:00:33. > :00:39.Hello and good evening and welcome to highlights of Day three of the 20
:00:40. > :00:44.17th that Fred World Snooker Championship from The Crucible. What
:00:45. > :00:50.a day we have had. Also, what a match. The match of the championship
:00:51. > :00:58.so far coming up this evening. Marco Fu facing an early exit against the
:00:59. > :01:05.Belgian qualifier Luca Brecel. Amazingly, Fu will five of the first
:01:06. > :01:11.six frames in the evening session to move within one frame of the
:01:12. > :01:12.Belgian. We will pick up the action in frame 16. Commentary is from
:01:13. > :01:37.Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis. When you are 7-1 down, the pressure
:01:38. > :01:43.is released and you let your on go and play your natural game. But when
:01:44. > :01:49.you get to one frame behind, the pressure is back on again. Let's see
:01:50. > :01:56.how this young player responds here. These are big moments for this young
:01:57. > :02:17.player. As to try and screw into these three reds. Good enough.
:02:18. > :02:32.He has four comfortable reds are available to him.
:02:33. > :02:44.The ideal ball to get the last red of the cushion would be the green.
:02:45. > :02:48.So if he pots this pink, or even pots the blue, gets position nicely
:02:49. > :03:08.on a red. Perhaps two reds from now, he will
:03:09. > :03:13.be playing up for the green. The blue has to go as close to the
:03:14. > :03:31.black, which is occupying the blue spot, as possible, without touching.
:03:32. > :03:38.Cleanly potting these balls. That is what he could be forgiven for
:03:39. > :03:45.struggling. Straight on the pink. He needs a bit of an angle. He has
:03:46. > :03:49.played that beautifully. Much better than it looked. He needed the side
:03:50. > :03:56.on it, otherwise he wouldn't have been on the red. He is not
:03:57. > :03:58.struggling in the cue power department. Now, would he play of
:03:59. > :04:05.this second last read to get on the green? Assuming he gets good
:04:06. > :04:17.position and comfort the cue ball where he wants, with the pink.
:04:18. > :04:27.I don't think he can play for the green now. What he was hoping for,
:04:28. > :04:31.if he had got in a position and was able to leave the white in the
:04:32. > :04:35.circle, he would have been on the green, pot the green and then move
:04:36. > :04:41.the red. He cannot do it now because of the angle he has finished on the
:04:42. > :04:46.red. Can he get a good angle on a colour to get to that difficult last
:04:47. > :04:53.red? It is going to have to be from the pink. Big shots coming up. He is
:04:54. > :05:00.20 in front. He needs the pink, the red and one more colour. There is
:05:01. > :05:11.the pink. There is the cannon, but he is not on it. Difficult shot to
:05:12. > :05:21.get that red to go into a favourable position.
:05:22. > :05:35.It is safe, but could have perhaps done better? He needs one more red
:05:36. > :05:42.and any colour to leave Marco needing a snooker. As you said, you
:05:43. > :05:51.should have played a better shot. Because the blue is not touching the
:05:52. > :06:06.black... It should go into the middle pocket. Both middle pockets.
:06:07. > :06:21.Side to side safeties, nearly guaranteed to get a snooker. Nearly
:06:22. > :06:31.guaranteed. If Marco Fu can see the right-hand side of this red, the
:06:32. > :06:39.full-ball, attempting to play contact around the table. Not
:06:40. > :06:45.getting down quickly. Bit straight. Perhaps he thinks the red cannot
:06:46. > :06:57.escape from the trap of the baulk colours. Steve mentioned the cocked
:06:58. > :07:02.hat, that is where you send the red around the angles. But he has got to
:07:03. > :07:11.try and get a good cue ball and object ball here.
:07:12. > :07:22.He will settle for that. That was a risk. He played that badly. I don't
:07:23. > :07:33.think that shot was right. Perhaps he didn't have any other options.
:07:34. > :07:46.That is careless. That was guaranteed to be double KERS
:07:47. > :07:54.territory. That is a misjudgement. -- kiss. Never really on from that
:07:55. > :07:59.position. Those balls for almost lining up to each other again. I
:08:00. > :08:05.think if he played that different thicknesses, you still get the
:08:06. > :08:22.double-kiss. I just think it was the wrong shot.
