:00:48. > :01:32.Friday night snooker. You cannot beat it. Hello, good evening to you.
:01:33. > :01:36.Welcome to the Crucible. Both semi-finals set for an intriguing
:01:37. > :01:39.finale this weekend. Tonight, we will concentrate on Scotland's
:01:40. > :01:42.veteran Alan McManus looking to build on a very impressive session
:01:43. > :01:53.this morning against Ding Junhui. Has to get a good start today... Has
:01:54. > :01:57.to win this session. Wonderful...
:01:58. > :02:08.An excellent shot. It is quite remarkable, Ken. Five
:02:09. > :02:12.centres in five frames. Remarkable. He's able to knock the black in.
:02:13. > :02:17.What a fabulous break it was. Ding Junhui now leads 7-2.
:02:18. > :02:22.Wouldn't it be great if he could return with a great break just to
:02:23. > :02:31.let Ding know he's not going away. A lovely shot. Very nice! Well played
:02:32. > :02:37.Alan McManus. Some fantastic snooker.
:02:38. > :02:42.I will just explain to everybody who is watching, this game is not as
:02:43. > :02:53.easy as this. Amazing! Amazing! Witnessing some of
:02:54. > :02:57.the best breaks we have ever seen. Ding Junhui absolutely on fire. He
:02:58. > :03:03.doesn't realise it is the interval. It is now. Smiles all the way.
:03:04. > :03:12.Nice shot. Alan McManus gets another frame on the board.
:03:13. > :03:19.He's played it nicely. Played it lovely. A trick shot. Wait for the
:03:20. > :03:21.black. This time it is really close. There we go, finishes off with a
:03:22. > :03:35.trick shot. He takes a bow. Doing well now. The old tartan
:03:36. > :03:42.trousers are bringing him a bit of luck. In goes the pink.
:03:43. > :03:50.Well played. This has been a tremendous session
:03:51. > :03:53.of snooker from both players. Both centres from Ding in the first
:03:54. > :03:57.session. Five centuries between them in this
:03:58. > :04:02.session. Let's see... Go on... They want to
:04:03. > :04:11.see it. They love a trick shot. Come on! It's close. Go on! Ahhh!
:04:12. > :04:15.Ding shakes his hand and what a session of snooker we've had. It is
:04:16. > :04:26.Junhui who leads 9-p. -- 9-7. That was special. It was all Ding
:04:27. > :04:30.Junhui on the front. We thought he would run away with it. Alan McManus
:04:31. > :04:35.comes back out. Three centuries and four frames. Closes the gap to 9-7.
:04:36. > :04:41.All of a sudden the momentum has swung. What is going on - he's 45.
:04:42. > :04:46.Your nerve goes, what is happening? He comes out to the Water Front. He
:04:47. > :04:52.should come out to Rolling Back the Years. He's done fabulously well. He
:04:53. > :04:57.won three matches in the qualifiers and he's carried that momentum. He
:04:58. > :05:05.had a good round game N this championship he's scoring heavily.
:05:06. > :05:11.Like myself and Steve Davis, we wondered if he had a new super diet,
:05:12. > :05:14.but he had a packet of crisps, it cannot be that.
:05:15. > :05:19.Someone has clawed back into this match. He must be under pressure
:05:20. > :05:24.tonight. All of a sudden, he's the hunted. He thought he would have a
:05:25. > :05:29.bigger lead going into this session. All of a sudden... These opening
:05:30. > :05:34.exchanges will be very important. More of the same please and Rob
:05:35. > :05:36.Walker, it is all yours. THE COMMENTATOR: Good evening,
:05:37. > :05:40.ladies and gentlemen. What an extraordinary match this is turning
:05:41. > :05:46.oh tout be. 16 frames so far. Eight centuries. One more tonight would
:05:47. > :05:51.see history written at the Betfred World Snooker Championships. This
:05:52. > :05:52.has the makings of one of the all-time classic semi-finals. What a
:05:53. > :06:22.night to be here at the Crucible. Please welcome a player who is
:06:23. > :06:25.deucing the best snooker of his -- producing the best snooker of his
:06:26. > :06:32.career 25 years a his Crucible debut. His three centuries this
:06:33. > :06:36.morning were sublime. The 136 finish with an exhibition shot. You could
:06:37. > :06:40.not make it up a. This run of form at the age of 45 is one of the
:06:41. > :06:50.all-time great Crucible stories. He's taking it all in those giant
:06:51. > :06:57.tartan strides, so raise the roof he's Alan the Angles McManus.
:06:58. > :07:21.WHAT AN EQUALLY AMAZING PERFORMANCE FROM HIS OPPONENT SO FAR. Four
:07:22. > :07:25.centuries this morning and 148 this morning. He's come through
:07:26. > :07:30.qualifying and he's never played better so far so far at the
:07:31. > :07:38.Crucible. Here comes a man carrying the weight of expectation of a
:07:39. > :07:46.nation on his shoulders, enter the Dragon, Ding Junhui.
:07:47. > :08:09.What is so amazing is after the cheers for both players, then comes
:08:10. > :08:15.the silence. It is incredible stuff from Alan McManus. Look how relaxed
:08:16. > :08:19.he is. Blowing kisses to the crowd he - he's loving it. Good evening to
:08:20. > :08:29.Denis Taylor. Good evening Jason. Good evening,
:08:30. > :08:35.everybody. I thought the performance Denis,
:08:36. > :08:39.this morning, from Alan McManus was as good as I have seen from anybody
:08:40. > :08:45.here at the Crucible, never mind somebody who you thought was in the
:08:46. > :08:49.dwi light of his career. It was, I -- twilight of his career. It was. I
:08:50. > :08:54.watched it from my hotel I was incredible. I enjoyed every ball
:08:55. > :09:00.potted. He came out blowing kisses, but he had a little bit of a...
:09:01. > :09:08.Whoops, hang on there, he didn't do it on purpose. He looked like Norman
:09:09. > :09:12.Wisdom, he used to do that. When he got his knighthood, remember Norman
:09:13. > :09:17.tripping away as he walked away from the Queen. The way Alan McManus has
:09:18. > :09:22.played, at 9-3 I am starting to think Ding wants to get this over
:09:23. > :09:26.with a session to spare. I tell you what, the way Alan finished the last
:09:27. > :09:28.four frames was probably better than I have ever seen him play when he
:09:29. > :09:51.was at his best, John. A chance, but never easy, tight
:09:52. > :09:57.against the side cushion, as he was. Trying to drop it in for the black.
:09:58. > :10:01.The only one he could leave was the one he was playing. That's in the
:10:02. > :10:06.middle of the table. Ding Junhui may take the pot on.
:10:07. > :10:09.It looks like he's going for the middle. Look at the pot success in
:10:10. > :10:21.the second session this morning. 95%, Alan McManus. 94%, Ding Junhui.
:10:22. > :10:28.That is unbelievable snooker. Ding Junhui had a half chance, as Alan
:10:29. > :10:31.did, but he missed it. And Alan's got half a chance. He can
:10:32. > :10:46.take this red on. He can play this in two ways. There
:10:47. > :10:51.is someone in his eye's line, someone moving. He's having a word
:10:52. > :10:54.with the referee. It is a matter of keeping still. You don't mind
:10:55. > :11:00.someone in your eye line, so long as they are not moving around. Now, he
:11:01. > :11:05.can play this in such a way that he could play for the black.
:11:06. > :11:13.The only red he could leave was the one he took on.
:11:14. > :11:30.And he's left a possible pot of that red up past the blue.
:11:31. > :11:55.I have been looking around to see what's left.
:11:56. > :12:01.That cue ball has just run away slightly. He's very close to the
:12:02. > :12:06.side cushion. 75% long putt. For Ding Junhui, that's very good.
:12:07. > :12:12.Digging in, it makes this blue missable.
:12:13. > :12:17.Always makes it more difficult when you are striking down on the cue
:12:18. > :12:22.ball. And it must be a bit of a shock to
:12:23. > :12:27.his system, Denis, when you consider 9-3 and he's come into this third
:12:28. > :12:33.session of the semi-final only two frames ahead.
:12:34. > :12:37.Well, I am sure he had a good chat with Terry Griffiths who has been
:12:38. > :12:40.looking after him. He would have explained forget about what has
:12:41. > :12:45.happened, forget the 9-3 advantage, we start from here. It has to be at
:12:46. > :12:53.the back of his mind. Even though you try to think positive.
:12:54. > :13:09.And another thing, Denis, and it is very obvious, Alan's got the ground
:13:10. > :13:13.on his side. A tremendous reception when he was
:13:14. > :13:24.introduced by Rob Walker. Well, after the session, in the lift
:13:25. > :13:28.of the hotel there was a gentleman in full Scottish dress, with his
:13:29. > :13:34.kilt and a zimmer frame. He probably had a bit of a stroke or something,
:13:35. > :13:39.but he was absolutely delighted. It had gone to watch Alan and he was
:13:40. > :13:40.making his way back to his room. He was so looking forward to this
:13:41. > :13:52.evening's session. A nice shot. It came off two
:13:53. > :13:55.cushions. So long as he's not straight on this black, he's got
:13:56. > :14:05.options of two or three reds to play for.
:14:06. > :14:10.The angle required, maybe going to that cue ball a little bit too much.
:14:11. > :14:13.I think he played to the left corner. He's on the one to the right
:14:14. > :14:32.corner as well. He had a bit of a nosebleed this
:14:33. > :14:39.morning, Alan, and had to have a tissue up his nose and I think there
:14:40. > :14:45.might be a little bit still there. It's certainly not hindering him,
:14:46. > :14:51.that's for sure. But the thing was, you expect Alan
:14:52. > :14:54.to do a bit of grinding, he was winning the frames with two century
:14:55. > :14:58.breaks. He was winning the frames in style.
