Day 7, Part 1 Snooker: World Championship

Hello and good morning and welcome to the Crucible theatre and the

World Snooker Championship. The second round is under way. Ricky

Walden and Barry Hawkins get their second round match under way. Our

live match this morning sees Mark Selby resume his cracking last 16

match with Ali Carter. I was born in Coll cresser the in -- Colchester in

1979. My nick name is The Captain. I turned professional in 1996. I made

a 147 at the 2008 World Championship. In 2008 I also reached

the final of the World Championship. I won my first ranking title in

2009, which was the Welsh Open. In 2010 I won the Shanghai Masters. I

reached the final of the World Championship in 2012 for the second

time and played Ronny O'Sullivan. In 2013 I won the German Masters.

The crewsable crowd - Crucible crowd love a century. He takes the first

frame. That is outrageous. Outrageous. He now leads 2-1.

I don't know whether Jan's worked this out yet, but it is a re-spotted

black. Jan said seven and the frame! Ali would take that.

He just wobbled the black and he goes to the mid session interval

trailing Mark Selby by three frames to one. Terrific long pot. Now four

frames behind. Selby leads 5-1. Absolutely top drawer. That's what

you get at the Crucible. It is the World Championship and that was the

World Championship quality. Mark Selby wins the session 5-3. It was

an afternoon of excellent snooker. Ali Carter showing great character.

That is the match we are showing live this morning. Over on table 1

it is Barry Hawkins taking on Ricky Walden. Ricky so disappointed to

have missed a place in the final last year, losing to Hawkins.

Revenge today possibly for Ricky Walden. The players are ready let's

join Rob Walker. Good morning. What an array of talent we have waiting.

All four players are ranking vent title holders. We have a rerun of

one of last year's semis and on the other the battle between two former

finalists. Day seven is about to start in style.

Please welcome first a double ranking vent winner with titles in

Shanghai and an amazing run to the semies here last year. He also made

the last four at the UK Championships in December. Here

comes the pride of Chester - here comes Ricky Walden.

And his opponent, a player who has discovered the best form of his

career since he turned 306789 he has come of age -- since he turned

306789 he has won -- turned 30: Here is the The Hawk, Barry Hawkins!

And here on table 2 please welcome a player who has no shortage of kurnl

on and - courage on and off the table. Winner of three ranking event

titles, the last two frames yesterday have kept him right in

touch. He is a double Crucible finalists. When he is flying high,

he is The Captain. So here comes Ali Carter!

And finally, a player who is always ice cool under pressure. Hi

displayed all that calmness in the first round, beating Michael White.

Three times a Masters champion, three times a ranking event winner.

Here comes the Jesser the from Leicester, here comes Mark Selby! --

the jester from Leicester. COMMENTATOR: A wonderful atmosphere.

If you want to see Hawkins playing Walden, that is on the red button.

Here we go. Comment morning everybody. And everybody looking

forward to this second session, because the first session was

tremendous. Great match play. It had just about everything. Would

this be classed, Steven, like a golf tournament a moving day? I think

your right. The second session is the important

one. You would definitely want to have a lead going into the final

session. Where is that cue ball going? Very

close. But Mark Selby was just, sometimes you could say a little bit

clever in certain situations, where he uses all his ring craft so to

speak. A very tough competitor to play.

He can be attacking and then he can go into a shell and just make

chances few and far between. So an interesting match up.

You generally take those pots on, thinking the only bridge you could

leave is the one you're playing. They're risky, but he has got away

with it. There was half a chance of that red,

but caught it much too thick. No harm done.

Just caught the green. And that just slowed the cue ball down enough. But

the only red that is potable is the one closest to the right corner.

He could leave a red to the left corner. The brown's blocking the

line to the red that is nearest to the black cushion. So a spot of

bother here. You're always wary of the blue in

the middle of the table. So you play a bit lower. But he doesn't like it.

Misjudged it. If he hits the red. Oh, well! I don't know whether there

is a red available into this corner pocket. It will be a plant, John.

There is a bit of a gap between the two balls.

The first opportunity in this important first frame of the session

goes to Mark Selby and it is not a bad chance.

He'd love to get on that red below the black.

I think John, Mark Selby, he is one of the best players in the world at

screwing a cue ball. He just hits it so well that shot.

