Day 3, Part 1 Snooker: World Championship

Hello and a very good morning to from the Crucible in Sheffield. It

is day three of the World Snooker Championship. Another cracking

atmosphere here this morning. He says he is ready, so this morning

we will see Mark Allen taking on Mark King. That will be the match

will be focusing on. There is another big battle going on between

two former world champions, Peter Ebdon against Graeme Dott. That is

available on the BBC sport website. First though, it is against Mark

Allen and Mark King. Let's join Rob Walker.

Ladies and gentlemen if you are lucky enough to have Monday morning

off work, sit back, relax and enjoy because it is day three of the bed

Fair World Snooker Championship and we have four world-class players

for you right now. Please welcome first of all a player who his

appearing in his 22nd Cristobal championship. He took the sport's

ultimate prize back in 2002. Ladies and gentlemen, it is the force,

Peter Ebdon - MUSIC: "Can You Feel the Force?" by

Also appearing on Table 1, at Blair what an excellent record here in

Sheffield. His victory in 2006 was the highlight of a proud career for

the Scot bidding for his 8th appearance in the second round. It

Graeme Dott - MUSIC: "Two Tribes" by Frankie Goes

Here on table number two, please welcome a player who came to an

epic match in qualifying to get here to bookies' 14th critical

appearance. We can never agree on a nickname, so today he is simply

Mark King! MUSIC: "You Can Do It (Put Your

Back Into It)" by Ice Cube His opponent is a player who had a

magnificent run to the semis in 2009. The pride of Northern Ireland,

Mark Allen. Mark Allen -

MUSIC: "Ever So Shy" by General Here we go, we're concentrating on

the Mark Allen, Mark King match. If you want Graeme Dott against Peter

Ebdon, that is available on the BBC's Board website. Let's say

hello to a commentary team, John Virgo and Terry Griffiths.

JOHN: Good morning, everybody. The two players are all smiles as they

shake hands ready to start this first-round match. Mark King once

again has come through the hard For every player, to get through to

the Crucible Theatre is what it is all about. He has picked a tough

one here. Mark Allen is world- ranked No. 6. He is one of the main

contenders for this title, you would have to say. That is the view

from Hawkeye. You just can't get through to the red on the left-hand

side of the table. The right-hand side as you look at it now. Even

though he flicked at the blue, it TERRY: He looked tight, so not many

options here. How close was that? He has managed to get safer out of

Somebody's earpiece is buzzing really loud. He is having a problem

with one of the year pieces in the That didn't take long. He didn't

want to risk going up the table, so he decided to rack the balls again.

Just time to settle in once again. There is no point in just 10 think

it's about what they read near the corner pocket, the frame was never

going to go anywhere. So, we will A good safety reply from Mark Allen,

and a positive one, as well. He didn't play that in safety, he

played the thicker one that opens up the reds. There is a little

bitter pressure on the shop now for He played that shot very well. Not

the EC shot to get started with. Both these players are tremendous

potters, but you have got to have An excellent safety. This is not

usually the best time to play, at 10 o'clock in the morning, but it

doesn't seem to bother the players these days. What was you're regime,

Terry? I was a former postman and bus conductor, so I always used to

getting up early anyway, so it Another excellent safety shot. I

think the thing that can tell on these matches that starred in the

morning and finish in the evening, if it is a close match you get a

bit tired by the end of the day, don't you? You feel as if you have

played the match all day, even if you have the afternoon off. It is

difficult to get some sleep during the session intervals. More

difficult if you are behind, of course, and you have missed your

chances. He is in a little bit of trouble there, Mark Allen, and we

can't forgive him for not playing a better safety shot. This is the

first chance really for Mark King, aim read to the corner. -- Al Read

to the corner. -- Al red to the He was unsure. As Ray Reardon used

to say, long potting is a big part That was careless. So much room

between the Prime and the yellow, to kiss the LOL half-ball, he will

not be happy with that. -- kiss the yellow. He had an awkward bridge.

