Day 6, Part 2 Snooker: World Championship

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 close. Every shot you play, you are in the middle of

the riskier. I do not know any other venue you feel that. I'm a billiards

historian. Joe Davies popularised snooker. Historically, it is a very

important trophy for me to get my hands on. I do not think I will be

known as the fashion king. I Wear some outlandish gear, but they don't

match with each other. I am 42 no, I tend to go a little bit grey on the

sides. Every time I go to the hairdressers I dye my hair, covered

it up a little bit. Six months ago I noticed my hairdresser had a good

shade of blonde and I liked it, so I wondered whether to peroxide my hair

again. I did it just before the shoot out, yes. Mark Davis is a

tough player. Psychologically he is better than he has ever been. He is

probably secretly disappointed because he is doing so well over the

past few years that he probably wishes he was like that 20 years

ago, and probably feels he could have been if he had had the help

back then. If anything will bring the best out of you and the worst

out of you some things, it is always at The Crucible. Dominic Dale loves

it here. This is the man standing between Dominic Dale and a place in

the last 16 here that The Crucible. He is Mark Davis, 41 years old from

Hastings. He reached the last 16 last year. They ended the session

last night with Dominik leading 5-2. It is maybe sticking out below the

pink. He was giving someone the old

stayer, Dominic. -- stare. I think someone in the audience. Someone

shouted, come on, Mark. But you have got to have supporters, that is how

it is. You know has the opportunity to go

back into the same spot. You could see a little hair on the ball. Has

Willie Thorne been practising on the table? That is definitely not one of

his. If someone gets the chance, they

could go on and clinch it. There is one short year, he could go off the

left side of the red, and go behind the back. -- black. He has played it

well. Not a bad effort. Brilliant shot. APPLAUSE

He was tucked on the condition, so he did well to achieve that.

He should have stayed up there because the weight is going to go

into the same spot. Pretty good. Safe enough. When Mark

Davis played the excellent snooker behind the black, Davis did not have

the table, All he seemed about was getting the

white back-up table, but he should have looked at that.

What I liked about that shot, he did not force it, he just hit the shot

beautifully. That is what you have to do.

He could have done with a slightly better angle on this.

You have to be a little bit careful when you are forcing them.

He could have done with the white running a few more inches to leave

more or less straight blue. Or the green, I should say. Amazing.

If he is straight on the green, it is easy. But when you are having to

roll them in, He is looking anxiously to see that

he has finished at the right side of the blue.

He just went a bit too far there, so it was not straightforward as it

should have been. But he has played it well. Mark Davis missed the green

into the left middle pocket. If it had gone in he would have took the

frame. -- taken the frame. He now leads 8-2.

He does not look happy. We will bring you the conclusion of that

later in the programme. Our feature match is Mark Selby taking on

Allister Carter. Yes, both players are very focused. This has been very

good so far. Let us join Steve Davis and John Virgo.

Yes, this has been quality. Just coming up to one hour and 40 minutes

much time. Just to remind us of how the frame

before the interval finished, he was thinking, if it does not go in, it

will go back along the top position, but he got so close to the double

but it stayed in the pocket and he gifted it.

He may have left a chance here. He may have (in a portable position.

That she may have left one of the reds. Yes, before the interval Mark

Selby played a perfect black which got him in a lot of trouble.

Perhaps Ali Carter could have pleaded that harder. But that is

going back in time. -- played that harder. Advantage, Mark Selby.

That was a cracking pot. He is just about on the yellow. The one just

above the black, is that classed as long pot? It got to be over six

feet. The reason why it should be is

because the distance the raid had to then go to -- the raid has to go to

the pocket. He chose the wrong red. Yes, if he

had chosen the one nearest, he would have gone into the same pocket as

the black. So it has gone wrong. He could have hit that a lot firmer.

I do not think he is thinking about a plant, he does not want to knock

the red over the corner. Three inches too hard with that one.

Ali Carter has to be careful if he plays across this at the left-hand

cushion. He would be unlucky to stick it up

with the green, yellow and pink blocking.

That one was slightly different, and he has left that. No -- he needs to

screw into the reds at the top cushion. The reason I say that, he

could not just run through because he could catch the second red. But

if he gets it right he will be on the black.

He left it too thin, so he did not get the cannon.

He did not hit the red cool enough. So he missed the pot and the cannon.

Looking pretty sharp, Mark Selby. After a nervous couple of shots to

start off this match. And then losing the first frame. He has

looked very sharp and very strong. That is not good. No, he will be

disappointed with that. And even more so because the pink spot is not

available. If he had played this red more comfortably, he could have

controlled the cue ball. He has to drop the red in, dead weight. Not

the easiest position to put the spider. Got to be careful.

He just let the cue ball... He is the one who has to remove it from

the table, he cannot Aske the referee to do it. Delicately done! A

round of applause for taking a piece of equipment off the table, are very

appreciative crowd. Nicely controlled. Gave himself

every chance of being on a choice of The reds. Don't think the pink pops

into the right corner. Probably not. I think it will go to

the left corner. But he will have to try and get back up for the blue

here. Got the blue to the right corner. He is looking at a baulk

colour but the blue is in the right corner, he does not have to do much

with the cue ball. What he had to do was make sure he was the correct

side of the blue. Even going down for one of the baulk colours.

I thought that was a bit of a risk, to be honest. He tried to pot the

red and clear the red away from the pink. Didn't have to play it in that

way. Right in the heart of the pocket. I

think the lower red of the three, just below the pink, is available.

He judged the weight of that to perfection.

