Day 2

:00:35. > :00:39.Every year here in Sheffield, we always keep half an eye on vents at

:00:39. > :00:43.the London Marathon. I guess because we feel a certain kin ship with that

:00:43. > :00:48.race, at least the 32 players here in the Betfair World Championships

:00:48. > :00:53.do, because they too are par of an annual sporting marathon, with 17

:00:53. > :00:59.full days of competition and concentration, skill and effort

:00:59. > :01:03.here. But can you imagine trying to get fit for a marathon? Any marathon

:01:03. > :01:07.the day before the marathon starts? Well, that is what Ronnie O'Sullivan

:01:07. > :01:12.said he felt like, as he announced his return to the sport, and turned

:01:12. > :01:16.up here yesterday, trying to defend his world title. In the end, he

:01:16. > :01:26.hardly broke sweat as he covered the first couple of miles in snooker's

:01:26. > :01:33.

:01:33. > :01:38.It is a total new experience for me. In for a penny, in for a pound, you

:01:38. > :01:42.know. It is kind of once in a lifetime opportunity, I us suppose

:01:42. > :01:46.for me, because you get so used to playing in more or less every

:01:46. > :01:52.tournament. At the time I fancied the challenge. That is all I see it

:01:52. > :01:56.aser as a challenge. Where I go, who knows? --. As a challenge.

:01:56. > :02:00.I think he looked nervous, that is understandable for him to be a bit

:02:00. > :02:04.edgy. He has been away from the game for 12 month, that is a long time.

:02:04. > :02:08.It doesn't matter how good you are, he would have been wondering as he

:02:08. > :02:13.walked back on to the big stage, whether he xrould deuce the form he

:02:13. > :02:17.did 12 months ago. We are counting down to the return of the defending

:02:17. > :02:27.champion, because this is the relaunch of the Rocket, Ronnie

:02:27. > :02:27.

:02:27. > :02:30.O'Sullivan. It is nice to be back, it was a good

:02:30. > :02:35.welcome, I have always had a good relationship where the crowd and

:02:35. > :02:42.great support, so it was nice to get back to where you kind o of really

:02:42. > :02:48.belong, I suppose. Two reds, two blocks that would be a return.

:02:48. > :02:53.It count happen surely. Everybody was wondering what he was going to

:02:53. > :02:57.be like, when he kicked off the first frame, red, black, red, black,

:02:57. > :03:02.everyone was thinking 147, that would have been special. In the end

:03:02. > :03:05.he didn't get it. . It wasn't vintage Ronnie O'Sullivan, but there

:03:05. > :03:09.were signs there he was happy on the to be back and that can only be a

:03:09. > :03:15.good thing. The Rocket is back and he takes the

:03:15. > :03:19.first frame in style. Ronnie O'Sullivan will be delighted.

:03:19. > :03:22.Marcus Campbell will be kicking himself.

:03:22. > :03:30.Ronnie will be disappointed with that. It is missable.

:03:30. > :03:40.Wonderful. He is out there, playing as if he

:03:40. > :03:45.

:03:45. > :03:49.has never been away. Watch out, there is a Rocket about!

:03:49. > :03:53.He beats Marcus Campbell by ten frames to four. To be honest I never

:03:53. > :03:59.focussed on himful I was trying to focus on myself, I was happy with

:03:59. > :04:03.the way I felt, and the way I played today. Different circumstance,

:04:03. > :04:08.different player, I think I would have been a match for most people.

:04:08. > :04:12.There is a bit of rusty's now, which is to be expected. But you know,

:04:12. > :04:17.like I said, I was pleased to get the win, and you know, where you go

:04:17. > :04:21.from here, you know, is anybody's guess.

:04:21. > :04:24.I think vitally important he was here to defend his title. It would

:04:24. > :04:31.have seemed very strange if the defending champion wasn't back to

:04:31. > :04:37.try and regain the trophy, to retain the trophy. It is good for the

:04:37. > :04:41.player, good for O'Sullivan, for the fans. I am so pleased to see him,

:04:41. > :04:46.because the legend is Ronnie, I have seen him live The way he was

:04:46. > :04:51.playing, it will take a good player to stop him. It was worth coming to

:04:51. > :04:56.see it I think he can win it. He is the main man. Maybe I was a bit

:04:56. > :05:02.spoiled because I didn't realise how lucky I was, maybe, so, you know,

:05:02. > :05:08.just, you know, different reason reasons for coming back, but still,

:05:08. > :05:12.you know... I suppose what I am good at, really.

:05:12. > :05:16.Started the defence of the title off yesterday, and to some degree it was

:05:16. > :05:20.a journey into the unknown haven't seen him since last year, I

:05:20. > :05:25.think everyone was really interested to see how he was going to play and

:05:25. > :05:28.he got the job done. Are you rusty after that long away from the game?

:05:28. > :05:33.You have to be, especially match fit. I think the talent, you know,

:05:33. > :05:37.as I say he was good in the ball, you never lose that talent, what he

:05:38. > :05:42.did yesterday, pinched two or three frames. You were commentating that.

:05:42. > :05:45.I was impressed with the two clearances from 50 behind. Yes, it

:05:46. > :05:50.was as if something clicked automatically, the sort of killer

:05:50. > :05:53.instinct you need to be competitive in these two weeks. Ronnie doesn't

:05:53. > :05:57.play until next Saturday and there are other players left trying to

:05:57. > :06:05.win, and many great storylines will unfold during the first week. Let us

:06:05. > :06:09.look at what is on offer today. Two time World Champion Mark

:06:10. > :06:15.Williams has a fight in the deciding session of his match against a

:06:15. > :06:20.youngster long touted at the next ill -- Mark Williams. He is

:06:20. > :06:25.21-year-old Michael White. Meanwhile, always a potent force at

:06:25. > :06:31.The Crucible. A tactical wizard and fearless break builder John Higgins

:06:31. > :06:36.goes for title number five this year. But he knows he has a tough

:06:36. > :06:42.start against may have, enjoying his best season and he knocked John out

:06:42. > :06:46.of the UK at Christmas. It is granite against steel. A rerun

:06:46. > :06:52.of the 2006 world final as Graeme Dott and Peter Ebdon dig in once

:06:53. > :06:59.more. And we hope you join in the

:07:00. > :07:04.conversation, give us glourths and ask the questions of the experts. It

:07:04. > :07:08.is freshing when you meet young kids glowing with enthusiasm and

:07:08. > :07:12.determination to be the next Rory McIlroy or Jessica Ennis or Ronnie

:07:12. > :07:16.O'Sullivan, whatever their chosen sport. It is amazing when you see

:07:16. > :07:20.these kids begin to fulfil some of those am big, it makes you feel old,

:07:21. > :07:25.I can tell you! We have been witness to that process, several times in

:07:25. > :07:31.snooker over the last few years with the emergence of Judd Trump and this

:07:31. > :07:41.weekend, the appearance for the first time of a 21-year-old from

:07:41. > :07:49.

:07:49. > :07:52.I was, it was about 1 years ago, on semifinals day, I had broke the

:07:52. > :07:59.world record for the youngest to have a century break and me and Judd

:07:59. > :08:05.came up as two promising young player, I can still get back to the

:08:05. > :08:09.place, still get memories back of 12 years ago. It is good, yeah. We have

:08:09. > :08:13.two of the finest young players here in the country. We have Judd Trump

:08:13. > :08:20.from Bristol who is? The under 18s at the age of 11, and we are Michael

:08:20. > :08:27.White, who is nine years of age, and has made 105 break and is due to go

:08:27. > :08:33.into the Guinness Book of Records. Who is your favourite players?

:08:33. > :08:37.Matthew Stevens. Why do you like him? ? He is nice, he is still in

:08:37. > :08:41.the World Champions. I hope he wins. I have looked up to Matthew Steves

:08:41. > :08:48.because he gave me a few practise sessions when I was growing up. He

:08:48. > :08:53.was helpful to me. . Welcome player whose season has been rewarded with

:08:53. > :08:57.a Crucible debut. Raise the roof for Michael White. It was my first time

:08:57. > :09:03.here, my fourth attempt to get here. Just over the moon to get here in

:09:03. > :09:10.the end, really, but I qualified for York last December, I have qualified

:09:10. > :09:16.for four venue, so hopefully I will be here for many years to come.

:09:16. > :09:22.Mark is a great player all right. If it goes a bit tight, he is good that

:09:22. > :09:27.way. If it is open, he can score, I just have to concentrate on my game,

:09:27. > :09:33.and hopefullily be OK. Have you enjoyed your visit to The

:09:33. > :09:37.Crucible today? Yes.You? Excellent. Very good. You have obviously got

:09:38. > :09:41.ambitions in the game, what is it for you? What do you want to do?

:09:41. > :09:47.want to become World Champion. Simple enough. You would like to be

:09:48. > :09:55.number one in the ranking list. And you yourself, like to become a

:09:55. > :10:02.player upstairs, that is your ambition for the future?

:10:02. > :10:06.Michael's first time here but for Mark Williams it is his 17th

:10:06. > :10:11.journey, Mark has thrived here over the year, winning the to it as the

:10:11. > :10:15.first lefty to do in 2000 and then in 2003. Went through a low patch,

:10:15. > :10:20.but his progress to the semifinals two years ago proved he can still

:10:20. > :10:29.perform to the highest of standards here in Sheffield. Last night in

:10:29. > :10:39.their opening session Mr Williams has to find form rather sharpish.

:10:39. > :10:40.

:10:40. > :10:48.This is a good chance. That is enough to take him two frames to nil

:10:48. > :10:57.in front. This is a bit more like the Mark

:10:57. > :11:01.Williams we have come to expect. Very well played.

:11:01. > :11:11.Mite, he is leading the twice champion of the world, Mark Williams

:11:11. > :11:46.

:11:46. > :11:52.One good pot, it could be Mark In goes the pib ing. Michael White

:11:52. > :11:56.maybe as by disappointed, he is only one frame in front. He leads, 5-4.

:11:56. > :12:00.-- pink. That is the match that will be finished this afternoon, we have

:12:00. > :12:04.another one just starting in the opening round and it think it is

:12:04. > :12:08.time for Rob Walker to go to work. Thank you, good afternoon, ladies

:12:08. > :12:12.and gentlemen, hard to believe that a fortnight today, the final begins

:12:12. > :12:15.in earnest but the good news is there is a lot of snooker to be

:12:15. > :12:18.played between now and then. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

:12:18. > :12:22.In this year's Betfair World Championships. This afternoon we

:12:22. > :12:30.find out the identity of the third player to make it through to this

:12:30. > :12:35.year's second round. Please welcome, a player absolutely

:12:35. > :12:40.flourishing into his 40s, this season he is up into the world's top

:12:40. > :12:45.16, winning the Six Reds in Thailand.

:12:45. > :12:55.He is desperate to finish the season on a high, so let us give a big warm

:12:55. > :13:07.

:13:07. > :13:11.welcome to the man from Hastings, CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

:13:11. > :13:17.And his opponent, a proud Scot with a fantastic record here in

:13:17. > :13:21.Sheffield, he has won three of the last six world titles. He first

:13:21. > :13:25.appeared here 18 years ago and showed frue fighting spirit coming

:13:25. > :13:35.from behind to beat Judd Trump to become the Shanghai Masters's

:13:35. > :13:48.

:13:48. > :13:53.champion. He is the Wizard of APPLAUSE

:13:53. > :13:57.And here on table two, the entire nation in Wales is holding its

:13:57. > :14:00.breath, please welcome a player who made the televised stages of three

:14:00. > :14:06.ranking events this season before booking this, his first taste of the

:14:06. > :14:12.big time at The Crucible. A prodigious junior on his way to

:14:13. > :14:22.delivering in the senior ranks, what an occasion for the young man from

:14:23. > :14:35.

:14:35. > :14:40.APPLAUSE And his opponent, the winner of 18

:14:40. > :14:44.titles in all, including two world and UK crown, he is as laid back as

:14:44. > :14:49.they come on the big stage, here at The Crucible for his 17th year, can

:14:49. > :14:59.he once again produce the magic? Ladies and gentlemen, it is the

:14:59. > :15:14.

:15:14. > :15:21.Welsh potting machine Mark J HAZEL IRVINE: I think they were

:15:21. > :15:27.going to break into song there. You can find the John Higgins Mark Davis

:15:27. > :15:31.match live on the website. We say hello to John Virgo and Terry

:15:31. > :15:40.Griffiths who is well qualified to talk. Mark's former coach and

:15:40. > :15:46.Thank you. Terry has done a lot of work with young Michael, as he

:15:46. > :15:51.breaks off. Start of the second session.