:14:59. > :15:09.That's the word, "Style." Very, very impressive.
:15:10. > :15:14.And this is a good opportunity. A nice angle on the black, just to
:15:15. > :15:19.stand for the red in the same pocket.
:15:20. > :15:25.And still a couple of reds lose. Doesn't have to consider going into
:15:26. > :15:29.them just yet. 68 would be the target to get to the
:15:30. > :15:47.snookers required stage. If it was straight there would be no
:15:48. > :15:52.hesitation. He wants to leave just enough angle on the black.
:15:53. > :15:59.If you leave an angle on the ball, then it makes it that much easier to
:16:00. > :16:03.get on the next ball. It looks to have landed nicely on the black.
:16:04. > :16:13.Just seeing if there's another red available. There may be a plant.
:16:14. > :16:16.There's a possible three-ball plant in there. He's thinking two or three
:16:17. > :16:40.shots ahead. If he runs up bringing the blue out
:16:41. > :16:41.of the pack, open a few reds up, so this is a very important shot coming
:16:42. > :16:56.up. Playing it with top spin.
:16:57. > :17:04.He would like to take that one again.
:17:05. > :17:09.I think he needed a bit of stun and pace to bring the blues and reds
:17:10. > :17:18.out. He's back looking at the plant. If
:17:19. > :17:23.he plays a straightforward safety shot he could leave that on. He'll
:17:24. > :17:28.have to leave the cue ball on behind one of the baulk colours: No he's
:17:29. > :17:32.leaving it there because of that possible plant.
:17:33. > :17:49.Alan McManus, 36. The blue is near the cushion. A
:17:50. > :17:51.35-point advantage. That is pretty good with big colours tied up at the
:17:52. > :18:07.moment. You would think he would have to
:18:08. > :18:13.play this to half-ball safety. Just playing straight up and down is a
:18:14. > :18:15.danger you could run into the blue. He needs to catch this half ball...
:18:16. > :18:21.Oh, he's coming down the other side of the table. He's got to catch this
:18:22. > :18:31.thin. He's concentrating on getting the cue ball back to the baulk end.
:18:32. > :18:38.Bounces a little bit and Ding Junhui can't get past the pink. If there's
:18:39. > :18:44.a red sticking out, then he has to be careful he doesn't run into the
:18:45. > :18:50.blue here. With Alan's shot there is a chance here, got to miss the blue,
:18:51. > :18:59.be be the chance to get behind that green and brown.
:19:00. > :19:12.Could not have played that any better. A little tap on the table
:19:13. > :19:22.there from Alan, who once again is looking reslen dent in that tarrant
:19:23. > :19:26.-- tartan suit. Look at him picking this up. Yes, he must be very tidy
:19:27. > :19:42.around the house, must Alan. The players cannot hear the
:19:43. > :19:48.commentary, just the spectators with their headsets, which have to be
:19:49. > :19:53.turned down sometimes. It can come out through the earpieces.
:19:54. > :20:03.It is not bad. Miss hit that, but he'll settle for
:20:04. > :20:09.the outcome. And it's Ding who's got advantage now because he can get
:20:10. > :20:12.behind the green and brown. Might even bring the black into play
:20:13. > :20:36.while attempting that shot. He's got to catch this one better.
:20:37. > :20:41.He caught the last safety shot too thick.
:20:42. > :20:45.And this time too thin. Much too thin.
:20:46. > :21:11.This is a bit of a test. He rarely misses this type of shot. Let's see
:21:12. > :21:21.if he has settled here this evening. Not quite. So just a few worrying
:21:22. > :21:36.signs early on here for Ding Junhui. I am not sure what he's signalled
:21:37. > :21:43.there. The referee has spotted something. A switch down here making
:21:44. > :21:47.noises. There is some noise coming from, whether it is backstage or
:21:48. > :21:51.not, I am not sure. Of course it is so quiet in the Crucible when you
:21:52. > :21:56.get down to the semi-final stage. There is only one table there. There
:21:57. > :22:09.is no noise or distraction from the other table.
:22:10. > :22:20.Half an attempt at the plant. Catching the black, he's not got a
:22:21. > :22:25.very good cue ball. You would think just below the pink,
:22:26. > :22:31.just cut back into the left corner. It's a thin one.
:22:32. > :22:50.Is he on a colour? Not good. Left with a nervy little shot, he
:22:51. > :22:53.needs to roll up behind the yellow or the black, because these cloths
:22:54. > :22:57.are so fast. Even that shot can be a little bit tricky. But the way the
:22:58. > :23:00.reds are, if he could get a snooker here, what an advantage he could
:23:01. > :23:23.gain. Can he judge it? I am just looking at it immediately,
:23:24. > :23:28.there's no easy red to lay on. The one to the left spot near the
:23:29. > :23:31.cushion, if he could land on that he will leave the one to the right.
:23:32. > :23:36.He'll have to give this a little bit of thought.
:23:37. > :23:47.So McManus will be tested here. It looks like he's preparing for the
:23:48. > :23:54.two-cushion escape with pace here. He may flick that red to the left of
:23:55. > :23:58.the pink. Judged it to perfection. Living up to his name there.
:23:59. > :24:08.He is even getting whistles from the crowd now. That was a terrific
:24:09. > :24:20.escape. Got to be careful here if he takes
:24:21. > :24:22.the red on he doesn't cannon the red...
:24:23. > :24:33.He's back in the same spot again. Can he judge the shot as he did
:24:34. > :24:46.previously? The last time he played it, he
:24:47. > :24:51.played a little bit of drag on the cue ball so he could hit it firmer.
:24:52. > :24:55.That slowed it up. Now he's tight to the cushion, that's not an option.
:24:56. > :25:00.If he rolls to it, he has got to do it dead weight. I think he's trying
:25:01. > :25:05.to get the cue ball back to the baulk cushion here. Trickle up to
:25:06. > :25:10.the yellow. Doesn't want to leave it short.
:25:11. > :25:23.Hit it too hard. No snooker for me there.
:25:24. > :25:28.It all depends how much of this red that Alan can see. Can't see the one
:25:29. > :25:35.to the right. He may have to play the one on to the red and blue and
:25:36. > :25:40.screw back into the baulk area. If he can play it thin off that
:25:41. > :25:42.would be better. I think that is a shot he's attempting.
:25:43. > :25:50.Well judged. Can you check the volume of your
:25:51. > :25:55.earpieces, please. Some are a bit loud, thank you.
:25:56. > :25:57.The referee just telling the audience, just check your earpieces
:25:58. > :26:15.and turn them down a little. It is a pretty good shot there.
:26:16. > :26:19.That's the modern way these days - lots of the spectators have
:26:20. > :26:26.earpieces. It never used to be the case. Sometimes it makes it a little
:26:27. > :26:31.bit difficult for us John, when we comment tat for the people at home.
:26:32. > :26:41.People turn up at the venues and they want to have the earpieces.
:26:42. > :26:50.S We have not had many at thetial battles in this match. Most of the
:26:51. > :26:52.frames have been won with one visit. The average frame time just over 17
:26:53. > :26:57.minutes. The average shot time, that's far
:26:58. > :27:14.from pedestrian, that's for sure. This is a key frame because if Alan
:27:15. > :27:19.takes it John and wins five frames in a row Ding Junhui will be under
:27:20. > :27:23.all sorts of pressure. I think he's under pressure now. Looking at this
:27:24. > :27:27.red to the right corner, but he can't play that. If he runs into
:27:28. > :27:30.those reds on the left-hand side of the table. He's got to hit this just
:27:31. > :27:39.right. And he has done. That is an
:27:40. > :27:56.excellent safety. APPLAUSE
:27:57. > :28:15.Of course Angles can. Well played. Maybe a bit of a shot to nothing
:28:16. > :28:19.here, John. What do you think if he... Well Alan could not have done
:28:20. > :28:28.much more than he did, to be honest with you. The one in the middle of
:28:29. > :28:34.the table, just below the pink, but nothing that easy and so far this
:28:35. > :28:38.evening, OK, Ding Junhui has sneaked in a few long pots, but he's not
:28:39. > :28:45.played them with great confidence to stop short of the baulk line.
:28:46. > :28:51.33 points behind, he knows if he takes a risky pot on and misses it,
:28:52. > :28:59.Alan McManus with his chance could clinch this frame.
:29:00. > :29:07.A good pot. And that time he played with more
:29:08. > :29:21.confidence and stopped short of the baulk line.
:29:22. > :29:27.He's way ahead in the long pots success department.
:29:28. > :29:47.A couple of difficult reds. Oh, good job he did not hit it any
:29:48. > :29:58.harder, he would have knocked the blue in. He did not intend to cannon
:29:59. > :30:02.the blue, that is for sure. This red just slightly off the cushion but he
:30:03. > :30:07.is tempted by it because he only has two drop it in and he will be on the
:30:08. > :30:14.blue. That will be an awkward red, later in this visit. Still 28
:30:15. > :30:17.behind. And I don't think he has got the angle to pot the red and move
:30:18. > :30:21.the difficult one of the cushion because the blue is over the pocket.
:30:22. > :30:30.He's looking but I don't think it is a natural angle to do that. It is
:30:31. > :30:34.always a bit risky, you know, potting a red and trying to develop
:30:35. > :30:44.a red but with the blue near the pocket, if the angle was there, he
:30:45. > :30:48.would play it. Just made sure of getting nicely on his next Carla.