He is back in prime position here. I think we spotted it from the first

frame when he played the blue. We thought he had come out with a

positive attitude. He is very confident indeed. He has

got all the ability in the world has Mark Selby. If he has got his

confidence up as well, he will take some stopping. Ali Carter has played

good safety, it just seems Mark Selby seems to be getting their

chances at the moment and Ali Carter is being frozen out. They were

saying in the first match against Michael White, he didn't look

impressive. Albeit he closed the match out in great style. A great

performance to get over the line. I think this is the difference. The

top-class players, desperate to get their teeth into the tournament, get

past the first match. This is certainly a different Mark Selby who

has come out of the starting blocks today.

Well! He got a flick on the pink which meant he wasn't sure where the

cue ball was going to go, but unlucky. So the difference, 57 and

59 remaining. The frame was over until that cue ball dropped. Is Ali

Carter looking at playing the most aggressive shot he can? Pot the red

and split open the two reds on the top cushion. He needs a total

clearance. He has changed his mind. REFEREE: can you turn your earpieces

down, please? The volume is a bit high on some of them.

Big problem, the earpieces. Got to be honest, I am not a fan.

For some reason he does not fancy this red in the middle of the table.

I don't know why, really. Only the red needed to go 58 points in front

with just 51 remaining. Once the red went in it was going to

be snookers required. Probably a bit too late now. Two,

four point snooker 's. It has been done. He can pop this and get a

position on the black. That was a good shot, at that pace.

Excellent. One snooker required and a free

ball. That is another scenario. He is going to have a good shout at a

snooker here. Can he get a telling one? It is very difficult to get an

misjudgement of an escape these days from the players, but... You never

know, he has lost the cue ball a bit. But as long as he has got the

line right, it may have poked its nose out past the pin, which it has

done. Yes, he has just over stunned that.

The colours are not too badly situated. If you are going to make

it a telling snooker, as we come up to the two-hour mark in this match,

you need to be tight in on the colour. He has misjudged that.

That is the end of the frame. Ali Carter sits back in his seat. He now

knows he is 4-1 behind against a man who is playing well and looks to be

full of confidence. Just playing a little exhibition

shot. But it shows you how well he is cueing with the top spin and a

little bit of side he used to get round the table. Not bothered about

the black. Cueing well, everything running smoothly at the moment for

Mark Selby. He stretches his lead to three. He now leads 4-1. And an

interesting thing in that frame, when Ali Carter had a long red and I

was suggesting he could pot the red into the corner and play a cannon.

That plant was there then and he missed the red and it looked as

though he might have got it safe. But he left that plant? It is

unusual for a top player to miss a shot like that. But I think he was

smitten with the red and have the opportunity to get onto the black

spot. Hawk-Eye is so good. Never misses anything. Then when Mark

Selby came to the table, looked as though Ali Carter had not left

anything easy but of course that plant was still there. It just shows

you it is worth coming down and looking at the balls even though you

have picked a shot to play and look at what else is available. I think

if Ali had spotted the plans, he would have played it in preference.

I had not spotted it, I was looking at the opportunity he had, the same

as Ali. In a bit of a hole now, Ali Carter. 4-1 behind. Fantastic

turnaround by Mark Selby. Eight frames in these sessions is two

sessions of eight and then the remaining frames, possible nine. The

third session makes up the 25, so Ali needs to win a couple of these

frames. He'd like to win all three, obviously but if Mark Selby wins one

more he is certain of a two frame advantage after the first session.

Only two sessions of play today. Afternoon and evening. He has sent

the reds to the corners. Got a good cue ball, but he could not really

guarantee how the reds were going to split. A very aggressive opening of

the pack. Perhaps he feels he has got to force the pace a fraction.

The problem is it was the correct path for the cue ball so he had to

play it ritzy thick. He has played some good safety in this it's just

Mark Selby's long potting has been very good. I think that 79% safety

success from Ali Carter is made to look worse by the fact Mark has been

knocking in these balls and there is another one. This is as good I have

seen Mark Selby for quite a while. I remember speaking to him after the

UK, and he said although he had got to the final, he was lacking in

confidence. Maybe expecting too much from himself sometimes?

Arguably, he has had a good season, but as a bridesmaid. He did win a

PTC, but in the big events, frustration at the final hurdle. The

standard he produced in winning the Masters... At is very best, I think

he is a potential world champion, this year.

One of the few players in the game who has genuinely caused Ronnie

O'Sullivan problems on the table. Not certain if the black will go

into the right corner pocket. If it doesn't, it is not going to be easy

to get a sizeable break here. Just blue and baulk colours to play for.

He will do well to make a frame-winning contribution here. Got

a nice angle on the blue. Huge amount of experience goes into

working out the correct order of clearing these reds. He is clearing

one of the two reds that locks the path to the black. He could have

been forgiven for playing the two reds that go into the same pocket

that are in the main pack. But he has got to use one of those to get

back on the black. It is Advantest positional play. He has always got

to be on the right side of the blue. That is the critical shot at this

level. He noticed a little grimace. He is practically straight, may be

able to force a little bit of an angle. Just about got away with

that. He had lots of left-hand side spin on.

He didn't really come back as he would have liked and that is why he

is close to the side cushion. He will do well to keep this rake

going. It is not straightforward any more. An advantage of playing with

pointed shoes. More ability to reach over the table. If you have clown

shoes on, you could have reached further! I saw a pair of shoes last

night, I was watching it on the red button. It is the man playing on the

other table, it looked like something out of Madagascar.

