the red. The good thing is, it looks like it is only going to cost

one point with the blackout of commission. Hello! We haven't seen

that one before! I wonder what Rob is thinking here. I can't understand

why the call him both run Bingham! What a contrast. In the first frame

he had that wonderful fluke, then Rob. I great red. Let's see what

will happen here. He may have left the red on, but it will be a very

thin cut. It is available, if he wants to take it on. He just had a

quick look at the black, I'm not sure if it passes the green, because

that is the direction the wait will be taken. He has played in and out

of baulk. It is amazing how you never see players hitting that shot

then when they are standing the ball. They always miss it back.

Another good red by Robert Milkins. Wait a minute, Rob, the White House

to stop first, take your time! It is finished absolutely perfect. He

needs to get at least the blue line. Oh, Rob, that is careless. I didn't

think he would play it that way. You will see a lot of that from Rob, he

can look careless sometimes, but that is just the way he plays, he

has always been very quick. But then the delivery was quite quick as

well. It wasn't the easiest job in the world.

A chance now to bring a few reds interplay. -- into play. He got that

little bit thin and it went into the left-hand side of the pocket. If it

was in the middle, he might have opened up a few more reds. Maybe

just a safety. He could not see a red to pot. Very good length of cue

ball, but as you can see, the red, you could cut that.

APPLAUSE. Once again, that is unlucky. This is

missable, the fact it has finished near the cushion. To finish close to

the cushion like that is unfortunate. This black is not

straightforward, by any stretch of the imagination. I think he has to

go for it, though. For me, the green is only easier

pot, but these players don't like playing with the baulk colours if

they have the opportunity to bring the black or pink interplay -- into

play. He played that nicely, not an easy pot.

You just get the feeling that he has to score here. If you doesn't make

much out of this lot, he could lose a bit of confidence. He has looked

after -- is that after by Paul Mount in Gloucester for many years and I

was talking to Robert, he beat Robert on the black. They play all

the time in qualifying and the World Championships, and he is not playing

now after getting into the Crucible, which most players in the career

never get to play there, you know? I don't quite understand why he

played the cannon into the pink, purely because there was every

chance of pushing that pink into a safe place. I think the probably

just did it to cannon the two reds to the right of the pink. This could

be end of break. Is it his turn for a fluke?

Stuart has got every chance here of playing one of those two reds on the

right-hand side. He could then make the pink available.

Robert Milkins will be very disappointed not to have got more

than 17 in that break. And the way Stuart Bingham played in that first

friend, you'd expect him to finish this. He's always been very strong

in the break-building department, but that's not his best effort.

Now, the pink rose by onto its own spot. Should be a formality from

here now, these next four reds and colours. Very quickly, I think this

is going to be 2-0. Robert Milkins could not have done a thing about

the way the first frame went, but he certainly could have done something

about this one. 2-0 down in first to six is not a disaster, though. But

just circumstances - he is the underdog and he has not always done

well in semifinals. But he's sitting down there and not looking to happy,

and I don't blame him. He looked very assured when he had

this chance - you just felt he was going to do it.

Doesn't mean he's going to win the match, but I would rather be 2-0 up

Darren 2-0 down, no matter who you're playing.

Rob Milkins will have to get his potting boots on. Stuart played very

well last night to come back into his match.

So, Stuart Bingham, with a 67, does 2-0 in front. -- goes. Food, any

sort of food. Hopefully someone like, what's his name, Tom Harvey? I

fell off a roof and Rob both my arms at the same time when I was about

eight. Most people would say I can be a bit annoying. I can be a bit

lazy. I've always got an excuse for fitness things. Apple crumble to

finish. As a kid growing up, I was a Liverpool fan. I could kick up nine

balls in one hand, ten was a bit of a push. I've never done a skydive,

never gone skiing. I was 7-1 up in the final and I ended up losing

11ten. That one, I would always love go back to that. Nice fry up in the

morning, bit of golf, bit of snooker, sunbathing. A romantic meal

at the end with my other half. Very interesting, Cameron Diaz, good

choice of! Lots of sunshine, lots of golf. Loves his football. And he's

obviously a great snooker player. Rob Milkins, his opponent this

evening, we haven't seen too much of him. He will be disappointed he did

not close out that second frame, when he lost position. And he's

looking Dennis Pitta will did again in his chair now. He does not look

in total concentration mode. -- he's looking a little bit bewildered

again in his chair. Switch it off, please. The referee

is asking someone to switch his phone off. Either that or face the

music! Easily done, isn't it? Need your phone on by mistake. -- you

leave your phone on. In the Gulf, they take your phone is off you,

don't they? -- in the golf. That's another good start.

