Day 4, Part 1 Snooker: World Championship

Am Good morning from the Crucible Sheffield -- the Crucible Theatre in

Sheffield, no ordinary day here, this place still shell-shocked after

Ding Junhui was dropped out by the world number 73 Michael Wasley. Some

great snooker ahead today, the match we are focusing on this morning is

the old Scottish clash between Alan McManus and John Higgins.

I was born on the 18th of May, 1975. I turned professional in 1992. I won

my first ranking title in 1994. I won my first World Championship in

1988. I also won my first European Championship that year.

I won my fourth World Championship in 2011. I have won 25 ranking

titles. I am married to Denise and I have

two sons and one daughter, Pearce, Oliver and Claudia.

Alan McManus getting this first match under way, this is like a

rolling back the years. Where is the cue ball going?

Unlucky. John Higgins leads one - zero.

Alan McManus has been a great player, he has proven he still is

that and levels the score at 1-1. Angles McManus. They see he is the

best in the business at getting out of snookers.

It has been easy PC. He leads by 6-1.

With one to play in this session, Alan McManus leads by six frames to

two. 6-3, John Higgins will be very, very

pleased. It could have been a lot worse.

The players are ready, there is John Higgins, Alan McManus sporting those

tartan trousers once again. You have to go back to 2006 for Alan

McManus's last win over John Higgins.

That is our live match today. And Marco Fu takes on Martin Gould on

table one. We are ready, the Crucible is ready,

are you ready? Rob Walker, I am sure you are ready.

Thank you, good morning ladies and gentlemen, it is a pretty gloomy day

outside in Sheffield but it will be top class snooker of the date --

every step of the day right here at this year's Dafabet World Snooker

Championship that is warming up beautifully.

The drama last night when Michael Wasley is win over Ding set this

crowd alight. Please welcome a player who one time

had to juggle a job with being a pro, but his hard work has played --

paid off. He won snooker's smoke out last January, Martin Gould!

And his opponent, a player who has thrived under snooker's busy

calendar. He has rocketed back up the rankings, now once again in the

top eight. Semifinalist here in 2006, winner of

the snooker Grand Prix in 2011, last July he won his second world ranking

title down under. Full of eastern promise, there is

Marco Fu! And on table two, please welcome

back a player returning 23 years after his debut. A two-time ranking

world event winner who also swept to a famous Masters win at Wembley 20

years ago. He beat double world champion Mark Williams to qualify

and is continuing to roll back the clock in style at the Crucible. Here

he comes with his new tartan trews, it is Alan McManus!

And his opponent, a player who has graced the Crucible stage with 20

consecutive appearances. Four times he has gone all the way to the final

and lifted the big one. He showed his qualities yesterday taking the

last two of the session and he will be up for the challenge right from

the very start. Ladies and gentlemen, here comes the wizard of

Wishaw, here comes John Higgins! Here we go at the Crucible Theatre,

ready for this battle between two Scottish warriors, John Higgins and

Alan McManus, good morning to our commentary team, John -- Dennis

Taylor and Stephen Hendry. COMMENTATOR: Good morning and good

morning to everyone watching. The question is, can John Higgins

continue where he left off? He needs to keep that going, Stephen.

Yes, it was a strange John Higgins yesterday afternoon, he looked a

little bit under it. All credit to Alan, I was impressed with him, he

played very well. One of John's main assets is his

heavy scoring ability and he did not get that going at all. 100 and 80 in

the -- he made an 80 in the second last frame but he was not getting

going in the balls. His highest break, those two breaks, ET and 57,

coming just at the right time. -- 80.

He is a long way behind in total points department.

A little flick would help. Not enough.

Good opening red, but no position. Obviously for times, so he is

experienced, he will know the importance of this first frame. He

will be looking to win this session 3-1.

He can always push one over the corner, he has a good cue ball.

Though he can get over to the one on the right corner. He has a gap

around the back of the black. These are the sort of shots that give you

confidence, Stephen. Yes, you practice these come as well. There

is a bit of pressure on this, the reds have opened up now.

He managed to find a path. REFEREE: Could you please turn the

volume down on your earpieces? Thank you.

Is there a gap? I don't think so it is very, very

tight, he is having a good, long look at it.

There is not much of a gap there, is there?

If he could get past that Greene, that would be extraordinary. The gap

is almost there, but not quite. It is hard to pick between these two

in the tentacle department, they are both extremely good. -- in the

tactical department. Although Alan McManus currently ahead in the

safety department. In his heyday, there was not many

players who would like to come back from six behind to beat him. He will

have to try for every point against Alan McManus.

The red's has come up with the cue ball. But it might not be that bad.

It is a thin one into the middle pocket. He is looking at it. I think

he is looking to see if he can hold for the blue and maybe play it in

such a way that he would not leave a great deal. This is an early lead

shot. -- key shot. That was close. If he had knocked

that then... Just look at where the ball is well placed. -- if he had

knocked that in... Just look at where the balls were placed.

Not easy, this shot, to steer the cue ball back into position.

That was a bad one to miss there, especially with the table as it is,

all nicely in the open. What was that,? Total misjudgement

with the cue ball. He was trying to find a gap and head

back up towards the pink or blue fair. -- there.

We have seen a few matches where players have lost from leading 6-3.