They are the ones we are talking about. I love them, but would you

wear them! Dominic Dale's shoes. He is involved on the other table. Bit

of a clash with the socks, but let's not get involved. I never even

noticed his socks. They kiss on the yellow and looking at Ali Carter's

face, he has left this red and it is an nice angle. Ali Carter cannot get

any table time at the moment. That is the first shot Mark Selby

has let off the hook for a while. Yes, it seems just a minor mistake

from Ali has been costing him frames. Can Ali now get a foothold

back in this frame? He has not got an easy one. Even though you expect

him to get this, it is miscible. He hasn't had many shots recently. You

called it, Steve. That is the problem with this game of snooker.

Sometimes you can be sat in your chair not getting a lot of table

time. Then when you get a half chance like that you have got to

come to the table and produce. It is not easy.

I think he has covered everything. If he could get past the black, the

possibility of a planned. But I don't think he can see enough of the

red if he goes past the black. I don't think he can even risk going

back to the baulk ends here? No, he will lay on the red. Even though he

does not want to play the shot, he loses any tactical ad. -- advantage.

Great effort! Had to get the screw back the right amount as well. Ali

sits back in his seat. Shakes his head. But there is nothing you can

do about it. Fair play to Mark, he spotted the double. Being a very

good pool player he is used to playing those doubles and plants.

Excellent shot. Sometimes there have been players, people have criticised

Mark Selby for being a bit negative. He certainly isn't showing this. I

have never thought that is a view for me, but that was an aggressive

opportunist shot he took out there. I will refer back to the blue he

played in the first frame which he missed. But from then he has looked

in a positive frame of mind. And when he is good, of course, he

is very good! Bit low on this but that could have

been intentional. Is he on a colour? He is on the blue to the far

right corner. If he knocks it in, you can see the way the reds are.

APPLAUSE Clean as a whistle. Just red and

colour needed to stretch his lead even further.

Very impressive this, Steve? Yes, this is as clinical and outing as we

have seen, I would say so far in this tournament. Obviously Marco Fu

was very impressive. Ding Junhui is a player who is

extremely clinical. He did not get off the ground in his match, he has

already gone home. This is the level of snooker you need to produce to

win this event. Perhaps the other two players,

without picking out the names of Ronnie O'Sullivan and Neil Robertson

playing relentless snooker to this level. Obviously on occasions, Shaun

Murphy as well. You can include Ali Carter in that. But if you are sat

in your oilseeds, there is nothing you can do about it. -- sat in your

seat. It does not matter about the red, the frame was over before that.

Ali Carter, even in this first session sees it slipping away

slightly. Mark Selby leads 5-1. Mark Selby was beaten by Barry

Hawkins last year and it was a match he did not get going in. I am

looking at him now and thinking how focused is he today? It is awesome.

He is in absolute match mode. You can say he is not making 100 breaks,

but every mistake Ali Carter makes, he is getting punished. I think Mark

Selby has been awesome. Do you think Mark Selby is playing without the

pressure. He came into the Crucible last year because people were

talking about the triple Crown, but this year he has come without the

extra pressure? He looks very relaxed and very composed up the

table. I think he is desperate for another crack at Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Both of them have got a long way to go before that happens, but I think

he would love it. He has reached his first target of this match, he has

got to five and will be ahead going into the second session. If he can

win this session by even more, what a lead. Ali Carter has got to get

something from somewhere. But how is he getting a chance? He has been

awesome, Mark Selby. It is so difficult to play against because it

is relentless. Looking here, he found the double, played it straight

into the pocket. Ali is sitting in his chair and cannot get going.

There was a little smile from Ali Carter, nothing he could do? He is

starting to look frustrated. As John Virgo said, when you are kept in

your seat, there is nothing you can do, then you get a half chance, and

you snatch at it. Chances become even more important. You have been

frozen out, you haven't got a cue action. All of a sudden it is on you

and you have to go and do it. The key factor is, you go into the

mid-session interval having just lost and it affects you mentally? It

is a massive point in this match. The fourth frame could be a major

turning point in this match. Mark Selby in sparkling form, but to

Steve and John. JOHN VIRGO: another excellent safety

shot from Ali Carter. He has hardly done anything wrong, and is looking

at a 5-1 deficit. Two more frames to be played in this session. So

important. If he could win the next two and get out of this. Look at

that. He found the line. It is relentless at the moment. As he sits

in his chair here's hoping he wins one of these two friends. -- he is

hoping. It looked to be a decent angle on

the brain. This is where the match play comes in. He reminds me of a

modern-day Cliff Thorburn. He scores heavily but has a tactical game.

He did not like the bounce of the cushion there. Yes, I can only

assume the shot he played is not on. He was trying to make it stick to

the cushion with lots of right-hand side.

He will be pleased with that. Beard is a red at the top corner. Ali

Carter is frightened to leave anything for Mark Selby at the

moment. Slightly awkward cueing. Is that not

always the way in this game? When you are in front, playing well, you

always seem to get a good run of the ball. Yes, it was a bigger risk than

he has been taking on. , that red. Yes, as I say, he was hampered. He

could send the cue ball across to the left-hand side of the table,

with a bit of insurance involved in that.

Added shot, and he played at the best way. Is that red does not drop,

it would have stayed in the jaws of the pocket. So he fully committed.

Good shot, can he make the most of -- can he make the most of this? It

is not an ideal opportunity. He needs to get the right angle on the

blue. PHONE RINGS Switch it off, please.

If the one touching the black pot is, he wants to get it out of the

way as quickly as possible. He must think he has got a chance.

He has to make sure there are no obvious plants.

He has a red to continue with, and that is normally all they are

looking for. But the pink they hate has gone safe. -- the pink he hit.

