:00:38. > :00:46.You come off the M1, or wherever you are coming from, it is special it is
:00:47. > :00:51.our annual pilgrimage to the home of snooker. Wherever you walk, there's
:00:52. > :00:56.always a bit of history, there's always pictures of previous finals
:00:57. > :01:03.and stuff like that. The arena itself is quite incredible. It is
:01:04. > :01:08.probably the greatest snooker playing arena that we have played
:01:09. > :01:15.in. A great atmosphere and it is the World Championships, it has a
:01:16. > :01:18.special feeling about it. It can be the best two weeks of your life when
:01:19. > :01:20.you are there playing for the world title, and if you manage to win it,
:01:21. > :01:33.there's nothing like it. The crowd getting involved and the
:01:34. > :01:39.booze and the arts, it is everything rolled into one.
:01:40. > :01:46.That is where some of the most iconic moments of our game took
:01:47. > :01:51.place, we walk into that arena, that is where those matches happen. That
:01:52. > :02:00.is where Alex brought out the family for the shot, where Dennis one in
:02:01. > :02:08.85, it all happened in that room. -- Dennis won. Good morning, doesn't it
:02:09. > :02:10.come around quickly? It is crackling with anticipation and excitement
:02:11. > :02:15.inside the Crucible Theatre here in Sheffield as we get ready to play
:02:16. > :02:28.for this little beauty once again over the next 17 days, at the bet
:02:29. > :02:34.Fred 's World Snooker Championship. Stuart Bingham will be the first
:02:35. > :02:37.outing into the arena to start his defence. This 70 day marathon is
:02:38. > :02:43.longer than you think because the World Championship is actually been
:02:44. > :02:53.underway for ten days prior to this in the nerve shredding qualifying
:02:54. > :02:57.event. -- 17 day. Qualifying are 128 players playing over eight days for
:02:58. > :03:04.those priced 16 places on offer at the Crucible. One of the early
:03:05. > :03:07.casualties was our own Steve Davis, the six time world champion going
:03:08. > :03:15.out in the first round to Fergal O'Brien. Ken Dougherty, the 1997
:03:16. > :03:22.championship will be joining us on the sofa. He made it to the final
:03:23. > :03:30.round before falling to Ryan Day. Two former winners made it through,
:03:31. > :03:34.Graeme Dott beat Mike Dunn. And Peter Ebdon, winner in 2002 made an
:03:35. > :03:42.incredible comeback in the second round to win 10-9 before cruising
:03:43. > :03:46.through his third-round match. There were also success stories for Ali
:03:47. > :03:57.Carter who saw off the challenge of Dominic Dale.
:03:58. > :04:05.He is the qualifier no one wanted to draw and still a contender to get
:04:06. > :04:10.his hands on the trophy. And aren't we cruel, because we just made Ken
:04:11. > :04:14.and Steve relives that in front of the entire Crucible crowd. Ken, a
:04:15. > :04:20.lute for a while that we were talking about you, not to you. You
:04:21. > :04:26.are close. Yes, it was very black-and-white, as Steve Davis
:04:27. > :04:32.would say. I got pretty close, lost a couple of matches. Ryan Day played
:04:33. > :04:38.incredibly well, unfortunately for me. It is so tough. As Steve Davis
:04:39. > :04:41.will testament to, it is so tough. Everybody wants to walk through
:04:42. > :04:49.those chords, come down the stairs into this wonderful arena. It is so
:04:50. > :04:55.hard to get here. When you are here! Steve, Graeme Dott described
:04:56. > :05:02.qualifying as a horrible twitch first. Do you agree to Mac nowadays
:05:03. > :05:16.I just treat it as a day out with Fergal. I was sitting at a table and
:05:17. > :05:20.thinking, it is just nice to be out! I shook hands with Fergal and it was
:05:21. > :05:26.like nothing had ever happened. We are glad you are on our side for the
:05:27. > :05:30.next 17 days. It is an incredibly high quality field. 28 of the
:05:31. > :05:40.world's topped 32 players are here. That is an hurdle. -- unheard of. It
:05:41. > :05:45.shows you the strength and breadth and quality in that field and I'm
:05:46. > :05:51.sure you will see very high quality tournament. What about the defending
:05:52. > :05:56.champion? Because you got very close, you got to the final after
:05:57. > :06:02.winning in 97 and 98. Steve, let's gloss over what happened to you. But
:06:03. > :06:06.as the years roll on, how much more difficult will it be for someone to
:06:07. > :06:12.come back as a first-time champion and went again. Think it gets more
:06:13. > :06:16.difficult, history is against you, everyone keeps talking about it. For
:06:17. > :06:21.Stuart Bingham and myself, when you get your hands on the trophy, you
:06:22. > :06:25.don't want to give it back. It will be difficult for him and difficult
:06:26. > :06:32.first round for him against his practice partner as well. Arguably,
:06:33. > :06:35.there is possibility in the future there will be less first-time
:06:36. > :06:40.winners of the tournament as the standard gets ever better. The
:06:41. > :06:45.criticism of this qualifying section where everybody outside the top 16
:06:46. > :06:51.has to play three rounds, it is its own event now. Everyone who gets
:06:52. > :06:56.through feel like they have climbed a mountain and they are also match
:06:57. > :07:01.sharp, said the 16 people who are seeded through are up against great
:07:02. > :07:08.players and are on offer for the first match. Stuart Bingham, Ali
:07:09. > :07:15.let's just show you the top 16 players because they all gathered
:07:16. > :07:18.his yesterday and this is unprecedented. It was great to see
:07:19. > :07:22.them all there. Or not to late comers and beaming but you have one
:07:23. > :07:29.or two players that you recognise and some of the great favourites for
:07:30. > :07:40.this event. Let's just show you who Stuart Bingham and the rest will be
:07:41. > :07:47.facing in round one. What a start for reigning champion Stuart Bingham
:07:48. > :08:52.up against Ali Carter. It is all Scottish meeting.
:08:53. > :09:00.Those first-round matches will keep all of us on the team very busy
:09:01. > :09:05.until Thursday, the second round gets underway. Do you like the look
:09:06. > :09:09.of the line-ups this year? Fantastic, as he mentioned. I think
:09:10. > :09:15.whoever wins this is going to have to play some snooker. They will need
:09:16. > :09:21.a bit of luck along the way. There is only one debutant this time,
:09:22. > :09:26.Mitchell man, and I wonder how much damage you think these qualifiers
:09:27. > :09:31.could inflict upon the seeds this time. In the qualifying sections,
:09:32. > :09:36.most of the players from 17 to 32 have got through. The players of the
:09:37. > :09:39.top 16 are a strong as they have ever been. I think we could see
:09:40. > :09:45.quite a lot of damage done because the likes of some of them, everybody
:09:46. > :09:48.seems to have tough first-round matches. There was a time when you
:09:49. > :09:52.looked at the draw and when it was being made, you thought, there were
:09:53. > :09:58.a few plum draws in there. Nobody wants anybody any more, they are all
:09:59. > :10:02.good. Exactly as we were saying earlier, Stuart Bingham playing Ali
:10:03. > :10:10.Carter, a two-time runner-up. He got a stinker. He really did, it won't
:10:11. > :10:15.make happy reading for Stuart Bingham fans, the stats, because Ali
:10:16. > :10:21.Carter has won all six matches. Looking at the stats, I don't think
:10:22. > :10:26.Stuart has beaten Ali, I should whisper, for ten years. He is the
:10:27. > :10:31.defending champion and everybody here is excited to see the morning
:10:32. > :10:35.session for both matches. Let's have a quick look at Stuart's year.
:10:36. > :10:39.Stewart said he struggled over the first ten months with being eight
:10:40. > :10:44.world champion but he has settled into the groove and says it is a
:10:45. > :10:51.privilege and honour to come back here and try to be the first man to
:10:52. > :10:52.beat The Crucible curse. Ladies and gentlemen, your champion, Stuart
:10:53. > :11:05.Bingham. Obviously a bit of a blur after last
:11:06. > :11:12.year. Eyes zonked out three weeks after. I don't think if it has sunk
:11:13. > :11:20.in. Being here amongst all the players and seen it all happen
:11:21. > :11:22.again, yes, it is slowly sinking in. Seeing all the boards with my name
:11:23. > :11:34.on it, it is great, fantastic. I've been out onto stage floor and
:11:35. > :11:38.seen it back to the two tables, it does look a bit weird but it seems
:11:39. > :11:43.like it was yesterday I was here winning it, so, yeah, it is nice
:11:44. > :11:45.walking around Sheffield and getting stopped, pictures and things like
:11:46. > :12:01.that. It is great, it is brilliant. I have had near enough for the full
:12:02. > :12:05.year for myself. It's time I am giving it back. It's great to have
:12:06. > :12:11.my name engraved on it, it's something I have always jumped off
:12:12. > :12:17.and it will be there for ever. -- I have always dream doors.