:08:23. > :08:28.Well, under normal circumstances, you would think this would be
:08:29. > :08:32.straightforward, but these are not normal circumstances. He needs to
:08:33. > :08:41.get plenty of action on this to get nicely on the yellow. The blue does
:08:42. > :08:46.go doesn't it? Yes. Terrible to not know that is, but I am sure the blue
:08:47. > :08:53.does go because it is not touching the black. It makes a massive
:08:54. > :09:00.difference. He is just double-checking to make sure it
:09:01. > :09:05.does. Because, as he said, when he re-spotted it, it mustn't be
:09:06. > :09:11.touching the black. But sometimes you wonder, does it go? But it
:09:12. > :09:22.should go. Yes, the pocket is wider than the ball's whip. -- with.
:09:23. > :09:54.It is the best of 19, this match. Every chance, it is going to be down
:09:55. > :10:14.to the best of three because I am sure that blue passes.
:10:15. > :10:28.He is a pretty cool customer, is Marco Fu.
:10:29. > :10:41.It is quite an amazing comeback. Luke Brecel had a chance to get
:10:42. > :10:48.himself to within just one frame of victory. Now, the black is in. The
:10:49. > :10:55.comeback continues from 7-1, somehow, the man from Hong Kong has
:10:56. > :10:59.got himself back all square. 8-8. Eight all, this is marvellous stuff.
:11:00. > :11:08.Then this happened in the match. This was a pivotal point. This is
:11:09. > :11:14.Luca Brecel playing a shot. The referee said, foul. What he has
:11:15. > :11:20.given is a push on. Paul Collier saying I only gave what I saw and
:11:21. > :11:25.what I heard. Luca Brecel is bemused. Really hard for us to see
:11:26. > :11:31.if this was a push shot. The big question then is will it have an
:11:32. > :11:45.effect on Luca Brecel's mentality in the match? Let's find out.
:11:46. > :11:56.That's a bit of luck from Luca Brecel. Unless this brown goes in
:11:57. > :12:08.the middle pocket. At first I thought it was the end of break, but
:12:09. > :12:13.should get this in, I suppose. No! He decelerated on that and didn't
:12:14. > :12:19.push the cue through as far as he intended. What a chance. That was
:12:20. > :12:24.always going to happen once he got to all square, the pressure was
:12:25. > :12:30.going to be reversed. You are going to see that at this stage of a
:12:31. > :12:35.match, eight frames all, but he didn't push the cue through as far
:12:36. > :12:44.as he wanted. This is a case of Luca Brecel needing to unscramble his
:12:45. > :12:48.brain, let his ability do the talking. Play naturally. Don't try
:12:49. > :12:52.to be too careful, just play the shots you see. That is one of his
:12:53. > :13:05.great strengths, I feel. Not marvellously in position, but he
:13:06. > :13:19.has got choices of colours. Played for the blue, but...
:13:20. > :13:46.That was a nice shot. Had to judge the weight of that.
:13:47. > :13:52.Such an important frame for both players. But Luca Brecel has been
:13:53. > :14:08.stuck on eight frames for what seems like an eternity.
:14:09. > :14:21.All about just keeping your focus and giving yourself an extra second
:14:22. > :14:30.or two. Try and eliminate a possible careless shot.
:14:31. > :14:39.He is a little bit out of position here. Only a little bit though. He
:14:40. > :14:47.wants to get right side of the blue or come down the table. Had more of
:14:48. > :14:50.an angle than I thought he had. Wasn't a problem. Thought it was,
:14:51. > :15:01.the way his body language was looking.
:15:02. > :15:21.He led a dash for -- 8-4. He has been waiting a long time for this
:15:22. > :15:27.frame. . But he's got, as I mentioned, are very good temperament
:15:28. > :15:35.and he has put that push shot behind him now. I would say Luca Brecel,
:15:36. > :15:46.one of his biggest attribute is his rhythm amongst the balls.
:15:47. > :16:00.He keeps his place around the table, very even. -- his pace. He doesn't
:16:01. > :16:10.seem to confuse himself and stop and start. He is a natural player.
