Day 9, Part 3 Snooker: World Championship

It would make the record more special to do it here. If I had

already done it before coming into the World Championships perhaps

wouldn't be as special. Hello, welcome to the Crucible in

Sheffield and the 2014 World Snooker Championship. In a week this venue

will play host to the final. What an amazing event that will be. By then

surely Neil Robertson would have become a record breaker by making

100 century breaks for the season. Before that he had a tough second

round match with Mark Allen. Mark Allen takes the opener and

leads 1-0. Robertson with exactly 100 to take

his tally to 98 for the season and 3-2 in front in this match.

Oh! How unlucky was that? He came to the table 53 points behind but

cleared with 55. He now leads 4-3. Very good. It is 4-4. I'm here with

Terry Griffiths and John parrot. What did you make of the first

session? Probably the best frame we have seen. High quality snooker. It

looked a bit tense. You can see the edge is there. It looks a good match

up? Yes, two of the best break builders in the game, two

left-handed players. Mark Allen looked comfortable. He was ill in

the first round, he had food poisoning. But this morning I

couldn't pick anything between them. It was one of the best sessions we

have had this year. Did you have much to say to him? He was very

happy with himself. I said the best you can do is be 12-4 up. It is a

phenomenal thing Neil Robertson is chasing to make a hundred centuries.

Yes a lot of players don't do that in their own career. But Mark Allen

will make it tough for him to make that century of centuries and to win

this match. More of the same from the two players. Rob Walker it is

all yours. We said they were four of the most talented players ever

forced to contest a second round match here. And as you heard, so far

all four have delivered. There is nothing to separate them and

everything at stake tonight. As they continue their bid to join Ronnie

O'Sullivan in the last eight here in Sheffield. What a night of

entertainment we have in store here at the Crucible.

Please welcome first of all a player rejuvenated over the last two years,

the best form of his career has taken him back up into the world's

top eight. Winner of two ranking event titles including this season's

Aussie Open, he is back to the level which took him to the Cem Yips here

in -- semies here in 06. Raise the roof for the pride of Hong Kong -

Marco Fu. And his opponent a class act on and

off the baize. One of the hardest workers in the sport. He skurped his

fifth ranking event title in the world Open last month. He has

changed his diet and embarked on a new fitness regime and he has also

changed his walk on music. Here he comes, he is The Magician, she is

Shaun Murphy. -- he is Shaun Murphy. And here on

table 2, please welcome one of best break builders in the game.

Overcoming food poisoning in the first round he is a double Crucible

quarter finalist and he has won two European tour events this season. He

is the pride of Northern Ireland, here comes The Pistol, Mark Allen.

And finally, what a journey and what a story this Australian has become

in the last decade. World champion in 2010, Masters winner in 12 and an

emotional night in York in December when he won the UK title and

completed snooker's Triple Crown. A break of 100 has left him within

touching distance of snooker immortality. Could it be another

mile sfoenest stone for the -- milestone for the current world

number one. He is The Thunder from Down Under. He is Neil Robertson!

Another superb noise in the Crucible. This one went all the way

at the Masters in January, with Robertson winning the final two

frames of their first round match to win 6-5. Shaun Murphy versus Marco

Fu is on the red button and online. We are concentrating on Robertson

versus Allen. And here is Dennis Taylor and. Really looking forward

to this second session. The atmosphere as always fantastic. Both

players in superb form. This is going to be a very interesting

session indeed. The battle of the left-handers. Thank you, frame 9,

Mark Allen to break. Mark Allen matched the world number

one shot for shot and frame for frame.

That is why there is very little to pick between them at the moment.

Two centuries away from a century of centuries in one season. Quite

incredible. Looks pretty good. Just a little

narrow possibly. It may reach the yellow. Covered the most of reds.

I think the ranking positions go out of the window in this match. This is

going to be a tough match. Mark Allen is 14 in the world. He has

slipped back this season a bit. The only thing Neil Robertson can do

is slip back, because he is number one in the world. He caught that too

thin. It could have been worse. There is a gap through to the one

for the right corner. But the natural angle would take him into

the red. Every chance he would finish

nowhere. That is why he is playing the safety shot.

