Day 1 Snooker: World Championship Highlights

Hello. Very good evening and welcome to highlights of the 2017 Betfred

world snooker championships. Welcome back to The Crucible Theatre. Mark

Selby is the man to beat. He was back at The Crucible last night.

It's Mark Selby. This was part of the celebrations to mark 40 years of

top-class snooker at this truly wonderful venue and it is tradition

for the defending champion to open a new Championship. Selby, looked

dapper last night, beat Ding Junhui here last year. Opened up an 8-1

lead over Wesley Bryan in round one. We join in round one.

-- Fergal O'Bryan. A couple of positional shots and it

could change things. Possibly got something into the centre or yellow

pocket. The black at the moment will be

available into the right corner. Once he gets the brown out of the

way. If the pink spot is not available,

the brown goes as close to its own spot in a direct spot next to the

cushion. That puts the pink and brown out of commission.

Needs an angle on this. If he gets low on the black, he

could open up these four reds. Or at least start to open them up

away from the black spot. I think he'd settle for that. Though

having said that, all the top spin and once the cue ball got back to

the bed of the table, how it ran through, does the black still go to

the right corner? Looks very clinical amongst the

balls, very controlled. A sign of confidence, quickly off

the mark, at the start of every session.

Black doesn't go, I don't think. He's come down for the blue. I don't

think he'll risk the cannon. He'd love to get on the red that's just

above and to the right of the black. That's when snookers will be

required. He's come out tonight and he looks a lot sharper. I know what

you're saying, he did have a good start earlier on today. He wasn't

winning frames in one visit necessarily. He was feeding off a

few mistakes from Fergal. This is the Mark Selby we've been seeing

most of the season. I also feel that a lot of people

making him favourite because you feel the longer matches suit Mark.

He's so much in control of his game, his cue action and his control of

the cue ball, that he starts off a session, maybe in Top Gear, but

maybe not. By the end, he's built up a head of steam. He's like a

juggernaut. It's tough to stop him by then. He's really in the groove.

All the top players, when they're playing their best, every time they

settle down on a shot, the same preparation, cue action, exactly the

same every time. Now just looking for one more red.

And a colour. Fergal tried to be positive on that

brown rather than... APPLAUSE

He's been punished severely. It was your idea as well.

You'd have got the brown, wouldn't you?

Certainly don't criticise Fergal for playing the free ball, with a high

break prize, Fergal probably thinking he's going to be knocked

out, could have made a break bigger than a 147 with that free ball.

Always a possibility. Only had one century so far in the

Championship. That was Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Oh, pity. But job done. Fergal concedes. It cost him the frame.

Mark Selby now just one frame away from a place in the second round. He

leads 9-1. STUDIO: They shared the next two

frames before Mark Selby potted this black, to seal a 10-2 victory and

becoming the first man through to the second round. A dominant force

in world snooker and this man will take some stopping. Mark Selby

through. Now an early finish, a week to prepare for the next match.

Happy to get through to the next round. Happy with the score line,

performance, not really happy with. I wasn't really killing the frames

off in one visit, like I'd like to. Sometimes I lost focus and missed a

silly ball. Overall, happy with the result and through to the next

round. The two last matches I played, I won 10-9, finished at 2am,

and the the. Two days, won it 10-9, so on Thursday my main hope with the

draw is I didn't mind who I played hopefully a bit further down the

road. Obviously in the first round against Mark, you know, this could

be tricky. I'm confident at the minute. I've had the best season

I've had as a prointelligenceal coming into the world --

professional, coming into the world Championships. I feel as though I

was out there playing with confidence. Body language was good.

The performance wasn't as good as I'd like to. I'm still in the next

round which is the main thing. I'd rather do that than play well and

get beat. Great to be back at The Crucible. Not sure that's a record

I'm overly proud of. But hopefully I can qualify again next year.

Hopefully it will be easier to qualify and hopefully, I'll be a bit

fresher when I come back to The Crucible. Hard lines, Fergal

O'Brienment one of the main chal -- Fergal O'Brien. Ronnie O'Sullivan

was back at The Crucible last night as part of those celebrations.

Remember, Ronnie, five-time world champion, now ranked 12 in the

world, hasn't made the final here at The Crucible since 2014, when he

lost to Mark Selby in that final. Lots of fans out there for Ronnie

last night. Gary Wilson is the Rocket's opponent in round one.

Wilson making his debut. He's been beaten by Ronnie in the German

Masters, and Ronnie led 3-1 at the mid-session interval. We join the

action early in frame five. Your commentary team, Denis Taylor

and Stephen Hendry. Ronnie looks very focussed after the

mid-session interval. I shook hands with Dr Steve Peters who came out of

Ronnie's dressing room. He cut this red in, that's a terrific start.

He's still in amongst the balls. There could be more open after this

next shot. Played it perfectly. Didn't have to

force it that time. You can see how focussed he is

there. He didn't even smile, almost tripped over the referee there.