:30:49. > :30:56.The angle was not there to bring one of the difficult read into play. --
:30:57. > :31:01.his next Carlo. And sometimes, the tactical frames can be as exciting
:31:02. > :31:15.as the ones that are won with one visit.
:31:16. > :31:26.Yes, nice positional shot but now the work starts. The three reds
:31:27. > :31:38.after this one are all very awkwardly placed.
:31:39. > :31:46.He could play the pink, here. Spin across for the red on the right-hand
:31:47. > :31:51.side of the table. The reason I say that, you could just roll the red in
:31:52. > :31:57.but he knows that the blue is going to be makeable, even if he is tight
:31:58. > :32:06.against the cushion. So, stunning across for the red on the right-hand
:32:07. > :32:10.side of the table. Well, I'm very surprised he did not play for it. He
:32:11. > :32:16.is taking this one along the top cushion. I think you try to cannon
:32:17. > :32:20.it out, John, and he knew if he did not quite get the cannon, he would
:32:21. > :32:24.always have the other red. Yes but it looked to me as though he could
:32:25. > :32:28.have stunned in behind it and rolled it down the cushion. Those two reds
:32:29. > :32:30.on the side cushion are big problems if he is going to win the frame with
:32:31. > :32:42.this visit. Even here, she could take the risk
:32:43. > :32:46.of potting this and moving that red that is to the left of the blue but
:32:47. > :32:51.it is all about the pot, that is the main thing, you have to make sure of
:32:52. > :32:53.it. He has tried to develop it and he has developed the red. Nicely
:32:54. > :33:10.played. Yeah, that was an excellent shot.
:33:11. > :33:20.Gives him a chance but it is not the best chance.
:33:21. > :33:25.If he finishes dead straight on this red to the middle, you can leave the
:33:26. > :33:31.white where the red ears and look at the angle he has on the pink to get
:33:32. > :33:39.over to that red. Not bad. Just coming around to have a look. Where
:33:40. > :33:42.could he leave the cue ball? And then, he would be faced with the
:33:43. > :33:49.shot you suggested, dropping in behind the red, or trying to develop
:33:50. > :33:50.it. Five hours of fascinating snooker, we have had in this
:33:51. > :33:57.semifinal. So, if he can't move the red, he
:33:58. > :34:13.will drop in behind it. Well, if he is looking this close, I
:34:14. > :34:16.think he would like to pot the pink and move the red away from the
:34:17. > :34:18.cushion. He has got the perfect angle to drop behind it but he would
:34:19. > :34:28.like to move it, by the looks of it. And he did move it away from the
:34:29. > :34:42.cushion. Well played. Well, when he started this break,
:34:43. > :34:48.there were three reds that were awkward. And he has played this to
:34:49. > :35:11.perfection, it has to be said. He did look very edgy at the start
:35:12. > :35:14.of this frame but if he can somehow go on to take it with this fabulous
:35:15. > :35:22.clearance, is confident will be fully restored. -- his confidence.
:35:23. > :35:27.It all depends what kind of angle he has got on the blue. Has he got the
:35:28. > :35:31.natural angle to pot the blue and run onto the black? If he catches
:35:32. > :35:35.the black full ball, he will be on the yellow to the middle. If he
:35:36. > :35:40.hasn't, he's not certain to get good position on this yellow. And with
:35:41. > :35:43.the green not being on its spot, it is a bit trickier than it would have
:35:44. > :36:07.been normally. APPLAUSE
:36:08. > :36:12.I think he is dead straight on the yellow -- I don't think he is dead
:36:13. > :36:15.straight on the yellow but he should be OK. The brown is blocking the
:36:16. > :36:24.green somewhat, but he should be fine. This could be a big turning
:36:25. > :36:26.point in the match because Alan looked all set to win another frame
:36:27. > :36:42.and make it five in a row. It needs to keep coming. He could be
:36:43. > :36:46.snooker that. What a shot he has played, there. He had so much margin
:36:47. > :36:53.for whereas and he decelerated and never hit it. He could have finished
:36:54. > :36:57.another 12 inches, almost two feet up the table and been on the brown.
:36:58. > :37:08.Now he needs a bit of good fortune to knock this safe. Ding Junhui, 41.
:37:09. > :37:13.APPLAUSE Well, what an opportunity he has
:37:14. > :37:17.missed, there. And Alan McManus, I don't think he can believe he is
:37:18. > :37:22.still in this frame. He is eight points behind. But just to be back
:37:23. > :37:26.at the table with a chance is a bonus. What was Ding Junhui thinking
:37:27. > :37:38.of, there are, when he played that green? Anything but short!
:37:39. > :37:47.This is a big frame, now. That brown needs to travel. He does not want to
:37:48. > :37:51.leave a pot on four Ding because he has been knocking in a fume long
:37:52. > :37:57.ones. A quick glance at the scoreboard. Ding needs brown and
:37:58. > :38:04.blue. Is the brown were the risk? He can cut it. -- worth the risk. It is
:38:05. > :38:08.one of those because it is a thing cut, if he missed it and got close,
:38:09. > :38:19.it could stay in the jaws of the pocket. This is a big decision.
:38:20. > :38:31.He is back looking at the potting angle. It just depends how he feels.
:38:32. > :38:37.He is not absolutely sure. Is there a straightforward safety with the
:38:38. > :38:46.chance of getting a snooker? It might be the better option. Well, in
:38:47. > :38:52.the end, he played the pot but... It was not very close. If anything, he
:38:53. > :38:56.went on the side of hitting it too thin when normally you would go on
:38:57. > :38:59.the side of hitting it not been enough. We'll Alan be tempted? --
:39:00. > :39:08.not been enough. It has been chilly in Sheffield, as
:39:09. > :39:18.we see Ding Junhui blowing into his hands. Now the experience of Alan
:39:19. > :39:26.McManus. It looks too risky. Has he got the snooker? He has. If you can
:39:27. > :39:31.get your opponents sniggered at this stage of the frame, you become
:39:32. > :39:39.favourite. Easy hit but can he get it safe? Can he get it safe? Oh, it
:39:40. > :39:42.is going over the corner pocket, as long as it does not go tight, it is
:39:43. > :39:48.a chance. The white is tight on the cushion but the brown is certainly
:39:49. > :39:53.not. Listen, it looks easy but with the cue ball tucked up on the
:39:54. > :39:56.cushion, it is tough. The white will automatically come towards the blue.
:39:57. > :40:02.What an opening frame this is turning out to be. Yes, you have do
:40:03. > :40:04.hit the middle of the cue ball, here, and trust the table. This is a
:40:05. > :40:16.chance. An unexpected one. It is there. APPLAUSE
:40:17. > :40:21.The cue ball needs to slow down. As long as it is not on the cushion, he
:40:22. > :40:25.won't mind. He has got a cut to the right middle. Four points in it.
:40:26. > :40:32.Alan McManus will need blue, pink and black. Ding Junhui, this would
:40:33. > :40:36.hurt him. He looked all over the winner of this frame when he was
:40:37. > :40:45.perfect on the green and snooker to himself on the brown. -- snooker and
:40:46. > :40:57.-- sniggered himself. Cut to the middle looks the obvious choice.
:40:58. > :41:10.Good pot and if this cue ball runs like I think it will, he is going to
:41:11. > :41:17.be on the pink. Just! Well, it is a thin one. The white will have to go
:41:18. > :41:20.crawl twice across the table. If he pots this, Ding Junhui could still
:41:21. > :41:25.draw with the black so he needs the black as well. Can he get it twice
:41:26. > :41:36.across and behind the black? Can he pot the pink? I think if he popped
:41:37. > :41:41.the pink, he is bound to be -- if he pots the pink, news bound to be on
:41:42. > :41:47.the black. I think he is going to be on the black if it runs, if it runs!
:41:48. > :42:10.Just on it. It cuts. It's there! Well, what a frame! Alan
:42:11. > :42:14.McManus took his seat and thought that it was gone. Ding Junhui, so
:42:15. > :42:20.disappointed! He was perfect on the green and underhit it. Only he knows
:42:21. > :42:25.why. And Alan McManus got labour prefab grabbed it with both hands.
:42:26. > :42:32.Now he trails by one. -- got a reprieve. STUDIO: At 33 minutes and
:42:33. > :42:35.36 seconds, the second longest frame of the match so far. We seen a few
:42:36. > :42:38.dramas in the Chris Bull over the years but what a frame of snooker
:42:39. > :42:42.that was under couple of things happened. Ding Junhui will be
:42:43. > :42:46.kicking himself. He nearly made the best parents of the championship. He
:42:47. > :42:49.is on the green and he can drop this in with left-hand side, come between
:42:50. > :42:59.brown and black, stun it around but the one thing you don't want to do
:43:00. > :43:02.is get too much side, get to the cue ball and leave it there. If it is a
:43:03. > :43:05.bit of side, he's got so much width to play into but he snooker to
:43:06. > :43:08.himself. Alan McManus potted a great brown and a fantastic blue, the pink
:43:09. > :43:11.was not a gimme and even the black at the end, even though he was seven
:43:12. > :43:14.ahead, a great frame and what he needed. I think Ding missed a trick,
:43:15. > :43:18.there was a safety, the boys mentioned he could clip the brown
:43:19. > :43:21.but he could have played it in a way when he would not have been near the
:43:22. > :43:25.blue and Alan McManus play the shot to snooker him and that is what Ding
:43:26. > :43:29.should have done. It was a massive target to get a snooker behind but
:43:30. > :43:33.that is what Ding should have done. That is where he got the chance
:43:34. > :43:38.because Ding got the snooker and not the brown over the green pocket. A
:43:39. > :43:42.fantastic shop and a great choice from Alan McManus. I certainly hope
:43:43. > :43:46.that the viewers at home are getting the sense of occasion this evening.