:16:11. > :16:16.And to produce this break under the circumstances is quite remarkable
:16:17. > :16:36.for the young Belgian player. It really is.
:16:37. > :16:55.And potting the black left-handed. He looks pretty good left-handed as
:16:56. > :17:04.well. He has waited a long time for this frame. Marco Fu got right back
:17:05. > :17:08.to all square. Luca Brecel will be relieved, but he still needs another
:17:09. > :17:12.one. He was fired up by that big moment
:17:13. > :17:17.and needs just one frame to book his place in the second round. All very
:17:18. > :17:20.nerve-racking, let's show you what happened in the next frame. Early
:17:21. > :18:20.days. Luca, to play. Great strike. Very unmissable brown.
:18:21. > :18:30.And he's got a chance to maybe screw for position on the black, but it is
:18:31. > :18:34.a bit straighter than I thought. Actually, with that red on the black
:18:35. > :18:58.spot, it's pretty obvious that he needs to clear that first.
:18:59. > :19:09.Well, that wiped its feet going in for and he is OK, right side of the
:19:10. > :19:12.blue. He can get on the red. As Steve mentioned, to clear the way
:19:13. > :19:37.from the black spot area. Went into them because he had this
:19:38. > :19:41.one available as a bit of insurance. Was always going to finish on that.
:19:42. > :19:50.He took the opportunity to bring three or four reds into play. Every
:19:51. > :19:57.chance now for Marco Fu. He will have to do something careless here.
:19:58. > :20:58.We could be having a deciding frame. If it does go 9-9, who is your money
:20:59. > :21:07.on? We always say, it is the task of a coin in the deciding frame. And it
:21:08. > :21:19.would be the first deciding frame. We are on day three.
:21:20. > :21:27.Luca showed what bottle he had in the previous frame where he made a
:21:28. > :21:33.break of 78. Marco is following it up with this effort. And under
:21:34. > :21:43.pressure, this is great stuff from both players. He is not that many
:21:44. > :21:50.away from securing the frame. Five in front. Still plenty of reds
:21:51. > :21:54.available. I mean, normally you are playing for one along the cushion,
:21:55. > :22:00.but he wants to keep this break as easy as possible for himself. He
:22:01. > :22:05.doesn't really want to be playing one of these along the top cushion.
:22:06. > :22:10.He would rather be playing the reds in open play, but he seems to have
:22:11. > :22:15.got himself in potentially a little bit of a trap. He may be forced to
:22:16. > :22:25.play for one. He can just manufacture an angle. One of the
:22:26. > :22:34.things about playing on match cloth, fast conditions, even a relatively
:22:35. > :22:42.straight shot, you can force a lot of movement is out on the cue ball
:22:43. > :22:50.sideways. It is going to be a great match from the perspective of either
:22:51. > :22:58.player. It will be an awful match to lose. That is what this game of
:22:59. > :23:03.snooker is all about, that is why it is so fascinating. Having said that,
:23:04. > :23:09.he has run a little bit too far. He's not over the line yet. He is
:23:10. > :23:19.doing a quick calculation. He is 51 in front. The Blackwood putting 58
:23:20. > :23:32.in front. And there would be 59 on. -- the black wood.
:23:33. > :23:40.APPLAUSE Lots of noise from the other side of
:23:41. > :23:41.the curtain. But Marco, fully focused, carried on and potted the
:23:42. > :23:51.black. That is the one. We have got a
:23:52. > :24:28.deciding frame. Heavy contact, but it doesn't
:24:29. > :24:32.matter. We thought both players would suffer a little bit under
:24:33. > :24:37.pressure, but they have responded so well. Because in the last couple of
:24:38. > :24:46.frames, one chance and the player has won the frame. Luca will stay in
:24:47. > :24:51.his seat. What a response from the man from Hong Kong to make that a
:24:52. > :24:57.magnificent break and to draw the scores level at 9-9. We have got one
:24:58. > :25:01.frame shoot out. This is absolutely magnificent at
:25:02. > :25:06.the Crucible and we have a final frame decider for the first time in
:25:07. > :25:13.this year's World Championship. Marco Fu had the first opportunity,
:25:14. > :25:17.rattling in a break of 46. But Luca has put Marco under a little bit of
:25:18. > :25:28.pressure and Fu has a tricky shot to play.
