:01:06. > :01:12.A very nerve wracking evening for those players, hoping to land a
:01:13. > :01:18.dream semifinal at the 2016 World Championships. Good evening. The
:01:19. > :01:21.highlights from another cracking day here at the Crucible Theatre in
:01:22. > :01:28.Sheffield. One man already through to the semifinals is the 2014 world
:01:29. > :01:35.champion. The world one Mark Selby held the challenge by Kyren Wilson
:01:36. > :01:45.to clinch a 13-8 win and reach the semifinals. Mark Selby. It was a
:01:46. > :01:51.tough game, always tough against Kyren Wilson, our band coming player
:01:52. > :01:54.with a fantastic season and that is shown by what he has achieved and
:01:55. > :02:00.breaking into the top 16 so a tough match. He will play the winner of
:02:01. > :02:08.the match between Barry Hawkins and Marco Fu. The man from Hong Kong was
:02:09. > :02:14.9-1 up at one stage before the second session, trailing 10-6. Barry
:02:15. > :02:26.Hawkins winning the next three. Leading by 41-14. And a break of 32.
:02:27. > :02:44.If you look at the shot, he could have played for the pink. If he had
:02:45. > :02:49.missed that at a gentle pace he would not have left anything on. He
:02:50. > :03:04.did not see that one, obviously. That was an excellent part,
:03:05. > :03:14.considering the circumstances. 26 points behind. He has a lot to do.
:03:15. > :03:33.This is a chance for Marco Fu to get some points together, red and pinks.
:03:34. > :03:45.He is OK. Under the circumstances, this will probably be the best
:03:46. > :04:16.breaking has played in his life. -- break. Very good at the moment.
:04:17. > :04:25.I wonder if he plays this slowly and pushes through the reds to play for
:04:26. > :04:27.that pink in the middle. Nicely on the pink in the middle. And playing
:04:28. > :04:51.the outside red. Just a little bit of mental
:04:52. > :04:55.arithmetic... If he takes two reds and pinks, he can go without taking
:04:56. > :05:19.the pink. To find that out under this pressure
:05:20. > :05:26.would be a wonderful achievement for Marco Fu under these circumstances.
:05:27. > :05:53.Just coming at the wrong time. With that movement.
:05:54. > :06:04.Can you just stop moving for a second, please? People going up the
:06:05. > :06:19.stairs or in his byline. -- are in his byline.
:06:20. > :06:44.This has been a remarkable performance, Marco Fu could not
:06:45. > :06:49.support any ball in the last few frames and he has suddenly find
:06:50. > :06:52.something from nowhere. This is the key shot. Trying to get onto the
:06:53. > :07:06.blue, which would be the frame ball. And more importantly, can the pot
:07:07. > :07:11.the blue? There will be no Felix with this shot, with the black being
:07:12. > :07:12.safe, he does not have to worry about missing it, just play that
:07:13. > :07:33.slowly. -- heroics. Incredible. His mind was in a jam
:07:34. > :07:36.jar and he has produced at the right time to go into the interval with a
:07:37. > :07:55.possible 11-9 lead. Absolutely incredible. One of the
:07:56. > :07:58.best frames we have seen in the championship so far, Marco Fu
:07:59. > :08:04.digging as deep as he could to keep that lead, owing into the interval.
:08:05. > :08:08.And he won the next frame thanks to the break of 93, and after this
:08:09. > :08:13.amazing fightback by Barry Hawkins, Marco Fu needs just one frame to
:08:14. > :08:17.move into the semifinal. Frame 22, Marco Fu playing and just the blue,
:08:18. > :08:35.pink and black remaining... Where is the blue going? It is time
:08:36. > :08:39.to attempt the blue. If it goes on, I would fancy him to win this frame,
:08:40. > :09:04.and if he misses it, he is sure to leave it.
:09:05. > :09:11.He needed a little bit of luck and this time he has not got any. Marco
:09:12. > :09:16.Fu, with the straight blue to win the frame and the match and go into
:09:17. > :09:18.his second semifinal. And what a match it has been. Barry Hawkins
:09:19. > :09:38.thinks this is the end. It is hard to put words into what is
:09:39. > :09:41.going on in this match. Barry Hawkins seems destined to get back
:09:42. > :09:57.into this match. Marco Fu did not butcher that.