He's looking at the ankle he will have on the black after this red.

And another good chance to get a good break. By playing the cannon

into the pink, he has put the pink out of play. He's going to have to

just work with the black for the moment. He just needs to get a 50 or

so break here, because it's been knocked out of him over the last

couple of frames. Played that one perfectly, he's got

the perfect angle now. If you watch him, he seems to start cueing before

he goes down almost, he's so quick. Walks around as if he owns the

place, Rob, doesn't he? Can be quite imposing on de Jong players he comes

up against in the qualifiers. And more to the point, he can play a

bit. One of his best wins was when he beat Neil Robertson in the World

Championships. Neil Robertson said afterwards, some of the best safety

play he had ever come up against. Decision time, do you play for the

loose red or not? He had to kiss that pink virtually

full ball, and he didn't. Very good recovery, excellent!

And now, I would think he would have to go into the pack again. So he'll

have to play one more good shot. He did not play it like that, but

he'll certainly take it. And it's his turn to put his hand up to his

opponent and say, that's not the way I played it.

TERRY GRIFFITHS: If they're really sorry, why don't they just play a

safety? He's given Stuart Bingham some hope

here. If there can be any good news about missing a black off the spot.

It's the black going safe. He knows he should have won the frame at that

visit, as Terry mentioned. He's still big favourite to do so, but

he's going to have to sweat a little bit now.

He would like to play off the left-hand side of that red, but he's

got to be careful he doesn't bring the black into play, whatever he

does. And this is an excellent shot. Good, clean pot. He didn't take the

risk of playing for blue or pink. You will be pleased to have another

chance. -- he will be pleased. Yes, he certainly needs the black or pink

back on its own spot to have any chance of bringing the other reds

into play. Some players seen it different - he

might decide just to work off the pink. I would not blame him for not

bringing the black into play, it just depends on how they feel. Just

maybe a little bit too far. That black is getting in his way

now, underneath his body. Once again he looked as if he played

for the blue there. What about trying to get the black

in the pocket? I like it, I think it's a good choice. The five points

would leave him 33 behind. Yes, he's taking your choice, Terry, and good

thinking. He would love it to go in, of course, but it does not matter if

it doesn't. It's not an easy safety shock for Robert. The pressure is on

Robert now, because he knows he should have won this frame, missing

the black off the spot. Yes, earlier, he was attacking this

frame, and now, he's on the defensive. That was a poor shot.

He might well look up to the air - he won't get any help up there.

Great pot, and tried to bring that red into play.

The reds, just far enough out from the pocket, he can't just drop it

in. But it's a good chance. It's always easier when you're 2-0 up.

Just got to be a little bit careful of the in-off here.

That's a good shot, that's an excellent pot. You would expect him

to get the next three colours without a problem. Yes, you

mentioned it early on about starting off quickly with a 127. That's the

difference, with these boys who have been in the big finals, semifinals.

The top players can settle down quicker. Robert Milkins looking on.

Stuart needs to finish as close to the pink as possible. That's

perfect. But the pink is missable. This will hurt very, very much,

Robert Milkins was in control of this frame... From that position,

somehow, Robert Milkins managed to lose the frame.

The expression on his face said it all. That will feel like a real kick

in the teeth, punch in the stomach! That will hurt Rob Milkins. I'm sure

when he walked back to his seat, he probably thought, OK, I'm 55 points

ahead, I'm bound to win this frame. And its probably what we thought as

well. Let's have a look at that missed black, which at the time we

did not realise would be so significant perhaps? He tries to

relieve himself in an ideal position, he's missed the black,

it's gone safe. He probably thought, I'll get another chance, and it was

true that Stuart needed to three more visits to the table, but he put

himself in a good position, as Terry suggested. All of a sudden, Rob has

got to play a safety shock off one of the two safe reds. And all of a

sudden, you know that if Stuart goes get -- doesn't yet an opportunity,

they're all there for him. Played a good green onto brown.

And he made a winning clearance, and that will hurt Rob Wilkins. One

frame away from the interval, then, this is a big one for Milkins? A

must-win frame, I feel, for Milkins. The interval can change it, but

against someone with Stuart Bingham's pedigree, it would be a

very tall order to come back from 4-0.

