Day 12, Part 1 Snooker: World Championship

Good morning. Welcome to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

There is an air of excitement today eye t Betfair World Snooker

Championship. The reason is that Ronnie O'Sullivan is plain

brilliant snooker and the semi- "The Rocket" is on fire and Leeds

7-1. Judd Trump launched the great comeback last night and level to

his match with Shaun Murphy at 8-8. Willie Thorne has joined me. The

morning newspapers are all talking about one man. You would expect

that after a brilliant snooker yesterday. Yes, Stephen Hendry said

it was one of the best sessions he had ever seen here for many years.

Can Stuart Bingham can get back into this match? He is going to

have to know when the session this morning. The type of four Ronnie

O'Sullivan showed is the type of snooker that people want to watch.

The will, we all know he is the genius. I had been watching him

practise his long it deemed this morning. Stuart Bingham had his day

ruined by a genius, as you see. he has played very good snooker

this year and I would defeated very easily like 13-2. There is no way

back for him, is there? Well, remember Dennis Taylor making his

comeback against Steve Davis. Who knows? It could happen again. Now,

looking at the other game, we have Ding Junhui against Barry Hawkins.

Ding Junhui has not been at his It has taken me a while. I think I

have another good five or 10 years People used to say Steve Davis was

boring. But he was brilliant. He is one of the greatest characters we

have got. We used to just have six tournaments and it was something of

a part-time jaw, but now we have That is simply not true. Even if I

am playing again with my nine-year- old daughter I want to beat her! I

am always practising. If I lose a match, I will be on the practice

table the following day. I have got a friend to as a personal trainer.

I had a number of sessions with him Deep down, I know that I have got

the fire in me. But I still like to be nice and treat everybody with

It is a brave man to say that. The we have had a number of players

dominating over recent years. You So, Stuart Bingham has it all to do

at the Crucible Theatre. Can Ronnie O'Sullivan become the first person

to defend the title since Stephen headache back in 1996. Over on the

other table, Ding Junhui will need to be at his best to get past a

Barry Hawkins. Ding made the semi- finals here two years ago. There is

a wonderful atmosphere here in the Crucible Theatre. Let us introduce

the players with me Rob Walker. What a dramatic day we have in

store. At the end of tonight, we will know the identity of all of

the semi-finalist ended this year's Please welcome, a player about to

emerge for one of the most important moments of his career.

Heading for a first semi-final here, he has brought his best game to the

table. Can he keep it going? Here And his opponent, a player who

showed great character yesterday when he came under genuine pressure.

A 6th time ranking event when or any for his second semi-final here,

this is the tournament he wants to win. An entire nation will be

watching, the pride of China, And here on table number one,

please welcome a player who always emerges with a smile on his face,

even when he is up against it. After a brilliant season which has

brought three titles, he will need to produce his very best this

morning. He won the Premier League title in November, give it up for

the pride of Basildon, "Ball-Run", And finally, please welcome a

player who was so good yesterday it was absolutely sublime. The master

class in break-building and composure. In eight frames, he

produced over six frames -- six breaks of over 60 or more and two

centuries. Blink and you will miss them, "The Rocket", Ian one! --

You could hear the roar when Ronnie was a lot then entered the arena.

