:00:34. > :00:38.Hello, good morning, welcome to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield way
:00:38. > :00:42.yesterday, the world number one Mark Selby was dumped out of the
:00:42. > :00:47.2013 Betfair World Snooker Championship by Barry Hawkins, and
:00:47. > :00:57.this morning, we will see two more Englishmen go head to head as Mark
:00:57. > :01:02.
:01:02. > :01:07.When I was younger, I liked any sport. I remember watching the 1985
:01:07. > :01:12.final. One of one that got me a table when I was seven or eight, I
:01:12. > :01:19.love it, because she didn't have to run around like squash or football
:01:19. > :01:22.-- you didn't have to. And I went from there. Something in an
:01:22. > :01:26.individual support, it is just you and the balls, you are not playing
:01:26. > :01:33.the player at the end of the day. I just love it, I love every aspect
:01:33. > :01:38.of it. When you get to a certain level and you have to play
:01:38. > :01:43.seriously, I don't play my friends that snooker, I very rarely do,
:01:43. > :01:52.because it isn't fun for me, it is a job. Not in that way, but I can't
:01:52. > :01:56.just get their and hit and hope, I have their play, my mind the Exxon
:01:56. > :02:01.and I have to do it. They want to play the at Paul and I can't help
:02:01. > :02:07.it -- my mind flicks on. It is your job. Having a young son now, I find
:02:07. > :02:14.it hard to get out of the house. What prefer to play with him a bit
:02:14. > :02:21.more, but I still look forward to practice. It just means so much
:02:21. > :02:28.more on there, what a great job I have got. I did lose a few of the
:02:28. > :02:34.dreams over the years, because it wasn't happening, but of late, it
:02:34. > :02:37.has made for a bit more off reality, I have got to a few finals and it
:02:37. > :02:47.can happen -- made for a bit of reality. And chasing the dream and
:02:47. > :03:04.
:03:04. > :03:13.No, ""Smiler"", which I don't understand. I have a few nicknames
:03:14. > :03:18.are but it is that one. It is a real job. And you treated
:03:18. > :03:20.like that and you treated with respect, otherwise you won't get
:03:21. > :03:27.anywhere. anywhere.
:03:27. > :03:36.-- treat it with respect. Inside, I wouldn't believe in it so
:03:36. > :03:41.much, so it is a lot better now. I am not mad about travelling. It
:03:41. > :03:50.is part of the job, so you get on with it, but I still moan. But I
:03:50. > :03:55.moan about everything. Well, I had spells where I was a
:03:55. > :04:03.couple of years ago. I was in shape. It is probably right at the moment
:04:03. > :04:07.but I am working on it. I don't think that is true. It
:04:07. > :04:14.probably used to be true early on, a few years ago, but not now. I
:04:14. > :04:20.enjoy them but at the same time, I am there to win.
:04:20. > :04:24.Probably, I wish I had had the mind set I have had the last couple of
:04:24. > :04:32.years 15 years ago. I still have a lot in me to produce and I think I
:04:32. > :04:39.can do some damage. That is probably right. Listen, I
:04:39. > :04:41.am a realist. I can't argue with am a realist. I can't argue with
:04:41. > :04:46.that at the moment, can I? That was Mark Davis, the one thing
:04:46. > :04:49.he didn't say they, he likes his food ball. Apparently, he is a big
:04:49. > :04:55.Arsenal fan, so he will be interested in their big match with
:04:55. > :05:02.Manchester United today, but it is all about the match at the Crucible.
:05:02. > :05:07.Mark Cox s John Higgins. But his last victory over Stuart Bingham
:05:07. > :05:13.was in the China Open qualifiers three years ago. Stuart Bingham
:05:13. > :05:17.against Mark Davis on BBC Two. The other match taking place, Ricky
:05:17. > :05:22.Walden against Robert Milkins. The players are raring to go, let's
:05:23. > :05:27.join Rob Walker. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, a week today,
:05:27. > :05:33.the final begins in earnest here at the Crucible. But there is so much
:05:33. > :05:36.world class snooker to come here at the Beth fair World Championship.
:05:36. > :05:44.For great players and two brilliant stories emerging here some -- this
:05:44. > :05:54.morning. Please welcome first of all a player who produced the
:05:54. > :05:58.
