:00:40. > :00:45.Breaking snooker news. Ronnie O'Sullivan has decided to misthe
:00:45. > :00:55.rest of the snooker season. He has person issues to resolve. Doubts
:00:55. > :01:03.
:01:03. > :01:08.have been cast on whether he will The Rocket. Ronnie O'Sullivan.
:01:08. > :01:13.Good afternoon, never has there been an opening morning in the snooker
:01:13. > :01:20.Championship as keenly anticipated as this one. I featured a defending
:01:20. > :01:23.champion who has raised his cue in competitive anger only oning in the
:01:23. > :01:28.last 11-and-a-half months, he has dared to come back and try to win
:01:28. > :01:32.for the fifth time. Quite a challenge, and one in which John
:01:32. > :01:38.Parrot and Steve Davis has been watching since this morning at ten
:01:38. > :01:42.o'clock. That is when the Rocket walked out to defend his title. It
:01:42. > :01:46.was a fascinating the moment and they shared the first couple of
:01:46. > :01:50.frames with Marcus Campbell. The world number 27, a very very good
:01:50. > :01:55.player indeed. Thereafter, it was a tale of flee clearances. . Yes, very
:01:55. > :02:02.much so. The first, this was an indication of the early sharpness.
:02:02. > :02:06.The balls weren't easy. He flick flicked out a red. Got another one,
:02:06. > :02:11.typical O'Sullivan fashion, made it look very easy.
:02:11. > :02:17.So, Ronnie that the point going to 2-1 up. In frame four, Marcus,
:02:17. > :02:22.having made a break of 55 was 59 in front here, and it was O'Sullivan
:02:22. > :02:26.who dished up again. It looks as if Marcus Campbell was in excellent
:02:26. > :02:30.form and go into the interval at 2-2. It shows the power of Ronnie
:02:30. > :02:33.O'Sullivan. Cleared up in that frame and the previous one, and made two
:02:33. > :02:37.difficult clearance, under pressure, look so easy. You talk about
:02:37. > :02:42.pressure, the pressure here on cap bell, once again he is in early.
:02:42. > :02:45.he did all the work, he got down to the final five colour, made the
:02:45. > :02:51.mistake, once again O'Sullivan pounced. Got the black in the
:02:51. > :02:58.centre. He won't miss this. Marcus Campbell will kick himself because
:02:58. > :03:03.they are frames he could have won. By this point Ronnie had taken a
:03:03. > :03:07.4-1. When we left you, it has been a long intriguing day here, a long bay
:03:07. > :03:13.to go on this opening day, and 17 Tays worth of great action coming
:03:13. > :03:17.your way. We are going to rejoin this match in frame six. It is the
:03:18. > :03:27.Scot at the table. He is being watched by Stephen Hendry and John
:03:28. > :03:49.
:03:49. > :03:59.I thought he had a slight angle op the blue but he was straight.
:03:59. > :04:14.
:04:14. > :04:19.So he will try to find a way of getting the black into play.
:04:19. > :04:29.Formally you think he could play a canon but that pink is loose from
:04:29. > :04:40.
:04:40. > :04:50.the rends. He didn't bring the black into play,
:04:50. > :05:10.
:05:10. > :05:18.but... Plenty of loose reds to go The red is slightly to the left hand
:05:18. > :05:28.jaw of the pocket. He still should get it but it is not
:05:28. > :05:33.
:05:33. > :05:40.a for mamty. corner.
:05:40. > :05:45.Thought it would pass the other red. He didn't play the plant. You
:05:45. > :05:55.couldn't have played it from that side. You just wonder whether that
:05:55. > :06:00.
:06:00. > :06:10.mistake is an aftermath of the few The frustration is building. It is
:06:10. > :06:43.
:06:43. > :06:49.building up, the frames he has He thought that red would go. Maybe
:06:49. > :06:59.it would have phone it had got right into the jaw, but he didn't get
:06:59. > :07:08.
:07:08. > :07:13.canon on the ping and the brown. -- pink.
:07:13. > :07:23.He had to be careful he didn't screw off into the middle. It was close
:07:23. > :07:29.
:07:29. > :07:39.a potable position. I don't know if the pink will go on its spot and
:07:39. > :07:56.
:07:56. > :08:06.That was nicely played. Made it look easy, but believe me, it was
:08:06. > :08:28.
:08:28. > :08:32.Unwanted kiss on that red. He is out of position slightly.
:08:32. > :08:42.Makes the pink a bit more difficult. Not guaranteed to be good on the
:08:42. > :08:48.
:08:48. > :08:58.Good pot nevertheless. Good pot nevertheless.
:08:58. > :08:58.