We always talk about the movement of the head, but he delivers the cue.

He would have loved to have an angle on the blue and come down for that

red that Stephen was mentioning. To get the black into play. He had a

nice angle on the brown. First thing in the morning you tend to play the

easier shot to get your cue arm going.

Played beautifully. He played that so well. Look at how much room he

has got to get around the back there. Excellent positional shot.

This time he will be trying to land straight on the black.

The red definitely goes into the same pocket as the black.

The black will be available into both corner pockets. A good chance.

That was another shot that was played well. It looked easy, but he

had to avoid the red that was nearest the black cushion.

Both players would have been on the the practice table for a good hour

or 45 minutes this morning. If you look again that red did not

go in the middle of the pocket. If it had he would have had another cub

of -- cub of inches of -- couple of inches of pace on the cue ball. If

the red goes in the middle he would have got a couple inches more pace

on the cue ball. He is faced with a tricky red now.

From being in perfect position and looking as though he had a

frame-winning opportunity. He needs a good recovery here.

Not ideal. When you lose position in a break it often takes you three or

four shots to get back into perfect position.

Well so far this morning this is very impressive stuff, it really is.

Cued that lovely. Look at the red right in the heart of the pocket. He

may have to play for the red along the top cushion here.

Doesn't want to be straight. He needs a slight angle. Looking at his

body language, he seems happy enough.

I don't know if any red pots. If it doesn't, it will be a cannon into

that gap and it would be perfect. He didn't get the gap. He may still

have a red to the centre. 59 ahead. 75 remaining.

He will play a thin cut to the left centre.

Over a minute thinking time. He is one of those type of players. He can

can play a quick game. If a shot needs a bit of thought. He doesn't

mind taking his time. I think he is deciding on the safety.

In the end he decided to play that. Not with any great conviction and he

will be disappointed. That was a frame-winning opportunity. Yes the

careless shot was not leaving himself a nice angle on the black to

go into the bunch. You think one opportunity could

still cost him. If that cue ball had finished tight on the top cushion,

he would have a problem here. Because he can strike down on the

cue ball, there is a chance to get in it back to the cushion. Although

having said that, that red that is, well almost tight to the left hand

side cushion, that being there he won't want to move that red. That is

a bit of an insurance policy. It was never guaranteed to be a good

safety. Not left anything easy. But possibly a tempter for Ali, because

I don't see a good safety. If there is no good safety, you might as well

go out having a go at a pot. Watch where the red goes. No. He

needed the top cushion behind the black. That is no good. He has left

the red to the left middle. That is the first frame over. Ali

hasn't got anything really to That is the first frame over. Ali

Reproach himselves for. He has never really had a chance. Mark Selby lost

the first frame in the match. He then went on to win the last

five. It was only Ali winning the last two that gave Ali some

respectability. So far this morning, he looks to be

cueing really well. He is getting tremendous action on

the cue ball. Well close. The frame well and truly

over before that, Ali Carter concedes and Mark Selby leads by

three again. A great start from Selby. Timing the ball very well. We

have some examples of how well he is timing it. Here is the first one. He

under screwed this, but you can see the action. Takes the tip right back

to his hand. The next shot is not a deep screw shot, but you have to

time it so well. You see the action of the cue ball, just missing that

red on the black cushion. Great examples of the technique of Mark

Selby. Carter gets frame 10 under way.

Eight frames to be played in this session and this match will finish

this evening. So it is a long day. They have got the afternoon to

regroup. But you want to be within touching distance.

It is Ali who needs to up his game and not give his opponent too much

of an advantage going into that final session tonight. I think with

the first frame, the reason it was important for Ali to win was hi

doesn't want to be playing catch up this whole match. Specially with

somebody like Mark Selby that will not make many mistakes with many

unforced errors. He would love to win this session

and get back on level terms. They are both having a good close look

and now Mark is having a good close look. It must be tight.

I don't think he can get to the potting angle from there but because

he is not tight on the baulk cushion, that is an option. Play to

the right-hand side but where the cue ball finishes up, I'm not

certain. Just didn't get enough side on it to get the potting angle. But

it is safe enough. As I say, I think you wanted to bend the cue ball

over. But he may have run into the main bunch and been on nothing.