This is a sporting icon. Stop whatever you are doing and settle

down and enjoy this. Thin on when all entertainment yesterday. --

phenomenal entertainment. If you want the other match, you can get

it on the red button. The commentators to be our Willie

Good morning. This session yesterday from Ronnie was one of

the best I have ever seen. Stuart Bingham did not had many chances

and did well to actually won the There is the crisis break from

The highest break of the tournament He needs to get off to an really

start to Stuart, but is he going to WILLIE THORNE: It was funny to here

from Ronnie that he said he did not feel all that great out there

yesterday! He said he felt a bit Well, Stuart Bingham simply has to

take this frame by frame and hope that he gets a chance. If one

player can 17-1, you have to think that there is no reason why you

Has he left the one at the back of the pack? That smile suggests that

It is not easy to get on to the That was about the best he could do

from there, to catch the side of This is not the easiest safety shot

He is playing the one next to the black, but he is going to have to

be careful. Where is the cue ball Nice to see Ronnie appreciating

that with a nice tap on the table. He hit the wrong red and has not

the black end. He did not contact the red that he intended. So, a bit

He has got the early chance to This has been one of the best

break-builders of the season. He has made 36 centuries during the

course of the year. He is one of only a few players to have hit 3147

We have seen a lot of easy chances missed when players are

concentrating on Canon's and forget about concentrating on the pot

That is the Cup all that have gone in-off the side of the pocket

rather than the heart of it. But The referee just asking Stuart to

give him a second because he is not sure whether the pink ball will go

You can see all of the Coloureds in The ball is starting to go into the

middle pocket now. Obviously, the players have a shot period on the

practice table before the come out It goes without saying that his

break-building will be he T two in He needs to get the angle right

here so he does not have to go back up the table for one of the baulk

He is just a fraction shot of pace as we come up to the end of the

second are of play and mismatch. Yes, because of the angle here left

himself, he had to pooped more pace into the cue ball. Unfortunately,

Both players have been very good with the rest. I think that was the

first shot that I'm there has missed. -- that either players had

I am just pleased that these statistics were not around when I

was playing a! Yes, you were not be What about this? Right into the

centre of the pocket. Yes, when I was watching Ronnie on the practice

table this morning, he must have tried about 20 of these and never

even got close with any of them? It just shows you what the little bit

of adrenalin. He looks sort natural with his left hand. When he first

started doing this, some people did not actually realise that he had

switched hands because he looks just the same. This is similar to

beat fourth frame of the game, where Ronnie came from behind to

That will annoy him that he missed colliding with that group of red

He will be annoyed, but at least he is back in the frame. Going back to

the left hand, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he would

be E16 -- among the top 16 in the Stuart needs that red to keep on

running. He could have left it into the middle pocket. He just got it

One of the red is available, so he does not have to do anything at the

moment. The one good thing for Stuart Bingham is that the pink and

black are only available into one The way that the two reds on the

right are, he could plant one on to the other and put it one of them

all for the pocket. If he can get to the left side of the blue, he

could play that shot. Not, he is He could not get anywhere near them

from that position, but right back in the frame. Now, just one point

The cueing made the safety shot up to the baulk cushion much more

difficult because he could not put it sidespin on the ball, so decided

to leave the cue ball back at this It was unusual to have the safety

zone behind the pink and the black, This is one of those where he could

play be red into the bottom left- hand corner and he has the angle to

bring the cue ball back to the In the end, he attempted to pot the

red and he has just about got away He could play two shots here, he

could try and double it and also get the snooker in behind the pink

and black. If he gets the pot, it It is one of these situations you

can look at and look at, but he said we must try and hit the red

and contacted half Paul and He is trying to move the red away

He nearly potted it. What a good Well, what he pot that was. That

red was as good as you will see. As I said, he was in the practice

run and as I said, Ronnie was not coming close to many of the long

ones. But that shot is probably An early body blue for Stuart

Bingham. But it has to be said that he was in with the great chance of

winning the frame but let it slip away. He looks exactly the same as

He looks very calm and relaxed. He is a man who is enjoying his jaw at

the moment. In goes the pink, he is not going to bother about the black.

Stuart Bingham had chances, but what can you do when someone clears

up like that. Ronnie O'Sullivan now Ronnie looks fully focused. Look at

the Sportscotland. He did not even have his hand on the table, and

that went straight into the pocket. This is a similar shot. They are

two of the best shots we have seen, because the second shot went on to

The Stuart Bingham cannot afford He needs to win three frames on the

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That was a terrific long pot from That can happen when you have been

kept of the table. But you cannot In a safety shot like that, you

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have to find the top cushion. He Bad news for Stuart. He missed the

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Be shot. It all depends on the angle he has

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from the red to the pocket. If that He has missed some balls in this

He has played four of the toughest long pots you can play, and he has

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knocked the moorland. Amazing. -- I do nothing he can see the two

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reds at the side of the pink. That is your surely the case, when

you have been kept away from the table, you get a long pot, and then

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This is a tricky shot, he has to play it with a bit of pace, to get

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A lot of pressure on that one The worst possible start for Stuart.

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It looks as if he is going to lose This is such a jewel to end this

evening, but there might not be an evening session, the way things are

Stuart Bingham will be disappointed, he had a good chance earlier in the

frame. Ronnie O'Sullivan now leads It is just not happening for Stuart.

