:00:42. > :00:54.We are best mates, but you see one Scottish, in the semifinal, but that
:00:55. > :00:59.is great. Sometimes, I look around and I think that is where I want to
:01:00. > :01:04.be. I'm not going to complain about it. I'm going to get on with it. I
:01:05. > :01:14.have good a as any. I need to keep my thinking clear
:01:15. > :01:32.play the shots. All eyes are new if I can get one-table set-up, who
:01:33. > :01:36.knows. Technically, I am a better than I was ten years ago. I will be
:01:37. > :01:45.up for it. Coming here, I thought fresh, but
:01:46. > :01:55.not as much as I would like. That showed in my first two matches. A
:01:56. > :02:02.lot better than two years ago, to go on and qualify and win two matches
:02:03. > :02:11.here is unbelievable. Afternoon. Those are the men that will be in
:02:12. > :02:18.the quarterfinal stages onwards. The big news from last night is at the
:02:19. > :02:27.Crucible is now a rocket free zone. After a thrilling final frame finale
:02:28. > :02:32.against Barry Hawkins, Hawkins finally defeated his nemesis after
:02:33. > :02:40.14 years. It means that our draw looks like this.
:02:41. > :02:48.The fourth all Scottish Crucible contest between McManus and Higgins
:02:49. > :02:52.begins this afternoon. Ding Junhui is one of three qualifiers left. He
:02:53. > :02:59.takes on Mark Williams. Marco Fu takes an eight jubilant Barry
:03:00. > :03:06.Hawkins. New boy Kyren Wilson takes on Mark Selby. One thing is for
:03:07. > :03:09.certain, regardless of all of the exciting play that we have seen in
:03:10. > :03:12.the qualifiers and in this tournament, you needn't pay and be
:03:13. > :03:16.game to play this well. Absolutely. When you look at the 4/4-finals, you
:03:17. > :03:20.would think that all of the quarterfinals have --
:03:21. > :03:27.quarterfinalists have a big game, they have a well rounded game.
:03:28. > :03:34.Certainly, that the game has helped them. Do you think the world
:03:35. > :03:42.champion in the future who could just pop, pop, pop, like Stephen
:03:43. > :03:47.Hendry did? Even Judd Trump has struggled. At this sort of level,
:03:48. > :03:52.yet picked up very easily. We have to back it up. I know that Judd
:03:53. > :03:59.Trump was big trying to add a little bit more safety, but you cannot pot,
:04:00. > :04:03.pots, pot like you may have done. Stephen was the most successful one,
:04:04. > :04:07.without having that back-up kind of game. Nowadays, I think you have to
:04:08. > :04:12.have a little bit more of a rounded game, as well as being aggressive as
:04:13. > :04:15.well. We're not talking defensive or slow. The players are far quicker
:04:16. > :04:19.than they used to be. But they know when to play the right shot at the
:04:20. > :04:23.right time. John Higgins, Mark Williams, they were exceptional in
:04:24. > :04:27.that department. I don't think they push the boat out as well as Judd
:04:28. > :04:32.Trump may have done, or Ronnie O'Sullivan ten or 15 years ago. But
:04:33. > :04:36.yes, if you look down the whole list, they are very good
:04:37. > :04:40.break-builders, you have to be. You have to be very aggressive when you
:04:41. > :04:44.do get the chance. But also, the safety has been top quality. We are
:04:45. > :04:50.in for some fascinating snooker. I think we are. Only two of the
:04:51. > :04:55.world's top eight players have made it through to the quarterfinals.
:04:56. > :04:59.That's only happened a handful of times at the Crucible. It bodes well
:05:00. > :05:05.for some exciting play. It is going to be an exciting afternoon as we
:05:06. > :05:12.have a peek at all four of our quarterfinalists today. I need to
:05:13. > :05:17.qualifiers have gone on to win the title. Could Ding Junhui joint Shaun
:05:18. > :05:27.Murphy and Steve Davis of the next? At 45, Alan McManus is the oldest
:05:28. > :05:33.quarterfinalists in Steve Davis. Startling to think this is Marco
:05:34. > :05:39.Fu's first quarterfinal for a whole decade. He is under way against
:05:40. > :05:42.Hawkins. Kyren Wilson, the line -- the youngest player still standing.
:05:43. > :05:48.I play coming on his progress against Mark Selby.
:05:49. > :06:08.Start beating up those brain cells again. Will you get full marks? And
:06:09. > :06:15.amongst other things, we will be discussing the Crucible's future.
:06:16. > :06:17.This is current Wilson's second visit to the championship. He really
:06:18. > :06:30.has a feel for the place now. And good friends with Peter Ebdon.
:06:31. > :06:33.He gave me tickets, and I went with my dad. There was no unbelievable
:06:34. > :06:37.experience. As soon as I went there to watch, I knew I had to get there
:06:38. > :06:43.and play. I thought I would be a bit more nervous than I was. It felt
:06:44. > :06:47.natural to be there straightaway. But yeah, as soon as you get
:06:48. > :06:52.prepared, you are a bit daunted at how close everyone is to you. But it
:06:53. > :06:56.is a fantastic venue. I went up a couple of days before, and just went
:06:57. > :07:00.into the venue and had a look around, I got my bearings
:07:01. > :07:05.everywhere. It is something I like to do before I play, and try to
:07:06. > :07:08.acclimatise to it. There is so much history and memory is there, you
:07:09. > :07:14.want to make the memories for yourself, and make history yourself
:07:15. > :07:18.there. The atmosphere like it. If you turn around, it feels like it
:07:19. > :07:24.goes for miles, when actually, it is quite small and quite compact.