:12:18. > :12:26.I can't let Ali get on top of me. If I can do that, I can hopefully enjoy
:12:27. > :12:33.it out there and who knows? If I enjoy it like I did last
:12:34. > :12:56.This place holds no fears for the Essex man. My health is good, I've
:12:57. > :13:02.been on a new diet and following it strictly. To help my Crohn's disease
:13:03. > :13:08.and help my all well-being. I'm feeling good. The game is OK, I got
:13:09. > :13:13.through Ponds Forge, I think it is called. It's something I was not
:13:14. > :13:17.used to doing and I was determined to get back at the Crucible game. I
:13:18. > :13:25.love it here and have good memories here. Stuart did great lasted to win
:13:26. > :13:29.it. I am the qualifier so are not expected to win, am I? But if I am
:13:30. > :13:37.in the top 16, I would have been begging not to draw myself and Ding
:13:38. > :13:42.Junhui, really. From Stuart's perspective, he knows I can play the
:13:43. > :13:47.game, he knows I have done it all here apart from when it. So, you
:13:48. > :13:56.know, I'm sure it will be a good match. I'm sure it is, and there is
:13:57. > :14:04.the scene backstage. We've also got Marco Fu and Peter Ebdon waiting.
:14:05. > :14:09.Our Embassy Rob Walker has been warming up his vocal chords for
:14:10. > :14:15.weeks. He is ready for 17 days of action. Rob, the floor is yours.
:14:16. > :14:21.Thanks, Hazel, good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We are delighted to
:14:22. > :14:29.be back here at the spiritual home, this is Sheffield and this is the
:14:30. > :14:31.one and only Crucible arena. It is the bet Fred were snooker
:14:32. > :14:53.championship starting right here, right now.
:14:54. > :15:02.Please welcome the man returning to the Crucible for a 23rd year. He
:15:03. > :15:07.staged one of his legendary late-night comebacks against Gerard
:15:08. > :15:13.Greene at the qualifiers. He took the big one in O2. Here he is,
:15:14. > :15:35.fuelled on feeding power, here comes the force, Peter Ebdon.
:15:36. > :15:40.And his opponent, a superb ambassador for the sport both here
:15:41. > :15:45.and in the far east. Back for his 16th appearance at the Crucible.
:15:46. > :15:48.Winner of two ranking titles, he showed his class winning the
:15:49. > :15:51.Gibraltar open this season. He is the pride of Hong Kong, he is Marco
:15:52. > :16:14.Fu. And on table one, please welcome a
:16:15. > :16:18.player back here for a 14th consecutive year, and this time he
:16:19. > :16:22.has done it the hard way coming through qualifiers. Twice a World
:16:23. > :16:25.Championship finalist, winner of three ranking titles, a man of
:16:26. > :16:30.immense courage and determination, both on and off the table, so show
:16:31. > :16:53.your appreciation for The Captain, Ali Carter.
:16:54. > :16:59.And finally, he hears, after 12 months of travelling the world
:17:00. > :17:03.saying yes to every ambassadorial commitment and every autograph, he
:17:04. > :17:08.is back at the scene of his greatest triumph, he is quite simply you're
:17:09. > :17:21.defending world champion Stewart Ball-Run Bingham.
:17:22. > :17:30.-- Stuart Bingham. And what a thrill for Stewart to be called into the
:17:31. > :17:35.arena as the defending world champion. That is a moment. The 2016
:17:36. > :17:40.championship is about to get under way. They are playing the best of 19
:17:41. > :17:46.frames in this opening round. Red button online is the way to watch
:17:47. > :17:56.table two. But for now, we will follow that defending champion. Good
:17:57. > :18:03.morning, everybody, and welcome to the Crucible Theatre.
:18:04. > :18:08.COMMENTATOR: Bet Fred snooker championship 2016. Ali Carter who
:18:09. > :18:13.has played his three qualifying matches gets his match underway. Of
:18:14. > :18:17.course, Ken, you have been in the position of Stuart Bingham, and he
:18:18. > :18:21.was saying it seems like only yesterday he lifted the trophy. Does
:18:22. > :18:32.it past that quick? It certainly does, it brings little back. -- it
:18:33. > :18:36.all back. It goes so quickly. A good opening read. He has been a great
:18:37. > :18:44.ambassador for the sport over the last 12 months. He has signed every
:18:45. > :18:50.autographed and loved every minute of it. He will be feeling a lot of
:18:51. > :18:54.attention this morning. No doubt about it. When you have had your
:18:55. > :19:01.hands on that cup so long, you don't want to give it back. Also, he knows
:19:02. > :19:07.the history is against him as well. No first-time winner has defended
:19:08. > :19:16.his trophy. The Crucible curse is against him.
:19:17. > :19:28.That was a dies pot. -- that was a nice. Settling nerves, getting a
:19:29. > :19:35.hand on the table. That is what the player looks for. We were with him
:19:36. > :19:41.in Ireland in January, and he was suffering
:19:42. > :19:46.Yeah, he struggled throughout the year. Nice positional shot there.
:19:47. > :19:51.Yes, he has struggled, no doubt about it. I know where he is coming
:19:52. > :19:54.from because I struggled with it as well. Sometimes he feels that
:19:55. > :19:58.instead of playing your own game, you feel there is an expectation on
:19:59. > :20:03.you as a world champion that you are trying to live up to that title and
:20:04. > :20:04.sometimes you can succumb to that pressure, and that is why it is
:20:05. > :20:20.taking him a while to get That went off the near jaw. Asking
:20:21. > :20:21.the referee to clean the cue ball, but he nearly missed it. Just watch
:20:22. > :20:26.it. His heart would have been on his
:20:27. > :21:16.mouth for a moment. -- in his Just having a look. Will he leave an
:21:17. > :21:26.angle after potting the red, pointing to be back. He still has a
:21:27. > :21:34.couple of loose roads. -- reds. 68 needs to get two litres opponent
:21:35. > :21:37.needing a smoker. He may just play for one of the loose read here. He
:21:38. > :21:43.has a perfect angle to run this black in.
:21:44. > :21:51.After this red, only one more loose read. He has to think about breaking
:21:52. > :22:08.up that cluster with the pink. Got to be a bit careful here. This
:22:09. > :22:16.is, as Willie Thorne describes, a flat backpack. Where is the red
:22:17. > :22:25.going? Well, and we say it is all about
:22:26. > :22:31.fractions. If that drops in, Ali Carter has a chance in the frame.
:22:32. > :22:54.Maybe now Stuart Bingham wins at this visit. Nearly dropped.
:22:55. > :23:10.Read to the left of the pink, although maybe worse going into the
:23:11. > :23:15.pack period of this brown. A nice angle on the brown, it could go off
:23:16. > :23:22.one question and go into the back of red and pink. They used to be part
:23:23. > :23:29.of the cue ball. On reflection, if he is not on this red to the corner
:23:30. > :23:41.pocket, you'll have to take that shot back again and maybe gone into
:23:42. > :23:45.the pack. Yes, playing this one into the left corner. You need to get it
:23:46. > :23:51.because he'll be running into other reds if he misses it. He could be
:23:52. > :23:57.leaving a chance for Ali to get right back in this frame. A bit of
:23:58. > :24:02.pressure on this. It's not guaranteed a position, is he? He has
:24:03. > :24:11.to somehow find a gap here to stay on the black. Oh, he has got a
:24:12. > :24:19.horrendous kick there. A terrible kick their, very unlucky. Just have
:24:20. > :24:24.a look at the red here. Just went straight towards that top cushion.
:24:25. > :24:26.Can't blame him for that. There is a chance for Ali Carter 45 points
:24:27. > :24:38.behind. I know it is the first phrase and
:24:39. > :24:41.the best of 19, but if he was to win, what a boost that would be for
:24:42. > :25:08.his confidence. -- the first frame. Just a little bit too straight on
:25:09. > :25:13.that, and he tried to force the cue ball round. Got more stubborn than
:25:14. > :25:18.run-through. I think that is all he's going to get. Little
:25:19. > :25:22.disappointed. Just came just straight on the black. Trying to
:25:23. > :25:32.force round but got a bit too much stone on it. -- stone on it.