I tell you what, this will be a tester for Neil Robertson. He can

just get past the pink, but there is only a little bit of the red

sticking out. The referee having a look. Neil stepped back in case he

missed it. If he misses the red he will hit the

black. So he must be very precise. No problem.

They're not only potting so well, their tactical play is excellent.

There is another terrific shot from Mark Allen.

No escape route this time. He is going to have to find a place up in

this end. Nothing very inviting there, is there?

He has had a good look around. But possibly if he come off two cushions

and landed on that, even then he might leave a red on.

I don't blame him for having a good think about this. But that shot

might not be too bad, you know? The two reds to the left, one of them

might pot. He has miss-hit it completely. He

wasn't trying to, he was trying to leave the white on the cushion. If

he potted the red he would have just - there again if he hadn't potted

the red he would be in trouble. He was in a big hole there was the

Australian. You do get times out and there is no escape. It is just as

well to go for a pot then. There is no point in messing your

safety up. He played that second cannon off the red to try and get

this side of the black, but he has left himself in an awful position.

Very well played, but he never really had control of the cue ball.

But he had to make sure of the pot. Because if you miss that, that means

you could be on another red by missing the potting angle.

He'd like to play the safety shot off the one that is on for that

right corner, but I don't know if he can find the gap.

Well played. If he misses the green that is even better. That is ot

excellent -- another excellent shot. He has got Neil trapped again by the

looks of thing. He had to stun that. That wasn't a natural. There might

be a path down the table if he plays it with a bit of pace. I think Neil

can get down off one of the reds. I think he can get it into the gap.

Mark Allen has a path to take this red on into the corner. He may be

able to avoid the reds and the black.

He is close to the middle pocket. He is OK though. Behind the yellow

would be a bonus. He went all out for the pot and

hoped to get on a baulk. Neil Robertson might be the best

potter in the game, but you can't pot them if you're in these sorts of

positions each time. I can't see a path through to the red that is near

the right corner pocket this time. He would be like to be able to lay

on that. But there is balls covering that. Which ever way he would try to

get to it. If he tries to lay on the two reds

behind the black and red he will leave the one that is over the

pocket. He would have to come into them from the left side of the table

as which look at it. So he could go twice across and lay on that.

He was always going to do well not to leave some sort of pot. But the

pot he has left is an awkward one. Just having a look where he can

place the cue ball. Make sure he doesn't leave that red available

into the right corner. He is not looking for a snooker, but a good

position over the left side of the table to the left of the brown and

yellow. That would be just as good. Anywhere over there is pretty good,

I think. Blocked the path off with the pink and black to come down the

left side of the table and there might just be a path through to a

possible pot. But you can see the one he is looking at that, the left

of the three reds above that one that is nearest the pocket. If he

took the pot op, he would cannon straight into them.

He has been in a few tough spots has Neil Robertson so far in this

opening frame. He has spent a lot of time, much more time walk around the

table than he has been potting balls. He hasn't had a pot to go for

yet, Dennis. Nicely played. Once again just

having to get out of trouble. There no way he could put Mark Allen in a

difficult situation there with the safety play. It is the pink and

black is the problem, they're covering the left hand side of pack

for all the shots Neil Robertson wants to play. This time the red is

available. He will play that red now, get it

out of the way. Neil will be getting a bit mixed up

now he can see a red. It is amazing three of the frames have finished

quicker than and we have only got one red gone.

The last frame of the opening session only lasted just over 10

minutes. This one has been going coming up to 14 minutes, bup it's

just the way -- but it's just the way the balls have gone. There has

been some brilliant tactical play. Where is that cue ball? It is going

close to the corner pocket. Needs to pull up. It is not going to. At

first glance, I don't think there is anything available. It has cost him

four points. Oofbg the safety would have been - of course the safety

would have been a lot more difficult for Neil if that ball had stayed in

the jaws of pocket. Niamhs had breaks of 69, 50, 155.

Not a break of 155. It was 100 and 55. I thought he was playing well!

Of course Mark's had breaks of 62, 9 #2shgs 2, 56, 82. This is turning

into an awkward frame, the way the balls are situated.

