Day 1, Part 3 Snooker: World Championship

Hello again. The Three Of wrath are enjoying their three of first

Saturdays at the Betfred .com World Championship. -- the three of us. I

have two world champions in the studio but I am keeping an eye on a

further four, three of frame are in action over in the Crucible Theatre

this afternoon. As we join them, Stephen Hendry has already knocked

in one century. For the first time since 1988 he has had to pre-

qualify for the event he has won seven times. He has got his work

cut out, as has Stuart Bingham. Only three overseas players have

won this title before. These are two of them, Neil Robertson and Ken

Doherty. We are going to join that Good afternoon. This has been a

Good afternoon. This has been a protracted amount of good safety

You join us with Ken Doherty in Neil Robertson made a break of 38

in frame three. Ken Doherty, perhaps he should have shared the

first four frames. He needs to make It is the chance to bring the black

into play. It might have been a little bit straighter, but not a

Not the type of player to spread the pack all over the table like

the modern-day players. He likes to pick a few off. That is his style.

It has served him well over the Once again, they are awkward. There

is every chance that the white will stick on a red. If that had gone an

inch to the left it would have He has got these balls in a

position out there he will be disappointed if he does not win the

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frame. -- in a position out where He won at the Crucible in 1987 and

was a runner-up to John Higgins in 1998. He was a runner-up to Mark

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Williams in 2003 wet at close match, It is perfectly set. He has done

You almost forget how good a player he was. We have not seen much of

him over the last three years in the television stages of

tournaments. You realised today that he is a very capable player.

He has always been known for his He would like to get one more red

to stop Robertson coming back to If he had been playing for the blue

he would have definitely potted that. The players cannot commit to

this stroke playing about gently over the distance. -- plain it

Ken Doherty did what they had to do to get back into the match and won

that with a break a 70, but still trailing 3-2.

Ken Doherty proving that he is capable of scoring. Same situation

on the other side of the table. End of frame that has just been

completed, Stephen Hendry making a break of 73 to add to his efforts

of 89 at a contribution in frame two of 100. It was the 773rd

century of his career. Hendry has gone into a 4-1 lead over Stuart

Bingham. Stuart Bingham has got a lot to think about against the

seven-times former world champion. Let me just talk about the Ken

Doherty and Neil Robertson match. I talked about the importance of Ken

showing that he can still score heavily. It is the key factor. As

we mentioned earlier, that is the most important thing is scoring.

Tactically, there are not many people better than 10. We do not

cost him crafty for nothing. He knows his way round the table.

Today he has won two frames in one visit. More importantly, showing

himself he can score. The confidence he is going to get from

responding properly is invaluable. We know full well nobody can really

add played him tactically. He is a great winner of frames he should

not when. He never lacks confidence and he never lacks concentration.

What sometimes lets him down is that he does not get enough points

on the board. But when he does that, the final part of the jigsaw gets

in place and he is a danger for everybody. It looks like it will be

a cracker of a match. And nobody is getting bogged down in the tactics.

It has been very good so far. first couple of frames, anything

can happen. As the tempo builds, I can see both of these players

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These two are very hard match Prime example of what not to do

when you are playing a long pot. If you hit them hard and low it

straightens them up. He was trying to play it as a shot to nothing to

get back on the ball. Ray Reardon said Jimmy bet you have to be able

to long pot to be a safety player. You can see the difference in the

reaction of the cue ball, it is freer during than when Doherty

plays it. Robertson has a low -- a long and flowing cue action,. He's

Most of the top pliers use a longer backswing man necessary for the

shot they are playing but that seems to be the way to go. -- most

Most players have to head up a lot harder than Robertson does to get

the desired position. You can always be shorter and more accurate,

but when you are longer, you can be smoother with the delivery because

the backswing is going back further it's so it is easier to go through

the ball. A longer backswing also brings errors in. You have got to

get the balance. Have you noticed anything about Robertson worse than

other players? I have not spotted anything that he struggles with.