:07:25. > :07:29.Sometimes, you are close to falling over the barrier when you play a
:07:30. > :07:35.shot. But as so unique and special. There is a possible -- buzz around
:07:36. > :07:38.Sheffield when it is on. We usually have nice weather, and you have
:07:39. > :07:42.everyone out in the back of the Crucible, and you have a big-screen
:07:43. > :07:46.TV up. There is a real buzz, and you get the signs for the snooker, and
:07:47. > :07:53.it is very special. It is the pinnacle of our sport. Everyone
:07:54. > :07:58.choosing to watch the Crucible, and it is somewhere where I would love
:07:59. > :08:04.to win the trophy. I will not stop until I get there. And Wilson takes
:08:05. > :08:18.on the man at the top of the rankings. It is the former
:08:19. > :08:24.champion's 12 championship. Anthony McGill inflicted The Crucible curse
:08:25. > :08:33.last year. Selby has blown hot and cold. This is qualifier number three
:08:34. > :08:42.for him. How impressive has Kyren Wilson been? He is up against it
:08:43. > :08:49.already. We left this match with Selby on his way to the 4-0 lead.
:08:50. > :08:50.This is frame number five, and we rejoin them with Selby six points in
:08:51. > :09:18.front. COMMENTATOR: I think this red near
:09:19. > :09:22.the baulk condition is possible. At 4-0 down, it difficulty of the shots
:09:23. > :09:32.are magnified. He is not taking it on. He is
:09:33. > :09:40.looking to see where he can leave the cue ball as a safety shot. He is
:09:41. > :09:41.confusing me now, because he was going to play the safety, but now
:09:42. > :11:32.he's taking the shot on. It does look as if he is OK out
:11:33. > :11:55.there. He has not missed anything bad as yet.
:11:56. > :12:36.When he puts this pink, when it is re-spotted, I don't think it is
:12:37. > :12:46.going anywhere. So this break is not getting any easier.
:12:47. > :13:05.Just cannon the red away from the pink spot. Another couple of reds
:13:06. > :13:27.that will be... He is desperate to get his first frame on the board.
:13:28. > :13:33.It's not just going to that cue ball. He wants to play the pink to
:13:34. > :13:39.the left corner, you cannot do that now. Still -- still a little bit of
:13:40. > :13:47.tightness in the arm. He played that well. He will play
:13:48. > :14:08.for the red to the right corner. It has been good break-building,
:14:09. > :14:12.these last few shots. This opportunity. Two or three shots ago,
:14:13. > :14:31.the thing did not go anywhere. He will be desperate to win their
:14:32. > :14:36.frame. Each of the pink, because he has for pockets that it goes in, at
:14:37. > :14:40.the black, only two. If there was a frame you really needed to win, it
:14:41. > :16:15.is nice to have the pink in the open.
:16:16. > :16:27.The cue ball just picked up quicker. He has a slight angle. Not a lot,
:16:28. > :16:29.but enough to stun of that cushion if he wanted to go closer to the
:16:30. > :16:53.reds. He has to avoid the pink. There is
:16:54. > :16:59.an obstacle in the way there. A good break this is under the
:17:00. > :17:08.circumstances. Most break so far in the match. He is hoping to win the
:17:09. > :17:18.frame from there. This will be a tough one when it comes to these
:17:19. > :17:23.situations. They can back-up -- they can battle it out and make it
:17:24. > :17:25.awkward for you. In a way, it pushes you a little bit to come and clear
:17:26. > :18:18.when you get the opportunity. He caught that a little bit too
:18:19. > :18:24.thick. He did not leave anything on. 57 points in front -- that would
:18:25. > :18:36.have left him 57 points in front with 67 still on.
:18:37. > :18:57.Just a fraction short of pace. Those shots were awkwardly placed, but now
:18:58. > :19:10.I out into the open. The chance will come along for either player. It has
:19:11. > :19:18.gone far enough past. He can see the red in the right hand side. It is
:19:19. > :19:21.another chance here to put the cue ball possibly behind the yellow. Off
:19:22. > :19:36.three or four cushions. He has courted too thin. Left a read
:19:37. > :19:48.on, caught the blue. The black is available, pink is on the spot. Wow.
:19:49. > :20:18.He looks like he has a nice angle to follow through for the black.
:20:19. > :20:30.It was not the cleanest of hops. But now it has gone in, he is perfectly
:20:31. > :20:35.on the black. I think he thought he missed it. Just flicked a bit of
:20:36. > :20:36.right-hand side on. Perfect now. Cannot see any problems winning the
:20:37. > :21:43.frame from here. This is a big frame. Not so much for
:21:44. > :21:51.Mark Selby, but he knows this can be a big body blow to his opponent,
:21:52. > :21:57.psychological body blow. This is what it is all about at the
:21:58. > :22:05.Crucible. Winning these frames. When you look like you are going to lose.