:43:47. > :43:50.I'd tell you something, Alan McManus looks so relaxed. It's unbelievable
:43:51. > :43:57.and the boys are right, the crowd are right behind him. COMMENTATOR:
:43:58. > :44:05.Ding Junhui breaks off. Probably in a bit of shock. I mean, Alan, we
:44:06. > :44:09.talked about in being relaxed but have a look at this in between
:44:10. > :44:12.frames! He's got a few friends in the audience and he spotted them and
:44:13. > :44:20.gave them a double wave and a smile. I think he's enjoying himself,
:44:21. > :44:24.there. -- a little wave. It is a fairy tale story, John, when you
:44:25. > :44:31.think about it. Everyone thought Alan McManus had retired from the
:44:32. > :44:34.grain. -- from the game. It's incredible and you know what it is
:44:35. > :44:37.like when you get in the twilight of your grid, it is hard to enjoy the
:44:38. > :44:42.heat of battle, the semifinal of a World Championship. -- of your
:44:43. > :44:47.career. It is a fantastic story and he should be so proud of himself.
:44:48. > :45:04.I'm certain everybody in Scotland is. Superb.
:45:05. > :45:30.Just got back safety a little bit too thin. -- that safety.
:45:31. > :45:42.APPLAUSE Great shot.
:45:43. > :45:57.Great players, when their backs are against the war and they are asked a
:45:58. > :46:01.question, he is still leading 9-8 but he has lost five frames in a
:46:02. > :46:02.row. Sometimes, they have an inner strength and they produced their
:46:03. > :46:21.best. Just a little bit awkward, you
:46:22. > :46:26.because he cannot pot the black and go straight into the bunch. He has
:46:27. > :46:27.two reds guaranteed but that red is slightly in the way of screwing into
:46:28. > :46:42.the bunch. He has just knocked that one on the
:46:43. > :46:50.side cushion. That is going to be a difficult pack to go into, now.
:46:51. > :46:55.And if he is straight on the black, he's just going to have to play for
:46:56. > :47:07.the single read up into the corner, past the blue and yellow. -- single
:47:08. > :47:13.red. And he is almost straight. Now, this will be another confidence
:47:14. > :47:23.booster, if he cannot this in. -- if he can knock this in.
:47:24. > :47:33.GASPS FROM CROWD It looked as though it was in. Stop
:47:34. > :47:39.calling out, please. Quite right, you don't want to be shouting, "Come
:47:40. > :47:42.on, Alan", when he comes to the table and there's nothing for him to
:47:43. > :47:46.have a go at so there's no need for them to be shouting. In between
:47:47. > :47:54.frames, it's great to have the atmosphere but not shouting out at
:47:55. > :48:00.that point. Is he playing a cross double on this read, hear? He is
:48:01. > :48:05.doing. -- on this red, here. The only reason you don't like playing
:48:06. > :48:08.doubles is because if they don't go in, you are never certain whether
:48:09. > :48:16.red is going to finish and he has left it on. -- where the red. It is
:48:17. > :48:19.a misjudgement which has gifted Ding Junhui a chance, and he knows that
:48:20. > :48:21.he has got Ding Junhui under pressure. You don't want to give him
:48:22. > :48:54.easy opportunities. Now it is imperative that of this
:48:55. > :48:58.red, he gets a nice angle on a colour. He will probably be playing
:48:59. > :49:07.for a ball colour but I don't guarantee him getting that for the
:49:08. > :49:11.blue. -- for a baulk colour. It looks like the yellow is the one,
:49:12. > :49:18.that Green would have done. If he can judge the cannon, he is in good
:49:19. > :49:28.shape. Plenty of left-hand side of the side cushion, and anywhere into
:49:29. > :49:32.the reds would do. APPLAUSE He has dropped the cue ball in
:49:33. > :49:38.amongst them. Well, I say that but can he get through to the red on the
:49:39. > :49:44.right corner? Surely, it looks as though he can. He can't! Well, how
:49:45. > :49:50.unlucky is that? He's got the red closest to the cue ball, but he
:49:51. > :50:03.deserves something easier than this. He could miss this.
:50:04. > :50:13.I told you he could miss this. A straight red to the corner, it would
:50:14. > :50:17.have been. Now it's an easier red than that. View of early unlucky, as
:50:18. > :50:24.we show you the attempt at the cutback which almost went in. It
:50:25. > :50:27.wobbled, four or five times. It is always difficult to control this,
:50:28. > :50:33.when the red is right over the pocket. You can't play it with drag
:50:34. > :50:36.because he is close. But the pink is there so if he is a bit too far from
:50:37. > :50:46.the black, he has got the pink. Playing it cushion first. APPLAUSE
:50:47. > :51:08.And you mentioned how proud they will be in Scotland. I can tell you
:51:09. > :51:14.who will be watching, a big snooker fan, the former First Minister, Alex
:51:15. > :51:20.Salmond. His father is a snooker not, loves the game of snooker. I
:51:21. > :51:21.met Alex up at a golf tournament and he said his dad absolutely loves
:51:22. > :51:38.snooker. But it is amazing, though, isn't it?
:51:39. > :51:42.We always say this game is all about fractions. There's 22 balls on a 12
:51:43. > :51:47.foot 6' table and when Ding Junhui went into the middle, it looked as
:51:48. > :51:55.though it was perfect. -- 12 foot, by six foot table. But just one red
:51:56. > :52:00.covering the other left him an awkward cut, and I mean, the way he
:52:01. > :52:04.hit this yellow, he hit it right in the heart and I thought it was
:52:05. > :52:12.perfect. But the reds were just covering one another.
:52:13. > :52:46.Oh, does it drop? Does it drop? Just caught the near jaw.
:52:47. > :53:04.Should be OK. There's a red just above the black spot. As I say, when
:53:05. > :53:05.they are right in the jaws of the pocket, it is a little bit tricky,
:53:06. > :53:22.judging the position. It has come up a little bit short.
:53:23. > :53:27.But it should not be a problem. He can just had up towards the blue and
:53:28. > :53:30.then back for the reds, those four reds, he does not have too play any
:53:31. > :53:38.cannons, they are going to clear each other. So, they are there for
:53:39. > :53:45.the taking. He just has to go away from the black for one shot, and as
:53:46. > :53:55.long as he gets nicely on the colour.
:53:56. > :54:10.Nine. Absolutely perfect. Two reds, with the four available, into the
:54:11. > :54:15.left corner. And as they are removed, it will clear the path for
:54:16. > :54:17.the two reds nearest the pink to the opposite corner. So it is a great
:54:18. > :55:00.chance, now. So, that black, it just finished
:55:01. > :55:04.right in the jaws of the pocket and it has cost Alan McManus, you would
:55:05. > :55:10.have do say, here. If it had dropped in, as we show you it again, it just
:55:11. > :55:17.needed a bit more pace, it just touched the near jaw and did not
:55:18. > :55:25.drop. And this is a huge frame for Ding Junhui, it has to be said. He's
:55:26. > :55:45.lost five in a row. A couple more pots, and he is back on track.
:55:46. > :55:54.APPLAUSE He will certainly be feeling a
:55:55. > :56:47.little better, now. It does not really matter whether he
:56:48. > :56:51.pots the brown and gets up to the blue. He would like to clear the
:56:52. > :57:05.remaining colours but he has done what is required.
:57:06. > :57:15.APPLAUSE Powered in the brown.
:57:16. > :57:28.This is a very classy frame that Ding Junhui has played, here.
:57:29. > :57:40.And there is one of those lovely power, stun run through shots. So he
:57:41. > :57:44.has stopped the rot. He lost five frames in a row but what a way to
:57:45. > :57:50.stop the rot. That was a magnificent break of 80. Ding Junhui is back two
:57:51. > :57:57.in front, 10-8. STUDIO: A fantastic performance from
:57:58. > :58:00.Ding as he must have been totally shocked by what happened in the
:58:01. > :58:03.first frame of the evening session. Let's look at the situation on the
:58:04. > :58:07.table. Ding Junhui is on the green and as John Parrott said, he had two
:58:08. > :58:11.choices of positional shot, either playing the green off the back
:58:12. > :58:15.cushion and through the gap. That looked like the right shot to play,
:58:16. > :58:19.to me, it did not look too difficult. Possibly it was a bit too
:58:20. > :58:23.thin but I'm not sure. All he could have played what he did, round the
:58:24. > :58:28.back of the black and into position on the brown, which had one big
:58:29. > :58:33.problem, this lack. What happened? Ding Junhui underhit the shot. Let's
:58:34. > :58:37.come to the table where I have said the balls up exactly as they are on
:58:38. > :58:40.the screen. Look at the situation as a player in three-dimensional as
:58:41. > :58:47.opposed to the two-dimensional, I look at the green and think, OK, I
:58:48. > :58:53.can pot this dream. Go off the bottom push on and possibly drop it
:58:54. > :58:58.in and round the back of the brown. And I can naturally come up on the
:58:59. > :59:02.brown. That way, you guarantee that you take the black out of the
:59:03. > :59:06.equation. I've got another green that I prepared earlier. There's the
:59:07. > :59:10.white ball, about there. It is quite a nice shot and if you play these
:59:11. > :59:18.done around the back of the black and underhit it. -- the stun.