do not think he has never been happy with his position. It is

always second best to the rest of his game. His temperament is

wonderful. His long potting is tremendous and his safety is up

there with the best. I figured is just -- I think it is because he

has got such a long backswing and loses that sometimes in the long

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balls. Still an opponent to fear He cop the red it too thick and

that took the pace out of the cue He cannot keep the break going

That never looked like it was going in. It was top. He had a straight

forward safety there, I do not know why he did not take it on. It

looked to me as if he was stretching so much he could not get

This is a chance for Ken Doherty to Not after that, I don't think! This

will be a difficult pot now. That That is a good recovery. It is

unfortunate he has gone past the baulk line. They do not think he

will be potting the blue. -- I do What we have seen today, it shows

you what the standard is at the moment when you have not seen much

of Doherty in the last few years on television. We understand he made

at least three centuries in his qualifying match. There are

obviously a lot of good players You have to ask why he did not take

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on the red on the right hand side That was a good attempt. I cannot

even begin to tell you how difficult that shot is when you are

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bridging. He got away with it, as The safety in this match has been

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Could be a free ball here. This has Just checking the angle he needs on

That has opened those two reds out as well. Once again, just enough to

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He has had a look and the cannon, the red on the Left cushion which

he is going to need to win the frame. Let's see if he plays it...

And he has. He has been very lucky. Ken Doherty has suddenly stopped

play because he realises that something is happening on the other

table. Obviously, when they stop play, you know what that is.

The reason that they have stopped, on the other table, Stephen Hendry

is on his way to be potential second, one more red to go, to see

if he can complete an 11th maximum break of his career.

Unfortunately, Stephen is stretching slightly. There has not

been a century break in any ranking event this year. There is a row

over of �40,000. People are praying for this. In it goes! Perfect on

These five remaining colours for a bonus of �50,000. Another magical

Crucible mum and created by making If he can play on the pink with a

touching the cushion, the chance is He has decided to play for the pink

into the middle rather than hold it. His temperament has always been his

main strength. Can he hold it Absolutely fantastic! Stephen

Hendry, congratulations from Stuart Bingham and the referee! Well done

Stephen you have done us proud once again! It is his 11th century,

congratulated by both players from the other side. Stephen Hendry, who

said he is not the player he was? Absolutely fantastic!

And so say all of us. Day one, a maximum at the Crucible, what a

start? And indeed, for Stephen Hendry. That takes him level in

terms of of the career maximums with Ronnie O'Sullivan. He could be

in line for a bonus of �50,000. Go to China, get on a plane,

comeback Cormack get jet lag. That is what works! Fabulous work.

the 11th of the season. More than in the entire 1980s. Underlines

again the quality of snooker. it underlines that Stephen Hendry

can be added into the mix of potential World Championship

winners. He looks comfortable around the table and enjoying it.

Which is have the battle. John mentioned his trip to China. He won

the qualifier only just on Sunday. He then had exhibition commitments

in China. He only arrived back last night. We'll play enough, in his

heyday, he would never have attempted anything like that.

probably thinking, like a lot of us, I cannot really win the

championship, I'll just relax and turn up and play. Incredible really.

Meanwhile, back on the other table, let see how the frame we were

watching turned out after the hullabaloo died down. This is live

The points are pretty close as you can see. Ken Doherty has got

Obviously it is a very easy Snooker in behind the black. If you know

Looking at 10's face, he thinks Neil can get through in this round.

-- Ken's face. You can certainly see the red. It is just a matter of

whether he can get to the right He is having a go. What a great

shot. Ken Doherty will be absolutely disgusted with the shot

he played. You should not really take the red anywhere near the

pocket. You wouldn't have thought it possible thought to leave a gap

Just when it looked as if Ken Doherty would take the frame,

These are the themes that make a Neil made an early 41. 10 came back

Great frame. He now leads by two Fiennes again. 4 - 2. -- two frames.

We just witnessed a code maximum break for Stephen Hendry at this

venue. -- there. All of which means he has a very convincing lead. We

were discussing the fact that he was a 66 to one bet for the highest

break coming into the tournament. When you consider his pedigree,

Willi made a good point in commentary. -- Willie. He has been

in excellent form and Stuart Bingham has simply sat and watched.

