Day 8 Snooker: World Championship Highlights

It is day eight of the World Championship and three more players

were aiming to join Kyle Wilson in the quarterfinals. Ronnie O'Sullivan

faced Shaun Murphy this morning, O'Sullivan leading 10-6.

What a shot! He extends his lead now, 13-6.

That really was a great shot. He's not going to bother with the black.

He needed that frame. He's got it. 11-7.

What a horrendous kick. That was filed. He's in this kind of mood,

here's an animal on the table. Superb break from Ronnie O'Sullivan.

He has rolled that in perfectly to be on the black.

Oh, Shaun. That last kick he got sapped any belief he had in this

match. Shaun is the perfect gentleman. In the end, Ronnie was

just a little bit too good. Very solid performance from the five

times world champion, Ronnie O'Sullivan. Pleased to be through...

Not pleased because it's so hard out there it is like no place on earth.

It just drags you through the mill. To come through is a relief, in many

ways, and you have to go through it as a professional snooker player.

You can never play the same every session. There are always going to

be dips and troughs, it is how good your good games are and how bad your

bad games were. Overall, they weren't as bad and I was pretty

decent overall so that's all you can do. Over a long stretch, you have to

hope you can be stronger than your opponent. In the quarterfinals, he

will meet Ding Junhui, who came through a tough encounter himself.

The more experienced player took the match into a decider and booked his

place in the last eight with the help of a 70 break. We all want to

win the matches and we all want to be victorious at the Crucible so we

fight hard. The game is becoming very good. The last frame, I just

missed double and Ding played very well and congratulations to him and

good luck in the next match. I enjoyed this match, we are both very

happy. Perhaps the tie of the second round pitted four-time Bob Champion

John Higgins against Northern Ireland's Mark Allen. Allen took the

first session 5-3 but Higgins finished on top after they resumed

this morning, taking a 9-7 lead into this evening's session. Mark Allen

won the opening frame and we join the action in frame 18. Your

commentators are John Virgo and Ken Doherty.

It's one of those, you could run into a second read so if you go for

it, you need to get it. He founded and it is a good pot.

That is a nice kiss on the yellow, he will be happy with that. He puts

his hand up to apologise but he shouldn't really apologise for that

because that was an excellent pot. When John Higgins potted his red, he

needed a kiss on the green, he didn't get it and that was a good

kiss for Mark. Imperative to get topside of the

blue. Pretty good. The cue ball must hit the pink full

ball. He need some luck, and he's got it.

He will settle for that. He has been scoring heavily when

he's got these opportunities. An opportunity now to get the match

back all square. He led 5-3 coming into the second session this

morning. He lost the first four frames. He couldn't afford to do

that this evening. He might try to get rid of the red

below the black. You always like to clear the reds

underneath the black spot. It helps your positional play.

Not perfect on this red, he might have to go for the blue, but you are

exactly right, you want the red out of the way in case you have to come

off the top cushion. Imperative he gets a good angle on the blue and

that needs to run and it just got there. Perfect.

First impressions, Mark Allen has got the cue ball really on a string

at the moment. He is making every pot

straightforward. That shot on the blue, he made it look easy but how

many times can you misjudge that? That's OK as long as you have a red

to continue with. He might have to play for a baulk colour but he won't

mind that. All the balls he needs are now in the open.

He will come around to see the red, the right of the three, whether it

will pot. Does not look like it will.

Decision time. Does he go for the blue? Maybe play the run through and

tried to flick off one of the reds, but that is risky because you could

lose position from the black. Looking from there, maybe pot it,

just about. He did just flick them out and it is

beautifully played. Delicate little shot, have a look at this. Judged it

very nicely indeed. He did well to get the cue ball that

far around because when you're striking down, it's hard to get the

top spin to generate the follow through that he needed.

This red is all he required... Oh, no! Heavy contact, that is why he is

showing his disappointment. Very unlucky. You could see it down the

line, have a look at the red. Straightens off to the left-hand

side of the pocket and you could see and his frustration. He lost a frame

earlier on today that Hazel was talking about when he made a break

of 17 and John Higgins replied with a break of 72. It could happen again

here. Although there are a few problem balls, those two on the

left-hand side cushion and the pink out of place it is a big for John to

win, but he can get back into it, which didn't look likely. For all

money, it looked like it was going to be two frames in a row for Mark

Allen. I be interested in whether John will try to attempt the loose

red or try and disturb one or two of these reds on the cushion. He tried

to go into them. Lovely, he couldn't have played that much better, what a

fantastic shot. Talk about seizing the opportunity,

brilliant shot. And now the only real problem ball I can see is the

pink. He's going to need this black, the two reds, two colours and all

the remaining colours. What a steal this would be.

