Day 3 Snooker: World Championship Highlights

Hello, good evening and welcome to highlights of Day three of the 2016

World Snooker Championship. Two more first-round matches completed this

evening, five world champions in action yesterday. One of them,

Ronnie O'Sullivan, looking to land his sixth world title,

Straightaway, he wants to be on the other side of the blue.

Straightaway, he wants to be on the other side of the blue. It is

straight, so no problem. Going for the red here. Everything is pinpoint

position. Surprised he didn't come down and play for the black. Maybe

the red above the black is holding the black spot. He wants to play for

the red that is just above the black.

He has plague that left hand shot with a tonne of right-hand side to

get in position. -- he has played that. He played it gently. Not

great. The black wiped its feet. All he's looking for is a red to

continue the break and he has knocked that in. We'll still have

two disturb the reds if he wants to win the frame on this visit. So,

there it is. 68 points. Smokers will be needed and the match will be

over. As I say he is going to have to get to that amount of points. 37.

38. Is this thread to the right of the

pink available? If it is, no problem. If it isn't the other

registry key. -- red is tricky. The writing is on the wall now. Yes.

You just felt from that very first shot that it was going to be the

time. I think he should take great heart

out of the way he has played in this match. I agree with you that he is

definitely a top 16 player, no doubt about that. He has all the ability

in the world but needs to do it more consistently, that's all you can

say. Of course, Ronnie O'Sullivan is the last draw he wanted after

playing those three tough qualifying matches.

He is not perfect on this red but he only needs the red.

Right in the middle of the pocket. We have seen a few go by the wayside

already and he is not going to trip up Ronnie. 67. 68.

He has averaged during this match 14 seconds shot and that quick.

Yesterday afternoon he was very solid. A few funny shots,

concentration perhaps not what it could have been. Still very

impressive. The hand shake out Ronnie will be congratulating Dave

on his performance and Dave will be wishing money the best for the rest

of the tournament but Ronnie will appreciate how well he played but

Ronnie was up to it. A good result. I'm lucky Dave Gilbert, you met a

man on form. Anyone else you could have had a better result but at the

end of the day it is Ronnie O'Sullivan favourite for the

tournament, through to the second round by ten frames to seven.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is safely through to the second round but he does face

disciplinary action after failing to do any post-match interviews today.

There was this statement this afternoon. All players have a

responsibility to the sport... He could face a fine, we will keep

you right up-to-date with that story in the next few days. Now we will

turn to our attention to a former champion in John Higgins who had his

match against Ryan Day. That was a terrific shot. A

fantastic start. John Higgins got one chance and he made a century

break. He leaves 1-0. The first easy ball that John Higgins has missed in

this match. A little drag shot. Ryan takes the fourth frame, it is to

frames all. -- two frames all. He has come out

after the mid-session interval and made another century break. 3-2.

John Higgins gets the last frame of this session underway.

That is a tremendous shot, knocking the red off the condition. That is

his third century and what are black. The Wizard of Wishart has

certainly raised his magic round here at the Crucible. He takes an

overnight lead against Ryan Day, seven frames to two. Not looking

good for Ryan Day but Mark Williams beat another former champion in grey

dot. He is through to the second round here at the Crucible Theatre

for the first time since 2012. I am more than happy with the way I

played all the way through. A lot of good breaks and I thought my safety

was very good and I felt like I played quite well, even after Graeme

said it was probably the best yet senior at the ball for quite a

while. I lost it and I didn't feel like I was involved in the match.

Mark played really well. You get the ball great all the way through and

thoroughly deserved to win. I have no eye on a prize and my main aim is

to try and play like that again. I have done that a few times through

the season and I haven't kept it up really. Fingers crossed I can play

something like that in the next round and if I can I am going to be

hard to beat. We have seen Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Williams advance

into the second round. Another former world champion, Mark Selby

began his campaign to date against Robert Milkins.

He was returning to action after missing the last two major events

due to personal reasons. It was the milkman who delivered the first

major break of the match. His 62 left his opponent needing snookers.