TERRY GRIFFITHS: Penny for your thoughts, Robert Milkins, after

losing that third frame, with the good chances he had in that frame

and the previous one as well. No doubt that Stuart Bingham has

been the better player so far. Perhaps 2-1 would have been a fairer

reflection of the play. There's a reds on the extreme right

there, but I'm not sure he can take that on. He's just playing a very

thin safety. This is a very fast cloth. Rob Milkins can just see the

edge of one of the reds perhaps. In fact he may be able to take this on.

Nothing's easy when you're 3-0 down and you've had some good chances.

The problem is, he can't get round the back of the bunch. So if he goes

for it, he'll have to get it. He came up off that very quickly

click on who hasn't left anything - that's the first bit of good luck

he's had, because hit that terribly. He played it poorly, but it was a

very positive shot. There was a good chance that if he missed it, he was

going to leave it on. Stuart Bingham has only missed three

balls so far. Yesterday against Carrington he dominated the first

four frames, it is a little bit the same so far. I think Stuart Bingham

stuns the ball as well as anybody, that is why his break building is so

good. He has controlled with this done and with these excellent tables

and cloth they can get the spin on it. Back spin and you don't use so

much, or top spin. Stunning the ball, deflecting the natural

reaction of the ball he is potting for the next position. He hits them

quite hard, as well. They hit the back of the pocket, a bit like Neil

Robertson. That was different! I think Robert Milkins should be

playing a few safeties just to settle himself dining get back into

the game, although he is very good at the long pots and is aggressive,

sometimes you need to step back a little bit and think, OK, am I

playing well enough to pot this long ball or should I wait for a better

chance? That was a clever shot. A bit risky.

APPLAUSE. Robert can get past the green, can't

pot the red. APPLAUSE.

He can get to all the reds apart from the one on the left-hand side.

Didn't take it on, he just got it a little bit thick. He was playing the

safety but got too much of the red. Robert Milkins has quite an easy

starter here. Easy for such a good player.

APPLAUSE. He has already had a couple of good

chances in this mini-session, he had the break of 55 in a frame he

definitely should have won in an easier frame. He can't make any more

mistakes. Everything is in the way of one another at the minute. If he

plays for the ones in the middle, there are still a lot of work to do.

For me, he could have played the one on the pink spot and just open more

interplay. -- interplay. This is not a

straightforward red into the middle. Black onto the next red is not

straightforward. Does he have any sort of angle on the black to get

into the bunch? Maybe if you deep screwed, he could. This is the key

pot. He needs an angle on the black to get back into this. He has found

one in the middle of the pack, that helps. Rob, wrong side of the blue!

Whatever you do, don't get on the wrong side of the blue. He is

shaking his head. He is obviously feeling at the moment. It helps a

lot, doesn't it, shaking your head? I don't know why they bother. A lot

of players do it. I suppose it just becomes a habit. Very negative, I

feel. He is not at his best. It is tough

out there. As we always say in commentary, you never settled down

in the big matches until you have a frame on your side of the

scoreboard. You never get much luck if you're

not playing well. It's just how it goes.

That was worth a look. He could of had the green, nice angle to come

down towards the reds. He just can't get that extra important ball to

keep scoring, get more table time. Good try. He would have been on the

black. This red goes into the middle pocket, but it is not as easy as it

looks on the television, into the left pocket.

Well played! APPLAUSE. Another good chance. In

saying that, we are looking at the table and I can't see our red. Can

he run through at pace and go into the pack? He is relying on a bit of

luck here, and he hasn't got any, unless there is a plant. He would

have loved to have gone through the gap between the pink and the red

that is there, but he just had the other red. There is a very easy

safety shot in behind the green. He would like to have come through the

gap between the two reds the, but he hit the other red. He needs to find

the baulk, that Stewart under some pressure. -- temp one under some

pressure. That was a risky safety shot to play. He played at a bit

thin, I thought. He has always been unorthodox, Robert. He plays a lot

of shots were the selection is different to others. That is well

played. OK, he didn't get behind the green, but the angle he played that,

he could have gone behind green or yellow. That is a cracker! He needs

the White to stop. If he had been 3-0 in front, the

black would've been unmissable. You just don't play that with the same

confidence that you would do normally. Once again, it could be

the same patronising the previous frames, he has a chance, but leaves

Stuart Bingham with all the easy work to do. And he has split the

reds into a really good position. Stuart has been clearing up with

good shots and good breaks, and when he get this chance he will be very

confident that he can do it again. He is OK. Red into the top left

corner, another into the left centre, back for the black. You see

how he went into those, trying to be positive, opened the reds. It

doesn't always work for you, but you have to go that way. Back in prime

position now. This is not looking good for Robert Wilkins -- Robert

Milkins. He is favoured now to go 4-0. Robert Milkins will be

thinking, how come I did not win two of the frames? This is not perfect

to get onto the next colour. Probably screw for the pink or blue

here. Decides to play for the blue. The other red up there is handy.