There is something about an opening frame when you have a free frame

advantage. We will just show this can in straight into the reds. Let's

see what Hawk-eye thought he was trying to do. That is exactly what

he was trying to do. It makes it fascinating, Stephen,

you want to get four in front, because you know you are going to be

two in front. It all makes it very fascinating, and opening frame with

that scoreline. They have missed a couple of pots,

these two, but the quality of the safety has been excellent, as you

would expect. He is smiling about the bottle of

water, years keeping it out of reach of the referee. The referee bent

down to look at a shot yesterday and he remembers it, too. I thought his

bottle had gone yesterday! Not quite.

This adds to it at the Crucible Theatre, everything is very tight,

there is not a lot of room. The spectators are so close to the

table. I was on the other table yesterday,

but I managed to hear the nines. He bent down to see the shot and

knocked the bottle all over the place.

Yes, Stephen and I were discussing it in the studio and we thought it

was an error by Alan to leave the top of the bottle. Yes, schoolboy

error to leave the top of the bottle.

He has it on now! And all of a sudden it is turning

into an awkward frame. Just five minutes ago the balls were all

nicely in the open, now they are starting to get tied up.

Hello! He could be on the yellow if it kicked coming forward. As it come

forward enough? That is a little bonus. I think he

can cut the yellow in. In a few shots' time he can convert this and

be on the high-value colours. he is faced with a thin cut year,

but he should be on the black to the same pocket.

He did not play to kiss the black. That was a little bit careless.

What an error there. He made contact with the wrong red. He is playing

thing of the one on the right and he has caught the first red. You do not

see John Higgins making errors like that very often.

He could have left something easier than this, he has blocked the pink

up. The reason Allen is not playing this

red in the middle of the table is because it is difficult to steer the

cue ball round of the angles for a colour. -- Alan.

It is almost 39 minutes since his last pot.

He does not really want to take that pot on with the rest, because he

could cannon want to use red near the black there. -- he could cannon

onto the red. There may be a path through... No,

it is still blocked. Just a gap to be able to land on

that red near the pocket. Has he got away with this? He has

miss hit that. He hit that red on the wrong side. There is a red that

may go in the middle pocket, but there is no colour, I don't think,

and this one is too thin to cut in. He may have two heads down -- we may

have to head down towards the yellow, tight on the cushion behind

the yellow. I am not sure if he can make the

angle just to get over there. That is not bad.

Now the player would -- neither player would have wanted the frame

to finish like this. It was amazing, all was nicely in the

open, it looked like one mistake would cost the frame.

I'm just concerned he may leave the one next to the white available. He

was trying to get in behind a colour adjust to leave it far enough over

so that that red would not cut in. He can take that one to the left

corner as a shot to nothing. It is a three shot -- it is a free shot.

That was close. Now he has hit the ground. The blue

has come to his rescue. The baulk colours are perfect to get

snookeredbehind. You know if you get the white

anywhere in that area there is every chance you are going to snooker your

opponent on most of the reds. There is one near the pocket, I am

not sure whether he can get through to that. Maybe he can.

Yes, obviously the cue ball is going to be going into the reds, so there

is no guarantee where the cue ball will end up.

A bit of a hit and hope that. Well, just for a moment I thought he

was going to flick the black across the cushion. He has the yellow,

brown and blue to cover the red near the right corner when he plays the

green here. Just starting to open up the reds

again, so any error now would be more costly.

I don't think this is a frame that John Higgins was wanting this

morning. I think he wanted to get in and dominate this match, scored

heavily, get the frames won quickly. He is fantastic, one of the best

all-round games in the game. He prefers to be scoring.

He has had two or 3/2 chances, but he has only scored six points so

far. -- he has had two or three half chances.

Well, that is his second fluke. This time he has dropped nicely on the

brown. Have a look at this for a little

beauty. Not what Alan McManus wanted to see. But John will try and take

full advantage. He would have loved to have been on

one of the reds to the right on the black. It has gone awkward again.

That was quite well judged, about the best he could do. Tricky pink to

the left centre, though. Awkward bridging, we have seen these shots

missed. Well played. Couldn't do too much

with the cue ball. He may be able to drop this red in dead weight for the

black. Just the rhythm. With so much

tactical play, lost the rhythm of the cue action.

A little thin shot needed of the red that is just above the black to

avoid the four reds on the left side of the table. Should be OK.

He didn't hit it thin enough. That is a careless shot. If he has

covered this red with the pink, he is very fortunate. He hit it too

thick and he has covered the red. He has had a pretty decent run of the

balls. He has not played well and if you play badly, normally you get

punished. Two Flukes and a couple of safety shots all wrong.

Alan left with the problem that if he takes the red to the right of the

pink and plays into the baulk area, you can leave the one that is

covered by the pink. That is a terrific shot. I think he

was forced into having a go at that because there was no easy safety.

It is great to see Alan McManus back in the big arena. One of the top

eight players for many, many years and every credit to him for coming

back and beating Mark Williams in the final qualifying round. That was

a terrific victory. But he is looking for more. He needs the

spider and he needs the extension, probably on the spider as well. I'm

not sure if he can reach this. Maybe he can.

It is a shame that red is in the way because he had an opportunity to

part this red and stunned over to the cushion disturb those four reds.

-- pot this red and stone over. I am wondering if he has enough

angle to screw into those reds, if he can bring in of right-hand side

and bring at least two of them into play. -- enough right-hand side. If

he hasn't got enough angle, he can play the one to the right of the

black. It could have finished a lot better

than this. I think he was trying to hit the red

that he cannoned. Normally, you would coach players to

stay dead still on those shots but Alan has that little rise when he

hits the cue ball. He has always had that.