When Selby missed the black along the rail it was Robert Milkins who

took the first frame, courtesy of this blue, red. -- fluke on the red.

Then it was Selby's ten to benefit from a fortuitous red as he levelled

up. Frame three went right down to the brown ball after a long safety

exchange earned it was Robert Milkins who came out on top and led

2-1. The fourth frame was tied as well and Selby levelled the match

after the spectacular shot on the blue. It was as good as it got for

Robert Milkins as the Jester from Leicester took be remaining frames

in the session. The highlight was this 132 break to make the score 6-2

with the 2004 champion taking the frame. He leads 7-2 after the

opening session. Now let's turn our attention to the matches this

evening. A quarterfinalist from 2013 has a tough first-round match

against Sam Baird. Baird had a slender advantage and won the first

two frames of this session. Let us see frame 12 where Michael White was

leading. All of those sudden Sam Baird is far

from out of this frame. As I mentioned the only cover that

is safe is the black. It looks like he was going to part

it. A very important stage of this match

now you would have to say. He has lost the opening frames and regained

his composure here to the stadium himself. A good idea that. He has

got to try and keep each shot as easy as possible and he has left it

a little awkward already. White needed to be a bit to the left so it

could half of the pink but he left the last red as easy as possible.

This is a tricky little cut back now.

He is OK. He is just checking the scoreboard to see if he could head

up for possibly the brown and play it in such a way. Just twice across

the table and that is pretty good. You can see it was quite a thin

snick but he left himself on the red.

Just underhit it slightly again. He is going to need the rest here.

It is nice on the green, you can see the only problem is pink to black.

It is key that he gets nicely on the pink to get somewhere near the

black. What does he do? He might have to

play to move the black now. I thought if he had a good angle there

were two places he could put the cue ball without having to move either

of the white sandy at the shot to the middle or the shot the corner

but I think now he might have to try and move the black. I think from

this angle he would play to move it out. He has missed it.

Will he play a good safety? Get the black is tight to cushion as

possible. Back double is on. It is very risky. He is thinking about it

because normally you just get down and double the black up to behind

the black spot near the commission. Make your mind up time.

Well, he has thought about it long and hard.

If you put the black Vicente can't really get a good white so it is

essential to get the good black. That was the only shot available to

him really. Foul. Sam Bird seven, and the frame.

An absolutely incredible way to lose the frame. You can't move what can

happen on a snooker table and in the end he was a strong favourite to win

that frame, Michael White, but it's Sam Baird who levels the school.

Amazing. Snooker can be so cruel on times.

Into the next frame with Sam Baird to play on a break-up 16. You are

kidding me. You have got to concentrate, Sam. He is trying to

pinch a bit there so he didn't catch the end of the pack. Yes, that is

amazing. These pockets, you can't put them. If he was walking around

the probably not that in. It was a lapse in concentration. That wasn't

pressure, it was just a lapse in concentration there. The beauty of

it is as well for Michael White, he would be stewing sitting in his

chair there, the fact he had had some bad fortune and now he will

have forgotten about that now. This is such a big match for these

two young players and you can expect a little bit of nerves to creep in

as we get near the winning line but that last one, that wasn't anything

to do with the pressure, that was just concentration.

Well, straight into the pink and he can open all the game up here and it

could be a frame-winner. He went for the red at the back of

the bunch but, I mean, a strange choice but if he goes on to clear up

he is doing it his way. The one to the right of the bunch of

five Pol Pot into the same pocket as the black but once again he is going

to need to play that cannon and sometimes you don't get a second

chance. There might be a plank on as well and that will help the whole

situation, there might be a plank -- plant into the same pocket as he is

playing this red. If there is it will really help. If not he has got

to then play the cannon. It is not a straightforward plant.

He needs the cannon this time. Slightly more difficult than it was

previously. There are two other reds that may be

a plant to the right corner but I think both plants are not just on.

In the last two frames Michael has had the chance of moving the bunch

and getting to the pink but this time it could cost him because this

black is no easy target to get into there this time. He has had a glance

at that plant you know. I think it is probably three reds but I think

the one past the white is past the green and the blue. Is he on this

one. I think he is. So that very easy read that Sam Baird mist is

going to cost him this frame. Michael White slot one at little

mini-session 3-1 and he is going to do that, he will go from one down

and go into the mid session with his nose in the frame.