We expected the cue ball to be away from the cushion but he's all right,

he can stay on the black. He is a little bit short. He still

has a few points to play with, John, so he isn't too bad. Any colour will

do off this red. We always say the key shot usually

is getting position from brown to blue but with the pink where it is,

it is essential he gets good position on the blue.

Mark Allen looked like he was going to put a break together to win the

frame and he was very unlucky with the kick. But he may still have a

lifeline, that pink. That is his only hope. It is one of

those pinks you don't want to be behind, you feel you might have to

get it off the cushion. You'd like to move it if you had a chance. Now,

can he screw behind it? Even if he does, it is a tough one with the

rest and that is what he will have to use. Could not have played it

much better. If the cue ball was closer to the cushion but he has to

drop this in. Absolutely brilliant, and you can

see what it meant to John Higgins. Unlucky Mark Allen, he will feel

aggrieved by that bad contact but what a clearance once again. The

Wizard of Wishaw? You bencher! A big steal from John Higgins, now

it's Mark Allen at the table and he is leading by three points.

He is trying to lay on this red to the left. It is too hard and has

gifted John and easy red into the right centre, just a little bit too

pacey with the cue ball. Always looked control of the safety

battle, John Higgins gets the first chance.

It jumped, there was a lot of pace on the cue ball to get down to the

reds. I'm just wondering can he play this

little cannon popped off the red and tried to dislodge the red from the

black? He isn't looking at it, he is looking at the one left of the pink.

He could have played a couple of shots from there.

Just looking at John, he has a couple of pots on here. Although

that red adjacent to the right corner maybe blocks the one to the

right corner. He's hampered, can't do anything

with the cue ball. Could have worked out better.

He couldn't do anything, but that was right in the middle and a good

shot. Just concentrating on the pink here

but he will be happy to do that. The pink now is available to the

right corner. He has overdone it a fraction. No, he must be OK, only I

is for the pink. He has made this break look very

easy indeed. He has had to work at it.

This is what makes in such a great player.

With the pressure on, he still produces some fantastic breaks,

holds his nerve, keeps himself together.

It all came about from that bout of safety. Mark Allen was in trouble a

number of times. He forced the opening and here is the result of

it. As I said at the time, what happened

to Mark Allen in the previous frame, he was desperate to get in first. It

is not to be. He has two sit there and suffer and see another frame

slipping away. -- to. This pink will put him 61 points in front. Just 59

remaining. Such a shame for Mark Allen. He came out of the blocks

very fast to night. But for that kick... It might have been a

different story. It's amazing how much a player's

body language can change as well. Mark Allen looked so assured, so

confident in the first couple of friends, until he got the kick. Then

John Higgins made the break. The momentum has swung back towards John

Higgins. Yeah, Mark Allen will be set in his seat very subdued. --

sat. Nothing you can do about it, Mark. You were unlucky in the

previous frame. It has just been compounded in this one. Leaves an

angle on this red if he is going to continue the break. He has not got

much of a one. Black to the far corner, is it a? May be nudging the

red into play. -- maybe. This is amazing stuff. It is nice to see

Mark Allen applauding. What a black into the green pocket. And of course

nudging the red into play. Yeah, I saw it, but I didn't believe it. It

is like a two and ten shot. When John Higgins came to the table,

I didn't expect he was going to make the century from that position.

There was one particular shot, he took the Brown, went into the pack,

opened up a couple of reds. There was just half The Pocket available.

On another day he might not have been on anything. But he was. Well

played. Once again Mark Allen shows his appreciation. That is good

sportsmanship. John Higgins, a virtuoso performance.

That was his second century of this match. The 42nd of the tournament.

Magnificent. Once again, Mark Allen didn't do a love wrong. He just

can't get in. It is John Higgins now three frames ahead.