:25:33. > :25:40.He has left a bottle, and nowhere near the baulk line. That was
:25:41. > :26:16.careless. Good pot. Can he dropped this blue
:26:17. > :26:28.in? Just trying it on this read just to the right of this black on the
:26:29. > :26:44.bottom right-hand pocket. -- red. Pleaded nicely. Played it. 43 points
:26:45. > :26:50.in front. Basically equates to two red, two black.
:26:51. > :26:59.And there is a red immediately below the pink, in the middle of those,
:27:00. > :27:06.that is available into the right corner pocket. It is a besides
:27:07. > :27:13.positional shot. I think he could also play into the left middle. At
:27:14. > :27:19.least -- the least you have to do with the tuple, the better. He is
:27:20. > :27:25.playing for the left middle. He would have liked to have been
:27:26. > :27:42.straight. In actual fact, looking at that now, he needs red.
:27:43. > :27:55.Nicely played. He has got an angle on the blue to come back down for
:27:56. > :28:02.these reds. This blue will put in 57 points in front but he will still be
:28:03. > :28:05.59 remaining. Not quite certain where that next redbacks comes from.
:28:06. > :28:13.-- red. I don't think it has worked. Red not
:28:14. > :28:55.immediately obvious. Nice shot. Looks to have covered the
:28:56. > :29:01.left-hand side of this red as he looks down the table. The right
:29:02. > :29:08.side, as we look, he may be able to swerve it slightly. Just trying to
:29:09. > :29:31.swerve it around the green. Got the swerve to earlier ads now,
:29:32. > :29:39.61 the difference. Just 59 remaining and it is always difficult with that
:29:40. > :29:42.shot, because he wasn't hitting that hard, it went early and that is why
:29:43. > :30:36.he hit the green. He needs a snooker now. 59 remaining.
:30:37. > :30:48.Stewart doesn't want to take on unnecessary risks. I don't blame him
:30:49. > :30:54.for that. That is not the best shot he has ever played. Does he have the
:30:55. > :31:23.cover on the brown? It looks like it.
:31:24. > :31:35.I assume this reds just drops in. So the defending champion, just the
:31:36. > :31:41.start he was looking for. He got in first, was a little unlucky with the
:31:42. > :31:43.bad contact on the red. Looked to be playing them well enough prior to
:31:44. > :31:57.that. As Hazel was saying before this
:31:58. > :32:03.match, he has not got the best record against Ali Carter. Ali
:32:04. > :32:10.Carter, twice runner-up. It is unlucky that he met Ronnie
:32:11. > :32:16.O'Sullivan in those two finals. And there was an interesting point made
:32:17. > :32:20.about the qualifiers, Ken. There were three qualifiers, because as
:32:21. > :32:26.you said earlier, every player 's aim is to be here at the Crucible.
:32:27. > :32:33.How much you get from it, I don't know. That is the question. Some
:32:34. > :32:38.players would be coming here, as Ali did, he has won three matches and he
:32:39. > :32:42.will feel confident. How much it would have taken out at you, how
:32:43. > :32:55.tired you would be. He only finished on Wednesday night. It remains to be
:32:56. > :32:56.seen. Meanwhile, Stuart just finishing up nicely, getting a bit
:32:57. > :33:19.more potting practice. Didn't matter about the green. That
:33:20. > :33:25.was a subtle of the Stuart Bingham. Ali Carter had a chance, did not
:33:26. > :33:30.make the most of it. A nice start for Stuart Bingham, and
:33:31. > :33:32.if you take a look at the betting graphics, this is what the
:33:33. > :33:39.bookmakers made of it at the start of play this morning. Defending
:33:40. > :33:45.champion, 28-1, that is generous. John Parrott, how do you make their
:33:46. > :33:48.thinking? We know that Ronnie O'Sullivan is the most talented
:33:49. > :33:52.player, a few people have been telling me he had an easy path to
:33:53. > :33:57.the draw. It looks all right on paper but you have got to win your
:33:58. > :34:01.matches. Neil Robertson and Judd Trump are the same, but if they came
:34:02. > :34:04.through the matches they would play in the quarterfinals, they cannot
:34:05. > :34:12.both women. A lot of people are thinking, maybe -- they cannot both
:34:13. > :34:16.women. A lot of people thinking, some of the other players, they
:34:17. > :34:23.might be the way forward. Ricky Walden has been in the final and he
:34:24. > :34:25.is 40 to one. You can go down that field and could so many players,
:34:26. > :34:31.that is what makes it interesting this year. Lots of people with lots
:34:32. > :34:36.of chances. That is how it looks if you're going to have a flutter. The
:34:37. > :34:45.20 to one shot, Stuart Bingham, he has made a positive start.
:34:46. > :34:52.Interesting betting, making money the very hot favourite. 50-1,
:34:53. > :34:58.Stephen Maguire, that looks a good price. Even a big price for Stuart
:34:59. > :35:10.Bingham, as the defending champion, 28-1.
:35:11. > :35:22.Even Ali Carter was 50-1. Twice runner-up, bags of experience. Lots
:35:23. > :35:28.of big prices in the field there. You know what they say, the bookies
:35:29. > :35:33.always get it right. But looking at some of the results we have had this
:35:34. > :35:35.year in sport, anything can happen. Did not get it right with Leicester,
:35:36. > :35:49.did they? Oh, that's the problem when you play
:35:50. > :35:51.at that pace. If it does not go in and it gets close, it's going to
:35:52. > :36:09.stick over the pocket. So at chance. Just the problem, the black is a
:36:10. > :36:14.little bit tired on the top cushion. I do not think he will try to get
:36:15. > :36:26.onto the lack from this, they think is available. -- the pink is
:36:27. > :36:30.available. He is having a look now. He did not want to play for the
:36:31. > :36:36.black, he thought it would tie the red up. But now he is thinking, if I
:36:37. > :36:41.popped the pink, will it go on the black spot? So, where does the pink
:36:42. > :36:53.go? Paul Callier, who will be refereeing
:36:54. > :37:01.the final this year. That was the problem. I presume it goes on the
:37:02. > :37:09.black spot. It does, and it ties that read up. And the way that the
:37:10. > :37:18.pink has gone on that spot, maybe he did not fancy rolling the red on the
:37:19. > :37:26.top cushion, they are easy to miss. He has two force the cue ball
:37:27. > :37:30.through now. Where is the cue ball going to finish? Slap bang in the
:37:31. > :37:52.middle of nowhere. The problem is with that shot, he
:37:53. > :37:57.plays with of top spin, you see it going forward. There was no real
:37:58. > :38:02.path up towards the blue, and I assume the pink does not pass the
:38:03. > :38:03.red into the corner otherwise he would not be able to play with that
:38:04. > :38:24.pace. He caught that much too thick. So,
:38:25. > :38:31.Ali, without having to do much, gets a second chance. It would be
:38:32. > :38:35.interesting to see how he plays this, as the pink pass into the
:38:36. > :38:43.right-hand corner pocket? Playing that shot, it obviously does. Just
:38:44. > :38:47.about on it, is he? That is surprising, before I assumed the
:38:48. > :38:50.pink did not go, the way he played the run-through. It is hard to
:38:51. > :39:01.judge. Now, he would like the pink to go
:39:02. > :39:08.back on the black spot and it does. This is a real good chance now for
:39:09. > :39:14.Ali. That previous shot, potting the pink launched the red away from the
:39:15. > :39:21.pink as well so it is nicely over the corner pocket. A good chance for
:39:22. > :39:54.Ali Carter here. To get his cue am going. -- cue arm.
:39:55. > :39:58.Plenty of open reds here. He wants to keep the pink on the black spot
:39:59. > :40:59.for as long as possible. Going back up for the reds to the
:41:00. > :41:03.middle. Should be OK. He will probably play for the brown here.
:41:04. > :41:07.Unless he has a natural angle to run through and avoid the case on the
:41:08. > :41:11.blue. The problem is, the cue ball is going away from the business end
:41:12. > :41:18.of the table so he needs a good positional blue, yellow or brown
:41:19. > :41:21.hair. The fact that he has got up twice, it is not as straightforward
:41:22. > :41:32.as rolling the red in and guaranteeing position.