:22:06. > :22:18.This looks, at first loss, -- first glance, a poor shot. Just got enough
:22:19. > :22:25.and would force it off to cushions. Neither cue ball to stop. That is a
:22:26. > :22:27.poor shot in its own, but that the last one was a shocker to land like
:22:28. > :22:39.this on the red. He will be fuming inside, Mark
:22:40. > :22:54.Selby. Straightforward positional shots,
:22:55. > :23:08.that should have been. He left a good angle on the last
:23:09. > :23:20.thread, but Kyra missed a good chance when he made a good 56 break,
:23:21. > :23:26.but he has to hit this red and get it safe now. He would not think that
:23:27. > :23:40.Mark Selby with this again if he left an easy part.
:23:41. > :23:49.He needs to send it to send the red at the table. That was a good hit.
:23:50. > :24:14.Good shot. This could hit as many as five
:24:15. > :24:21.cushions, this red, trying to get the red in behind the black. He has
:24:22. > :24:25.completely lost the cue ball. But he got the red where he wanted to put
:24:26. > :25:30.it. He wanted the cue ball to be in the middle of the baulk cushion.
:25:31. > :25:38.He needs to get there with a lot of side and keep them were there. --
:25:39. > :25:47.keep the white there. He has courted too thin. He has left
:25:48. > :26:24.it plumb. This is the only problem, not
:26:25. > :26:29.snickering himself behind the brown. He has played that nicely. He has
:26:30. > :26:36.taken it up on a path that was nowhere near the brown. Well played.
:26:37. > :26:44.So it he is needed to the cherry, but it looks like now, he is finally
:26:45. > :26:46.going to pinch this frame. He will play bluetit pink, that is a
:26:47. > :27:18.stumbling block. -- blue to pink. He wants to leave a natural angle on
:27:19. > :27:34.the blue, just before the middle pocket. Pink to the left corner.
:27:35. > :27:41.He will play this with a touch of left-hand side. I don't think there
:27:42. > :27:47.is a natural angle to come from cushion. He is going to have to play
:27:48. > :27:48.tee. As soon as he hits the cushion before the middle pocket, he would
:27:49. > :28:26.be perfect pink. So a body blow for Kyren Wilson. He
:28:27. > :28:30.made a 56 break, and a chance to win that frame, but it is Mark Selby who
:28:31. > :28:37.is now guaranteed a lead going into the second session. He leads 5-0. He
:28:38. > :28:41.has been rather mugged by Selby. This is a dramatic reversal of the
:28:42. > :28:49.situation that Kyren Wilson faced in his last game, against Mark Allen.
:28:50. > :28:54.He has a tough ask now as we head into forensics.
:28:55. > :29:01.COMMENTATOR: Can get his long part in? That was one of his main
:29:02. > :29:06.strength in. That's right main strength in his early matches. A bit
:29:07. > :29:08.of movement. I can understand with the pressure he is under. Why so
:29:09. > :29:19.hard? Surely, this is a nice plain bull
:29:20. > :29:25.shot to go round the back of the black. That is a sign of tension.
:29:26. > :29:39.Desperation, almost. As he mentioned earlier on, things
:29:40. > :29:44.look so much more difficult when you are behind.
:29:45. > :29:52.Not sure whether black is going. But he is having a look there. No spot
:29:53. > :30:16.is available if it is covered. The black spot is not available. The
:30:17. > :30:20.only other one is the brown. That has taken away the chance of winning
:30:21. > :30:24.the frame possibly at this stage early on.
:30:25. > :31:21.I think he will place the back straightaway here.
:31:22. > :32:03.You just don't hit it better than that, I'm afraid. It's kept the cue
:32:04. > :32:05.ball in the middle of the table, but the downside is what has happened to
:32:06. > :32:21.the black and pink. It wouldn't even be said that if you
:32:22. > :32:30.could play for the black and pot it and put it back
:32:31. > :33:00.back on its spot, but it won't even go on the pink spot.
:33:01. > :33:09.Here we can see Mark going into the pack again. The cue ball hits the
:33:10. > :33:13.pink full in the face. The action of the cue ball keeps it in the middle
:33:14. > :33:19.of the table. So often if you don't catch the pink full you can lose the
:33:20. > :33:20.cue ball to the sides or even down to the black cushion. Perfectly
:33:21. > :34:10.played. That wasn't as played, I would
:34:11. > :34:14.think. But in the middle, he will take that. I wonder if he has the
:34:15. > :34:36.angle on the blue to screw back and cannon on the pink.
:34:37. > :34:52.Just played for a fuller contact on the pink. Again, just got so much
:34:53. > :34:57.into the cue ball. It has been noticeable throughout the match.
:34:58. > :35:01.He's getting immediate back spin. He's either hitting the ball very
:35:02. > :35:13.well, or the cloth is a bit more lively today. Or both. It's been
:35:14. > :35:21.hard work, I must say. Just getting position now. Taking on the blue,
:35:22. > :35:27.bridging over the red. It's tough, but made a lot easier by the fact
:35:28. > :35:36.he's 5-0 up. He's moving on to the yellow now.