Think he might be able to get round the back. He says it doesn't go. I

don't think it goes. It would go in the middle. But that would be a

difficult additional shot to play. Maybe there is no alternative. I

think that is too tight. He could not risk it. I think he tried to go

up the table for the blue. There is no way he would be on the black.

So, just a safety. It was on this judgement not getting through the

gap in the black. -- behind the black.

Is crabby free in developing. But Ali Carter wants to get his hand on

the table. Mark Selby is in no rush. This red is over the corner, and if

the green does not come to his rescue, he can pot it. Ali Carter

has two begin here. He needs to have the attitude, no matter how you do

it, when the frame. It is difficult to control this cue ball. He does

not want it to go into the bulky area. -- the baulk area. I do not

think he is playing badly, but we have not seen much of him.

That is the fascination of the three sessions second-round. Mark Selby

has an advantage, a healthy advantage.

As long as Ali Carter believes in himself, who is to say he cannot

turn this around? If this was the first to ten, he

would be thinking he had to win the next two friends to keep himself in

the match. But sometimes players forget it is three sessions.

If he can get out of this 5-3, he will spend the rest of the day

thinking, that was not so bad. I really was up against it and I now

on the two friends behind. He is a bit close to the cushion

here. He likes controlling the cue ball harder. -- makes controlling

harder. He had to hit that softer than he would have wanted. Suburban.

If that had just run on another six inches it would have been perfect.

This is a big frame for him. He has to win it, he has got to take it for

his own self-esteem. He has been frozen out, through no fault of his

own. Just great play from his opponent. He has a bit of a problem

here. He has got to commit to this. If he had been straight on this it

would not have been a problem. He played that well. It was a delicate

shot. He needed an immediate reaction from the cue ball.

Sometimes when we see these shots they look easy. He will need the red

undercover to clinch this frame. -- and a colour.

If he pots this, he needs the black. If he pots that think he will need

another snooker to carry. This will mean more chance of a

comeback. He nearly took to the yellow with his arm.

That is the end of the frame, and Ali Carter will be relieved. He will

be thinking of the last frame of this session. It is going to be a

big one. It will either be a deficit of four

or two friends. A big difference. That shows what he thinks about

that! He just wants to get on with the last frame of the session. He

lost five in a row, but he won that one. Can he reduce this to two? Fair

play to him, digging and against Mark Selby. That could be a big

frame because John Virgo was rightly saying that if he can get out of

this first station at 5-3 he would delighted. Absolutely, he has been

dominated by his opponent. He would arguably be the better of the

players. Yes, there are chances. He has already done this and has the

bait of the cherry to get 5-the. There's a lot to go on this, and

they all have talent. He has shown enormous character because he has

been under pressure all through the session. To do what he did was

great. He will be cock-a-hoop. He has been saying that he wants a real

role that long run, but it is hard. This is what it is about here,

sometimes there is a bad session but you have to limit the damage. O back

to Steve Davis and John Virgo. He felt he had more control over the

cue ball, but this red to the right of the blue pots.

He chose to play for the colour, and he played it harder than I thought

he was going to. Perhaps it was wider than I first anticipated.

People were groaning. That is exactly what was going through Ali

Carter's mind. That was a fluke. He does not have enough pace on the

cue ball. He can get one into the middle pocket, and then get onto the

pink. That was six inches to five. It

wasn't easy to get the right position. Now he is looking to come

in between the green and brown, then back out up the table, and that

would be a fantastic shot up the table.

He controlled it well. This is making Ali Carter squirm in his

chair. These are all the looks. -- flukes.

Ali Carter is frustrated young belief. He is picking out shots.

He will struggle to keep it going now, though.

He hit them well, a bit more pace to get the cue ball to come off the

side of the cushion. He may have been on a red.

A bit careless to hit the green, but he got 22 points from a night Regis

look -- out outrageous fluke. APPLAUSE

He needs a good kiss on the brain. He cannot play the brain, he would

come into the green. -- on the brown.

It is a very aggressive yellow into the top pocket to play for one of

the red balls into the middle. You have got to more or less guarantee

the yellow to play this. That shot required good cue action,

but he is showing great characters out he had at the end of this

session. -- out here. He had to force the angle round. Does the red

pass the angle to the pink and the right middle?

This has been a fascinating session of snooker between heavyweights.

This was a trend is red. It had him squirming in his seat. It means so

much when you know you are going to have to sit down for a while.

In his first match, he produced at the right time.

In the cluster, the left-hand one might go to the corner. He does not

have to play any cannons. Not just at the moment. He has a 6-point

lead. That leaves it to straight on the

black, so he has played for this red.

He is just coming to have a look to see if it is available into the

middle. He does not think so. In the modern game they make these

shots look easy. They have got to be so accurate.

I do not know if he has enough angle to pot this and play a cannon on the

outside red stop he would have to force this. Can he play a cannon and

leave himself on that? He can! This was a big frame for Ali Carter.

They are both on equal potting, but this has been about both players

given the opportunity playing well, and one of them was frozen out for a

while, and is showing great character. Ali Carter at least will

take something out of this session now. Obviously he will be

disappointed to have lost the session, but when he lost five on

the trot and was 5-1 down, he had to dig deep. These last two frames have

been very important. You speak to Mark Selby and he will be pleased to

have won the session. He has not done a lot wrong. Ali Carter started

with a century. Can he top and tail this session with another one?

Highly likely. When he got one in the first frame,

it was the 17th century of the tournament so far.

This, for the century. 102 in the first. Marvellous! Absolutely

marvellous. He has played a man at the top of his game who has had him

sat in his seat most of this session. But what a finish from Ali

Carter and what a session from both players. Absolutely top drawer. That

is what you get at the crucial ball. It is the World Championship

and bat was World Championship quality. Mark Selby wins the session

5-3. It will resume at 10am tomorrow

morning. That was the best session of snooker played by a country mile.