:41:33. > :41:37.He was expecting a kiss on the blue and he did not get it. He will be
:41:38. > :41:55.disappointed with that. A little bit surprised there,
:41:56. > :42:05.because it looked like he could dig into the cue ball little bit, stun
:42:06. > :42:10.it and tried to get the ball into the right centre, the blue. He could
:42:11. > :42:14.have played it better. He must have assumed that he would go into the
:42:15. > :42:19.blue and he would slow the cue ball down. He is playing the snooker, he
:42:20. > :42:20.is still in control of the table. He knows he should have got more
:42:21. > :43:16.points. Just caught it a little bit thicker
:43:17. > :43:20.than he would have liked. I do not think he has left anything. Apart
:43:21. > :43:26.from a possible, well, I was going to say double, but. Just looking,
:43:27. > :43:33.Ali is looking at the possibility of a plant. There is quite a distance
:43:34. > :43:39.between the two reds so it has got to be made. A possibility but it has
:43:40. > :43:44.got to be made and it is not one of those that if you missed it, you
:43:45. > :43:49.will get the cue ball in a safe position, but looks like he needs to
:43:50. > :43:56.get this, he is taking the bull by the horns. Outstanding, terrific
:43:57. > :44:03.shot. Confident, confident. Yes, played it very well. Played the
:44:04. > :44:06.position on the pink as well. An excellent shot. He left the cue ball
:44:07. > :44:11.in a position that possibly wasn't going to be leaving it in, but an
:44:12. > :44:24.excellent shot, a good chance now. The pink will go on its spot but it
:44:25. > :44:31.might still be available into the right centre.
:44:32. > :44:38.It is available into the right centre. I am not certain whether...
:44:39. > :44:45.It would have to be precise positional shot, he is going to play
:44:46. > :44:50.for the here. He did not fancy it. To play for the pink in the middle,
:44:51. > :44:57.you would have had to be inch perfect. By playing it with pace, he
:44:58. > :45:00.gave himself options but he is not perfect on yellow or brown hair.
:45:01. > :45:07.Still a little bit of work to do with the cue ball. A possible 75
:45:08. > :45:26.points remaining, a colour to come. No, he has another hit it. He has
:45:27. > :45:32.overdone it. -- he has overhit it. He is looking accusingly at the
:45:33. > :45:55.cushion, did he get a bounce? It is hard to say.
:45:56. > :46:13."The Cue ball. -- digging down onto the cue ball. Makes it look
:46:14. > :46:18.difficult but controlled it nicely. Still a little bit of work to do,
:46:19. > :46:30.popped the yellow, still need red, colour, red after this.
:46:31. > :46:38.Just about on this red to the middle. Do not think he can risk
:46:39. > :46:41.playing it to the opposite middle, a little bit of work to do with the
:46:42. > :46:45.cue ball. The only thing that will give him hope is the red that is
:46:46. > :46:53.just to the left of that cost of four looks available to the left
:46:54. > :47:00.corner. He has played for the pink in the middle. Played it pretty
:47:01. > :47:05.well. They make these look easy but there is a bit of pressure on this.
:47:06. > :47:10.He needs this pink and one or read to clinch the second frame. -- and
:47:11. > :47:34.one more red. It is tricky. Good shot. There was a bit of
:47:35. > :47:39.pressure on that, all right. I think he is just about on this red. The
:47:40. > :47:57.pink into the centre as well. So just to read required.
:47:58. > :48:12.He has needed a couple of chances. Always looked on paper as though
:48:13. > :48:21.this is going to be a very close, hard-fought match. After two frames,
:48:22. > :48:29.no reason to think any different. As Hazel said at the top of the show,
:48:30. > :48:34.the last half a dozen occasions they have met, Ali Carter has come out
:48:35. > :48:35.the winner. Not always short matches either, the UK Championships, longer
:48:36. > :48:55.matches. Both players now have a frame on the
:48:56. > :48:58.board. These matches, as always, to be played in two sessions. First
:48:59. > :49:03.session of nine will be played this morning, and the remainder will be
:49:04. > :49:50.played until finish this evening. Not quite there. And Ali Carter gets
:49:51. > :49:55.the second frame on the scoreboard. We thought it was going to be close
:49:56. > :50:00.and that is what it is. One apiece. Chatting away with one another,
:50:01. > :50:04.welcome to our Winter Gardens home where we have been for the last few
:50:05. > :50:13.years. Stephen John are settled in, and so are the guys we are watching
:50:14. > :50:20.this morning. I do not remember when I lost the match chatting with my
:50:21. > :50:25.opponent when he was destroying me, to Tony. You cannot chat to Tony!
:50:26. > :50:31.You are probably too shocked at the time. It is interesting, we talked
:50:32. > :50:35.about this earlier, we have got Ding Junhui, Ali Carter, you do not want
:50:36. > :50:43.to face them in the first round as a qualifier. Such a hard match. Stuart
:50:44. > :50:48.was being honest is media the day, he said Ali was one of them because
:50:49. > :50:53.they have got such a bad record against him. You do like to play
:50:54. > :51:01.players you have got a good record against. It could work in Stuart's
:51:02. > :51:04.favour, it might say, maybe he drew someone he was expected to beat,
:51:05. > :51:09.sometimes the wheel completely falls off like that. He knows he has got a
:51:10. > :51:12.tough match against a tough opponent he can play snooker is it it is not
:51:13. > :51:15.the first round of the World Championship, because he knows he
:51:16. > :51:20.has got nowhere to run nowhere to hide. Exactly, we talked about the
:51:21. > :51:23.fact that he had not beaten Ali Carter for almost ten years. But he
:51:24. > :51:27.has just become the world champion. What kind of incredible confidence
:51:28. > :51:31.you bring back to this. That is a good point, a long period of time
:51:32. > :51:34.where Stuart Bingham looked a bit of a journeyman professional until the
:51:35. > :51:38.last 45 seasons where he has become a really good professional. He has
:51:39. > :51:46.improved. That is the positive you will take.
:51:47. > :51:58.Interesting comments, from past 12 champions John Parrott and Steve
:51:59. > :52:02.Davis there. It is a good point, John, if Stuart were to face another
:52:03. > :52:08.opponent that he was expected to win, it would be slightly easier, if
:52:09. > :52:12.there is one in the draw. Sometimes when you are expected to win and it
:52:13. > :52:16.does not happen for you, the pressure is even greater, whereas he
:52:17. > :52:19.knows he is in for a tough match against Ali Carter. And man he does
:52:20. > :52:25.not have a good record against. It focuses the mind is bit more. As you
:52:26. > :52:35.say, there are not many easy matches now days. These young guns coming
:52:36. > :52:42.through, but better the devil you know, probably! This is going to be
:52:43. > :52:51.a good match and it is going to be played in a good, fluid style. I do
:52:52. > :52:55.not think either player will be bogged down with safeties. It will
:52:56. > :53:04.be the one who will take the chances who comes out the winner. Well, it
:53:05. > :53:08.did not affect it but what a horrendous kick that was. Already,
:53:09. > :53:14.they have got three kicks. But the cue ball when it hits the red, I
:53:15. > :53:22.thought the Grand National was last week! He has got a nice angle on the
:53:23. > :53:33.black, a stun into the pack of reds. He is OK, he has got the red into
:53:34. > :54:23.the right centre. I do not cue will be playing for the
:54:24. > :54:30.black off this thread. -- I do not think he will be playing for the
:54:31. > :54:37.black off this red. It would be nice to win a frame in one visit. That is
:54:38. > :54:40.what can give you a slightly psychological edge with your
:54:41. > :54:45.opponent, saying to them, you make one mistake, that is all I need.