:08:58. > :09:03.He needs another one. Nicely played. He is cueing the ball beautifully.
:09:03. > :09:09.You know, I can criticise some of his safety catching the baulk
:09:09. > :09:13.colour, but when he has been in he has cued it beautifully. The key
:09:13. > :09:17.shots when he played the pink from the brown spot. What a lot of
:09:17. > :09:21.professionals would have played the easy blue. He played the more
:09:21. > :09:26.difficult pink. Got it back on the spot and that is what has created
:09:26. > :09:31.spot and that is what has created this chance.
:09:31. > :09:36.The only thing he seems to be having trouble with is distance, he is not
:09:36. > :09:42.judging his side shots. The safety has not been brilliant. In the balls
:09:42. > :09:47.he as looked as good as ever. of the clearance, I know Marcus will
:09:47. > :09:53.be thinking that the frames he should have won, but Ronnie has made
:09:53. > :09:58.some beautiful clearance, and made them look so easy.
:09:59. > :10:03.He was telling me he had a new tip put on and he is not 100% -- happy
:10:03. > :10:13.with it, which can be the reason why he is not playing the long distance
:10:13. > :10:22.
:10:22. > :10:26.Doesn't look like a new tip, particularly, but a lot of the
:10:26. > :10:29.players cut them down, so they are ready to play, rather than having
:10:29. > :10:39.them brand-new. It is a brand-new tip, but they just
:10:39. > :11:15.
:11:15. > :11:25.cut them down so they are not as A good chance to make his first
:11:25. > :11:44.
:11:44. > :11:54.century. It's odds on now. He might have been
:11:54. > :12:00.
:12:00. > :12:05.a bit straighter on this black. Oh,! Thank goodness for gravity. I don't
:12:05. > :12:09.think he will be disappointed. He just marches on and he has reached
:12:09. > :12:14.that five frame that you mentioned Steven, so he cannot be behind after
:12:14. > :12:19.this first session, can he press on from here? A break of 86 to go with
:12:19. > :12:24.the 82 he knocked in in the first frame. So looking very comfortable
:12:24. > :12:34.op his return, 5-1 in frame. Frame seven, let us get in there, this
:12:34. > :12:49.
:12:49. > :12:57.time it is Ronnie in catch up mode. If this works out right... Deja vu.
:12:57. > :13:01.Absolutely. As you say Marcus with just a couple of pots away there,
:13:01. > :13:05.and whether there was value in playing the red as he did, but
:13:05. > :13:10.whether he purposely played to overcut it, just caught it much too
:13:10. > :13:20.thin, I don't know, but playing the pot, as I say, at that pace, if it
:13:20. > :13:41.
:13:41. > :13:48.was close to jawers and didn't go in frame. And it worked out perfect as
:13:48. > :13:58.we go over the two hour mark and it is two hours of intrigue intriguing
:13:58. > :13:58.
:13:58. > :14:53.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 55 seconds
:14:53. > :14:56.snooker, it has to be said. well, it is not pinpoint position,
:14:56. > :15:06.and it makes it all the more difficult. This is a tough pot at
:15:06. > :15:39.
:15:39. > :15:46.He has to concentrate on getting a So he just needs the colour and the
:15:46. > :15:51.final red to leave Ronnie needing a snooker. I think he has come the
:15:51. > :15:57.wrong side of the pink. He would love to follow the cue ball through
:15:57. > :16:01.and have a nice easy red. But the cue ball is further away from the
:16:01. > :16:11.red than he would like, if he plays the pink.
:16:11. > :16:34.
:16:34. > :16:38.rest. He only needs the red so what has gone before. A frame he was
:16:38. > :16:44.desperate to win. Ronnie had his chance, just couldn't keep tight
:16:44. > :16:48.control of the cue ball on his last visit. It caught him out in the end.
:16:48. > :16:57.This will be a mighty relieved Marcus Campbell. This pink puts the
:16:57. > :17:07.I don't think Ronnie will bother coming back to the table now. 37
:17:07. > :17:07.
:17:07. > :18:12.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 55 seconds
:18:12. > :18:16.This time, it wasn't punished by result and Marcus Campbell reduces
:18:16. > :18:20.his arrears to three. But he still trails five frames to
:18:20. > :18:25.two. Marcus Campbell is ranked one place
:18:25. > :18:28.above Ronnie O'Sullivan in the world ranks right now due to Ronnie's
:18:28. > :18:32.decent down after his sabbatical from snooker and Campbell, the Scot
:18:32. > :18:36.who is a 40-year-old has proven he can mix it with the very best
:18:36. > :18:41.player, he has had a quarter-final and semi-final appearance in two of
:18:41. > :18:51.the biggest events of the season and he very much in this match as we
:18:51. > :18:55.head into frame eight. He couldn't do much with the cue
:18:55. > :19:00.ball. But the most important thing in those type of shots you make
:19:00. > :19:04.certain you pot the red. At least you get the next shot, but it has to
:19:04. > :19:14.be made and he just give the plant that bit more concentration, rather
:19:14. > :19:14.