:35:37. > :35:44.Again, the pressure is off Mark Selby at the moment. You can just
:35:45. > :35:45.relax. Pile on as many frames onto the scoreboard as possible this
:35:46. > :36:29.morning. Back in a good position. May be able
:36:30. > :36:35.to pot one of the top two above the pink spot.
:36:36. > :37:05.Keep potting them, it doesn't really make the difference.
:37:06. > :37:12.As I said already, Kyren Wilson in the last round went 7-0 up on Mark
:37:13. > :37:18.Allen, so he must know how Mark Allen felt at the moment. . It's a
:37:19. > :37:22.horrible place to be, at the Crucible when this is happening. The
:37:23. > :37:29.best place in the world to play when you are playing well. Not in a good
:37:30. > :37:54.place at the moment. It will be a really tough 56 rake
:37:55. > :37:59.for Mark Selby here. Has played a lot of good shots and cannons.
:38:00. > :38:10.Rescue pots, because he has slipped out of position. And at the end of
:38:11. > :38:21.this frame they will add up to the same thing, another frame. If you
:38:22. > :38:38.could play perfect snooker all the time, it would be very boring.
:38:39. > :38:46.This has been far from boring, it has been very skilful. Using all the
:38:47. > :40:10.great assets he's got. Keeping this break going.
:40:11. > :40:15.If he gets a century here, he will be the leading century maker in the
:40:16. > :40:34.tournament with six. APPLAUSE
:40:35. > :40:35.And that would be the 60th of the tournament, quite a lot after three
:40:36. > :40:48.rounds. Didn't have a lot of room there, any
:40:49. > :40:59.further and he would have been snooker to buy the brown. Looked
:41:00. > :41:07.like a kick there, but important step for Mark Selby. Break of 99,
:41:08. > :41:10.leading 6-0. STUDIO: And the youngster won the last frame of the
:41:11. > :41:16.session as well on the pink in frame eight. He would be mighty relieved
:41:17. > :41:20.to take the final two and reduced the deficit to just four. I'm sure
:41:21. > :41:27.he's learned some lessons out there today. Ken and Steve in the studio.
:41:28. > :41:32.For a long time it looked like he would end up in a worse situation.
:41:33. > :41:37.Absolutely, to win the final two frames showed a lot of his
:41:38. > :41:42.character. It will keep him in this match. If you go to 7-1, all lose
:41:43. > :41:46.all the frames, it's very hard to come back. It has given him a
:41:47. > :41:56.glimmer. It was a bit after the Lord Mayor's show. He has to do it all
:41:57. > :42:00.again. It's difficult to keep getting yourself up, particularly
:42:01. > :42:06.against a tough match player like Mark Selby. Winning those last
:42:07. > :42:10.frames will give him a glimmer. It's yet another qualifier he is expected
:42:11. > :42:15.to beat, and he got an almighty fright against Sam Baird in the last
:42:16. > :42:20.round. Having had the experience of going all the way here, he knows how
:42:21. > :42:23.to pace himself. Not that you effectively can, because these days
:42:24. > :42:27.you have to start running as quick as possible, because your
:42:28. > :42:31.first-round opponent will be tough. But to pace yourself mentally, to
:42:32. > :42:35.know you are in the quarterfinals. You have had a hard week but you are
:42:36. > :42:39.still in the event and the quarterfinals is arguably where it
:42:40. > :42:43.all is darts. For Mark Selby, he has gone out there to play his normal
:42:44. > :42:47.brand of clinical snooker. Every day is different on the snooker table.
:42:48. > :42:53.Kyren Wilson will know that but you would like to get off to good start.
:42:54. > :42:57.Starts are so important, even in a best of 25. A lot of people fancied
:42:58. > :43:03.a shop in match, thinking Selby has blown hot and cold. He has not been
:43:04. > :43:07.impressive. Not the Mark Selby of a couple of years ago, but maybe he
:43:08. > :43:11.needed one of these matches to get himself going again. Sometimes you
:43:12. > :43:16.will find over the years, previous world champions like Steve or
:43:17. > :43:19.Stephen Hendry, they have not always been fast starters, building their
:43:20. > :43:24.momentum through the tournament. That Zig Zag the what he's doing. If
:43:25. > :43:27.he comes through this match he will be full of confidence into the
:43:28. > :43:34.semifinals. -- that's exactly what he's doing. It's ladies day here in
:43:35. > :43:39.Sheffield at the World Championships. You'd know that
:43:40. > :43:44.because we are all wearing purple. We have two very special ladies here
:43:45. > :43:52.today, having a knock about. At the table we have Rhiannon Evans, the 11
:43:53. > :44:03.times women world champion, and the original ladies world champion, Vera
:44:04. > :44:11.Selby. And I shouldn't tell you this, but she's 85! Incredible.
:44:12. > :44:17.She's just received an MBE. That was in January, February.