He didn't hit it hard enough anyway. It is awkward to play a good safety

Pretty good length. This clock is fast. I thought that was going to

One of the problems after a good boy it could safeties is that the

ball to roll over the place and the pack -- the path back to the baulk

That was a terrific pot! To finish plumb on the black is a result!

could say he deserved a little bit He was a bit unlucky there. He was

trying to clear the black spot, but Just the blue and the baulk area

covers -- colours to play for at the moment. Not the best

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He played that well. He will have to move the cue ball around the

table a few times, gay used to the speed of it. These tables are never

quite the same as the practice tables they play on before they go

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Not perfect on the blue this time, Once again, not good on the blue. A

little bit of a hop, but you see that quite a bit when people are

playing with a lot of bottom. It causes the object ball to bounce.

These cloths are super fine. There was hardly anything to hold the

ball on the slate. This needs to The 26 Deloitte lead will be useful,

but just to read balls out in the He desperately wanted to reach it

without having to use the rest, but this will make the shot more

Quite right, John. It would have made a big difference if he could

have put his hand on the table. That was maybe on his mind when he

Mark Allen is faced with the similar problem, the way the pink

and black are tied up. There are He might be able to play into the

pink slowly. That could bring it This red is still on to the left

middle. It is imperative you get a good angle on the blue, though,

because this is the last of the open reds. That is a surprise. They

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There was good length and that safety from Mark King, but he has

left on one possible pot. With the pink in clay, it will make it

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He is a bit unfortunate not to be on either the pink or the black.

The yellow is on the pocket, but that is more or less straight so we

can pop that can get back down to the reds. He is looking to see if

there is a plant on. There is I think that was very optimistic.

suppose he's giving himself had the chance of a pot. He did pretty well

from where the yellow walls to So far, even though he has not made

the most other couple of opportunities, his safety play has

It is forcing mistakes, no doubt about it. Would you believe that!

It never ceases to amaze you, does it? Not a good safety shot from

Mark Allen. The brown came into He played the right shot but

Good pot. Now he has position on the baulk colours. You would favour

the brown, giving you a better angle to come down. You really want

to be on the left hand side of the table, if she cooed. This looks

absolutely inch-perfect! Well played. Just a little bounce off

the cushion would have been better. Then we could have had more control

over the cue ball. When you're tight against the cushion, you

can't do much else but just go for I can't see what the next red comes

There is no pot there. 29 points in the league, but will 59 points

remaining, so plenty of snooker left in this frame. He has

dominated the frame, really. Mark Allen has had a few chances, but

made a mess of them. When the ball to please stop Woodley, you don't

get the chance to churn things into I think the black may be in the way.

He didn't have the angle to play that shot. I agree with you, Terry.

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He has got to think again. That is Another good safety is needed from

Mark King. We have had plenty of There is a chance here for Mark

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Allen to bring the three reds into He didn't want to take on the

difficult read by the pink. Once again, another excellent safety

Mark Allen did not hit that very well, that the blue has come to his

rescue. It has covered the potting angle in

the middle of the table. Look at the safety, 100%. If it stays like

that, there will only be one has misjudged a few. If he can just

get past the green to the edge of the red, is having a look at this

Championship, but if you were looking for an ideal frame to get

used to the place of the table and settle your nerves, if you like,

this would be the perfect one for both players. Mark Allen started off

his safety play was a little bit loose, but it's been tightening up.

He is getting the feel of the place. Getting that cue going through a lot

have two choices here, play the pot into the right corner for you play

behind the brown. Quite straightforward escape here and much

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here. You have to play a defensive shot. Not to put his opponent in

trouble, just to make sure he does of the red above the pink and go

down covering that red with the green. Green and brown, but he is

there, but you can't blame him because he can't take the chance. He

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red, Mark Allen, and played off the catch it, but perhaps a half or

three quarters ball and take it back into the baulk area. It looks like

you can pot this red and get back around the other two and the pink

that takes part of the risk out of looking for. He didn't quite get it.