See the head just come up slightly as he is about to strike the cue

ball. One of Alan's main characteristics.

Another great Welsh player used to just move forward slightly when he

hits the cue ball, Doug Mountjoy. We were talking about it last night, he

beat you in the UK championship final when he was 50 years of age.

He was a terrific player, Doug Mountjoy. He still plays the game.

He was being coached by all of the top players' coach, Frank Cannon of

Blackpool. Frank was the Pathfinder for coaching in snooker. He was even

looking at the great Joe Davis and studying the game way back then and

a lot of the world champions, including yourself, Steve Davis,

Terry Griffiths, even myself, were seeing Frank for a while. And he is

still doing a bit of work. I hope you're keeping well, Frank. Great

character. I think the red to the right of

centre will pot. It is a tricky shot.

He could have done with getting a little bit closer to this. I think

at the angle he has, he can only just drop it in the pocket.

It just means the pink is a little bit more difficult. But he may have

an angle to run through and bring those reds into play. It looks

pretty good. He would liked to have brought the

cue ball right into the middle of those two reds, which would have

knocked one towards the left corner. It still pots.

Great shot. Maybe too straight on the black to get on this last red,

he may have to Cannon off the, deep screw. -- of the cushion.

He had the angle, but but didn't get enough. Needed right-hand side.

It is a good lead, though. He just needs the red. We have said before

that with Alan's safety prowess, he is not going to give you easy

chances. John needs everything to win this first frame.

This frame has been going not far off 34 minutes and with the yellow

over the pocket, it may go on for a while longer.

That has helped John Higgins' cause, bringing the blue into play. Because

at the moment, John would need the red and above the yellow, then the

remaining colours to win the frame, being 30 behind. If he was to get a

chance to pot the red and the yellow, he would only be able to

tie, but the fact that he has brought the blue into play makes it

very interesting indeed. It is quite easy for John to come

off the cushion first and hit the red, but he can't afford to hit it

with any pace, because he could leave it on.

He may have pushed the red on. It is going to dropping behind the pink --

drop in. What a result he has had there. Well, he is called Alan"

Angles" McManus. You may be able to swerve it. I don't think he can see

enough of the cushion to come off it and hit the red. He may have

depended. -- he may have two end it. Does he risk trying to get in behind

the blue here? He has heaped it all wrong. -- heat

it. But at least he hasn't put the red in a pottable position.

He could double this red back down towards the blue and possibly knock

it safe. He will take that, I am not sure if

he was trying to flip the blue. If he played the cannon onto the blue,

that was extraordinary. And John immediately brings it back

into play. It is all great tactical stuff going on here.

That has flicked the blue back onto the cushion. This is what I mean

about when you are behind Alan McManus. If you are waiting for him

to make a mistake on safety shot, you will be waiting for a time.

He prevented you from winning six Masters titles in a row. He beat you

in the final and played extremely well to do that. Yes, for a while,

he was a bogey player than me. He beat me more than I beat him. A very

tough player. Yes, he is just a little younger

than you as we see John try to get in behind the black. Not quite. Yes,

Alan is 43 years old. Just a year younger than the oldest player in

the tournament, the darling of Dublin, Ken Doherty.

That drifted. I was right behind the shot, it can do at that pace, it

definitely turned a little bit to the left as we look at it.

Jon showing a bit of patience there. Could have been tempted to try the

red along the baulk cushion -- John. It was a half chance.

He is just about OK. There is one possible chance of a back double

here. I'm not sure if John would think about taking it on. He is

looking at the angle of it. He might just be tempted.

He is. It is not there, but it is safe. Look at that, he was on the

black and the yellow was over the pocket, so it was worth the risk.

I wonder if Alan will be tempted by the same shot, bring the cue ball at

them somewhere behind the black. Yes. Well called, Stephen. He played

the double just that little bit better than John did and that should

secure the frame as we show you this. A back double, as we call it.

It is one of the reasons he is called Angles McManus. He is good at

picking up the angle is not only at getting out of snookers, but the

shots like that. Showed you the little pouch there in the back of

his trousers. That is the sort of things that players use in practice.

-- the sort of thing. He has got a belt on today. He had a problem

after the first frame yesterday. John conceives to the referee, he

has had enough in this frame, so it was a long, tactical frame, but in

the end, it was Alan McManus who took it. Always nice when you win

the long frames. Yes, John, early morning at the

Crucible and he did make quite a few errors. We have a few of them here

while they are setting the balls up. This one just a mis-judgement

totally up the position, didn't mean to cannon those reds. This one here,

just to flick the black ball out of position. And this one, Stephen

picked it up, he hit the wrong red playing a safety shot. So he

certainly hadn't settled. Another mis-judgement, trying to nestle on

the red on the right side and almost left Alan write-in amongst them. And

finally, to fit a shot, quite a few errors in that first frame. -- too

thick. Yes, he doesn't look like the John Higgins you expect at the

Crucible. He normally starts matches really quickly, really stamped his

authority straightaway. He just doesn't look 100% confident.

Alan McManus breaks off, he will be delighted to win the first frame and

increase his lead to four. You now think it must be imperative for John

Higgins to win at least two of the next three before the mid-session

interval. Yes, I was just telling you about

Alan McManus' belt as John Higgins conceded the frame. After the

opening frame yesterday, Alan left the arena and he had to borrow a

belt from somebody in the press office to hold those beautiful

tartan trousers up. I don't know what happened to his belt. Some of

the players used to wear braces. A lot of these young players

wouldn't know what a pair of braces were. I just had them on my teeth.