There is one further down the table, he can get that. He made that the

pink back on the spot, pot it after the next red. He certainly has the

angle. One of these situations where the pink is not necessarily the

right ball because it could tie up a couple of reds, but he didn't have

the right angle. So, ten points behind, but everything is in open

play. I'm sure Rob is thinking on his chair that things haven't gone

for him, but sometimes you need to earn the right to get a good run.

I remember the players I work with, I generally tell them I don't want

them talking about luck to meet. If you're on the phone and say you have

been unlucky, I will just put the phone down. One of them said to me

once, I had a new tip on, I had been struggling with my tip for a few

days. I said, congratulations, you are the first-ever professional

player to lose to a tip, and I put the phone down!

He doesn't have the greatest of angles on the black.

He did play that very well. If he had put it in plain ball this red

would have been a quarter ball. He has now become strong favourite to

take this free and go into a 4-0 lead. It

looks like a certainty the way the reds are set, but if you don't get

in the right position, like you didn't get on the black there and

you have this done the pink with a lot of pace, it can go wrong, no

matter how good you are playing. It seems to be a lot easier when you

are a 3-0 in front! Robert Milkins was trying to make things work,

ended up low on the black and he missed it. He's not looking good on

that chair, is he? That is another shop where he didn't get on the

black is intended. It was a little bit thin and the other problem was

he had to just avoid the red with a gentle cue action. He played it

well. He is now 26 points in front. APPLAUSE. That is a killer. Although

we were saying that Rob could've won a few frames, Stuart Bingham has

made 127, 67, 41, and 68 here, to be fair. A thin cut on the green.

APPLAUSE. Surely he can't pot the brown from

the? -- little bit thin. Robert Milkins has

had enough. He is 4-0 down against Stuart Bingham.

Well at 15 minute interval that Stuart Bingham will enjoy and Robert

Milkins will in due. Not a great freedom for Robert Milkins and you

wonder what will be going through his head during this brick

questioner plots of negative thoughts. At least it is not the

best of nine, it is best of 11 in the semifinal. Rob will know that to

put any pressure on Stuart Bingham he needs to come out and win the

next two frames. For having to he is back in the match and has created a

bit of pressure for Stuart Bingham. Robert Milkins had a few chances,

after the horrible first frame where Stuart Bingham had that Rob and went

on to make 127. Rob here gets a tremendous long red. Clean pot. He

knows that if he can get this black he will probably go on and win the

frame. The frame that he lost before made it all the more difficult to

get that black. Stuart Bingham will not miss when he has handed back the

initiative. Stuart is very good when he is in arrears and needs a winning

clearance. He is very good to make a seven-day break to steal away a

frame. Do you agree with what Terry was saying, maybe that Robert

Milkins should play more safety shots as to what you said the beauty

of his game is that he is courageous, he will play long,

attractive shots, but should he be less adventurous at times? He will

probably reflect on what has gone on in that match. He has missed a few

pots that you wouldn't expect him to miss. We have seen some tremendous

pots and some rudimentary mistakes. He has been playing for colours, but

he knows that if he misses the pots that he has gone for, like the one

word he was on the black, but he knew that potting the black and

going into the reds he would be in trouble if you missed it, and he

was. He knows he just has to play better. When he gets opportunities,

tried to kill the frame. A lot of hard work ahead for Robert Milkins.

They are fighting for the right to face Judd Trump into moral's final.

Let's remind you of how he overcame Scott Donaldson earlier on, the rank

outsider at 77th in the world. Judd Trump raced into a 4-1 lead before

Scott Donaldson started to ease into the game, making it 4-3. We join the

match at frame eight. Scott Donaldson is at the table.

WILLIE THORNE:, where is the red gone? That was a bad shot. He missed

that by a long way. The black is available.

APPLAUSE. And the black is on. Scott will be

so disappointed with themselves there. He almost had the red on the

wrong side! He hit it straight on! Now Judd has a good position on the

black. Just when Scott Donaldson was

getting back into this match, he has let one slip here. It goes back to

the brown that he got and didn't finish up on the two reds that were

above the black. He knew that was a chance to score heavily. He will now

be 5-3 behind. Judd Trump will be relieved after having lost the

previous frame from 50 in front. Just a red and any colour for job to

re-establish a two frame lead. -- for Judd Trump to re-establish our

two frame lead. He just needs one more frame to book his place into

the final tomorrow. Make a century break. He needs to pot the high

value colours with the remaining reds. He already made that

magnificent clearance in the first frame of 131, not a total clearance,

but almost. Great break nevertheless. He followed it up in

the next frame with a 55. Since then, his highest one has been 65.