:19:14. > :20:04.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 55 seconds
:20:04. > :20:14.I don't know what Rony was playing there, whatever it was, it has not
:20:14. > :20:30.
:20:30. > :20:34.gone well. He has left this red to Another long pot missed.
:20:34. > :20:38.And that could be costly, because he has left Ronnie with a nice easy
:20:38. > :20:41.starter. He is just having a look to see if
:20:41. > :20:51.he can play for the black and bring it into play, he has a pink in the
:20:51. > :21:20.
:21:20. > :21:30.He played for the plaque, tried to clear it. Is it available into the
:21:30. > :21:38.
:21:38. > :21:42.long time, competitive wise, he certainly looked to be scoring well
:21:42. > :21:52.enough, when he has had the opportunity.
:21:52. > :22:26.
:22:27. > :22:30.This is where he has looked This red to the right corner, he may
:22:30. > :22:40.have to put a little trace aside on the cue ball to throw it over. It
:22:40. > :22:42.
:22:42. > :22:46.looks like he can get through to it. The red the right of the black will
:22:46. > :22:56.pass into the same pocket as the black. Maybe it doesn't, that is why
:22:56. > :23:35.
:23:35. > :23:39.He has overscrewed that. He will be Hizb ut-Tahrir hand he could not
:23:39. > :23:43.have put it in a better place than that, that is unbelievable. That was
:23:43. > :23:48.a clever shot, he played for a choice of two reds.
:23:48. > :23:58.See where the cue ball end up, he either has the red to the left
:23:58. > :24:36.
:24:36. > :24:41.Careless. That is careless. That is two positional shots he has
:24:41. > :24:46.played on the pink. He is just a bit loose with them.
:24:46. > :24:52.The blue is missable. Oh, wonderful.
:24:52. > :25:02.Wonderful. Right in the heart of the pocket and
:25:02. > :25:14.
:25:14. > :25:24.Just this red and a colour needed. Because now that red's disappeared
:25:24. > :25:59.
:25:59. > :26:02.Can he make a Ton here? But that is the one thing, the
:26:02. > :26:08.bottom line of this game, at this level. When you get your
:26:08. > :26:17.opportunities you have to score. And Ronnie has proved that today,
:26:17. > :26:27.given the opportunities he will OK, we can question his safety play
:26:27. > :26:30.
:26:30. > :26:33.has not been spot on, but that can Well, still no century, but another
:26:33. > :26:37.frame on the score board, which will please him more than the century
:26:37. > :26:43.break. And he now leads by six frames to
:26:43. > :26:47.two. There is just one more frame to play in this session. At third break
:26:47. > :26:52.over 80 already from the defending champion, and he looks very
:26:52. > :26:56.comfortable, almost as though he has never been away. 6-2 in front, but
:26:56. > :27:06.this now is the last frame of the morning session and Campbell has a
:27:06. > :27:11.
:27:12. > :27:21.Omars can you need to take those opportunities!
:27:22. > :27:35.
:27:35. > :27:39.mark is going to have to sit and suffer as to whether he will get
:27:39. > :27:49.another chance in this frame. This was a big, big frame.
:27:49. > :28:25.
:28:25. > :28:29.And he has had two excellent Underhit it slightly. Shouldn't be a
:28:29. > :28:35.problem, though, playing for blue or possibly pink. Play some sort of
:28:35. > :28:39.canon. I think Ronnie would be wary of
:28:39. > :28:42.where the pink is going to go, if he plays for the pin, when it is
:28:43. > :28:52.respotted. Because I think those two reds are
:28:53. > :28:53.
:28:53. > :28:57.available. At least the bottom one. He played that well. Played the
:28:57. > :29:07.canon perfectly. I don't know he is ideal on the pink, but he could roll
:29:07. > :29:11.it in and play for the red to the He was going to do and he wasn't
:29:11. > :29:16.going to do. We always say if you are not certain get up and get down
:29:16. > :29:26.again, but... Didn't make any difference of course, it was such an
:29:26. > :29:26.
:29:26. > :30:15.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 55 seconds
:30:15. > :30:25.been ideal. But straight enough. He didn't have to do too much with the
:30:25. > :30:25.