:54:46. > :54:49.Stuart will be disappointed with that, he will need to screw back
:54:50. > :55:01.another three or four inches at least. The only good thing about the
:55:02. > :55:05.angle on this red is he will be able to go into the bunch of reds and
:55:06. > :55:09.pink and try to screw into them and bring some more into play, and
:55:10. > :55:15.hopefully back for the blue. Looks like he is running true for the
:55:16. > :55:18.black here. It could have been a little bit better, a little bit
:55:19. > :55:22.straighter on the black would have been better. He had a nice angle to
:55:23. > :55:27.screw into them back on the blue and would have brought more threads into
:55:28. > :55:31.play. If he had parted the red into the middle pocket, which he did not,
:55:32. > :55:37.he may have slid off the reds are little better. It all depends when
:55:38. > :55:42.you are down and looking at the shot, you see it differently. He
:55:43. > :55:50.would have liked to have been straighter on the black. He has
:55:51. > :55:55.potted it, but you could hear when he was slamming the cue on to the
:55:56. > :56:00.rest, he thought, what was that? That is the question. He potted the
:56:01. > :56:07.black but which read did he play for? I don't know! I think he was
:56:08. > :56:12.trying to hold it for the red closer to the bottom right-hand pocket. I
:56:13. > :56:16.do not think he could hold it playing the way he did, he would
:56:17. > :56:22.have to beat into the cue ball and try to slow it up. It looks like the
:56:23. > :56:25.end of the break unless he fancies the double on the red but that is
:56:26. > :57:03.risky. He has got to make certain he gets a
:57:04. > :57:13.good cue ball here, he's playing the safety pretty thick. He has avoided
:57:14. > :57:16.the colours, pretty good. A little tap on the table there from Stuart,
:57:17. > :57:46.that was a good escape from Ali. He just got a little bit thinner
:57:47. > :57:51.than he would have liked, that is why the cue ball has come off the
:57:52. > :58:01.baulk cushion, so a safety for Ali, hand on the table. It is when you
:58:02. > :58:05.get in position like that, you have got to take advantage. Not bad,
:58:06. > :58:13.gives him a slight advantage in this tactical battle. And with Stuart
:58:14. > :58:15.having 31 point lead, he will feel it is imperative that Ali gets the
:58:16. > :58:22.next chance. That is an excellent shot from
:58:23. > :59:19.Stuart. Top drawer. That is the advantage of getting a
:59:20. > :59:24.good cue ball, and he is forcing a mistake from Ali. But that red, and
:59:25. > :59:28.you can see the wry smile on Stuart's face, it has gone close to
:59:29. > :59:34.the cushion, little bit out from the cushion and it would have been an
:59:35. > :59:37.easy pot but look where it is now. And particularly as I do not think
:59:38. > :59:43.the black goes into the opposite corner. He will have to force the
:59:44. > :59:54.cue ball back up the table. This is very missable.
:59:55. > :00:03.So, Ali did not play the best of safety shots, but it just shows you.
:00:04. > :00:09.The run of the ball therefore Ali. It was a big ask to pop this, he was
:00:10. > :00:14.trying to stun across the table for the black in the same pocket. Just
:00:15. > :00:25.off the cushion, the pace. A very difficult shot. There is a red to
:00:26. > :00:29.the left of the middle here. Ali is looking to see, I assume the black
:00:30. > :00:34.will go to the left corner. So he has got one to the left, one to the
:00:35. > :00:36.right middle. It is the one to the right middle he is going to play
:00:37. > :00:51.for. If the black does go, which think it
:00:52. > :01:00.does, just concentrate on the pot on the red.
:01:01. > :01:07.So close, has he left anything? He was concerned about leaving the red
:01:08. > :01:17.to the left of the black. His beret cap? Full -- is there a gap? For
:01:18. > :01:22.Stewart to get through? At first look, not quite. Just caught that
:01:23. > :01:36.near jaw. Looking at his red at the far right
:01:37. > :01:42.corner. Thinking the only one he can leave is the one he is playing.
:01:43. > :01:50.And that is exactly what he has done. Thought if he got close, it
:01:51. > :01:57.would rattle and run along the baulk cushion. It has come back at him.
:01:58. > :02:05.A bit and lucky there. The chance now for Ali to get back in the
:02:06. > :02:30.frame, 31 points behind at the moment.
:02:31. > :02:41.Come now to have a look at the red in the middle of the bunch below the
:02:42. > :02:43.pink, just potting the right-hand pocket. Obviously a nice angle on
:02:44. > :02:58.this green. If he gets on this red, nice and
:02:59. > :03:01.straight. It looks like he has. He can just get the red in and then on
:03:02. > :03:21.to the black. Nice angle on the black, popped the
:03:22. > :03:29.black, just open the black and move the red. Open to both pockets. Nice
:03:30. > :04:26.shot. Pretty decisive, quick, strikes the
:04:27. > :04:34.ball really nice. He has got all the shots, has Ali. I had the pleasure
:04:35. > :04:40.of commentating, and he has a tremendous technique. He has been
:04:41. > :04:44.through a lot. That is the main reason he had to qualify at the
:04:45. > :04:51.moment, he has world ranked 31 but he is a lot better than that. He has
:04:52. > :04:55.had a lot to put up with in his young life and nice to see him back
:04:56. > :05:04.here although he will be a bit appointed with that. -- a bit
:05:05. > :05:11.disappointed. Needed the red to be a bit straighter. A tough shot to take
:05:12. > :05:52.on. Don't blame him for that. He has reduced his arrears to just three.
:05:53. > :06:07.Not much else Stewart could do there. He knew there was an easy
:06:08. > :06:12.safety shot of this red of the walk back cushion. The problem here for
:06:13. > :06:17.Ali, in stunning this red around, he has two avoid this running into
:06:18. > :06:20.yellow or brown. If it was to run into those colours, the red would
:06:21. > :06:40.stay at that end of the table. Managed to avoid that. But by
:06:41. > :06:46.avoiding the kids on the yellow and brown, he didn't really stun it full
:06:47. > :07:07.in the face. You can see he can get past the blue, this red is on.
:07:08. > :07:16.Could be a costly miss, that. Just the first little signs of nerves
:07:17. > :07:33.from Stuart Bingham there. Not quite sure why he didn't just
:07:34. > :07:40.play it almost dead weight and try and go for the black. But chance for
:07:41. > :07:48.Ali, he can get on a couple of reds here. The obvious one, the red in
:07:49. > :07:54.the right centre, but the dead Mac directly below the pink and if he
:07:55. > :07:55.got on it, he could pot it and move the other red away from the pink
:07:56. > :08:22.spot. He is on that red, that slightly
:08:23. > :08:25.hampered by the other red. It is probably still worth taking this one
:08:26. > :08:29.on. It is one of those where you think I will play a choice for two
:08:30. > :08:41.reds. And he should have committed, I think this is the right red to
:08:42. > :08:44.play. Even more so now. That was a lovely little second case, -- kiss
:08:45. > :08:59.Mac. Brought both of them into play now.
:09:00. > :09:01.That was a bonus. That flew off the cushion, no doubt about that. That
:09:02. > :09:13.did fly. It is understandable, first morning,
:09:14. > :09:21.the doors have been opened, the tables have been put up, it is the
:09:22. > :09:28.wonderful Crucible Theatre. And as per usual, packed and the only
:09:29. > :09:39.vacant seats are people who missed their alarm or got here at it late.
:09:40. > :09:48.Now, a good positional shot needed. He has a 12 point lead now. A colour
:09:49. > :09:55.to come. He needs a precise positional shot. He is not perfect
:09:56. > :10:05.on the black all the pink. -- all the pink. He needs to try and drag
:10:06. > :10:14.the black in and hope for a red the back centre. This could go wrong
:10:15. > :10:21.here. Yes, it wasn't straightforward, that. That is the
:10:22. > :10:26.problem, on these superfine clots, he played with a lot of right-hand
:10:27. > :10:30.side and hit it too thin, because if you hit it too firm, the right-hand
:10:31. > :10:34.side pushes the cue ball to the left and from that distance, never has
:10:35. > :10:39.the chance to come back and that is why he hit the black too thin and
:10:40. > :10:42.that is why he has missed a golden opportunity. It was all brought
:10:43. > :10:46.about by a couple of little positional shots in outbreak where
:10:47. > :10:51.he thought I would be on one or the other. Concentrate on being on one,
:10:52. > :10:57.if you are not on it properly, then you can be on the other. Oh,
:10:58. > :11:07.gravity! Looked like it stopped there.
:11:08. > :11:12.Certainly knocked a few times. Let's have a look. One, two, three, four,
:11:13. > :11:40.five, six, seven. This blue will put Stewart just six
:11:41. > :11:46.points behind. Once again just looking for that one good positional
:11:47. > :11:51.shot. Could play for the red just below the pink into the left middle.
:11:52. > :11:55.Not certain about the availability of the red. Obviously they are
:11:56. > :12:30.available into the left corner. 136 point each. That bang you heard
:12:31. > :12:34.there, just shows you how close the spectators are. That is the board at
:12:35. > :12:42.the back and he is just pulling his cue back and he caught the word. --
:12:43. > :12:49.would. Didn't do it on purpose. It wasn't a case of bad temper. Just
:12:50. > :12:53.pulled the cue back and as I say, spectators so close. That is the
:12:54. > :12:55.great thing, if you come to the Crucible Theatre, you can hear the
:12:56. > :13:11.players breathe. Not the best. It is in the baulk
:13:12. > :13:13.colour. So close to the red. Should have found the baulk cushion, not
:13:14. > :13:33.the baulk line. The chance for Ali, he has to take
:13:34. > :14:23.this red on. Just looking at the scores, 13 point
:14:24. > :14:30.ahead. May not need that green that is tied up. Can get a couple of
:14:31. > :14:39.pinks with these reds. Yellow would be enough. Oh, that certainly makes
:14:40. > :14:44.a difference. He wouldn't have enjoyed that red going in, that is
:14:45. > :14:49.for sure. Just wanted to knock it over and leave it in the jaws of the
:14:50. > :14:57.pocket. That could make a difference to this frame now, 15 points ahead.