How might that maximum breaks when things one way or the other here?

am not sure it makes much difference in the context of the

match. Stephen Hendry has Stuart Bingham called already. He has

already lost the plot for this particular session. Stephen

Hendry's job is to buy him as quickly as he can. How echt affects

his own form for the rest of the tournament, that is different

really. You have to forget about the emotion of making it, put it to

the side, and concentrate on the match again. Back to the auditorium

here. Stephen Hendry on a role here. Looking like he is cruising in this

match. He is playing this break like a man with so much confidence.

Oozing confidence. It has not been a precise break, he has gotten out

of position a few times but he feels so good after what has

happened that it is clear the maximum has not affected him in a

bad way. And this is an hour referee's first ever match at the

Crucible Theatre. And she has refereed by a 147. How about that?

He is absolutely running riot here. But the break might come to an end

now. Here is how it started. Such Playing the double. You expected it

to go and! He has just about won this game but Stuart Bingham is

carrying on. He decides it is worth having a few short. He has not seen

much table time and that will not have helped him. A surprise that he

Stuart Bingham last potted a ball 304. Ago. Since then he has been

sitting there watching although I am sure he would have been willing

his opponent on for the 147. But not since then. This is as

confident as I have seen Stephen Hendry for a long time. A long,

Oh, what about that! It is a great level of this game. That was a

miscue. Even Stuart laughed. But the bottom line is that Stephen

Hendry has extended his lead to 7 - It just shows you how this game can

trip you up. At least he was laughing! I would be laughing if I

was that far in front! But what can Stuart do? He is up against a guy

who seems to be having a new lease of life. He missed a lot of balls

early on. Unfortunately he got off to a bad start and Stephen Hendry

has the confidence. He got his cueing going and that has

completely changed the match. talked about the perils of becoming

the hunted as opposed to the man doing the chasing. It was such a

great breakthrough for him to win that the Australian Open. Has it

affected him? Possibly. You do not know how the players look at the

top 16 places. Even if players stay there it is not as if they stay

there for the whole season. Every situation is vulnerable. If you

have a bad bit of form you can still get back during the season.

But more importantly, Stephen Hendry, he is the most important

part of the equation. He has effectively thrown off the shackles

that were somehow destroying his game and he looks as if he is

absolutely able to sustain a session. We have seen him put a

couple of frames to go up but not a sustained effort. This time last

year we were talking about his potential retirement. Obviously we

would have missed something special like that, his third maximum at the

crucial. It just goes to show that if you are hanging on, and you have

the true pedigree, there is always the hope that something special is

intact. There is, and it has clicked today. This will have given

him massive confidence to think that he should be out there and has

a real chance. Stuart Bingham waiting for his opponent to the

tongue. Stephen Hendry has had a couple of good results earlier in

the season. Defeated Neil Robertson 4 - 1 in the Welsh Open. So he

knows that it is there but calling upon it consistently is what seems

to be a problem. He has been tripped up by the odd stinker. It

is just about at last part of the jigsaw. It is about concentration

levels. At a certain age a few gremlins creep into the system and

it is about missing the odd stupid shot full stops he has not done

that today. Clearly jet lag is the answer! He came back from China on

Thursday evening. Many said that was not the ideal preparation but

you never quite know how you will play this game, whatever the

We did as seniors evening at the Crucible last Friday and he played

Jimmy White. On two occasions he came close to a maximum break. Then

he played his qualifier and after finishing that he came to the Guild

Hall in Preston and played Jimmy again. He is hitting the ball

superbly. But looking at the form book we all know he has not been

producing that in tournaments. But given the stage of the Crucible

Theatre - as John Parrott so rightly said, a little bit of help

early on when his opponent is not punish him - it has helped him

relax, get into the floor, and the 147 was just the icing on the cake.