:30:25. > :31:11.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 55 seconds
:31:11. > :31:20.far enough there. Yellow, green and proper match since last year - he'll
:31:20. > :31:30.be really happy with this performance. A seven - to lead. -
:31:30. > :31:40.
:31:40. > :31:45.concerned, he is behind but he has had plenty of chances to have been a
:31:45. > :31:53.lot closer. But that's the game and Ronnie O'Sullivan, defending
:31:53. > :31:58.champion, ends the first session leading seven frames to two going
:31:58. > :32:03.into tonight's final session. HAZEL IRVINE: Well, if he was
:32:03. > :32:07.nervous, it didn't show. I think that shows the pedigree of Ronnie
:32:07. > :32:13.O'Sullivan. The story of the match so far has been that both players
:32:13. > :32:18.have given as good as they got. Marcus Campbell's been in front many
:32:18. > :32:25.times but Ronnie O'Sullivan is one the frame. -- Ronnie O'Sullivan has
:32:25. > :32:31.won the frame. If you are clearing up as regularly as Roddy, you are
:32:31. > :32:36.informed. It begs the question, which aspects of the game are
:32:36. > :32:39.particularly challenged by months of not playing competitive snooker?
:32:39. > :32:44.being in the venue. It's not so much about the game but the fat you've
:32:44. > :32:48.been out of the venue. I think if you are playing in cubicles all the
:32:48. > :32:52.time, it your own use to that. But the fact that you're not playing at
:32:52. > :32:57.the biggest venues, it's just strange and different to come back.
:32:57. > :33:02.But he's played as if he's never been away. Would you have expected
:33:02. > :33:05.more rust to be evident in his game? The reports were that he was
:33:05. > :33:11.playing excellently in practice but what you could have expected was a
:33:11. > :33:17.game that didn't go that way. It could've been a bit more and tuck.
:33:17. > :33:20.But that was an excellent snooker. Marcus Campbell will be disappointed
:33:20. > :33:30.that he hasn't converted more frames but he's up against one of the best
:33:30. > :33:30.
:33:30. > :33:34.players. For mere mortals, that would have been a five - for match.
:33:34. > :33:39.We know the importance of sticking Ronnie O'Sullivan -- sticking with
:33:39. > :33:43.Ronnie O'Sullivan. Marcus would have loved to have stuck with him of it
:33:43. > :33:47.more closely in the opening frames. Yes and it does put a lot of
:33:47. > :33:51.pressure on the player because Marcus Campbell knows he has got to
:33:51. > :33:54.try to do that and you're always looking over your shoulder. If
:33:54. > :33:57.you're 50 points in front and you know there are no threads on the
:33:57. > :34:07.table, you're never really comfortable. It puts pressure on
:34:07. > :34:07.
:34:08. > :34:13.converting the frame. Marcus is a great player. He's got to 50 but
:34:13. > :34:18.those 50s have got to be 75. That's what O'Sullivan does to you if you
:34:18. > :34:22.don't make 75. That is one of five of our first 16 first-round matches
:34:22. > :34:29.to get under way today. Only one finishes on the opening day
:34:29. > :34:33.traditionally. The line-up also features two other world champions -
:34:33. > :34:38.Shaun Murphy playing Martin Gould. Mark Williams will face 21-year-old
:34:38. > :34:42.Michael White this evening. He's one of the more fancied of large
:34:42. > :34:47.compliment of Crucible rookies. And fellow debutant Jack Lisowski will
:34:47. > :34:54.be stepping out this afternoon to take on the Aussie open champion
:34:54. > :34:56.Barry Hawkins. Barry Hawkins is one of ten different winners of
:34:56. > :35:00.snooker's ten different events this season and albeit that Ronnie
:35:00. > :35:06.O'Sullivan is the main story in town today, there's been plenty of life
:35:06. > :35:16.without him on the global snooker to a over the last 12 months. --
:35:16. > :35:16.