:15:51. > :15:56.5-4 in front, at the end of last evening. Maybe disappointing not to

:15:57. > :16:02.have a bigger lead, but any lead is a good one to go into the final

:16:02. > :16:07.session Terry? Yes, a very good first session, we had a lot of good

:16:07. > :16:14.play from Michael White and Mark Williams at time, both of them. It

:16:14. > :16:17.was an interesting match and 5-4 is a fair result.

:16:17. > :16:22.Straight away a mistake from Mark Williams.

:16:22. > :16:28.. He has left a nice easy red for Michael to get his hand on the

:16:28. > :16:38.table. Well, he will be be using the rest, but, dab this in and be on the

:16:38. > :16:49.

:16:49. > :16:55.E was looking for more angle on the red than this. He needed a good

:16:55. > :17:05.angle to Troy and get into the reds. -- try and get into the reds. Can he

:17:05. > :17:07.

:17:07. > :17:17.He couldn't. There shows you the cue power. Didn't he cue that

:17:17. > :17:22.beautifully? Try that at home! Don't try it on a club table those,

:17:22. > :17:32.you may struggle a bit. These cloths are very lively.

:17:32. > :17:42.Didn't quite get into that one. He will be disappointed after such a

:17:42. > :18:03.

:18:04. > :18:08.wonderful possession o pose There is a possibility of cut on

:18:08. > :18:18.this red. A lot will depend on whether he

:18:18. > :18:18.

:18:18. > :19:04.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:19:04. > :19:14.feels as if he can get to it, He is looking between blue and pink

:19:14. > :19:31.

:19:31. > :19:35.to catch the left hand side of the That is twice he has play a safety

:19:35. > :19:39.and hit a baulk colour in the face, that dangerous because you Leigh

:19:39. > :19:47.your opponent with his hand on the table. This is a chance now for Mark

:19:47. > :19:54.Williams. That was beautifully struck.

:19:54. > :20:04.That is the problem, you kept your baulk colour and you leave these

:20:04. > :20:31.

:20:31. > :20:41.So the first good chance falls to his two highest in the first

:20:41. > :20:56.

:20:56. > :21:00.session, but certainly wasn't at his Mark is an all rounder, he has big

:21:00. > :21:10.strengths in each part of the game, the potting, the safety, the break

:21:10. > :21:43.

:21:43. > :21:47.building, and of course blessed with May have to go back up for the blue.

:21:47. > :21:51.It is important he gets a good angle on the blue, he will be thinking

:21:51. > :22:01.very soon about trying to bring other reds into play, there is only

:22:01. > :22:01.

:22:01. > :22:42.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:22:42. > :22:47.He has not made the best shop of He has a slight angle. He maybe able

:22:47. > :22:51.to force it in. I don't know whether he can run round two cushions to get

:22:51. > :22:56.into the cluster. Two cushions it is. Hit them well and I think he has

:22:56. > :22:59.one to the middle. He will settle for that. They are always looking

:22:59. > :23:03.for an easy ball to continue the break, and if the pink is available

:23:03. > :23:07.into the right middle, as we watch this again, a lot of top, a lot of

:23:07. > :23:17.follow through and if he can knock this in and the pink goes to the

:23:17. > :23:37.

:23:37. > :23:47.He looks a lot more focussed than he did yesterday, hen he played that

:23:47. > :23:47.

:23:48. > :23:57.As you mentioned earlier, Mark has been here 17 time, to play, so he

:23:58. > :24:04.

:24:04. > :24:08.has the experience needed to handle first session, and we probably got a

:24:08. > :24:13.slight difference of opinion. I thought Michael White had ample

:24:13. > :24:16.opportunity to be more than one frame in front, but you mention Mark

:24:16. > :24:23.Williams's temperament. I think it was his temperament that kept him in

:24:23. > :24:29.the match. He struggled at times, and a less experienced player would

:24:29. > :24:32.have maybe let his head drop and not closed the gap as he did.

:24:32. > :24:42.But he certainly come out with a different attitude today, just this

:24:42. > :24:46.

:24:46. > :24:52.It has all the makings this of being a terrific game. You have experience

:24:52. > :24:58.against youth. There is no doubt about it what I

:24:58. > :25:08.saw of Michael White, he has the ability, can he overcome the

:25:08. > :25:08.

:25:08. > :26:05.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:26:05. > :26:09.We have not had a century break in Well, still not had one, that is a

:26:09. > :26:14.pity. But a good start, Mark Williams will be very pleased with

:26:14. > :26:18.that opening frame. He dictated it really. He left a few early chapses

:26:18. > :26:22.for Michael White. He couldn't make the most of them, and he levels the

:26:22. > :26:26.match, five all. HAZEL IRVINE: From the heat of the Crucible we dash

:26:26. > :26:30.across into the cool of the winter gardens into our lovely studio, we

:26:30. > :26:35.have Steven and Steve for the afternoon, I think we better ask,

:26:36. > :26:39.what is playing Michael White? Mr Davis? I have played him in one of

:26:39. > :26:46.the PTC events. He beat me, yes. Great player.

:26:46. > :26:52.What would you say are the natural talents of this fella? ? The strong

:26:52. > :26:57.hitter of the ball, not to say he hits the ball hard but he can hit it

:26:57. > :27:01.hard. He has great cue power. Watching him play, a handful for any

:27:01. > :27:05.player. I suppose from this perspective, this is a jump to

:27:05. > :27:09.another level, playing in the World Championship. Most of the matches we

:27:09. > :27:13.play best of nine or seven on a yearly basis most of the players, if

:27:13. > :27:17.they were 4-1 in front as he was, nearly over the line, but there is

:27:17. > :27:22.more of a storyline unfolds in the World Championships. It is all new.

:27:22. > :27:25.Best of 19 in this opening round. Steven, you were with Mark Williams

:27:25. > :27:29.at the practice table. You talked about many thing, was snooker and

:27:29. > :27:34.this match one of them? You can't get anything from Mark in terms of

:27:34. > :27:38.how he is feeling about the matchment if I say he was relaxed. I

:27:38. > :27:43.am not saying anything people don't expect. The first frame in the

:27:43. > :27:47.second session was a big frame. He started stamping his authority on

:27:47. > :27:52.his more inexperienced opponent. would you rate his motivation levels

:27:52. > :27:56.right now? Not too high. I don't think he has too much expectation of

:27:56. > :28:02.doing well here, basically he has had no form the last few months. And

:28:02. > :28:07.you need to have some sort of, some sort of self confidence coming here,

:28:07. > :28:10.you can't come cold, having no form at all. I think, he is capable. He

:28:10. > :28:20.gets through the first round and you never know what might happen.

:28:20. > :28:27.

:28:27. > :28:32.is five apiece, and it is first to Mark Williams, he has got some

:28:32. > :28:35.rhythm out there. Once again, he is looking what he

:28:35. > :28:41.will leave, should he miss, he is a crafty player Mark Williams, even

:28:41. > :28:45.when you think he is taking risks sometimes, he is making sure he is

:28:45. > :28:55.not leaving his opponent anything not leaving his opponent anything

:28:55. > :29:04.

:29:04. > :29:10.He has made his choice. Oh. Well, well, well. Fan si playing that so

:29:10. > :29:15.quickly. You have to take so -- after taking so long to decide what

:29:15. > :29:20.to do I think he has been fortunate. He got the double kiss but he has

:29:20. > :29:30.covered the red in the baulk end, so that makes the safety.

:29:30. > :29:30.

:29:30. > :31:27.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:31:27. > :31:37.that makes the safety. the middle pocket, it is always

:31:37. > :31:57.

:31:57. > :32:01.the start of the second session that Michael gets a sizeable break, just

:32:01. > :32:10.to get him feeling comfortable once again. He started the match off well

:32:10. > :32:20.and to go 4-1 lead. He was looking to go on from there. He did not. But

:32:20. > :32:41.

:32:41. > :32:51.get in amongst the balls and start slight angle to cannon into the

:32:51. > :32:51.

:32:51. > :34:34.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:34:34. > :34:44.cluster. Play a lot of black spin -- yourself, feeling you have to score

:34:44. > :35:06.

:35:07. > :35:16.enough to win the frame every time probably have a clue why when they

:35:17. > :35:50.

:35:50. > :36:00.show that picture of him at nine shake of the head. He is looking at

:36:00. > :36:18.

:36:18. > :36:28.the red to the right of the pink. leaves the red open that he was

:36:28. > :36:28.

:36:28. > :37:49.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:37:49. > :37:59.Williams' shot, would have rolled in overcompensated. A bit unlucky. He

:37:59. > :38:29.

:38:29. > :38:37.played the BlackBerry well. -- the to try and cover the red with the

:38:37. > :38:47.blue. I do not think he has covered it. It just gives Mark Williams the

:38:47. > :38:47.

:38:47. > :39:37.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:39:37. > :39:47.could take on. They are difficult from the pocket. He has left Michael

:39:47. > :39:55.

:39:55. > :40:05.White an easy starter. A fair keep things tight. It seems embedded

:40:05. > :40:33.

:40:33. > :40:43.that if he sees a long pot, he has It is a big part of the game.

:40:43. > :40:43.

:40:43. > :41:27.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:41:27. > :41:32.pretty good. Not perfect on the one to play. Fair play to him, he

:41:32. > :41:42.played the right shot. Now, to me, he deserves what he gets. He had to

:41:42. > :41:42.

:41:42. > :43:19.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:43:19. > :43:26.play with more lefthand side but it green. He is not on anything easy.

:43:26. > :43:31.The kick was so bad so I cannot tell you which red he played for. We have

:43:31. > :43:41.had six or seven bad kicks in this session. Both players have shown

:43:41. > :43:54.

:43:54. > :44:04.reactions to when the ball has reds. I think he looked at the

:44:04. > :44:23.

:44:23. > :44:33.White. He still has a 27 point lead. A chance now to get the advantage in

:44:33. > :45:09.

:45:10. > :45:19.That means it is a very difficult escape. He is normally clever and

:45:20. > :45:20.

:45:20. > :46:36.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:46:36. > :46:43.getting out of snooker is. -- at not on the side he wanted to. The

:46:43. > :46:53.rednecks to the green does go past the yellow. -- the red next to the

:46:53. > :47:27.

:47:27. > :47:37.brown will put in 32 points in thought he might have played for the

:47:37. > :48:08.

:48:08. > :48:18.has the problem of trying to get onto one of the reds. I think they

:48:18. > :48:57.

:48:57. > :49:07.will go in the left centre. Possibly not see a better positional shot

:49:07. > :49:17.than that. -- this red. He just needs the one. Talk about inch

:49:17. > :49:22.

:49:22. > :49:32.not see a better positional shot than that in this championship.

:49:32. > :49:35.

:49:35. > :49:45.Million. -- brilliant. He is on the big stage now and looks like he is

:49:45. > :49:45.

:49:45. > :50:53.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:50:53. > :51:00.far. I think it is down to the Michael White goes in front again

:51:00. > :51:06.and leads by 6-5 frames. We were just talking in the studio

:51:06. > :51:11.about how different it is for the six Crucible rookies this year. They

:51:11. > :51:16.have been on tour for a few years. Michael has gone to four different

:51:17. > :51:21.venues this year. What changes at the Crucible? It is the hanging

:51:21. > :51:27.around that you have to do. They started the match last night. He has

:51:27. > :51:29.had overnight and all morning to look forward to the second session.

:51:29. > :51:34.These things are completely different to another venue. I am

:51:34. > :51:38.sure he has played long sessions in practice but split over two or three

:51:38. > :51:45.days, it is hard to get your focus. You up after a session and then you

:51:45. > :51:49.have to wait until the next day. whole new discipline. Yes, but what

:51:49. > :51:54.has changed is the tournaments these players can get experience in on

:51:54. > :51:58.tour. They would have been a time when a player would have been drawn

:51:58. > :52:02.to Stephen Hendry in the first round of the Crucible. And they would have

:52:02. > :52:07.been overawed by playing Stephen and it would have been too much. But,

:52:07. > :52:10.all of a sudden, now we have events where the rookies are getting

:52:10. > :52:14.experience and exposure to playing against top players that they are

:52:14. > :52:20.starting to realise it is not so much of a big deal. So they are not

:52:20. > :52:25.that badly placed to turn over a top-class player here. They have

:52:25. > :52:29.much experience to some degree. is the beauty of this new calendar

:52:29. > :52:33.and the number of opportunities these kids are getting to play.

:52:33. > :52:38.are young and you do not have the fear. You enjoy the occasion more.

:52:38. > :52:48.You think I will beat him. I do not care who years. I will play my game.

:52:48. > :52:49.

:52:49. > :52:53.I am confident. Therefore it was 30-year-olds, who had you beat

:52:53. > :52:57.before you got on the table. But these young guys do not care who

:52:57. > :53:07.they are playing. Mark Williams knows he is in a match against this

:53:07. > :53:13.