:25:29. > :25:44.A little smile from Luca, because that was a terrific shot. What a
:25:45. > :25:51.shot he has pulled out here at this stage. He was apprehensive, came off
:25:52. > :26:01.the shot very quickly. It was a judgment shot. The roll-up could be
:26:02. > :26:08.the killer blow. Now, Luca, can you find a containing safety? I get the
:26:09. > :26:16.feeling he needs a bit more luck here. Can he swerve shots, play the
:26:17. > :26:25.white ball down onto the top cushion? Very nicely played. That is
:26:26. > :26:34.a great shot. What a shot that is. APPLAUSE
:26:35. > :26:39.Luca is still waiting for that one chance. He is 48 behind. Is he going
:26:40. > :26:51.to get that chance? It is advantage Marco Fu, but all
:26:52. > :26:55.the time, all the colours are in play and reds are of the cushion, it
:26:56. > :27:10.only takes one mistake. The thin cuts, missed by a long way.
:27:11. > :27:17.He has got the browns save as insurance. That is a fluke, in its
:27:18. > :27:26.own way. Things not going right for Luca. Marco Fu was a long way off
:27:27. > :27:37.the red. Not only that, he has given himself a problem. The only red eye
:27:38. > :27:43.can see is past the pink to come off that to get back up near the cushion
:27:44. > :27:47.and need a Green. And Marco is so close to pulling off what would be
:27:48. > :27:57.one of the great comebacks at the Crucible Theatre from 7-1 down in
:27:58. > :28:04.the best of the 19 match. He is playing the red that is near the
:28:05. > :28:12.black spot area. He has hit it too thin. Has he covered it? He's
:28:13. > :28:17.knocked the green onto the brown. He may have covered it. Everything is
:28:18. > :28:24.happening at the moment. Hit that too thin did Luca. There is no way
:28:25. > :28:29.around the red to try and flick the red in this time, similar to the one
:28:30. > :28:35.he played previously. So still all to play for here. You never know
:28:36. > :28:41.what is going to happen on a snooker table. So many twists and turns. And
:28:42. > :28:46.should Luca get back into this frame, that green and brown could
:28:47. > :28:53.potentially play a part in the outcome.
:28:54. > :29:05.The long planned. He has got away with it. -- long planned. I think
:29:06. > :29:10.Luca can play the red into the middle pocket. He has got a chance.
:29:11. > :29:24.If he should part of this red, let's see how he plays it. -- pot this
:29:25. > :29:29.thread. That is a great shot. He had to just pot the ball. He couldn't
:29:30. > :29:37.play the position as well. It was such a tough pot. Brave shot two of
:29:38. > :29:42.the side question and get the brown. Snooker behind the green? If you
:29:43. > :29:51.could have rolled the red and played that shot there. Yellow, safety.
:29:52. > :29:53.What about rolling onto the green and leaving his opponent over the
:29:54. > :30:12.top of the green? I like that shot. Roll the green.
:30:13. > :30:20.Leaves his opponent bridging over the top. I den like this shot as
:30:21. > :30:21.much. Nowhere near as good. A far weaker shot than rolling on top of
:30:22. > :30:59.the green. Well, the situation at the moment
:31:00. > :31:04.is, Luca acknowledging that shot from Marco and tapping the table,
:31:05. > :31:09.the situation is that Luca Brecel can't afford one more mistake. He
:31:10. > :31:18.still hasn't had a chance in this deciding frame. Bow, this is thin.
:31:19. > :31:24.To pass the pink and clipped the red. He'll send it towards the
:31:25. > :31:25.corner pocket, will he not? Well, well judged.
:31:26. > :31:37.Very dangerous, but well judged. And he could have given Marco a bit of a
:31:38. > :31:57.headache. Marco is in the driving seat.