:44:18. > :44:21.Congratulations. Vera, you are the original women's world champion of
:44:22. > :44:25.1976, winning again in 1981. What was the women's scene like in those
:44:26. > :44:32.days for snooker? It was quite healthy. We had women from Canada,
:44:33. > :44:40.Australia, as well as local, Ireland and England. It was quite healthy,
:44:41. > :44:44.really. In terms of when you played against the guys, because you played
:44:45. > :44:52.in quite a lot of the leagues, were you considered a novelty in those
:44:53. > :44:57.days? Possibly, yes. A freak! I'm sure you gave them a very good game.
:44:58. > :45:07.Over the years you have seen the men's game develop. How positive
:45:08. > :45:10.have the women's games become? The very positive. When I first started
:45:11. > :45:16.they wouldn't let women into some of the clubs. I was even barred from
:45:17. > :45:30.coming back here. Really Westwood yeah. -- really? I commentated when
:45:31. > :45:35.Alex Higgins beats Ray Reardon. I have lots of positive comments, but
:45:36. > :45:40.two that weren't so good. One said to get back in the kitchen, and one
:45:41. > :45:54.said I was as out of place as mother Superior. Thankfully it's no longer
:45:55. > :45:57.the case. We are very glad to see you having been rewarded and
:45:58. > :46:03.recognised for all your efforts, proudly wearing your MBE today. As a
:46:04. > :46:13.person who has gone on to win this 11 times, how important are
:46:14. > :46:17.trailblazers like Vera. It's not just now that it's happening, it
:46:18. > :46:22.happened all those years ago. It's fantastic. If she can't get more
:46:23. > :46:26.ladies involved, then nobody can. You lost your title after ten times
:46:27. > :46:30.last year, and you seemed ultra determined on April five to get it
:46:31. > :46:36.back. You've got to come back, haven't you? It shows how champions
:46:37. > :46:40.are champions. You don't like losing. Getting the trophy back
:46:41. > :46:46.meant a lot to me. I'm sure it did. And you had a very good coach, who
:46:47. > :46:56.sadly died last year. He was teaching me from the beginning,
:46:57. > :46:59.showing me know emotion. That was important, not getting upset when
:47:00. > :47:05.you play a bad shot. Put it behind you. You are still playing and
:47:06. > :47:09.refereeing. I am, yes. Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor were playing an
:47:10. > :47:15.exhibition a fortnight ago, just before he retired. I know them all
:47:16. > :47:20.from the old days. I don't know the new guys now! But Steve and Dennis,
:47:21. > :47:24.I know very well. You have a lifetime playing this game and you
:47:25. > :47:35.look fantastic on it. May we all look like you at 85. 86! Fantastic.
:47:36. > :47:40.I was chanted a kind. Please, carry on your game while I get ready. It's
:47:41. > :47:53.Vera's shot. Just hitting the knuckle. I will let
:47:54. > :47:56.you carry on. Vera in full flow to mode in the Winter Gardens. And Mark
:47:57. > :48:12.Williams is also in full float mode. I call him my hero. You couldn't
:48:13. > :48:17.possibly meet a more down to earth guide and Mark Williams. Probably
:48:18. > :48:20.the most relaxed player. He just takes his practice came into the
:48:21. > :48:27.tournament and if it's good enough he wins, if it isn't, he doesn't,
:48:28. > :48:32.but he doesn't mind. Mark Williams... I love him! He's so calm
:48:33. > :48:38.and so laid back. If he was more laid-back he would fall over. Always
:48:39. > :48:47.looks as if the game is so easy to him. Floats about the table. A
:48:48. > :48:51.little bit mad sometimes. Sometimes you can feel under pressure, but he
:48:52. > :48:56.looks like he's having a stroll. Very funny, likes the one-liners,
:48:57. > :49:03.getting involved on social media with a bit of banter with the fans,
:49:04. > :49:07.which I like as a player. Takes life not too serious, doesn't take his
:49:08. > :49:16.game to serious, but probably one of the all-time greats in the game.
:49:17. > :49:21.Great player, but his clothes are not as good at his snooker. The
:49:22. > :49:28.fashionista who is Mark Williams! Good thing he's a good snooker
:49:29. > :49:39.player! Because his dress sense is almost nonexistent. Ding Junhui's
:49:40. > :49:42.sixth match of the championship. He had to come through qualifying after
:49:43. > :49:49.dramatically falling out of the top 16. Strong winds over Judd Trump in
:49:50. > :49:52.around two, he's edging closer to a world title, and a career triple
:49:53. > :49:58.Crown. It's the missing piece of the dig saw for him. They came out for
:49:59. > :50:03.the first of their three sessions this morning, watched by Peter Ebdon
:50:04. > :50:15.and John Virgo. We will pick them up in frame three.
:50:16. > :50:26.COMMENTATOR: Decent pot. But couldn't control the cue ball. He
:50:27. > :50:30.would have liked a bump on the middle pocket so the cue ball ended
:50:31. > :50:32.up in the middle of the table, but it didn't. The brown will pot and
:50:33. > :50:47.there is one loose red. Played with a lot of pace to come
:50:48. > :50:54.off the two cushions. Played it pretty well. And being glow is no
:50:55. > :51:02.bad thing because in potting it he can bring other reds into play.