A little bit disappointed. Just overran that, Ali. When you leave

your opponent on the baulk line, you can expect to be in a little of

trouble the next time he comes to the table.

Well, it didn't look as though he was going to be in trouble when he

made contact with the yellow, but just a hardball contact, left the

cue ball" on. The cue ball". A bit fortunate there.

Good shot. At this level, when you play safe, you have got to miss the

baulk colour. And Ali did that and played it well.

I think one of the other problems, as well, when we have had the safety

exchanges, and it's always nice to get in first, even if you are going

to win the frame, you could build up a 40 point lead and it seems as if

Ali can never seem to be able to get the first chance. He always seems to

lose out on this tactical exchange. He has played another excellent

safety shop there, though. Beautiful lengths.

There is Hawk-eye's view, and if that is the correct angle, you made

decide to take that read on. On the baulk end. -- red. Well, too risky.

Coming off the side cushion, nestling into the red just below the

pink. Perfect. APPLAUSE

As I said, he was just trying to trap Mark Selby into making a

mistake. Early on in the frame. It just seems

that Ali, not enough times, has ruined that first opportunity.

Catching ball was declared, was it? That just made it that bit easier.

He will be disappointed he didn't get in behind the yellow there.

It's a long day. You start at ten o'clock in the morning, the second

session this evening is at 7pm. It could finish at 10:30 at night. When

you played at 10am, what time did you get up? I used to arrive at the

venue around about 9am. I used to get up around, not especially early.

Eight o'clock maybe. I was never able to eat breakfast

before a match. I just didn't have any appetite but get down here about

nine o'clock, half an hour on a table, great. And then, in the

afternoon, when you're whiling away the afternoon? I sleep? Yes, go back

to the hotel, relax, watch TV. You possibly end up having a power nap.

A power nap! Yeah, normally it's only the final when you play two

sessions on Monday. A final ranking event, so it's a real test here at

the Crucible. Your analogy early on, moving day, I

thought that was perfect to describe a second session. Ali Carter could

be out of this match this morning if he does not stay with Mark Selby.

These are very important frames and this tussle still goes on. Who can

get the first chance? There has been some excellent safety play.

Just a little flick on the green stop it being extra good. You can

always tell when it's good. They have caught the yellow and green,

but the blue is on the spot, the black is available. Nothing negative

about the safety. It's just a case of trying to keep your opponent Bay.

Bash at bay. A mistake. He called the blue. A bit fortunate but the

cue ball was going to the side cushion. This does not make the pot

on the red any easier. But it's the first mistake.

But not cost him anything. As I say, without cue ball being on the

side cushion, it just made that pot a little bit more awkward.

A tough read. It's pretty close to the corner pocket. Virtually

straight. -- red. This needs good cueing.

And that is excellent. Excellent technique.

He has got an option on the brown but he could drop to the red in the

left corner. It's a smelly one. That's why he is refusing it. A

little bit of a surprise he is refusing it but it's important for

him to get a frame on the board. Yeah, if he was going to refuse it,

surely he would have liked to have gone in behind the blue? But what an

excellent opening red and that was from Ali, and that will give him

good vibes for the rest of the session, because he couldn't a

queued much better than that. That he couldn't have queued it much

better than that. That is a loose one. From Mark.

I'm surprised how he has not tried to pot this red and get the black.

When you miss, you are always looking to see what you are going to

leave. He will be quite pleased with that outcome.

Is there a red which goes to the right corner?

Well, there was. That was a little bit of a killer shot from Mark Selby

to leave that red honour. Yes, I'm surprised Ali missed it by so far.

That has messed it up a little bit. The black and they red tied up.

A massive bounce off the baulk cushion though. That's why Mark

Selby was pulling a face. It's been happening a lot this week.

The players are not happy with the tables and the bouncers are quite

inconsistent, big bouncers and the cue ball comes percussion almost

twice as fast as it goes on. -- comes off percussion. He is just

playing a normal shot -- comes off the caption -- cushion. . What a

difference it can make. Some of the time if there is chalk

left on the cushion, and then another shot, the cue ball hates

that chalk and accelerates. Bash heads that chalk. It's incredible

how fast it can go and rebound off percussion. -- that cushion. I did

not know that. Well, he could just get through.