11-8. Into frame 20. John Higgins at the table but he is 54 points

behind. That wasn't easy. Has he got away

with it? Does this red pot into this bottom right-hand corner pocket? I

think it does. Good shot. Well played. It just shows you, he made

an error there and it didn't cost him. It did in the previous frame.

And that is what we say sometimes. When you are to get back in a match,

you could do with a little bit of help from your opponent. He got some

there. So another chance to win the frame before the mid-session

interval. And I still get the feeling that he has got it in him.

Sometimes when a player goes behind, you fear for him, whether he has got

the fight in him. But he looks to be playing so well, if he gets the

chances, he could still win this match. There is still a lot of

snooker left. Absolutely. There is a long way to go yet. This will settle

them down a little bit. John will know he is still in a match. He has

got the advantage. It will be 11-9 at the interval. He only needs two.

He knows the way Mark Allen is playing, he has had for centuries in

this match, don't forget... If he gets a chance, he is going to take

it. He has needed the two chances. But I

think after losing that frame when he got a bad kick, I think he

deserves another chance. But he knows that his back is against the

wall. He came out this evening to frames behind. People go to the

mid-session interval two frames behind. -- he will go. 13 is the

target. He has got some support in the room

as well, of course. He has held himself together very well in this

frame. OK, he got frustrated by going for the red into the left

centre. John Higgins is ready to follow him

to the dressing room. So Mark Allen starred in two frames behind. He

still is but he is still in this match. There is a love of snow could

be played yet. John Higgins leads 11-9.

-- a lot of snooker. Here is frame 22, it is Mark Allen to play and

there is no score. He didn't get into it. He did not

get into that. He has left a red for John Higgins. One to the corner,

want the middle. -- one to the middle. Is that Mark Allen's last

shot in this year's Championship? He was in all sorts of trouble there.

John Higgins played an attacking safety shot. It got under the red.

The pink is still in the open. Even if he parts this lack. -- pots.

I think the black is out of commission.

He doesn't have to bring any balls into play. OK, the black is out of

commission but he has got the pink on its spot, blue, baulk colours are

available. This is a frame and match-winning opportunity.

As Mark Allen looks on, hoping that John Higgins will make a mistake.

The way he has been playing in this match, you can't see it. There is

one red John Higgins would love to get out of the way. The red below

the pink to the left. He may not take it now. Maybe come

back for the blue. He couldn't get the right side of

the blue but he is on the pink. I don't know what sort of potting

angle he has. He is perfect on the pink to play for the red you were

referring to can. -- Ken. And by removing this red, it makes the pink

available into the left corner, as well as the right corner. A little

bit of work to do if the pink doesn't go to the right middle,

which I don't think it does. Is he going to try to Canon the red to the

left of the Black? No. That was a risky didn't want to take. Back up

for the blue. Or thing. Yes, a few loose reds still available. Doesn't

have to do much with the cue ball. He is queueing so straight. Write

down the barrel of a gun. -- staring right down the barrel of a gun. He

started of the season very well, then he had a loyal. You clearly has

got his appetite back. And of course, that makes you work harder

at the game, practice more. He has got his appetite back. And when he

is in this form, he is very hard to beat. As Mark Allen has found,

because he has thrown everything at him. He couldn't have played much

better. He has been very unlucky. Particularly the turning point of

the kick he got on 58. That cost him the frame. Yeah, absolutely. But you

have to say, what a clearance it was from John Higgins. Superb, yeah. And

the frame area when John Higgins cleared at 72. Those two crucial

frames have turned this match on its head.

This pink will put him 48 points in front. Still 83 remaining. Still

needs three more reds. It is maybe not this -- that straightforward. He

was, in the very first session, trying to hold onto Mark Allen's

coat-tails. 5-2 down. He managed to win.

It is not over just yet. There is a bit of work to do. He will still

have a good healthy lead. He can pot the pink here. But the cue ball has

gone back up the table to the baulk macro area. He may try to get a

colour save here, try to protect that lead.

Once again, keeping it tight. Keeping it so ties. If Mark Allen is

go to get a chance, he will have to work hard for it. I'm just wondering

if he will attempt this pot down the right-hand side of the table. It is

very difficult. This red that is closest to the bottom right-hand

corner pocket. It may be too difficult. Maybe if the pink was

open to the left centre, he may take it on. How does he get it safety and

-- how does he get it safe? That red has now landed a plum on for the

right centre and Mark may be thinking that is his last shot in

this year's bet Fred World Snooker Championship. A little shake of the

head. He has played so well. But that could be his last visit.