:51:03. > :51:06.Needs to be careful with his cue ball here, doesn't want to screw off
:51:07. > :51:15.the reds into the middle pocket. Got into that really well.
:51:16. > :51:24.We just look at this, the way he comes off the other reds. He has
:51:25. > :51:29.played that plane ball. Didn't want to be guilty of missing the red. A
:51:30. > :51:36.trace of left-hand side and he would have been better on the blue than
:51:37. > :51:40.this. But right in the heart of the pocket. Good shot. Not a bad chance,
:51:41. > :52:38.this. Played that nicely. After this red,
:52:39. > :52:43.he has one loose red at the top of the cluster. You feel now is about
:52:44. > :52:52.the time to start leaving an angle on the black to try to bring most of
:52:53. > :52:57.the reds into play. But he doesn't have the angle, so looks like he
:52:58. > :53:01.will not play for the open reds. There is the possibility of the
:53:02. > :53:08.three reds above the black, one to the right middle, one to the top.
:53:09. > :53:17.The one at the top is available into both corners. Maybe he's thinking
:53:18. > :53:18.that once he's potted this red, the one to the left will be available to
:53:19. > :53:29.the left corner. If you can win a frame without
:53:30. > :53:33.having to play cannons, because there is always a risk of not being
:53:34. > :53:42.done anything, then I'm all in favour of that. -- not being on
:53:43. > :53:49.struck the red into the middle of really well. Quite an acute angle
:53:50. > :53:54.and he played it with a lot of pace. Had to be absolutely spot on with
:53:55. > :54:07.his judgment. And he was. Really good effort from Ding. The bottom
:54:08. > :54:14.red of the cluster should go into the right pocket if he can play a
:54:15. > :54:22.good positional shot. That looks OK, just. The other thing is, when he
:54:23. > :54:23.has spotted this, the red above it will be available to the opposite
:54:24. > :54:37.corner. A pitch straight on the black, has
:54:38. > :54:43.work to do with the cue ball, forcing it around and missing the
:54:44. > :54:48.pink. -- a bit straight. In an effort to stun past the pink, he
:54:49. > :54:57.took the pace out of the cue ball. 52 point lead. Could be end of
:54:58. > :55:08.break. This is definitely a glimmer of hope for Mark Williams. Decision
:55:09. > :55:13.time for Ding Junhui. A very thin cut on the red. Wouldn't have any
:55:14. > :55:21.idea where the cue ball is going. Looks like he's taking it on.
:55:22. > :55:27.Hindsight is a wonderful thing, John, but I don't feel that was the
:55:28. > :55:31.right shot. Yeah, you are right. He probably looked at it and thought,
:55:32. > :55:40.if I knocked it in its A-frame winner. But I'm like you, I don't
:55:41. > :55:50.think it's a shot to play. -- it's a frame-winner.
:55:51. > :56:02.The red to the side cushion is of no use to mark. Ding Junhui needs red -
:56:03. > :56:10.colour- red to clinch the frame. It's not going in! The pockets seem
:56:11. > :56:32.to have shrunk a little this morning.
:56:33. > :56:37.With this unexpected opportunity, you think Mark Williams will take
:56:38. > :56:44.this on, but it's by no means a gimme, it's a tough pot.
:56:45. > :56:58.That's excellent, well played. Yes. And the one thing he is, and I've
:56:59. > :57:05.always said it, one of the best single ball potters the game has
:57:06. > :57:09.ever seen, Mark Williams. Would like to be on the red just to the left of
:57:10. > :57:23.the black. The ball needs to slow up. Just in time.
:57:24. > :57:29.Like Ding before him in the last frame, he has the only red on the
:57:30. > :57:46.left-hand cushion to contend with. Has he got the angle to drop this
:57:47. > :57:51.black in, cannon the red near the cushion, and still be on the outer
:57:52. > :57:55.red for the right middle? That's what he thinks... And he has played
:57:56. > :57:57.it nicely. APPLAUSE Well played, he can probably play
:57:58. > :58:15.the red he can and! -- he can and. Left a nice angle on the black, just
:58:16. > :58:22.as to roll it in-off the side cushion and kick the ball into play.
:58:23. > :58:32.Needs to run. Doesn't want to be short. That's careless. So much
:58:33. > :58:39.margin for error. To not be on the red, it's unforgivable. But at least
:58:40. > :58:44.if you pot the last ball you get to play the next shot. Back to his
:58:45. > :58:53.seat, and he will be disappointed. He's not even played a good safety.
:58:54. > :58:54.It was a good chance, that. It will all add up come the end of this
:58:55. > :59:12.match. Terrific pot. Ding Junhui is now 27
:59:13. > :59:28.points in front with 27 remaining. He just needs the colour.
:59:29. > :59:49.And in goes the brown. Ding Junhui, a 31 point lead with 27 remaining.
:59:50. > :00:00.So, but for once Duca to type, Ding Junhui should have a 2-1 lead. --
:00:01. > :00:06.one snooker to time. STUDIO: And he did, and Ding moves 3-2 in front.
:00:07. > :00:12.It's the Welshman, two points behind.