He's already played a couple of cracking shots in this fifth frame

here. This is a shot that you don't see

played that often. It's a great way to go into the bunch. You can

generate so much pace with the cue ball with that running inside off

two cushions. A couple of instances of frustration

getting to him in the fourth frame. I think he's just OK. He's coming

round to see if the two reds above the black are available.

It will be very interesting to see if he can clinch this frame with one

visit. He needed a couple of chances when

he looked like he was going to win the three opening frames with one

visit. That looks like it could be the shot

that will give Ronnie this frame. This frame's not going to last very

long. It's coming up to nine minutes.

Frame safe, so he can just concentrate and see if he can get a

century. What a shot that was. That could

have prevented him from making a century. It's on now.

I think it will be the first one in this year's Championship.

Better get your skates on Brendan. The Rocket has lifted off.

I think he even had a little smile there Ronnie, as well.

There we go. The first century in this year's world Championship.

Whatever Steve Peters said at the mid-session certainly worked. He won

the frame with that magnificent century break. He extends his lead.

STUDIO: The first century break of many, no doubt for the Rocket.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won the next frame before Wilson pulled one back thanks

to a very good break of 64. Let's show you what happened in frame

eight. Wilson leading by 36 points. It's tight on the cushion. Advantage

to Gary now. With the frame going awkward, that

36 points advantage is a healthy lead.

Quite a risky one that he took on there.

Just got to pay special attention to this one. Yeah, well done.

Even though he's got a healthy lead here, he will have to pot quite a

lot of balls. They're all up the other end of the table.

He's having to work hard and pot a lot of lower valued colours.

Every chance now that Gary Wilson could get out of this match, just

one frame behind, after being 5-1 down. And the manner in which he

went 5-1 down. It's going to be a very important

final frame of this session. This match is concluded tomorrow

afternoon. I think he's starting to enjoy

himself out there. First time at The Crucible. He's performing very well

indeed. The days of the Crucible nerves has

gone, because they're playing that many tournaments these days, they're

used to the conditions, even though they're at The Crucible.

Yeah, you still get one or two debutantes that are a bit like a

rabbit caught in the headlights when they play here.

Gary's come here with confidence in his game.

He said last night, during the celebrations, he was looking forward

to the match. He thought it was a great draw to play Ronnie.

Ronnie would have been looking to press ahead, after the first

session. Yeah, played in the German Masters,

the only time they've met. Ronnie won that 5-3.

How often do you see four yellows, four greens and four browns potted?

Excellent stuff from Gary Wilson. He's far from finished. He gets

another frame back. Now he's just two behind.

STUDIO: Gary battling back in this one. Look at what happens in the

next frame. Looks like Ronnie O'Sullivan has the ninth frame in

the back. But Gary, 29 points behind, 25 left, he needs snookers,

can he win this one? # There are a few balls in the way

here and a two or escape of the right side of the table. The pinks

likely in the way. He will have to beast precise with this. -- he will

have to be very precise with this. And he has caught that pink. He can

win, he could only tie with one snooker but given the six points

penalty away there, it is just 23 the difference with 25 on at this

frame has turned around on its head here. It is anyone's. Final frame of

this session now. That was perhaps the easiest snooker

he could layer over the ones he has done in this frame.

Foul and a miss. Gary Wilson, seven. Incredible, what has happened in

this frame. I can't remember what he missed at the end of that 63 break

but the world, looked like he would be reading 6-3 and now all of a

sudden, just 16 the difference and we are back to just one frame the

difference. Just having it replaced and we will

just show you, it was a delicate one into the middle pocket. He thought

it was in but it just caught the jaw and if that had dropped, it would

have been frame over. This is one of these awkward ones. Roddy will do

his best to make sure it's correct, he won't want to gain any advantage

whatsoever. We can show you where it was. That's where it was. Where is

it now? That's pretty close. You wanted a bit more that way? I think

he just wanted to get a thin stick when he swerved around it. Just a

touch more swerve this time. Brown causing a slight problem. He

can only cue to the side of the cue ball as you can see there. That

looks like it might just be OK. Need to be brave enough to knock the

green up and down the table, cue ball him behind the blue, a

double-kiss can go off here. He has played it. Just caught the green a

bit thin. Ronnie O'Sullivan leads the green

and brown to leave Gary needing snookers. Needs to be pretty

straight on this green. Absolutely dead straight, no way he can get

onto the... It's a really awkward safety shot.

He might just have to take this spot on. Try to pot the green.