He hasn't done a lot of heavy scoring. It has been more Scott

Donaldson with 75, 45, 72 has got back into the match. He will know he

is about to be a couple of frames adrift of Judd again, to dine with

three to play, potentially. APPLAUSE. That didn't look all,

but... What a great shot at walls. -- it was. Could just make a century

with a clearance to the black, his second of the match. Can he get an

angle on the brown to dislodge the blue, or could he can and the blues

leaving himself on the brown? Difficult to know what he played

there! Well, I am looking forward to this

shot. This would be a Judd Trump special. Our power shot up the

cushion. This would take some doing. No temp three. What a shame. 82 from

Judd Trump more than enough to re-establish a lead of two frames.

Just needs one more frame to put himself into the final tomorrow.

Trump is just one frame at this point, away from the final. Frame

number nine, Donaldson at the table, scores level at 14-14.

Oh dear. He was a little bit anxious on that one. I think he played that

shop with disappointment -- in that shop with disappointment at not

being perfect on the blue. He has had some chances in this match. He

will look back and realise he had every chance to be Judd Trump today.

That is absolutely right. Considering his performance in

yesterday's round in the last of 16, he played so well in that match,

dominating his young Chinese opponent. If he was playing to that

level today I think he would be winning this match.

Usually these top players close the match out when they have chances

like this. He doesn't have to worry about the couple of reds on the side

cushion because he can win the match with the reds in the middle of the

table. It has been workmanlike from Judd Trump today. He hasn't played

anywhere near his best. He scored better than he did against Barry

Hawkins yesterday. Wherever -- whoever he plays in the final he

will have to tighten that side of his game up.

This has been better from Judd. No signs of him losing positions were

missing pots. He just needs one more red to secure his place in the final

tomorrow. APPLAUSE.

What a great tournament that young man has had. Win or lose he will

gained lots of experience. When he looks back, he will realise how to

stick into winning this match. Apart from a few silly shots when he was

in the balls, losing position, he could have been in front. Judd

trying to force into the red to bring it into play. He will have to

play a double on his next visit. No century to finish, but I imagine

Judd will be pleased to have managed to win. He came away with this match

convincingly in the end. It is Judd Trump who goes into another major

final. I think it was a bit tough at some

points out there. I started out well, got myself in front, which I

needed to, but in the middle of the game it went against the little bit.

Things started to go wrong in a little bit, a bit of luck went his

way and the match turned a little bit. It was important for me at 4-3

to make that break and stamp my authority and kill it off in the

last frame. Overall, I am pleased that I've finished and started the

match, but in the final I need to tighten up in the middle.

What to you to the night before a final, what will he be doing,

relaxing, locking himself away? Well, he will certainly want an

evening meal by then he will pick a restaurant he likes, or maybe ill be

watching our coverage this evening of the second semifinal! He will

like to see how the other guys form. I think it is a good idea to do

that. Obviously, you don't want to see Stuart Bingham knocking in four

centuries in a row! But he will look forward to the final and relax and

not do anything too strenuous and make sure he gets plenty of rest and

early to bed tickle what about what he might want to do better in the

final, what will he want to improve on? You'd have to ask him. He might

say to you, if Scot Donaldson had put me under more pressure, I might

have played better. He might say, do you know what, my focus was not good

today. He might think, I missed a couple of pots, I might want to go

on the practice table and work on a couple of specific shots, safety

shots, whatever it might be. You would have to ask Judd that, but his

preparation will be perfect for the match tomorrow. Most importantly, it

is all about up here, keeping yourself in the right place, so

you're ready to do battle. Briefly, who will he be up against? He has

got to get a couple of frames now, so I am fancying Stuart Bingham. We

are almost ready for the second session. Let's take you back live to

our MC, Rob Walker. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your

players back into the arena, Stuart Bingham and Robert Milkins!

And back to our commentary team of Tory Griffiths and Willie Thorne.