:05:58. > :06:04.biggest win of his career so far. He has to end his life round and
:06:04. > :06:09.his game is flourishing. Making his first appearance in the last 16 for
:06:09. > :06:15.years, he likes a cider, but we call them "the milkman, Robert
:06:16. > :06:25.Milkins. Robert Milikins - MUSIC: "I Am A Cider Drinker" by
:06:26. > :06:30.
:06:30. > :06:34.And his opponent, a player who secured his second ranking event
:06:35. > :06:37.title at the start of the season and also won the Shanghai Masters
:06:37. > :06:42.in 2008. Making his first appearance in the second round,
:06:42. > :06:52.what an opportunity this could be for the player from Chester, ladies
:06:52. > :06:52.
:06:52. > :07:02.and gentlemen, Ricky Walden. MUSIC: "Shuffle" by Bombay Bicycle
:07:02. > :07:06.
:07:06. > :07:10.And on table number one, please welcome a player absolutely
:07:10. > :07:14.flourishing into his 40s. He secured one of the biggest wins of
:07:14. > :07:19.his career, beating four-times world champion John Higgins in the
:07:19. > :07:22.first round, we have seen him in three ranking event semi-final this
:07:22. > :07:26.season including the UK Championship. Making his third
:07:26. > :07:36.appearance at the last 16, from Hastings, Mark Davis.
:07:36. > :07:46.
:07:46. > :07:51.MUSIC: "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson And
:07:51. > :07:55.finally, a plough at the top of his game after 18 years as a pro -- a
:07:55. > :08:00.player. Conceding only two frames in his
:08:00. > :08:10.first round win, bidding for his first appearance in the Crucible
:08:10. > :08:17.
:08:17. > :08:27.quarter-final, from Basildon, he is Stuart Bingham.
:08:27. > :08:33.
:08:33. > :08:38.So here we go, another great day's snooker ahead. On table two, it is
:08:39. > :08:41.available on your red button and online, but on BBC Two, it is
:08:41. > :08:48.Stuart Bingham against Mark Davis. Good morning to John Virgo and
:08:48. > :08:51.Willie Thorne. WILLIE THORNE: Good morning
:08:51. > :08:57.everybody. This is a match that a lot of people wouldn't have
:08:57. > :09:00.expected. These players are getting a little bit older than most, 37
:09:00. > :09:05.and 41 respectively, and they are playing some of the best snooker of
:09:05. > :09:09.their careers, especially this man at the table, Mark Davis. A
:09:09. > :09:13.fabulous win over John Higgins in the opening round. And up against
:09:13. > :09:17.Stuart Bingham, who has played very consistently in the last two or
:09:17. > :09:23.three years and quite rightly deserves a place in the top paid
:09:23. > :09:30.for a first-time. John, a tough one to call. -- top eight.
:09:30. > :09:35.The there yes, I must admit I was very impressed with Stuart Bingham
:09:35. > :09:39.in the first round. He is potting and break building was fantastic.
:09:39. > :09:49.But his opponent beat John Higgins and anybody who can beat John
:09:49. > :09:56.
:09:56. > :10:02.The obligatory red that is usually left on has been missed, so the
:10:02. > :10:12.first easy chance falls to Mark Davis. It wasn't that far away.
:10:12. > :10:20.
:10:20. > :10:27.That is the shot he will have been There you go, first frame, it is
:10:28. > :10:31.always going to be a little bit nervy. But a nice easy starter now
:10:31. > :10:35.for Stuart Bingham. It is amazing how many times we see that, someone
:10:35. > :10:43.misses a shot at you think it is going to cost them and it has cost
:10:43. > :10:48.But he has hit that a bit hard, a bit of tension in the arm from both
:10:48. > :10:58.players. Understandable. Yes, he will have to play the cannon on the
:10:58. > :11:06.
:11:06. > :11:16.He has just screwed a little bit to the right and that has made this
:11:16. > :11:17.
:11:17. > :11:27.Yes, that is what you will find with Stuart Bingham, a very good
:11:27. > :11:41.