He had a chance in the opening frame. He must be getting

disillusioned. It is one of the loneliest places in the world. This

Crucible Theatre holds about 900 people, but it is a lonely place

If you are rolling this in, it is easy. Yes, you just want to do a

few little shops without doing too much with the cue ball. But the

shots are coming up like this for Stuart every time he is at the

table. We have talked about Ronnie and his long pot success rate, so

have eluded these. -- have a look It is all about hanging in there

and giving it your best shots. He has just not had a chance in this

match. He has had a few chances, but when you are so far behind, it

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It is amazing, when you are playing well, you cannot do anything wrong.

Ronnie hit the black, and not only did he hit the black, he hit the

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job of the middle pocket. -- the If he plays the red of the cushion,

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It is no one the blue spot. That is what he was concerned about. He has

missed the cannon. It is little things like that it used to annoy

him. He seems to be able to put back to the back of his mind now.

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He is working with Dr Steve Peters, That is a good shot from Stuart

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Bingham. Played perfectly. Tough to He could do with a little bit of

good fortune. That was a difficult pot he took on. He could not see an

easy safety. He made a mess of the safety shots. But look where the

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When you are struggling, nothing It is not straightforward to get

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behind the baulk colours here. That It depends whether that red passes

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the two at the corner pocket. That A tricky little cut into the corner.

That will do. He can cut their Tough to get on to a red nicely,

but he has played that very well. He would like the cue ball to be

Now, which of these two groups of He could not have played that any

better. But are they all covering each other. That one at the top

He would love to get the black one to export again. That is what he

It was the shot before when he stretched around, he did not get on

the black as intended. He should not have missed that, but had he

played the previous shot better, he would not have had to force that it

He never misses a trick. That is the beauty of the top four or five

players any game. When they get end, they are not thinking about 25 or

30 points, they are thinking about winning refrain in that single

Just when you thought that Ronnie O'Sullivan was going to go on to

win the frame, he has missed a Well judged! He will be hoping to

make Ronnie suffer for that care less mess. He has missed precious

little. He let that one slip away. If the blue was on its born spot,

then the transition from brown to blue would have been worrying, but

not so much now. In a way, I do not think he really wanted to pot the

blue there, because that situation It remains to be seen out whether

he can get easily on to the blue from the brown. He has played that

You said it, he had to force the brown. If he had left the global

back in the baulk area, he would not have been faced with this. --

I think he is not far from giving up altogether. He let that frame

slip away. It looked as if Ronnie O'Sullivan was going to lose that

frame, but he has now extended his lead to 10-1. Unity feel that

Stuart, realistically, has really given up now. He has lost all three

frames this morning that he could have won two of them. This is the

He needs to leave a good angle on the black to get a good angle on be

red to the left of it. But look where he leaves it. Now he has got

to try and force the blackened. And He would normally not that black in

that, but he has to book a bit of sidespin on it to get the white

ball back across. He eventually did get back in again, but took the

wrong option. He potted the blue, which was on the brown spot at that

time and in many blue white back on its own spot and gave him a much

harder shot from the brown to the Now, unless Stuart Bingham can get

a bit of the run on, then we are not going to require the evening

Ronnie has not been at his very best this morning, but has still

His spot success rate is still very high. You have to say that "The

Rocket" is cruising. If you can win in matched with a session to spare,

it is very helpful, given that this is the long cold stint at the

Everything is going right for Ronnie. He slept by the back of

that red, which was not what he A good pot. He will keep having a

go. You have to say that Stuart is probably now just playing for a bit

Yesterday, it would not have mattered took Ronnie was plain. You

could see it was a bit of a poor shot there, but that is what

happens when you are struggling. He's super fine cloths make it much

more difficult when you are struggling. When you are flying,

That is an excellent safety shot. Ronnie can get through to this one

Even there, it looks as if he has covered the one that that was over

That was the tough one that Stuart tried. He was trying to pot that

and screw back while missing the This is not an easy chance. The

black is awkward, the pink is or court. If he pots the pink, it will

He has decided to clear the black spot first, so that the pink will

not call back up onto the brown spot, but instead it caught on to

He has got such a quick snooker brain. He sees the situation as

soon as he gets to the table. Most players are thinking a couple of

shots ahead, but he is looking at the entire pattern of the frame and

Yes, even that is six that advanced thinking. He knows that a he would

have got a better angle to get into the pack off that one. But look at

the arc of that cue ball. It does not take the all but Nana until it

actually goes past all of the red Actually, I do not know if you can

see by Nana any more, to the European Union not insist that they

The mid-session interval coming up after this frame. Well, this is

simply a it must win three in four Stuart. It is really as simple as

that. The first player to 13 goes through. For more frames to come

The disappointing statistic for Stuart is that his spot success

rate has dropped So. He has been He is such a good potter and break-

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That was tough. He judged it well. Maybe a little harder would have