Sometimes, you stand there and you just can't see a shot. If you're

playing an exhibition, you are trying to screw the white passed

down the blue and road to the other corner. But this is the Crucible

Theatre and it's the World Championship. He could play a

containing safety shot and just put the green onto the black cushion and

the cue ball near that right middle. Certainly don't get much advantage

from that but at least you've got the green safe. How often do you see

Ronnie O'Sullivan thinking about a shot not far off two minutes? That's

the shot he tried in the end. To put the green and screw back but it's a

pretty good result really. Pretty good result, Dennis? LAUGHTER

This will be an easy shot if the cue ball was away from the cushion

because he could snooker Ronnie O'Sullivan back. That shot is not

on. That was a gem of a shot he has

pulled from there from close to the cushion, to get the side on it, the

sort of had to swerve it a bit and so ten out of ten for that one.

Robbie has escaped from a few snookers.

Now he has got the green up. Stuck the green up. A chance. What a test

of your temperament here. Looks a simple enough clearance.

This straightaway, he has not played the best shot.

Nice little brush on the blue, though. So the angle he gets on the

pink is the important factor here. He has got the angle on the pink. He

will be absolutely shaking like a leaf inside. What a frame to win

this would be. He's going to finish off. Needs to

pull up the cue ball. UMPIRE: Settle down, please. Because the black

wasn't on its spot, I don't know whether he realised that.

He battled his way back and somehow he takes that final frame and now is

just one behind. It's all on for tomorrow.

Gary is here, practising. Crucible debut, how was that? It was great,

went out there and felt comfortable straightaway so really enjoyed it.

You had to dig deep as well. I went 5-1 down, not ideal but managed to

claw back for the last three frames so really happy to come out 5-4. Not

many players are in here late at night but do you fancy an upset

tomorrow? I don't see why not. It will be tough obviously but I know

if I can play well and how I am capable, there's a chance I could do

well and hopefully get the results. You really entertained us today,

good luck tomorrow. You can see the conclusion of that match tomorrow

us. Our next match this evening, an old

Scotland affair between Anthony McGill and Stephen Maguire. Stephen

Maguire twice beaten semifinalist at the Crucible, had a qualified for

this year's tournament so here's battled hardened for this

Championship and remember, never beaten his fellow Scot Magill.

Maguire dominated this match-winning five frames on the bounce without

dropping a single point. We join it with Maguire 8-2 up. Commentary once

again from Dennis Taylor and this time Peter Ebdon.

Maybe try to use the jaws to get the cue ball out. He needs to not go

past this other red. Very good shot. That was a lovely flick. If it had

caught that red 4-ball, he would have been nothing. This is a tough

pink, though. He has played that really well. He had a good, long,

hard look at it and I don't think it does pass them red.

You can tell by the black, it won't go past the red into the opposite

corner. He is looking very comfortable out

there at the moment. Just a little bit awkward having to

bridge over those reds for the pick-up into the corner. If those

reds weren't there, it would be pretty straightforward. He is having

to strike down slightly making it very difficult.

A lot of cue there from bridge hand to cue ball. Nicely played. That was

not easy. That shot was played like a man with a lot of confidence.

There is a gap he can just get around the back of the red and out

towards pink or blue. You can see the gap. Did not get the gap but it

might finish mostly of a colour. -- it might finish nicely on a colour.

I think the pink does pass the red. It clearly does.

That jumped a little bit. It got heavy contact and without that, the

whiteboard have one further across the table and nicely on the pink. It

just jumped a little, that one. As you can clearly see.

He is fully focused. The heavy contact didn't take any of his

concentration away. He went down and knocked the pink in as if it was

over the pocket. He is creeping towards a 9-2 lead here.

Used all of the pocket there. Colouring one more red is all he

needs as we show you this red. Almost missed it.

You see 65 ahead, 67 on the table so just this red.

This really has been very, very impressive form from Stephen Maguire

today. Scoring very heavily, a barrage of breaks, battering Anthony

McGill today. Keeping him under pressure the whole time. Very, very

impressive. He is playing trick shots for us

know as well. Stephen Maguire has won seven in a

row and now he is just one frame away from a place in the next round.

Stephen Maguire responded and he made it through to the second round

seeing off his fellow Scot Anthony McGill.

I think that's the first time I've beaten him in tournament play. I

don't know if the three qualifying matches helped because you can't

beat matchplay so maybe I'm just sharper than Anthony and that's his

first time being a seed and maybe he was under a little bit more

pressure. He was definitely under more pressure than me but maybe not

used to being a higher seed and coming down just play one match.

It's quite different. He also has one week to prepare. We are back

tomorrow with live coverage. At the end of the highlights every

evening, we shall have a shot of the day for you and it has to be this

tonight. This is from Gary Wilson. He battled his way back so hard. He

takes that final frame and now he is just one behind. 5-4 to Ronnie

O'Sullivan, it is all on for tomorrow.

And that has the potential to be a cracker. Great victories for Stephen

Maguire and the defending champion Mark Selby. We wish you happy Easter

and we will see you at 10am. Goodbye for now.

Ooh! I'm out of control and I love it.