:14:58. > :15:01.He's going to need that green. I don't blame him playing the cannon.
:15:02. > :15:09.As you say, a little unlucky for it to go in. Can't get close to the
:15:10. > :15:13.yellow. We'll just have to drop this pink in, the only thing is, if he
:15:14. > :15:20.puts it, he will need the yellow and the green. He has played that well
:15:21. > :15:24.so if you can pot this yellow, doesn't have to do anything with the
:15:25. > :15:34.green. Yellow and green would be sufficient to leave Stuart and
:15:35. > :15:37.needing a snooker. He may just decide to part in the yellow, play
:15:38. > :15:39.the cannon and the green. I think that is the only way he can hold the
:15:40. > :16:01.cue ball. He has got a way with it there. It
:16:02. > :16:49.could have gone anywhere. Good safety shot. Wanted to knock
:16:50. > :16:57.the black just into play, just tied it up slightly.
:16:58. > :17:05.It is not a good shot from Ali Carter. It is actually not too bad
:17:06. > :17:14.that the cue ball has gone into the middle pocket because they have left
:17:15. > :17:21.it, the yellow on. He has been fortunate, really. That yellow was
:17:22. > :17:27.just an inch away from the cushion. It would be an easy part. Stuart
:17:28. > :17:32.probably won't lay it now. -- play it.
:17:33. > :17:41.He has got a good safety but he has not got the snooker. Just having a
:17:42. > :17:46.look whether he can get behind the yellow and kicked it up the table.
:17:47. > :17:49.That is a dangerous shot to play. If you get right in behind it, you
:17:50. > :17:55.could knock it over the far left corner.
:17:56. > :18:07.Didn't really get right in behind it. He has left the yellow pottable.
:18:08. > :18:13.I always look at this type of shot and think is the part more difficult
:18:14. > :18:20.than the safety, snooker, and in this case I don't know, it is 50-50.
:18:21. > :18:33.Is the pot more difficult? In the end he decided to go for the
:18:34. > :18:38.pot. When you miss it by that distance, it is in the lap of the
:18:39. > :18:45.gods whether the object ball finishes. I can see Ali taking this
:18:46. > :18:49.on, though. I know it is risky, but he knows if he pops it, it winds in
:18:50. > :19:14.the frame. Super shot. Stuart needs green and
:19:15. > :19:16.brown. The green will put him 22 points in front. A dejected Stuart
:19:17. > :19:29.Bingham slumped in his seat. Just the brown needed now to leave
:19:30. > :19:33.Stuart Bingham needing to smokers. This is one of the first frames
:19:34. > :19:40.against the head. Stuart within first and Ali has come back. Both
:19:41. > :19:44.players have had chances and as they say, just the first little signs of
:19:45. > :19:45.Crucible nerves from the defending champion, but that is
:19:46. > :19:57.understandable. Good frame, though, for Ali Carter
:19:58. > :20:03.to win. Particularly that yellow, put all his eggs in one basket.
:20:04. > :20:09.Great pot. He will be duly delighted to take that frame. Ali Carter goes
:20:10. > :20:10.into the lead and leads the defending champion two frames to
:20:11. > :21:18.one. That final yellow all but sealed
:21:19. > :21:22.that final frame for Ali Carter. It is wet remembering Ali Carter is a
:21:23. > :21:26.former world number two, currently sitting at 31 in the world rankings
:21:27. > :21:30.and building up to try and get back into the 16. His target appears to
:21:31. > :21:34.be the Masters next year. He doesn't really have a lot of ranking points
:21:35. > :21:40.to come off because of his health problems in the last few years, but
:21:41. > :21:46.is this an incredible story that he is still at the top of the game. An
:21:47. > :21:50.incredible fighter, and you see the determination he brings and he is a
:21:51. > :21:54.brave player as well. Some of the shots he took, the yellow and the
:21:55. > :21:58.red three out, he committed totally to get on the pink. He is the type
:21:59. > :22:05.of player that gives himself every chance to do well in the tournament.
:22:06. > :22:08.In a way, you look at the stats, so many tournaments, he has won five
:22:09. > :22:12.times. It shows how good a player you have to be to win more than
:22:13. > :22:20.that. Back we go. This is the last frame before the interval.
:22:21. > :22:27.COMMENTATOR: That is a poor break shot from Stuart. Much too thick and
:22:28. > :22:28.that is why the reds have come up and a nice easy start for his
:22:29. > :22:41.opponent. We will have a look at the break in
:22:42. > :22:46.a minute. Normally they play the end of red. I can only assume he hit the
:22:47. > :22:52.end red full in the face when you want to hit it hard for at least or
:22:53. > :22:57.as full as he could hit the red. Poor break-off shot, we've not had a
:22:58. > :23:04.50 break yet in this match. As we come to the one-hour mark. That is a
:23:05. > :23:09.good... I was going to say an excellent split from Ali, but I
:23:10. > :23:13.think the only red he has got to go out is the one that has landed just
:23:14. > :23:18.to the right of the blue. If he can get to the right of that. That was
:23:19. > :23:25.unlucky, wasn't it? That was a great shot, look at the cue ball, where it
:23:26. > :23:31.finished. Obviously on nothing. Unlucky. I always say you need a bit
:23:32. > :23:33.of luck when you go into this. That poor break-off shot from Stuart,
:23:34. > :24:32.only costing eight points. For a moment there I thought that
:24:33. > :24:37.red would slow up and give Ali Carter a possibility of a pot into
:24:38. > :24:38.this right centre but it crept far enough past where he can't have a go
:24:39. > :25:20.at it. And he nearly couldn't get behind
:25:21. > :25:24.the green with the cue ball. But he has got second they're getting the
:25:25. > :25:35.cue ball is tight to the cushion of possible. Look at this plant here.
:25:36. > :25:48.Yes, excellent short and 12 worked out. Needs a kiss on a colour. That
:25:49. > :25:53.was well spotted, wasn't it? Doesn't do any harm just coming down the
:25:54. > :25:58.table looking at where the reds are situated. You are mostly looking to
:25:59. > :26:05.see you don't not a red over the corner but worked out to be perfect.
:26:06. > :26:11.Will be a bit disappointed that he didn't catch a baulk colour or land
:26:12. > :26:16.short of the baulk line. Be careful with this, Ali, not certain to get
:26:17. > :26:24.this safe. Just playing to nestle into that red, just to be right and
:26:25. > :26:31.below of that pink. He has two judge the pace right
:26:32. > :26:40.Judged the pace perfect because the red goes to the left middle.
:26:41. > :26:49.I think it may does, but as the black is not available into the
:26:50. > :26:51.right corner, no value in taking it on. A good escape from Ali in all
:26:52. > :27:34.fairness. Court that much too thick and that
:27:35. > :27:42.is why he nearly went. He has left Stuart to close for comfort. He
:27:43. > :27:46.still needs a good pot. Just has to control the cue ball, I think at the
:27:47. > :27:52.moment the black is unavailable so he is going to be concentrating on
:27:53. > :28:01.blue, pink and may be off this first red, may elect to go for a baulk
:28:02. > :28:05.colour. It is one of these shots that if you miss it, you fear the
:28:06. > :28:14.worst, that there is a bit of pressure on it.
:28:15. > :28:22.That was a long way away, I'm afraid.
:28:23. > :28:33.That was caused by, as you said, if you missed it, definitely going to
:28:34. > :29:08.be leaving Ali something. Just a few signs Stuart needs to settle.
:29:09. > :29:18.Could have played that better, a bit straighter on the red.
:29:19. > :29:29.It loved -- hit love to get the blue back on its spot. Not sure if you
:29:30. > :29:43.can hold the blue into the left centre.
:29:44. > :29:54.Again, trying to play almost, not quite sure, trying to take down the
:29:55. > :30:01.pink for the right centre but he has ended up in no man's land here. That
:30:02. > :30:05.first shot on the brown to get on that red, wasn't the best shot he
:30:06. > :30:08.has ever played and subsequently, and of break, he will be very
:30:09. > :30:15.disappointed with that opportunity, Ali Carter. That was the key to this
:30:16. > :30:20.game, if your opponent makes a mistake, you have two police them.