He has left a little bit awkward. It would be nice to finish the little

mini-session with the century. It is the highest break so far in this

match, 88. Yes, it has been a terrific little

mini-session for Michael White as the black goes in for the century.

Can't do any better than that but it has to be said that Sam missed a

very easy read and he was punished for it. Michael White goes to the

mid-session interval, he's in front now 7-6.

This has been nip and tuck all the way. Sam Baird levels to make it 7-7

and one the 15th frame to make it 8-7 and we join it with white to

play and trailing by a point. That is a good reply from Michael.

He has struggled to find the top cushion in the last few safety

shots. You can get through to the potting angle of the red that is

beyond the pink at the back of the pack is a problem.

Can he get through to the one over the corner? That is a very good kiss

as well. A very good kiss on the green. I just wondered if he is

going to try and screw up into the bunch here. I know there are loose

reds that the black is tied up and he could develop things here. He is

concentrating on the loose reds. I am not sure if you put the red and

the pink and it would go on to the black spot when he doesn't have to

worry about splitting them up just yet.

Yes, I can see the spot but is the ball on the black?

He is going to take a chance. There are a couple of loose reds but is he

going to take the chance and pick end career into the black and it

could bring it into play with quite a number of reds and he doesn't have

to do that but he has done it and he is unlucky again I think... If you

can't get through to the red to the right corner that is so unfortunate.

It arcs. If it had had kicked the black as well it would have sprung

it free. That was unlucky, wasn't it? I cannot believe it. I mean that

is so cruel. Maybe he feels he can get through to

this with a little bit left onside. Maybe he will turn the red over.

Yes, he's OK. This is a great chance to go two up with three to play.

It looks as if he put a little trace aside on it just to get the angle.

Michael will be starting to get a little anxious there in his seat.

Slightly the wrong side of the blue here. Only just run through.

He has only had one other appearance at the Crucible, Sam, three years

ago I think it was. It is always a milestone in the player 's career to

win a match at the Crucible. If he takes this frame he will have a

great chance. He would have liked to be straight

on the red near the paint. The one in the middle will give a certain

position. Just play the pink and negotiate a gap between the other

two reds. Just wonder whether he can hold it for the paint. Yes, he can.

He will be taking deep breaths because he'll know this is a great

chance to win the frame and this visit. -- hold it for the pink. --

at this visit. Just taking his time, and that's not

a bad thing. Not rushing into anything, he knows the importance of

having this red, the importance of having a 45 point advantage here. If

he takes this red into the middle, he will have two swing it around the

ankles. -- have to swing it. He could finish on the pink.

He's trying to be ultra-careful, Dennis, isn't he? Everything trying

to be ultra-careful. Yes, I don't blame him for taking his time

because sometimes you can rush things a bit, the excitement of the

moment. Just wobbling a little bit, but

safely in the pocket. He just needs one more red. 59

ahead. 67 remaining, so if he pots the red in the middle, White will

need one snooker. This has been an excellent break, it really has. This

is probably as much pressure as he has played in in his life. And now

he realises that the frame is won, Michael White can only look on and

think about the remaining frames. He's playing a bit quicker now. What

about this for a stat, the only time he qualified was three years ago and

he made his highest tournament break, 142, and lost against Stuart

Bingham, 10-2. A chance of making a century here, he has the angle on

the black to move the other red into play.

Both of these players have had a sentry break, Michael White, 102 and

Sam Baird's 108. He didn't get the cue ball there. It will cut into the

middle. Not too bad, he can just roll it in.

Very, very good. He deserves a century now.

Didn't quite get into the cue ball, he'll have to play some Czech side.

-- check. Under the circumstances collaborate effort from Sam.

Magnificent, very well played, Sam Baird. His second century of the

match. -- excellent effort. What a shame, no clearance, but he'll be

delighted to have made the century break under extreme pressure.