Is the yellow going to come to his rescue? I don't think so. John

Higgins needs to get into gear here and get something going. He wants to

produce the form he did in the last two frames of the first session.

He has got a lovely angle on the blue. The pink is slightly away from

the pack, so he might not go into them.

If the pink ball was touching the pack, I think John might have gone

into them. Just thinking, this red and whether black is, if he has

enough angle, he can smash into the reds here -- where the black is.

The red that is closest to the black, I don't think it will part

once the black is re-spotted. This shot, he will be looking for an

angle on the blue, to go into the bunch.

He has not got the angle but there are two read that part to the left

corner, so he is still OK. -- there are two reds that pot.

The game, a loose positional shot from John Higgins. A big margin of

error there. He has to start one of these frames

in one visit to get back into this match. He doesn't want to be

involved in too many scrappy frames like the last one, that will just

suit Alan. Yes, I couldn't agree more.

He has picked up the loose ones and once he has parted this, it is not a

good pack to go into. -- potted. He might be able to hold for the red

behind the black but this pulled up in its tracks.

Because the way the pack is, to cannon into those from the black,

you have to be very careful. He is going to have to do it from

the black if he gets a good angle. If he plays it well, he will be

stunning into the side of the bunch rather than straight into the red in

the middle of the pack. He nearly missed the red. Now he

will have two hit the edge of the pack. -- he will have to hit.

That was the problem with the angle but he left after almost missing the

red. -- that he left. Can he get past the pink? Maybe.

There was no problem getting past the pink but didn't hit that well to

knock it on to the other red. There was plenty of room there, Stephen.

A little bit angle to work with but not straightforward. -- of angle.

Just playing for the one between the yellow and the blue. Looking at that

angle, he could have played it with topspin. He felt it was better if he

could get the red and a good angle. I think you can get to the blue.

This is a key shot coming up and if he was to open the reds, he could

get right back in this frame, a frame that John Higgins should have

put away with that last chance. He just has to catch this first red

fall in the face. If he catches it either side, he could go in-off.

This red still cuts to the right corner. It is a thin one. He just

didn't catch that first read full in the face, that is why the cue ball

goes towards the corner pocket. And this is a good chance to pinch this

frame. Might even be a three-ball plant.

The other one might also go, three choices. The first one he looked

at, he can cut into the opposite corner to this, but it is a good

chance that the three-ball plant is on. He is just working out where he

would have to hit the second red to plant the third one into the pocket.

I think, unless it is absolutely straight, I would not be taking the

plant. He has other options that are guaranteed, but he is going for it.

But we are talking about Alan McManus, though.

Yes, I forgot that. John may be able to see a monitor

there, that is what he is looking up at.

Well, if he goes on to take this frame and lead 8-3, even for someone

like John Higgins it will be a tall order and an awful long way back.

Yes, you would say that John is not out of it, the normal John Higgins

at scoring, but he does not look like he is playing well enough to

come back from 8-3. Certainly not at the moment.

It is a strange game. In practice John has been absolutely flying, but

we have had that throughout their history of snooker players.

Brilliant in practice, but sometimes cannot take it to the match table.

Unfortunately, confidence is something you just cannot buy, you

cannot create it, it has to come from wins and performances on the

match table. Well, John Higgins and yourself have

certainly done it for many years. Once you start losing a few, that

confidence just starts disappearing slightly, it becomes a very tough

game. He really is striking the ball well,

Alan. He looks composed, focused. The only slight problem, you would

imagine, is the two reds in the corner. He has to get a colour in

such a way as to get on them, but I would not expect that to pose too

much of a problem. When you think he went six years

without qualifying for the Crucible...

Last year he lost to Ding in the first round, but this is great to

see, a player like this coming right back.

He nearly slipped there. When you are stretching their, if

your shoes and a little bit slippy you have to be careful. -- when you

are stretching there, if your shoes are a little bit slippy.

He has to be careful, he has got himself into the lead in this second

session. Is he on the red to the right

centre? That would be a bonus. A lot of players would have played

that black off to cushions. A more exact position of shot from Alan

there. That was a clever shot, as well,

using the other red to hold for the black.

They are there for the taking now. 15 in front, all of the colours on

their spots. Very worrying times for John

Higgins. He purposely played up for the green there, which meant he had

very little to do to get onto the yellow.

It is always a sign of how confident player is, if he can pinch these

frames. He has never looked like missing, Alan.

And the way he is striking the ball, he is hitting it with authority.

A little trick shot fair, played with loads of side to hold for the

black. That is a magnificent clearance from

Alan McManus. John Higgins had an earlier break of 47 then missed a

red. Then it was all Alan and he now leads eight frames to three.

Well, Stephen, I suppose it is no surprise to us, we know that Alan is

capable of that, a lot of people at home may be thinking how is Alan

McManus beating John Higgins? But he is out playing him at the moment,

John Isner at the races. Absolutely. We will have another

look at this three ball plant, I thought this was a risky. As you

say, he is so good at working these shots out. From there it looks

pretty straight on, but it was so important for John to win the first

frame to put Alan on the back foot today.