been better. Same old scenario. He It is tough out there. Two of the

reds will pot into the left-hand side and two of them into the

right-hand side, so he has the Now, where will be black go after

this? I think any have to go back up onto the green spot, which is

the only available one. 0, will it go in there? There must be enough

room. Well, he was steady as the rock, putting the ball back into

the middle of these ones. You need Heaney have to play the cannon on

the black to halt for the two reds just next to it. A he has played

It is looking as if it is going to be all four frames at for Ronnie

He never misses a trick. He is the best player in the world at these

cannons. If he had just caught that slightly wrong, he would not have

got on to these two red balls. But It is a little bit embarrassing for

Stuart Bingham. But he has played terrific in this championship and

has nothing to be embarrassed about. OK he has had chances this morning.

It is the tough old lonely place when you're up against an opponent

Yes, it has not been vintage Ronnie this morning, but he is still going

to win all of the frames. That break of 49 should be enough to put

Well, well, well! Stuart has to smile. That is probably the best

shot of this year's championship. They do not come any better. Have a

look at this! You are having a How can you make a ball not touch

the side when you are going down This is one way of getting on to

their red it! Stuart is such a nice person that he cannot stop smiling.

He is still smiling even know he is You have to smile otherwise you

would cry, given what has happened. He is too good a player to be

getting beaten by such a considerable margin. But he knows

this is one of these night their matches where he has not played his

Just coming up to three hours of play at each of these four friend

many sessions are coming at it at exactly $1 each. They are plain

That was just terrific. Maybe one of the images of the tournament was

Stuart Bingham forcing a smile as Ronnie O'Sullivan was potting balls

for fun. We are now going to bring you up to date with the action over

on the other table, where Ding Junhui is taking on Barry Hawkins.

Barry Hawkins led 9-7 overnight. We will join the action in the opening

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This is the big test for Ding, this STEPHEN HENDRY: The problem here is

that he has left himself slightly hampered. He will have to leave

himself slightly further away from the black that he would have wanted.

JOHN VIRGO: He is going to leave himself the testing black, so that

is why he is looking at the angle, so he can make it as easy as

That is about as good as he could Could shot and the good opportunity

There was a lot of pressure on that one, make no mistake. He is perfect

He is concentrating on the one red in the open. I would have been

tempted to do something with that other red there when I had the

Again, we will give them the benefit of the doubt as regards as

a big bounce off the cushion. Yes, that was a huge bounce. He will be

wishing he had played for that red But he is now right back in the

frame. This is a big frame for both Barry is not certain he can get to

the point on the top cushion because of the closeness of the

black. If he goes any other way, he is not certain to not leave a pot

on. He is trying to square off to get to that point and nestle up to

the red. In will we be a containing safety and Ding Junhui would still

have control. He is going to have to play this with pace and trust a

He has left a pot on and if Ding Junhui can knock this and, it

should be a three winner. -- a That was the long way away. He is

definitely under pressure. There was a big shot. He will be

In goes the red and if he is on a colour, we have a new favourite for

this frame, Barry Hawkins. This frame has played out like so many.

Both players have at two or three This is a gilt edged opportunity

for Barry Hawkins. This is the very important opening frame in the

final session. I said at the end of last night that Ding had to come

out and play better than he did in the second session. Thus far, that

Barry Hawkins is picking up the Ding Junhui had his chance but

could not take it. Barry Hawkins now strict as his lead once again.

Barry Hawkins is back at the table, People at home might not recognise

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Ricky Walden as one of the top The pink is available because it is

in a direct line. And do not know He did not play it with a lot of

gusto, but he has knocked a few Barry Hawkins has not really played

at his absolute best. If he was to raise his game, he could run away

When something was wrong for Ding Junhui, it affects him for a few

The red that is just above the This is a decent chance and he

looks in complete control of the situation. That is OK. That was

well controlled. He is a ranking tournament winner this season. It

is not so much of a shock that he is here in a quarter-final. There

has been a different winner of the very single ranking event on the

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circuit this season. -- every The pink and black are out of

commission. But he is playing this The red has lined up nicely for the

He is going to have to concentrate on the blue. He is building a big

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He will be disappointed to have cocked the will. -- caught the

Brighten a heart of the pocket. Perfect on the blue. That could be

He went on to the wrong side of the blue, but he put it out of his mind.