:59:19. > :59:21.Suddenly, you get sniggered on the black, so if you underhit, you could
:59:22. > :59:24.go past the black and if you are overhit, you can go too far but I
:59:25. > :59:26.don't understand what Ding was thinking at that moment. Alan
:59:27. > :59:48.McManus to break. I don't think he had a clear mind. I
:59:49. > :59:51.think he got to the table. He potted, because the green wasn't on
:59:52. > :59:56.his spot, he concentrated on the yellow. He had gone perfect on the
:59:57. > :00:00.green and just a little bit of tension at the time. We know that
:00:01. > :00:05.sometimes, and we are not just showing this, he has shown a
:00:06. > :00:11.weakness when it has come to the crunch in frames. Alan McManus needs
:00:12. > :00:15.to stay close and keep asking him questions.
:00:16. > :00:20.But that is the only thing I can think of. Steve explained there,
:00:21. > :00:26.just a plain ball, pot between the green and black. Why would stun
:00:27. > :00:32.around, maybe thought it would give him more feel to push the cue
:00:33. > :00:43.through and have to play a delicate shot.
:00:44. > :00:53.The only thing which happened in the last frame to me is that Alan just
:00:54. > :00:57.kept leaving Ding Junhui one or two long shots for nothing and this
:00:58. > :01:02.young man, when he's in the mood, can pot anything. He's got to play
:01:03. > :01:05.better safety than what he's been doing. It is risky leaving this
:01:06. > :01:09.young man a pot on. It will keep the pressure on him.
:01:10. > :01:42.He will see how it played out. A medium range chance for Alan
:01:43. > :02:16.McManus here. It is amazing watching Alan pot that
:02:17. > :02:23.type of shot, as his head just moves gently up before he delivers the
:02:24. > :02:29.cue. He's always played that way. He delivers the cue in a straight
:02:30. > :02:34.line. He can see the head coming up and then straight in.
:02:35. > :02:41.There's one lose red available to the right corner. He's got a perfect
:02:42. > :02:46.angle to bring reds into play, or maybe play a bit more gently to the
:02:47. > :02:49.left of the pink and just nudge into the three reds to the left of the
:02:50. > :02:54.pink. Try to play... Oh, I tell you what,
:02:55. > :02:56.if he had caught that ball that would have been perfect. He's OK.
:02:57. > :03:08.He's on a pot. Six. If he had flicked that red a
:03:09. > :03:11.bit thicker, it would have been absolutely perfect.
:03:12. > :03:16.As I say, he can pot this red, but I don't think the black is available
:03:17. > :03:20.into this right corner. He will probably have to go back up
:03:21. > :03:28.for the blue. He's getting the chances and he
:03:29. > :03:47.needs to make the most of them. It is going to finish a bit awkward.
:03:48. > :03:51.He really is totally relaxed out there, Alan McManus. Have a look at
:03:52. > :03:53.this. This spin, the extension around,
:03:54. > :04:10.he's having fun out there. One lose thread on the side of the
:04:11. > :04:13.cluster, but he can stun one or two cushions there, but he's got to
:04:14. > :04:27.avoid the kiss on the yellow. He's played this beautifully. I tell
:04:28. > :04:33.you what, this is top class. OK, maybe another foot of run would
:04:34. > :04:42.have been ideal. Ten. As I say, the black won't go to the
:04:43. > :04:44.right corner, so he may have an angle just to pot this and go around
:04:45. > :04:47.the back of the black. Well, decided to play it with pace.
:04:48. > :05:05.I don't think the blacks on now. The thing you have to admire is he's
:05:06. > :05:09.playing the correct shot and he's not holding back. He's not just
:05:10. > :05:15.trying to slow Ding Junhui down. That is a bit careless to get the
:05:16. > :05:48.double-kiss. This is tough.
:05:49. > :05:55.Just off straight. Sometimes you can follow this in.
:05:56. > :06:00.That was never easy. Where is the red going to finish? Where is the
:06:01. > :06:14.cue ball going to finish? When Ding Junhui won the first five
:06:15. > :06:18.frames of this match he was potting everything, made the acceptureries,
:06:19. > :06:21.you thought, this will -- centuries, you thought, this will be over with
:06:22. > :06:31.the session to spare. He's not letting anyone down. He's
:06:32. > :06:38.taking his chances still. This isn't an easy one, of course.
:06:39. > :06:51.The black tied up. The pink unavailable.
:06:52. > :07:01.Is it worth it to pot the brown. Bringing some reds into play may
:07:02. > :07:07.release the pink. It may be worth the risk. I think he's got the angle
:07:08. > :07:23.to do that. He's cueing down, so he's not playing that cannon.
:07:24. > :07:42.Now, let's see what he's got up his sleeve here.
:07:43. > :07:50.No, he's finished awkward. That choice that you suggested,
:07:51. > :08:00.John, previously when he potted the brown was on with top spin.
:08:01. > :08:17.Got the double-kiss again. The way he was reacting it was as if the
:08:18. > :08:25.white drifted slightly. Sometimes it can do. You can going against the
:08:26. > :08:32.knap of the cloth. Sometimes if you get a little trace aside, instead of
:08:33. > :08:36.being tight on the cushion, a double-kiss led the white away from
:08:37. > :08:47.the cushion. It is not a plant, surely t two reds.
:08:48. > :08:53.That will infuriate Alan if he knocks the plant in. It is almost
:08:54. > :08:59.on. It is going slightly to the left of the pocket. But with a slight
:09:00. > :09:04.adjustment he can make this plant. Alan can only sit and see what the
:09:05. > :09:20.outcome is going to be. He shouldn't have been there with the cue ball.
:09:21. > :09:27.But, as happens a lot of times, you play a plant, you forget about the
:09:28. > :09:37.cue ball, but look where he'll put it now.
:09:38. > :09:53.He could have been better with being tight to
:09:54. > :10:03.Oh, he's gone the wrong side of it. That's... That's a mistake you don't
:10:04. > :10:14.normally see from Alan. He knows his angles so well.
:10:15. > :10:25.Pink is available. No problem getting up for the blue.
:10:26. > :11:01.It is a nice angle to leave the pink for the left of the middle pocket.
:11:02. > :11:09.Well the pink went in, but the drop of the arm tells me he's not perfect
:11:10. > :11:14.on this red. I always look at the body language
:11:15. > :11:19.of a player. You get used to it when you are sat the table, that gives
:11:20. > :11:26.you a clue as to whether they are good or not and he's not good on
:11:27. > :11:32.this red, by my means. -- any means. A bit of work to do
:11:33. > :11:40.with the cue ball. He could play for the black, but that would be a
:11:41. > :12:03.tricky black along the top cushion. This is not straightforward.
:12:04. > :12:15.It was a tough pot that, playing it with pace. Now what's he left? I
:12:16. > :12:22.think he may have gotten away with it, John, as we show you the red in
:12:23. > :12:30.the mid-. At first glance I think it is pretty safe. This one may cut
:12:31. > :12:33.back, but it is a very thin one. Just wondering about the red closest
:12:34. > :12:38.to the cue ball. If he had done that, he would have the pink into
:12:39. > :12:47.the opposite middle. I know it is a narrow angle, but maybe worth it.
:12:48. > :12:53.He's just looking to see if he should have a go at that. What he
:12:54. > :13:16.might leave, but what a pot this would be from this angle.
:13:17. > :13:25.I thought it was worth the risk, because he was on the pink. He knew
:13:26. > :13:32.it wasn't going to be a sitter left for Ding Junhui.
:13:33. > :13:55.This is equally as difficult as Alan's shot.
:13:56. > :14:02.Just about OK, so long as you stop short of the baulk line, you know
:14:03. > :14:08.you've got the colour on once you have reached that white line or past
:14:09. > :14:12.it. One of the baulk colours becomes a
:14:13. > :14:34.thin cut. Just short of the line there.
:14:35. > :14:55.May have to play a cannon here on the three reds, just to the left of
:14:56. > :15:02.the pink. It would be unlucky not to be on
:15:03. > :15:09.one. You always have that risk when playing these cannons.
:15:10. > :15:15.He obviously thinks he could risk out by playing for a red.
:15:16. > :15:33.He's on this one, just nicely, be on the pink to the right middle.
:15:34. > :15:40.Can he get on the pink? Yes, he can.
:15:41. > :15:57.A good chance now. It is quite a low number he's
:15:58. > :16:20.looking for. 56, leaving Alan a snooker.
:16:21. > :16:26.He's the best in the business. Up there in the top two of
:16:27. > :16:31.break-building and keeping close control like this. He really is.
:16:32. > :16:38.He's not happy where he's finished on the pink. This pink and those
:16:39. > :16:42.three reds and three more pinks would put him 41 points in front,
:16:43. > :16:44.with 35 remaining. Could hold the spot if he wants
:16:45. > :16:51.here. He's played it in such a way there's
:16:52. > :17:21.plenty of room for the pink. Needs to keep running. It has come
:17:22. > :17:24.up a little bit short. Another few inches. Leave the two reds for the
:17:25. > :17:33.right corner. Now it is a little bit more awkward.
:17:34. > :17:38.It shouldn't be a problem. I think he can still hold for those if he
:17:39. > :18:15.just drops it in. This pink, if he pots it and gets
:18:16. > :18:25.position on the red just below it, then it is frame over.
:18:26. > :18:30.Right in the heart of the pocket. Alan McManus did have an
:18:31. > :18:47.opportunity. Ding's confidence is fully restored
:18:48. > :18:52.again. Frame 18, with a huge frame in the context of this semi-final.