:31:58. > :32:03.Especially because of those two baulk colours out of action. What's
:32:04. > :32:14.he doing here? He's lining up on this red. Surely not! You can't
:32:15. > :32:19.blame him for taking as much time as possible to work out a good safety
:32:20. > :32:22.shot. Because there's nothing to play in behind. All the colours are
:32:23. > :32:27.off their spots. He couldn't get down the table of -- he could get
:32:28. > :32:30.down the table of the one that is near the right side cushion, but he
:32:31. > :32:42.would have to get the ball safe also. He can get behind the back...
:32:43. > :32:46.That's the one. Nothing to play behind, but that was about the best
:32:47. > :33:01.he could do off that red. Very good shot. Very good shot indeed. It
:33:02. > :33:07.gives Luca a similar problem, actually. There is the thin safety,
:33:08. > :33:15.try and get the cue ball back down to that green pocket. That's about
:33:16. > :33:20.what he's got. He's played that well. He has avoided the bump.
:33:21. > :33:33.APPLAUSE Marco has a potential shot to
:33:34. > :33:38.nothing. He should be able to get the cue ball into a safe area and if
:33:39. > :33:46.this thread goes in, it's a frame-winner. And a matchwinner. But
:33:47. > :33:55.a fair way out. Well, this is the first half chance, and I mean, what
:33:56. > :33:58.a shot he is faced with here... Does it go past the black or is it
:33:59. > :34:03.covered? He can cut one into the left corner, and knowing Luca, he
:34:04. > :34:07.will take it on, because he hasn't had a sniff at anything in this
:34:08. > :34:14.frame. This is a big shot. It's half a half chance. He's overcut it! And
:34:15. > :34:21.he's got away with it, has he? Not this time. I don't think so. That
:34:22. > :34:26.could be his last shot at this year's... I thought he was going to
:34:27. > :34:32.cover it. One good shot from Marco Fu and this red is begging to be
:34:33. > :34:35.parted. The black looks in a good position and this could be the end
:34:36. > :34:44.of the match. APPLAUSE
:34:45. > :34:56.It's a thin black and he will lose control of the cue ball.
:34:57. > :35:04.He needs one more red... And that kiss on the pink has left him a
:35:05. > :35:16.fairly comfortable one into the right middle pocket. What a match
:35:17. > :35:21.we've had here. It's tough for Luca Brecel, 7-2 up overnight, must have
:35:22. > :35:39.been feeling good. It just all seemed to go wrong. Unravelled a
:35:40. > :35:43.bit. And that's the winning shot. He still looks very cool, does Marco.
:35:44. > :35:48.But inside he will be delighted, because he has pulled off one of the
:35:49. > :35:53.best comebacks for quite some years here at the Crucible Theatre, from
:35:54. > :36:02.7-1 down to come back and win 10-9 against a young opponent that played
:36:03. > :36:06.so well to lead 7-1 and played so well to get one frame up, but he
:36:07. > :36:10.couldn't just get that final frame that would have seen him over the
:36:11. > :36:16.line. He's puffing his cheeks out, is Marco. Two of the nicest lads you
:36:17. > :36:36.could ever wish to meet battling it out here.
:36:37. > :36:44.But make no mistake, you'll be seeing a lot more of this young
:36:45. > :36:46.Belgian superstar, because he is a horrific player.
:36:47. > :36:54.-- he's a terrific player. But this stage belongs to the man from Hong
:36:55. > :37:03.Kong. Well, the pockets are starting to
:37:04. > :37:31.get bigger and bigger. He got the first chance in the
:37:32. > :37:36.deciding frame and he made an early break of 46 that paved the way for
:37:37. > :37:44.this victory here, but... CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
:37:45. > :37:48.On the best comebacks we've seen for quite some time. You have to feel
:37:49. > :37:55.sorry for the young layer, Luca Brecel. They come back from Marco
:37:56. > :37:59.Fu, from 7-1 down, he has come back and taken the match in the deciding
:38:00. > :38:05.frame and he goes through to the last 16, ten frames to nine.
