Day 6, Part 1 Snooker: World Championship

He is the Jester from Leicester. He is Mr Mark Selby!

Hello and welcome to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield and the 2014

Dafabet World Snooker Championship. Mark Selby, the Jester from

Leicester, has been described as the Torture by Ronnie O'Sullivan. He

gets the second round under way this afternoon, taking on Ali Carter, who

has been a runner-up on two occasions here. We'll talk about

that match in greater detail in a moment. Let's take a look at how the

first round draw is shaping up. So that's how the first-round draw

looks. Good afternoon to John Parrott. We've lost four seeds are

so far in the opening week. What has been the biggest drawing? Ding

Junhui. The weight of expectation from China, expecting him to become

a world champion. He didn't play as well as he usually does and a great

result for Michael Wasley. And a great result for Ken Doherty. Stuart

Bingham had a great run last year. Yes, and he has a great rapture with

Alan McManus. That will be fantastic. -- a great match. That

has been criticism about the standard of play on social networks

will you think that's justified? I think some of the lads who have

qualified might not be used to TV and have been under pressure a bit

and also the first round is horrible. If you can get to ten and

get it over with, I think the standard will improve in the second

round. Thank you. This is what's coming up this afternoon... Ali

Carter says it's great to be back at the Crucible as he begins his quest

to move into the last eight. Mark Davis is up against it against

Dominic Dale. He trails to -7. It is ladies' day at the Crucible today.

We'll talk to Rhiannon Evans. We'll also have fun as we continue

our trick shot series. And Joe Perry insists he can beat

Ronnie O'Sullivan in his second-round match this evening. A

full preview later. So Mark Selby versus Ali Carter is our live match

this afternoon. Let's take a look at how these to

match up. They've played each other 12 times for top last time Mark

Selby won 4-1 last year. Selby won the Masters and the UK championship

last year but has never won this tournament but reached the final in

2007. I come here every year to try to win the tournament at this year

is no different but I understand how tough it is mentally and physically,

over two weeks. It's a long drawn-out tournament so I'm just

going to take one day at a time and one match at a time. I think I'm

more experienced and I think I handled the big occasions a lot

better. Coming in 2007, I really had nothing to lose, so every match I

was playing was a bonus. Now I keep getting to tournaments and people

put me in the top three of four to be favourite for the tournament so

there is pressure on me. Just to win it even once, it would never be

forgotten, so to finish my career not having won the World

Championship, I would be disappointed. Hopefully it this year

but if not, hopefully I will win in the future. I played Ali here a few

years ago. I played him when I got to the final and we had a great

game. It was 1312. Ali has a great record at the World Championships,

been to the final twice. A fantastic player so it's going to be another

tough match. He has a great all-round game. He has a great

technique. His will to win is second to none.

Ali Carter is one of those players who is blessed with a great

technique and that's why he can play all the power shots. There isn't a

shot on the table he can't play. How many times have we seen Ali around

the table and if he misses a shot or does something careless, we see that

old stamp of the cue. It doesn't seem to make him play better. It

affect his game for a while so temperament will be something Ali

I'm sure would say he needs to work on. It's well documented that he's

had problems with his health and can you imagine dragging yourself out of

bed and go into the practice table and putting in the work that is

necessary to reach the top? He's had all those problems to overcome.

Let's hope he can stay healthy and we can see the best of Ali Carter in

seasons to come. He's one of those players that likes to get into the

pack early, get the ball is spread open early and scores consistently.

He's one of the few players that have made over 100 competitive

centuries because his break-building is so good. His tactical and safety

play is up there with the best and that is something that will stand

him in good stead for the rest of his career. Ali's record,

considering all the ability we talked about, I suppose would be a

bit disappointing. Been to the final of the World Championship twice, met

Ronnie O'Sullivan. No shame in that. But as I mentioned earlier, maybe

his temperament was just a little bit suspect sometimes. He can beat

himself up. If he stopped doing that and took the rough with the smooth,

he would win a World Championship. Our three wise men casting their eye

over Ali Carter. I've been joined by two more wise men from the Crucible

crowd. They will spend the next couple of hours here looking at Mark

Selby and Ali Carter's match. Hello, John Parrott and Stephen Hendry.

Mark Selby says he will be disappointed if he never wins the

World Championship full top he's applying that pressure on himself.

He has to think like that because he's been world number one and has

won all the big tournaments but this is the one that everybody wants to

win. If he goes through his career having been so successful and

doesn't win this, it will be a failure in his eyes. It is such a

different environment. John said at the beginning of the programme but

that may be one of the reasons Ding Junhui never progresses in this

tournament because it is such a tough environment. Yes, it's one of

the strange things in snooker wilding hasn't done better. There

was a huge expectation on him. -- why doing hasn't done better. Mark

Selby has had a long season but he has won to money tournaments this

year so he will really want this. John, you watched Mark Selby playing

Michael White when he pushed him 10-9. Does that make him even more

match fit for the second round? What makes in match fit is the last frame

for top he made a perfect last frame. There's nothing better for

your confidence than coming over the line in the way he did. He missed a

red in the corner to go 6-1 and then he lost his momentum. He went to be

able to afford that against Ali Carter, who is a serious opponent.

It's amazing how sometimes when you scrape through the first round it

gives you a new lease of life for the next hour. Boys, for the moment,

thank you. The players are standing by. On table two, Mark Selby versus

Ali Carter. That's our live match this afternoon. On table one, it's

the conclusion of the first round match between Dominic Dale and Mark

Davis with Dale leading 7-2. Good afternoon to Rob Walker. Good

afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This magnificent theatre has almost

finished serving up its first act of drama as the second gets going. The

driver for the quarterfinals begins in earnest this afternoon here at

the Dafabet World Snooker Championship. Four world-class

players waiting backstage. The action continues in style. Please

welcome, first of all, one of the biggest characters on the circuit.