If you look at it, years not knocking the first red towards the

pocket, he had to hit it to the left to then get the correct angle to

make the plant, but that is why his nickname is Angles McManus, he

really is superb with that type of thing. And, John, two more frames

before the mid-session interval, you would have to say he has to win both

frames. But he certainly was looking for a start as he finished the first

session of the match, but it just has not happened. Alan has dominated

the two frames and there is these stats. The safety success, he is way

ahead of John in that department. No century break, but the pot success

rate, when you are over 90% you know you are in a good chance of winning.

Yes, those stats reveal there is going to have to be a complete

turnaround in this match. One player is dominating.

That is what I mean about playing Alan, so difficult to get back into

the match with the red on the corner, but he has managed to keep

it tight. He is never going to give you any chances, certainly not the

way he is playing. And there is another poor attempt by John

Higgins. Well, after watching that shot, the

confidence is gone completely, you would have to say. Confidence and

concentration on that particular shot, he just hit it too thick.

And that usually happens when you are playing well. You get the run of

the ball. If you are struggling, you would hit the reds and finish on

absolutely nothing. He did not intend to cannon into the reds here,

but look how he flicked them. That is the nature of this game. You

get the run of the ball when you are playing well.

Poor shot there, though. He should not be as far from this red as he

is. It has now become miss-able. He is striking the ball so well. As

you are seeing, Dennis, with authority.

He has a little spring in his step, as well. I am just watching Alan's

body language and he is certainly enjoying himself out there at the

moment. The old left leg came up and

everything that when he played that a screw shot.

When you are just rolling them in easily like that across the nap,

sometimes they just turned slightly. A little bit of fine sandpaper keep

probably has in his waistcoat pocket just to keep the tip of the cue

flush with the feral that protects the wood of the cue.

Not bad, you can play this with the right hand side, go between the

green and brown as back-up for the Reds. There is a couple of loose

reds, or he could go into them, it just depends how he feels.

Well, you was going right into them, -- C was going rate into them and

cannon and the green on the way down. As soon as he did that there

was no chance of getting into the bunch.

It will be interesting to see how this match goes on and how Alan

holds his nerve. As he gets closer to the winning line, let's see if he

does get twitchy. Well, if he takes this frame, and

leads 9-3, he could do quite a bit of twitching and still get over the

line. You have to make your chances

against Alan McManus. You just have to try and play better safety shots

than he does, and that is easier said than done.

Yes, you would almost think a different plan for John would be to

start getting more aggressive, open more balls up. You cannot say to

start going for everything, because he is 8-3 down, but maybe just

change the plan a little bit. Maybe try and upset Alan's rhythm. At the

moment it is being played at Alan's pace, it is Alan's type of game.

There you see the shot time, Alan just for micro seconds slower than

John, but he will not be too concerned about that.

-- Alan just four seconds slower. That has opened up the reds quite a

bit and he has covered most of them. If the yellow is covering the one to

the left it is quite a good shot, if not, Alan can get back to that baulk

cushion. The green almost blocking the safety

route off down the right-hand side of the table. Maybe it has. Let's

have a look. Yes. Hawk-eye just showing you that he can see enough

of those reds. That was a useful little nudge on the green that Alan

had there. Well, he is having a go at this.

What a shot this will be. A bit of safety also in mind, but

you never know where the red was going to finish. When it is not

going for you, you always somehow managed to leave one. Now, he is

dead straight, and if he stops for fight where the red is he may finish

on the black. If he stuns it through one or two inches I think the plaque

will be -- I think the black will be available.

He just did not hold the cue ball enough for the black, he may have

the pink to the right centre, but it is a dangerous shot. He struck it

really well, again. Obviously not on the pink.

That tells a story - the long pot success rate, 83% for Alan McManus.

John, way down on 63%. I suppose not too bad for a long pot success rate.

It is amazing, when you are struggling you always get the wrong

flick or the wrong cannon. Once again, he probably caught that

thicker than he intended, and, sure enough, hit the blue.

Every time he comes to the table he is faced with a difficult shot. Alan

is just completely out of playing John. -- outplaying.

Noise coming now from the other side of the arena, they are at their

mid-session interval, people just getting up to stretch their legs,

maybe get a cup of coffee. You always give yourself just a little

bit more time, get yourself used to the noise.

He may be out of position here. He may have covered everything. That is

a mistake from Alan. He just didn't judge the cannon as

he intended. Maybe that was a little laps therein

concentration, but it was a delicate little shot that he was playing.

This is a tough shot, but there is a path.

He could take this on and screw it into the gap and get round the table

again. There is a little screw shot on here

if he gets it right. He may get friendly angles, somewhere near the

line would get him on the pink. -- he may get round the angles.

He has played it well. The top red of the little bunch of

four will play to that corner. A touch of the right-hand side to

check the white just to make sure it straightens up when it gets to the

black position. It looks like he is playing the

cannon, he is angled down on the cue ball.

It certainly was not the black he was playing to cannon, but I think

he is still on a red to the right corner.

Yes, he played to cannon one of the reds, rather than the black, but he

is OK, and maybe he has found another plant here. When things are

going well for you and you run out of position slightly, it is

amazing, when something like this comes to the rescue.

Maybe he is starting to tense up little bit, seeing the winning line.

Careful with this pink up to the green pocket.

Now back in position. A greater chance now to go 3-1 up.