Wonderful to see. And what a reaction. He really means that

punch in the air. And Stuart Bingham, a great guy, having a

terrible afternoon, but genuinely pleased for his opponent. That is

what he has light. That was a lovely reaction. I missed that at

the time. Yes, even in adversity, you can see something that is worth

The Legends tour is great fun but if he had lost that caught fire I

am not sure that Stephen would have been in the same spirit say! --

lost that qualifier. Jimmy White in practice was hitting the ball as

well as ever. But he lost the first three frames and could never get

Once you get through the qualifiers and that here at the Crucible,

nobody has a better record than Stephen Hendry. Of all the maximum

breaks he has made, that will probably give him the most

satisfaction because he has proved Only at 32 minutes of playing time

and it might be a lot longer after that. This is a horrible afternoon

for Stuart Bingham. But an absolutely majestic performance

from Stephen Hendry. Playing as His scoring ability has never left

him. Was he prepared to change his game at this stage of his career?

But today he is as devastating as I He has not won this match yet. But

you would expect him to go through. I wonder what the sponsors will

make of it. They will think, hang on a minute, this is Stephen Hendry.

Now, it was only the absolute force that stock that from going in. So

Yes! Babette shield for Stuart Bingham. A long time coming, that

red. -- a big cheer. It has been a disappointing afternoon for him. He

would have been really looking forward to the challenge of playing

Stephen Hendry. They have only met once before. Stuart Bingham

defeated him. But nothing much has gone right for him today. He has

not played well poor and sometimes if you do not play well you do not

Stephen Hendry, well worth the entrance fee. I'm sure everybody

here would agree. Just another one of those great moments, isn't it?

When a player makes a 147 at the Well, he is definitely suffering at

the moment. That battle much has gone against him after the pot was

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Touching ball. At touching ball has been called by the referee. He is

just trying to nestle in behind the pink or yellow here. Well, it is

understandable. When you do not get a lot of table time you touch is

All-court cueing over the law. -- or court curing over the zeal. But

he is an musician. -- magician. You always get in nudges when you are

in form. When you are not, nothing He used all of the pocket. And nice

He can take a big lead into the He does not want to be too straight

Having to play for a red into the You never know what you're going to

get in this game. The first frame was 35 minutes long. A horrible

frame. At that point neither player had woken up to it all. Since then

Look at the port success. -- pot. Stewart cannot reach 80% which is

not good enough. Stephen flying along. He knows the importance of

this. He is looking for this black and one more read and what an

He defeated Mark Williams in the final of the Australian Open. His

first ranking tournament victory. But highly unlikely that the World

Championships will be on his CV Just that read required - never in

doubt. Never in doubt! They have played nine frames and Stuart

Bingham has only managed to win one That black means he will not come

back to the table other than to Possibility of another century here.

What a performance by the second time a world champion, Stephen

Hendry. -- seven-time world champion. Throw in a maximum, what

more could you ask for? What more can we ask for? Another two frames

would be nice and he will see that tomorrow evening. Here is Neil

Robertson going 52 in front. -- 5/2. Ken Doherty has not done a great

deal wrong and finds himself 5 - 2 behind. Some of what we have

witnessed this afternoon. The first round is the nightmare for many

snooker player who has ever played at the Crucible. A potential

banana-skin for everybody. But you can do no better than play

brilliantly in the first session. It is a great start. Terrific to

watch. Moments that we just live for at these events. Yes, and more

importantly for Stephen himself, this tells him he can still compete

at an extremely high level. What this will do to his confidence I

have no idea. But I have to be honest and say I did not think it

was possible for him to win, now he has a chance, playing like that.

This evening you can watch more sessions on the red button. Live

coverage of the evening session. John Higgins and Liang Wenbo will

play to a finish. John Higgins has the edge, just. And a newcomer, Cao

Yupeng from China. Already in the groove - he had to when four

matches to get here. And a late shift this evening, highlights from

just after midnight. Already today, day one of the Betfred.com World

Championships, maximum entertainment, and the 10th maximum

break at the Crucible. It came, of course, from the king of the

Crucible, Stephen Hendry. Absolutely fantastic! There is only