Twice a ranking event winner in 1997 and 2007. Coming through qualifying

against Andrew Higginson to book his place at the Crucible, he's trained

operatic singer who yesterday proved he can also play the game. Will he

hit the right notes again today? Here comes the spaceman, Dominic

Dale. And his opponent, twice a world six

champion, he's got the class to mount a comeback this afternoon.

Please welcome the battler from Hastings, Mark Davis.

MUSIC: "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson.

And here on table two, please welcome a player making his 12th

consecutive appearance at the Crucible. He has repeatedly shown

huge character off the table in recent years. He is fit, well and

back at the arena where he has twice graced the sport's biggest final.

The three-time ranking event winner. When he is flying high, he's the

captain. Here comes Ali Carter. And finally, his opponent, a player

who is always ice cool under pressure. He displayed all that

commerce in the first round, beating Michael White in the decider. Three

times a Masters champion, three times a ranking event winner and

Hebrew Joost one of the greatest 147s in history in York in December.

Ladies and gentlemen, here comes the Jester from Leicester. Here comes

Mark Selby. MUSIC: "Fast Fuse" by Kasabian

JASON MOHAMMAD: The Crucible once again looking magnificent.

The best of 25 frames in the second round. It's Selby versus Carter.

Let's join our match commentators Steve Davis and John Virgo. Good

afternoon, boys. JOHN VIRGO: Good afternoon, Jason,

and in the seeds' mind, this is where the tournament begins. Both

want to avoid a potential banana skin, none more so than Mark Selby,

who had a scare from Michael White. So now he can relax. A three session

match. The best of 25. Mark Selby, world ranked number

three. Ali Carter, world ranked number 11.

Mark Selby's tournament but success, below 90%, is something he needs to

improve on. Ali Carter, 90 present, that's OK. The long pot success is

about right. About two out of three. Safety is pretty low for both of

these players because they are good all-rounders.

Neither player has made a century. Ali caught that read too thick.

Better to go in the pocket than rattle the jaws. And interesting

game, Steve. STEVE DAVIS: Yes, and match worthy

of a here at the Crucible. Tough in many ways for these players to have

to play each other so early in the tournament. Both showed great

character to get through their first-round matches.

I suppose we're all right. You can relax a bit more. At the Crucible,

it's tough to say the word "relax". Of course, three sessions, and it's

got to be played like three sessions. The aim is eight frames.

If you can come out of it 5-3 in front, you would be happy with your

day's work. But what players are looking for now

is to really find their a game. If they're going to go all the way in

this great championship, nothing else will do.

Judged that nicely. Usually we find at the Crucible, in the World

Championship, even though there is great tension - and you can

certainly see that in the first round match - the longer the players

stay at the Crucible, the more rounds they can get through, the

more they become immune to the tension. It becomes just another day

in the office. You've got to earn that right.

Not one of Mark's best safety shots there, just finding the baulk line,

rather than the baulk cushion. Looking at those roses near the

left-hand side cushion, it's going to be very awkward to play safety.

-- those reds. Even though he's on the baulk line, he's got to be very

careful here, Ali. He has got a pot that he can screw across the face of

the pack for the black into the same pocket but there is a red close to

the black that he would be wary of. It wasn't the best safety shot from

Mark Selby. He comes back to the table with half a chance. Not an

easy one. APPLAUSE

Well, that was a lovely clean pot. Would have preferred to have got

onto the blue, rather than tying the pink up.

He doesn't really want to put that pink out of commission.

A little bit more risk in that shot, trying to guarantee position. A

little bit short of pace. Don't think he's completely hampered by

the green but it makes the shot... Oh, he is a fraction. It makes the

shot a bit harder. GROANING

he will be a bit disappointed there. He's playing reasonably well but

he's hampered for the pink in the middle, which is what he played for.

Just a series of positional shots just fractionally out all the time

has led to this difficult blue having to be taken on.

Correct shot? I don't know. Wise after the event. It needed good

straight cueing. I'm certain that the type of ball he's been

practising on the practice table before he came out. My argument

would be that so early in the match, you don't really know how the day is

unfolding in terms of cue action so why leave your opponent an easy

chance? But against that, the aggressive, try and get in first. --

be aggressive. I think he can get through to at

least one red to the left corner. Whilst this is best of 25, the first

frame of every session can dictate a pattern of play for that particular

session, so... Difficult to know what the right method to play the

first frame is. Ali Carter is out of position, past the baulk line, the

cut-back brown very risky once you get past the fault -- baulk line.

Well, he hasn't put Mark Selby in as much trouble as maybe you thought he

could have done there. I think he could have played a lot

better safety than he did on his last visit. He's not playing the

pot, just playing the safety. And a good one it is, though Ali

just stopped in his tracks to look at the two reds on this side of the

table. Are they a plant? Not far away and I think they are close

enough together that it could be made.

Mark Selby hasn't even looked at the plant so he's got a long pot with an

opportunity to get through the table.

Well played, Ali. I think that plant may have been an option if the black

had gone into the left corner. Mark Selby's containing safety shot

always leaves the door open to a far better safety shot.

The only reason I'm thinking about the bottom read is that it would be

safe. If he hits the bottom red, it may leave a ruse onto the left

middle. -- a red. That is the safest place

but it's got to be judged very well. There may be some kind of four

cushion escape round the back of the blue. It's a bit further for me to

reach to the teller -- graphics machine to do that.