:35:16. > :36:42.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 55 seconds
:36:42. > :36:46.smaller events. The players have been gainfully employed very much. I
:36:46. > :36:50.talk about the ten major events with the different players but when you
:36:50. > :36:58.go back, it's actually the last 13. What does that tell us about the
:36:58. > :37:01.snooker scene at the moment? There's a lot of good players around! What I
:37:01. > :37:05.think is very difficult to maintain is to keep your form to the highest
:37:05. > :37:09.level when there are so many good players around so therefore we see
:37:09. > :37:14.players peaking at some stage in the season but they don't know when it's
:37:14. > :37:17.going to be. That's the trouble - how can you guarantee to pick for
:37:17. > :37:23.the World Championship? No one dominant player, which I guess is
:37:23. > :37:26.healthy. Yes, and you also need a bit of luck. No matter how good or
:37:26. > :37:30.what form you are in, you need luck. Sometimes it's your week and
:37:30. > :37:35.sometimes it isn't. There is so little between the players and such
:37:35. > :37:37.a high standard. I don't think if someone gave you the draw for the
:37:37. > :37:41.tournament, you could put yourself in any part of the draw where you
:37:41. > :37:45.would be happy. What's also indicating the changes that have
:37:45. > :37:50.come in in the last couple of years is the fact that we've got six
:37:50. > :37:54.rookies at the Crucible this year. Five of them are British. Yes and
:37:54. > :37:57.that's encouraging from the UK perspective because we have been
:37:57. > :38:00.talking up the Chinese contingent and the fact that they are going to
:38:00. > :38:04.come in and swung the game, and the Asian players in general. But from
:38:04. > :38:10.my perspective, it's nice to see that we've got young talent in the
:38:10. > :38:15.game. And they are going to be making their mark. They've been used
:38:15. > :38:19.to playing throughout the season - best sevens, best of nines. This is
:38:19. > :38:28.a step up psychologically into the best of 19 is. This is the one you
:38:28. > :38:32.get your teeth into. -- Best of 19s. This is the marathon event.
:38:32. > :38:38.know Ronnie's dominated this event but there are so many others going
:38:38. > :38:43.on as well not least Mark Selby. He is looking to become one of an elite
:38:43. > :38:46.group to do the triple Crown. Neil Robertson, as well, trying to become
:38:47. > :38:51.the first overseas player to win two titles. A huge number of interesting
:38:51. > :38:57.stories. I mentioned it earlier today, talking about the bottom
:38:57. > :39:03.half. The bottom half is so competitive. You got Mark Allen in
:39:03. > :39:07.the bottom half, Ding Junhui, there are so many good players. I think
:39:07. > :39:11.Stephen Maguire's right back to his best. His match with Neil Robertson
:39:11. > :39:14.was an absolute classic. There's nothing between them so whoever
:39:14. > :39:19.comes through the bottom half is going to have to play good snooker.
:39:19. > :39:22.Even without worry out of his return seven weeks ago, this was shaping up
:39:22. > :39:27.as a great championship. Yes and everybody is asking who you think is
:39:27. > :39:32.going to win and it could be picking any made out of a hat. But I do
:39:32. > :39:37.think this tournament... You start to get a flavour of who was informed
:39:37. > :39:41.in the second week. Who times their run to perfection. Even though you
:39:41. > :39:46.don't, it's just who happens to get the look. I'd think that's harder to
:39:46. > :39:50.do than it's ever been. If you're not at it from ball one in this
:39:50. > :39:53.event, because of the standard... A few years ago, you might have gotten
:39:53. > :39:56.easier draw in the first round and you might have wanted to stumble
:39:56. > :40:01.over the line and get progressively better. You can't do that now.
:40:01. > :40:05.There's no breathing space. Ricky Walden won the first of the main
:40:05. > :40:09.prizes this year. He'd love to but can the season in style. He was out
:40:09. > :40:14.there this morning. This is his third visit to the Crucible. He
:40:14. > :40:17.hasn't won a match yet but the world above 13 was up against Michael Holt
:40:17. > :40:21.from Nottingham, who has gone within touching distance at the
:40:21. > :40:26.quarter-finals a few years back. We're going to see how they both
:40:26. > :40:36.settle this morning in the company of Ken Doherty and Willie Thorne.
:40:36. > :40:48.
:40:48. > :40:52.Ward and speeding off to the lead. the way he would have played but he
:40:52. > :41:02.would have been happy with that. You have to make sure you pop the object
:41:02. > :41:08.
:41:08. > :41:15.ball. -- pot. Ricky Walden has got to do some -- has got decent breaks
:41:15. > :41:20.in every frame. Michael has just played three long pots that he
:41:20. > :41:24.perhaps should have got. He missed an easy blue in the second frame.
:41:24. > :41:34.With this standard, you can't afford to make mistakes. It's the mistakes
:41:34. > :41:34.
:41:34. > :43:26.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 55 seconds
:43:26. > :43:33.power. He can play screw shots as pot into this bottom corner pocket.
:43:33. > :43:43.-- below. This is a good shop occurs when he pots this thread it will
:43:43. > :43:59.
:43:59. > :44:03.release the black into the same black cueball and try to go into the
:44:03. > :44:13.two reds that are together just above the black spot because that
:44:13. > :44:36.