:09:58. > :10:09.Seeing that the -- blue going back out, that would be disappointing.
:10:10. > :10:19.Pink and black. For the frame. A frame that Barry Hawkins has never
:10:20. > :10:35.really looked like winning. Deep breath.
:10:36. > :10:43.Barry Hawkins somehow pulls up out of the bag and Marco Fu is still
:10:44. > :10:48.leading. Three to play. Just how costly will that we? Barry Hawkins
:10:49. > :10:54.won the next frame with breaks of 48 and 80 to make it 12-11. The next,
:10:55. > :11:11.Marco Fu playing, trailing by 25. He needs a colour to come to his
:11:12. > :11:15.rescue. And it has not. Just not happening, is it, for Marco Fu at
:11:16. > :11:23.the moment? He cannot get a very clear-cut chance. Barry Hawkins has
:11:24. > :11:26.upped the ante. He is playing much better than he was earlier on. There
:11:27. > :11:56.is less chances coming your way. Well played. Playing slowly for the
:11:57. > :11:57.black, he stood up, and he fully committed himself, it was the right
:11:58. > :12:02.shot. Amazing to think that this could go
:12:03. > :12:14.to 12-12. He does not have too play any more
:12:15. > :12:38.kisses. It opens up. Remarkable, absolutely remarkable.
:12:39. > :12:41.Two of the easiest shots he would ever miss in his life to put the
:12:42. > :13:14.match beyond doubt. Barry Hawkins has jumped on those mistakes.
:13:15. > :13:26.Barry Hawkins made 48, I think, and 80, in the previous frame.
:13:27. > :13:36.Short of pace, but still on the red. The problem is, it has taken him
:13:37. > :13:46.away from the business end. The pink and black area.
:13:47. > :13:56.He will just about hold that for the blue or yellow.
:13:57. > :14:06.These reds are in the way, none of them will pot clearly. He needs two
:14:07. > :14:36.more reds from here. I was going to say before that shot,
:14:37. > :14:44.Barry Hawkins, he is not playing with the freedom of somebody who has
:14:45. > :14:50.been given another life. That blue was the only way he could possibly
:14:51. > :14:56.have been knocking on that red, guessing that at that angle, he
:14:57. > :15:14.knows that. He is still 60 points in front. But...
:15:15. > :15:21.75 remaining, it might be time for Marco Fu to have a go at this red,
:15:22. > :15:24.and he would be on the black. He has not ordered any ball for 40 minutes,
:15:25. > :15:50.Marco Fu. But he has, now! What a shot, that was. Brilliant!
:15:51. > :15:56.This is an exhibition match. This is probably as much pressure as Marco
:15:57. > :16:01.Fu has been under for a long time. Potting this red in the middle,
:16:02. > :16:09.every red will be in the position that is portable. Remarkable
:16:10. > :16:14.clearance earlier in the match. It looked like it was going to go
:16:15. > :16:22.10-10, making the 44 break, one of the best I have ever seen, given the
:16:23. > :16:32.circumstances. This would be the most unbelievable clearance from
:16:33. > :16:40.here. You just have to expect him to do this, there is a feeling in the
:16:41. > :16:48.air that after that red, and do not forget he does not have to win this
:16:49. > :16:59.frame because he is in front. That in its own weight takes a little bit
:17:00. > :17:02.of pressure away. -- its own way. He will probably have to pay the cannon
:17:03. > :17:11.into the pink when the left hand of the reds. He will have to play some
:17:12. > :17:14.sort of cannon. The left red is probably the better choice. That is
:17:15. > :17:38.what he has done. Barry Hawkins, at the moment,
:17:39. > :17:58.thinking, surely, just one more lifeline.
:17:59. > :18:13.In two shots, he will be facing the red on the back question. --
:18:14. > :18:25.cushion. And if he gets that, he gets to clear.
:18:26. > :18:39.Well, this is remarkable, the tension.
:18:40. > :18:49.This is for the possible frame and match. He is asking for the white
:18:50. > :18:55.ball to be cleaned. Dead weight, with the cue ball, to be on to the
:18:56. > :18:57.black or the pink. Barry Hawkins knows this is possibly the last
:18:58. > :19:18.chance. APPLAUSE.