Does this red next to the black pot? Misjudged the release of the cue

ball off the side cushion. Perhaps it squared off a bit.

A very heavy scorer, Ali Carter, but it's an interesting fact that he's

been a professional three years longer than Mark Selby and yet Mark

Selby's career centuries are 333 and Ali has had 178. It just shows you,

you'd think that Ali was one of the top scorers.

Yeah, I think to be a prolific century maker, a type of

relentlessness at the end of the frame after you've won it. Some

players, like Mark Williams, who would basically, once a won the

frame, ease up mentally... You don't see that with the likes of Mark

Selby. He still tries to make a century even if he's won the frame.

Yes, and I agree it isn't necessarily a guide. Mark Williams

was the perfect example. As you say, he just wanted to get the next frame

started. But of course, with all the stats now and the records, you know,

it just makes everybody so much more aware.

He won't be happy with that one. It was funny, harking back to the first

chance he had when he potted the red into the corner and overhit it, at

the moment, he's just not stroking the ball. He seems to be hitting the

cue ball. Probably a bit of tension in the arm and it will soon settle

in but one or two that he hasn't cued as well as he would have liked.

This time, he is underhit it by a long way. Unless there is a plant in

the right corner, not the two reds on the side of the table but the two

reds in that little cluster of four to the right, that looks spot on. If

he hits the first red in the correct place, it can't be missed. A big

saver for Ali Carter if he gets this in.

Effectively a massive insurance policy on poor position, that plant

being on. Now a realistic chance to get very

close to the finishing line. Queued to that one nicely. -- he

cued that one nicely. Health problems for Ali Carter

recently but signs of a return to form. We saw those in the China open

recently, where he got to the semifinals, I believe.

A big bounce off the cushion, or overhit. Either way, well out of

position. He's got to do some good cueing to keep this under control.

Could come down for the pink or blue here. I think you were right there.

It looked like a quick bounce off the cushion. We've seen it so many

times. I sometimes wonder whether the table heaters help.

That is what Hawk-eye says without the bounce.

My sleeve judged but unlucky. The natural part of that shot would have

sent it into the four reds. She could have risked putting the red

and spreading those reds over the place and hoped to get McCullough.

But now, more work to do. That was particular Inc. -- that was

better cueing. A quick glance at the scoreboard, he probably needs three

of these reds. You can see the easy one.

Trying to disturb something. He said never tried to bring a red into play

when you are trying to potter red because you are never certain you

are never certainly will end on colour. I think he has done very

well. He had to disturb the reds in one way, shape or form. It wasn't

all bad, then. Eddie Charlton was wrong! He has landed in the middle

of those three. None of them are absolutely ideal pots to get another

colour. If he plays this one to the right corner, he has to be careful

he doesn't go into the red the top cushion. He just needs one red and

the colour. That was the natural potting angle.

This black will put him 54 points in front. A few loose positional shots

but he overcame them. And he knows it is very important to get the next

red. he may be coming to this event

timing it perfectly. Struggling with a bit of form earlier on. A few

health problems. Fighting hard to get back up the

ranking list and get a win under his belt. Signs of improvement in China.

And we know full well that he enjoys the Crucible. A tough match for Mark

Selby. This would be the perfect start because if he clears these

five remaining, he will have a break of 102. He is yet to make a century

break. His best of the tournament so far is 81.

The Crucible crowd love a century. The perfect start for Ali Carter.

Earlier wrong, he was just hitting the ball rather than stroking it but

he got his cue action on in the end. The seventh century so far in the

World Championship. He takes the first frame. Ali Carter has only

14-macro frames in the previous matches. What a start. He got a

little bit fortunate. He ended up with the plant that he hadn't

actually played on but he hit really well. Sometimes, with a plant, you

don't go all out for positions. He played it really well, it could not

have come out every better, very impressive start. Would you make of

the way Ali Carter has played today and also in his first round match?

He fancies himself to have a long run. In the last two finals and the

semifinals, a few months playing here. Mark Selby can probably

consider himself playing -- unlucky to be playing him in this second

round. How important is it to get the first frame on the board and

also hold a break like that? That is the key. One thing Michael White did

not do against Mark Selby, his highest break was about 42, he had a

62 after that, but he wasn't punishing mark when he made

mistakes. If he makes mistakes against Ali Carter, he will pay

heavily. The longer the tounament goes on, you should improve. Into

frame two. Back to our commentators. A decent break-off shot. There is

one red going out but I don't think it is the right potting angle to

tempt Mark Selby. It will be a tough pot anyway. It looks as though it

would just be running into the middle top cushion, behind the

black. If it was a bit straighter, he could roll it in play for the

back -- black but it is too risky with little reward. Well, he did

take it. He nearly left it. After the blue in the first frame, and

that read, do you think he has got his attacking head on? Some days,

you get 50-50 decisions and you make what could be construed to be the

wrong choices in people's eyes. And I, like you, thought perhaps he was

going to play safety across the top cushion, I think he picked out quite

a clever little opportunist shot to try and not only put the red but get

perfectly on the back to smash into the pack with very little risk. But

you never know if you miss a shot where the red is going to go. Well,

not ideal from Mark Selby at the moment. He misjudged that by some

way and very unfortunate to end up on top of the green. It gives Ali

Carter a problem. Although I think he can probably play the cue ball up

to the top cushion with very little risks, should he want to. I think

that was probably the right shop now. It'll be a big ask to get back

to the baulk end. The problem is when you are hampered like this, you

are striking down. The cue ball and the object ball isn't in a direct

line as it would be normally. You really have to stop moving your eyes

up and down. I don't think he can get the edge of the cue ball. No, it

is tough, this. Very hard to judge the middle of the cue ball when you

are striking down on it. Going into the pack, he has missed this up. --

messed this up. He has left Mark Selby won into the yellow pocket.