:38:06. > :38:10.Brilliant, boys. It was such a tough match, he kept putting me under
:38:11. > :38:16.pressure yesterday. I missed too many easy balls but I was under so
:38:17. > :38:20.much pressure. It was one visit and frame over. Frame after frame, it
:38:21. > :38:25.was the same story. He had a couple of good run of the ball, but he
:38:26. > :38:29.deserved it because he was playing so well and I just couldn't really
:38:30. > :38:35.focus. Mentally I was all over the place yesterday. Went 7-1 down and
:38:36. > :38:41.came back and still can't believe I won this match. Amazing. I think we
:38:42. > :38:48.should now start calling Marco a fully paid-up member of the Fu
:38:49. > :38:57.Fighters! The 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy was 6-3 in front over
:38:58. > :39:04.the 17-year-old Chinese snooker sensation Yan Bingtao, overnight.
:39:05. > :39:08.Yet another top player pushed to the limit. Commentary from John Virgo.
:39:09. > :39:17.COMMENTATOR: Shaun Murphy with that 6-3 advantage, he looks to be a
:39:18. > :39:24.favourite. And that's it, you need is a snooker, but he won't get
:39:25. > :39:30.another chance. It's dead straight. Not this for a long screw back! This
:39:31. > :39:34.is a monster! Oh my goodness! You cannot hit the ball better than
:39:35. > :39:50.that. Got to be careful he doesn't pot it and snooker himself. Well, he
:39:51. > :39:59.potted it. And he snooker himself! And then it goes. He's clapping
:40:00. > :40:05.himself! He is now only two ahead with one more to play before the
:40:06. > :40:12.mid-session interval. It's a tricky black, particularly if he's going to
:40:13. > :40:19.try and drop it in dead weight. How well has he controlled it? Very
:40:20. > :40:30.nicely. Much appreciated century break, much appreciated from Shaun.
:40:31. > :40:37.It's a good chance... Include cost him dear. Shaun Murphy just one
:40:38. > :40:42.frame away from a place in the second round.
:40:43. > :41:01.Nicely played... He is still three behind. Shaun Murphy leads 9-6.
:41:02. > :41:08.Welcome to the Twilight zone! So, he led 9-5. There is now just one in
:41:09. > :41:16.it! 9-8. Pressure on for both of them.
:41:17. > :41:22.So, the teenager playing some fabulous snooker, snooker of the
:41:23. > :41:23.highest standard. Murphy visibly feeling the pressure. Could we see
:41:24. > :41:34.an upset? Didn't like that much. Where is this
:41:35. > :41:35.going? Where is this going, this red? Is it running safe? He's got
:41:36. > :41:51.away with it! Got away with it. These reds are not always going to
:41:52. > :42:02.be in safe positions as the safety shots unfold. I'm sure Shaun Murphy
:42:03. > :42:11.can open up a situation. Nice safety shot from Yan Bingtao. Absolutely,
:42:12. > :42:16.so Shaun has got this little problem to solve before he can even think
:42:17. > :42:22.about having the chance to win frame and match. Ideally Bingtao would
:42:23. > :42:31.like a colour safe, but he can't do that unless he accidentally bumps
:42:32. > :42:36.the black safe, or... No! Would you believe it? Could that be the
:42:37. > :42:40.turning point? Well, that's outrageous. Great screw back, it has
:42:41. > :42:44.to be said, he knew if it wobbled he got the white ball back into a safe
:42:45. > :42:48.area, a thing wrong with that, but could never have foreseen what was
:42:49. > :42:53.going to happen there. And now, other than that red that is close to
:42:54. > :43:03.the baulk vision, a chance to nick it. I don't like this much. He's
:43:04. > :43:07.messed it up. He's got that into -- got into that so much, it's
:43:08. > :43:17.unbelievable! You don't want to be on the cushion for this. He played
:43:18. > :43:30.off two cushions, got into it too much. This is missable. Oh! Just
:43:31. > :43:36.went in. This would be a heartbreaker for Bingtao. Shaun
:43:37. > :43:49.Murphy, arguably, is one good positional shot away.
:43:50. > :43:56.He wants to have some small angle on the red but not too much of an
:43:57. > :44:01.angle, enough that he can get the cue ball back out into open play.
:44:02. > :44:16.So... The biggest shot of the match. 30 points behind, so, off this red,
:44:17. > :44:27.green or above to be able to win with the six remaining colours.