You have to go back to 2005 for the last time he got past the first

round. He got to the quarterfinal here. He lost that year to Ian

McCulloch from Preston, who I used to practice with. Unfortunately, Ian

is not playing on the tour any more, a shoulder injury prevented

him. He looked like he was going to go all the way to the top, Ian. A

great player, got to the semifinal that year. And here is Alan McManus,

back again. It would really rank with one of his best victories. I

know he has beating you, Stephen, in the Masters, but to come back this

year and produce this at the Crucible is fabulous form.

Yes, when you have been used to the success Alan had in the early part

of his career, and then have two rededicate yourself, go through all

of these PTC tournaments, all of the qualifiers... Certainly something I

did not enjoy, but he has rediscovered his appetite for the

game. That was the first one he sort of

jab at. That was a nervy one. He did not hit that smoothly at all. Is

this the first sign of a bit of tension?

He has not left anything. John is looking at a ridiculous plant at the

moment, he is trying to make something happen. But there is quite

a bit of distance between the reds. And then, well, if he pulls this

plant off... He is trying to make something

happen, but, what a shot this would be.

The plant is nowhere near on. Have a look at that.

As he flicked it? Dear me. He is a bit anxious. He is

looking for stuff that is not really there.

He played it as a shot to nothing, you can see where the cue ball has

ended up, but this yellow is tough across the table.

Who do this be the turning point of this match?

Alan McManus was two or three pots from being another frame up.

This would hurt Alan. Not only the fact that he missed the

shot with the rest, but then that John went for a desperate plant and

fluked the red, that would hurt even more.

Alan must know how good John is at coming from behind in a match. He

has done it so many times here at the Crucible, John Higgins. His back

has been against the wall. Just having to think a little bit

more about the fact that the colours are not on their spots.

He will have done it so many times with the colours on their spots, but

when it is like this you have to be a little bit careful. This will get

the Brownback onto its spot and will help.

I say that, but it is not a good angle on the brown to get nicely on

the yellow. He will take the yellow and come back up again. He must be

dead straight on the yellow. It is going to be a tense finish to

this frame, a frame that John Higgins badly needs.

It is all going to be about how he gets on the pink.

Alan not even looking at the table at the moment. Now he is.

Alan will be thinking about that red with the rest.

He will be already thinking about where he wants to put the cue ball.

That is where he would love to be after potting the blue and the pink.

How does he get on the pink? He will be dead straight if he can't

get too close to the black. He is not far off.

He couldn't get close to it. These can be tricky. If it is touching the

cushion... Especially at 8-3 down. Well played, John Higgins. What a

clearance that was. Alan McManus missed that shot with the rest but

John Higgins putting a soupy clearance -- put in a superb

clearance. You called it there, he said he is usually prettily reliable

with the rest, Alan, and this would have put him 9-3 up, virtually. It

is not a smooth cue action, it is a bit of a jab. His right elbow just

wasn't smooth. You can tell by the reaction on his face, he knows that

was probably frame, probably 9-3, that red going in. And John, in

desperation, he tried to pull off plans that wasn't in, not even in

line with the pocket. He played it in desperation but have a look at

this beauty going into the corner. Then he took the pressure yellow on.

He could have rolled up behind the green, but he potted a great yellow.

You can see here that the blackest tight to the cushion, so if you hit

the ball and the cushion at the same time... John played it at a nice

pace, he didn't force it. He queued -- played it absolutely perfectly.

And John couldn't wait to get out of the arena. He is back in again. Alan

also left. Those are the stats, he is way ahead in all departments but

not over the line just yet. Could that be a turning point, that last

frame? We have one more before the mid-session interval. If John gets

that, game on again. Yes, I am looking forward to seeing Alan's

reaction from that red and losing that frame. They are chatting,

looking pretty relaxed. That is nice to see. You don't see it much these

days. When I used to do battles with Cliff Thorburn, we would have the

odd chat but once the frame starts, there is no friendship on the table.

Great to see that, though. Yes, you wouldn't get much change out of me,

talking in the seat. I was frightened to look at you, Stephen!

Can't wait to see how Alan copes with losing that frame.

And, obviously, John, will he get a bit of inspiration from that

clearance? Yes, he definitely needs this one as well, because 9-4 at the

mid-session interval, even the great John Higgins I don't think can come

back from that. We always say that as long as you

are at least two frames out, you are still in the match.

That shows you that if you catch the near cushion, there is no way it

will go in. Alan can come off the cushion to pot

this, but it is not guaranteed. Well played. Controlled the cue ball

well. You keep forgetting he is Angles McManus, those are easy for

him. He made it look easy, a tough little shot to judge.

A touch of left-hand side on the cue ball.

He played that well and he is unlucky. He had a long pause than

normal, because he knew he was putting a lot of power into it but

he is very unfortunate. Watch the cue, pause, pause and bank. A bit

unlucky. Didn't even look at the red on the back cushion. Didn't even

give it a glance. He is still keeping this match tight.

Good safety shot by John. This needs a thin contact.

While the safety battle is going on, I'm going to ask your question. If

you are Ken Doherty, waiting for the of this match, who would you like to

win? It is a nice question. If it is going to be Alan, it is

going to be some tough match snooker, I will tell you that.

You didn't really commit yourself there, did you?

I think if he is honest, he would rather play Alan. I think John is

the heavy scorer and is four times winner.

You would have to put Alan up there in the all-time greats in the

tactical department. Without a doubt, in the top three in my book,

of all-time. There have been lots of great safety players. Ray Reardon

was terrific tactician. Rex Williams, the chairman of our

association, kept the game going for many years, a brilliant tactician.