:19:19. > :19:24.If he gets perfect on the yellow, you can see him clearing. This has
:19:25. > :19:29.been a great effort, he did not want any ball for 40 minutes. Since then,
:19:30. > :19:41.his position has been pretty good. Barry Hawkins is one shot away from
:19:42. > :19:55.making it 12-12. To the blue. You can hear it pin drop in this
:19:56. > :20:05.Crucible Theatre. People who have stayed to watch what
:20:06. > :20:14.could be the final frame. This might be too hard. And it might
:20:15. > :20:41.also be APPLAUSE.
:20:42. > :21:07.Seven points in France... -- front. When you consider he missed that
:21:08. > :21:20.blue, out of the hole, this is for his second semifinal.
:21:21. > :21:31.One of the best matches I have ever seen in my life! Barry Hawkins went
:21:32. > :21:40.from nine March -- 9-1 behind. Marco Fu somehow find something just the
:21:41. > :21:47.time. Taking him into the semifinal. One of the best matches I have ever
:21:48. > :21:50.seen! The way that Barry Hawkins played, I have got nothing but
:21:51. > :21:55.admiration for the way he came back, luckily he did not win! But the way
:21:56. > :22:00.he came back shows what a great player he is. I am gutted.
:22:01. > :22:04.Obviously. About the way I performed in the first session, after beating
:22:05. > :22:11.Ronnie O'Sullivan, and in the next session, I just felt... Just flat.
:22:12. > :22:16.And you cannot be left out. It is very difficult to defend the lead at
:22:17. > :22:21.the Crucible because you have the crowd, supporting Barry Hawkins
:22:22. > :22:26.because he was behind, and sometimes the momentum can change quite
:22:27. > :22:31.quickly. I just managed to get over the line towards the end. What a
:22:32. > :22:40.match. Marco Fu taking on Mark Selby in the semifinal, his first last
:22:41. > :22:44.four tie-break since 2014 and there is still the prospect of Marco Fu
:22:45. > :22:49.against Ding Junhui in the final and that is because he's saw off Mark
:22:50. > :22:55.Williams after just two sessions. Ding Junhui has dropped to 17 in the
:22:56. > :23:05.world and had to qualify for this year. But he thrashed Mark Williams
:23:06. > :23:11.33 inside -- 30-3. I just take every chance I can make. The breaks. And
:23:12. > :23:21.this time it is different, I think I got more confidence. I played well.
:23:22. > :23:24.And I got it! Ding Junhui having a day off and waiting to see if it is
:23:25. > :23:30.either Higgins or McManus in the last four, it was 9-7 to Higgins at
:23:31. > :23:35.the end of the second session, the shared the first four frames, 11
:23:36. > :23:45.national in to Higgins, still two in it. John Higgins leaving by seven...
:23:46. > :24:06.Well, he has got away with that. There was nothing easy about that.
:24:07. > :24:11.And then the double kiss came out. It looked like it was good but
:24:12. > :24:16.pretty simple for Mark Allen, he thought he could just click that in.
:24:17. > :24:17.It could have been easier than this. The position is not easy, that is
:24:18. > :24:38.for sure. Well done. That was well negotiated.
:24:39. > :25:30.Once again, not ideal on any colour. Well away from the red. That is why
:25:31. > :25:35.he is using the extension. That big groan from Allen because he knew he
:25:36. > :25:41.did not get that screw. He is still on the red but he wanted to be
:25:42. > :25:47.further into the table to keep this as easy as possible. And the black
:25:48. > :25:52.is only available in the left corner. He might have to force this.
:25:53. > :26:05.Well... Yes, he is going to have to punch
:26:06. > :26:09.this one in. That white is just a number a few inches of the table, it
:26:10. > :26:15.was perfect. He was striking down, you must be careful you don't bounce
:26:16. > :26:22.the cue ball. By hitting it to heart. -- to heart. That was a good
:26:23. > :26:46.recovery. Marcel Egbert just asking for a
:26:47. > :26:52.moment while he gets the pink as near to the spot as possible, that
:26:53. > :26:57.little cross, and as close to the red without touching it. It is all
:26:58. > :27:19.in line with the blue. And the black...