:44:36. > :44:44.will hold the cueball for one of black, he scores very quickly. He's
:44:44. > :44:49.got a good pace around the table. He tries to get the balls and
:44:49. > :44:53.particularly the pink and black into open play as quickly as possible.
:44:53. > :44:59.doesn't abuse the game, doesn't leave it alone for three or four
:44:59. > :45:02.days. He plays virtually every day. People sometimes ask about how you
:45:02. > :45:09.practice and the line-up is as good as anything because it makes you
:45:09. > :45:12.play the stuns and screws. You can play it different ways. There are
:45:12. > :45:15.different ways of playing the line-up but players of this class
:45:15. > :45:20.would make a century break every time in the line-up serving have to
:45:20. > :45:30.give themselves targets. Maybe play all pinks one day, all blues the
:45:30. > :45:35.
:45:35. > :45:45.next day. But what you are playing cueball because that is the most
:45:45. > :45:56.
:45:56. > :46:06.first session but you can lose one and as far as Michael Holt is
:46:06. > :46:12.
:46:12. > :46:22.concerned, he has to just grab bottom one will pot into the
:46:22. > :46:43.
:46:43. > :46:46.all the time in the line-up - little stuns and screws and just trying to
:46:46. > :46:50.keep the cue ball about a foot away from the object ball. That's what
:46:50. > :47:00.makes brick buildings so good when you've got total control of the cue
:47:00. > :47:08.
:47:08. > :47:18.of 40 total clearance. The possibility of making another
:47:18. > :47:24.
:47:24. > :47:28.season. He just missed the red and will be disappointed with that but
:47:28. > :47:37.he's certainly happy he's got another frame on the board. The
:47:37. > :47:41.march goes on for Ricky Walden. He goes into a 5-0 lead.
:47:41. > :47:49.HAZEL IRVINE: Not a great situation for Michael Holt having to sit there
:47:49. > :47:55.and remember that there's only been one whitewash in the first round.
:47:55. > :47:59.John Parrott beat Eddie Charlton in 1992. Michael Holt does not want to
:47:59. > :48:09.make that kind of history today. Plenty of time to get friends on the
:48:09. > :48:47.
:48:47. > :48:57.straight forward went on his previous visit, he's found one now.
:48:57. > :49:18.
:49:18. > :49:28.pink ear. -- link here. He has been struggling with the cue ball. He
:49:28. > :49:28.
:49:28. > :50:24.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 55 seconds
:50:24. > :50:34.doesn't have much work to do with has been a break of 49 in the second
:50:34. > :50:59.
:50:59. > :51:09.angle to get the top side of the blue. It looks straight to me. Just
:51:09. > :51:16.
:51:16. > :51:19.40, so one red and a high value colour. I'm sure he'll get a warm
:51:19. > :51:26.round of applause should he go on to win this spring because it's not
:51:26. > :51:29.been a match where Ricky Walden has deserved to be 6-0 in front. Ricky
:51:29. > :51:39.has played exceptionally well but you can't expect beat a top player
:51:39. > :51:56.
:51:56. > :52:03.to nil so a big frame. It looks like please don't miss the red. He's a
:52:03. > :52:08.lovely chap. I've got a lot of time for him. He really is a good kid. He
:52:09. > :52:13.knows it shouldn't be 6-0 or 6-1. You should be a lot closer. But now
:52:13. > :52:23.he's got to concentrate on winning the next two. But 6-3, he has got
:52:23. > :52:37.
:52:37. > :52:42.and a break of 54 has got him on the board. He now trails by six frames
:52:42. > :52:46.to one. He hit his stride at last in this
:52:46. > :52:50.opening match and I'm sure that will be a great relief to Mike, who is
:52:50. > :52:54.very well respected and well liked in the game. On his sixth
:52:54. > :53:04.appearance, he's off and running and now in we go the penultimate frame.
:53:04. > :53:11.
:53:11. > :53:21.Its Ricky Walden to play and he's the back of the pack. Is there
:53:21. > :53:36.
:53:36. > :53:40.does. He played it well. He had to play it with enough pace for the
:53:40. > :53:50.blue to reach the pocket to try to hold off the red and he's played it
:53:50. > :54:12.
:54:12. > :54:16.into the bottom right hand corner pocket so he'll drop onto the
:54:16. > :54:26.black, pot Black and take the red closest to the cushion. Then he'll
:54:26. > :54:26.
:54:26. > :55:07.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 55 seconds
:55:07. > :55:17.cue ball little bit. The quarter ball, read just lost the cue ball
:55:17. > :55:25.
:55:25. > :55:35.little bit. -- quarter ball on that about but he got a quick bounce of
:55:35. > :55:43.
:55:43. > :55:52.percussion. That's the first sign of he would still take on the black.