That is what he was worried about, kissing another red, but it doesn't

matter because he got the part. That is why he was concerned, but it was

hardest shots. You are bound to get the cue ball bouncing. When you

strike down like that. I was surprised. I thought the way he

played the frame, he was in no mood to take any risks. Can he get on the

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the baulk colours? He did not even With being behind so much, I thought

he would flick off the red that is next to the pink and bring that into

play. It does surprise me. But he not snooker to mark in on either of

the Reds. It looked as if the black and yellow were going to cover the

Reds but you can see both. It is one of these frames that can worry you.

Marketing has been in command throughout this frame. Safety has

been excellent. -- Mark King. If he does not win this frame, it will be

run in. As you do in 19 frames. You can get a bit of good and a bit of

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controlled and swerved around the black pushing the red on the

caution. It could have overdone that on the red, he has been very

fortunate. I have not seen him apologise to Mark King may be

marking can get past the black to pot this red. If you can, this is an

required. If this red goes in, there will be no return to the table for

Mark Allen. Mark King has dictated everything. As you say, Terry, he

has had plenty of opportunities prior to this to clinch the frame,

but he will put those misses behind him. You can do when you win the

frame. Mark Allen has not settled. He knows he has a long way to go,

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Mark Allen was always playing catch-up because Mark King dictated

the safety. List a few chances, but comfortably won it. Mark King in

front. You mentioned, Terry, it might be a

catalyst for winning this. This was the swerved striking down. Just the

way it was when the cue ball pushes out and then to the side and brings

it back. He did it really well. This is how you do it, you see. Do you

see how the ball bounces? That is what is bound to happen and that is

why sometimes you get the kicks. As soon as he struck down on that ball,

he will recognise that. As soon as he struck down, you can see the ball

bounce. That is why I think, sometimes, you get these heavy

actually strike down on the ball, watch the ball leave the bed of the

table. It's still bounces as it reached the blue. Imagine if you

were striking down and you did not cue its move. That is sometimes why

they get heavy contact. We call them kicks, but sometimes it can be

normal time. You need the slow motion on that one. So then Mark

Allen breaks off in the second frame hoping for better things. He played

a poor first frame. All of the pressure is on him. He is fancied as

one of the runners for the opponents. He always has been

underrated. He has been in the top 16 for many years. He slipped out

now, but is still in the top 32. A So, the blue to the right middle or

the far right corner? I don't think he will think about going into the

Reds of this shot. There is that one red just opened to the left of the

black that he can play for. What a Sometimes you think he plays a

little bit too negative and then out of the blue he will play a very

positive shot like that. This red pocket. He will be disappointed with

that after such a good shot of the blue. That has been how this match

has gone so far. Only one frame past, but that was 36 minutes. You

would fancy these players to lay Never going to cue a ball better

the left of the pack. He could play that down into the yellow pocket and

get onto the blue and not leave much help Mark King. Mark Allen likes the

this morning meditating there in his chair and he would have planned to

keep things very tight but keep it balance. When to take a risk and

when not to take a risk. Whatever shot you decide on, don't regret it.

What a pot! If anything typifies snooker, it is that. He did not have

a safety and has more or less been forced into playing a risky part.

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think they are trapped and, bang, which might settle him down because