Mark Selby was all some from 1-0 down. Two showed the character Ali

Carter has shown, play as well as that. There is a shot in the last

frame, he has lost the cue ball slightly, he came down and straight

into the pocket. Ali Carter will be delighted with himself and so he

should be. We were thinking is this going to be a repeat of what

happened at a Welsh. But fair play to Ali Carter he has really come

back this afternoon? We know he has got back character. 5-1 down, it is

looking desperate. 6-2 would have been a massive mountain. But great

character. When they have their night in the hotel this evening, who

will be the happiest player? Both will be happy. It won't be talking

about the last two frames in the Mark Selby camp. There is a bit in

that result for everybody. Looking forward to Joe Perry this evening.

This is what we can expect now in this second round? I have been

critical about some of the standard in the first round, but that was

proper snooker today. These boys have set the bar? That is the

standard they will have to reach themselves to get through this

match. There is one match remaining in the first round and that is

between Dominic Dale and Mark Davis. When you get past the age of 35,

people say your career is coming to an end but Mark Davis is 41 and is

playing some of the best snooker in his life. The older he has got, the

better he has got. Mark Davis is an example to anybody thinking of

turning professional. His technique has stayed the same. He sticks at

things and that is why he is edging closer to the top eight players. It

does not have to happen overnight, if you have got a good technique,

stick with it and you will get the rewards eventually. They have

alluded to his age and Mark Davis has saved his best snooker for when

he turned 40. He has battled away for all those years now reaping the

rewards. Mark Davis is becoming very consistent. He is getting to the

latter stages in every tournament he plays in. He is one to watch.

Weakness of his game to me is control of the cue ball. We see so

many times, you only get one chance. Can he do it consistently, I am not

too sure. Mark Davis up against it taking on Dominic Dale. Seven bash

to overnight. Mark Davis is at the table in the 11th, just a point

behind. He could have done without that. The

blue is off its spot, so that makes it a bit easier. Yes, pot the blue

and the White will be going over the brown spot.

Yellow, green, Blount and blue needed. -- brown and blue needed.

Has left himself a bit to do here. If he was in front, that would have

been easy enough. So straightforward clearance has been missed by Mark

Davis. Just a fraction short of pace.

Hasn't given Mark Davies a lot of options.

As to be careful as he heads towards the black. He could see enough of it

to just send it on to the side cushion.

He will have two play this with a lot of side. He is looking at the

top and side cushion now. This is dangerous. He has done well.

May have put himself in a spot of bother. A little thin one. He is not

looking at it yet but the possibility of getting down behind

the black. He will keep the brown safe and try and get the white on

the cushion back where his body is. Pretty good.

Two-cushion escape. Pretty good. A bit unlucky that the blue got in the

way. The blue is in the way again, if Mark Potts the brown. He will be

hoping to not the blue into a possible position. I am not sure if

the angle is there. You cannot miss them when you are so

far behind. Pretty good. A bit thin on this blue

than he would have liked, but still a good pot on the brown. His face

tells you he does not want to take this on. He would try and get the

snooker. Send the blue around the angles onto the baulk cushion. Don't

blame him for that. Even though he is leading, keep the pressure on.

Nicely played. I wonder if Dominic can get in behind the black?

Has got the blues safe. -- blue safe.

It is what we call a blue Ball fight. Who ever Potts the blue

should win the frame. This is not a good shot. You have

got to keep the object ball safe. It does not matter about the snooker,

when the scoreline is as it is, you must always keep the object ball in

a safe desertion. Difficult to control when the ball is so close to

the pocket. That was played beautifully. It

wasn't easy to control the cue ball. He is going to need the rest but the

black is comfortable here, you have two say.

It may look comfortable to you, Dennis. He has got it, though. Good

clearance from Dominic pushes him close to the winning line. Dominic

Dale needs just one frame to seal a place in the second round. Into the

second and there is no score. He needs this frame to take us to a

mid-session interval. Is he going to go crashing into The reds? There is

a loose one at the back and a couple of other ones but he may try to

scatter them all over the table. How is your luck? It is pretty good.

Well played. His highest break so far has been

63. But he did lose that frame. He has a good chance here. He would

like to state in the match, do a big break and then he Mayfield that

otherwise he has not shown here in this match. That is the feeling you

get out there when you are missing chances.

I tell you what would make Mark Davies feel better, that is for reds

and for blacks. There is a matter of ?25,000 for a maximum break. Not a

bad way to keep yourself in the match.

There is the 25,000 gone. Still the chance of a big break.

His touch has not been with him in this match. As lost position a

number of times. He has been put under a lot of pressure with Dominic

Dale. 69 in front, so that part would have

been enough. -- that part. It looked in, but then it caught the jaw. Not

a bad effort, but as Terry mentioned he made a 63 break and lost the

second frame. Surely he cannot make 69 and lose this frame? He needs

this and the last frame to take us to a mid-session interval. Dominic

will want to try and get a match finished as soon as possible and get

himself ready for the second round. As they used to say, pick the bones

out of that one. The flick on the brown has left it

awkward for Mark Davis. He tried to move the red away from the corner

pocket. It is a clever little shot coming off the corner of the middle

pocket to get back up there. Needed good cueing. Cannot really

hit a ball better than that. He is OK, he has got the red in the

centre. Not quite. Mark Davis has got a frame on the board after a

while. That was his highest break of the match so far. Into frame 13 and

after two misses, it is Mark Davis to play. He has two hit a red

otherwise he will forfeit the frame. He doesn't have to play the same

shot again. It looks as if he is going to take the pot on the right

corner. He will cannon into the red and the pink.