:53:13. > :53:23.He will be pleased to have the last frame on the board. Not the best

:53:23. > :53:23.

:53:23. > :54:05.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:54:05. > :54:15.break-off shot. Chance of a couple long pot. For a fraction of a second

:54:15. > :54:48.

:54:48. > :54:51.he might have thought he was on the now. You feel Mark Williams may well

:54:51. > :54:59.hit a colour next time and leave them in a worse position that you do

:54:59. > :55:06.not know. It is not in your control. Also, if you nominate screen again,

:55:06. > :55:10.and hits it full-ball, then the cue ball will stay on the baulk line. It

:55:10. > :55:20.might leave the chance of a pot. I think it is worthwhile having it

:55:20. > :55:28.

:55:28. > :55:38.replaced. A bit close to the red? Michael? That is where it was.

:55:38. > :55:38.

:55:38. > :57:13.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:57:13. > :57:20.Most players don't play those unless they have to. That is one of his

:57:20. > :57:30.great assets. The ? and roll the ball in dead weight. -- the fact he

:57:30. > :57:54.

:57:54. > :58:04.level the game. We are getting closer and closer to the

:58:04. > :58:04.

:58:04. > :59:03.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:59:03. > :59:13.favourite to take the frame if you The chance has gone by. He may get

:59:13. > :59:50.

:59:50. > :59:55.control. But, if you do not miss the This is why the miss rule was

:59:55. > :00:05.brought in the first place. He has taken the more difficult decision to

:00:05. > :00:17.

:00:18. > :00:22.When you are confident, all you think about is your position, when

:00:22. > :00:32.your confidence isn't 100%, you try to make sure the pot and forguilt

:00:32. > :00:39.

:00:39. > :00:43.about the position. He played that better Michael White,

:00:43. > :00:53.in way he blungz y I he caught the yellow full in the face, so another

:00:53. > :00:56.

:00:56. > :01:03.chance for Mark. So close.

:01:03. > :01:08.And maybe... The red not going in, he has been very fortunate not the

:01:08. > :01:18.leave an easier tonne, if he has left an opportunity at all. Can he

:01:18. > :01:24.

:01:24. > :01:28.get through the red to the middle? I Well I thought Mark may have been

:01:28. > :01:38.fortunate, but he could just get through to that red, good pot, good

:01:38. > :01:38.

:01:38. > :02:31.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:02:31. > :02:41.Didn't quite get what he spended. Mark Williams having to sit this

:02:41. > :02:42.

:02:42. > :02:52.out. It is tough in the chair when What has happened here? He maybe on

:02:52. > :03:04.

:03:04. > :03:08.That was a bit careless, there was another red he could have played. He

:03:08. > :03:15.could have stunned after the top cushion and played for a red in the

:03:15. > :03:18.same pocket. Very careless to to not be on anything, now he is looking at

:03:18. > :03:22.a plant, but it might look easy from behind the pocket. You look at the

:03:22. > :03:32.distance, if we look at the overhead, between the two balls.

:03:32. > :03:48.

:03:48. > :03:58.Well, he has got it. Fair play. Well, he has got it. Fair play.

:03:58. > :04:02.

:04:03. > :04:07.The confidence of youth! He has a game plan an he is sticking

:04:07. > :04:12.to it. He will playing a sievely, and yes, there will be some careless

:04:12. > :04:22.and risky shots involved, but if he feels that is his best chance of

:04:22. > :04:40.

:04:40. > :04:46.winning, that is what he has to go So, four points the lead, he can win

:04:46. > :04:56.the frame with his four remaining reds. Or at least get the snookers

:04:56. > :04:58.

:04:58. > :05:03.And he will need to, because awe you can see, the yellow and green tied

:05:03. > :05:07.up, just a bit short of pace. still has an opportunity, of at

:05:07. > :05:17.least the end red, the one closest to black, available into the left

:05:17. > :05:17.

:05:17. > :05:25.Should have had a better angle than this. But there you go. So, a good

:05:25. > :05:35.shot needed now. But as I say, he can do it with the

:05:35. > :05:46.

:05:46. > :05:56.three remaining reds and colours, so Good recovery. Nice angle off the

:05:56. > :05:57.

:05:57. > :06:03.If he could come low you could pot it and bring the other red into

:06:03. > :06:06.play, that looks just about right to Just a little stun, you always have

:06:06. > :06:12.to be careful when you try to develop a red when potting a red,

:06:12. > :06:18.you may not be on the colour, but you would be lucky not to be.

:06:18. > :06:28.-- unyucky not to be. -- unlucky not to be. That has

:06:28. > :06:36.

:06:36. > :06:40.Yes, he couldn't just run into the red.

:06:40. > :06:46.He has changed his mind on this shot. He was playing with back spin,

:06:46. > :06:50.now he is stunning. Ooh.

:06:50. > :06:55.You can't change your alignment on the shot. If you are going to change

:06:55. > :07:05.your mind, get up and get down again, that used all the pocket.

:07:05. > :07:17.

:07:17. > :07:21.Now he is 31 points in front, with 27 remaining. Big frame.

:07:21. > :07:25.Williams will regret that chance early on when he made a 33 and lost

:07:25. > :07:35.position. Then Michael White has done exceptionally well on this 60

:07:35. > :07:44.

:07:44. > :07:54.break. If he could push the yellow just

:07:54. > :08:01.

:08:01. > :08:07.past the green, down to get the I say it's OK, as long as, well, if

:08:07. > :08:17.Mark can get to the left hand side of the cushion, he could get a

:08:17. > :08:30.

:08:30. > :08:33.played, it was a good shot. If he can't get off that side

:08:33. > :08:36.cushion, he would need to impart side any way but he has awkward

:08:36. > :08:40.bridging with the green there. So he may have to come up and down the

:08:40. > :08:43.table. He is only 31 points in front, so

:08:43. > :08:53.Mark Williams, should he get four points here, could tie the frame

:08:53. > :09:02.

:09:02. > :09:07.That is the obvious way to go, just got to be careful you don't impart

:09:07. > :09:17.any unwanted side. Is he going to hit it? He has hit the green.

:09:17. > :09:36.

:09:36. > :09:40.REFEREE: FoulMark Williams can tie. He is looking at the double in the

:09:40. > :09:48.middle. If he can get the angle to get close to it and stay on the

:09:48. > :09:58.green. There is no reason he green. There is no reason he

:09:58. > :10:16.

:10:16. > :10:18.He has played the safety shot very well. Excellent shot.

:10:18. > :10:22.APPLAUSE So Michael White looked to be in

:10:22. > :10:27.command of this frame, but he has given pour foiants away and now he

:10:27. > :10:37.is snookered. -- four points away is snookered. -- four points away

:10:37. > :10:51.

:10:51. > :10:54.REFEREE: Foul. Oh, so close. Hold on a minute. Who called foul? Well, he

:10:54. > :10:58.would have been certain to left a free ball. An interesting thing that

:10:58. > :11:02.has been brought in, there is a tie there there and that is why the miss

:11:02. > :11:07.couldn't be called. They changed the rule. Normally, if you could tie,

:11:07. > :11:17.then a miss would be called. But they changed it, and that is why a

:11:17. > :11:18.

:11:18. > :11:22.they changed it, and that is why a Of course on this shot, if Michael

:11:22. > :11:27.White hadn't caught the knuckle of that pocket, he would have left a

:11:27. > :11:35.free ball for Mark Williams. In one way he was quite fortunate there.

:11:35. > :11:45.Yes, the roll of the balls, they Yes, the roll of the balls, they

:11:45. > :11:49.

:11:49. > :11:54.He is taking a minute to decide what to play. It is not straightforward.

:11:54. > :11:59.He has the option to put Michael White back in again, of course.

:11:59. > :12:04.I think the problem is, the yellow is so tight to the top cushion, he

:12:04. > :12:06.is frightened if he tries to hit it almost full-ball, he will get a

:12:06. > :12:10.double kiss. If it wasn't tight to the cushion,

:12:10. > :12:13.he could stun it up the table but I don't think it is that

:12:13. > :12:19.straightforward. It is not the type of shot you would want to give your

:12:19. > :12:24.of shot you would want to give your opponent a chance to play.

:12:24. > :12:28.This is a very big frame. It looked like Michael White was going to take

:12:29. > :12:37.a two frame advantage. If Mark could level the match again, psychological

:12:37. > :12:44.level the match again, psychological If Michael White makes the frame he

:12:44. > :12:54.will be in front at the mid-session interval, even if it is 7-6 he will

:12:54. > :13:09.

:13:09. > :13:13.interval, even if it is 7-6 he will The problem I think, what he is

:13:13. > :13:17.thinking if he comes off it thin and he leaves, a chance of Michael

:13:17. > :13:23.hitting the yellow, he could lay the snoobg e it is just he is so close,

:13:23. > :13:31.but, looks as though he could stun it up the table a bit and maybe use

:13:31. > :13:37.the pink. I go back to my old classic from Ted

:13:37. > :13:41.Lowe, there is a time limit on how long you get to play a shot but

:13:41. > :13:51.nobody knows what it is. The referee I think at some time has to

:13:51. > :14:05.

:14:05. > :14:12.intervene and say, well, you have to won't be too unhappy with that, I

:14:12. > :14:22.suppose, it was a tricky situation, but he is not got any snooker. -- he

:14:22. > :14:36.

:14:36. > :14:45.He is nookered this time, but it is an easier decision. Cushion first,

:14:45. > :14:51.try and hit the yellow pretty full -- snookered. Ooh. Didn't intend to

:14:51. > :14:56.play it that way. Could have been worse.

:14:56. > :15:06.Tricky shot into the mid 8le, of course he is 23 points in front

:15:06. > :15:06.

:15:06. > :15:16.Michael White, so if he potted the yellow, Mark Williams could still

:15:16. > :15:19.

:15:19. > :15:24.To me there was some value in taking that yellow into the bottom corner

:15:24. > :15:34.pocket, and stand back for the green, but, of course, that would

:15:34. > :15:44.

:15:44. > :15:48.have made it a lot more difficult side cushion and back to the baulk

:15:49. > :15:58.cushion, but Mark Williams still in this. 25 points the difference, 25

:15:59. > :16:11.

:16:11. > :16:15.this. 25 points the difference, 25 He has good a snooker but I don't

:16:15. > :16:19.think he played it that way. He played to get behind the brown.

:16:19. > :16:26.Michael White has to watch he doesn't hit the green here and go in

:16:26. > :16:30.off. Looking that the side shot, he is

:16:30. > :16:40.better off playing this off two cushions rather than the one, the

:16:40. > :16:40.

:16:40. > :16:50.cushions rather than the one, the He could have dope with hitting that

:16:50. > :16:57.

:16:57. > :17:01.green a little bit more half-ball. Williams.

:17:01. > :17:09.That is an excellent cue ball he has left there.

:17:09. > :17:13.Keeping the young man from Neath Under this type of pressure, you

:17:13. > :17:16.don't really have to snooker your opponent, you would like to, of

:17:16. > :17:20.course, if you leave distance between the two ball, under the

:17:20. > :17:30.pressure there is always a chance pressure there is always a chance

:17:30. > :17:37.

:17:37. > :17:47.I can't see much reward on this one, if he takes it on, I don't think he

:17:47. > :17:59.

:17:59. > :18:04.the get on the brown. He may just Well, it was a dangerous one, but he

:18:04. > :18:09.just about found the baulk cushion, so it is safe enough.

:18:09. > :18:17.Just hit the green half-ball, use the brown as a stopper here for the

:18:17. > :18:21.cue ball, send this green down to Could have done with hitting the

:18:21. > :18:27.green a bit more on the left hand side, it would have gone behind the

:18:27. > :18:37.black. But it is not bad. But he has but it is no real problem here for

:18:37. > :18:46.

:18:46. > :18:50.Well played. Michael White will be, well he

:18:50. > :19:00.should hit this one off one cushion, it is matter of where it will finish

:19:00. > :19:04.

:19:04. > :19:07.I think trying to get in behind it, there is not a lot of room. He has

:19:07. > :19:13.hit the one cushion, it needs to run because it will be left for the

:19:13. > :19:23.middle and it is. So a chance for Mark Williams to

:19:23. > :19:33.

:19:33. > :19:40.clear these five remaining colours. Sort of got a touch of stun on it,

:19:40. > :19:47.just through the angle of the cue ball after potting the green.

:19:47. > :19:53.Can he see the brown? I think he can get through there.

:19:53. > :19:57.Oh, well, well, well. That will be disappointing for him

:19:57. > :20:01.Gift wrapped. Absolutely gift wrapped.