:30:21. > :30:33.He had a good chance to go in to the mid-session interval with a lead.
:30:34. > :30:41.Stuart at the moment just looking a little bit ragged. Much too thick on
:30:42. > :30:48.that safety. Just feeling it a little bit. It is understandable.
:30:49. > :31:08.The euphoria of winning it last year will be a distant memory.
:31:09. > :31:15.Certainly got round the back of the black and I think he was hoping to
:31:16. > :31:20.be on the green or yellow. Could play the blue, but there's a little
:31:21. > :31:44.less pressure on the green. Didn't really get through that,
:31:45. > :31:49.though. Not as he would like. You can always tell when a player does
:31:50. > :31:53.not get through, he played that with top spin, because hijab it a little
:31:54. > :31:56.bit, he threw the cue ball little bit wider than he should have done.
:31:57. > :32:00.-- because he jabbed it a little bit. He did not really get through
:32:01. > :32:15.it very nicely. But he got through that, and that is
:32:16. > :32:21.absolutely inch perfect. And now, a chance to win the frame. What a shot
:32:22. > :32:25.that was, superb. Could not have played that much better. Perfect
:32:26. > :32:42.little cannon matte red. The way the balls are situated now,
:32:43. > :33:28.it you have to say, he has to win the frame from this position.
:33:29. > :33:36.Doesn't have to play the cannon into the two reds, just go to the rights
:33:37. > :33:56.to the black. He can slip by it and played the loose red in the middle.
:33:57. > :34:08.61 the target, it is only 19 points away.
:34:09. > :34:24.Maybe we can find a reason for Ali Carter to get to the mid-season
:34:25. > :34:31.interval with a lead. Not good enough on the pot success for
:34:32. > :34:37.Stuart, do you think? Yes, just a bit of nurse creeping in, there were
:34:38. > :34:44.a few shots in this frame alone. -- a little bit of nerves creeping in.
:34:45. > :34:46.It is early days in this match. There were a few worrying signs for
:34:47. > :34:57.Stuart. I suppose he has come into a match
:34:58. > :35:03.here where he did not know what to expect, and obviously, I know what
:35:04. > :35:10.every player expects, they expect to play well, but he would not know how
:35:11. > :35:13.the nerves would affect him. That was an imponderable. Maybe once he
:35:14. > :35:17.gets to the mid-session interval, he can take stock, he can come out and
:35:18. > :35:23.loosen his arm little bit because he just looks a little bit uptight. It
:35:24. > :35:29.is usually the facial expressions that you can tell from. He looks a
:35:30. > :35:35.little bit red in the face. It is a new experience, so maybe he can have
:35:36. > :35:39.a word with his manager in the interval, he will say, you are not
:35:40. > :35:43.playing bad but you are not scoring when you get in. That is something
:35:44. > :35:51.he will have to put right. This is the first break we have had over 50.
:35:52. > :36:02.Or, it will be, when Ali rolls this read in. In all departments at the
:36:03. > :36:10.moment, Ali Carter is in front. Not particularly with exceptional play,
:36:11. > :36:13.but as we know, in this game of snooker, just taking your
:36:14. > :36:48.opportunities, they are coming thick and fast at the moment for Ali.
:36:49. > :37:06.A nice kiss. There is a possible century on.
:37:07. > :37:14.The problem would be the brand, but once you get 73 or more, coming on
:37:15. > :37:24.the colours, that cue ball needs the bounce, needs to balance. A little
:37:25. > :37:32.bit short. So, forget about the century, how can he pot Diallo and
:37:33. > :37:38.get on the green? -- pot the yellow? He needed a couple. Stuart Bingham
:37:39. > :37:48.not settled yet. Since the first frame, Ali Carter has had most of
:37:49. > :37:52.the chances. That is the top break of this match
:37:53. > :37:55.so far, 78, Stuart Bingham made 45. Do you share the guy is concerned
:37:56. > :38:03.that there will perhaps be a worry on his part that he is not making
:38:04. > :38:06.good breaks? Yes, I think the interval has come at the right time,
:38:07. > :38:11.you need to have a chat with someone and get it off his chest. You can
:38:12. > :38:17.always tell when people are anxious, the cue ball is not anywhere near
:38:18. > :38:20.the baulk line. He is the world champion, he has got great
:38:21. > :38:25.expectations, a fabulous player, only 3-1 down, it is early in the
:38:26. > :38:30.match. I just wonder, you guys have done it, so how long does this
:38:31. > :38:36.opening matchplay on your mind? The whole idea of coming out of the
:38:37. > :38:41.defending -- as the defending champion, can you get into a bad
:38:42. > :38:46.state of mind? You can do, we had a function last night which made a lot
:38:47. > :38:51.of money to charity, and he was there at the event, having
:38:52. > :38:55.photographs taken. That showed he was relatively relaxed and looking
:38:56. > :38:58.forward to the day. But when you are playing against a player of the
:38:59. > :39:02.likes of Ali Carter, things can always go wrong. The questions
:39:03. > :39:05.coming into this work, how is a player like Ali Carter who has
:39:06. > :39:09.already played three matches going to fare? He did or to play on the
:39:10. > :39:14.first day, he wanted a few more days off, because the qualifying rounds
:39:15. > :39:19.are pretty hard. He finished on Wednesday. So that was a question
:39:20. > :39:24.for Ali Carter. The way we watched him play, he looks confident, back
:39:25. > :39:29.in his rhythm. And sharp. If you can't to this qualifying process
:39:30. > :39:37.successfully, it could make it exhausted but you might be so much
:39:38. > :39:44.ready. It is also about how many frames you play. If you come through
:39:45. > :39:49.playing not very many, it will not take that much out of you. We will
:39:50. > :39:55.concentrate on the match of the other side of the arena, a repeat of
:39:56. > :39:59.the 2006 semifinal, ten years ago. Peter Ebdon against Marco Fu, and
:40:00. > :40:04.Peter Ebdon has got her the hardware. He won this title in 2002,
:40:05. > :40:10.runner-up twice, but he has not qualified to three years. Three wins
:40:11. > :40:18.over the past six data gets here, typical of Peter, he did it the hard
:40:19. > :40:27.way. The second match was 10-9, he was 3-9 behind, he won seven on the
:40:28. > :40:34.trot, at 2:45am. He does not quit! That knocked Gerard of the tour, but
:40:35. > :40:48.Ebdon, who is Mikey Mata added about a "Powered through. -- he is a
:40:49. > :41:16.master of Reiki and of Egan. -- he is a deacon.
:41:17. > :41:25.Last time he played this shot, he missed it by the proverbial mile. At
:41:26. > :41:30.that time, he was perfect. You saw his head move again, Terry. He seems
:41:31. > :41:34.to have to get his head out of the way, his cue comes off his bridge
:41:35. > :41:45.hand as well. That is his Achilles' heel, that shot. He has always been
:41:46. > :41:49.like that, Marco. He does move on his shot. He has got a different
:41:50. > :41:57.type of cue action. It is very efficient. It has lasted over time.
:41:58. > :41:58.Power is not his strong suit. As we have seen then, he hit that one
:41:59. > :42:15.perfectly. He needed that. He would be amazed how quickly your
:42:16. > :42:19.form can drain away from you when you are out there, no matter what is
:42:20. > :42:23.happening. You can go from playing the best snooker you have ever
:42:24. > :42:29.played to being worse than a club player in a frame altered. I have
:42:30. > :42:32.been here under the cosh and sometimes the black off the spot
:42:33. > :42:37.looks difficult. You never get the feeling anywhere else in the game
:42:38. > :42:42.than here at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. It brings the worst and
:42:43. > :42:48.the best out of everybody. Magnificent. In my lifetime I hope
:42:49. > :42:52.it never goes away from here, the Crucible. It would be like taking
:42:53. > :43:23.tennis away from Wimbledon. I think some of the younger players
:43:24. > :43:29.will still feel that if they go to China or something like that, for
:43:30. > :43:34.those that have covered the path here at the Crucible for many years,
:43:35. > :43:42.we dream that it stays forever. Barry Hearn said to me once, they
:43:43. > :43:49.will never take it out of the Crucible. I think it is the history.