It was great and the other night to watch 50 years of BBC Two and to see

the old Pot Black programme, listening to whispering Ted Lowe.

That is where we all made our names back in those days. If you got to

play on Pot Black, you knew you had arrived. You could go and play

exhibitions. People have seen you on TV.

That was a rare careless safety shot there by Alan McManus. It allowed

John to get his hand on the and play a better one. -- on the table.

There is a possible escape but then to the baulk area, but it has to be

a very thin contact. He knows he has to be very precise. And if you play

of the left side of that red, it could go off into the corner pocket.

If he catches it thin enough, it could go back down the table. It

might be the one he is looking at. But he is not happy with it. He

knows if he doesn't catch it right, he could leave John in amongst the

reds. It is the best option, though. Can't see any other escape route.

No, containing shot. Even if the white goes in, it is not all that

bad. So he thought long and hard about the thin one and decided that,

in the end, it was too risky. The alternative he was looking at

was a thin one, but he knew it was fraught with danger if he tried

that. In the end, just a containing safety.

He hasn't covered that red that is near the right corner pocket but

there is not a lot of value in that. I don't think he can come off two

cushions for the pink and the black is out of commission. Let's see if

he thinks he can get on the pink with a bit of topspin. But it is a

tough one. He didn't even try the shot. He just

played to make sure the red... It is going to be quite a battle

after the mid-session interval. Alan, if he wins this session 3-1,

will only need one more frame for victory.

Just having a step back to sit with the cue ball is. I think he is

playing it thin. -- to see where. He has pushed it over the corner. It

is not all that bad, because the black, as I say, is tied up. The

pink won't go into the middle pocket, so there is no value in John

taking that red onto the left corner. -- on to the left corner. He

could roll it in and then play safety shot. If he could get the

white out there, he could give himself a chance at the black.

But it is not a gimme, the red, because it is on the side cushion.

He has mishit that completely. In the end, he might have been better

just rolling the red in and playing a safety shot after that.

It is not an easy chance, but he has got the pink and blue in play.

It hasn't quite rolled through as far as he would have wanted.

A big side from Alan McManus, he didn't get through that and it was

probably down to having the extension on the cue. We didn't have

those around in the good old days. Do they practice with the extensions

on the cue? It is always a different feel when you put the extension on

and you strike the cue ball. But to me, it is another little sign of May

be the right arm showing a little bit of tension -- may be the right

arm. A good part, there, though. -- pot.

The first thing that starts to happen when you are nervous, you

don't go through the ball as much as you do when you are relaxed.

Another Alan McManus special. He has got John Bang in trouble again. --

bang in trouble. What is he attempting here? He can

just see enough of that to get back down the table and have a look at

this. That is what he is faced with. If he

can't see an easy safety, he may be tempted to take that red on. He has

studied all the options. He could get himself onto the pink,

but it would be a great shot. There is one red that will pot, but

he has got to cannon into other reds, the one that is closest to the

pink and to the left, that goes into the corner, but the white goes

straight into the red to the right of it, that is what he is looking

at. There is the possibility that if he took the pot on, he might finish

on the black or the pink and that is what he's going to go for. This is

tough. Well, how close was that? And he was

on the black. Look at those reds all along this back cushion.

A great attempt, Stephen. Yes, and I think that is the sort of shot John

has got to take on, take a bit of a risk, because he is getting beaten

on the safety bouts. If Alan can pot this red and black, there is the

possibility of a plant on to these reds over the one that is on the

pocket. It would bring everything into the open. The two that are at

the top certainly pointing towards the red in the corner pocket.

Made just enough room for the black to go onto its own spot. It is

totally out of the game at the moment.

Had a choice of shots. He could play to leave the plant for the red

closest over the pocket and just roll it in and that would remain

over the pocket and he could get himself nicely on the pink. That

might be an option, rather than just playing the one that is over the

pocket. Let's see where he puts the cue

ball. The only thing is to get nicely on the pink, if he plans one

onto the other, he might not believe that over the pocket. -- planneds.

If you play this in practice, you played with a lot of pace and

disturb all of the reds with a lot of left-hand side.

That is what he has done, a good aggressive shot. He has not really

disturbed the reds that were on the cushion but it is a good shot.

It is amazing how he has finished upon the black from that position.

Within a couple of shots' time, he could be in a frame-winning

situation. He has got to lose reds and it wouldn't be a problem to hit

the cannon onto those -- two loose reds.

In fact, if anything, would you want to play off the black or the blue to

get into them? It is a wider target on the blue. He won't go into them

this time. It looks like it will be the black

if he leaves it the left side of the table.

Anywhere in that circle and he has an angle to go off the black and

into the reds. You have got to play this with a lot

of power. That will do. There may be a planned

after this -- plant. So it is the easy red and that plant could be

made. That is what he has spotted. It is

not in a direct line but he can make the plant.

He has to hit the first red on the left side as he looks at it. He is

already 61 ahead, so if this works out, it could give him the frame. It

is going to the left of the pocket. He is going to take some stopping

now, Alan McManus. Three out of the four frames, it is good going.