:20:01. > :20:05.Amazing. All that hard work he needed a

:20:05. > :20:12.snooker. He fought back from that, looked as though he had a chance,

:20:12. > :20:17.and the poor positional shot off the green and now gifted the brown and

:20:17. > :20:22.this the frame ball so that two frame advantage is going to be a

:20:22. > :20:26.reality if Mark Williams says that is enough for me and leaves the

:20:26. > :20:30.arena. Michael White will be well pleased. He leads once again by two

:20:30. > :20:33.frames. HAZEL IRVINE: Two up but a possible

:20:33. > :20:37.seven to play for the young man from Neath. It is going his way at the

:20:37. > :20:43.moment. We are back to that shortly. Let me show you what has been

:20:43. > :20:47.happening on the other side of the dividing wall. John Higgins, it

:20:47. > :20:53.remind you as Rob was saying in the introduction today, it is three wins

:20:53. > :20:59.in the last six years here, he went 2-0 up in this one after a break of

:20:59. > :21:03.61 in the first, so John was up and running there.

:21:03. > :21:07.And let me have a quick look, still going in frame three and it is Davis

:21:07. > :21:10.with the advantage. Let us get back to this match we are engrossed in

:21:10. > :21:17.right now. Michael White giving a terrific account of himself. There

:21:17. > :21:20.was a plant early on in that frame, which you were intrigued by and you

:21:20. > :21:23.questioned the motivation work? I was talking ability earlier, and

:21:23. > :21:28.the young guys being fearless and not thinking about the consequence,

:21:28. > :21:32.that was a really dodgy shot, at that point of the match, and of the

:21:32. > :21:35.frame, and when you are that age you don't think what would happen if you

:21:35. > :21:39.miss it, you are so confident of getting the shot, you don't have the

:21:39. > :21:43.sort of battle scars you get in ten years time. I bet he doesn't take

:21:43. > :21:46.that on. Ultimately it has paid didepartmenteds but it was

:21:46. > :21:53.touch-and-go at the end. Yes, it look #d like Mark had got himself

:21:53. > :21:57.out of a hole, but, Michael White seems to be holding his part of the

:21:57. > :22:00.equation today, and so from Mark Williams perspective and Mark

:22:00. > :22:04.Williams's fans they have to hope that Michael White will baulk at the

:22:04. > :22:12.final hurdle. Because it looks like he will get the first chances.

:22:12. > :22:16.you remember your first victory here at The Crucible? Mr Thorn, who was

:22:16. > :22:20.lovely. He beat me the year before. He gave you a lovely round of

:22:20. > :22:25.applause. It is not there yet, obviously but he is in good position

:22:25. > :22:35.right now, and I wonder whether the 38-year-old Welshman will have a say

:22:35. > :22:39.

:22:39. > :22:43.yet, in this Welsh generational this. I do feel that Michael White,

:22:43. > :22:48.at the moment is just a little bit edgy. He doesn't look that

:22:48. > :22:54.confident, particularly when he gets in the balls. As he was early on in

:22:54. > :22:58.the match, in the first session. But Mark Williams is making those

:22:58. > :23:08.mistakes, that seem to creep into his game.

:23:08. > :23:08.

:23:08. > :23:15.So it is all set up this, for a very tense finish, I have a feeling,

:23:15. > :23:18.Terry. Yes, it is noticeable in this second

:23:18. > :23:24.session, that Michael White is taking a lot more time on the shot,

:23:24. > :23:28.when it gets in among the balls. That in itself shows he is feeling a

:23:28. > :23:32.bit more pressure, and rightly so, you know, what you would expect from

:23:32. > :23:42.someone who hasn't been here before, such a big match, one of his heroes

:23:42. > :24:02.

:24:02. > :24:12.Surely that is going to be a touching ball? The referee has not

:24:12. > :24:22.said so. said so.

:24:22. > :24:31.

:24:31. > :24:35.Mark couldn't really see, asking Michael was that any good? Of course

:24:35. > :24:40.that helps him. His reputation of being laid back. He does get annoyed

:24:40. > :24:44.like we all get frustrated with the game, and have done, but he gives

:24:44. > :24:54.that persona of always ready to have a bit of a laugh with his opponent,

:24:54. > :24:54.

:24:54. > :25:00.and the audience, it is a good As long as it doesn't affect Michael

:25:00. > :25:05.White, of course. Well, absolutely. We had one of the

:25:05. > :25:08.legends, I remember the first year we came here, Fred Davis, I mean,

:25:08. > :25:13.dear me he would get everybody laughing. It was a bit off putting

:25:13. > :25:20.for the people on the other side of the wall zblvment

:25:20. > :25:25.What a great player he was, Fred Davis. Unbelievable. When you

:25:25. > :25:28.consider how limited he was, with the certain, you know, when we talk

:25:28. > :25:33.about the deep screws now and the power shots they played and he

:25:33. > :25:39.didn't have any of that in his armoury yet knew his way round the

:25:39. > :25:44.table, it was, it was an experience. He got to the semifinal here when he

:25:44. > :25:51.was 64 And he beat me in the qualifier at Romford. It said a lot

:25:51. > :25:56.for me. But no, I mean, he was just a master tactician.

:25:56. > :26:03.But I think those, those days, the frames were a lot longer, weren't

:26:03. > :26:13.they? The average frame time I think they? The average frame time I think

:26:13. > :26:14.

:26:14. > :26:18.That wasn't the best safety shot from Mark. I his his game plan is to

:26:18. > :26:28.keep it tight. If you are going to keep it tight, you have to play

:26:28. > :26:38.

:26:38. > :26:42.Good pot from Michael White. I agree with you, think Mark

:26:42. > :26:46.Williams is getting to the stage now, when he must build on the

:26:46. > :26:49.patchy evidence delivered to date there is great seasons left with

:26:49. > :26:52.him. Stephen Hendry was talking about it

:26:52. > :27:02.earlier on, that he is not as confident as he has been in the

:27:02. > :27:10.

:27:10. > :27:13.past, but I wouldn't be writing him The question of course can never be

:27:13. > :27:17.answered, John, would mite have potted that red in the middle to

:27:17. > :27:27.start this one off, if he had lost that previous frame when he was

:27:27. > :27:36.

:27:36. > :27:40.and you feel he has got it now and he has the perfect angle on the blue

:27:40. > :27:48.to go into the reds, he has looked to make sure there is no plant, to

:27:48. > :27:51.knock a red in, smashing into them. Caught the pink and for one time he

:27:52. > :28:01.didn't need to catch it. But he is OK. He is on the red just above the

:28:02. > :28:13.

:28:13. > :28:23.Big chance, big moments in the Big chance, big moments in the

:28:23. > :28:37.

:28:37. > :28:42.He played that well, he brought a This chance, of course, has come

:28:42. > :28:52.through what we call a bread-and-butter safety shot, that

:28:52. > :29:01.

:29:01. > :29:11.Michael White is looking a lot more confident. Striking the ball with

:29:11. > :29:11.

:29:11. > :31:42.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:31:42. > :31:52.ball. Such an important part of the the blue. It was not getting any

:31:52. > :31:52.

:31:52. > :33:41.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:33:41. > :33:46.easier. Still a possible 75 points White has decided to call it a day.

:33:46. > :33:49.He is now three frames in front at 8-5.

:33:50. > :33:56.How does this look from Mark's perspective, Stephen? He is in

:33:56. > :33:59.trouble. The thing with the interval is on the Michael White has to go

:33:59. > :34:03.back to his dressing room, and control his thoughts and not get too

:34:03. > :34:09.excited and think ahead. There is still a long way to go in this

:34:09. > :34:16.match. Yes, and here shown himself capable of coming back. Mark was

:34:16. > :34:22.down in the early part. Yes, but it shows... You see how Michael White

:34:22. > :34:30.is going around his business. He does not look tentative. You start

:34:30. > :34:37.to think, it looks on the cards. The amount of practice the young players

:34:37. > :34:44.are getting against the top players is proving itself. Indeed. If he was

:34:44. > :34:47.to pull this off, in some respects, this would not be a shot. It is

:34:47. > :34:53.understandable now. They are getting more experience. On the other side

:34:53. > :34:58.of the arena we have hinted that Mark Davis was up in the third

:34:58. > :35:04.frame. That is the way it remain. He had a break of 68. There he is

:35:04. > :35:10.cleaning up. It is 2-1 for Higgins and they are in the fourth frame.

:35:10. > :35:15.For the time being we will focus on a match featuring two world

:35:15. > :35:20.champions who between them have graced no fewer than six finals at

:35:20. > :35:25.the Crucible. One is Peter Ebdon, who this year equals Steve's number

:35:25. > :35:32.of appearances, at 22. But he has some way to go to catch Stephen who

:35:32. > :35:37.made it 27 times in a row. He is getting there. He is up against a

:35:37. > :35:40.gentleman to whom he lost in the final seven years ago. That is

:35:40. > :35:45.Scotland's Graeme Dott. You may remember this moment and it was the

:35:45. > :35:48.greatest moment in the sport for Graeme. Since then he has made it to

:35:48. > :35:53.another final but is determined to raise the memory of last year's

:35:53. > :36:03.defeat in the opening round. He is going to hope to put Peter Ebdon on

:36:03. > :36:12.

:36:12. > :36:21.the spot today, rather like we did I think I need to be like that. I

:36:21. > :36:27.need to be full on. It is just ridiculous. There are so many

:36:27. > :36:35.characters in the game. Look at Mark Allen. Very outspoken and a nice

:36:35. > :36:39.lad. A brilliant player. We are professionals at the end of the day.

:36:39. > :36:44.It is a living and there is a lot of pride at stake man awful lot of

:36:44. > :36:52.pride. I think most people would do what they need to do within the

:36:52. > :37:01.rules to win. I do not think they are happy about it. The top players

:37:01. > :37:04.will always be the top players. I think I have done my fair share. I

:37:04. > :37:12.have been a world champion. I like to think I have always been a good

:37:13. > :37:18.ambassador for the sport. To go through 17 days at Sheffield to

:37:18. > :37:22.become world champion, the stress, the pressure, the tension, it takes

:37:22. > :37:32.so much out of you. For people to think you can not be fit and win at

:37:32. > :37:32.

:37:33. > :37:38.snooker, it is ridiculous. My shot selection is always bizarre. I do

:37:38. > :37:48.not think the commentators have a clue what I will do next because I

:37:48. > :37:50.

:37:50. > :37:54.don't have a clue. The commentators have no chance. Absolutely. I

:37:54. > :38:00.retired yesterday. I think I might retire yesterday. I thought about it

:38:00. > :38:05.overnight but I am back. I will hang in there.

:38:05. > :38:08.I am loving that new series. There are some classic answers from a lot

:38:09. > :38:14.of the guys to go through over the next few days. These two highly

:38:14. > :38:19.respected players have the green light at 10am. We join it at Graeme

:38:19. > :38:29.Dott having taken the lead. The highest break has been 60 from

:38:29. > :38:29.

:38:29. > :39:10.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:39:10. > :39:20.Graeme Dott. It is Ken Doherty and full kiss on the red to make the

:39:20. > :39:20.

:39:20. > :40:27.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:40:27. > :40:37.the blue. He has been pretty good at painful pot into the right-hand

:40:37. > :40:37.

:40:37. > :41:51.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:41:51. > :41:57.too bad. A little bit harder and it is a bit short on the blue. He is

:41:57. > :42:07.struggling with the cue ball on this break. He needed another couple of

:42:07. > :42:07.

:42:07. > :43:10.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:43:10. > :43:15.inches above the blue. It have am surprised. He does not have a lot

:43:15. > :43:25.of options. He goes through the gap of the red and the black then he

:43:25. > :43:25.

:43:25. > :45:10.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:45:10. > :45:15.cannot get onto the pink. And Leslie suppose the pace he played, but once

:45:15. > :45:25.you have kissed the ball, to end up perfect is fortunate. He has done

:45:25. > :45:25.

:45:25. > :47:49.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:47:49. > :47:52.shot. This has been the best rake of nine frames in, so it is a case of

:47:52. > :48:02.how many they can complete now. Peter Ebdon will have to to win the

:48:02. > :48:02.

:48:02. > :48:46.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:48:46. > :48:51.now three frames clear at 5-2. And that became 6-2. They only got

:48:51. > :48:56.through eight of the frames this morning. They will have to come back

:48:56. > :49:01.and play a possible 11 more in the morning to finish this one off. But

:49:01. > :49:05.Graeme Dott well-placed. You were watching this one both of you. What

:49:05. > :49:09.was your impression of Peter Ebdon this morning? I did not watch the

:49:09. > :49:14.whole match but he was doing a lot of screaming and shaking. That is

:49:14. > :49:20.not normally like him. He is strong mentally. A lot of shaking of heads

:49:20. > :49:27.and having and puffing which is normally from players like me. So

:49:27. > :49:32.unusual. He has changed his cue this season and is trying different

:49:32. > :49:39.things. He is be good now. He is going down a lot of different

:49:39. > :49:44.routes. I was surprised at a lot of his reactions this morning. Did not

:49:44. > :49:48.look comfortable. Is it something you have experienced before, when

:49:48. > :49:54.you know you are in for a tonne match, and you have had this

:49:54. > :49:57.before, is it a comfortable for when you know what you are in for?