Funnily enough, didn't seem to me as if Mark Selby was firing far away

from the same position as Ali there. Possibly he could swerve it but I

think he has got the pink to the right middle. He could then do that.

I think he could be able to get to the pink. Yeah, in practice, it's

not a difficult shot. He knows the importance and doesn't

want to take any risks. The fact that the black is practically over

the pocket, you automatically going to be on a red because it is the

side of the cue ball. Oh, he has missed it! And he knows

with the chance of coming few and far between, he can't afford to miss

chances like that. I'm surprised he did not play the black. It wasn't a

tough shot really. I think if he was 6-3 ahead, instead of 6-3 behind, he

would have no hesitation in playing that black.

This is when, as a top player, you sense your opponent is weakening.

You sense he is under pressure. It's about stamping on him, basically.

Mark Selby will know he can win this match in this session. Maybe not by

getting to 13, although that's possible. Just by getting enough of

a lead going into tonight session. I don't know if he was expecting a

little flick on the two reds but he will be annoyed at that.

Sometimes you could knock a few onto the cushion so everything is still

in the open. Yes, I suppose, in a way, the black

was made easier, the perfect angle, to kiss the second red macro-sunday

in the face, hold the cue ball. He has got quite a bit of work to do to

win the frame -- macro-sunday. -- cannoned the right-hand side and

bring them both into play. Played nicely. But precise positional play

now is key. If he's going to build up a frame-winning lead here. The

red is not ideally situation the particularly those four between the

black and the top cushion. The first one that I can remember

that he has missed that you did not expect. I mean, that was simple.

Just put a trace of side on it, obviously, unwanted right-hand side,

but ball into the pink. He will be kicking in self. What a chance. He

had a great opportunity to put Ali Carter under pressure. Now, Ali, can

you take this opportunity? He will still have the problem is that Mark

Selby was going to have. He will just be glad to be back at the

table. If he finishes a little bit more

higher on the black, he could roll onto the two reds and leave a red on

the red corner. He's going at a great pace at the moment. Well, that

red only just went in but he has run it absolutely perfect on the black.

Excellent sportsmanship there. I don't think the referee saw it. No,

he was concentrating to get close. Let's have a look. Yes, there you

see it. A double hit on the cue ball. You don't see that very often.

But, fair play to Ali, he would feel the second hit.

But that was a good chance to get right back in it. Stopped it in its

tracks, fortunately not leaving a pot on.

This is not a nice situation. One question dead weight to the back of

these three reds. Oh, a little bit pacey, was it? It was OK. It's OK as

long as his red doesn't go to the right middle. But it may well do. No

value in taking it on if he can't get position on a colour.

That's a bit careless from Mark. You can see his frustration when he

slapped the table there. So close to the reds. He should never have

kissed the yellow. Where is this cue ball going? He

didn't want that. He may just have left a chance now of a pot.

Playing the cue ball in behind the yellow there. This is an opportunity

to part of this thread. -- to pot this red.

Good pot, good kiss on the second red, and on the pink. A

frame-winning chance. We mentioned earlier how Mark Selby will not make

many unforced errors. He did make one in this frame, missing that easy

pink. But he has not been punished for it so far anyway. Now the chance

to open up a four frame gap. That is almost identical. OK, at the

other end of the table, but the pink he hit two full and he was trying to

overcompensate. The last one he missed a little bit, he'd seem to

plague little bit quicker than at his normal pace. That he seemed to

play it a little bit quicker than at his normal pace. This was his chance

to capitalise. What you should do is just focus and concentrate on the

shot in front of you. What a let off that was for Ali Carter. Ali will

have been sat in his seat thinking, that's the second frame are gone

this morning, but he has been handed a lifeline. Can he take it? A big

shot, this pink. Excellent. Excellent shot. He queued

that beautifully. Yes, could not have hit it better.

Just got the perfect angle for the black. He took quite a few obstacles

which have come his way. The green, the blue was not in a good position.

At the moment, just concentrating on reducing his arrears.

