Sunday, 2nd Round, Evening Snooker: World Championship

Good evening. We are halfway through the World Snooker Championship.

Tonight two of the game's most exciting talents continue with their

second-round encounter. I always play my best under the most

pressure and expectation against the biggest names. Great to be playing

Ding in the last 16. Happy to still be in the tournament after a close

game. I'm playing well, feeling good. I just keep practising. Find a

way to go easier, not to try to push myself. Definitely a lot better from

where he was. I think maybe his confidence is still not 100%. He

possibly could have gone out first game. He has weaknesses, it is a

matter of me exploiting them. He's playing very good at the Crucible.

Played him twice and he beat me twice and he played very good. Got

the feeling here, he's feeling great. I just play mine so he

doesn't get a chance. I know that if I play my best there is only going

to be one winner. As long as I concentrate on my game, I don't have

to worry about him. He's not at his best anyway. I don't think he's got

the belief that I've got. I don't know anything about how much

favourite to win it, to win the tournament. I just do myself, play

my snooker. I know I can do some special snooker on tables. Just

thinking right, that's it, easy. COMMENTATOR: What a match up so

early on in the championship, two great players. He's taken the first

frame. Wow. Two frames each. Had a look in there, three times.

Fantastic pot on the brown. It is Ding that leads now by 6-2. STUDIO:

Interesting scoreline, RU surprised by that, Steve? A little bit.

Perhaps we expected the first session to be closer, and it was,

2-2. Judd Trump had a 51 break and Ding stole it and then became his

clinical best. Interesting to hear the chat of both players. Making a

case that Ding is not in top form, but myself and Peter Ebdon were

saying those three qualifying matches have got him into standard

and you can play your way into form. He's definitely got to close the

gap, Judd. Yes, and if Ding gets his teeth in front, he's one of the best

front runners there's ever been. The surgeon Mike way he goes about

break-building, he could take Judd Trump off his game. Doesn't matter

how good Judd Trump is playing, he can keep you in your seat. Kyren

Wilson playing tonight against Mark Allen. How well is he playing? 7-1

against Mark Allen, we all expected after Mark Allen won the players

championship he would be in good form. He's had everything stolen

from him, amazing performance from Kyren Wilson. We know he is great,

he has won the Shanghai Masters at a young age, but nobody knows how good

he will be here at the Crucible. Great match against Joe Perry

perhaps gave him the confidence to use it as a springboard. I

commentated on it, and when two players are playing that well, it is

a massive boost to your confidence. Certainly, and this player could be

a future world champion. O'Sullivan said he saw Kyren Wilson has a

future world number one. This is a big chance for Mark Allen to get

back into this game. The players are ready backstage. Rob Walker, it's

all yours. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

London's 26.2 mile adventure may be over, but here in Sheffield our

snooker marathon is still in full swing. Welcome to the climax of day

nine here at the enthralling that Fred World Snooker Championship live

that the Crucible. Please welcome our player who has

been a revelation this season. He won his first major title in

Shanghai in September and has rocketed up the world rankings. He's

on the verge of the world's top 16. What a start he made this morning in

this, his first appearance in the second round. Here comes the

Warrior, Kyren Wilson. And his opponent, one of the most

exciting talents in the modern game. Semifinalist here seven years ago,

secured his third ranking title last month that the players championship.

He will be so fired up for the big battle tonight, determined to show

his class. Here comes the pride of Northern Ireland, he's Mark "the

Pistol" Allen. On table one please welcome a player

whose achievements inspired a nation to fall in love with this great

sport. Winner of 11 ranking titles in all. Forced to qualify this year,

he came through in fine style. This is his seventh appearance in the

second round. So enter the Chinese dragon, Ding Junhui.

And finally, his opponent. A player who underlined his huge talent

making the final here as a youngster five years ago. A multiple ranking

event winner. He arrives here fresh from victory at the China open

earlier this month. After turning round a forefront deficit against

Liang Wenbo in the first round, you'll be cool, calm and collected

tonight, because he is the ace in the pack. His Judd Trump.

You can continue to watch the Allen Wilson match on the red button. We

will watch this one in the company of John Virgo and Peter Ebdon.

COMMENTATOR: Good evening everybody. This is the middle session of three.

Judd Trump 6-2 behind against John Wii. Alongside me in the commentary

box, former world champion Peter Ebdon -- against Ding Junhui. Good

evening John, good evening everybody. Looking forward to this

wonderful match between two of the game's top stars. Yes, the first

session, a couple of friends could have gone either way. It seemed both

of them went the way of Ding Junhui -- couple of frames. And it is those

tight frames that he has been winning serve our in this match.