Just the safety shot here. Well, the cue ball's come further up than Neil

would have liked then. It is a red into the centre and the top corner

pocket. Which ever one he chooses, they're going to be difficult after

such a bout of safety. You're just trying to get your rhythm going. And

a good test this. Well played. Worth another look.

That is the key of the top players having a long bout of safety and

then having the chance being able to take it. Well that is amazing. OK,

he may not have left anything, but to miss the pink after cracking the

long red in. Look where the pink finished. Blocked the path of the

red that he played to get on. If I don't think I have seen a ball

missed by that much. There was something strange about that, wasn't

there? Look how far he misses this by. That is two inches. It is a

hundred out of a hundred shot most of the time that.

He is certainly taking a long time over a lot of shots, Neil. Coming up

to a minute again. It is a straight forward safety shot.

And Mark can get through to this red. So although he missed the easy

pink, he was fortunate to have covered the easy red he played for.

But this will cut in. Maybe Mark can't see that one that

is over the pocket. That is pretty tight looking at that angle. That

other red's in the way of cutting that one in.

Is he playing it with side to bend it around the other red. He is and

he has over-done it can you believe that? Swerved it and over. Right

hand side and you had the perfect picture of him bending around the

other red. A bit unlucky to over-cut that. Coming up to half an hour

since Neil's last pot. Played with a lot of drag, just to

hold the white. You hit the white on the bottom and you can hit it with a

bit of pace, but striking the cue ball on the bottom, takes a lot of

the pace out of it. It won't be easy with how the reds

are situated. Straightaway, trying to move some

reds to make this a chance to win the frame. The pink is available as

well as the black. It looks as if he is going to play

the plant. Well done. Well controlled. He did not want to risk

trying that direct, it was pretty well judged. And now he has got the

chance. Moving the reds really made such a difference. He has every

chance now. The main difference is quite noticeable. There is a bit of

tactics. This morning was a very quick match. Robertson is aware of

that and the slowing things down. His average shot selection is much

more than the times of Mark who likes a good open game. Good point,

Terry, you know Mark's game inside out. Neil Robertson has thought

about many of these shots for over a minute. That previous shot was poor.

Does not want the pink and the blue spot. -- on the. He has left himself

an angle for the black. Can the move some more reds with another cannon,

but he has just played a delicate one.

Couldn't do enough here. Purposefully held the black spot.

A slightly different frame to what we saw in the morning session. Neil

Robertson is looking very comfortable.

42 ahead, still need quite a few to secure this first frame of the

session. This red is tight and the cushion --

tight on. That will help slightly. He has spotted something else on the

cue ball this time. Something on the cloth? Don't move the red, whatever

you do. When it hits that near cushion, how many times do you see

the ball pot out? Just the pace took that into the pocket. He needs a

good angle. The red and a black means the frame will be safe, that

is his main concern. Just needs the black, but he will be disturbing the

reds as he looks for another century break.

Has not worked out. But the framers more or less secure. -- frame is.

But he will need a new Robertson special to have any chance of a

century. And that is a special! He will need

to screw back to leave the red behind the black. Well! He was

trying to do that. He will need to look at the tip of his cue to make

sure he has not damaged it. But already won the frame with a break

of 82. Another century break was not to be.

Let's bring you up to date. Shaun Murphy has made a very good

start to the second session. Looking calm and focused. He won the last

game between these two Mac in the quarterfinals of the Masters. John,

sometimes you get a sense of the atmosphere. There is an edge

tonight. Is that affecting the players? It was just a highly

tactical frame. But some cracking stuff. With a brilliant shot in the

middle. Robertson played a lots of clever shots, you can see why he has

made 100 centuries almost in a season.

I am sure the crowd is enjoying it. That looks OK. Sometimes when you

play that kind of shot you can take a little bit out of the tip, but

thankfully it looks intact. It was always going to be difficult to get

that century. An early half chance here.

He is on the yellow. A chance to get back up to the reds. Once he gets

potting, he is relentless. I will take that back! A very

unexpected miss. Day he shot coming up. -- a key

shot. Beautifully played. This is what he has been doing when Neil

Robertson has taken the lead, hitting right back again.

This must be tight. You can play it around to the back of the bunch. He

has just made it. He has played for the red that

Dennis mentioned, below the pink. Does not like the angle, so may take

the red into the left corner. He plays with the rest using his right

hand, a number of left-handers used to do that.

