Day 13 Snooker: World Championship Highlights

My best snooker will come out now. I have played some good stuff, but

have been patchy. There will be nothing better to me than when at

last year, have the euro off and when it's this year. That would be

a dream. A lot of pressure, but I have nothing to lose. Let's see

what happens. These are the tournament that really count. The

whole world is seeing what you're doing. It is important to show that

I can play the game to a high level. Hello again in what is always a

very special day in the world to go championships. It is the start of

the semi-finals. The Crucible Theatre has been rearranged and all

of our focus is on one table, two matches and the four men who have

battled through the competition to get here. If you were with us

earlier, you will know that we were engrossed in the second of her

semi-finals between the new boys at this competition. It is Ricky

Walden of Chester and Barry Hawkins of Dartford. There are ranked 13

and 14 in the world. Great friends and both have claimed big titles

before. Ricky with the slight edge in their previous contests winning

four of their previous seven. It was Ricky Walden who settled very

quickly, even knocking in a century, his 4th of this year's event on the

way to a 3-1 advantage at the interval. That's where we left it

earlier. We will pick it back up again in the fifth frame. Ricky

Walden to play. Willie Thorne and This red could be left on, unless

WILLIE: Once again come every time see seems to pot a ball he end up

on the cushion! I know! It is like a magnet, isn't it? It doesn't make

Tough shots, but he played it well. OK, it could have been held but the

fact that all we had to do was caught its, but, believe me,

That double-kiss might have worked on his favour! This cup -- this

double-kiss just brought into play. Not straight forward to win the

frame at this visit, but he is giving himself a chance. He could

That is his highest break of the match so far. He needs this black

Well, he is just about on it. He would have liked to have been a

little bit straighter. This will put and 33 points ahead with just

27 remaining. -- him 33 points ahead. Just made sure of the red,

You would have thought they were too many snookers required for

Indeed, that was enough for this year's Australian Open champion to

turn within -- to get within one of When you consider he tried to get

to the baulk cushion, you can see how far he under hate that. --

That is a better pot. That it go on the black, so it will be tricky. He

got that right in the heart of the pocket. That seemed to have a

little bounce when the Bulls made contact, the cue ball and the

object ball. Nicely played. He had He needs to get back into his

stride, Ricky. He played lovely in the first to frames. This is the

kind of speed he likes to play. He was down at 16 seconds a shot after

the first to frames, and it has gone up to 21. He is a much better

He had to force an angle. He is OK. He will probably have to use the

Decided not to do much with the cue ball. You wouldn't expect him to

miss this. If it is straight, just I am just looking if that pink is

Another heavy contact. This table hasn't played the World tonight, to

be honest with you. I don't think it is not the mode of position, but

it is just let the cue ball a little bit closer to the side

This could be the key shot. He will have to play the cannon. He has got

to go into them. You always need a It has worked out perfectly, good

shot! He could not have played that He seems to be in fine form when he

is in among the balls. When things When he gets in, things look very

good. The table seems to be playing Inch-perfect on the blue. 57 points

in the lead. This will put and 62 in front. Just 67 remaining. Just

the red, and the colour, and Barry Hawkins will stay in his seat.

Ricky has already made a century break in the match, a wonderful

break of 105. Chance of another one He will be reluctant to play on the

pink, because I think that will I don't think he is on the red next

This has been an excellent break. Really well played. When you

consider what has happened in the previous two frames, to produce

this wonderful display of break- building is quite a shock to the

system for Barry Hawkins. I'm sure he felt he was getting back in the

match. That is his 5th century of An excellent break of 112. Snookers

-- super snooker. He came back to form with a vengeance there!

Ricky Walden, a double world ranking event winner, looking very

assured in his first Crucible semi- final. But, Barry Hawkins is gone

You have been intimating that this table isn't playing well. In the

last couple of shots, I don't think Barry Hawkins would disagree with

you. He is getting no action out of the ball. I thought it was maybe

pension in the arm, but it has continued. I think when they are in

the balls it is OK, but when they have to do anything to do with the

cue ball, play off one or two cushions, it comes about through a

It could be tough to cure this often one visit, but he is such a

great break-builder, he may well do you! He would like to get the

Blacon its spot. -- that black on It looks like he has played for one

of the is -- one of the reds down the side. He will have to play

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He has just gone a little bit too far. He doesn't want to play for

that red on the cushion, but he He is 16 points behind nine. --

If he plays the one along the top cushion with any speed whatsoever,

you wouldn't fancy him to pot it. He didn't have to do a lot with the

cue ball. That is what made it very I wonder if he will play a deep

screw and get it on the one on the Lovely shot. Lovely shot. Just put

that little bit of sight and bounce past the it red. -- a little bit of

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Too much speed. And they're always The only problem here is the angle

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Can Barry get to their red beneath He has misjudged that. He has left