The red into the middle, over the top of the other red is moored to

vocal than this long red. -- more difficult than this long red. A bit

of pressure on this, especially after missing the blue. He is about

a foot closer. It does make it slightly easier.

He tried to force it over. If the red had gone into the middle of the

pocket, he may have had forced it over a bit better put the blue in

the left middle but Lou into the far left corner is not too bad. -- blue.

I think that opening red by Mark Selby was played with a certain

tension in the arm. He really didn't strike as well as he would have done

later in the session. But that is testament to how good this player

is, that even when he doesn't hit the ball is purely as he would like,

he can still put the ball, that is a massive advantage as a player.

He has got a good angle on the blue but you can see with pinkies. If the

pink wasn't there, he would play the Canon, but that is not an option.

Beautifully played. As the mutual, as a spectator, this

is what you want to see, both players hitting the ball well,

playing at their best. -- as a neutral. Mark knows that after that

flying start from Ali Carter that he needs to make alley where that

should alley make a mistake, he will take full advantage as well. -- Ali

Carter. When he puts this pink, it will be

closer to the red when it is re-spotted. That pink is acting as a

blocker. So, not guaranteed to be on one

here. Ali Carter will consider himself unlucky. That was the poor

safety shot by Mark Selby. He got out of a snooker but he left the red

on. Where is the red going? That is the problem, when you get that...

Our colleague Willie Thorne calls it a flat. When you hit it with any

kind of stunt or back spin, the cue ball comes away from the reds and

heads towards the top cushion so he has nothing easy to go on here.

It wasn't easy. He came to this day -- table. However many minutes

later, he comes back, he is back where he once. This time, of course,

it is a little bit easier to play it.

A half-hearted attempt at the double. The main thing was to cover

the red with the green and it looks as though he has done that.

It looks like he is going to attempt to get the cue ball on the top

cushion, he is just checking which red and where he would like to

ideally leave the cue ball. He has already thought about clearing the

red on the left of the table and putting the cue ball down behind the

black. But he has spotted another type of shot. Is he playing this

full in the face or is he possibly attempt in the pot? He placed the

safety, very fortunate in the end. He misjudged that a bit, I think he

wanted to play at full ball. His heart would have been in his

mouth for a fraction there because it looked as though it could have

run through enough. He will settle for it now though.

Ali Carter will not be getting the best of this safety exchange. He

pushes this red up the table but then sacrifices the safety exchange

is Mark Selby now has first crack at getting a good safety.

He got a huge bounce of the cushion. The white ball, that was. And the

red came all the way down as well. That player would not have misjudged

both of those balls unless that side cushion. In two bounce quite

severely. -- unless that cushion was starting to bounce quite severely. I

think he has sacrificed one of the reds. Not guaranteed, positionally,

but you would expect Mark Selby to put this red. -- to pot this read.

-- red. That was the problem. He was always going to run into the blue.

Just got to roll it in for position. All play it further than that. That

was a very good pot. He already has a 46 point lead. Another 40 point

and he will be well past the winning line here. You can see them coming.

Colours are available, reds are nicely situated. I would be

amazed if he did not win the frame at this visit.

67 remaining but not for long. This is a good reply from Mark Selby.

He may have been a little bit fortunate to get this chance stop he

played a poor safety and left Ali hampered. But there will be many

twists and turns in these matches. When you have a little slice of

luck, take full advantage. It will soon go the other way!

Can't make a century but as Steve alluded to at the start of the

match, Mark Selby gives every shot 100% concentration, and let's be

fair, it is all a good bit of practice, isn't it?

A little bit of an exhibition shot. He played it nicely.

Another little exhibition shot. How was that for position on the black?

Not quite. It didn't matter. Well, that was good. He showed Ali Carter,

give me the chance and I will take it. It is one apiece.

1-1. The second match. John Parrott and I were discussing what many

people have been saying on social networks, saying the standard has

not been up to scratch so far and yet, look at what we have seen

today. Yes, two great players playing against to each other and to

fabulous opening phrase. This is the highest standard we have seen so far

in any match. There were lots of people saying the standard hasn't

been very good. I was one of them. But when you get to players like

that, they know they have to play well to beat the other. So, you

would expect this to be a high standard. Thank you. Actor John and

Steve. -- back to John and Steve. He decided playing it to sin was

very risky so he played the safety. -- playing it too thin.

Excellent return. You know players are playing well when they miss the

baulk colours. Mark Selby didn't miss the yellow so

every smoke pressure on this next shot from Ali. -- there is no

pressure. Interesting there. That close-up of

Mark Selbys last shot. Head shaking. I think he thought he hadn't reached

for a second there. Not the first player we've seen at the Crucible,

great player, who has some sort of head shaking.

The great John Higgins was another player who, if you're a little

nervous, it can focus the mind. But as long as it doesn't affect your

back arm... Well, he's managed to miss the baulk

colour this time. But it's a decent safety shot.

Can't see any return back to the baulk end. We could see Ali playing

a pot on this. Is there any value? I don't think the black is available.

Jan the Haas was trying to get past him and Mark Selby warned him not to

tip a bottle of water over. -- Jan the Haas.

Venue blamed Alan McManus for not putting the top on the bottle. Could

get in tight behind the yellow year. He's having it we placed. I can't

believe that Ali will not be able to make the adjustment. Just got to try

and nestle in. That's the line he's looking for. S

he's used a lot of side. It's really sprung off the second cushion. He's

got to try and put in a lot more to create that angle. He's left this

red on to the right of the black. A tricky shot, this. But it is in.