:27:20. > :27:33.This is nice, it should ring in a few balls out. The way he has played
:27:34. > :27:41.that, the pink still pots. And that was nicely judged. Yes, he is
:27:42. > :27:43.showing them that quality is here, sadly not going away. Higgins cannot
:27:44. > :28:15.shake him off. -- simply. They are all the frames in the
:28:16. > :28:22.quarterfinal but this is a huge frame to just get back to only one
:28:23. > :28:30.behind. At 12- bank, you could not see him winning four in a role, but
:28:31. > :29:08.at 11-10, it really is came on again. -- game on.
:29:09. > :29:20.Yes, the angle is OK. I thought at first he had over-stand that, but no
:29:21. > :29:27.problem. -- over stunned. What a competitor this boy is. Incredible.
:29:28. > :29:30.A couple of seasons ago I watched him in a couple of qualifiers and
:29:31. > :29:34.thought he was really struggling with his game and didn't look like
:29:35. > :29:39.he was going anywhere really, near the end of his career. But he's
:29:40. > :29:45.turned it round with some fantastic results. Here at this year's
:29:46. > :29:51.championship, he has been brilliant. Yeah, they keep saying it's a young
:29:52. > :30:00.man's game, but here you have Alan McManus, 45 years of age, up against
:30:01. > :30:03.four times champion John Higgins, who has turned 40. The great John
:30:04. > :30:11.Spencer Andre Gray than were at their peak in their early 40s. --
:30:12. > :30:13.the great John Spencer and Ray Reardon were at their peak in their
:30:14. > :30:28.early 40s. Lots of brilliant young players
:30:29. > :30:32.coming through in the game but there's still a few hanging around
:30:33. > :30:40.in their 40s that can certainly play. Of course last year's
:30:41. > :30:44.champion, Stuart Bingham, at 38 years of age, what a victory that
:30:45. > :30:47.was and what an ambassador he has been throughout his reign as world
:30:48. > :31:03.champion. Yes, there was no fluke about that,
:31:04. > :31:09.he played brilliantly to win the championship, did Stuart. Also one
:31:10. > :31:16.of the best lads on tour and a great golfer as well, Dennis. That's what
:31:17. > :31:20.he's enjoying at the moment -- doing at the moment, enjoying a bit of
:31:21. > :31:26.time off. Meanwhile, Alan McManus has gone along very nicely in this
:31:27. > :31:32.break. Just needs this red to leave John Higgins needing a snooker, but
:31:33. > :31:38.a red, a colour and another red will definitely see the game is over. You
:31:39. > :31:43.don't want your opponent coming back to try to get snooker is, you want
:31:44. > :31:50.to get the frame over and done with when you can. Yeah, and a lot of
:31:51. > :31:55.these frames are being won with one visit. They are two great tactical
:31:56. > :32:00.players but when they're in amongst the balls, then knocking them in,
:32:01. > :32:06.that's sure. Doesn't matter that one.
:32:07. > :32:10.REFEREE: Alan McManus 71 and the frame. Allan McGregor swift that
:32:11. > :32:14.magnificent break of 71, just at the right time. He just won't give up
:32:15. > :32:18.and he's back to just one hind. It's 11-10 to John Higgins.
:32:19. > :32:29.Alan McManus won the next frame to level it up. What a story it would
:32:30. > :32:36.be if McManus could win this one against is great friend.
:32:37. > :32:42.Allen at the table and there is no score.
:32:43. > :32:54.COMMENTATOR: Played that well. It wasn't easy. Alan is looking to see
:32:55. > :32:59.if he can get on the loose red by the black. If he can commit he will
:33:00. > :33:04.get down the table. At the bottom of the cluster, the bottom red as well.
:33:05. > :33:09.Two reds to play it on and he would like to get on the bottom one, near
:33:10. > :33:12.the black, as soon as. Looks like he's played it pretty good. -- as
:33:13. > :33:30.soon as possible. So, another excellent positional
:33:31. > :33:34.shot from brown to red from Alan. As I mentioned earlier, the bottom red
:33:35. > :34:16.is pottable. He played that nicely, just to leave
:34:17. > :34:19.an angle. Now, he needs to hit this nice and firm and stun up into these
:34:20. > :34:35.reds. Don't screw this, stunt it. That's where the cue ball comes to,
:34:36. > :34:39.but has he got one? Yeah, as we show you it again come he got more screw
:34:40. > :34:42.than stun and he is faced with a tricky one to the left middle pocket
:34:43. > :34:54.because of the cue ball being closer to the corner vision than he would
:34:55. > :34:58.have liked. It looks to be almost straight, the one to the right of
:34:59. > :35:07.the pink, as we look at it. A test of cue action and a test of nerve
:35:08. > :35:15.coming up. He got up off the shot, to settle himself. So here we go.