:49:57. > :50:03.possible that if you know the mountain you will climb is a tough

:50:03. > :50:06.one, that you can get yourself under pressure. But, usually a player

:50:06. > :50:11.happy with his game, Wilmot let outside things are affected. It

:50:11. > :50:13.maybe he is not happy with his form coming to this event so he is not

:50:13. > :50:20.totally focused on playing the game but is looking for other things

:50:20. > :50:23.around him. We do know that Peter is the one on the circuit to complain

:50:24. > :50:29.about conditions more than any other player, like the conditions of the

:50:29. > :50:34.cloth, the cushions bouncing. If you are looking for those problems, you

:50:34. > :50:38.will find them and you will certainly find them at the Crucible

:50:38. > :50:42.because it is the worst place in the world if things start to go wrong.

:50:42. > :50:48.Well, Graeme Dott is cueing well. He was looking forward to coming back

:50:49. > :50:52.here. He was beaten 10-1 last year and he is determined to eradicate

:50:52. > :50:59.the memory of that defeat. He has started the better of the two. There

:50:59. > :51:04.was one other match completed this morning. It was the world number 13

:51:04. > :51:08.Ricky Walden, who eventually found himself 8-1 in front this morning

:51:08. > :51:14.and got the two frames required for victory. Indeed his very first

:51:14. > :51:19.victory in the Crucible against Michael Holt. Absolutely delighted.

:51:19. > :51:23.It was always going to be a tough game. I have not won here before.

:51:23. > :51:28.Michael is a tough player. I am delighted. I can have a few hours of

:51:28. > :51:34.this afternoon. I did not sleep much last night. I was worried. I was

:51:34. > :51:37.trying to stay positive and stay in the moment. I wanted to get out

:51:37. > :51:47.there and play one shot at a time. Luckily it went for me in those two

:51:47. > :51:48.

:51:48. > :51:53.frames. When I took charge of the game, I am proud of the fact I

:51:53. > :51:56.finished the job. Well done to Ricky. His first

:51:56. > :52:00.victory at the Crucible and he joins Ronnie O'Sullivan in the next round.

:52:00. > :52:05.In the Sunday papers this morning there was a great quote in the

:52:05. > :52:11.Sunday Times, that the money yesterday looked as rusty as a new

:52:11. > :52:13.Bentley in a Park Lane showroom. Absolutely right. And the draw will

:52:13. > :52:18.confirm exactly what he says because Ronnie looked extremely

:52:18. > :52:28.comfortable. He eased through against Marcus Campbell after a year

:52:28. > :52:32.

:52:32. > :52:34.away. Ali Carter is getting going tomorrow. We will catch up with

:52:34. > :52:42.Higgins and Davies shortly. Shaun Murphy with that slender lead

:52:42. > :52:50.against Martin Gould tonight. Tuesday is when Matthew Stevens and

:52:50. > :52:54.Marco Fu enter the fray. That is also when Judd Trump gets under way.

:52:54. > :53:03.Neil Robertson has to wait until Wednesday. Ricky Walden is

:53:03. > :53:07.comfortably through as we have seen. Stephen Maguire is well fancied this

:53:07. > :53:17.year. And Northern Ireland's Mark Allen and Mark King play both

:53:17. > :53:18.

:53:18. > :53:27.sessions tomorrow. Barry Hawkins is strong so far against Jack Lisowski.

:53:27. > :53:31.And a Tuesday night appointment format cell. -- Matthew Selt.

:53:31. > :53:37.And a very nice performance in the fourth frame from Mark Davis from

:53:37. > :53:45.Sussex, the world and under 16. He knocked in a break of 85. It is 2-2

:53:45. > :53:50.at the interval. They are on their 15 minute interval. He has been here

:53:50. > :53:55.seven times before and twice maybe second round. He is giving a good

:53:55. > :53:59.account of himself so far against the four-time world champion. We now

:53:59. > :54:03.head back out into the finale of this intriguing match between two

:54:03. > :54:09.Welshmen of two different generations. It is Williams and

:54:09. > :54:14.Michael White. Terry Griffiths is in the commentary box this afternoon.

:54:14. > :54:21.Somebody whispered in my ear that in 1997 you met a certain Mark Williams

:54:21. > :54:29.on his debut. Mark Biju 10-9 and that was a changing of the guard was

:54:29. > :54:39.thereafter you retired. -- Mark beat you.

:54:39. > :55:15.

:55:15. > :55:23.I had made my mind up to retire winning more than one frame. What

:55:23. > :55:33.happened then? That is your pocket, John. We had that in the first

:55:33. > :55:50.

:55:50. > :55:58.concerned, his gameplan of keeping it tight, it has not really

:55:58. > :56:06.delivered. Now there is only one way you can get back in the match and

:56:06. > :56:16.win it by playing well. The yellow hanging in the jaws has not helped

:56:16. > :56:46.

:56:46. > :56:56.explosive attack we have not seen it shots with the rest. He never misses

:56:56. > :56:56.

:56:56. > :58:26.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:58:26. > :58:36.harder than that. He just about have a red onto the white -- the right

:58:36. > :59:04.

:59:04. > :59:14.in the cannon and where the reds would go, he forgot to put the blue.

:59:14. > :59:14.

:59:14. > :59:59.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:59:59. > :00:09.I don't think he can get to this red. He may be able... Maybe get the

:00:09. > :00:21.

:00:21. > :00:28.He did, he is a bit optimistic, but he was always trying to put the cue

:00:28. > :00:33.ball safe. And these are the times when Mark

:00:33. > :00:39.Williams will have to start to find something. He has done it many times

:00:39. > :00:49.in his career. But the question will always be, how many times can you go

:00:49. > :00:58.

:00:58. > :01:03.have much of a Ifty -- safety shot, he has left the red in the middle of

:01:03. > :01:13.the table for the left middle. Can't blame him for going for that,

:01:13. > :01:27.

:01:27. > :01:31.It was never easy to judge how the cue ball will reaccuse, when you are

:01:32. > :01:41.potting a ball, and you couldn't be further in the jaws, than this

:01:42. > :01:47.

:01:47. > :01:50.yellow is, so it is not gar teed to I think the problem, the yellow pot

:01:50. > :01:54.is not available, the highest available is the blue, that why the

:01:54. > :02:00.yellow has gone on the blue spot. He is just checking now to see if the

:02:00. > :02:10.black goes to the right corner, if it does, then he is OK.

:02:10. > :02:18.

:02:18. > :02:23.it does, then he is OK. Well, that does surprise me. It

:02:23. > :02:28.looked as though it clearly went, maybe it is tight.

:02:28. > :02:38.Maybe it is tighter than it looked. , if it did go to the right corner

:02:38. > :02:53.

:02:53. > :03:03.pace. He would have been on the blue or baulk colours.

:03:03. > :03:10.

:03:10. > :03:20.Maybe taking this tough brown on. A He may get away with it. I think he

:03:20. > :03:23.

:03:23. > :03:33.has by the expression on Mark Gareth Myatt has to be careful. He

:03:33. > :03:36.

:03:36. > :03:46.can't start chasing the winning A -- Gareth Myatt. He is getting --

:03:46. > :03:49.

:03:50. > :03:59.Michael White. You would think the pink would be in

:04:00. > :04:00.

:04:00. > :04:41.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:04:41. > :04:51.Well, another pot that Mark Williams And his long pot success is still

:04:51. > :04:52.

:04:52. > :05:02.below 50%, in this match. As is his opponents but he has an

:05:02. > :05:10.

:05:10. > :05:17.8-5 lead. 90% and above, but with long potting

:05:17. > :05:27.you have to look at 66, 70%, because a lot of them are more or less shots

:05:27. > :05:34.

:05:34. > :05:37.As we always say in these situation, the longer you can keep an opponent

:05:37. > :05:47.away from needing one frame for the match, the more you feel as though

:05:47. > :05:59.

:05:59. > :06:04.you are still in it. This is a big Yes, agree with you, John, he hasn't

:06:04. > :06:14.struck the ball very well in this frame, Mark Williams.

:06:14. > :06:35.

:06:35. > :06:45.Even this safety shot, it hasn't Have to watch he doesn't hit the

:06:45. > :06:46.

:06:46. > :06:50.bump in the middle pocket on the way Well, he did, and he has been very

:06:50. > :06:54.lucky once again, though I think Mark Williams couldn't get to the

:06:54. > :07:04.red past the yellow. This to the right of the pink spot, but nothing

:07:04. > :07:04.

:07:04. > :07:49.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:07:49. > :07:59.that was a good shot. This brown He used all the pocket, and that

:07:59. > :07:59.

:07:59. > :08:04.That looked a bit wide to me, but in it went.

:08:04. > :08:08.He has to make the most of this opportunity. I am not suggesting for

:08:08. > :08:16.one moment he can win the frame at this visit, but it is imperative he

:08:16. > :08:26.gets right back in the frame, and keeps the pressure. On the young man

:08:26. > :08:43.

:08:43. > :08:47.Took on the more difficult pot to get better position.

:08:47. > :08:51.Yes, and he can put the blue, the blue will go on the black spot,

:08:51. > :09:01.because of course, the yellow is occupying its spot, so he goes on

:09:01. > :09:25.

:09:25. > :09:35.He underhit that, not got the right side of the yellow.

:09:35. > :09:35.

:09:35. > :10:28.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:10:28. > :10:34.Highest available now is the pink the story, really of Mark. As I say,

:10:34. > :10:40.it was a very important visit, and he used to be so dependable in those

:10:40. > :10:44.situations. And as you say, Terry, unexpected miss and one that he

:10:44. > :10:54.couldn't really afforded to have made. This cuts back in to the right

:10:54. > :11:06.

:11:06. > :11:10.corner. Well that will be encouragement from

:11:10. > :11:20.Mark Williams, one the few times he has made an error and it has not

:11:20. > :11:20.

:11:20. > :12:13.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:12:13. > :12:19.He is hanging on by his finger nails He would like the play the red, the

:12:19. > :12:23.green is covering the other one. He has to be careful to avoid the

:12:23. > :12:29.double kiss, if he is playing a safety.

:12:29. > :12:33.safety. There is a bit of room for errors

:12:33. > :12:43.not a lot. So another pot available to Mark

:12:43. > :12:49.

:12:49. > :12:53.So another pot available to Mark ? He is so good at those shots

:12:54. > :12:57.normally. He is caught a bit on the thick side. If he had potted it. The

:12:57. > :13:01.white could have come up the table a bit further and he would have been

:13:01. > :13:06.on the colour. But you can see it hit the right knuckle there.

:13:06. > :13:15.Now then, there is a question here for Michael White. .

:13:15. > :13:20.Two reds are potable but is it a Two reds are potable but is it a

:13:20. > :13:24.good time to take them on? He has an easy enough safety shot but it looks

:13:24. > :13:34.like, he was thinking about taking it on, he could play a cross double

:13:34. > :13:35.

:13:35. > :13:45.on the left hand side of the table. I suppose he could play this thin.

:13:45. > :13:55.He looks to have played this very Good choice and well played.

:13:55. > :13:55.

:13:55. > :13:58.Good choice and well played. It is so difficult for these young

:13:58. > :14:08.players to turn a pot down, sometimes because they feel they can

:14:08. > :14:10.pot everything. There are times when you, when you

:14:10. > :14:20.can't keep playing to the same script. Sometimes you have to play

:14:20. > :14:38.

:14:38. > :14:48.what is in front of you. Good length of cue ball from Mark. A

:14:48. > :14:58.

:14:58. > :15:03.bit more difficult to get this one Looks present the I good. Has he

:15:03. > :15:07.snookered him on both reds? I think he has, and if he has, he has now

:15:07. > :15:11.become a big favourite for this frame. Can't see that one from for

:15:12. > :15:15.the brown. I think the pink covers the other one. 14 point lead. Mark

:15:15. > :15:25.Williams would do well here, to get out of this snooker and not leave a

:15:25. > :15:28.

:15:28. > :15:38.chance of a pot. chance of a pot.

:15:38. > :15:41.

:15:41. > :15:48.He potted it full on. I don't think this red is cuttable. It maybe on

:15:48. > :15:58.think it is cuttable. Needs to be on a colour and the

:15:58. > :16:05.