he did not have a great first frame. way to the left. Not quite sure if

he will be able to do it this time. We will have to wait for another

would love to pot the black and get position on that red just above the

black and that would clear the black opening red and he deserves

earlier on. There is a red that Mark Allen was forced to take on and Mark

King may think that he has taken the red on that was available into the

top corner, but you have to make a decision, as you said, and stand by

them. You will not always play the shot correctly. I think he made the

out there is what happens with your opponent can dominate your choice of

shots sometimes. In another frame, Mark King might think you better

take this on because the last time he played a safety he potted on the

with that positional shot, will Mark on it straighter. Playing into the

blind pocket where you can see the cue ball, but the pocket is not in

your line. It always makes them he? What happened then? Seemed to

come off that caution very quick. He still has a thin cut on the black if

he wants to take it on. Watch this blue is a possibility, but if he can

play the black slow enough, he will cut it in. It is just how he feels

on the pink here to pot the pink. It depends on the angle, it is hard to

tell, he could play of the side cushion and run into them just play

for the red on the right-hand side. Play with power, run into them. I

think he may just have one to the left middle. If he hasn't, that is

very unfortunate because he could not have played that shot much

It does. There you see it. It begs the question, where does the colour

play a much better shot than that. Is he on the black? It must be

first frame, apart from the safety play, but he certainly looks sharp

equates to them remaining three reds with colours would be enough to

clinch the frame. It is a decent got something in the middle.

has been aggressive so far with his refocus. The most obvious looks to

be the right-hand one for the two and screw back. You could see he got

will give him the benefit of the far in this match. Some of them have

not stopped the object ball going into the pocket, but it has

certainly taken the white into some about kicks, but I have done a few

matches played on this table and there have been some outrageous

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kicks, I don't know why. That was a Just a little bit careless. OK, you

expect him to pot the yellow, but there was a bit more work to do. He

played it nicely, though. I love it when the ball hits the back of the

top -- back of the pocket, it is a He missed it! Would you believe it!

That definitely squared up. We will watch it again. Bit of a bounce,

you can tell by the sound of it sometimes. Mark King gets another

chance. He needs all the remaining colours. I know it is early on in

the match, but this will not boost Mark Allen's confident so well

being. Mark King has not played the best shot there. He has just come a

She fully committed, played it gently. He has let himself with the

good chance night, the blue into the corner and scree back with a

pink. He needs blue, pink and black. Well, well, well. Hold on. Where is

the blue Ball going? Surely not! Can you believe this scheme? Cruel

or what? What airframe! -- what a At the end of it all it is 2-0 to

Mark King. Sometimes you think you have seen it all, don't you? What a

fluke that was. It looked like a great opportunity. He was fully

committed to the brown, left himself is straight blue. I didn't

expect him to miss. Liquid the blue finishes! A course, he has played

perfect position on the pink. That was an amazing turnaround. Maybe

did too bad contacts, well, nothing ever event itself out! This was

Mark King. You can see the jump. It was only a fraction out. Maybe that

heavy contact did cost him the pot. This one definitely did. It jumped

up, went straight on, and that caused him to miss. To float the

blue at the end, it is not fair sometimes! When as this game ever

success. The pop success is lower than it should be. Look at Mark

Allen's long pop success, -- pot success. You would think that would

be one of his strengths. Both players can certainly improve on

what they have done so far, but the important thing as far as Mark King

is concerned is that he has won the first two frames. Just the start he

It is OK thinking that these are long matches, best of 19, but you

can't beat a good start. The buzz of the Crucible Theatre. There is

there to table situation. If you have never been, please try to come.

You won't witness an atmosphere Mark King gets frame three under

way. He will be disappointed that he had to win the frame with the

float on the blue, but he is that type of player that he can put that

behind him. Sometimes it can affect you. He will be disappointed he

didn't pot that blew directly. You could have a question about his cue

action, but he is not the type of guy who will think on that. If he

plays a bad shot, he will put it to the back of his mind, concentrate

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He has plenty to think about. Is this touching ball? It is not

Not for the first time, I think they had decided to rack up the

bolts again. You don't get this often, do you? They have played two

frames and started for! They never did that in our day, did they?

Although no pin and tuck in. were smashing them all over the

place! We wouldn't have had all There is a read macro one for Mark

Allen into the corner. -- read Sometimes you play shots against

the tide. They don't normally come off. Yes, and it is a bit early to

panic and start pushing the boat out. At the moment, to excuse the

pun, it is Mark King who appears to That is one of the first week see

if the shot he has played. He should have found the baulk cushion.