:35:16. > :35:28.Well played, well cued. You're not kidding! How well did he hit that?
:35:29. > :35:54.Terrific shot. Excellent. Never touched the jaw.
:35:55. > :36:06.So, one good pot away from excellent position. Playing ball. A choice of
:36:07. > :36:10.shots, really. He could play a little stun off the side cushion for
:36:11. > :36:12.the pink if he wants, or just run through for the black. Hasn't quite
:36:13. > :36:28.made his mind up yet. Decided to play the stun and just
:36:29. > :36:51.told the pink. -- just hold for the pink.
:36:52. > :37:10.He's really looking good out there. Amazing performance, this.
:37:11. > :37:15.Right in the heat of the battle, he looks better now than he has done in
:37:16. > :38:09.the whole match. So, the break goes to 50. These have
:38:10. > :38:13.been taken really well. Little stun on the red to get perfect angle on
:38:14. > :38:25.the blue to come back down the table to the top ten. -- the top end.
:38:26. > :38:37.I think the bottom of the two reds pots and also the red in the middle
:38:38. > :38:38.of the cluster, two down from the pink may be available. Doesn't have
:38:39. > :38:55.to play any cannons here. Yeah, he's not only winning the
:38:56. > :39:01.frames but he's winning them in style. Quite remarkable. Even that
:39:02. > :39:08.positional shot, Dennis, to the absolute inch. Played in such a way
:39:09. > :39:18.he's perfect, runs through, flicks the other read out -- red out. This
:39:19. > :39:25.is top-class. Breaks of 71 and 52 to win the last two frames, and now
:39:26. > :39:38.this. Vintage Alan McManus we are watching here. Just the red and the
:39:39. > :39:45.black would be enough, but he's come up a little short. Yes, if he got
:39:46. > :40:02.that red and black you mentioned, John Higgins would need a snooker.
:40:03. > :40:07.Well, he didn't have too played for the'
:40:08. > :40:12.Well, he didn't have too played for -- he didn't have to play to the
:40:13. > :40:17.black, he has caught the other red instead, he thought, I won't risk
:40:18. > :40:21.playing for the black, I will punch this in. He caught it wrong and
:40:22. > :41:04.flicked the red, but finished perfect on the blue.
:41:05. > :41:12.It has been 23 since Alan McManus has been to the one-table situation
:41:13. > :41:19.here at the Crucible. He's just going to be one frame away from
:41:20. > :41:25.achieving that. But he's up against one of the greatest match players
:41:26. > :41:26.the game has ever seen in John Higgins, and he's not finished just
:41:27. > :41:57.yet. He's already had a break of 114 in
:41:58. > :42:05.this quarterfinal, that's his highest. Every chance of another
:42:06. > :42:29.century here. His highest in the tournament this
:42:30. > :43:08.year is a break of 119. This has just been stunning stuff
:43:09. > :43:19.from Alan McCormack this, it really has. To make a century when you need
:43:20. > :43:23.it the most. That is the 65th century in this year's Betfred World
:43:24. > :43:28.Championship, and what a time for Alan McManus to make it.
:43:29. > :43:33.He looks as good in this match as I've ever seen Alan McManus, he
:43:34. > :43:52.really does. It's hard to describe to people at
:43:53. > :43:56.home how good this is, John. Yes. Most snooker players round about the
:43:57. > :43:59.age of 35 and onwards start to deteriorate a bit, concentration
:44:00. > :44:06.wise. You get to 40, you certainly are. But whatever he's doing,
:44:07. > :44:08.whatever his routine and the way he goes about things is, it's working.
:44:09. > :44:21.Keep it up. What a magnificent break from Alan
:44:22. > :44:26.McManus. Can you believe what you're seeing? He's really rolling back the
:44:27. > :44:32.years here and he goes ahead of John Higgins 12-11. He's one frame away
:44:33. > :44:34.from a place in the semifinal. Dennis is absolutely right, Alan
:44:35. > :44:39.McManus playing some fantastic snooker here at the Crucible this
:44:40. > :44:45.year. Into the next frame and is he about to seal an unlikely victory?