WILLIE THORNE: Thanks, Ian. I'm sure Rob Milkins would not necessarily

having joined his 15 minute break there. He would have been

reminiscing on what could have been. For now, it's time to make sure what

can be. Milkins will have to make sure that Stuart struggles to get

over the line in this match. TERRY GRIFFITHS: Stuart may have

learned something from what happened yesterday, who knows? But at times,

just because you're 4-0 in front, it does not mean you will necessarily

continue to play well. Was well played, touching ball, is

it? No. Stuart has a chance to get the cue

ball in a good position down in the baulk area. Can he get past this red

on the right-hand side to the potting angle? It looks tight, very

tight. So he's taking the other one. Good pot to get started. Yes, he's

got a perfect angle to bring the pink into play. And that's what he's

done. He deserves everything he gets from this. He's been in this

position a couple of times in the opening four frames, and not scored

enough. Somehow he's going to have to turn this into a frame-winning

opportunity. The pink is still out of play at the

moment. In his favour, of course, he's only

got to drop this in. Oh, he's pushed it. He's obviously edgy out there.

The problem when you're out there playing in these big events, this is

a semifinal, you've got to have some evidence you're playing well, not on

the practice table, but out there, at the moment. And he doesn't have

any, I'm afraid. When you're behind in a match, nothing's easy, Terry.

When you look at the first red Henoch in, that was a much tougher

shot than that black. But there again, he knew that if he missed the

black, he would be leaving Stuart Bingham in, and that in itself

creates doubt. Well, there's not much on here,

either. They're not easy at that case, when you split the pack. -- at

that pace. Stuart Bingham, of course, has been

given a lot of opportunities by Rob Milkins so far in this match. And so

far, he's taken a lot of them. Just got to avoid the first red - which

she has done. -- which he has done. He did that nicely. Not got an angle

to get onto the black, but he can get top side of the blue again, and

get down to the business end from there. He would be very disappointed

if he did not score enough into his visit to win the frame. -- in this

visit. Well, can you believe that? Could

not have put the ball is better by hand, and somehow, he's finished in

the only position which is no good. He'll be horrified to have played

that shot that way. Could that be a turning point?

Robert Milkins has got to take some confidence from that.

Good to see him taking his time, not rushing into a safety shot. Settling

itself back down after that mistake. He was just off straight, and' trade

difficult. The only good thing was that the double kiss made it go

safe. Otherwise he would have left them all on again for Stuart.

He played the double, but I don't think he got the white in the

position he wanted. I'm not sure of Rob Milkins is happy enough to go

for these long pots now. They're very risky. Just playing the safety.

Cunning down to have a look at the red to the right of the pink. He can

play it as a shot to nothing. He would have the yellow available,

should he pot it. A little bit short of pace, and he

may have left the pot on for Robert, unless the blue has come to the

rescue. These are not easy when you're 4-0 behind. If he had been

4-0 in front, that would have gone in like a rabbit down the drain

pipe. Plenty to think about in his chair -

where he has been for a long time in this match. Could not really get

much control on the cue ball there. A few reds have gone on the cushion

now - they were wide open. He struck that nice. You've got to time those

perfectly. Didn't want to get too much backspin.

He's making it hard for himself. OK, he should make this, but...

That looks easy, but it's not, is it? Stun run-through, but you have

to play it perfectly, which he has done. Frame-winning opportunity now.

Once again, this has been a frame in which Milkins has had two half

chances. Should have sprung the previous frame, definitely should

have won frame three. I think we are underestimating how

well Stuart has played. His break-building has been very good,

he looks very steady. Although he has been given a lot of chances, he

still has to make them. When you're in the interval 4-0 behind, why

can't you be saying to yourself, why can't I dominate the next four? ,

but it's so hard to get yourself in that frame of mind when you're

behind, isn't it? Well, because I work with quite a few players,

normally, when they're playing well, they're very happy, but as soon as

they start to miss a few, straightaway, they feel it's never

going to Galway. -- never going to go away. Let's be honest, when

you're 4-0 down and struggling, it's not easy.

If you're 4-0 down against Ronnie or Stephen Hendry, it can be different.

But when you're missing them, you're thinking, why am I missing them now

but not in practice? All of these things come into it. It's all about

the mind, isn't it? This red in the middle is definitely

missable. He's 51 points in front, if this goes in, he's a certainty to

win the frame. It was missable, but made to look very, very simple. That

was as good a shot as he's played in the match.

Well, the breaks continue. Stuart Bingham would be leading against any

player in the world at the minute, away these days. -- the way he's

played. Bingham looks to be in prime form. Robert Milkins has to do the

impossible - win six frames on the trot. Yes, it's looking like Bingham

against Trump tomorrow in the Welsh Open final. And we're going to CN

example of where he had an opportunity to do something,

Dominic, but just couldn't take it? It's tough when you're 4-0 behind.