Beautiful! APPLAUSE

What a recovery that was. Another little cannon that wasn't as

planned. His cue ball will be flying round

the table. Maybe it isn't as thin as it looks.

Oh, well! Knock three Times and ask for Joe! In playing that with some

back spin, he made that a bit harder but it did stop the cue ball from

flying around the table. He didn't think he'd be getting the

kiss on the red on the top cushion. The cue ball bounced off the black.

This is a test. It was hard to generate the type of

PC needed. Is he on the red to the corner here? The cue ball trying to

get into them again but there was not enough space. -- case. -- pace.

Spill Mark Selby is not found wanting that often but that was a

huge amount of power and back spin required. I think Ali Carter has

probably got him beaten in that department. But we are spitting

hairs at this level really. -- splitting.

JOHN VIRGO: In all honesty, he did well to get 32 there. Very good

recovery shot to keep the break going. But just didn't split the

reds. STEVE DAVIS: It's the second time he

hasn't got a favourable kiss on the main pack. That was going to be very

hard. They weren't ideally placed for that shot from that angle.

As it isn't a straight black, the cue ball will go forward slightly

and then come back in at an angle. Then you hope once it hits the red

that there is enough back spin to spin them a little bit further.

Well, the red ran on but is their value in trying to drop this red

into the right middle? I know it's a very acute angle but the only one he

could leave was the one he was playing, you would think.

Deciding that it's too difficult a pot so trying to get the cue ball

tight. Don't kiss the blue, whatever you do.

He gave that cushion a nasty look as he walked past it but the cue ball

effectively slid off that cushion in colliding with the blue. He

misjudged the amount of side he put on the shot. It changed direction

fractionally after hitting the cushion.

The worst thing for a snooker player getting used to a table is if the

different six commissions act differently -- six commissions act

differently. Looking back on that safety shot when he caught the blue,

he caught the ball much too thin. If you are going to put loads of side

on that type of shot, you need to hit the red very thin. That was

merely a good shot but just didn't get into the cushion enough. --

nearly a good shot. Cushions There does look to be some

type of plant into the right corner but I don't think any player can get

to it. A nice shot, that, from Ali. And

decent length. He's got to catch this thin to avoid

the jaws of the corner pocket. Shouldn't be a problem. But was!

The two reds together... The right-hand one went past the black.

If it didn't, he'd be having the balls replaced. It's a half chance,

this. Just a fraction out. As he left it?

-- has he left it? He apologises to Ali Carter. He's

got on the pink. It wasn't the wrong shot for Ali

Carter to take the red instead of putting Mark Selby back in.

He would have fully expected Mark Selby to have made the adjustment if

he had put him back. There was a chance. He was a bit unlucky, Ali

Carter. He hit that well. Yeah, it's a funny old game at

times. In the first frame, Ali Carter had a chance with a wonderful

102 break and he hasn't really been in the balls since. No. Great

response from Mark Selby. He'd certainly consider, as has been

mentioned before... It is a tough first-round match for players of

this quality. The general standard of play in the

first round of the World Championships can always been nervy

but the general standard of the top 16 is very high. Very unlikely to

get a player who is playing that poorly. There was a time when a

player that was in the top 16 was out of form and the ranking system

protected them to some degree but now anybody in the top 16 must be

informed, must have proved they are in form during the season.

He played for the red he is closest to. Just underhit it. Still 75

remaining. Don't get me wrong, it's a big lead

the way those three reds are on the left-hand side of the cushion, but

Ali Carter will just be glad to still have a chance in this frame.

If you moments ago, I'm certain he thought that Mark was going to

clinch it at this visit. Yeah, no way of guaranteeing clearing the

balls up in one visit at the moment. But a few safety shots can

always change the equation. The layout of the reds... Its Mark

Selby's job now in this frame to contain the situation.

Ali Carter has got to try and open the reds up without leaving one on.

That's always quite difficult. The half butts are no longer even

put on the tables. So many players now have their own extensions. Every

player now has their own extension. A great shot.

The long spider and the long extendable rest are now put in the

hooks running down the long side of the tables.

APPLAUSE Just went behind the blue but it was

an excellent safety. Mark may decide to take this on.

Plenty of insurance with those three reds that are close to the left-hand

side cushion and if he was to pot this red into the left corner, he

would go 69 points ahead with only 67 remaining. Surely it has to be

worth a go. He went for it but he's not got away

with it. He's left this red on. So Ali's got a few points to play with

here. He doesn't have to play all lacks, thankfully. -- blacks.

But we've already highlighted the problem balls, those three on the

left-hand side of the table. In a way, it isn't as bad having

those three on the side of the table as it would be having a red on

either side because it is a big bunch to go into to try and open

them up. Has he got an angle off this? A bit too straight for that.

He's got one more chance to get a good positional angle off colour.

He could, of course, try and disturb reds with this red. But in this

situation, he needs to guarantee being on a colour. He may be forced

to do it. Yes, but you're right. If he puts

this red and doesn't get on a colour, he's going to need a

snooker. That's why he didn't play the cannon

off the red. Is he going to screw directly into these reds or has he

got to screw off the top cushion? Because there are three together, he

will have to put plenty of pace into this. Going directly into them.

APPLAUSE Well, that's pretty good. To bring

all free interplay was asking an awful lot. -- all three into play.

He could have done more damage had he come off the top cushion.

He can consider himself a little bit unlucky to be right on top of the

red. A safety behind the blue. Showing good patients here. --

patients. Patience. This, for Mark Selby, is frame ball.

46 ahead, 51 remaining. The pot this red, 47 ahead with only 43

remaining. APPLAUSE

And a terrific pot. Wasn't bothered about position, new that was frame

ball. So one snooker to tie at the moment for Ali.