:00:13. > :00:18.He would have been bound to port it but he got it too thin. Remarkable.
:00:19. > :00:29.Left it on. He needs that cue ball to stop short
:00:30. > :00:51.of the baulk line. It won't. That was a great chance for Ding
:00:52. > :00:55.Junhui. It has to be said, chances coming thick and fast. Yes, most
:00:56. > :01:03.unexpected. Both players are leaving
:01:04. > :01:24.opportunities this morning. He judged that cannon nicely on the
:01:25. > :01:28.blue. Has a good angle for the red. Apart from that frame that lasted
:01:29. > :01:37.just U21 minutes, the rest have been quick firing. Apart from that one
:01:38. > :01:43.that was over 70 minutes... This looks like another one that will be
:01:44. > :01:50.finished in double quick time. -- 17 minutes. The reds are ideally
:01:51. > :01:59.situated for a frame-winning contribution.
:02:00. > :02:11.I have a feeling that that sprung off the cushion. It did. I am just
:02:12. > :02:17.thinking, it is worrying times for Mark Williams. A series of kicks and
:02:18. > :02:21.big bounces, playing with a tip he is not absolutely comfortable with.
:02:22. > :02:25.He is made quite a few misjudgements, especially with side
:02:26. > :02:30.already this morning. But he is an experienced campaigner. He knows
:02:31. > :02:31.that there is a long way to go in this match panic should not set in
:02:32. > :02:40.just yet. He certainly does not look as
:02:41. > :02:47.relaxed and comfortable at the moment as he has done in the
:02:48. > :02:54.tournament so far. I don't honestly believe it is just because Ding has
:02:55. > :03:01.taken a 4-2 lead. As you said, couple of kicks he has had. That one
:03:02. > :03:05.stopped him in his tracks when he had a frame-winning opportunity. A
:03:06. > :03:12.couple of bad bounces. They get your confidence.
:03:13. > :03:24.We talk about Ding Junhui being in the wilderness for quite a while,
:03:25. > :03:31.but Mark Williams was. And did very well to regain his top 16 place. I
:03:32. > :03:36.think Mark actually dropped down to somewhere near 47 in the rankings.
:03:37. > :03:44.To become a top 16 player again after doing that is an incredible
:03:45. > :03:48.achievement. Ding, as expected, making the most
:03:49. > :04:00.of this last opportunity. This frame-mac just short of 14
:04:01. > :04:06.minutes. He was not bothered about the pink. It was well and truly over
:04:07. > :04:12.long before that. I agree with Peter Ebdon. Slightly worrying times early
:04:13. > :05:19.in this match for Mark Williams. Ding Junhui leads 4-2.
:05:20. > :05:25.Ding one frame seven as well with his fourth century break of the
:05:26. > :05:29.match. The Chinese player looking more and more comfortable at the
:05:30. > :05:33.Crucible and leading 5-2 as we head into this final frame of the opening
:05:34. > :05:43.session. Ding Junhui to break.
:05:44. > :05:56.So, Ding Junhui in the final frame of the first session of this
:05:57. > :06:01.quarterfinal match gets under way. He could only push nephew was to win
:06:02. > :06:07.it. Mark will have other ideas, of course. -- he could really push on
:06:08. > :06:11.if he was to win it. You can always depend on Mark Williams knocking
:06:12. > :06:14.these long ones in, but at the moment is big problem is that he is
:06:15. > :06:18.getting chances but not taking them and not scoring.
:06:19. > :06:38.Not quite hard enough. A couple of reds to the right,... He is playing
:06:39. > :06:43.one to the right corner. Make tricky by the fact that the blue is so
:06:44. > :06:52.close to the cue. That was another good pot. He needs to run a bit
:06:53. > :06:57.further than the middle. He is looking at the pink. It just goes.
:06:58. > :07:06.Boy, this is tough. A lot tougher than the blue.
:07:07. > :07:15.Deciding to play the blue. Would have liked the cue ball to be a
:07:16. > :07:20.little further over. You would normally think he has no problem
:07:21. > :07:21.reaching this. Mark is quite tall. But he will be concerned with the
:07:22. > :07:32.yellow. Another tracking pot.
:07:33. > :07:39.APPLAUSE That was a good shot.
:07:40. > :07:42.A nice angle on the blue. It is not a good pack to go into because the
:07:43. > :07:55.pink is slightly separated from the reds. Just played it to try and miss
:07:56. > :07:58.the pink, it appeared. But it looked like he was just trying to miss the
:07:59. > :08:08.pink and run into the reds. Anyway, he is out of position, you feel. Has
:08:09. > :08:14.he spotted a red Eakin pot? -- that he can pot? He did and he is on the
:08:15. > :08:16.black... Look at his body language. He was smiling. I am not sure if it
:08:17. > :08:27.was a good smile or a wry smile. It was a good smile. He was on the
:08:28. > :08:36.black. Well played. Done well to keep this going. It is a big frame
:08:37. > :08:42.early on in a match for Mark Williams, this. Yes, John. You feel
:08:43. > :08:45.that Mark Williams has been so attacking in this break and he has
:08:46. > :08:49.fought himself, right, I am not happy with the way things are going
:08:50. > :08:53.this morning. I will attack and if there is a ball on, I am going for
:08:54. > :08:56.it. And so far... It has been an excellent effort to change the
:08:57. > :09:10.momentum. He needs to fully capitalise now
:09:11. > :09:20.that he has the opportunity. Yes, absolutely. Just stopped slightly in
:09:21. > :09:25.his tracks. If he is dead straight on this red to the left,, no
:09:26. > :09:32.problem. You can drop it in. But this is a delicate shot required. He
:09:33. > :09:38.was able to get below the centre of the cue ball and stun the red in.