To me, though, this is the magic of the World Championship, these long

frame matches. We are so there's so much pressure in this

clearance. A little straight on the black. He

is best with great cue power. The only thing you have got to be

careful of here, you don't overdo it. Because, if you overdid it, with

the yellow not being on its part, you could be with the brown. He has

got to hit this well. Doesn't want to go too far, that brown will come

into play if he does. Well, again, blaming a big bounce off the

cushion. He did not seem to hit that very hard, that black. Let's see how

fast the cue ball comes off the Krishna. Yeah, that seemed to

spring. Off the cushion. Well, it's not difficult to hit. Can

he get the yellow safe? He did as well as he could there. He did as

well as he could. But the frame still in the balance, just five

points behind now. Well, that's a great shot. The same

problem. It's so much more to forgot to give the object ball safe when it

is in the middle of the table. -- so much more difficult. Mark Selby has

got up and sat back down, so we know what his intention is. I wouldn't

expect Ali to miss the yellow on this site. The age-old problem. Can

he hit it? Get it safe? Well, that is a surprise. I told you

you could not miss it second time around. Here's a professional, for

goodness sake not only has he left the pot on the

yellow, he has left it a cross-border green. -- cross for the

green. Just didn't get far left over for

this green, and this is a tough shot. 11 points, the lead. Green,

brown and blue. Good shot. Just wanted to drift past

the brown. Now he has kissed it. He won't be winning the frame at this

visit. Now this cue ball, where is it

going? Is there a gap? Look at Ali Carter's body language, I think Mark

Selby can get through to this brown. And maybe he can cut it in. He is

going to have a look at the potting angle. Well, you see, you can

clearly get through to it. It is a thin one.

A strange situation that pot when Mark Selby went for it. You hope to

miss it by a long way to make it safe.

That is OK. A pretty good shot. Quite an interesting frame this. It

has been going on now. We are in our 34th minute. But it has been

quality. And mistakes add to the excitement.

Well, it is not bad. He was trying to get it in behind the black and

run the brown into the blue to keep the brown that end of the table. But

it is safe enough. Just having a look here, Ali, if he

clips the brown thin, clip it on to the black.

Not bad. When you finish up in these situations, just the four colours

left. Just to not leave your opponent the pot on is a bonus.

Coming around quickly to see if he got the snooker behind the pink. But

that is not the case. Can he go twice across and get the cue ball

behind the blue? He didn't want to hit it that hard.

Just an edge of this brown sticking out.

Got a bit thicker than I thought he could. But that is OK. He was mainly

concerned with getting the cue ball back to the baulk end.

Oh, the double-kiss! Now needs a bit of luck. Looks like he's had it.

Once he was getting the double-kiss, the brown could have gone anywhere.

He needs that brown to run. May just have run far enough.

He didn't get the snooker behind the blue and he has not played it well

at all. He has given Ali Carter half a chance. The longest frame in the

match, but what an important one for Ali.

Much more important for Ali than Mark this frame.

If Ali loses it he falls four frames behind.

Well, that was a strange type of shot. He obviously didn't feel as

though he could get a telling safety and just made certain he didn't

leave the pot on the brown. Just bounced off the cushion a

fraction. They have been tight on the baulk cushion. He may have been

a bit more difficult. Still got to hit this safety shot right.

Another one hit badly and he has not got away with this one. Well, this

is your chance and that was a poor safety from Mark. The last two of

three safeties he has played, he seems to have been playing to just

get the brown safe. He got another big bounce there as

well. But it is not a bad angle on the blue. He needs blue, pink and

black. The good thing about the angle on

the blue, you're always going to have an automatic angle on the pink

to get on to the black. This is a good shot required from

pink to get to that left hand side cushion. Got to be positive with the

cue action here. Played it well. Would have liked to

be closer to the black. It is missable.

A big frame! Big, big frame for Ali Carter. What an excel leapt frame it

was -- excellent frame it was. Didn't look like winning that for

the most part of it. But he has done and reduces arrears to two.

Well that was a nice bit of music. It had Steven and I doing a bit of a

jig in the commentary box. Meanwhile Mark Selby reflects on the mistakes

he made in that last frame. Surprising, Steven? Very much so.

When you have got your opponent down, you want to keep him down. You

think if he had, his concentration would be intensifying and making

sure he punishes Ali and keeps him in his chair. Really strange lapses

of concentration. Or perhaps a wee bit of tension. So we are back to

where we started. A two-frame deficit.