He will be a bit disappointed that It could be costly. At this level,

you have got to find the baulk cushion whenever possible. Good

Once again, didn't quite hit that properly. He has left himself a bad

Both these players Sir left-handers and their excellent potters. -- are

Looking back at the first two frames, there wasn't really an

clear cut opportunity for anybody. You get frames like that sometimes.

It won't continue. Sometimes the way the Balts run dictate how you

do frame can be played out. He looks to have come perfectly on

this black. He will be playing to the red macro just to the left of

Nicely played. He has a nice touch in and around the balls. He may

Elek this time to go into the cluster. Where is the cue ball

going? That is amazing. You wouldn't think there was a gap

there. The cue ball only started to react after a man passed the reds.

He is having a good look from this end of the table. That is always a

good thing to do. It gives you a That has gone wrong. Yes, well

wrong. That wasn't one of your best. So, Mark Allen comes to the table

with a 40 point lead. Another 40 points and the frame will be in the

Mark Allen asked the referee to clean the reds after he had

Mark Allen is a lucky player to watch. Very fluent. He hits the

ball very crisply. I love it when he smacked the ball into the back

of the pocket. He has an unusual cue action. A short backswing and

he delivers did you very quickly. It is very effective. Quite a light

quip at the back. -- grip. He is now in the snookers required stage.

I was going to say that Mark King won't come back to the table, but I

have seen and come back to the table when he has needed six

snookers, he is just one of those players. He doesn't want to give up

any frame without a fight. I don't think you'll be coming back to the

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It looks so easy, doesn't it? This has got him in my stride. -- in a

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All four cushions, is it close? Not quite. That was more like it from

the world No. 6. He gets his first frame on the scoreboard. He still

trails 2-1, but he will be feeling better now. Here is the shot that

Mark King played. He was snookered on all the raids. He was trying to

get the left on the left -- trying to get the red on the left-hand

side of the pack. He caught it full on. He left a few reds available.

From there, 83 for Mark Allen clinched the frame. He needed its,

because he looked a bit shaky in the first few frames. His safety

play was a very good. When he got in, he wasn't at his best. He

started to time the ball a lot better. You are not settled here

until you have won a frame. You do need the first frame on the floor -

I thought he could go into the reds behind the pink and he wouldn't

have left anything on. There were more options than the one he played.

Normally you would see players missed that one first time because

there would have played it so thin. Maybe he just played that a bit

hurriedly. Anyway, it is in the Good safety shot. That was a very

thin cats with just a touch of side. -- Thin Cut. That was quite

aggressive. Typical Mark Allen safety. There is a red on for Mark

King, but it is very difficult. There is no guarantee of getting

position and as he plays it dead weight to play for the black into

the opposite corner. That is a tough shot. EC forced into playing

Wonderful shot! And little bit harder and he would have been on

the black. He is never short of a quip or two. If he had just played

but with an ounce more weight it would have been perfect. He would

have nudged the red and there would have been a gap and he would have

been on the black. He was very concerned about the difficulty of

the plot. If you can play a safety shot lead in the white ball near

the baulk cushion it is so much better. What is denominated? Is it

the green? Green.This is not guaranteed. He has to swerve it and

What do you think, Terry, have them replaced or play the cuts? It is

difficult. If he has it replaced and he hits the green and gets the

white in a worse position for Mark Allen he will regret it. On the

other hand, there are no easy pots. Not with guaranteed position,

anyway. This is where I don't like this rule, to be honest with you,

but I won't go into that. I think it is a harsh rule. If he could

easily come off the top cushion and hit the black, I would say fair

enough. But that isn't an option. agree with you, it is the

circumstance, isn't it? I think he had a kick on that red. Anyway, he

has been unfortunate. There was no huge advantage to him. He may have

potted it! He didn't want that to go wind. Will he be snookered? And

he said there is no justice in the world? He is not snookered. This

match as an been going on, but there has been a lot happening so

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That is a good line, but it just He didn't quite get the movement on