There has never been more than one frame of a difference between the

players in this match so far. Leaving the blue safe in the

knowledge that there is a red near the bottom of the table as well. To

construct on that one he needs a slight angle. It looks good.

At the top of the show Jason alluded to the Masters match they played.

Although new as well , that was a great match they played in the

Masters. That has finished just a little awkwardly. Can still be taken

into the middle pocket. Great recovery. Still a little bit

to be done. A possible 67 left on the table. Needs this black and one

more red. I think he has gone too far. There is not a plant in the

middle. Just an awkward red up to the top corner. Must be close to

being a plant, he is just double-checking. It must be very,

very close. That is what he is looking at. He has now gone around

the other side. It looks as if it is just going slightly to the right of

the pocket as we look at it, but he can straighten that up, because they

are pretty close together. Just to screw back onto the cushion, he does

not need to get onto the black, just one more red. Well played, and he is

on the black as well. Nicely judged. With a cannon here, every chance he

might make a century. The other red had moved when he played the plant,

so he didn't even need to play the cannon. Did not quite get the cannon

he wanted one the pink, disappointing but not the end of the

world. Eight of shot on the green need. -- a tough shot. Not quite,

but an excellent effort. 5-5. You sense that both players have

found their rhythm. That is why it is a good matchup. It will be punch

and counterpunch) way through. -- right the way through. This is

against a world number one. You know what to expect, it is about

opportunities. Shaun Murphy has made a great start on table one. Does he

have a world title in him? He took one in 2005 by potting everything

except the lampshade! He has a chance. As for this one, I can see

it going to the final session. Terrific snooker. Back to Dennis.

If he takes this one he will go into the bunch of roads. -- reds. Every

chance he could hit that bunch and finish on the black, but will he

take the risk? Very evenly matched as John was saying. He thinks it

could go all the way. That is the natural angle, play it like

Hawk-Eye. But he is to attacking, for me, Hawk-Eye, he goes for

everything! Will now reach? -- will that?

A stalemate at the moment. The players would like to get that red

between the blue and yellow back up the table and the frame back to

normal but from this angle he is hampered. After another couple of

shots like this, the referee might ask, do you want me to set them up

again, boys? No score, and Mark is now looking to see if he can send it

back up the table. Slightly easier for him to cue. He did not want to

catch the Brown. Not against a player like Neil Robertson.

That is not too high. Once again, a red comes on the pocket. He has got

an angle, can he screw it in and slip past the black? A delicate

little one. A pretty good effort. Just a bit too much screw. A

difficult black now. He just got into that too much.

Good safety. Must not be disappointed, he was not on the

black. Very important to make sure you play a good safety, give your

opponent something to think about. Should not be a problem, landing in

the reds off two cushions. That was risky. If it hit full ball

it would have left a red. I am sure he did not play to just glance like

that. He got away with it. Needs to miss the yellow. Trying to get

behind the Brown. No value in the red to the right

corner. No colour available. Heading towards the ground again. -- brown.

That is the target at the moment. Still terrific snooker, although the

opening frame last 20 minutes, there was still a 70 to break. So a bit of

everything. Some very good tactical play and two frame winning breaks.

The pink is covering the reds on the left-hand side. That will limit both

players. Hawk-Eye shows us that there is nothing on the right-hand

side as we look at it now from that point of view. Trying to avoid the

other reds when taking this one on. Everything moved! Green, red, white

and the middle pocket... The escape route was on but the Brown made it

so difficult. Otherwise he would have got back down the table. But

that was always going to be difficult. The black is now free. He

has tried for it. I think he is just about OK. He would have loved to

have been on this in such a way that he could just nudge the red above

it. That would clear things. But not as straightforward.

He has played it well. A couple of little cannons, but he judged it

very nicely. All of a sudden, a good chance for the Australian. Well! Can

you believe it? An unexpected miss from the world number one. The

chance falls to Mark Allen. That could be very costly for Neil

Robertson. At this point we say good night to you on BBC Two -- goodbye.

But you can follow this match as well as table one on the BBC sport

website. Do join me for highlights at 11:20pm here on BBC two. Goodbye

for now. BBC Radio 5 live

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