Let's see what sort of boost Carter has got from that last frame. He

should feel a lot better now. It will be interesting to see how

Ali reacts and how Mark Selby reacts. Because hi has been look

soing solid. -- because he has been looking so solid. The two missed

pots and the bad safety shots at the end.

Of course you go through so many emotions in these longer matches and

you mentioned one point, oh that is a nice shot. Maybe Mark did sense it

was a chance to press on and you just lose that bit of focus. He

thought I have got a chance to stretch to four frames and if I win

the next couple I can be looking to have a nice big lead going into

tonight. Don't look ahead. Exactly. That is

an excellent shot on to the baulk cushion. He is on the brown, but the

cue ball will cannon into the green. So not easy for position. I don't

think he can avoid the green. He play this red in he wants to

dislodge the black from the side cushion. If he misses the cannon he

will still be on the blue or baulk colour. It is almost a natural angle

to get into the black. Not quite certain if he did have the

cannon in mind. If he was going to play the cannon he would have played

it with more depth. The natural angle just wasn't there.

That was a tremendous opening red. I was asking, or posing the question

how was he going to react to losing the last frame. Well so far very

good. I think that is one of Mark Selby's

strengths he can forget bad shots quickly. That is one reason he has

become so difficult to beat. He can grind out matches while not at his

best. Excellent temperament. He will be

hoping the pink doesn't go back on its spot and it goes on the black

spot. Just caught the wrong red first

there and gone into the bunch. There was a gap on the right hand side of

the pack. He just flicks the first red ever so slightly and the cue

ball's come back to the black cushion.

I think that is end of break. There is a lot of reds close to a plant in

the middle. Just under hit. The one I was

thinking of, well maybe if the black was on its spot you would attempt

it. As there is no colour at this end, it is no value and it won't be

there. A bit thin, a bit pacy. And I have

got to be honest with you, when I said pacy, I didn't expect it to

come that far off the baulk cushion! No it was another big

bounce. The kungssing being -- cushions being like this it makes

safety so difficult. Well it has not cost Ali. In it fact

it has created a an opportunity. When Mark Selby misses, sometimes he

misses by a long way. It as though he has not got right in the line of

the shot. This is a decent chance for Ali. At

the moment you forget about the black. You you would like to get the

pink into play. There is every possibility he could

leave an angle on the blue to play a cannon into the pink and the reds.

That is a nice shot. Still a little bit tied up, the pink. But this is

becoming a better opportunity all the time. He is just losing the

pink, but he is losing the reds around it. I don't think the pink is

available just yet. Just slightly more angle on the blue

than he would have liked. So didn't have you judge the kiss on

the second red as he would have liked there. Must have thought he

was going to be able to drift past it. So there is a bit of pressure on

this blue now. Just concentrate on the pot and

you're bound to be on a red. I'm surprised he played it as hard as

that. Well, didn't make the most of that

opportunity. Always tricky shots. Can't see the

pocket. Got the double-kiss. I don't think

it's left anything that easy. He has left the pot on. Maybe a couple of

pots. We will see where the colour comes from.

The reason he hit it too thick, he is more concerned with hitting

another red. Now he will be wishing he fully committed.

That is a poor shot. It is funny this game, you make a few errors, a

few mistakes and sometimes the balls don't forgive you. So often one

player starts making errors, the other player does again and the

match becomes scrappy. They set just a high standard yesterday. They

haven't achieved that yet today. Both players realise the importance

of the second session. Caught the red near the side

cushion. Now, what has he left? Just the red near the baulk line. But in

potting it looks to have a natural angle to come down for the blue.

That takes Mark Selby into a one point lead in this frame. This blue

and the remaining reds with colours will see him over the line.

He will be a little disappointed with that. Overran it by a good foot

there. He will have to play a cannon you

feel. It could go wrong. It can always go wrong. A good chance gone.

Fine shot, you could say, and helped by the yellow. The one red might

have pocketed into this corner. That was the red which would've been

potted had he not been hampered by the yellow, so this is a chance now

for Ali. He comes to the table 12 points behind. He won't need the

black. To win the frame. It's all down to this one good pot needed

here. Yeah, he would like to play to the left corner but the black is on

the way. He may go for the blue here.