:44:46. > :45:08.Just the cue ball, please. There's something on it.
:45:09. > :45:22.REFEREE: Yeah, sure. Yes. How is he feeling inside? His good
:45:23. > :45:25.friend and one of -- to beat his good friend and one of the best
:45:26. > :45:33.match players of all time is a reality now. Unbelievable.
:45:34. > :45:41.APPLAUSE REFEREE: Seven.
:45:42. > :45:48.An absolutely remarkable performance this, Dennis. In sport this year
:45:49. > :45:54.we've seen some unbelievable results. The Leicester fans can't
:45:55. > :45:57.believe it, 5000-1 in the Premier League when they started off at the
:45:58. > :46:03.beginning of the season. Alan McManus was 300-1 to win at the
:46:04. > :46:09.Crucible. What's going on? He's a very modest man, Alan McManus.
:46:10. > :46:13.They'll be no big celebrating. But inside he will be over the moon.
:46:14. > :46:21.This is such a victory for the very likeable Scot.
:46:22. > :46:28.And there's no fluke about it, he's been absolutely wonderful. From 11-9
:46:29. > :46:33.down, he's played exemplary snooker, he really has. Scoring has been
:46:34. > :46:39.excellent. He's competed in every department. And John Higgins, well,
:46:40. > :46:44.he will shake his hand and wish him all the best. And he will want his
:46:45. > :46:50.good friend to carry on and keep up the good work, even though he will
:46:51. > :46:54.be bitterly disappointed. Tried the double. Doesn't matter about the
:46:55. > :46:57.double, John Higgins will come forward and shake the hand of his
:46:58. > :47:02.very good friend, Alan McCormack this. He did play an unbelievable
:47:03. > :47:09.match and he has had to do it the hard way. He salutes the crowd. Alan
:47:10. > :47:13.McManus has won four frames in a row to knock out the four times champion
:47:14. > :47:17.John Higgins and he gets himself into the semifinal for the first
:47:18. > :47:21.time in 23 years. Fantastic, well done to both players.
:47:22. > :47:33.A mixture of a bit of astonishment, elation and relief and
:47:34. > :47:39.gratefulness... The list could go on! It's been quite a night. Well,
:47:40. > :47:44.obviously in the cold light of day you are pleased for your mate in the
:47:45. > :47:48.semifinal, but right now I'm absolutely gutted. But every credit
:47:49. > :47:53.to Alan, he played great and he looked as if he was really enjoying
:47:54. > :47:57.it at the end there. This is what this phase can do to you, it can
:47:58. > :48:03.make you crack. I mistake above unforgivable balls in the last
:48:04. > :48:08.session -- I missed a couple of unforgivable balls in the last
:48:09. > :48:13.session. As I said, credit to Alan, he played great and good luck to
:48:14. > :48:18.him. I know John didn't bring his A game this time and maybe yesterday,
:48:19. > :48:23.but I have said many times, his B and C game has been good enough to
:48:24. > :48:27.win here in the past. I just hung in and hung in and tried to take the
:48:28. > :48:32.match deep and hopefully sneak over the line. What an amazing story, so
:48:33. > :48:37.this is the semifinal line-up. Alan McManus becomes the oldest
:48:38. > :48:40.semifinalist, at the age of 45, since Ray Reardon in 1985, and he
:48:41. > :48:49.plays Ding Junhui. The four times world champion -- the 2014 champion
:48:50. > :48:55.Mark Selby will play Marco Fu. It is Marco Fu's first semifinal since
:48:56. > :49:01.2006. The two table setup is over and we are down to one table.
:49:02. > :49:05.Snooker Extra is over on BBC One and that is followed by Crucible
:49:06. > :49:12.Classics. Speaking of the Crucible, that is what is happening. The guys
:49:13. > :49:18.working very hard. Two tables over and we're down to one table for the
:49:19. > :49:20.dramatic semifinals. We shall see you at 1pm on BBC Two. From all of
:49:21. > :49:41.us here, goodbye for now. You're asking where I was
:49:42. > :49:46.when Lindsay Denton was murdered?