:55:52. > :55:55.He's looking at the pink. Now looking at a safety. The fact that
:55:55. > :56:05.he's 60 points in front, he may think it too risky to play the
:56:05. > :56:30.
:56:30. > :56:35.just put the blues safe. -- shot. may have got the blue safe but I
:56:35. > :56:39.wouldn't say it's the best shot he's ever played because playing the blue
:56:39. > :56:49.that way leaves this cut on the red directly above the black. Michael
:56:49. > :57:09.
:57:09. > :57:16.Holt will certainly be having a go going to be frame number seven for
:57:16. > :57:20.Ricky Walden. He couldn't have played that better. As Ken
:57:20. > :57:25.mentioned, he didn't play very well on the last visit so quite fortunate
:57:25. > :57:35.to have got an easy chance such as that. Michael Holt unfortunate that
:57:35. > :58:02.
:58:02. > :58:08.the red he played went over the would have carried on if Ricky had
:58:08. > :58:18.missed that black, but he's now gone 76 points in front so it's unlikely
:58:18. > :58:26.
:58:26. > :58:33.that Michael will come back to the Tabb. He concedes the frame and
:58:33. > :58:36.Ricky Walden goes into a seven frames to one lead.
:58:36. > :58:40.Ricky Walden wasn't here at the Crucible last year. He is qualified
:58:40. > :58:44.by right as a number of the top 16 but last year he didn't come through
:58:44. > :58:48.final qualifying so it's been a two-year wait to get back and he's
:58:48. > :58:58.certainly making the most of it. We get into the last frame of their
:58:58. > :59:37.
:59:37. > :59:46.The fact the blackspot is free, once he gets rid of the red directly
:59:46. > :59:50.above the blackspot would make this break a little easier.
:59:50. > :00:00.Regardless of what happens in the frame, this has been a fantastic
:00:00. > :00:14.
:00:14. > :00:24.This is the man that is suffering, the young man there, Michael Holt.
:00:24. > :00:25.
:00:25. > :00:29.It is a lonely place when you are It looks like the two reds are
:00:29. > :00:33.planted into this bottom corner pocket. If he managed to take it on.
:00:33. > :00:37.There you see the dead set. He could go into the reds and bring more into
:00:37. > :00:47.play and end up on the blue, still, but for some reason he doesn't like
:00:47. > :00:58.
:00:58. > :01:02.That was a delicate stun shot with side, he had to get top side of the
:01:02. > :01:05.blue, he couldn't have picked it up better by happened.
:01:05. > :01:15.-- hand. Decided to play for the plant this
:01:15. > :01:27.
:01:27. > :01:32.Perfect position again on the blue. Decided not to use the reds, and
:01:32. > :01:36.bring some more into play from that shot.
:01:36. > :01:40.But still, there is a few reds he can go at here, I think the red
:01:40. > :01:43.directly above the black will pot as well. He could possibly go into the
:01:44. > :01:53.reds if he wanted, but he doesn't have to this in position. There is
:01:54. > :02:10.
:02:10. > :02:13.plenty of reds available. I think it is key if you are going
:02:13. > :02:17.to get to the latter stages of any Championship, to make sure if you
:02:17. > :02:21.have a chance to win a match, to make sure you do that, because close
:02:21. > :02:27.match after close match, it is tiring, 17 days here. It certainly
:02:27. > :02:37.As you said if you can get a match away early, it certainly, in the
:02:37. > :02:40.
:02:40. > :02:46.long run, does you the world of He looks a bit disponted with the
:02:46. > :02:50.positional shot there, so he is obviously not on in addition easy.
:02:50. > :03:00.There is not of room to go in between the black and the red.
:03:00. > :03:17.
:03:17. > :03:27.Well, Michael, this is probably yor last chance in this match, this is a
:03:27. > :03:27.
:03:27. > :05:13.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 55 seconds
:05:13. > :05:20.What an excellent shot this was. To One good canon, that is all you need
:05:20. > :05:24.here, anything but full-ball, half-ball, either side is OK.
:05:24. > :05:29.Should definitely be pushing towards the middle.
:05:29. > :05:37.It is better to screw into them, if he gets half-ball low he could come
:05:37. > :05:46.he gets half-ball low he could come Played it nicely, well done, should
:05:46. > :05:56.Just watch the cue ball here, hits the pack and goes again, lovely
:05:56. > :06:01.
:06:01. > :06:11.That was careless, Ken. You should guarantee getting on the blue
:06:11. > :06:19.
:06:19. > :06:29.three-quarter ball, he is on it Needs a nice kiss on the red and
:06:29. > :06:51.