the cue ball. Bad contact stop that. It is only an inch short, but it

has made this pot on the black much more difficult. I think he was

concerned a bird running through Will the black be available in to

the corner, not that he can play A given scene that -- I didn't see

the necessity to play at hard. Strange choice. So, the blue of the

sport. It is imperative that the black in going to do corner if he

is going to make a sizable break. He is having a look night to see if

it goes. It is tight, but I think if you are right behind it you

could pot it. But before he even thinks about that, of course, he

has got to get one of these pulp colours. -- baulk colours. It is

It looks like you slap bang in the middle of nowhere here. They all

seem to be covering one another. Surely there must be one he can get

good safety because he knocked to read over the corner so that is a

double whammy. Not being on a red and leaving his opponent and easy

first here. See if he can can then off the caution and dislodge the

red. That is what he is pointing balls can dominate sometimes and

Mark King played a tremendous part on the yellow and swung it around to

cushions. There were four to five reds he could of got on, he got on

they are the wrong way round. You can see they are pointing to the

left of the pocket. If they are pointing the other way, he may have

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have left a pot on for Mark Allen, but he certainly made it a lot

easier safety shot. Hand on the table. Close to the reds. One good

safety shot here could reap is lucky if he snooker Mark King on

all the reds, which it looks as if he has. Can he get past that yellow

to the one on the left? No, I don't think he can. Well, there is your

problem, you wouldn't have thought. Just trying to come off the side

looking for. You don't want to be too pacey. He has possibly left the

red to the right centre now. It is at an acute angle, but he does not

have to do much with the cue ball of the pace he had to put into that

shot to get onto the black, it made into play. Mark Allen did not play

the snooker behind the green. He has played for which is the one on the

left of those for behind the pink. It is a little bit thin. He wanted

to be fuller on it. Can't get on the don't think he meant it, do you?

That was average to say the least. these big breaks, when you slip out

of position fraction, it can be enough which is what happened there

with Mark Allen who was two or three inches too high up on the red or he

could not play for the black. It caused him to break down on this

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position. He may get another chance to this red, it is the red smear

their middle pocket he is worried about on his return down to the

baulk. You don't want to hit this red too thick as it may bring it

back up the table. May have to go very thin. He has played it thicker.

errors so far, but not many in the Mark King and opportunity if he

wants to go some -- go for something. He is looking at the Reg

to the right. If he plays that and stunts the white on and off the

run through. If he had missed it, it may have been pretty safe, but with

the run through you can see where he left the red to the right of the

black spot. Fully committed to that. Maybe he could have done with a

little bit more pace on the cue ball. It was a thin cut, this. Not

it came off the caution quickly. He may have the wrong angle on the

green now. That came off very quick. Do you think there is something in

the fact that if you play a little bit of bottom on the cue ball it

reverses into a bit of top spin in those types of shots? I don't think

there is any evidence to prove that, but it could be because we are

having a lot of them this year. A lot of big bounces off the caution

which is disrupting the position of play. It is just my own big bounce

the red, of course, below the pink. A black only goes into one corner.

So he is going to have to take this down with the rest now. There is one

to the left of the pink that goes. Then again, he will have to go down

towards the baulk colours. The blue Allen played earlier on. Call the

red on the way back down and plenty in the face. There is plenty of room

to go around it. I don't think he will risk a pot, will he? Just

pushing the blue on the side cushion, I think. Or trying to get

the cue ball in behind the yellow. stopped, you can see they are All-In

the open now. The black only goes into one corner and the pink looks a

little restricted. Not easy to escape from this and leave it safe.