Couldn't risk the pot, wrong potting angle. He wants that red he has

played to slow up, it has gone precariously close to the far left

corner. But yeah, I agree with what John and Steve said in the studio.

You just feel that Judd Trump has got to win this session. Eight

frames to play. Nothing but a 5-3 would do for him. Ding not tempted

by that red. Judd may be tempted by this one, though.

Where's the yellow ball going? Well, OK, its cost him four points. But at

least the red has run safe. When you miss the red by this distance, he

could easily have left back on. Four points away for knocking the yellow

income and the opportunity. Ding Junhui has decided to put Judd back

in. That rule has always been there, if a player makes a foul, his

opponent has an opportunity to put him back in, next shot. Not a bad

safety. Very clever shot from Judd, there.

He knew that he was giving himself a chance of putting that red, just

caught the black a little bit too thick. That would have been a very

well thought out shot to nothing. Obviously the cue ball was paramount

with that shot. Ding needs to be a little bit careful, here.

Decided against the safety, took a long red on, playing a deep screw

back to baulk. Played that well. Yes. Got to get the red you are

playing into the jaws of the pocket, which he did, and he's got a very

good cue ball. He'll be looking to build on that for frame advantage

here this evening -- four. Don't think Judd spotted that. He has put

his hand up to apologise. Maybe it was a plant that he spotted. Let's

have a look at it again. I don't think you could have spotted that.

He's a bit of an enigma to me, Judd Trump. When he's not hitting the

ball too hard, such a smooth striker, such a clean Potter. Just

feel sometimes he just hits the ball is too hard. Whether that's a little

bit of tension in the arm, little bit of pressure. Well, he's gotten

tremendous amount of cue power, John. Sometimes when he's not timing

the ball as well as he would like to, he can make mistakes with power

and that's partly because of his technique. Very strong right I

sighted, which means that when he thinks he cues up to the middle of

the white, he is on the right-hand side, and he comes right across the

ball to the left, hit middle. You can see that when he's cueing off

the baulk cushion on a long ball which is just off straight. He

starts off nowhere near online, and then comes across. That's one of the

reasons why he can miss balls with power sometimes. That was a tough

shot, he was very close to that red. Very tough to judge the angles.

Basically what it is and why he's gone back to his seat disappointed,

it was a chance, and he knows he's got to take those chances this

evening. Ding Junhui playing that safety has brought the black

interplay, and he's got a wonderful cue ball. Tap on the table from

Judd. Very hard to see a path back to baulk, here. The way the reds are

spread, you have to say that Judd is in a spot of bother. There is the

player's view. He can get through to reds, but nothing really to get him

back to baulk, you wouldn't have thought. He's trying it. No. That

was asking a lot. And now has to go back, sit down, and hope that shot

has not cost in this first frame. -- cost him. Sometimes you've just got

to accept that you cannot find a path back to baulk. What a chance

for Ding Junhui. I'm really liking what I'm seeing

with Ding Junhui in this year's World Championship. He's looking

incredibly focused and composed. And he's looking like the player that we

all know he really is. And that player has often shown up at the

Crucible. Will it be his year this year? Working with Terry Griffiths

must have helped him. He's looking very strong out there, John. Yeah,

everyone was writing him off. Of course he had to play three

qualifying matches to get here. Had a real tussle in his first-round

match against Martin Gould. But when you come through those tough

first-round matches it can give you a bit of confidence, because you've

had to produce under pressure, which he did. He went 8-6 behind. Winning

four on the trot to bring it back to 10-8. But he's played a careless

positional shot here, just the wrong side of the blue. One of the best

scorers in the game. I remember practising at the Academy in

Northamptonshire a few years ago when Ding was playing there, played

one of the lads, and in the best of 17 he made eight centuries. Yep, he

can certainly score OK. He was a bit fortunate with that position or

shot. Caught the red unintentionally, but the double-kiss

has left him on the blue. Going to have to concentrate on the

blue at the moment. If he went a bit too far on the blue, he could play

the pink, get the pink on its spot. I'm not certain about the

availability of the black. Don't think he'll be playing for the

black here come he's got the red to the middle, the red to the corner,

but to play for the black, it would have to be a very precise positional

shot. He'll probably come back up for the blue. Just got to be wary of

the red on the right-hand side. Just the noise coming from the other side

of the arena, that's the only reason he stopped. Just wants things to

settle down. There's the wonderful view of the two table situation,

here. In an effort, I can only assume, to avoid a kiss on the reds

committee has the red. Getting up and come posing himself

again. Very surprising, this. Now, can Judd Trump take advantage? This

red only just passes the one near the pocket. But beautifully played.