You know something, I think he just got another kick on the red. He is

shaking his head. I think he was very unlucky yet again. I detected a

heavy contact. It took the pace out of the cue ball. We were talking to

the referee at the interval, and he said there were a few heavy contacts

this evening, which there hadn't been earlier in the match. We still

don't know what causes them. Obviously it can be a change of

atmosphere. Mark couldn't have played better. It is not looking

good for him now. That puts John 62 points in front. 67 remaining. A red

and a colour to end the hopes and dreams of Mark Allen for another

year. This black to go 70 points in front

with 59 remaining. In it goes. You can't take anything away from John

Higgins. He has played absolutely brilliant, as has his opponent. And

he will take some stopping. Absolutely. As you said earlier,

vintage John Higgins, without a shadow of a doubt. He has had to

pull out a couple of magnificent clearances. That one, when he was 58

behind, was one of the best. Without a shadow of a doubt. That black

going in means the bowtie as come off. He is ready to go back to the

dressing room. He will be very disappointed, as well he might.

There are a few frames that could have gone either way. But he

couldn't have played much better. No. I'm sure he will be back again,

fighting next year. I wouldn't be disheartened if I was him. Obviously

now he will be upset. But boy has heaped pod up a great performance.

-- Duport Corp. But John Higgins was at the top of his game and when he

is a -- at the top of his game he is a matter anybody. -- he is a match

for anybody. The red didn't go in. A handshake. I am certain Mark Allen

will say, well played, John. John Higgins will also congratulate Mark

Allen on his performance. Mark Allen and John Higgins both had 94% pot

success. What a performance from John Higgins. He is back to his

best. He runs out a winner by 13 - nine. He is in the quarterfinal.

What a match. The story of the game was I made two unbelievable

clearances under pressure. If I never made them, Mark would probably

be sitting here waiting 13-8, 13-9. I said to him at the end if he stays

at that level of performance he will be hard to stop. I includes -- I

include the likes of Ronnie and Selby in that. John Higgins will

take some beating. I was delighted my family was here. They gave me a

lot of support. Mark Howard a lot of support as well.

It was a great atmosphere. No doubt about it, that is the best match of

the tournament. It certainly is. It is only the second round. That

performance probably would have been good enough for Mark Allen to get

through. But against John Higgins in that form, a tough draw. Those

frames he should won, John Higgins was brilliant? Yes, and now he is in

40s, he is still very strong. He will take some beating? I wouldn't

be surprised if we saw him in the final.

Mark Selby is bidding to become the fifth player to win this wonderful

tournament on at least three occasions. His second round began

this evening against Xiao Guodong. Pete defeated Ryan Day in the last

round. We join the match in the last frame of the session. Mark is three

frames ahead but Xiao has a chance to close the gap.

He can get through to the potting angle of this brand. Just worried

about... He can definitely get through the potting angle of the

Brown. He is right down the line of it.

Mark must feel he can't get through. It certainly looks like it from

here. I am directly behind the shot. It

looks for certain he can hit my thin enough to pot it. But he doesn't

fancy it. Let's look at what that tells us. This is Hawk-Eye. There it

is. It looks like he can pot it. He has decided it doesn't. He plays a

safety. As we always say, it is not hitting,

it is getting it safe. He will do well to get the cue ball anywhere

near the Balkan area here. -- baulk area. He will -- he could do with

hitting it half ball. He is very disappointed with that

shot. Xiao missed a brown like this in the

centre pocket earlier on. It is a very thin cut. Never easy when you

are cutting the ball back into the pocket. But he has managed it. Good

control of the cue ball as well. Just the blue for Mark Selby would

be enough. It has been a tough old session for Xiao Guodong. He got

very close to getting a 5-3. It is the defending champion who

wins this first session at 6-2. They play their second session

tomorrow at 2:30pm. Highlights coming up. You can watch the match

between Stephen Maguire and Rory McLeod. We will have live snooker

from 9:55am when 2010 champion Neil Robertson begins his second round

match against Marco Fu of Hong Kong. Goodbye for now.