He smashes the brown in, gets the next red, and gets on the back. He

knows if he gets that black, everything's there for him. Misses

it, and of course, they're all there for Stuart Bingham. Yes, he has

ultimately been seizing each opportunity that he has been given,

Stuart Bingham. We can see the head going down from the Kings. We hear

from our producer that he was out in the car park during the interval,

Robert Milkins, quite despondent, saying, things are not going his

way. That's typical Rob. I have known him for many, many years. Is

the kind of character, if you were to tell him that the tip on his cue

was not very good, he would take that to heart and probably change

it. Believe me, when he goes out there to play the next frame, he'll

be trying. The knows what he has got to do. He will have won matches from

4-0 down. OK, he's got to win six out of six - unlikely, though.

Somebody like Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, would never give in.

Rob might do. You think, wave the white flag? Not necessarily in so

many words, but he's that kind of character. He might try and pot his

way into position, he may as well have a go, he's at the point of no

return. Nothing to lose now for Robert Milkins. Getting ready to

break off in this sixth frame. Willie Thorne, Terry Griffiths, take

us through it, if you would. TERRY GRIFFITHS: Robert Milkins, not

the position he would have liked before the match, for sure. He's too

good a player to be 5-0 down, but you've got to respect what Stuart

has done. When he's had the opportunities, he has not missed

anything easy, really. Just one or two, but generally pretty deadly in

the balls. Perhaps Rob will be able to relax a little bit now. We have

seen that happened many times before and things turn around a bit.

As you can tell, the crowd are definitely on his side now - always

the same with the underdog. Lovely catch, that.

WILLIE THORNE: Robert Milkins now cannot get back into baulk. Now,

Stuart is left with a very, very easy safety shot.

There's a face that some of you will know, Chris Gunter, Wales and

Reading footballer. Great footballer. Not sure he would get in

the Leicester side, but great player. The way things are going, I

think anybody could get in the Leicester side before long!

Disappointing, after them doing so well last year. Talking about doing

so well, that's an excellent safety shot from Stuart. Where's the red

going? He may have just got away with it.

Stuart may be forced into taking this red on - he's got hampered

cueing for NFT others. -- for any of the others. Brilliant. I heard the

word foul. I did not see it myself. We may get the chance to see it

again... Let's have a little look what

happened here. Yes. The green moved an inch or so. It was some shot,

wasn't it? It's not nice to see players getting

whitewashed. It's not much difference between the players,

although Stuart is a better player, he's number two in the world,

though. Yes, it is not a 6-0 game, isn't he? , is it? There has been a

couple of times when he would have scored more. But make no mistake but

Milkins is a very good player. Excellent safety shot from Stuart.

Just played a defensive safety there, there was no other options.

He's looking round for a pot, by the look of it.

What a shot that was. If ever you get the chance to go on a snooker

table, try and play that shot. You could be there for months ago and he

played it in such a way, look where the cue ball finished. That was a

shot for something, rather than a shot for nothing.

I don't think he's on anything. He might just be able to squeeze past.

Although it is deceptive from the commentary box. In fact it is a

straightforward pot, it's just controlling the cue ball that he's

worried about. What has impressed me the most about Stuart this evening,

OK, his break-building has been excellent, but I don't think he has

ever finished the wrong side of the blue in the match. That in turn has

given him the opportunity to get on to the next ball without going in

and out of baulk, which makes such a difference. And now, without any

question, this is a chance for frame and match.

World amateur champion of course. Not many have won the world amateur

and professional. Ken Doherty, of course. In your career did you play

in the world amateur? I did once. In South Africa. Lost in the

quarterfinal to Silvino Francisco. The first time never been abroad.

Those were the days! These players that are playing top-class snooker

these days are abroad every other week. It is a worldwide game now.

This young man of the table, her favourite in pretty much every

tournament he plays in. Maybe he is due to win one. Could be tomorrow.

He could have done without red pushed a little bit further to the

right. It is still possible. Obviously, the easier red is the one

next to the pink, but if he plays this one, 31 points in front, he

would only need the five reds in the middle, with need to worry about the

ones on the cushion. He will be very pleased with that

shot. -- will not be very pleased. He will need to play this off the

left-hand job, he has played the stun. That is what I was talking

about earlier, he is very strong with his stunning shot. Very

accurate. At the pace he had that, the ball was only moving a little

bit. He doesn't seem to make many mistakes only gets amongst the

balls. This is one of temp one's best performances of the season for

me. I glanced at the scoreboard would

tell him that he is very close to winning.

One more red required, and Robert Milkins will know it is all over. I

feel sorry for Robert. He hasn't played bad enough to lose 6-0, for

certain. Such fine margins when you play top-class snooker.