As I said before, he has outplayed John in every department. We have

seen the stats, he has beating him in almost every safety duel this

morning. A great performance. Still that 92% with his pot success

rate. John says that is enough, so Alan

McManus has won three out of the four frames played and puts himself

in a very strong position now. He only needs one more frame to beat

the great John Higgins. COMMENTATOR: And remember the winner

of that tiny to the 1987 world champion and our BBC colleague Jock

-- Ken Doherty in the second round. We now turn to the other match that

started today at 10am, Marco Fu taking on Martin Gould making his

sixth Crucible appearance. Marco Fu was 3-1 up when we join it in a

frame five. Marco Fu to play. I don't see the point of attempting

this. That is one way of getting back into baulk, the red has come

back up there, otherwise that would have not been too bad.

He played just a containing pot, rather than playing a safety shot

for the baulk colour. First chance after the interval goes

to Marco. This is the key shot, this red in

the centre. Of course, he could play for the blue if he wanted to and

then get on a red. He does not have to play for the black of this. --

off this. Well, this could go wrong.

It's certainly slowed up. It is amazing, yesterday that would have

been up level with the pink spot. I thought there was no way in the

world he could be on the black there and it ended up absolutely perfect.

I thought he did that far too hard. He has not got a great sport here.

-- spot. He has played that well. What a good

positional shot that was. It may have looked very easy, but I

tell you, it is not. He had a slight angle on the black, he had to make

sure he got past the red. A succession of easy shots - that is

what break building is about. You may have one or two recovery

shots somewhere in a break, but generally the more you do that, the

more recovery shots you have, the greater the chances of breaking

down. It is all about images these days.

Once you lose the image when you are playing the shot, just an upset in

the mind, you have to be strong to fight against it.

He has to play a little cannon into the pack.

He has to make sure he does not stick on them, he made snooker

himself. He played it nicely. It is amazing how some players see it

differently to others. I would have played at a fraction firmer than

that, but then you would risk not being on the red. Marco knew at

least playing it that way he was bound to be on the red. OK, he has

not brought any other reds into play, but he will do that at a

future time. He has played to clear this red out

of the way, because it was a bit of obstacle for Marco Fu. This is a

tougher pot, going into the narrow pocket.

He is striking the ball very nicely, very smooth with his cue action.

We have talked about his lack of power. I mean, most players now

would go into them, Marco is playing for the loose one purely because he

cannot really generate enough spin. The middle of the three reds just

above the black spot that is what many players would have gone into

with pace, but Marco does not generate the spin a lot of other

players to, -- other players do, so years playing for the loose red.

This red to the back of the pack is available into the left corner, as

well. He may use that later on if he carries on making these. Use that

red to split the pack. He played to finish low on that red

to bring the other reds into play without using the power. Very

clever. He's just looking at the angle on that red you suggested at

the back of the pack. He would like to finish low on that so he can

flick the other reds into play. He now either has a tough blue or a

tough black. This is what I was speaking about, once you use -- lose

control of the cue ball, the image is gone, and these shots become a

lot more difficult. If his opponent left in this black to win he would

be very comfortable on it. It is just your state of mind. What isn't?

Very good. It is so nice to watch different players, the way they

break build. Marco Fu likes to play aggressively, but when he has not

got the power shot he will think of another way of opening the bunch. A

prime example is the way he left that red at the edge of the pack.

Now he has them at his mercy, very good.

Mark Williams has a bit of that engine, as well. He is a good break

builder, a good player. Strange not to see him here this year, he lost

to Alan McManus in the qualifiers. This is a very, very high standard

we are seeing at the moment. I was not going to suggest there was

a possible maximum on until now because he was making sure he won

the frame. He has just glanced at the scoreboard, he has had 11 reds,

ten blacks. He is looking at this cannon. He would be unlucky not to

bring the reds into play. It all depends on what he fancies.

It needs a bounce. It is no good. He knows that was a great chance.

You can never guarantee what you will get with those kisses, but he

is very unfortunate not to have any option at all on. Sometimes you get

a double into the centre pocket or something, but...

He is playing a triple. Well, what a shame, no century.

Martin Gould stays in his chair, Marco Fu now leads 4-1.

Marco Fu playing very well this season, he has risen in the rankings

from 17th to seven, and he of course won the Australian Open.

Into the next frame, can be moved closer to a second-round place? --

can he move? Two choices, he can check side and

check it for the brown, or just play at playing ball, leaving himself

more distance now. -- or just play it plain ball.

He has given himself a chance now to get good on the pink so he can get

right behind that black. Under the circumstances, this would

be an unbelievable clearance. There were two reds that looked virtually

safe, the black has been on the cushion, he will play that as the

last ball. Somebody coughing when he is down on

the shot, he has turned round and said cheers.

When you have to cough, you have to cough. He is more or less saying you

are trying to cough when I am down on the shot trying to put me off. I

don't think that is right. He is on to the black, just going to

roll it in. This could be a turning point in the match, an excellent

effort from Martin Gould here. A great clearance from Martin, this

could change this game, he is still four - two behind.

Martin Gould definitely needed that against Marco Fu. He has a decent

record against Marco here at the Crucible comedy has beaten him in

the first round in 2010 and 2011. If you want to continue watching that

much it is available online on connected TVs on mobile and on

public, however if you want to follow the Alan McManus John Higgins

match, and of course Alan McManus only needs one frame to big his

place in the second round and a date with Ken Doherty, that is available

on the BBC Red Button. Hazel Irvine will be back at 1pm

with further live coverage when we will see Judd Trump take on Tom

Ford. Goodbye. They dig, they sow, they plant,

they water,