:18:53. > :19:00.He'd lost five in a row. And the fact that he won, and he wob
:19:01. > :19:02.it with an 80 break -- won it with an 80 break, he's really on track
:19:03. > :19:26.again. Didn't really about the pink.
:19:27. > :19:31.There's another concession. Ding Junhui, I am not convinced he's
:19:32. > :19:34.100%. I would think he would be concerned, but of would be if Alan
:19:35. > :19:42.McManus can keep the pressure on. Now Alan McManus is three behind. 11
:19:43. > :19:48.Ding Junhui has done it many times in this match. In the context of
:19:49. > :19:52.this semi-final, perhaps the most important? Yes. I would think so.
:19:53. > :19:58.What has been most impressive is whenever he's pressed in any
:19:59. > :20:04.matches, he's always had an answer and his attitude has been absolutely
:20:05. > :20:08.A 1 all the way through this event. In the past stiemss he has been
:20:09. > :20:14.questioned about his bottle -- sometimes he has been questioned
:20:15. > :20:18.about his bottle and when it is up to him, not one-frame visits, like
:20:19. > :20:22.to win the frame, but still he showed a lot of character,
:20:23. > :20:26.particularly after that from Alan McManus, winning five in a row,
:20:27. > :20:30.coming back. He showed some character, steel and composure.
:20:31. > :20:36.Denis made a good point in commentary saying he can see the
:20:37. > :20:40.confidence coming back. It is reminisce sent of the opening three,
:20:41. > :20:44.four, five frames. It is very important to stamp your authority
:20:45. > :20:48.back on the match again. As I say, I think his attitude has been great
:20:49. > :20:53.all the way through the event. If he wins the ones ones that 12-8 at the
:20:54. > :20:59.intervool, that is a massive score -- interval. That is a massive score
:21:00. > :21:05.line. The lads have talked that Ding was out of the top 16. Some of our
:21:06. > :21:09.viewers who have not been here for the last 14 days, Ding has had to
:21:10. > :21:13.qualify for this and maybe the pressure is off him. He fell outside
:21:14. > :21:18.the top 16. So he's had to win those three qualifying matches. I think it
:21:19. > :21:22.is probably the best thing that had to happen to him. He got more
:21:23. > :21:28.confidence from winning those three matches in the qualifier. He's come
:21:29. > :21:30.to this first round of the World Championship with momentum,
:21:31. > :21:34.confidence which was lost and he's got stronger and stronger and
:21:35. > :21:37.stronger as the tournaments go on. In a strange sort of way, it may
:21:38. > :21:49.have been the best thing for him. No problem. He should be able to
:21:50. > :21:56.find the gap back down the table here.
:21:57. > :22:08.I watched that match that Ding played in the China open.
:22:09. > :22:14.I have never seen him play so badly. It has worked in his favour. He has
:22:15. > :22:22.come in under the radar and now he's one of the favourites to lift this
:22:23. > :22:33.year's Betfred trophy. Have a look at the result there. It
:22:34. > :22:39.was a great pot, but look at the outcome.
:22:40. > :22:53.Well, a mid-session interval coming up. How many will he make from this
:22:54. > :22:58.position? That was quite incredible how he finished up on the black. He
:22:59. > :23:18.got the main part of that last shot was potting the red. What a result.
:23:19. > :23:35.Look at this, it was a great pot. He couldn't control the cue ball, but
:23:36. > :23:42.cannoned the black. To push it on the way he did was
:23:43. > :23:47.amazing. Just looking at that he was trying
:23:48. > :23:53.to screw around the back of the black. Kissing it full in the face,
:23:54. > :23:58.had been snookered and on nothing. Now it is not beyond the realms of
:23:59. > :24:01.possibility that we could have a maximum. All the reds are nicely
:24:02. > :24:07.situated in this third of the table. He had made six maximum breaks, Ding
:24:08. > :24:25.Junhui. Just have another look at this, how
:24:26. > :24:28.the black was can nobodied into. Look at that -- cannoned into. Look
:24:29. > :25:17.at that, he finished on it. He just plays a little cannon on the
:25:18. > :25:21.red, or on to the pink itself he will leave himself with a red to the
:25:22. > :25:25.right corner. He's got the nice angle on the black to do that. If
:25:26. > :25:29.he's not on the one to the right corner, he would be on one to the
:25:30. > :25:31.left. I don't think there's too much risk
:25:32. > :25:43.involved in this. Just hit the red and then the pink.
:25:44. > :25:51.As you say, still on this red to the right corner. Once he gets around
:25:52. > :25:56.about the 64, 72 mark, if it is still all blacks, there'll only be
:25:57. > :26:11.one thing on his mind and that will be maximum.
:26:12. > :26:20.It doesn't matter the fact he's straight on the black, but look at
:26:21. > :26:35.the reds. You can see what he's doing with the
:26:36. > :26:37.cue there. He's got that 147 on his mind -
:26:38. > :26:54.that's for certain. There'll be someone possibly in the
:26:55. > :27:01.champion's lounge watching this. The gentleman who made the first break
:27:02. > :27:09.at the Crucible Theatre, Chris is over for the last four days.
:27:10. > :27:16.And his maximum started with a fluke red across the top cushion. Could
:27:17. > :27:32.Ding make a maximum with that fluke position on the black?
:27:33. > :27:37.It has gone very quiet in the Crucible.
:27:38. > :27:48.They sense something special could happen here.
:27:49. > :28:07.We are in the snookers required stage. Practically one more red
:28:08. > :28:15.needed after this black. So, I would be amazed if he saw
:28:16. > :28:22.anything after a red. Going for the black w the maximum break.
:28:23. > :28:35.?10,000 for the high break and a ?20,000 bonus for a maximum break.
:28:36. > :28:41.Well, I'm starting to get tense. I don't know what the crowd's like.
:28:42. > :29:21.There'll be a lot of people who've never seen a maximum break before.
:29:22. > :29:29.It's OK. In fact, you could roll this in, can in the red just below
:29:30. > :29:35.it and stay on the black or decide to screw in and off the side
:29:36. > :29:45.cushion. -- cannon in. He held it well. He may have to play a default
:29:46. > :29:52.cannon, here. Just to get the cue ball back into the middle of the
:29:53. > :29:55.table. Just the one ready macro is a little awkward, the one nearest the
:29:56. > :29:57.left side cushion and it is well away from the cushion. -- the one
:29:58. > :30:47.red. There is that little cannon. Well played. APPLAUSE
:30:48. > :30:54.The tension is going to build. We have had eight centuries in this
:30:55. > :30:59.semifinal. This would be a record, if he gets the century break.
:31:00. > :31:05.There's never been nine centuries made, anywhere, in a semifinal. So,
:31:06. > :31:12.this is for the record books. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
:31:13. > :31:21.Oh, he has come up a little bit short! He needed another six inches
:31:22. > :31:25.on the cue ball and he would have been perfect. He's going to have to
:31:26. > :31:29.leave an awkward black. If he's going to go around the ankles, he's
:31:30. > :31:33.got to avoid all the colours and if he drops it in, it is a tough black.
:31:34. > :31:35.He is coming around to see what kind of angle he could leave. Just a
:31:36. > :31:56.fraction short, there. APPLAUSE
:31:57. > :31:59.He has done it. We saw it in the Welsh Open this year, Ronnie
:32:00. > :32:07.O'Sullivan decided not to go for the black of the banal to Matt red and
:32:08. > :32:13.made a 146. That won't apply in this case? And who made a 147 in that
:32:14. > :32:21.tournament? Ding Junhui. Come on, son, don't let us down. Get in
:32:22. > :32:29.there, and he has got the side on it! APPLAUSE
:32:30. > :32:36.What a black, played with lots of side, to get towards the red. He
:32:37. > :32:44.needs another good one. This is more difficult than the black.
:32:45. > :32:59.Yes, it's there! Oh, look where the cue ball has gone! Well, even Alan
:33:00. > :33:09.McManus would love to see Ding cut this black in and get on the yellow.
:33:10. > :33:23.Well, there's been ten maximums made at the Crucible. Oh, he has overcut
:33:24. > :33:30.it! What a shame! But what an effort from Ding Junhui. A chance of making
:33:31. > :33:34.a maximum break and look what it would have meant to the Chinese
:33:35. > :33:39.player, but more important, that century break has given him another
:33:40. > :33:45.frame. He goes to the mid-session interval leading 12-8. Unlucky for
:33:46. > :33:49.Ding Junhui. STUDIO: Well, amazing scenes at the Crucible. John Parrott
:33:50. > :33:53.and Ken Doherty, we are sitting in the studio, willing Ding Junhui to
:33:54. > :33:57.get a maximum. How amazing from the crowd, a standing ovation for him?
:33:58. > :34:01.It was a breed the 10th and it was the back to the second last red, not
:34:02. > :34:04.enough reverse side on it to bring it up the table and after that he
:34:05. > :34:08.was scrapping for position. He did brilliantly while to get the two
:34:09. > :34:12.reds to have a chance of the black but the last one was smelly. It was
:34:13. > :34:18.difficult with such a fine cut into the corner pocket. It is difficult
:34:19. > :34:22.because he's trying to hold it as well for the yellow. Just too much
:34:23. > :34:29.side on it and hit it to the far jaw of the pocket but what a commended
:34:30. > :34:33.break. It was just wonderful. To be honest, it is the thing the match
:34:34. > :34:36.has been missing because it had absolutely everything and a maximum
:34:37. > :34:41.would have capped it. It was a great moment in here when John says, "He
:34:42. > :34:47.has just got to ping this". The last red E ported to come over, it pained
:34:48. > :34:52.of aggression and he was looking as if to say where has that come from?