A great pot but a poor safety for Ali Carter at this level of play.

The problem facing Ali Carter is somehow having to get this safe. He

knows that if he doesn't get it safe and the other red goes in for Mark

Selby, the frame is over. I'll tell you what - this is a great

effort. He's done very well to get that cue ball back to the baulk end.

A good shot. Certainly knows his way round a

table, Mark Selby. Former eight ball pool world champion so he knows

clever shots. He made try to nudge the black to the cushion.

This is the one red that Mark Selby didn't want to play. He was quite

happy leaving it tight against the cushion. There is a red in open play

that he can't get to. 14-macro point snooker needed for Ali Carter to

tie. -- one snooker of four points needed.

APPLAUSE Well, that's outrageous.

Outrageous! He was forced into it and it's as sweet as a nut.

So that's the end of this frame and since the first frame, when Ali made

the break of 102, it has been all Mark Selby. Not winning frames in

one visit particularly, but playing good, solid match snooker.

Great shot! Take nothing away from the shot and the positional play.

If there was a shot of the championship, that would probably be

included in the nominations. As you say, John, frame over. Shots

of the championship are sometimes determined by the significance of

the shot in relation to the match. Lovely shot! I'll tell you what -

he's in good touch here. REFEREE: Foul. Foul because the cue

ball haven't stopped moving. Mark Selby is now looking very good. He

is now in the lead by one frame. JASON MOHAMMAD: A decent comeback

for Mark Selby. The longest frame of the match so far.

Ali Carter started with a century break and Ben hasn't had his hand on

the table. No decent chances because Mark Selby has dominated since then.

That's the difference between this stage of the tournament and the

first-round stage. Yes, you know you are coming up against a better class

of play as the tournament goes on so you have to be at the top of your

game. To say Mark Selby has only won three ranking tournaments, it's

quite incredible. That's probably his only weakness - he has to start

winning more. He's one of the best players in the game. When you look

back on his career, he has to start winning more big tournaments. Last

year we had this discussion at this moment when he won the Masters and

the UK championship. The UK championship. People said was his

best opportunity to win the triple Crown but it didn't happen. No, but

this is an agreeably hard tournament to win. Stevie Ward said it was an

achievement to win. I won one of them. There is added pressure

because he's come year after year ended hasn't happened. He was

involved in the best match I've ever seen when someone got beaten at the

Crucible when he lost to John Higgins in 2000 and 913-12. I think

that knocked him a bit because nobody could play that well and get

beaten. I think it knocked him. Back to John and Steve.

Willie Spears to frame advantage for the Jester from Leicester? -- will

it be at two frame advantage? He came down and got the rest out.

Very quick to be playing this. It shouldn't cause too much of a

difficulty. Just giving himself that extra little pause for thought,

which was necessary. He has played a good safety of there.

That was a good shot. Whether he found the baulk cushion or not, he

was in until bit of bother there and he's had to swerve around the blue

and he just missed the pink and caught the edge of the red. Just a

bit weak with that safety. Ali, in the last couple of frames, hasn't

had too many chances. You usually create chances by playing good

safety. He needs to play better safety than that. A chance for the

red. Mark Selby has put his potting boots on so far in this match.

Leaving your opponent on the baulk line is dangerous. It could be

costly now. The one red he would love to get on is the one that is

roughly occupying the black spot. Well, she decided that he would go

into them. It could have worked out better. At first glance, he is not

on anything that easy. I think the reason he went into them was the

pink was tied up and the black was on the top cushion, he was hoping,

maybe, to release the pink. That never happened. He is saying to yen

the house to watch this closely. Well, that was nicely played, a good

positional shot to get. The lack is available into both corners.

Excellent scoring opportunity. And to take two frame advantage into the

mid-session interval... Wrong side of the blue. It would

appear that he has a lot more work to do now. Not too much of an angle

on this blue to go in and out of baulk. Obviously, he has been

checking to see whether bottom red on the left goes. He has big

problems if it doesn't go. He made that look very easy. She really did

strike that well. What a great shot Baptist. -- what a great shot.

Really getting into his rhythm here. Whilst he has been nicknamed

the torturer by Ronnie O'Sullivan as opposed to the Jester from

Leicester, when he is in the right frame of mind, the terminology that

John Parrott came out with was apt. The Hoover. He starts to

relentlessly mop up the balls. He has got too much of an angle on the

blue. It may force him into playing the cannon. He has enough loose reds

without having to play the cannon. That is why he is playing the brown

here. He can pick off three loose reds after this brand. Well, it just

shows you. You just run out of position. That is not the ball he

played for. It was an afterthought to play the brown ball. He didn't

want to play the blue because he did not want to play the cannon, so now

a chance for Ali. And a good chance, really.

Roll too short. and I don't think there was any heavy contact there.

He just realised how solid that second red would be. He may have a

bit of a bounce on the cue ball. Tricky shot, this. He needs to get

it, though. Very well played. OK, he is a bit close to the side cushion,

a lot closer than he would have liked to have been. Putting the

black was the most important then. Now, can he pot this red and get an

angle on the blue? Well, he couldn't. If he had played it any

harder, the cue ball would have gone into the middle pocket. I'm not sure

whether he was trying to get as close to straight as possible and

then he would have run through with the cue ball. But he ran too far. I

think he was getting -- trying to get as close as he could. Now, he

has left himself further away for this pot. A tough pot. But also

tough to keep good position on the black. He has two screw across the

face of the black, here. There was a bit more angle than I

thought. So, he didn't risk trying to hold for the black. It looks like

a straight one on the blue. Just a slight angle. But whether that is

enough to enable him to force it off the side cushion, the brown ball may

be in the way. There is a chance to put this but the orbit of left-hand

side and hit the pink. That would open things up very nicely. Well,

very credit. He could not have played that any better. And in all

honesty, he deserved to be on something easier than this. I

thought the brown might be in the way. A tricky red to the right

middle. The pink was really the ball that was going to guarantee

position. But even so, he can consider himself a bit unlucky. He

has looked at the one in the middle. The problem with that if he

will have to play a bit of pace. Nicely played. It needs to bounce.