I know it doesn't make any difference, but it would be nice if

he could go out with her century. He made 127 in the first frame.

APPLAUSE. Stuart doesn't shout a lot, but he

will be delighted with this performance. It is amazing the way

this tournament has gone, all of the seeds dropping by the wayside, but

we will still have a final with some of the best players in the world. He

decided not to play the cannon. He is getting far too many, they are

coming to take him away, Terry! A siren in the background.

If he gets this in, it will certainly be a century. Well done.

Some people say he is not playing so well, but the truth is his number

two the world. The century, then, the second one in this match for

Stuart Bingham, together with a couple of 60s and the 71. It has

been her very disappointing night for Robert Milkins, but Stuart

Bingham is absolutely delighted, of course. He will be in the final

tomorrow to play against the fourth seed, Judd Trump.

Yes, very warm applause for Stuart Bingham. Congratulations to him, the

world number two into a second Welsh Open final. Commiserations to Robert

Milkins, not his day at all. It will be Stuart Bingham against Judd Trump

in the final, live on the BBC tomorrow. He will be happy just to

linger around in the arena a bit longer. Brady good stuff, Dominic,

from Stuart Bingham this evening. That has to be his best performance

of the tournament. He started the match of the century and entered it

with one. He did, indeed. That is one of the best Stuart Bingham

performances I have seen for several months now. That is exactly how you

would like to win a semifinal going into a final tomorrow. I am looking

forward to a great match tomorrow. It is probably the one that a lot of

neutrals would want to see. A word on Robert Milkins, you have to feel

sorry for him. The portents weren't good. That incredible temp three

that Stuart Bingham had in the first frame when he then went on to score

127. That put Rob on the back foot straightaway. On another day he

could have got back to 2-2 in the interval, he had a couple of

chances, but when he made a mistake Stuart jump on those chances. That's

what champions do. Let's hear from the man who will face Judd Trump in

the final tomorrow. Many congratulations. 4-0 last night

then you were still going for a couple of hours. That is the quality

we know you have got, the way you breathlessly finished the match.

Yet, it all started on our fluke. Massive fluke in the first, to make

a hundred from the settled me down and put Rob on the back foot. I

punished him for every mistake you made. At 4-0 I was thinking of last

night, but just try to keep my focus, and they did. Did you really

have to sit down and think about this match after the manner of which

Stuart managed to get back into you last night? It wasn't fluent at the

end last night and it together but if your determination to get into

the semifinal. Definitely, 100%. You get to the semifinals and you should

be buzzing, but after scraping through last night I was working

back on my game today on the practice table. I kept my focus

tonight and got the job done quickly. Looking ahead to tomorrow,

these are the kind of matches that made you first pick up a cue. New,

the world number two, up against Judd Trump, almost on his own

backyard, you must be looking forward to the challenge and

occasion. When I first picked up my cue Judd was on the live! We have

had some great matches will start yet, looking forward to it.

Hopefully it'll be a high-quality match. You have gone so close.

Stephen only just got one over you in Newport. Not quite as good as

winning the world title, but it could be a special moment if you

were to win this. Definitely. Every tournament I going to want to win.

Every tournament is like a World Championship. It has some good

vibes, this venue, it was the first one I ever qualified for. The Welsh

Open has been nice to me. It would be nice to get my hands on the new

trophy. Well done tonight. See you for the final tomorrow. It will be

epic. Thanks. He has had a smile on his face

throughout the week. I make its six final saw semifinals this season, so

he is probably feeling that he is due a win. Who would you put money

on? When two years in a final, a lot of the time, whether the final is

one lost, it is based on Judd's performances. When he is at its

absolute best he is one of the hardest players to get on top of. If

Judd is having a bad day and starts missing some of the balls,

especially like you did today in the semifinal, if Stuart can take charge

of the way that he did this evening, he will put Judd under pressure and

it will be up to Judd to respond. If I'm going to try and guess what will

happen in the final, I think it will be met and tuck all the way and I

don't think there will be more than three frames of it either way. A

classic? Could be. Two guys who are accustomed to big venues, big match

atmosphere is and they will love to bring out there at a game and show

the Welsh public good they are. Dominic, thank you, how we got

shocks and top players go out early. In the end, two of the top stars

going out in the final for you tomorrow, Stuart Bingham against

your home. We start at one o'clock on BBC Two Wales. Don't miss it.

Good night from all of us. Robert Burns. Bagpipes. Stovies.

Billy Connolly, yeah.