:44:28. > :44:34.Well, he's underhit that a bit. This brown is not as easy as it looks on
:44:35. > :44:40.the TV screen. Well, that was a very brave shot. Don't get me wrong, he's
:44:41. > :44:48.lucky to have this opportunity with that looped red, but that brown was
:44:49. > :44:54.top draw under the pressure. -- with that fluked red. And all Bingtao can
:44:55. > :44:56.hope for now is that Shaun Murphy somehow messes up brown to blue.
:44:57. > :45:13.That's his only hope. This is the key shot. It usually is
:45:14. > :45:16.in a clearance. The young man can't bear to look. Brown... If he gets
:45:17. > :45:26.good position on the blue, it should be match over. Oh, he's not great on
:45:27. > :45:29.it. He has over-screwed it. OK, if he cuts it in he has got natural
:45:30. > :45:33.position on the pink, but he has made the blue missable under
:45:34. > :45:39.pressure. Expect him to get it, though.
:45:40. > :45:54.Pink and black for the match. Well, it wasn't his fault he fluked the
:45:55. > :45:59.red in the first place, but what a fantastic performance from Shaun
:46:00. > :46:07.Murphy. They say snooker is a cruel game, and what can be any more
:46:08. > :46:10.cooler than that? Fair play to Yan Bingtao, he has got a smile and a
:46:11. > :46:17.warm handshake for his opponent, which not many people would have,
:46:18. > :46:21.the way he has lost. Could that be the kick start to his tournament? He
:46:22. > :46:23.runs out a very, very close winner by ten frames to eight. He had the
:46:24. > :46:30.luck in the end. I think I made three centuries and a
:46:31. > :46:35.number of rain winning breaks throughout the match. But that 95, I
:46:36. > :46:40.didn't really feel like I had a clear-cut chance to win the match
:46:41. > :46:43.until 9-8, and by that time I had gone. I don't know where I had gone
:46:44. > :46:48.but I wasn't in the Crucible Theatre any more. My confidence had been
:46:49. > :46:55.chipped away at, he was starting together his shots. The problem is
:46:56. > :46:59.now I'm 34 and I have got Battle scars here, as have all my
:47:00. > :47:02.generation. You sit there and it's very difficult to not remember the
:47:03. > :47:14.ghosts of Crucible past and you have to deal with that. I was all ready
:47:15. > :47:17.for it to go 9-9. I fluked that red and I was quietly impressed with
:47:18. > :47:20.myself with how I stood up and potted those balls, because they
:47:21. > :47:24.weren't that easy, and it gives me a lot of confidence going forward.
:47:25. > :47:29.Mark Allen, who has been disappointing here at the Crucible
:47:30. > :47:34.in the last five years, is through to the last 16 after seeing off the
:47:35. > :47:38.challenge of Jimmy Robertson. The English qualifier was in fact 4-2 up
:47:39. > :47:43.at one stage but was eventually beaten 10-8 by the world number 11
:47:44. > :47:50.from Northern Ireland. Well played Mark Allen. Now then, Peter Ebdon,
:47:51. > :47:55.who was my studio guest here in our studio in the Crucible earlier
:47:56. > :47:58.tonight, chose this as the shot of the day. Luca Brecel may be out of
:47:59. > :48:00.this year's World Championship, but at least he can hold his head up
:48:01. > :48:11.high. Swerve shot, play the white ball
:48:12. > :48:14.onto the top cushion? Very nicely played, that say great shot. What a
:48:15. > :48:18.shop that is. -- very nicely played, that's a
:48:19. > :48:39.great shot. What a shop that is. The night's shot of the day, chosen
:48:40. > :48:44.by one Peter Ebdon. We are back later today at 10am on BBC Two with
:48:45. > :48:48.live coverage of John Higgins, Devon - two up over Martin Gould. And also
:48:49. > :48:52.on the other table which you can follow on the BBC Sport website,
:48:53. > :48:57.Liang Wenbo takes on Stuart Carrington. That's it for us on the
:48:58. > :49:05.highlights. Snooker Extra follows this programme, with extended
:49:06. > :49:30.highlights of Ding against Xiao. I've enjoyed every one of them. And
:49:31. > :49:31.I'm sure I'm going to miss this place.