On this side of the baulk line. Well, the yellow is onto the middle

but tough. He is right back in the frame. Just 26 points behind now.

He played it nicely. So, this frame, well and truly back on.

The only small thing in Mark Selby's favour is that the brown is

not ideally placed for the clearance.

Very nicely played but not nice enough. A miss.

It was only a fraction away but he will have to be careful. In making

that minor adjustment, it may come off the cushion slightly different.

He doesn't want to run past this red he is trying to hit. You put a bit

of extra pace and it squares up off the first cushion. That is the one

thing also in Mark Selby's flight favour, I don't think the red below

the pink is pottable. So, even if he does present an opportunity to Ali

Carter, Ali Carter still have to play a positional shot that breaks

open those two balls. Yes, he did at that time. A chance

now for Ali to just flicked off that red that is just below the pink. He

can bring the red into play. But it needs a good pupil. If these to be

tight to the baulk cushion. -- a good cue ball. It is going the other

way because he doesn't want to stick the red up to the other pocket. A

chance for Mark Selby but no guarantees with this speculatively

long red, should you try it into the right corner, then he can get back

down the Bible, so he is playing the more difficult left corner. -- down

the table. Getting the green would be lovely for Mark Selby. I have

always said, and I will say it again, the player coming to the

table always feels as if his opponent has been a little bit

fortunate because nobody is really trying to come off the baulk cushion

behind the ball. Mark Selby missed the red by quite some way. That

tuple had more speed on it and also had a slightly different line, had

he taken if he had parted the red. So, a little shake of the head from

Ali Carter as he walked to the table, feeling that you grieved. He

feels that Mark Selby was very lucky there.

A big problem now to get it safe and he needs to get its say. 18 points

behind. He is trying to come off to cushion is an play this red on the

left-hand side of the table. I tell you what, it is a witty good line.

What a great shot. Well played. Ali Carter will feel as if he

deserved that. Perhaps the chance to get behind the green, unless he

wants to play it within behind the yellow. He didn't really get it

right, that. The trouble with playing it thin was that he could

not get the red back into the middle of the table. A chance for Ali

Carter but not the type of shot you want to play trying to put a red,

colliding with red and black, not knowing whether it tuple is going to

go. He has got to take it on. -- not knowing where the cue ball is going.

What a wonderful pot that was. It kissed the black. This was a

terrific shot. It nudges the blacks towards the side cushion but the pot

was so important, it keeps him in the frame.

And a terrific pot on the rink. He had to force that angle. It wasn't a

natural. You can see the pink bounce there after he hit it. It just shows

you, when you play with so much pace, it is hard to keep the ball is

on the bed at the table. He needs a good angle on this pink, it doesn't

want to be straight. Straight enough. He may even just have the

angle here to pot the pink, come off the side ocean and maybe can and the

red. -- side cushion. Maybe that is a positive. -- stability. He did. It

worked out pretty well. So, only the problem of the brown. For Ali

Carter. That is not to make light of the

fact that the red was tough. I know it is strange thing to say,

it is early on in the match, but this would be an important frame for

Ali to win. An important one. The mini session coming to an end.

It seemed that Mark Selby was calling all the shots until he just

ran out of position and missed the brown which stopped him in his

tracks and gave Ali a chance to get back in the frame. But this is the

key shot, from green to brown. That was the brown that got Ali back to

the table. The blue is looking like it could be in the way for a

positional shot but if he plays it right, he can take it out of the

equation. That was very close to being

perfect. He has a sniff of the brown over the green pocket. He has looked

at the scoreboard, brown and blue is all he needs so maybe worth taking

the brown on. He doesn't have to do a lot with it tuple. A big shot,

though. In his favour, the black is not on the spot.

Has he got away with it? I don't think he has. He has. No, he has

left it. You can see the swipe of the cue. That is something he needs

to keep under control. Eight points, the difference.

You wouldn't think it would be a problem to get from blue to pink but

stranger things have happened. But he does need the black, you are

back. -- you are right. He is nowhere on the pink. Just somewhere

on the pink, apologies! And funnily enough, because he is a little bit

further out, positionally, he could play a very aggressive positional

shot, potting the pink, in and out of baulk, but he has looked at the

double. He has lined up the double. I mentioned earlier on, he was the

world eight ball pool Champion. Can he play it as a safety shot at the

same time? That would make it much more attractive. I am not so sure he

can get the cue ball back to the bottom cushion.

If he could get the cue ball to the cushion, then, you know, he can miss

the double. But, boy, he has played a good safety there. Ali will do

very well not to leave a pot on this black. Seven points behind.

Is that correct, John? Did your maths, you are more of a gambler

than me. Three to one favourite? Yes, that is right.

It was a bit of a shot for him, Ali Carter, to get the black like that.

I think he thought it was a little bit of good fortune, it was a little

bit of good fortune, hitting that black bear. All is fair in love and

war. He made certain he got it safe but

he has left the cue ball and object ball close together. He could be in

more trouble next time around. In trying to get the black

absolutely tight on the baulk cushion, he quit a bit on that shot.