Too much into it. Needs to slow down. It's OK. Look at the action he

gets on this with hardly seemed to hit the ball. That's incredible.

Wellcome he's been given a second chance here, as Judd.

Could have done with coming down another couple of inches, then he

could have put it this red, Cam and the one below it, and got position

on the black, I don't think he can do it now. -- cannoned on. One below

it. He did play well, left himself a

nice angle on the blue. The red just below the pink spot, if he can get

on that, just off straight, he could play a positional shot for the

black. That was loose. What is he on? Does the red closest to the cue

ball go to the left corner? It's very tight. Ooh, very tight. Poor

positional shot. I'm not certain about this. In these situations,

sometimes you want the ball to go so badly, you can convince yourself it

goes when it doesn't. Yeah, could be one of those if you were right

behind it, you'd fancy just pinching a bit of the pocket. Not from that

angle. He'll have to play safe. Needs a good cue ball because that

red is running towards the corner. Has the brown come to his rescue?

Just! So, not the best of starts for Judd

in this very, very important second session of this match.

Judd will have to play safe off the red. He's got a cut on, here. Well,

that was a bit careless of Ding Junhui to leave that. I suppose Ding

Junhui didn't think that reds was on. Although Judd Trump is 12 points

behind comic he's probably the new favourite for this frame, now. --

although Judd Trump is 12 points behind, he's probably the new

favourite for this frame, now. Because it will be difficult for

Ding Junhui to escape this and not leave a pot on.

Final session of this match will be played tomorrow afternoon just after

1pm. No play tomorrow morning. I don't know whether that line is

on, but if he could nestle to that red, not absolutely safe, but it

could be reasonably safe. When you asked Luke at behind the green, and

you have four reds in portable positions, you don't want to leave

anything on. -- when you are snookered behind the green. The shot

time, as you can see, one minute, 47 seconds and counting.

He could play that shot. Hmm. Pity he caught it so full. Hmm. This is

short of pace. He has on the hit that. -- underhit back. Does this

red just above the black go to the right corner? If it does and he can

screw back off the blue. He would have liked to have been straighter

but he's got all the action in the world. Looks as though the red does

go. This time he can stand around off top and side cushions to retain

position on the black. -- stun round. He has decided to knock the

red off. What a shot that was. And with that shot he has completely

opened up the frame, now. Wonderful thinking.

But once again not the best positional shot. These reds are only

available to the left corner. Judd's got so much cue power, if he is only

just Reiki can force an angle. Just lost the cue ball slightly. But

manufactured an angle, created an angle that wasn't really there just

through sheer cue power. This is a test of cueing. Right in

the heart of the pocket. Won't get a much better chance than this to win

a frame. But that was a tremendous red he played when he cannoned the

red off the side cushions and retained position on the black. That

was his snooker brain kicking into gear. This blue will put him 20

points in front. Yellow and green will get to the snooker is required

stage. It will be a frame he will be very relieved to have won. Played a

poor safety early on which could have cost him it. Ding didn't make

the most of it, Mr easy red. He's not had the cue ball completely

under control, here. But just roll in this green, he will win this

first frame, barring snookers. 25 point lead, 22 remaining.

Ooh, wonderful pot. That just keeps Ding in his seat.

In general we had a couple of chances but he did not take them and

Judd Trump takes the first frame. You would expect Mark Allen to fight

back, interesting to see how Judd Wilson deals with a fightback. You

don't normally get many situations where you are 7-1 up in a match, so

new territory in a best of 25 for Kyren Wilson. Mark Allen rolling the

black in here. The end of a fantastic break. Just the start he

needed. 7-2 it is now. As the opening frame here, a little bit

scrappy. Yes, you would expect Judd Trump would want to fight and is a

great champion, you would expect it. Ding Junhui is always able to

contain things. Snooker at this level, you can't really guarantee

how things will go on. It could be the case that the ball big Tates how

it pans out and a bit of luck can get you back in it. If you are 6-2

up after a session, you have given yourself a springboard to put

yourself further ahead but the comeback is always on. You think

Judd is playing well? He can play his way back into form. It only

needs a couple of super shots and naughty snooker for him to turn the

match around. COMMENTATOR: A decent break by Judd. With that red in the

middle of the table, in German we has to cash this -- catch this just

right. A little bit thick. And flicking the blue, he has left a

chance for this red. The black won't go on its spot but

Judd will be looking to get on it sooner rather than later.

black, is that if you play it with pace, it makes the pot so much more

difficult. And he will have to play it with pace. He has done, doesn't

want to be straight. He has the perfect angle but the only red he

can play for is one in the same pocket so he needs to be accurate

with this. He underhit it. Had to give the pot due care and attention.