Nothing have hard is being potted Wicky knows that if he wins this,

at the end of the session he will have at least at two-frame

Just misses the middle pocket. Now it is all about position from

He needs yellow, green, brown and He made a marvellous break in the

last frame of 119. But this frame could have gone either way. Barry

Just that blue needed. This frame is over. Ricky Walden now stretches

his lead to three frames. Just one more to be played. Barry Hawkins

just leaving the arena. The semi finals are the best of 33

frames and played over four sessions. In the go to the last

He caught it much too thick, but it It could go back behind the yellow

Goodness me! That is just amazing to me how he could have hit it so

badly. Unbelievable. He hit it so badly he just pushed the cue ball

into the red. What a chance for Ricky will be wondering how he

played such a bad safety shot as that. Surely Barry can get through

to this black? He looks as though It is hard work this evening for

The blue is slightly in the wake. Everything he is doing is going

wrong. You would have thought he It was always difficult to get him

around the brown and yellow. But I expected him to make a better fist

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That is another weak safety. The No. Just keeps hitting everything

too thick. Perhaps putting an Needs to slow down the cue ball. He

fully committed to that shot. Fair That puts him 41 points in the lead.

One red, black and one more red would be enough. And in a way I

suppose that is a fair reflection of what they have shown us to night,

that score line. The way that Barry has played, unfortunately. That is

just about the best he could have got out of this session, the way he

has played. Ricky struggling a bit as well tonight. When he is not in

and around the blackspot it has been hard work for him as well. But

they have done remarkably well to get here. It has been one of those

evenings. And I think Barry Hawkins is going to concede. Ricky Walden

takes quite a lead for the first session.

A very solid start from Ricky Walden. The other it semi- had the

look and feel of a major final. Two of the most exciting players of

their respective generations. 37 year-old Ronnie O'Sullivan and 23

year-old Judd Trump. Some verbal sparring in the build up including

another threat of retirement from Ronnie O'Sullivan. Here he is with

his own brand of naughty snooker, Once again hinting at retirement,

so let us enjoy every single second. And it certainly was entertaining.

Ronnie shot to a lead early on and we pick up after the interval in

That is in the pocket! No easy red available. Can he find a path? For

He did find a path back down the table. But he had to due that one

very well. -- cue. Well judged, Once again it has been a pattern in

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He will be leaving an angle on the black to go into the bunch of reds.

He would like to cannon. There are This is the best start for Ronnie

after the interval. Left that a little bit short. Played for the

two reds to the right. I do not know if he can reach this. And a

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Looks like O'Sullivan is going to take a 4-1 lead. Ronnie had that

fabulous opening pot. A couple more Ronnie's highest break is 75 in

this semi-final so far. The frame is safe now. Is he a bit thin on

the blue? That was a little bit thin. Had to play for the loose one.

Ronnie made 53 centuries last season. This season he made seven,

he has hardly played. No century, but he takes the frame.

Warning signs for the judge Trump. But he hit back to claim the next

two frames and go into the last frame of the session just one

In the end I do not think he quite made his mind up. He could have

taken that red and played it thin. He would have had an easier return.

Judd can play the cannon on the four reds. Or he can play off the

baulk cushion. It all depends. That will do. He is coming towards the

cushion but he is an left-hander Does this Red Hot? -- pot. Has he

gone far enough for the cue ball? It looks a little tight. He is

going to take the slightly more I kinky is going to have to play

for the red that he's in the black cushion. -- I think he. Has he

finished straight on this? He needs a slight angle. That is all he

needed. This is the key shot. The White could hit those reds and

Any cannon and he would be unlucky not to get on one. And that looks

As I said earlier, if he was to take this frame and Lovell it after

being behind, it would be a good day's work. -- level. I was

starting to think there was warning signs. We all know how good Ronnie

O'Sullivan is when he gets an lead. But this has been a good

performance from Judd Trump. He has showed great character to get back

into this match. Ronnie O'Sullivan has never been behind yet. In any

of his matches. He is not going to be behind in this session. Soak it

will make the first frame of tomorrow's session very interesting

94% against 87%. Well ahead in the pop success Department. And also in

the long pot success department. This is the last chance relief for

O'Sullivan. You would expect Judd Trump to take the frame here.

gets nicely on a colour, but he is not. And Ronnie has not lost this

brain just yet. He needs to play. - - frame. It is there and he is on

What a great start this has been to this semi-final. We knew it was

going to be a cracking match. We have had everything. Some superb

tactical play from both players. Someone has decided it is time to

I wonder how hard he will heed these? You will have to watch out

on the front row. It is still on the table. That is a pretty good

comeback from Judd Trump. He has got the last three frames. What a

semi-final we have got here. We're all-square at four frames each.

Well this is already live warm up to its star billing. Ronnie and

judged will return for part two of their already compelling contest at