Good, solid pot, but he has not got to the right side of the blue, I

don't think. Just on the wrong side. Just potting

it, screwing back for the red in the middle of the table. Of course, if

he had a good angle on the blue, he would've been a lot closer to this

thread. As I say, he doesn't have too worry about the black. Just

concentrate on potting this red and getting on any colour.

He seemed to play that at quite a strong pace. I don't know if he was

planning to Cameron into the black at such a strong angle. Yeah, he

published thought I'm going to run into the black so I need some more

pace. He does not want to kiss the black finish near the Krishna. It's

a tricky blue, this. And is a lot of pressure on it. -- cushion.

We are right in the heart of it. What a good shot that was. The

points are all square now in this frame.

If he doesn't win the frame from here, you will be kicking himself,

giving himself a great opportunity. Can he let that cue ball drift a

little bit for comfort? To make it an automatic shot? This is when you

want everything straightforward, no problems.

And that's what happens. Amazing. A couple of shots ago you would put

your house on Ali clearing up. The blue in the middle would be the

obvious shot. And down the table for the yellow. The way the cushions are

reacting, it's putting you on edge. You don't know how fast the ball

will come off the cushion. Good pot. Little flick on the black would

help. Not on the yellow. And that's exactly what happened.

That was at the back of his mind, definitely, what is going to happen

when the cue ball hits the cushion? What a chance missed. Will he get

another one? A pretty good safety, though. Yeah,

he will be disappointed at not winning the frame at that visit. So

the age-old problem for Mark, no problem hitting the yellow, needs to

get it safe. Has he got the snooker behind the

green? Oh, unbelievable. Well, he puts his hand up to apologise to Ali

but I don't think Ali is too keen to accept the apology. Not in the heat

of battle. No, as a player, Ali is thinking how unlucky he has been,

but, to be brutally honest, it is caused by himself. He had a killer

shot on the pink for the last red. A careless positional shot, and this

is the outcome. A very good swerve. But he has left

half a chance for Mark. A superb swerve and he does not kiss

the black any more. It would run a lot further away from the yellow,

but this is half a chance. Not perfect on this green and the

blue was going to make it slightly awkward when he gets the rest out.

He will want to play this cushion first. It's the easiest way to play

the safety shot but you must make sure you get the brown full ball.

Half ball, and you will get stuck. Yeah, well played.

Yes, good shot. Eight points in it. You would have

to say slight advantage to Ali. And he is such a good tactician, Mark

Selby. He knows his way around the snooker table as well as anybody in

the modern game. Believe me. It's hard to force him to make an error.

Good shop there from Ali. -- good shot there from Ali.

An excellent reply from Mark. Ali just coming down to significant

getting behind the brown again, but the same thing still applies as

Stephen mentioned earlier. It's OK if you can get right behind it. If

you don't, the brown and the cue ball can go back up the table

together. Maybe too far in behind it that time. Left a chance of a pot.

Mark Selby needs the four remaining colours. Brown, blue and pink would

put him seven points in front with seven points remaining. It's hard to

see the angle here. Is it enough on to the right middle? You would think

not if he is playing the part. -- pot.

No. Good pot. Excellent, fully committed.

He could do with this cue ball slowing up a bit. I don't think it

is ideal. Is he able to roll the pink into the middle and dropped to

the side question? Behind the black? -- side cushion? Maybe not. Maybe,

after playing it with a bit of pace, screw off the top cushion, he's not

ready to play this. Looking at that angle the I don't think you can just

roll the paint in and be on the black. I think the obvious thing,

play it firm, stun off the top cushion. A big shot, this. Superb

exploration Mark superb, it will win the frame and come in all honesty,

he deserves to win the frame. A little punch on the table to show

his delight. Ali Carter will be very disappointed. He had his chances but

did not take them. He is three frames behind again, 7-4.