What about that for a shot. Look where all the rats have gone. Have

you ever seen as many reds near this back cushion? -- The reds.

Nice to see Mark Davis making an effort. You see some players who are

long way behind, not putting a lot of effort in. At least he is giving

it 100%. Chances of him winning from here are very slim.

I remember the night Cliff Thorburn last from being nine in front. Had

to have a few drinks with him just to commiserate. You paid, obviously?

Always, you know me. I bet Mark Davis is wishing this

match was just starting now. He is looking like the Mark Davis we have

seen over the last couple of seasons. It is getting more and more

difficult now. Still a couple of reds available to him.

He doesn't need many more pots. He is 51 in front. If he can cut this

read in and get on the blue all the pink, then the red nearly opposite

corner pocket, he'll be over the line without having to risk a

cannon. He can't do much with the cue ball.

Dominic knows there will still be enough on the table for him to tie.

He's looking at the pink. He's got a choice. He could just click the

black onto the cushion and then you no chance for Dominic to get the

four reds and four blacks. It would be impossible.

If he holds the pink in, that is the frame safe.

A nice effort of 61 from Mark Davis. Every chance now that we will go to

the mid-session interval. APPLAUSE

That is worth a go with the Blackbeard of its spot.

-- with the black being off its spot.

Dominic can't win or even tie. He's taken the more difficult read on.

Good idea. Gives him a chance. -- the more difficult red.

It was a close but he's covered the red in the pocket. -- wasn't close.

I'm wondering what angle he's got onto the red in the middle pocket.

He may have an angle to pot this and dropping behind the black.

Now it's a tricky cut. A few more inches with the white and it would

have been a decent chance. This to keep the frame alive.

GROANING Well, well, well. Dominic may think

it's worth playing on now. If that red had gone in, he would have

definitely conceded. Dominic Dale needs two four point

snooker is. Dominic Dale will be a little

disappointed but he's still trying to finish the match off before the

interval. He's looked very good in this

session today at times. Made a few breaks. Over 60 in the last two

breaks but he's missed a few balls in the last few breaks.

APPLAUSE A good effort from Mark Davis. He

pulls another one back but he's still trailing 9-4.

JASON MOHAMMAD: Two frames on the boughs Web rebounds for Mark Davis.

Is an unlikely comeback, cards? Into frame 14 we go. 16 points the

difference. TERRY GRIFFITHS: Certainly knocking

those long ones in. He struck that very well.

Dennis said earlier, no danger yet for Dominic but if Mark Davies

carries on like this and keeps Dominic in his chair, there will

come a time when he's going to start to think. A strange balance in your

mind when you are a long way in front. You don't want to think

you've already won the game or that you can't lose it but you've still

got to keep concentrating all the time. Sometimes the balance loses

its way somewhere. DENNIS TAYLOR: He's had breaks of 69

and 61 in the two previous brains and is well on his way here. --

frames. Who is this guy? Missing so little

at the moment. Earlier on, he was missing a few vital shots.

Once again I think the difference here is cue ball control, although

he did have a good pot to get in. He's kept it under control and had a

succession of easy shots. Just needed that pink for another

frame on the board. Still a possible 59 on the table so he's got to get

on the black here and he can do. If he just dropped it in dead weight,

he has to be careful he doesn't snooker himself for the red that is

closest to the cue ball. That is going to cling to the

cushion. Always helps. APPLAUSE

When the blackest tight on the cushion, it's much easier than when

it's just a fraction of. -- when the black is tight.

He didn't hit that hard enough and is going to have to go all the way

round the angles here and play a trick shot. This is the black

clinging to the cushion. APPLAUSE

He played it well. He might be a little bit unlucky but that's a

great effort. In fact, it's touching the red. We'll show you the white

threading its way through the green and brown. He declared a touching

ball. He could still pot this red into the right-hand corner but he'd

have to get out onto the black. Got to hit this one my -- nicely.

From that angle, it is touching the cushion again. Dominic, you could

never get it into the pocket at that pace!

It's difficult to turn a shot down sometimes but you've got to be

strong enough to do it. That wasn't the right shot at that pace. He was

still in the frame. He kept Mark Davis thinking about

the pinky missed in the previous shot. Not an easy one. -- the pink

he missed. Mark Davis missed a few shots in the previous frames to win

and when you come to the pink that he missed, you think, "let's make

sure of this, " and that's the worst thing you can think and everything

seizes up inside you and you miss the pot.

He hasn't been punished for the red he missed along that cushion.

It is in Mark Davis's favour to keep the reds down behind the ball line

because Dominic needs two blacks and two reds to win the frame, and all

the colours. He doesn't want to play is the one

down the side of the table and put it up the top. In his favour to keep

it in the baulk area. That is a pretty good attempt to get

behind the pink. A very aggressive shot.

Mark Davis is snookered on both balls. I think he tried to get

behind the pink but he's got behind the yellow anyway. There was a

chance when the blue was in that line.

Danger signs here. Pretty well played. The best thing to do is to

try to get the red safe. Is Dominic going to be tempted with

this long red? No. He's looking at the other is to play safe off. He

needs two reds and two blacks, all the colours, to pinch the frame and

match. He's having a go. What a great

shot! APPLAUSE

He was a bit unlucky. He didn't quite pocket clean but it was a

tremendous shot. I didn't think he would get a better chance and he's

played a very good shot there and he's going to need another good one

if he's to take the black on and get the last frame. He will have to go

all the way around the angles. He's taking the pink, which means he can

only tiny. -- only tie. He could have been snookered there.