:16:05. > :16:10.I know he is 8-5 in front but slightly worrying he missed a brown

:16:10. > :16:15.early on, right across it, missed it by a long way, that wasn't the most

:16:15. > :16:25.difficult of shots. If he loses this frame it could

:16:25. > :16:50.

:16:50. > :16:53.We have the unusual situation of course of this yellow as John

:16:53. > :16:58.mentioned earlier being round the table on different spots. It is on

:16:58. > :17:06.the black spot. You have a nice angle to play for it and go down for

:17:06. > :17:16.the green. Doesn't want to be How much angle has he got? Can he

:17:16. > :17:24.

:17:24. > :17:34.force this round for the green? This green is a bit of a tester. Two

:17:34. > :17:54.

:17:54. > :18:01.blue. He is not going to leave a difficult PIPPing which is what he

:18:01. > :18:05.needs to whip this frame. -- pink.

:18:05. > :18:10.Yes, just off straight but being left handed it is a three-quarter

:18:10. > :18:20.ball pink for the frame. The frame that Michael White has had

:18:20. > :18:22.

:18:22. > :18:27.two real good chances to win. But he didn't take them and Mark

:18:27. > :18:33.Williams now, has done his cause no harm whatsoever. The mistakings from

:18:33. > :18:43.Michael White would stick. Mark Williams back in, 8-6.

:18:43. > :18:49.

:18:49. > :18:53.Yes, probably, but, you know, I am still 38-year-old, playing some of

:18:53. > :19:00.the worst stuff I have ever played and still Number Ten or 11 in the

:19:00. > :19:10.world. No, definitely not a part-time job,

:19:10. > :19:10.

:19:10. > :19:15.now we are playing every week or two, so it is a full-time job, now.

:19:15. > :19:19.I don't think they are scared, I think, you know I am all for it as

:19:19. > :19:29.long as 128 goes to every venue and is a fair structure, till that

:19:29. > :19:29.

:19:29. > :19:38.happens, it is not a fair structure. Probably have to plead a blt guilty

:19:38. > :19:43.on that one myself, and probably a lot of others.

:19:43. > :19:46.I would agree with. I ain't, but, there is a lot of other people who

:19:46. > :19:56.are not fit enough to be a smocker player as well.

:19:56. > :19:56.

:19:56. > :20:01.-- snooker player as well. We will see about that!

:20:01. > :20:06.I am quite laid back, I just never take anything serious, really, I

:20:06. > :20:11.just love a good wind up, winding someone up, and I enjoy someone

:20:11. > :20:17.trying to wind me up, because I don't think anyone has succeeded

:20:17. > :20:23.yet! To be fair, not at his prime, I was

:20:23. > :20:33.never as good as him but I am a lot better than him now, that's for

:20:33. > :20:39.

:20:39. > :20:45.Mark Williams as usual. He must have swallowed hard then,

:20:45. > :20:55.when he said Hendry was better than when he said Hendry was better than

:20:55. > :20:59.

:20:59. > :21:03.Very tight past that green to get to the potle angle. -- potle agile.

:21:03. > :21:10.Perhaps he -- potting angle. Perhaps he is going to play the safety shot

:21:10. > :21:15.off the red. That last frame, it could be a shift

:21:15. > :21:22.in momentum in this match, as John was mentioning, it is Michael White

:21:22. > :21:31.had a few chances. Mustn't get too anxious out there. There is a long

:21:31. > :21:37.way to go. He could see it and he hit that

:21:37. > :21:47.quite well. But But he hasn't been lucky this

:21:47. > :22:13.

:22:13. > :22:18.Not sure if he played for pink or Ooh, can't find those middle pockets

:22:18. > :22:23.Ooh, can't find those middle pockets and he kicks it in the far jaw.

:22:23. > :22:28.He wasn't good on the pink. If the pink had gone in I can't see what

:22:28. > :22:38.red he would have been on, so no damage done, but an opportunity gone

:22:38. > :22:38.

:22:38. > :23:32.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:23:32. > :23:36.He didn't hit it that bad. These are the type of shots that

:23:36. > :23:46.could inspire Mark Williams at this stage in the match, just turn that

:23:46. > :24:02.

:24:02. > :24:07.If it goes in he is bound to be on Well, I assume he thought about the

:24:07. > :24:17.canon on the red, to the right of the black, but it is OK, as long as

:24:17. > :24:21.

:24:21. > :24:26.Can he get past the blue for the He could just get past the blew for

:24:26. > :24:30.the pink. -- blue nor the pink. What he has to do is put out of his mind

:24:30. > :24:40.the mistakes he made in the last frame.

:24:40. > :25:01.

:25:01. > :25:06.And just refocus on potting as many There were times in this match that

:25:06. > :25:09.you would fancy Michael White making 50 or 60 -- 60 at this visit. The

:25:09. > :25:19.questions are getting harder to answer, as you get closer to the

:25:19. > :25:25.

:25:25. > :25:35.winning line. He still has a presence out there.

:25:35. > :26:08.

:26:08. > :26:15.Well he canoned the red he wanted to but he has just slipped past another

:26:16. > :26:20.one, and I think he on the red to the left corner. He is going to be

:26:20. > :26:23.hampered. He will need the rest. Can he get there with an ordinary rest.

:26:23. > :26:33.It is made easy slightly but a because he doesn't have to do a lot

:26:33. > :27:11.

:27:11. > :27:21.with the cue ball. Has to be Just about get to the potting angle.

:27:21. > :27:28.

:27:28. > :27:38.Just feel he is one good split away Well, he hit the wrong red there, he

:27:38. > :28:00.

:28:00. > :28:10.was trying to avoid that red and go Nose are difficult shots. He could

:28:10. > :28:11.

:28:11. > :28:16.have caught that red and been out of He looks out of the two players more

:28:16. > :28:19.comfortable at the mid range shotses a at the moment. -- shots at the

:28:19. > :28:29.moment T Mark Williams looks more vulnerable when there is a greater

:28:29. > :28:46.

:28:46. > :28:51.Fair play, he has taken these well. I was concerned maybe he had spotted

:28:51. > :29:01.the winning line and he was beginning to freeze a little, but

:29:01. > :29:01.

:29:01. > :29:54.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:29:54. > :30:04.place in the second round. He will have been brought up on the exploits

:30:04. > :30:04.

:30:04. > :31:40.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:31:40. > :31:43.of Mark Williams. To beat him at the That is the highest break of the

:31:43. > :31:49.match but more importantly takes him one frame away from a place in the

:31:49. > :31:53.second round. He is three frames clear at 9-6.

:31:53. > :31:57.If anything he looks stronger and stronger as we go along. How do you

:31:57. > :32:04.rate his performance as this match progresses? You cannot fault it so

:32:04. > :32:09.far. He has looked confident. He has not panicked. He has positive cue

:32:09. > :32:14.action. As we know, this is where it gets difficult. If you were his

:32:14. > :32:21.coach, and you could nip out of the commentary box and give him a quiet

:32:21. > :32:28.word, what piece of advice would you give? Take one shot at a time. Give

:32:28. > :32:32.every shot 100%. Try not to think ahead of yourself. What happens when

:32:32. > :32:40.you near the metaphorical finish line in this, the first chance you

:32:40. > :32:44.have had to get into the second round? You are fighting against

:32:44. > :32:48.emotions and excitement of the moment as it gets closer and closer.

:32:48. > :32:57.You are aware of the scores and the breaks you might make. Also, when

:32:57. > :33:02.you get the first chance, you have to keep a clear head. It can build

:33:02. > :33:05.up the closer you get to the finishing line. You are well aware

:33:05. > :33:11.you are playing a double world champion who is more than capable of

:33:11. > :33:21.coming back at you. Very much so. Never say never at the

:33:21. > :33:21.

:33:21. > :34:03.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:34:03. > :34:07.case and was unlucky not to be on the blue. He has had trouble with

:34:07. > :34:17.this pocket all through the match. He cannot afford to miss anything

:34:17. > :34:17.

:34:17. > :35:14.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:35:14. > :35:17.positively in these situations. There is plenty of time. But

:35:17. > :35:27.sometimes you get desperate and take on shots you would not take on at

:35:27. > :35:27.

:35:27. > :37:47.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:37:47. > :37:57.because every time he hits the ball, he says, get in. It must be

:37:57. > :38:23.

:38:23. > :38:33.one of Michael's supporters. Neath can. -- in Neath for snooker. And

:38:33. > :39:09.

:39:10. > :39:14.this man could be the best to come He might not have had the best run

:39:14. > :39:24.of the ball, Mark Williams, but he will know that his opponent has

:39:24. > :39:34.played better in this match. Now he has made a mistake. He has ever

:39:34. > :39:34.

:39:34. > :39:44.screwed it. A little bit of adrenaline. It was not a bounce. It

:39:44. > :39:44.

:39:44. > :41:04.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:41:04. > :41:14.of a young man who is a slave to every scrap of his talent and is now

:41:14. > :41:14.

:41:14. > :42:51.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:42:51. > :43:01.Mark Williams looks as though he is Williams Wilmot play any more shots.

:43:01. > :43:17.

:43:17. > :43:24.Every credit to Michael White. Bash seal the deal with a century on his

:43:24. > :43:34.first appearance at the Crucible? What must be going through his mind

:43:34. > :43:34.

:43:34. > :44:20.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:44:20. > :44:27.Williams, congratulating him. Mark Williams will be very disappointed

:44:27. > :44:32.but take nothing away from this young man from Neath who comes out a

:44:32. > :44:42.worthy winner at 10-6 frames. Well played.

:44:42. > :44:42.

:44:42. > :44:45.Well played in deed. Victory on his debut against a double world

:44:45. > :44:47.champion. That is only the third time that Mark Williams has gone out

:44:48. > :44:52.in the first round. The significance of his -- of this moment for Michael

:44:52. > :44:58.and for snooker? A great victory. A poor performance by Mark but he has

:44:58. > :45:03.been Paul season. Michael White was the one winning frames. The frames

:45:03. > :45:09.are marked got, he was gifted them. It was when Michael White missed an

:45:09. > :45:17.easy red. He deserved to win, without a doubt. I know Michael is

:45:17. > :45:23.now with Rob Walker. Let us get his thoughts.

:45:24. > :45:30.Michael, what a debut. Can you believe what you have achieved?

:45:30. > :45:34.stuck for words at the moment. I am over the Moon. The way I played and

:45:34. > :45:40.to finish like I have, I am over the Moon. You had to show character. You

:45:40. > :45:44.did not have it all your own way. It looked as though Mark was gathering

:45:44. > :45:52.momentum again so you had to dig deep mentally. It was not handed to

:45:52. > :45:57.you. He started coming back. I knew he probably would come back at me

:45:57. > :46:01.but I was delighted I kept my composure to be honest. Were there

:46:01. > :46:04.any nerves for the Crucible debut? We have known about your talent for

:46:05. > :46:08.a long time but it is one thing to know you have potential and quite

:46:08. > :46:12.another when the curtain goes back and the crowd roars and you have to

:46:12. > :46:19.deliver on the big occasion. I was a lot more relaxed than I thought I

:46:19. > :46:25.would be. It is such a great place to play. Unbelievable. What was it

:46:25. > :46:31.like taking on Mark? He has done so much for Welsh snooker. Dare we hint

:46:31. > :46:39.at a changing of the guard? knows. If you say that, I am

:46:40. > :46:44.privileged. What did he say to you at the end? He said good luck for

:46:44. > :46:49.the rest of the tournament. He wished me all the best. Let us turn

:46:49. > :46:56.our attention to the second round. You interested if it is Stephen

:46:56. > :47:03.Maguire or do not care? Not at the moment. I cannot wait for the second

:47:03. > :47:07.round. I think you have earned a few fans today. Many congratulations.

:47:07. > :47:11.Your first match is over. You have a second one to come. Good luck for

:47:11. > :47:15.that. Thank you. Well played in deed. Rob hinted at

:47:16. > :47:20.the changing of the guard. Is it a significant moment for you because

:47:20. > :47:25.he has been touted as the new Mark Williams, the new Michael Stevens.