:43:50. > :43:55.We have had some amazing matches here. You could sell out of 2000
:43:56. > :44:04.seater for the World Championship, but it has got his own unique
:44:05. > :44:07.atmosphere. It would love to be a bit bigger, the screen is in no way
:44:08. > :44:16.sometimes for the crowd and the cameramen. -- in the way sometimes.
:44:17. > :44:45.Marco Fu will need two more reds. Not the best angle in the world.
:44:46. > :44:50.Marco has fought back, I think you've is having a bit of a bad
:44:51. > :45:02.spell. -- I think he was having a bit of a bad spell. He potted brown
:45:03. > :45:08.earlier on in this frame, and there were a few roads he thought he would
:45:09. > :45:18.get on and he made a mess of that, so a good recovery.
:45:19. > :45:31.Lots of shots, Terry, at the moment, where they are over screen. --
:45:32. > :45:40.screwing. It is playing like a light white at the moment. He has potted
:45:41. > :45:46.that, it is the red he needed. It was probably a little bit more
:45:47. > :45:55.difficult because of that. It has been a good match so far. A good
:45:56. > :46:01.quality from both players, with a few errors. A good effort. He knows
:46:02. > :46:08.that Peter Ebdon will play on, so he wants to make sure, this red, if it
:46:09. > :46:12.pots, and looking at the camera angle we are going to show you, it
:46:13. > :46:23.will not. So Peter Ebdon will be carrying on.
:46:24. > :46:35.The break comes to the end and 49. Marco started pretty briskly with
:46:36. > :46:40.the breaks of 49 and 81, he seems determined not to get himself
:46:41. > :46:43.dragged into marathon dealings with Peter Ebdon who is very capable
:46:44. > :46:47.indeed of drawing out the match and winning it. So, can Marco keep the
:46:48. > :47:01.momentum going now? Framer four. He jabbed that a little bit. He has
:47:02. > :47:05.always had a lot of movement at his cue action, Peter, even when he was
:47:06. > :47:11.at his best. He is a very respected player on little still, but in his
:47:12. > :47:27.early days, he was frightening. Marco Fu is more technical. I think
:47:28. > :47:33.he played to go around those and up for the blue. He is on the black,
:47:34. > :47:38.but the chance of passing anything after the black looks very slim from
:47:39. > :47:47.here. The plot is hard enough, and if you dropped it in with any pace,
:47:48. > :47:55.he is going to make that pot a lot tougher. A good match so far.
:47:56. > :48:01.He is playing for the bottom of the reds on the right-hand side. There
:48:02. > :48:10.are two there, thin cuts. Perhaps only the bottom one goes.
:48:11. > :48:21.Still a chance. Clean as a whistle. A nice angle
:48:22. > :48:36.here. Yes, very good pot on the previous
:48:37. > :48:41.black, and excellent pot on that read, just the right angle on the
:48:42. > :48:46.blue note. Little surprised that he is not playing for the loose red.
:48:47. > :48:52.That has worked out perfectly, what an excellent shot. The red at the
:48:53. > :49:01.back of the pack was available which I thought he would play for. You
:49:02. > :49:04.know about splitting packs! I heard you saying, that way there is less
:49:05. > :49:16.chance of the reds really splitting up. The paint, where it was, at the
:49:17. > :49:18.-- the pink, where it was at the top of the reds, made it a little bit
:49:19. > :49:51.more difficult to go straight in. Has an angle to go into the pink
:49:52. > :49:58.here, but that will not do a lot of damage unless you play it full ball.
:49:59. > :50:02.There is the power to miss the pink and kiss the two reds at the side,
:50:03. > :50:08.that would be a good choice, but playing into the pink will not be
:50:09. > :50:13.great unless he has a full ball. That looks like a pretty new tip
:50:14. > :50:19.that Marco has got on. He did not play to Cannes and the pink, he has
:50:20. > :50:22.played it nicely, I hope he is on one because he deserves to be. He
:50:23. > :50:30.was trying to avoid the kiss on the pink there. He caught the pink so
:50:31. > :51:17.thin. It has left him nicely on this red, albeit slightly hampered.
:51:18. > :51:22.You can see from that picture that the pink is available, but he may
:51:23. > :51:26.have played around this. He is struggling with the pace, he is
:51:27. > :51:31.grimacing which tells me this is very tight. A little bit of
:51:32. > :51:37.right-hand side, he will fine. Turning the cue ball over.
:51:38. > :51:41.Struggling, both of these players. When they play an ordinary stun
:51:42. > :51:56.shot, they are struggling with the pace. Try that in the club, it is
:51:57. > :52:01.not easy. People looking on will think, surely players of this
:52:02. > :52:05.standard can make adjustments to what they normally do, but it is not
:52:06. > :52:09.quite like that. It is instinct when you are in plain position, the
:52:10. > :52:17.judgment of the pace for the next shot.
:52:18. > :52:27.Into the pack, here, not? Plenty of mileage because the reds are over
:52:28. > :52:33.the corner, he will have to go into it at one stage. If he does not get
:52:34. > :52:40.a good angle on the red over the pocket, he is in trouble. He has
:52:41. > :53:12.brought a couple of reds out, well played, very good shot.
:53:13. > :53:20.The fact that he has come lower on the red, he might have to have one
:53:21. > :53:27.more cannon. Looking at the red directly above the black, sticks on
:53:28. > :53:31.that, no good. Ideally, he would like to miss the first two reds and
:53:32. > :53:38.hit the red below the pink, there is not a lot of men there, can only see
:53:39. > :53:40.-- there, can only see half of the ball. He has pushed one towards the
:53:41. > :53:55.middle. It is nice to see the scale that
:53:56. > :54:05.Marco has got. He has got some reds out of the hack rather than smashing
:54:06. > :54:08.into them like a lot of players do these days, which I'm not
:54:09. > :54:17.criticising, they do very well but Marco is more old-style. Very happy
:54:18. > :54:22.to play the tough positional shots because he is very good at them.
:54:23. > :54:27.Does not feel he has to have the reds all over the table to clear up.
:54:28. > :54:34.Was it Stephen Hendry who started that of? He developed a new shot,
:54:35. > :54:43.which was to hit the pink full ball with spin. Everyone else used to
:54:44. > :54:50.play that was done. Stephen Hendry developed the shot which kept it in
:54:51. > :54:54.play. This match has been very good, a lot of people said this would be
:54:55. > :54:58.one of the slower matches of the first round, it could stick be still
:54:59. > :55:04.with Peter Ebdon, he will have to put the grind in. He will be 3-1
:55:05. > :55:29.behind. When he grinds, it could take quite a while.
:55:30. > :55:39.Can Marco go on to make his 400th competitive century? What a
:55:40. > :55:46.milestone that is for any player. A little cannon onto the red and pink
:55:47. > :55:58.here. He can hold the right. Knowing he is bound to be on a red.
:55:59. > :56:06.He had a good chance in the first frame for a century, 81, he was
:56:07. > :56:09.happy enough with that. You are just happy to win the first frame of your
:56:10. > :56:19.championship. There have been tidied breaks in
:56:20. > :56:25.every frame so far, this has been the biggest break so far. A little
:56:26. > :56:34.bit more to come hopefully. We would love to see a century.
:56:35. > :56:37.He is going to have to use the rest here which makes this more
:56:38. > :56:51.difficult. Now his 400th century is just one
:56:52. > :57:14.shot away. Yes, some Marco Fu 400 centuries,
:57:15. > :57:21.what an achievement and well deserved. Always been one of the
:57:22. > :57:29.better break-builders. Played in Hong Kong for many years.
:57:30. > :57:39.He made big improvements in Hong Kong in the last few years, there is
:57:40. > :57:48.a new academy, young players coming through, I am sure Marco would have
:57:49. > :57:52.been involved in that. So it century fur Marco Fu, you will be very
:57:53. > :57:57.pleased with that break. He leads Peter Ebdon by three frames to one.
:57:58. > :58:01.The first this year at the Crucible, his 400th, and has elicited an
:58:02. > :58:04.achievement is that? A fantastic achievement by anybody's standards
:58:05. > :58:08.but he has always been a great break-builder. He has got a
:58:09. > :58:11.wonderful touch in the balls, he is a talented break-builder. You
:58:12. > :58:23.underestimate him as an much Prior as your peril. -- as an Matt Prior
:58:24. > :58:29.at your peril. -- as a match Ilda. We are going to take a quick stop,
:58:30. > :58:33.we are back on the air on BBC One in an hour at 1pm. Both of these
:58:34. > :58:36.matches continue on your connected to the end devices. We will catch
:58:37. > :58:40.you soon but we are off and running.