:11:41. > :11:44.break builder. He played that The game has changed and the way it
:11:44. > :11:50.is played, it is all about making the most of your opportunities and
:11:50. > :11:57.scoring heavily when you get the chance. He would love to finished
:11:57. > :12:07.low on the black, because there is a massive gap between the black and
:12:07. > :12:12.
:12:12. > :12:22.He has to finish high. So if he goes into that gap at pace, he is
:12:22. > :12:28.
:12:28. > :12:38.He just caught the first red. If he hadn't, it would have been perfect.
:12:38. > :12:38.
:12:38. > :13:20.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds
:13:21. > :13:30.If he had missed the red, it would Well, I don't see an escape back to
:13:31. > :13:31.
:13:31. > :13:41.baulk macro end. In this kind of situation, players don't want to
:13:41. > :13:49.
:13:49. > :13:59.Touching ball has been called, but what advantage that is to anyone, I
:13:59. > :14:09.
:14:09. > :14:19.Even though it is only 24, Stuart Bingham will be reluctant to take
:14:19. > :14:20.
:14:20. > :14:30.the rain back in a couple of shots time if this is going on. -- the
:14:30. > :14:32.
:14:32. > :14:42.re-rack. It is touching both balls This is why billiards never caught
:14:42. > :15:01.
:15:01. > :15:08.Just a bit more about Stuart Bingham, of the two players, Stuart
:15:08. > :15:12.Bingham has always been a very worrying opponent to play. He has
:15:12. > :15:15.been known among the players in the game as a great break builder but
:15:15. > :15:20.always one of those players, until just recently what he has been
:15:20. > :15:28.working with their new coach, where he played every single shot with
:15:28. > :15:31.side and on the superfine cloth, it finds you out. And now he has shot
:15:31. > :15:41.up the rankings, won his first tournament and is a very dangerous
:15:41. > :15:42.
:15:42. > :15:47.I also feel with both of them, it is belief. You have to believe that
:15:48. > :15:57.she belonged at the top. Just have a look at Hawk-Eye. He can just get
:15:58. > :16:02.
:16:02. > :16:05.past this blue, he may take this Just going back to what we were
:16:05. > :16:12.saying, they have belief in their ability now. They believe they
:16:12. > :16:22.belong in the top echelons of the game. And it certainly makes a
:16:22. > :16:23.
:16:23. > :16:33.difference, because as we always He is eyeing up this pot to the
:16:33. > :16:36.
:16:36. > :16:39.left middle, it is a very acute They are not easy, bows. And if
:16:39. > :16:49.you're going to miss them, miss them on the top jaw and the red
:16:49. > :16:54.
:16:54. > :17:01.will come back. And the cue ball He has played the double. He didn't
:17:01. > :17:11.play it with a lot of confidence. The cue ball has finished up near
:17:11. > :17:11.
:17:11. > :18:11.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds
:18:11. > :18:17.There is the tournament pot success for both players, and both of them
:18:17. > :18:22.are good. Anything above 90% is what is required. And the safety
:18:22. > :18:27.success, look at Mark Davis, he is ahead in that. He will be hoping he
:18:27. > :18:37.can continue that percentage in this match. It is probably one of
:18:37. > :18:47.
:18:47. > :18:52.the reasons he competed in John Like most matches, and most first
:18:52. > :19:02.frames in matches, a bit tentative, but players trying to settle in and
:19:02. > :19:10.
:19:10. > :19:20.That is a good pot from Mark, and he will be on the brown. He is a
:19:20. > :19:22.
:19:22. > :19:27.tremendous potter, Mark Davis, It is these kind of half chances
:19:27. > :19:34.that make all the difference, don't they? He was a little lucky that
:19:34. > :19:44.the green was on his part, it makes it to cushion up into the pack not
:19:44. > :19:49.
:19:49. > :19:55.But as you rightly say, as far as a shot to nothing is concerned, he is
:19:55. > :20:02.one of the best in the game. They have both worked with the same
:20:02. > :20:11.He has decided to play for the blue, which is a strange choice, he has
:20:11. > :20:14.to go in and our top baulk. -- in and out of baulk. It certainly
:20:14. > :20:24.looked from this position that he could have stunned the cross and
:20:24. > :20:49.
:20:49. > :20:59.He may just be on a red, a thin cut to the right corner. I can only
:20:59. > :21:01.