He needed to slip past the black and he did. Very good. 35 behind, 35 on.

Surely he isn't going to win the match on a re-spotted black because

if he clears up, that's what will happen. It will be the toss of a

coin. The yellow is just off its spot,

which makes it slightly more difficult.

He's not going to strike one better than that. Mark Davis sitting down,

I think, now. He has got a lot to do.

Very little to do with the blue. Just drop it in and he'll be perfect

on the pink. So it was a good choice to take the

pink rather than the black. That's a very good clearance from

Dominic Dale. APPLAUSE

So tense. A little bit of excitement. You always want to win

the toss. The referee gets the black back on its spot and he will toss

the coin. If you win the toss, you put your opponent in. It's a head.

He has won the toss so he puts Dominic in. The shot these days

seems to be to put the shot over on the black cushion. In the old days,

it was on the spots. That seems to be the shot all the

players play and it's left Mark Davis with a tricky little shot.

I've seen people take the double on. He's looking at the angle here. I've

seen them take the double on rather than try a delicate safety shot.

He's looking at the pocket and looking at the black. I think he's

having a go at the double. Well...

APPLAUSE It looks pretty good. In fact, it's

very good. Oh, he's left a possible double now

to the middle pocket. He'll definitely take the double on

here. Not quite.

APPLAUSE A black ball fight! If Dominic pots

it, he's in the second round for the first time for quite some time. Care

he's lost in the opening match here on the last three occasions, once to

Judd Trump, last time to Ronnie O'Sullivan. -- twice to Judd Trump.

Well, he decided it was worth the risk. Oh, he's left an awkward one

here for Mark Davis. Mark asked to take this on. Difficult to play a

good safety shot. Just off straight. Steadying himself up. A little shake

of the head. " Do I or don't I?" APPLAUSE

Brilliant cueing from Mark Davis! They don't come any better than

that. But is a superb black to keep himself in this year's World

Championship. Still a long way back but if you are in it, you can win

it. JASON MOHAMMAD: A great shot for

Mark Davis. Dominic Dale needed just one frame to take on self into the

second round. -- take himself. DENNIS TAYLOR: He needed that to

avoid canning into the reds on the right-hand side of the table.

DENNIS TAYLOR: This is a tough shot he's taking on because if he doesn't

cannon that red off the right side of the table, then... Oh, well

played. Dominic might free the black here.

He played off the other reds and has freedom black. -- freed the black.

TERRY GRIFFITHS: He just tried to avoid those two but he hasn't got

the pace on it now. I think there is a path through to

the one that is over the pocket. The green is not in the way. He is

coming round to see. Not a problem getting onto the black here.

He has started clearing very nicely, Mark Davis. After he lost the second

frame in this match, a frame he made a 63 break in. You don't lose many

frames when you make a break like that, but he did and it seemed to

turn the match around. It is difficult Dominic because he

has been dominant in the match. Then psychologically you are not prepared

for that when suddenly you are being bullied. It is difficult to get your

mind to think of what is, rather than what it was. That is what

happens out there. When someone is coming back at you from a long way

behind, time seems to stop. There is no other sport like it. If you are

playing golf, you can hit a good shot. If you are out there on the

snooker table, and you are knocking all of the balls in, there's nothing

I can do about it. Which means the psychology plays such a big part in

this game. It really does. We talk in athletics about mental

preparation. 100 metres, you run the 100 metres in your mind before you

have even started, but it is difficult to do that with a game of

snooker. Imagery is used a lot into Dave's

world of sport. -- to Dave's. Where did that come from? He was

playing for the pink in the middle. I don't know if he got a bad contact

or not, but he had no spin on the ball. It is the first shot he has

not timed correctly for quite a long period. The last three frames he has

been stroking the ball beautifully. This is the first real chance

Dominic has had for quite a while. Just a little awkward with the black

being on the pink spots and the reds all to the left of the black and

pink. It is not a straightforward chance to make a sizeable break.

Dominic would like to get the black back onto its spots, or part of the

pink and get that onto the black spot. He has looked a bit tense

these last few frames, understandably. He has got to relax

and try to focus. Just play the shot in front of him. It is difficult to

take the occasion out of the way. That was nicely played. Good chance

now. This is like a practice session. You

would throw the balls around the table and the pink and black, and

practice your break-building. But this is not a practice session. A

series of little stun and screw shots. Keep close control. For the

last three or four shots, the White has moved hardly more than 12

inches. You still get a feeling some thing

still may go wrong here. The strangest of things can happen. Mark

Davis will be hoping it is not his last chance in this year's

championship. It would be a horrible way to go out. Don't like to see

anybody missing an easy shot. You don't mind going out if your

opponent knocks in a cracking part and be too, but if you missed a

sitter like the one he missed. There, you could see him leaving

himself a choice of reds. Couldn't have played that any better. People

said, you are thinking three, four or five shots ahead but sometimes

you are playing the white into an area like Dominic did and then you

have got yourself a choice of shot. He is hampered slightly. But he has

the other two. There is only one red that is safe

and Dominic is not going to need that. He can clinch this match with

those open reds. He is looking a bit more relaxed

now, Dominic. He was looking a bit tense. Nothing worse than being

almost the a few times, like he has been in this match. Chances to get

to ten. A good few frames ago. He just needs to roll the black in

and let the white slide up past the pink and then he will be on those

two reds. Slide up past the pink, Dominic. To cannon the pink is very

careless. He is only a couple away from getting himself into the second

round. Schoolboy error to cannon the pink. He knows that. Dominic was

looking at the one on the question, that red. He has got a 40 point

lead. Plenty on the table. Why doesn't he

take the double on? He can get back towards the black. Definitely would

be taking the double on. Even if he didn't get on the black, put himself

41 in front and pushed the black safe will stop if he takes the

double there is every chance he could finish on the black. He would

not leave anything. A good rate of 57 but a

disappointing end when he cannoned the pink. -- break. He knows the

match should have been over. If Mark Davis brings this red into play,

Dominic knows only too well that things can happen. Terry said that

there might just be something else could happen in this match, but not

a good one from Mark Davis. He could be in trouble here.