It's a very difficult attempt here, big cue ball going perilously close

to the middle pocket as well. Fantastic pot. Deciding frame. Every

spot. I don't know whether the referee has worked this out yet but

it is every sporting black. Ali would take that! Account later for

Yan Verhaus. Ali Carter potted that quite thick into the pocket. It

could have very easily wobbled and stayed there. 50-50 now. For a three

- one lead of 2-2. That is the modern way of playing

it. It can cause problems. If you get the right problem -- angle, it

causes a problem. Every hard to now play the shot.

He's tried something similar before and didn't get that close to the

pocket. That is the problem. So, it is a frame. An exciting frame. Some

good pots from Ali Carter but in the end, he just wobble them black and

she goes into the mid-session interval trailing Mike -- Mark Selby

by three frames to one. We have had top quality snooker so far. A

brilliant frame before the interval. Ali Carter has played an excellent

frame but snookered just to lose it on the re-spotted black. There was

one shot a that he could have played differently. He has got on the

brown, after getting the green, if you're playing the shot, the way the

school is, Ali only needs brown and blue so if you can played this a

little softer and leave the cue ball near the side rail, the one thing

you don't want to do is play at a faster pace. He had to played a

little bit slower. He only asked to drop the blue in after that. I know

he has taken the brown on with no intention of missing it. You can see

what that meant to him. He was a bit annoyed with himself. It was such a

brilliant break up to that. Keep up with a fantastic long red. Did all

the hard work, got on the brown, but then, the fatal error, stops, turns

around and looks at the school. Obviously, the importance of the

shot puts more pressure on him. She could have played it perhaps a

little bit less pacey but looking at the score just reinforced how

important the shot was. Interesting body language. He is annoyed with

himself. Mark Selby gets down and he can just sniff an opportunity. You

are bound to be a bit annoyed. He put a lot of work into that frame

and has nothing to show for it. A lot of hard work has gone into it,

that is when it hurts. You don't mind long frames like that as long

as you win them. We will now show you the best of the action from one

of the remaining matches between Mark Davis and Dominik Vale, that is

taking place on table one. -- Dominic Dale. First, a masterclass.

I am going to jump the white ball over that. All right, lie down.

This short here, I will spin the ball as long as possible. I will hit

the right, then it is going to spin, spin, and we will see when it stops.

There is usually time to take a drink.

He is potting a bit of fizz into the afternoon at The Crucible. It is

ladies day here today, and that is the subject of the table trick shot

today. It is of course not the trip shots,

we have done that! We have a previous champion here today, and

recently trained the World Champion on Tuesday. How do you feel? I

obviously over the moon. It is ladies day here, what is the idea of

that? We want to get more women and girls involved in snooker all over

the world, we're hoping to improve the game. What is the standard

like? At the moment it is not too good. Most of the top players went

to play pool. We want to bring them back and build up the circuit. Many

people watching will perhaps not know your back story. How did you

get involved? Watching my brothers playing, and I picked up the cue

macro and started potting balls. I used to play in the clubs with my

brother, I did not have a table in my home. How many women played at

the World Championships? There was 32. A big improvement on last year.

I did not know more stuff the players this year, so ladies day has

obviously worked. How easy is it for girls to get involved in snooker? It

is easy, but financially people cannot afford to come over and play

in England, because that is where most Germans are based. Hopefully we

can get into Asia and Europe as well. When you were growing up,

where you interested in other sports? My mum would have preferred

me to play tennis, but I love snooker. I wanted to be like my

brother, not now! My brother was nearly professionally changed --

trained. He needed sponsorship back then and had to work in the end.

Stephen Hendry does not like to talk to anyone who has won too many World

Championships! Today you have been given a few demonstrations to some

budding snooker players. And some coaching. Yes, we want to make sure

they are comfortable when they are playing, and improve the game. You

have to start right at the bottom, get them involved and interested in

snooker, and hopefully we have done that. Did you spot any budding

talent? One girl had never picked up a cue and hit the ball well. So

there was potential. Had any of them played beforehand? Now, everyone

seemed to be involved in school sports, not snooker. In this country

we are obsessed with football, rugby, cricket and tennis, how do we

get more people involved in the game? It is difficult because a lot

of the girls I see look really good and hold the cue well, but they are

just playing pool. -- used to playing pool. Are few of them have

talent on a pool table but not on the snooker table.

What should we be doing to get more people involved? Getting people to

be able to do this on the after school curriculum, just to get

snooker noticed. Some youngsters, it is games consoles and things like

that, but fingers crossed, they will move on. Do you think the whole of

the sport needs to do more to get young people involved? I think you

can always do more. During the world championship lots of people were

watching on TV and they want to play snooker. So hopefully we can keep

this up. On Saturday mornings at the clubs, we used to do 10-12 with the

juniors, you could not wait to get in there. These things have sort of

dropped off in the clubs, and it would be great if the clubs could

reintroduce this, give juniors two hours in the morning and a couple of

coaches. There are less and less snooker clubs. That is the problem.

When I was younger, we had 60 snooker tables and everyone's living

room! It is like football has taken over, that is all kids want to play.

Hopefully I will be involved in the two next. Would it be a dream for

you to appeared at The Crucible? I have played here to race through the

ladies, but it would be fantastic to get here. She said you wanted me to

enter the world championship so she could get me back! How nasty is

that! Thank you for popping in for a chat. Are you doing any more

watching? We are nearly finished, but we'll see what happens. Thank

you very much indeed. In a few moments we will show you Dominic

Dale against Mark Davis. This is one of the then use that Dominic Dale

loves coming to. When you come here to play, there is not an atmosphere

like it. The crowd are right there with you, you could almost push the

cue, they are so