But he will not be happy with that shot. He is six inches too short.

He played it well. Another solid He will be looking for one more red

It is a tough port to pot the Dean and control the cue ball. -- the

The red of the Blackwall port, and if he does that he will be 54 ahead

No problem. Looks like another Ding needs to win a frame in this

session. Can he? He is trailing in He has to produce one of the best

visits of his life to win the Spain. It is all on him. -- to win the

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It would have been a better shot going through the side cushion to

He did not make the most of that, but he is back in the frame. It

looked like it would be 12-75 minutes ago. -- 12-7 five minutes

That is one of the best safety shots he has played this morning.

Here is another chance for Ding Junhui. This could be a big frame

in the context of the match. Barry Hawkins looked like he had it in

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his pocket, but can Ding snatch it He wants to stay high on the black,

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He is trying here. It is good to He has put the rest away. He will

This is Ding showing great character here. You looked dead and

buried in his chair, not interested, down-and-out. But this is an

Would you believe it? Would you believe it? Got a chance he blew

their. That is the story of the All of a sudden, from over, may

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No! That's not fair! But that is the nature of snooker. Ding Junhui

cannot believe it. Barry Hawkins missed the pink, for three seconds,

and somehow it went into another pocket. He is now a 12 -7 in front,

somehow. How costly could that missed the

brown be for Ding Junhui? Barry Hawkins has now built up a 60. -- a

A 60 point lead is a big one to overcome. Ding just taking a chance.

This game will drive you mad If he takes on the blue, and does

not get it, it could be his last shot in this year's World

Great shock, but look where their cue ball finished. He still thinks

He has a told to do, but he is going to fight to the end, which is

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He may have an angle on the blue to It was tough to play at that kind

of pace to get a good position. 45 If that had kept running, he would

have looked back. I think he has I think it is fated that Barry

He tried to get it safe, tried to leave the cue ball in the jaws of

the pocket, but does this red and Another false dawn for Ding Junhui.

He is another player who will be certain to be world champion one

day, but it does not always happen Well done, Barry Hawkins. You have

to give him credit. He has just done what he is here to do, and he

has played great much snooker. was a scary opponent because you

know how well he can play. -- Ding. He has kept to his game plan and

played really good solid match snooker. Much too good for Ding

Junhui. The red has not gone in. But Ding Junhui is congratulating

him and wishing him the best for the semi-final. Barry Hawkins looks

up to his family and friends, with a big sigh of relief. You deserve

it, Barry, you have been the better player by far. You are in the semi-

final! He beats and 13-7. Well You look like a man in shock.

cannot believe it. I cannot speak. I am so delighted. I am pleased

they were I held myself together. I got a massive fluke on the pink. It

I have had some bad luck here, so I will take it when it comes. One I

missed the middle-distance red I felt terrible, but I was more calm

and normal. I am absolutely delighted. You said the win against

Mark Selby was the biggest in you a courier. Is this better? Absolutely.

-- In your career. That is the biggest now definitely. I am just

going to enjoy every moment of it. I have nothing to lose and

hopefully I can perform at my best and see what happens. What were you

saying to yourself when you walk up this morning? You know that Ding

Junhui was capable of coming back. How did you keep your emotions

under a control? To be honest, that was difficult. I did not sleep well

last night. I walk up early this morning, due to nerves and things

like that. I managed to win the first flick -- first frame which

settled me a bit better. I could see he was struggling in the end. I

do not like making excuses but I do not think the conditions suited him.

I struggled last night, but managed to win the first frame, of which

settled me down. You are through to the one-table set-up. Your friends

and family will be delighted. Congratulate shins. Thank you a lot.

When we talk about iconic images, his fist pump is right up there,

seeing off Mark Selby and Ding Junhui. Let's bring you up to date

with Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stuart Bingham. It did not take long for

Ronnie to get back into the groove after the mid-session interval.

Another century break for him. His third of the match. He is on his

way to yet another World Championship semi-final. You can