He didn't get in behind the black, but he has knocked a red safe and

not the yellow near the cushion. -- knocked the yellow. 40 points

behind. He has had a look. Nicely played, brought the yellow

into play. A very good safety shot. Dominic has got to be careful here.

He can see the red closest to the brown. B tries to get back up the

table he can send that red that is tied up and bring that back into

play. Or he could part it! -- pot it. What a matchwinner that

could prove to be. Just made sure of the brown. Another

quick glance at a scoreboard. 45 the difference. Possible 43 on the

table. Barring that snooker, Dominic Dale

gets himself into the second round and he takes the match 10-5.

Mark Davis Dominic Dale out there a bit longer but then he finally

sealed his place in the last 16. Mark Davis is out and Dominic Dale

will play Michael Wasley in the second round. Dominic, keeping us

all waiting but eventually he runs out the winner and seals his place

in the last 16. Well played. Here he is. As well as his lovely pair of

shoes. Would you like to show the audience. There have been lots of

social network action about them. They are made by a company in

Italy. But I think they have gone out of business. I am shocked. Very

few people can get away with them. I know, I cannot afford Gucci ones

like you. I got them in Cardiff. I used to live there. You play Michael

Wasley in the next round, how is your form against him? I use to

practice against him in Gloucester. I used to get the better of him most

of the time, but in the last 18 months his game has come on in leaps

and bounds. Since he has become professional his whole attitude has

changed, he is more serious. He has just beaten Ding. You must be

delighted he has beaten Ding? Absolutely. I had just seen Michael

beating Ding so we have a great chance of getting to the

quarterfinal. Are you going to hang around are you going to go home

eventually, you have been here longer than the cleaner rush to mark

I came to the conclusion that if I only had about 17 days to stay at

the Crucible. You do get to spend some time in the practice room and

you have been practising a lot and you seem to be hitting the ball

well? The difference with the World Championships more than any other

tournament is the first round is played over five or six days. The

only get six or seven players here at one time and there are enough

practice tables. You are playing and practising in tournament conditions.

Reflecting on your first round match, are you surprised Mark Davis

did not hit his groove in that first session? He has been playing some

fantastic snooker and got into the world 16 on the back of some great

performances but for the last couple of months he has been struggling. I

don't know why. I have got a reasonable record of late against

him. I was quietly confidence going into the match having played well in

the qualifier to get here. Thanks for coming in, will you be wearing

those in the second round? I am being slaughtered on Twitter, I

don't think I will. Well you have won a few quid after that round, you

can afford new shoes. Dominic Dale through to the last 16. Let's look

at the draw. As you can see, one first time --

first round match to be completed between Robbie Williams and

Robinson. The second session begins this evening and we will see the

return of the defending champion, Ronnie O'Sullivan. Expect a terrific

atmosphere this evening. He is taking on Joe Perry, who is

blossoming in his 30s. I have had a good year and one loss

is of matches so the fear of losing isn't there. -- one lots. Everybody

has been winning tournaments in the last ten years, I am beating them. I

know I can beat them. I am approaching 40, we can complete with

the youth of today. Plenty of good enough to mix it with the players

coming through. When the likes of Higgins and O'Sullivan came

through, the older generation of the top 16 players got knocked over like

pins and could not compete with the new standard of snooker. I don't do

the new band of snooker coming through is any better than what is

here already. I don't know if this will be the latter end of my career.

I could have quite a few more years left. Two years ago I probably

thought I had three to four years left. But now I am one of the best

players on the tour this year. Perhaps I should be looking at

further afield. It is different against Ronnie to anybody else. You

can include Higgins, Hendry, Ding, Robertson. It is different playing

Ronnie O'Sullivan, he is the greatest player there ever will be.

Everyone loves watching him play. But the flip side of that, I know I

can win. It will be extremely difficult and I will have two play

at my best. Hopefully get lucky here and there as well, but I can win and

that is what I had to keep telling myself. That is what I have to keep

taking into the match. A big night ahead for Joe Perry taking on Ronnie

O'Sullivan. You have missed a big first

second-round match between Mark Selby and Ali Carter, if you are

just tuning in. You can see highlights of that match later

today. John, fighting talk from Joe Perry. He has been telling reporters

he thinks he can be Ronnie O'Sullivan. There is not much point

in him turning up if he does not think he can win. Sometimes he has

lacked a bit of confidence over the years. So it is great how he has

been playing this year. But with O'Sullivan, the first session is

important. If he gets in front, he can steam-roll EU. It is handling

the occasion is a net given that plays well be rocking when Ronnie

walks out? Yes, he has beaten Ronnie a few years ago so he does have

previous success against him. You have got to be with him after the

first session. Are you still going with Ronnie to win it. Well you have

too. You would have to go with him, he is the favourite and there is a

good reason why he is. Stephen? Absolutely agree. Thanks for your

company. Hazel will be back at 11:20pm this evening. You can see

highlights of Ronnie O'Sullivan taking on Joe Perry. Banks are

watching.