I was born in Leicester on the 19th of June, 1983. My nickname is the

Jester from Leicester. I turned professional in 1999. In 2007, I

reached the final of the World Championship. I won the Masters at

Wembley in 2008. I won my first ranking title at the Welsh Open in

2008. In 2010, I'd be too Ronnie O'Sullivan in a final frame disaster

-- decider at the Masters. In 2012, I won the UK championship. I won the

Masters again in 2013. COMMENTATOR: While the players are

out, Stephen, let's have a look at a few examples, you were saying how

the chalk affects the bounce of the cushion. When the players are

playing, the cue ball is very close to the cushion and you can see the

chalk left from the Q-Tip. As I was saying earlier, you can see how the

chalk, when it's magnified, how much comes off the tip when you play the

shots. When it hits it, the exact Mark, the bounce is exaggerated so

much. Yeah, it's amazing the super slow motion, isn't it? That is an

ash cue, by the way, you can tell by the grain. Chalk dust. Chalk dust.

McEnroe used to say that in tennis. You cannot be serious! In all

seriousness, the players are not happy. I wouldn't be. The cushions

looks so applicable. Whenever you play a thin shot when the cue ball

is running out of control, it's so difficult to play. Yes, you have got

enough things on your mind, haven't you, about worrying about the table.

A mid-session interval after this frame. I think Ali needs it badly.

More than Mark. Just to stay within those two frames. And feel as though

he has got something out of the first four frames, although, having

said that, it was his own faulty did not win the last frame. Absolutely,

John. He had a golden opportunity and he can't keep passing of these

opportunities to win these frames. -- passing up.

In the back of Ali's mind, is that he knows Mark is not playing as well

as he was yesterday, and if he is not capitalising on his chances,

what if Mark Selby starts playing well again?

He's struck that well. A fantastic pot.

Unfortunately, he couldn't get position on the baulk colour. So he

just had to content himself with rolling into the brown, but very

unlikely that he is going to lead anything here, Mark Selby.

You think he would play a safety shot by the two reds to open that

up. Safety shot. Yeah, the safety play, it will go

down as 85% Mark Selby, but he has got quite a few baulk colours. He

was not doing that yesterday, in the safety exchanges.

Ali just can't get to one of those long ones. There was more concerned

therewith finding the path back to the baulk end and, understandably

will stop gives Mark a chance now, though.

That interval cup of tea will taste very nice indeed. On the other hand,

Ali desperately would like to keep his arrears at just two frames and

then, after the mid-session interval, hopefully try and level

ready for this evening's final session. Big moments in the match.

This session was always going to be that way. Well, decided to play the

part. -- pot. The cue ball had just run past the pack. This is the

advantage, of course, having the Ali Carter. You can screw off the side

cushion back to the baulk end. That is safe.

He can just get to the edge of this red, near the blue. A bit too thin.

Another example of the player playing the safety shot, not missing

the baulk colour. Make such a difference.

Well he was knocking lots of those in in the first session. He has

missed a few in this session so far this morning.

Another factor in the long matches, with four sessions, you're not going

to play your best in every session. A lot of the time it's about getting

the best out of that session. I know. Mark Selby has not been in the

form of yesterday. He is still 2-1 up in the session so far.

OK, I think. If he can judge, as we watch again the blue, going in,

could he pot this red and screw run the back for the black in the same

pocket? He's going for pink or blue. Didn't fancy playing for that

precise positional shot. But, once the cue ball has to keep travelling

up and down the table, it makes it just that little bit more difficult.

Yeah, he seems to be taking the more percentage shots at the minute.

Definitely an opportunity to screw around for the black to the back

pocket. It's understandable. There is a lot of tension out there at the

moment. And that is the thing when you are behind in a match like this.

Every frame becomes massive and it puts more pressure on every shot,

constantly playing catch-up. I don't know if you can drop this

pink in. Play it to the right corner.

That's not bad. Depends what sort of angle he has got on this thread. He

has come very straight on it. A bit of work to do here.

STUDIO: This is where we lead you on BBC Two for now but only one hour

and we will be back so grab some lunch, make a cup of tea and join us

at 1pm for live coverage of Joe Perry against Ronnie O'Sullivan, the

match resuming at 2:30pm. If you want to carry on watching,

press the red button. Coverage is online, tablets and mobiles, and

incidentally, over on table one, Barry Hawkins is taking on Ricky

Walden. He leads 3-1. They are on a mid-session interval. We will see

you at 1pm. Bye bye for now. Ted, I... I'm not interested in

coming to see Lady Gaga, sir.