If he gets this, it will work in his favour. This is a big shot. Wow,

what a shot that is, where is the cue ball going? It is funny how Judd

plays those. I can't think of anyone else who would have played the

run-through, they would definitely play the stun off the end red, but

the cue ball could have gone in the middle. I think the blue pots. Just

has to find good position on the red and that would give him a good

frame-winning chance here. He played that pretty well. I don't think the

black is an option at the moment. Oh, he played it with a tonne of

side and he is intimating that the side affected the line of the object

ball. Yes, sometimes, we say people can turn the ball over with a touch

of side, he has probably done that there. A bad miss, that was a big

chance. Maybe, just maybe, he has not left anything. I am just

wondering if Dean has the opportunity to play a plant here and

leave the cue ball Baha'i and the blue. Taking the red closest to the

blue and flicking off the top of the two reds on the left-hand side of

the table. Maybe he could play this, he can certainly play it with a

degree of safety because if he gets a good cue ball, he can leave it

behind the blue and if he gets a red he will be on either the yellow or

the pink. Not easy to judge though. Well, he did play your shot Peter

but he is obviously not a billiard player because you cannot play it at

that pace. At that pace it will throw off-line but he has had a

result. I think he has snookered Judd on all of the reds. If you play

it like that, you have to hit it gently, otherwise the red goes wide.

He just didn't think that through, if he played a soft shot there as I

suggested, he could have left the cue ball behind the blue and he

would not be leaving anything. Because the red would be hitting the

far knuckle, not the near knuckle. Very strange, it is amazing what

pressure can do sometimes. He was playing for a shot for nothing, but

I will tell you one thing, he would be disappointed with the outcome.

Absolutely, he has been fortunate there. He did not play that very

well at all. Judd is in a lot of trouble here. I think you just have

to trust this, there is a line of three reds in the middle of the

table and I think you have to try and nestle into the middle one. That

is the one I am thinking. Just judge the pace. It is a good pace, does it

stick to the red? It does, superbly played.

With the touching ball, Dean has a good chance of putting Judd back in

trouble now. He wants the cue ball tight on the box question -- on the

bottom cushion. Hopefully covering the red with the green. It is a good

shot. Chose to take the chance of getting the cue ball behind the

green rather than playing for the caution. That is limiting the

options for Judd. You can either play it tight on the cushion or get

in tight behind the ball. His option is to drop onto those reds in the

middle of the table, that is now not an option. It was a brave shot to

play because if the cue ball had ended two inches to the right of

where it is now, Judd Trump would have had a long read into the

left-hand black pocket. There was an element of risk in the shot that in

played and he played it very well. -- that Dean played.

Those two reds, if he could find a path to get to the joint of those,

OK but I don't see how he can do it, coming off the top cushion, couldn't

have played it any better. He may leave a pot on but it was another

superb escape from Judd Trump. Showing he is not all about potting

and break-building. He has left a chance for Ding Junhui. That really

was brilliant. A high degree of difficulty involved in that shot and

he played it to perfection. And that is a very good reply from doing as

well, slightly heavy with case but a good reply. --

Judd Trump will just be happy to be able to see a red after his previous

two visits, there is a red that he can get through to the left corner.

Are we going to see a Judd Trump special here? Looks like he is

refusing the long straight red. Looks like he will stun this read

into the yellow. Into another red but that is always dangerous because

you don't know where the reds will go. And it went close to the left

middle but the brown is covering it. This pot is on but is it worth the

risk? The way the reds are spread, if you left your opponent in amongst

them, it could be big trouble, but he is going for this. Could have

been worse. Could have been a lot worse. I would not be surprised if

Ding Junhui refuses this read into the left-hand lack pocket because it

is tricky. Slightly awkward cueing as well. You would miss these as

often as you get it. He doesn't like it. He is taking it on, this is

really tough. What a shot that is. He just drifted past that read, if

he had flicked that read, he would be in-off. But it was a good pot, if

he just catches that read, he is in. He certainly didn't hold back, I

thought he was going to play a soft stun shot. That is a strange shot.

He has played one of those shots that we have seen him play many

times and you have played it. He couldn't get through to the yellow

so he basically hit the side of the White for it to nudge onto the pink,

very clever shot that was. This is what he played, almost played to

miscue. And the referee was happy with the way he played it. And Judd

again, not for the first time in this frame is in big trouble.