:34:53. > :34:56.But a brilliant attempt. In the context of the match, Ding has
:34:57. > :35:00.really found his rhythm. Yes and another century. I hope he won't be
:35:01. > :35:04.too disappointed about it, rather happy he's got another century and
:35:05. > :35:08.another frame on the board. OK, the chance was gone for the maximum but
:35:09. > :35:12.he has established a four frame lead as well. And the interval has come
:35:13. > :35:17.at a good double stop it is a great attempt, lost it 15 minutes, go and
:35:18. > :35:21.have a cup of tea and have a talk and then come out with a match to
:35:22. > :35:25.win. Kyren Wilson still has the top breaks over at the Chris Bull so a
:35:26. > :35:29.sigh of relief for him, 143 in his last match. Let's go do Steve Davis
:35:30. > :35:32.and a special guest. Dennis Taylor mentioned there was an
:35:33. > :35:39.interested person watching in the players' room and it's a pleasure to
:35:40. > :35:46.welcome Cliff Thorburn who made the first 147 break up the Crucible. It
:35:47. > :35:52.was 1983, April the 23rd, about 11:50am! And how much money did you
:35:53. > :35:58.win for it? I know I spent it! It was something around ?13,000. The
:35:59. > :36:02.pink or the fantastic shot, nicely placed on it. You played some great
:36:03. > :36:06.shots along the way but this black was very, very easy under certain
:36:07. > :36:11.circumstances but not with the pressure you must have been feeling.
:36:12. > :36:15.I was feeling good. All I said to myself or that I wanted to make it
:36:16. > :36:20.straight in, not touching the sides or the jaws. It went straight in and
:36:21. > :36:25.you felt to your knees, marvellous, what a feeling. I was so happy. And
:36:26. > :36:33.the crowd as well, cheering, the first time at the Crucible. And a
:36:34. > :36:38.big group hug which was marvellous. It was fantastic. And that was to go
:36:39. > :36:42.3-1 up! And then you walked back to the dressing room. With some
:36:43. > :36:46.euphoria, of course. I felt fantastic. And then this young boy
:36:47. > :36:50.asked me for my autograph and I could not even sign my name! I mean,
:36:51. > :36:56.if I would have felt like that signing my name, actually shooting
:36:57. > :36:59.the black ball, I mean, I would have had to quit professionally because I
:37:00. > :37:02.could not even sign my name for this young kid. My hand was flapping
:37:03. > :37:10.around. It was a funny moment. But I had some time to regroup. Finally,
:37:11. > :37:15.you won the match 13-12. Exciting finish, I suppose, in many ways?
:37:16. > :37:22.Yes, I went in front, 12-9 and then Terry made I think, two breaks of 99
:37:23. > :37:27.and then I made a 75 in the last frame at 3am. People say it ended
:37:28. > :37:32.late but we did not start until 930 B! I'm just saying because they did
:37:33. > :37:39.not pull players of then and Eddie Charlton was in front of us. I just
:37:40. > :37:44.had to throw that in there. -- 9:30pm. How do you think Ding is
:37:45. > :37:49.feeling now? I think that came at a good time. He is happy to have won
:37:50. > :37:53.three frames but now he's got time to regroup, to forget about that
:37:54. > :37:57.disappointment. I have set this black up for you to play it but we
:37:58. > :38:01.don't have enough time. We have to go back to the studio.
:38:02. > :38:05.Thank you very much and I'm pretty sure I speak on behalf of a
:38:06. > :38:08.generation of young sports fans who were watching TV at the time and I
:38:09. > :38:12.remember watching from my living room in Cardiff when I was a boy,
:38:13. > :38:18.watching live TV and standing up and being totally ecstatic. I was 250
:38:19. > :38:20.miles away from Sheffield. It was a special moment in sport, and great
:38:21. > :38:25.forklifts because he's a wonderful fellow and we love him. It is great
:38:26. > :38:29.to have him every year, he turns up and his wonderful company and he was
:38:30. > :38:35.a top-class player. -- great for Cliff. Nearly broke Terry's neck
:38:36. > :38:39.when he grabbed in! And lovely to see big bill. You would remember
:38:40. > :38:44.that hug, wouldn't you? And another lovely moment from the archive, a
:38:45. > :38:49.shot of one of the Crucible seat and they have not changed since he made
:38:50. > :38:52.the 147. Amazing stuff. I don't know what you have planned for tomorrow
:38:53. > :38:59.evening after the snooker, the live coverage from the Chris Bull but may
:39:00. > :39:06.I suggest you watched The Rack Pack because if you love those days, you
:39:07. > :39:10.will love this. Retain Higgins. I'm an entertainer. Please welcome Steve
:39:11. > :39:15.Davis! I'm going to make you would be very rich. I hope that is your
:39:16. > :39:23.snooker cue! This will be the break of the tournament.
:39:24. > :39:28.We have to tell the story of how snooker went from the back rooms of
:39:29. > :39:31.the small clubs to become this massive national sporting event. It
:39:32. > :39:35.is the story of the characters and people behind that. You have got the
:39:36. > :39:40.people who were burgeoning Management, like Barry Hearn, making
:39:41. > :39:43.it professional and organised, commercialised, the sport and then
:39:44. > :39:45.you have got to be more natural talents of people like Higgins and
:39:46. > :39:57.Jimmy White who were these great folk heroes of their day. How are
:39:58. > :40:03.you? Hi, Alex! How are you? Excuse me. I was wondering if he might
:40:04. > :40:10.provide me with some information about the tables and the facilities
:40:11. > :40:21.in this establishment. You know what? What the pockets are like and
:40:22. > :40:28.the slate. Do you need me to call your mum? No matter how many times
:40:29. > :40:33.you looked at it, he transformed the game, Steve Davis, with Barry Hearn.
:40:34. > :40:44.And Higgins, his shadow hangs over that whole era. Yes! You know, I'm
:40:45. > :40:50.sorry but I can't keep my eyes open. What do you say we make this
:40:51. > :40:55.interesting? If you say so, Alex. They became the two opposing forces,
:40:56. > :40:59.if you like, that seemed to be the story that we were telling. I've
:41:00. > :41:05.been waiting a long time to meet a man like you,, Steve, I bet that is
:41:06. > :41:08.something you don't live very often! You see, I think snooker is going to
:41:09. > :41:14.be big, properly big. Bigger even than wrestling. I'm being serious. I
:41:15. > :41:21.want us to go into partnership together. It was really adjusting to
:41:22. > :41:24.get into the world of snooker, especially in its golden age, how
:41:25. > :41:29.sexy and cool it was. It is definitely very unique on its own
:41:30. > :41:33.and probably could only have happened at that time. It just shows
:41:34. > :41:42.you how snooker at the world was, you know? The working title for the
:41:43. > :41:46.film was a quote from Barry Hearn. "We Had good guys, we had bad guys
:41:47. > :41:49.and we had snooker in the middle". The millions out there, they don't
:41:50. > :41:55.tune in to watch the snooker. They watch for the soap opera. It is
:41:56. > :42:01.Dallas with balls. Andy was JR and Bobby Ewing rolled into one. -- and
:42:02. > :42:04.you are. He's just a brilliant character to play because he so
:42:05. > :42:10.charismatic and this 20 to go with, when you watch the footage of Barry,
:42:11. > :42:15.he is a real character. -- there is plenty to go with. This is Ryan, is
:42:16. > :42:20.going to write your autobiography. I'm only 23. Doesn't matter, he's
:42:21. > :42:24.going to pad it out with loads of diagrams that way, even Jimmy White
:42:25. > :42:27.could not read it! This has been a very difficult project in lots of
:42:28. > :42:31.ways. We have picked a period piece with characters people remember very
:42:32. > :42:34.well and fondly and we've had to be accurate to that and in the middle
:42:35. > :42:37.of it, they have to place on ago, one of the most difficult sport in
:42:38. > :42:42.the world. They've learned the sport, how to hold a cue and walk
:42:43. > :42:46.around the table properly. One of the tricky things was learning how
:42:47. > :42:50.to play like Steve, and hold his physicality, his stance, his cueing
:42:51. > :42:56.action and get my head around playing like that. I think he's got
:42:57. > :43:03.to go for it. This is the big shot of the frame. And that, coupled with
:43:04. > :43:08.visual effects, I think no one has really tried before in any kind of
:43:09. > :43:13.snooker or pool film. Another difficult red into the centre
:43:14. > :43:17.pocket. We are confident our film has captured the accuracy of the
:43:18. > :43:25.sport in a really trusting way. Alex not able to afford any mistakes.
:43:26. > :43:29.People have one view of snooker and that is the camera above the table
:43:30. > :43:34.in any match, always the same angle. But this film totally takes you down
:43:35. > :43:35.to the level of the players. It is a little bit rock 'n' roll. It has got
:43:36. > :43:48.everything. The script is funny and the way it
:43:49. > :43:58.is brought together by the actors, Luke brings a lot of humour to it.
:43:59. > :44:03.Fellas, you are four hours late, they are baying for blood in there.
:44:04. > :44:09.Where have you been? Relax, I'm the people's champion. Ladies and
:44:10. > :44:14.gentlemen, welcome the world jumping, Alex again. There's also
:44:15. > :44:21.dark as well and that is necessary. -- the world champion, Alex Higgins.
:44:22. > :44:28.Me and you, James, we are the only two that ever played for love.
:44:29. > :44:35.Unique tragedy and comedy and there's a lot of tragedy. There are
:44:36. > :44:44.some really emotional, heartfelt, heart-warming scenes as well. -- you
:44:45. > :44:52.need. I loved you, baby, from the first moment I held you in my arms.