Should he leave one on, it is a good chance for Mark Allen to get back

pacey. He nearly got the line, but it was very hard to judge. So much

distance between the cue ball and dead straight so he could not get on

the easy side of the black just to stand out for it. He had to screw

across the table and leave a bit of distance between the two balls. If

you can then pot the pink sari, the he will not need the difficult

Brown. Yellow or green would be sufficient to leave his opponent

needing a couple of snooker 's. So it is a great chance, this. All

shot on the pink, another one of the problems we get with the kicks, I'm

afraid, that Mark Allen looked at it and thought, should I drop this in?

And that is what happens. He committed to it and did not get a

kick. If he had, he would have been is what will be required. It has

been keenly fought. It has been an interesting first four frames. The

first was a bit drawn out with 37 minutes, but there have been some

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good part. Some mistakes, but that important for someone like Mark

King, I have seen him on a few occasions, play on when he needs

four or five snookers. Test take your opportunity to pot the ball

where you can. He will not be coming back to the table now. Just get the

feeling now that Mark Allen is beginning to settle into this match.

Making a bit of an exhibition shot frames. To a piece is a fair result,

although one player will be unhappy match, this. Mark Allen gives the

finishing touches to it by potting the black and making up break of 66

is one all. You have to go back seven years for Mark King's last win

against Mark Allen. He was a little unlucky in the first few frames, but

unlucky in the first few frames, but has found his rhythm. Back to that

later. On table one, two former champions are going head-to-head.

Graeme Dott against Peter Ebdon. We are going to pick up the action in

the night frame. Graeme Dott is at the table trailing by 37 points to

mean that Peter Ebdon is in a much stronger position. 23. The Greenwood

there is the result because he did not pot the yellow cleanly. He is

not snooker it, he might be able to snip the green. If he can just about

see the green, he might be able to cut it in, but the white could go in

one of the middle pockets. Still not comfortable, but if he wins this

frame he might settle down. other side of the coin is, if he

wins this frame, Graeme Dott will not be happy about it. When you see

a point of missing so many balls, would have just tried to pot it and

hope you did not one of the middle. When you play with so much side, it

is difficult to get the pot. I don't know if he had to play with side to

get through to the green or not. It seems a strange place to play at. If

he had missed the green, he was always leaving it on. That is a

shocker from Graeme Dott there. He is shaking his head. That position.

It was way off. Have a look at this. He did not hit the ball, didn't get

the side on it. Now he has a difficult Brown in the middle. If

you pot this and gets around the blue, it will be a cracking shot. I

table. Will he take this double on? He did, but he got the double case.

early-morning re-spot at Black here at the Crucible. This was a good

part. Still on the blue, did not want the cannon on the pink, but

would prefer to move the black, but if not he will have to drop in

behind it. Where ever he leaves it, get close to the black and he has

but he will be disgusted with himself. Peter says, there is a

danger of me potting this. These used to be my favourite shots,

these. No re-spot at Black. Peter Ebdon needed at least for chance is

there, but he got them. Graeme Dott opened the door and Peter Ebdon

walked right through it. He pulled the frame back. It is still 6-3 to

Graeme Dott. Great drama on the black. Peter

Ebdon one frame ten and 11. Graeme Graeme Dott. Normally the player

that is playing badly doesn't get the run of the ball. It is the

opposite. Peter is getting away with screws to try and get it back of the

other side cushion and over towards the reds. Where is that cueball?

Nowhere near the middle pocket so he is OK, but he needs the rest. A key

shot coming up if he gets the red and it is nicely on the black it

more angle on the black then he would like. A little holding shot

slips away. That opening frame, as you said, was going to be so

important. It is proving to be now. Graeme Dott should have taken that,

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

black at all. It looks so good at the start of the session for Graeme

Dott, it does not look that good now. Peter Ebdon has taken another

frame and he closes the gap. He is frame and he closes the gap. He is

now just one ahead. Let's bring due right up-to-date and

Let's bring due right up-to-date and dropping to table number one to

bring you these live pictures. It is Graeme Dott who leads by 34 points -

one. Peter Ebdon is at the table. A long way to go in this frame and we

will bring due right up-to-date in our programme at 1pm. To join Hazel