Am I wrong or have I seen you play that shot? Element great yes I have

but I don't normally buy it that well. I don't know many who could

play it as well as that. Aiming for the reds to the right of the black.

That was the intention. Just needs a little more left-hand side, I am

sure Ding Junhui will have it replaced.

It wasn't a bad line that Judd had there. He has to get in behind these

reds because if he doesn't, he will leave them to the left middle. A bit

more side but he has to avoid the red in the middle of the table. This

looks better, this looks a lot better. This is absolutely brilliant

and another great escape. Well, he didn't hit it. Miss is

called. Got to be careful. He moved the red with his finger, I didn't

notice that. There will be no re-rack here. It is just the case,

if anyone left these touching one of these two reds, then the other would

escape to the baulk end. But if it was touching, the referee would have

called it. This is why billiards never caught on you know. 900.

Neither player wants to be playing this but the way the reds are

spread, just a mistake, years ago you would never have thought of a

re-rack. What do you want to do, do you want

to carry on? The referee is asking if they want to carry on. Judd says

yes, he once the carry on. I don't understand the value of that shot.

He will be snookered the next time he comes to the table.

But there is now a path back to the baulk end for Ding Junhui. I felt if

he felt he could hold the cue ball, he would play the snooker in behind

the black but he will have to go thin to the baulk end and then

normal service will be resumed. A potential tempter here for Judd

Trump. There is a gap here, he can take this on as a shock to nothing.

A bit thin. Nearly a nice kiss off the green. Now, this read in the

middle of the table is obviously available to the left corner but it

is dangerous because the natural angle of the cue ball could be

running into the red, blue or yellow. So if he misses it, it is

not exactly a shock to nothing. He is looking to see if he can play the

screw but the red over the left middle, it would be a brave man to

take this on. He could play that shot but he would have to play it

with a lot of top spin to arc the cue ball around the red below it,

decided against it anyway, this could go in if it hits the black, he

caught it thin but he has played a nice safety shot there. Again, there

is a potential for Judd to take this read on if he can get enough

top-spin. Playing safe. Neither of these two players are

renowned for their safety play but it is all part and parcel of the

game, it is just the balls now dictating how this frame is going to

be played. Another chance of a pot here for Judd. The problem with it

is that the one closest to the pocket would almost certainly hit

the black, the one to the right of it, can he get a path back to baulk

if he misses it? It doesn't matter because he potted it. He needed it

to go in, he is not perfect on a colour mind. Good clean pot. Just

over the three hour mark. He is thinking about it, the yellow is

just as tough as the black so he has decided on the black. He has to pot

it to be on the read. It was a very tough black, very tough. He was not

that confident to just drop the black in. He played the stun but if

you decelerate on that shot, you will always hit it too thin and this

is now a golden opportunity for Ding Junhui. When the frame at this visit

is a tall order but you would certainly expect him to be a few

points in front when he finishes. That is not his best positional

shot. OK he is on this read but it is running loose little bit.

Straight on the red and you would have more control on the cue ball.

Judged the line of the cue ball nicely though. It would be a tall

order to win the frame at this visit as I said. But now just one point

behind. I have noticed a big improvement in

form in Ding Junhui's game in the last couple of months, six or seven

months ago, he was using a new cue and his positional play was just not

there and we know how good a break-builder he is. He had some

work done on his previous cue, Paul Roberts, who built it for him years

ago and I think he is a lot happier playing with his auld cue again.

He's cue ball control is much improved again, he just wasn't happy

with the other cue that he tried. He is looking more like the player we

all know that he has now gone back to his old cue. And the cue, it is

just part of your right arm really, it is not like golf where you have

different clubs for different shots, you have to play every shot with the

one piece of equipment. Does he try to bring these two reds into play?

He did but he got the double-kiss but he is still on a red to the left

corner. Will he risk the cannon into the red from this shot? 18 points is

the lead now. Brought them into play, is he going to be on a colour?

Not good. And that is why the thought was never to try and remove

red when you put the red because you are never certain opposition on a

colour. Steady Eddie Charlton said that. But to be fair to Eddie, he

didn't see Judd Trump smashing through the pack, did he? No, he

wouldn't have played that kind of shot. So, this think can be cut to

the right middle but it could be missed. And he has missed it. And in

a way, you would say he is fortunate not to leave an easy opportunity for

Judd. Yes, that was very tough. Unfortunately we have come to the

end of live transmission but you can continue to watch this match on the

red button. As for the other table, it currently stands at 7-4, Mark

Allen winning the last four frames, if you want to watch that, you can

watch it online. We will be back later with highlights at 11:45pm,

goodbye for now.