:21:01. > :21:06.think that is the only red he could Any other ideas which red he could
:21:06. > :21:09.have played on? I think he was playing with a lot more side than
:21:09. > :21:18.that and trying to get on one in the left-hand corner but didn't hit
:21:18. > :21:28.it quite correctly. I think he can cut this, but it is a bit dangerous.
:21:28. > :21:55.
:21:55. > :22:00.I think if it wasn't the first Slightly heavier with the cue ball
:22:00. > :22:10.than he wanted but it could be a blessing in disguise. As you can
:22:10. > :22:11.
:22:11. > :22:21.see, it is behind the brown. And this is a tough one, really. There
:22:21. > :22:43.
:22:43. > :22:47.is no easy red too rest on to lead It is just a thought this, I
:22:47. > :22:53.thought he could nestle on that red and not leave anything. Going this
:22:53. > :22:56.way, he will be lucky to leave it safe. The reason this suggests that
:22:56. > :23:02.one, looking at there two reds just to the right of where that line
:23:02. > :23:05.finished, I don't think they are available into the right corner. So
:23:05. > :23:07.there is a possibility that he could nestle on the red Imperial
:23:07. > :23:17.College Healthcare NHS Trust to the right of the pink. He is deciding
:23:17. > :23:19.
:23:19. > :23:29.to play it now. -- just to the It was a hit and hope and whatever
:23:29. > :23:52.
:23:52. > :23:59.A little bit of hope springs This is Hawk-Eye playing my shot.
:23:59. > :24:06.As I say, I think that would have been reasonably safe. But he didn't
:24:06. > :24:16.want to trust the perfect escape. He has been a bit fortunate, tying
:24:16. > :24:39.
:24:39. > :24:43.Purposely playing for the difficult red, the one that is stopping
:24:43. > :24:48.things happening at this end of the table. Now he has got the blue in
:24:48. > :24:58.play. No need to play their cannon into the pink, because all four of
:24:58. > :25:12.
:25:12. > :25:16.I think if he tries to screw back for the blue, he is not certain to
:25:16. > :25:26.get the right side. He is just checking if the black is available.
:25:26. > :25:29.
:25:29. > :25:32.If it is, why not play for the Played with bottom, so he didn't
:25:32. > :25:41.think the black was the right all but he was always struggling to get
:25:41. > :25:45.the right side of the blue. Can he pot the pink? It looks tight to me.
:25:45. > :25:55.Unless he plays the slow run- through, I don't see how he can get
:25:55. > :25:57.
:25:57. > :26:05.This red must pot, that might be White Mark Davies didn't play into
:26:05. > :26:09.the edge of the pack a few shots ago -- why Mark Davis. I think a
:26:09. > :26:19.few balls have moved since then. The way he escaped from the snooker,
:26:19. > :26:27.
:26:27. > :26:37.He would have liked to have screwed back a couple of inches more, but
:26:37. > :26:41.
:26:41. > :26:45.he is on the outside one of the The lead goes to 30, he doesn't
:26:45. > :26:55.have to worry about the reds on the side or the back cushion to win
:26:55. > :27:19.
:27:19. > :27:28.Well, would you believe it? Would you believe that? How careless. How
:27:28. > :27:32.careless was that? This is an unexpected chance for Mark Davis.
:27:32. > :27:42.Stuart Bingham cannot believe he has missed that red Macro. Just
:27:42. > :28:06.
:28:06. > :28:14.This pink is a lot more difficult than it looks, as far as position
:28:14. > :28:24.is concerned. He can kiss the red to the right of the black but he
:28:24. > :28:36.
:28:36. > :28:46.He may be screwing off the side cushion and back across. That is
:28:46. > :28:55.what he has played, he didn't get Yes, so Stuart Bingham will be sat
:28:55. > :29:05.in his seat, thinking, "ABBA bit fortunate there" -- I am a bit. It
:29:05. > :29:07.
:29:08. > :29:17.could have cost him more than seven It has just about run far enough to
:29:18. > :29:29.
:29:29. > :29:37.cover the path to the red in the You can see Stewart was reluctant
:29:37. > :29:47.to move the red in the middle -- June Bingham. Coming back up to
:29:47. > :30:07.