:47:25. > :47:29.It is relevant that there are so many good young players coming

:47:29. > :47:35.through. They are clambering over each other. Next year many more

:47:35. > :47:38.tournaments and everyone coming in at round one, which might speed up

:47:38. > :47:44.the changing of the guard more so. But turning attention to Mark

:47:44. > :47:51.Williams, the thing is facing him in the future, at the age of 38, he

:47:51. > :47:56.will have to ask yourself the question, will I settle for second

:47:56. > :47:59.best and never win another event? Or can I turn it around? Can I

:47:59. > :48:03.continue? If someone said to him you will never win another tournament

:48:03. > :48:08.because there are so many good players, it is not you are not good,

:48:08. > :48:11.but it is the good new players, are you prepared to carry on? That is a

:48:11. > :48:18.tough question for any snooker player. We can go on longer than

:48:18. > :48:20.other sports that you have to answer that question in your own mind. Most

:48:20. > :48:25.of the players eventually consider going on. They just get smaller

:48:25. > :48:30.scraps. One person decided to call it a day earlier than people

:48:30. > :48:35.thought. The question is, is it right to stop for Mark Williams and

:48:35. > :48:40.how long do go on for best remark you know him better than anyone,

:48:40. > :48:44.Stephen. What is your view? It is what you want from the game. If you

:48:45. > :48:49.get enjoyment from playing, then you can play as long as you want. If

:48:49. > :48:57.your enjoyment comes from winning and playing well, as my enjoyment

:48:57. > :49:06.came from, then you have to get out. That is what I would say. What is

:49:06. > :49:10.Mark's motivation, would you say? For all his being relaxed and

:49:10. > :49:14.everything he wants to win. He will be hurting at the way he has played

:49:14. > :49:20.this season. He is still high in the rankings but he has been poor. It

:49:20. > :49:24.eats away at you. You almost answered your own question, Steve.

:49:24. > :49:29.In that on the spot feature we ran, it was put to him, you will never

:49:29. > :49:34.win another tournament and he was niggles by it. Yes, and the result

:49:34. > :49:43.is there. You think or hope you will win. But, when you start to get

:49:43. > :49:46.confirmation, then all of a sudden, where do you go? The first point of

:49:46. > :49:52.call is people telling you they know where you are going wrong and they

:49:52. > :49:58.want to help. He will have coaches cueing up, phoning him up, to help

:49:58. > :50:03.him. So, he will go down that road possibly and try a few of them. It

:50:03. > :50:09.will not make a blind bit of difference. No disrespect to coaches

:50:09. > :50:14.but that is not the problem. He is 38. 23-year-olds are beating him. It

:50:14. > :50:21.is the cycle of life, nothing else. He will have to go down that road if

:50:21. > :50:26.he loves the game. He has already gone down to number 47 in the world

:50:26. > :50:31.and come back to number one. He has proved to himself he can do it.

:50:31. > :50:34.he was playing a higher standard of snooker. I have hardly seen him pot

:50:34. > :50:40.a long ball all season. He needs to address that. I do not know if it is

:50:40. > :50:44.a technical thing. He was bereft of confidence in that match and he does

:50:44. > :50:49.not look confident at the table. He has to do something. It could be a

:50:49. > :50:53.big turning point in his career. Have you got his number? I might

:50:53. > :51:00.telephone him. Let us not take anything away from Michael White.

:51:00. > :51:03.How far can he go in this championship? He is a great cure.

:51:03. > :51:09.has something about him as well. He is not frightened of the big

:51:09. > :51:14.occasion. Somewhere down the line, you do not get a rookie going the

:51:14. > :51:19.whole way, but you never, never know. He could grow in stature as

:51:19. > :51:22.the event progresses. It will be given to watching progress. It is

:51:22. > :51:29.your ambition to play at the Crucible as a youngster. To win on

:51:29. > :51:35.your debut and he must be thrilled. We started in the draw with seven

:51:35. > :51:40.world champions and we now have six. Michael White is through. We have a

:51:40. > :51:46.lovely Tweet, which says today is a time warp. We have Davis, white and

:51:46. > :51:51.Higgins all playing. But it is the new ones. And speaking of Mr

:51:51. > :51:55.Higgins, I have given away the answer to my quiz question, which

:51:55. > :51:59.was going to be, can you name the last player Stephen Hendry beat at

:51:59. > :52:04.the Crucible? It was indeed John Higgins which was utterly

:52:04. > :52:08.remarkable, not because you beat him, but because it was the first

:52:08. > :52:16.time in 27 years that you had played one another at the Crucible. Kelly,

:52:16. > :52:25.after the next round, John returns determined to land a fifth world

:52:25. > :52:29.title. First in his sights is Mark Davis.

:52:29. > :52:35.You do not get a better buzz than walking down the steps at the

:52:35. > :52:41.Crucible Theatre. It is the best thing. You have butterflies. I had

:52:41. > :52:45.then the first time I came here 18 years ago. Obviously, in the last

:52:45. > :52:52.five years I have won it three times which is great. I have been

:52:52. > :52:57.struggling with my game. There is nothing you can do apart from trying

:52:57. > :53:05.to think of a way out of it. That is what I have been doing in the last

:53:05. > :53:09.few weeks on the practice table. I do not get too down because I know I

:53:09. > :53:13.have been there before and got out of it. But there will come a time

:53:13. > :53:18.when you might not get out of it. When you are getting old in the game

:53:18. > :53:23.and a young buck is coming through. You cannot turn it around and be the

:53:23. > :53:29.champion again. You are trying to fight that feeling off for as long

:53:29. > :53:37.as you can. Playing Mark Davis, I mean, every respect for Mark. He is

:53:37. > :53:44.one of the players in the top 16 and he has kept himself focused and

:53:44. > :53:49.fighting. After many years not doing great but he is still there

:53:49. > :53:54.fighting. Some great results and he is getting more used to the TV

:53:54. > :54:04.cameras and things like that. He looks comfortable out there now. A

:54:04. > :54:06.

:54:07. > :54:11.tough game for me. I was ten or 11 when my brother took me to the local

:54:11. > :54:17.snooker club. I started hitting a few balls about and to give from

:54:17. > :54:26.there. Maybe it was the sound of the balls or the atmosphere of the

:54:26. > :54:30.snooker club. It was good fun down there. I was only young. I remember

:54:30. > :54:36.hitting my first hundred and that was brilliant running around the

:54:37. > :54:40.club and telling everybody at home. It is more enjoyable the better you

:54:40. > :54:48.are but they can be more frustrating when there are days you do not play

:54:48. > :54:54.so well. It was more of a job for me. I enjoy playing and the

:54:54. > :54:58.matches. Practice can be a little bit hard work now to be honest. I

:54:58. > :55:06.have days where I quite enjoy it and look forward to going home. Just not

:55:06. > :55:11.as many as I used to have. My career has been tough. I have not been good

:55:11. > :55:15.enough to get through, thinking I should have done this or that, but

:55:15. > :55:20.you have to do it. 21 years is enough time to do it and I have not

:55:20. > :55:28.won a major tournament. There will not be too many highs. I would

:55:28. > :55:31.rather do that than get up at 6am and doing a hard labour job. I

:55:31. > :55:36.appreciate what I have done even though I have not done as well as I

:55:36. > :55:42.would have liked to have done. It was 2-2 at the interval. It is

:55:42. > :55:47.now 3-3. Mark beat John at the UK Championship in December. He soaked

:55:47. > :55:57.up everything Higgins could throw at him, including a maximum break. He

:55:57. > :55:57.

:55:57. > :56:02.still won it 6-5. The finest win of the Hastings' pro career. What has

:56:02. > :56:07.this game the night so far? For me the best match of the tournament,

:56:07. > :56:14.Hazel. John Higgins started remarkably well and went into a 2-0

:56:14. > :56:24.lead. His safety was superb. And then Mark Davis went on a run. He

:56:24. > :56:25.

:56:25. > :56:30.took a 3-2 lead and hardly missed a ball. You join this frame now where

:56:30. > :56:39.John Higgins has missed a ball in the middle pocket which he said not

:56:39. > :56:43.-- which she should not have missed. Mark Davis is on a break of 13 with

:56:43. > :56:49.a chance to get a sizeable lead if not a frame-winning lead. It has

:56:49. > :56:59.been good stuff. High-quality matchplay. Long potting, great rake

:56:59. > :57:27.

:57:27. > :57:37.building. It has been very The safety has been superb. Yes,

:57:37. > :57:45.

:57:45. > :57:49.missed many but this frame has gone twitchy. John Higgins has missed two

:57:49. > :57:59.chances and Mark Davis missed this one. Maybe they are starting to feel

:57:59. > :57:59.

:57:59. > :59:37.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:59:37. > :59:43.You have come to us just as we have seen more balls missed than we have

:59:43. > :59:50.seen all afternoon. It has been a high standard. That is what you are

:59:50. > :59:55.thinking some time, get a lead going into tomorrow's session.

:59:55. > :59:59.If a few moments time, The Crucible screen will come up. Probably after

:59:59. > :00:09.this frame. As the match is finished on the

:00:09. > :00:33.

:00:33. > :00:39.other side, so they will have the Short with the cue ball, but it is

:00:39. > :00:49.still a difficult shot for Mark. Which ever one he takes on.

:00:49. > :00:50.

:00:50. > :01:00.Bottom red of the two on the left, he could miss Canning -- canoning on

:01:00. > :01:11.

:01:11. > :01:14.Absolutely brilliant. Couldn't cue that any better.

:01:14. > :01:20.Straight into the heart of the pocket.

:01:20. > :01:24.Especially when the, they have just joined us, and missed one of the

:01:24. > :01:30.easiest rdss of all time and you see him play a shot like that. That is

:01:30. > :01:40.the way he has been playing all afternoon. Played for the choice of

:01:40. > :01:43.

:01:43. > :01:51.a four frame to Lee lead. -- flee lead.

:01:51. > :02:01.He would like to play for it the middle pocket, but the brown is

:02:01. > :02:07.

:02:07. > :02:10.there, so he may have to play for 22 points in front, red and blue is

:02:10. > :02:20.enough. That puts him 28 in front with 27

:02:20. > :02:20.

:02:20. > :03:03.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:03:03. > :03:07.Another excellent positional shot and the three praif visit visits. --

:03:07. > :03:17.previous visit. He could finish it with 49, which is still an excellent

:03:17. > :03:28.

:03:28. > :03:31.All in all, this match has been top class, Davis goes into the lead at

:03:31. > :03:34.4-3. HAZEL IRVINE: This is quite a

:03:34. > :03:37.performance from Mark Davis. What we have seen of Mark this season, he

:03:37. > :03:44.has made it to three ranking semifinals, best performance of his

:03:44. > :03:48.career. What do you think has improved? Familiarity, that is easy

:03:48. > :03:51.for me, of playing top player, without showing disrespect to Mark,

:03:51. > :03:55.you know, three, four, five years ago he would have been an easy draw,

:03:55. > :04:00.he would have been one you were happy with, not any more. He is used

:04:00. > :04:04.to playing the top player, he is used to playing semifinal, finals,

:04:04. > :04:10.so he is not scared of playing top players. His record at The Crucible

:04:10. > :04:14.is not great, this is his eighth time here and he has only been past

:04:14. > :04:20.the first round a couple of times. How much more comfortable does he

:04:20. > :04:24.look out there He looks more comfortable than he used to. I

:04:24. > :04:27.haven't got a clue with the rest. What makes somebody have a spurt of

:04:27. > :04:31.improvement, in what would have been considered the autumn of their

:04:31. > :04:37.career? And another player we have seen, all of a sudden start to

:04:37. > :04:42.struggle at the same age, is beyond me. I really don't understand why

:04:42. > :04:46.some, it may be you only have a certain amount of good performances

:04:46. > :04:50.in you, and like Mark Davis hasn't performed and he is enjoying that,

:04:50. > :04:54.whereas somebody like Mark Williams has had so many it is tough to keep

:04:54. > :04:58.on going to the well again, and Mark Davis is only just started going to

:04:58. > :05:02.his well. Other than that, I haven't got a clue. His confidence levels in

:05:02. > :05:06.this match are evident as we have seen, because he was 2-0 down, come

:05:06. > :05:09.back to lead the match. What we have seen of John Higgins, started

:05:09. > :05:15.brilliantly, with great performance, what has been the problem for him,

:05:15. > :05:21.for the rest of it? I don't know a lot about it. I haven't been round

:05:21. > :05:29.John a lot this season. I I know he has played with a new cue for the

:05:29. > :05:33.first time this season. I don't think he happy with it. He made a

:05:33. > :05:37.maximum in Shanghai and York, so in patches he has played well. He is

:05:37. > :05:40.not the John Higgins we are used to. It is weird, because we were talking

:05:40. > :05:43.about Mark Williams, Ronnie, John, they were the golden generation when

:05:43. > :05:48.they came into the game and the three are questioning their form,

:05:48. > :05:52.which is strange. Indeed, but John Higgins clearly always a force at

:05:52. > :06:02.The Crucible, and as get back to him, here he is at the table. He is

:06:02. > :06:10.

:06:10. > :06:20.That came awkward. What a difference that has made, just finishing before

:06:20. > :06:39.

:06:39. > :06:46.Have been for careful of the one cushion escape. He could leave one

:06:46. > :06:56.into the corner. REFEREE: Foul, and a miss. John

:06:56. > :07:14.