:06:51. > :06:56.he's got it. He has had to travel a bit. I think
:06:56. > :07:01.it just has. Doesn't want to canon into any ball, now they are in
:07:01. > :07:11.perfect position. It has gist gone nine points in front, so four reds
:07:11. > :07:23.
:07:23. > :07:27.and four colour, he will have won He has to keep control of the cue
:07:27. > :07:35.ball. He is still going to be 7-2 down.
:07:35. > :07:39.Should he win this, he still has an uphill battle, but it keeps him in
:07:39. > :07:49.the hunt, just with a slight opportunity or chance to win this
:07:49. > :08:15.
:08:15. > :08:20.you believe it. It is hard to believe. He has missed
:08:20. > :08:26.a few relatively easy pots in this match, but... That is what has cost
:08:26. > :08:33.him. The blue in frame two was easy but that was even easier, so there
:08:33. > :08:38.is two frame, now we are looking at possibly being 5-4 rather than 7-2.
:08:38. > :08:47.Obviously, there is a slight chance now it can go 8-1, but goodness me
:08:47. > :08:56.that was a bad miss. Well, he has a chance Ricky Walden.
:08:56. > :09:06.He is trail trailing, but... 24 points now, here is this miss from
:09:06. > :09:06.
:09:06. > :09:11.I think we know how he feels. have all been there. That was a sigh
:09:11. > :09:16.of almost defeat there, wasn't it. If he beats the canon on the yellow,
:09:16. > :09:26.oh, mind you, no, he hasn't kissed the red. Goodness me. What a result
:09:26. > :09:32.
:09:32. > :09:42.the red. Goodness me. What a result This is going nowhere, there is
:09:42. > :09:46.
:09:46. > :09:56.nowhere. What a sickener for So he is 12 points behind, so up to
:09:56. > :10:03.
:10:03. > :10:08.and incluing the pink, will suffice doesn't want to be straight on the
:10:08. > :10:16.green. That is not the angle he desired. It
:10:16. > :10:19.makes it a bit more difficult to get the cue ball close to this brown. He
:10:20. > :10:24.can skew on and off the side cushion, but he can play it with
:10:25. > :10:28.side. It looks like he is imparting a lot of right hand side.
:10:29. > :10:38.This brown is not easy, with the This brown is not easy, with the
:10:39. > :10:41.
:10:41. > :10:45.Would you try and screw this in, Ken? I think he could certainly just
:10:45. > :10:49.screw it in, he doesn't have to get right up close to the blue, as you
:10:49. > :10:56.said, the most important thing is pot the brown, and leave yourself
:10:56. > :11:06.some sort of shot on the blue. But I think these cloths are so lively,
:11:06. > :11:16.you can get into the cue ball very There you see it.
:11:16. > :11:17.
:11:17. > :11:27.Excellent shot, wasn't it. He overscrewed it. I can't believe he
:11:27. > :11:31.
:11:31. > :11:36.got top side of the blue from that One good shot here.
:11:36. > :11:43.This will be a hard pill for Michael Holt to swallow. He has the frame at
:11:43. > :11:50.his mercy. But it is pink for Ricky Walden.
:11:50. > :11:53.There you see it, in goes the pink. Great players, Ricky Walden, what a
:11:53. > :11:58.marvellous session of snooker from him and on the opening day of The
:11:58. > :12:02.Crucible. Betfair World Championships Phe
:12:02. > :12:05.leads eight frames to one. And they will be back tomorrow
:12:05. > :12:09.morning to finish that one off and John, there is one shot in
:12:09. > :12:14.particular that will haunt Michael Holt. Look at this, he is on the
:12:14. > :12:18.blue and he got a good up and down for pink. To miss that, that is a
:12:18. > :12:23.knock the system. That was frame two, from there it was all down hill
:12:23. > :12:27.from Michael's perspective 6789 all the practicing, the build up,
:12:27. > :12:31.the optimism, the expectation, all the bravado and confidence you might
:12:31. > :12:34.get, as John said it can evaporate in one shot like that, it is, we
:12:34. > :12:39.didn't really see enough, we were watching mainly the Ronnie
:12:39. > :12:42.O'Sullivan match, but it is hard to know whether Michael collapsed after
:12:43. > :12:46.that or Ricky Walden did a good job on keeping him under wraps I think
:12:46. > :12:49.is probably what happened. They will be back tomorrow morning to finish
:12:49. > :12:54.that off but Ricky Walden looking very good indeed. We are changing
:12:54. > :12:59.channels again, and we are hopping on to BBC Two, we will be there in
:12:59. > :13:03.20 seconds time as we continue our live coverage from The Crucible with