Michael White knows he has to win the last three frames, he trails

9-7. STUDIO: Great work from sand. Then Baird got a break of 62 and

this one of 13 in frame 17, enough to get the win over Michael White,

Sam's second career win over the Welshman but his first win at the

Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. He will play it Selby or Robert Milkins

in the next round. Great work from Sam Baird from Devon. -- Mark Selby.

Over the moon, really. I think we both struggled a bit yesterday and

some today. A bit under pressure, but very, very pleased to win.

Especially the way that I won, the last four frames. Sam played well

and I got worse. Just not good enough really, at the moment, you

know. Not really enjoying the game. I need a step back and think about

where things are going wrong, really. As I expected from three

years ago, I've been dying to come back and hopefully give a good

account of myself. I didn't think that I would win, necessarily, my

second time. On the other table this evening, Ricky Walden was looking to

book his place in the second round. He has played well this season,

reaching the final of the last two ranking events, in the players

championship, a runner-up, losing 10-6 and runner-up in the China open

against Judd Trump, losing 10-4. He's up against it in this first

round match, against Robbie Williams from the Wirral. Walden has got big

-- back into it, leading 9-7. In frame 17, Williams made a break of

140 take him within one frame of the man from Chester. -- 140 to take

him. Losing 10-7 against Stuart Bingham, the eventual winner, in

last year 's championship. Making his third Crucible appearance,

played two won none. Was this to be his year? In frame 18, Williams at

the table, trailing 23-8. COMMENTATOR: At first glance he

hasn't taken any damage. He's OK. Oh, he went for the black, what a

surprise. He played a shot to nothing. You can see the plant,

great shot. He almost played it too well. He would have loved to have a

pot on, a bit unlucky not to have one. Into the right centre as well.

He's not going to take it on. Is he going to take on the pot? This

is a big shot. He deserves to win the match from this shot if it goes

in. That's a great shot, really is. One of the best shots of the match.

APPLAUSE Brilliant pot. Great bottle to go

for that. Had to drop. Feet wiper. Is this the run to the

line, for Ricky Walden? Make sure you get past the blue. Too

heart is better. Getting a baulk colour, but that looks perfect.

He's made this very tough for himself, this match. It looks,

barked something silly happening, he's going to win it 10-8. -- bar.

Do you care how you play in the first round matches? You want to

play well, but do you just want to go through? The important thing is

getting to ten, but you want to put in some sort of performance. As I

said before, a lot of the top seeds put themselves under a lot of

pressure to get through the first round. More than is needed.

He has been really good with the rest in this match, Ricky Walden. 88

pot success with the rest. -- 88%. You would think that this is the

final tricky shot, get on a red and it is plain sailing.

He definitely has one to the left centre. Is that all he has? I think

it is. Yes, the red below the pink is the one he was playing for. Well

played. So, red and colour. Scrape into the

second round. -- to scrape. Very relieved, Ricky Walden. To get

the match over with. There was a time when he looked like going 8-5

down, he should have done, his opponent had plenty of chances to do

that. But the last two or three frames, Robbie will be disappointed.

The last, apart from the sentry break, Ricky Walden has found some

form to get over the line -- century. Unfortunately for Robbie

and his fans, the run goes on. Never having won at the Crucible. For some

reason when he comes into play at this iconic old venue, it hasn't

happened for him. He has to find a way of taking his form before TV

onto the TV stage. John Higgins or Ryan Day. He's going

to wrap things up here with his biggest break of the match.

There he goes, clinched fist from Walden. It wasn't pretty but he has

been persistent and patient, he goes through, beating Williams 10-8.

Played well towards the end, really. It was a tough game from start to

finish, Robbie was on top of me all the way through and I struggled

early in the match and it was a scrappy affair. The greatest

tournament in the world, everyone is on form. I scrape through the game

and hopefully I can playback and more consistently in the next game

and who knows? Well done to Ricky Walden, he looks relieved. That's it

from us but if you want more snooker, that is perfect because on

BBC One shortly, Snooker Extra with extended highlights and Classics

follows that on BBC One. We will see you bright and early at

10am. Goodbye for now.