:07:14. > :07:19.May have's rise to fame -- Mark Davis's rise to fame came when he

:07:19. > :07:24.found a sponsor, he gave mark some money to carry on, unfortunately

:07:24. > :07:28.Mick died a few years ago, and, you know, Mark has carried on from that

:07:28. > :07:38.little bit of support earlier on, and become, as you can clearly see,

:07:38. > :07:41.

:07:41. > :07:51.one of the best players in the That has not turned out too badly.

:07:51. > :07:53.

:07:53. > :07:57.We have had a couple of reracks so far this year, but it looks like

:07:57. > :08:06.Mark can play into baulk without a Mark can play into baulk without a

:08:06. > :08:10.problem. Coming round to make sure he is not

:08:10. > :08:20.leaving an easy safety shot. As long as he doesn't kiss the blue, he

:08:20. > :08:20.

:08:20. > :09:07.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:09:07. > :09:11.should be able to find the top He needs help from the blue, that

:09:11. > :09:19.was a bit thin. I think he has got it.

:09:19. > :09:23.There you can see, he has just. wondering whether there is a

:09:23. > :09:33.potential three ball plant here. Obviously if you play with a fair

:09:33. > :09:40.

:09:40. > :09:46.amount of safety in mind, as well; He did try it, as you can clearly

:09:46. > :09:56.see. But his prime thing was getting a

:09:56. > :09:56.

:09:56. > :10:42.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:10:42. > :10:52.good white, and boy, has it got a Unless John Higgins decides to take

:10:52. > :10:52.

:10:52. > :11:01.the red up into the green pocket, Or is he going full blooded for the

:11:01. > :11:05.one closest to the cue ball? If the black pots he may do. He maybe found

:11:05. > :11:15.another one. He maybe thinking about cuts another one. There, he has

:11:15. > :11:25.What a shot that was. There was three shots there and I didn't pick

:11:25. > :11:35.

:11:35. > :11:45.three shots there and I didn't pick Needs to get a good angle on the

:11:45. > :12:02.

:12:02. > :12:04.Just concerned about the angle he has on this red. He needs to play it

:12:04. > :12:11.plain-ball. Doesn't want any side of this.

:12:11. > :12:21.It was going to be tough to get perfect on the blue there, it can

:12:21. > :12:30.

:12:30. > :12:34.only be blue in the corner or green I get the impression with these top

:12:34. > :12:39.player, the great champion, they sense danger, don't they, Willie.

:12:39. > :12:49.See when a match is going awkward and running way from them that they

:12:49. > :12:51.

:12:51. > :13:01.need a bigger effort. You see John He knows how well Mark Davis is

:13:01. > :13:11.

:13:11. > :13:15.playing, going behind 6-3, that Well that is seriously unlucky.

:13:15. > :13:25.Couldn't have asked the hit the pink Couldn't have asked the hit the pink

:13:25. > :13:37.

:13:37. > :13:47.Go on then, play safe. You wouldn't think that could happen at the pace

:13:47. > :13:57.

:13:57. > :14:01.If the weight is right he has the shot. Well done.

:14:01. > :14:05.Well done. To be honest, the pace he played the

:14:05. > :14:10.blue into the pack, John Higgins is smilings, he must have left

:14:10. > :14:15.something on. Not that gap, surely. -- smiling. This is the one where he

:14:15. > :14:19.broke into the pack. Look at the pace he played it. How did that

:14:19. > :14:29.stick on the pink? Coming back to the live play, and he can't get

:14:29. > :14:32.

:14:32. > :14:42.It is very tight. You would want to bend a bit but you will go close to

:14:42. > :14:44.

:14:44. > :14:50.REFEREE: Foul. . Oh dear, should have gone to Specsavers!

:14:50. > :14:55.That was a danger shot to play at this stage.

:14:55. > :15:05.Yes the what they was set up, a black was always in play there.

:15:05. > :15:19.

:15:19. > :15:29.You Li and die by your decisions in that this game and that was a poor

:15:29. > :15:54.

:15:54. > :15:58.I am am not sure whether he is on That is careless.

:15:58. > :16:06.You would expect him to knock it in, but it is tough, under this

:16:06. > :16:12.situation, 4-3 behind. If that rolls off, it is, it is always near the

:16:12. > :16:17.jaw. Very careless positional shot was about to say if you screw back

:16:17. > :16:22.for pink you can't not be on the red.

:16:22. > :16:32.He ended up playing the stun and covered the black.

:16:32. > :16:45.

:16:45. > :16:50.Another line line -- lifeline in the frame for Mark Davis. So far he has

:16:50. > :16:53.scored very well. Very quickly, very brisk today, when he has been

:16:53. > :17:03.accruing points. Can't tell you how much he has

:17:03. > :17:21.

:17:21. > :17:25.He knows if he can hold himself together and pinch this frame he is

:17:25. > :17:35.bound to be in front going into tomorrow's session. He will sleep a

:17:35. > :17:38.

:17:38. > :17:48.The good things are the reds at this end of the table, they can be moved

:17:48. > :17:56.

:17:56. > :18:00.about with the black being on its You mentioned earlier on, John, he

:18:00. > :18:04.that had to qualify this year, even though he was seed 16 because Ronnie

:18:04. > :18:09.O'Sullivan came back to the fray. Had to play a qualifier. That would

:18:09. > :18:15.have been pressure on the match, especially as he played Liang Wenbo,

:18:15. > :18:25.who has been a great addition to the professional ranks, Yes, that is a

:18:25. > :18:40.

:18:40. > :18:45.very big result. , playing Liang He would love to have the angle on

:18:45. > :18:49.the black to bring the two reds into play. That is why he has played for

:18:49. > :18:53.the loose one. At least he knows he would have been on the one he is

:18:53. > :19:03.playing now, if the kiss went wrong, so he will have a bit of work do in

:19:03. > :19:17.

:19:17. > :19:23.a few shots time. Maybe one of those bottom reds. He

:19:23. > :19:28.won't play on it this time. Just having a look from this end of

:19:29. > :19:33.the table, did you think it potted? It is very close. It may go a dead

:19:33. > :19:39.weight. One of those things after you have had one earlier in the

:19:39. > :19:42.frame. You have another tight situation coming up. He has left an

:19:42. > :19:46.angle. There you can see it is very tight. I think obviously the one on

:19:46. > :19:50.the cushion goes, he didn't really want to play that. Has he left an

:19:50. > :19:59.angle to play the screw into them this time? It is not perfect to play

:19:59. > :20:04.He has decided. That he will play, well I presume

:20:04. > :20:14.the top red of the two. He doesn't want to play the bo bottom one where

:20:14. > :20:36.

:20:36. > :20:39.Really this red if he can drop it in. He should win this frame.

:20:39. > :20:49.And they will put enormous pressure on John Higgins for the last frame

:20:49. > :20:49.

:20:49. > :21:31.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

:21:31. > :21:38.This has been excellent. It really has been a super break. 25 in front.

:21:38. > :21:43.Any colour and he is almost guaranteed now to be, well now he is

:21:43. > :21:53.guarantee guaranteed in front going into tomorrow's session. Will it be

:21:53. > :22:20.

:22:20. > :22:26.He was 2-0 down in no time, so this has yet to make a century at The

:22:26. > :22:32.Crucible. His highest break, amazingly enough, is 87. That is an

:22:32. > :22:42.indication of how much he is improving, Willie. Absolutely. This

:22:42. > :22:45.

:22:45. > :22:50.Wonderful from Mark Davis. He trailed by some 40 on point, he

:22:50. > :22:55.replied with 96. John Higgins missed an easy ball in the middle and Mark

:22:55. > :23:00.Davis goes further clear at 5-3. HAZEL IRVINE: You were agreed that

:23:00. > :23:06.was a very very important frame. Yes, misses from John Higgins, that

:23:06. > :23:11.you would never believer, that pink in the mid. He left himself awkward,

:23:11. > :23:15.but you expect him to pot I he looks edgy, he looks under pressure.

:23:15. > :23:18.that your impression too in Yes, it is not the first time we have seen

:23:18. > :23:22.John struggle in the early part of a match but be able to dig himself out

:23:22. > :23:25.of a hole, but of course, you, especially the first round match,

:23:25. > :23:30.you don't get too much breathing space, even though it is the best of

:23:30. > :23:36.19. This last frame, of the session, has was mentioned becomes a very big

:23:36. > :23:40.frame for him. Indeed, yes, what do you imagine could be the problem? ?

:23:40. > :23:43.I don't know. It seeps to be like, the older you get in your career,

:23:43. > :23:48.the more pressure you seem to put on first rounds, and everyone talks

:23:48. > :23:51.about we need to get through the first round, and then the tournament

:23:51. > :23:55.really start, when you at the peak of your career, you never think

:23:55. > :23:58.about it, so I think you just, a lot of the top players are putting

:23:58. > :24:03.pressure on themselves to get through the first match. I wonder if

:24:03. > :24:08.we cast our minds back, for a while, John was suspended. Then he came

:24:08. > :24:12.back, in the second part of the season, played fantastically well,

:24:12. > :24:16.won the UK championship and the World Championships. An amazing

:24:16. > :24:22.performance, as if he had a point to prove. Perhaps, perhaps, since then

:24:22. > :24:27.he has struggled to get that feeling of resolve back. It may be to do

:24:27. > :24:32.with that or it may be a case of as the years go on. Motivation is

:24:32. > :24:37.always key factor, we have talked about with Mark Williams and John

:24:37. > :24:42.has four world titles. He has talked about trying to achieve five, six or

:24:43. > :24:46.seven, that in itself is a massive ambition to hold, and is it

:24:46. > :24:51.difficult to stay motivated and resolved when you have given

:24:51. > :24:55.yourself a goal like that? This man here had the tar get I wanted the

:24:55. > :24:59.beat. That was my motivation, but I don't think John has played that

:24:59. > :25:04.well for the last two or three year, I think he has managed to dig

:25:04. > :25:07.himself out of a lot of holes. He wins a lot of matches from behind.

:25:07. > :25:12.Last year, in the World Championships, he was awful against

:25:12. > :25:18.me, I know I won but he was awful. So he is not, he has not been at his

:25:18. > :25:22.best for a while, so... As we were talking earlier about Mark as well,

:25:22. > :25:27.maybe he is coming to a crossroads in his career, you don't know.

:25:27. > :25:32.has a bit of work to do here, he cannot be ahead in this match, this

:25:32. > :25:37.is the last frame of this session before they come back and a critical

:25:37. > :25:39.one for Mark Davis's perspective. From what we have seen of Mark

:25:39. > :25:46.Davis, if anything his confidence seems to be increasing the longer

:25:46. > :25:51.the match goes on. That was a terrific break. . Fabulous. What

:25:51. > :25:56.more confidence can you need when he smising balls like that. I did refer

:25:56. > :26:01.to that victory in the second round of the yuck Championship, and

:26:01. > :26:06.whether you agree, in some respects it was a turning point. It was the

:26:06. > :26:11.biggest win of his career, and John threw at him in that match and he

:26:11. > :26:14.still had the courage to come through it. Yes, when one of the

:26:14. > :26:18.greatest players in the world throws the kitchen sink at you and you

:26:18. > :26:22.pro-yourself, then that is great for your mentality, the game for the

:26:22. > :26:26.future, and I think he probably believes in himself much more, he

:26:26. > :26:31.should do as well. Interesting to see this last frame. Massive

:26:31. > :26:34.difference, 6-3 or 5-4. We have only got a couple of minutes before we go

:26:34. > :26:40.off the air, so we will keep looking at this and I will give you

:26:40. > :26:46.information about what is coming up later on, as we see this one out.

:26:46. > :26:54.Because when we go off air at 6.00, you will be able to continue this

:26:54. > :26:58.watching, on the website, online, if you should do or indeed, thereafter,

:26:58. > :27:03.the evening session starts at 7 o'clock and we will have live

:27:03. > :27:09.coverage on line of both match which will finish this evening. We have

:27:09. > :27:15.Murphy against could go with the 2005 World Champion Shaun Murphy

:27:15. > :27:20.holding that slender lead and Barry Hawkins is 6-3 in front against Jack

:27:20. > :27:25.Lisowski. He had a Crucible century yesterday on his debut. But he has a

:27:25. > :27:29.lot of work do against the Australian Open champion Hawkins.

:27:29. > :27:35.So that is our agenda, over the coming hours.

:27:35. > :27:41.But as we see, this one is opening out, and it looks like there is a

:27:41. > :27:45.bit of mile Alan left in in one. So John Higgins has it all to do.

:27:45. > :27:52.And if you want to keep watching, as I say, a reminder, you can do,

:27:52. > :27:57.online, via the BBC website. So there we go, it is three frames to

:27:57. > :28:01.five. Mark Davis in the lead. Jason Mohammad will be here with the