:44:53. > :45:02.And now, your daddy is playing in the final tomorrow. It's going to
:45:03. > :45:06.change everything. I hope it is a timeless story. The drama is there
:45:07. > :45:12.and I think anyone can that. I hope that viewers of the modern game
:45:13. > :45:16.might go, " you know, there was a time and again perhaps add a few
:45:17. > :45:23.more characters". # We'll show you what we can do
:45:24. > :45:26.# With a load of balls and a snooker cue. #
:45:27. > :45:29.We know that the wake people consume drama and TV has changed these days
:45:30. > :45:33.and hopefully we are at the forefront of that and this will be a
:45:34. > :45:36.project that reaches out to a lot of people and create more opportunities
:45:37. > :45:45.to do things like this in the future. There such a following from
:45:46. > :45:49.that era, there's a lot of nostalgia and walk and love for snooker.
:45:50. > :45:54.Tonally, it's quite strong with a lot of big, emotional moment and a
:45:55. > :45:59.of wild behaviour. This is the box office!
:46:00. > :46:09.If you have not already caught it on BBC I play, it is on BBC Two
:46:10. > :46:13.tomorrow at 9:30pm. -- on BBC I play. How did you feel when used for
:46:14. > :46:18.the first time, Steve? Spookily like I do now. This is exactly how you
:46:19. > :46:21.walked up the stairs in the Romford snooker club. It was eerily
:46:22. > :46:26.accurate, I think. Quite frightening to have somebody play the part of
:46:27. > :46:31.you but just marvellous! Amazing, it's a great film, John. I've
:46:32. > :46:34.watched it a couple of times, actually, I enjoyed it so much the
:46:35. > :46:37.best on. I spoke to Kevin Bishop at the Masters and said I thought he
:46:38. > :46:42.made a great Barry Hearn although I thought he was slightly subdued! I
:46:43. > :46:49.thought it was quite unfair to Steve. He's not that boring. He was
:46:50. > :46:53.much worse than that! I asked if he was happy with the film, and he
:46:54. > :46:58.said, "He made me look a bit nerdy", and I said, "Your point is?" We are
:46:59. > :47:03.now enjoying a cracking semifinal between Ding Junhui and Alan McManus
:47:04. > :47:04.by this afternoon's second session between 2014 champion Mark Selby
:47:05. > :47:20.Marco Fu was just as good. And there is the perfect start. And
:47:21. > :47:26.this will hurt Mark Selby. 5-4. Mark Selby.
:47:27. > :48:02.And if he had picked it up with his hand, he could not have put it in a
:48:03. > :48:08.better position. This black, for a beautifully compiled century break.
:48:09. > :48:10.They share the first four frames. Mark Selby is still two in front,
:48:11. > :48:32.7-5. Well, he spotted a plant. 107. Excellent from Marco Fu. He
:48:33. > :48:37.levelled the match for the first time at 7-7. He's in the ascendancy
:48:38. > :48:47.at the moment, no doubt. And he could not have played any better.
:48:48. > :48:55.Has his tip, off? You're kidding! Oh, dear. The worst thing in a world
:48:56. > :49:01.that can happen to a snooker player. He must be distraught. I can't
:49:02. > :49:05.believe it! What a thing to happen. And the semifinal of the World
:49:06. > :49:10.Championship, when you are really in stroke, well, you could not pick a
:49:11. > :49:18.worse time. We hope it is not going to be a turning point, but might it
:49:19. > :49:21.be? It really depends on how good a job Paul does because of Marco Fu
:49:22. > :49:24.says he will go to the practice table and have a couple of shots and
:49:25. > :49:28.if these looking down the cue and it looks the same as it was, there's no
:49:29. > :49:31.problem. Just to make sure the feel is right and get some confidence
:49:32. > :49:35.back on the through, -- back on the screw and as long as he can play
:49:36. > :49:40.this group back and get the same reaction, you will be all right. --
:49:41. > :49:47.the screw back and get the same reaction, he will be all right.
:49:48. > :49:51.He wants a nice, easy pot to get some confidence back. But it is what
:49:52. > :49:57.is going on between the ears for Marco. He is smiling at the
:49:58. > :50:03.audience. Well, that might be a good sign. How well has he done to keep
:50:04. > :50:08.himself together and make this a frame-winning contribution? He now
:50:09. > :50:19.leads the world another one, Mark Selby, 8-7. -- world number one.
:50:20. > :50:33.That is a nice pot. Oh, he's missed it! He got a kick. That red was for
:50:34. > :50:38.frame ball! So, Marco Fu world now win the session 5-3, and as Mark
:50:39. > :50:43.Selby won the first session 5-3, we will go into parity tomorrow. They
:50:44. > :50:46.are all square at 8-8. Get up nice and early and have a nice Saturday
:50:47. > :50:50.morning breakfast because we will be live at 10am on BBC Two with
:50:51. > :50:55.coverage of that match. Let's turn our attention acted this evening and
:50:56. > :51:00.remind you, it is a record-breaking night here, John because we have had
:51:01. > :51:03.nine centuries in this match. It's been unbelievable quality and I
:51:04. > :51:08.think there's more to come. I don't think it is finished yet. Over to
:51:09. > :51:14.Alan McManus now? I think he needs to win three of these frames to have
:51:15. > :51:18.a chance. John and Dennis, a record-breaking night? COMMENTATOR:
:51:19. > :51:22.Yes, it has been a sensational match, this one. And what a
:51:23. > :51:26.tremendous attempt from Ding Junhui in the frame before the mid-session
:51:27. > :51:30.interval to make a maximum. But I agree with Ken, I think if Alan has
:51:31. > :51:34.any aspirations of winning this match and getting to the final, he
:51:35. > :51:42.needs three of these remaining four frames. It is a tall order. But he
:51:43. > :51:50.has dug deep every time he has been asked, Alan McManus, so far.
:51:51. > :51:57.A bit short of pace, you would say, normally, but it is not too bad,
:51:58. > :52:14.now. Snooker in Alan on all of the reds. -- snookering.
:52:15. > :52:21.It does not matter, coming up short. He would rather do that than hit it
:52:22. > :52:26.too hard and slide off the pack. It has just cost him four points. Yes,
:52:27. > :52:30.Alan has got to start thinking about his match against his good friend
:52:31. > :52:36.John Higgins because towards the end of that match, he played some
:52:37. > :52:37.unbelievable snooker. If you do it once, there's no reason why you
:52:38. > :52:49.can't do it again. First to 17 goes through to the
:52:50. > :53:25.final. A lot of snooker left. Now, that was amazing. He nearly
:53:26. > :53:29.pulled it off. He played it with right-hand side against the nap of
:53:30. > :53:34.the cloth and it pulled the opposite way, nearly curled in, around the
:53:35. > :53:39.brown, to leave a snooker. It goes the opposite way with side, when you
:53:40. > :53:41.are playing against the nap of the cloth, which runs from the baulk
:53:42. > :54:00.line to the black spot area. Once again, not the best safety shot
:54:01. > :54:06.from Alan. OK, you may not have left anything for Ding Junhui to go at,
:54:07. > :54:13.but with his hand on the table, you expect him to play a better safety
:54:14. > :54:19.than that. I think he can just get past the blue to play this red to
:54:20. > :54:23.the right corner. But it would be a very risky pot to take on, no
:54:24. > :54:35.guarantee of being on a colour. So just a safety.
:54:36. > :54:49.I'm just going back to describing the nap of the cloth. The best
:54:50. > :54:54.description I ever heard, John, I was commentating with Ray McAnally,
:54:55. > :55:03.the famous Irish actor, who was in sight the mission and My Left Foot.
:55:04. > :55:09.He described the nub of the cloth like the fur on a pussycat's back. I
:55:10. > :55:17.thought it was a good explanation. -- nap of the cloth.
:55:18. > :55:45.This looks like a better line. Still can't quite find the baulk cushion.
:55:46. > :55:54.Oh, that is a mistake. He got it too thick. It did not go in-off, rattled
:55:55. > :56:04.the jaws so Alan McManus with the first chance. Well, he has won the
:56:05. > :56:08.tactical battle. The black is tied up but the reds are pretty well
:56:09. > :56:15.placed. Look at the line they are in. He can get onto the pink or the
:56:16. > :56:20.blue from here. But look how long it is since he last potted a ball. Just
:56:21. > :56:36.one minute short of half an hour. You can only assume that he did not
:56:37. > :56:41.want to play for the pink because the pink spot, well, when the pink
:56:42. > :56:43.when it is re-spotted, might get tied up. Just about got an angle on
:56:44. > :56:59.the blue, it appears. That red to the right of the bunch
:57:00. > :57:02.is blocking the path for a few reds into the right corner but there's a
:57:03. > :57:04.few others that are available. They are all sort of lined up for the
:57:05. > :57:19.right corner. Oh, he has flicked the other red
:57:20. > :58:03.which has taken the cue ball near the cushion. It should be OK.
:58:04. > :58:09.STUDIO: Unfortunately, this is where we have to leave you this evening on
:58:10. > :58:11.BBC Two but if you press the red button now, you can continue to
:58:12. > :58:17.watch this cracking semifinal here from the Crucible Theatre. It is
:58:18. > :58:24.also available on the BBC Sport website and the app. We will be back
:58:25. > :58:29.at just after midnight to round up all the day's action from the 20
:58:30. > :58:31.16th World Snooker Championships. We will see you then. Goodbye for now.
:58:32. > :59:10.-- 2016. They are very dangerous people.
:59:11. > :59:15.So are we.