:09:39. > :09:45.He's going to have to play the cannon year. Always very weary
:09:46. > :09:50.playing this type of cannon that you don't knock the red to the cushion.
:09:51. > :09:55.You have to play it a little bit firmer than you think to get the red
:09:56. > :10:01.to bounce. He has not done that and this red now is very tricky. Yes,
:10:02. > :10:06.this is missable. He will have to play this dead weight. Perfect.
:10:07. > :10:13.Excellent shot. APPLAUSE
:10:14. > :10:21.That was a beautiful Mark Williams for -- floater. He gives the pocket
:10:22. > :10:26.every chance. But he did not play that well. If you had to be
:10:27. > :10:30.critical, apart from one or two other mistakes and bad kicks, his
:10:31. > :10:32.positional side of his game this morning has not been very good. That
:10:33. > :10:46.was another example. Yes. That has let Mark down this morning
:10:47. > :10:52.and he will be disappointed. But if he finishes this session 5-3 down, I
:10:53. > :11:00.don't think he will be feeling quite too bad. No. Let's not forget, that
:11:01. > :11:11.was a 50 break from nowhere. It is a good start to a frame. But this was
:11:12. > :11:18.the black. He needed to really stun this in.
:11:19. > :11:27.And important safety exchange, this, and if Mark Williams gets the next
:11:28. > :11:35.opportunity, surely he will win the frame. If Ding Junhui gets it, a
:11:36. > :11:39.chance to go four clear. The reds are nicely spread in the middle of
:11:40. > :11:45.the table. The colours are out in the open. Even though you have a 50
:11:46. > :11:53.point lead, it is a dangerous situation. You could clearly hear on
:11:54. > :12:01.Dings previous safety shot that he got a bad contact. Quite a bad kick.
:12:02. > :12:09.Fortunately, the cue ball travel s foot to the cushion but it takes
:12:10. > :12:20.pace out of the red. It would have travelled far that if it had not
:12:21. > :12:26.been for the heavy contact. -- further.
:12:27. > :12:34.He needs a good cue ball here. There is potential that he could leave a
:12:35. > :12:41.red in the middle pocket for Mark Williams. That is not bad. If Mark
:12:42. > :12:45.Williams could play this red to the left middle, and feel that he
:12:46. > :12:54.wouldn't leave anything else, knowing Mark, you would take it on.
:12:55. > :12:58.But I don't think he can play it with that element of no risk. Or can
:12:59. > :13:17.he? And he would not have been on
:13:18. > :13:22.anything at the red dropped. Look where the cue ball finish. Just
:13:23. > :13:32.watch as it runs through. And he has left the chance for Ding Junhui.
:13:33. > :13:38.What a massive turning point this could be. You get the feeling from
:13:39. > :13:47.Mark's body language that he feels that the red just turned to the left
:13:48. > :13:50.towards the near knuckle. Whether it did not, we cannot say for sure but
:13:51. > :13:52.he wasn't happy with his body language.
:13:53. > :14:02.I don't think it is just from missing the pot. That is a very good
:14:03. > :14:06.shot from Ding. When you play that slowly, a finger mark could alter
:14:07. > :14:11.the line of the red. But he try to play it so he could pot it and not
:14:12. > :14:17.get into another red and he got nothing. He got very close to the
:14:18. > :14:22.pot. He misjudged the line of the cue ball. That is very unlike Mark.
:14:23. > :14:28.He is usually very good at picking out a shot that if he misses, he
:14:29. > :14:32.does not leave anything. That was a big mistake that could cost in this
:14:33. > :14:43.frame. As you mention, before Mark made the
:14:44. > :14:45.shot, it did not look as if the angle was the to play the shot he
:14:46. > :14:59.was attempting. No. With these reds nicely open in the
:15:00. > :15:03.middle of the table, I personally would make Ding Junhui slight
:15:04. > :15:08.favourite to take this last frame of the session and got out of it with a
:15:09. > :16:14.four frame advantage. Wouldn't think he would be too
:16:15. > :16:22.interested in playing for the pink here. You will want to concentrate
:16:23. > :16:27.on a black, getting a nice angle. 2-mac of the reds will go to the
:16:28. > :16:34.opposite corner from where he is potting the black. Decided to play
:16:35. > :16:41.for one in the middle. That is OK. But once again, I don't think you
:16:42. > :16:52.would want to play for the pink. He could tie some of the reds up. Not
:16:53. > :16:56.now. He has the pink spot. -- he has cleared the pink spot. I think one
:16:57. > :17:03.of the reds was occupying it somewhat. If he potted the pink
:17:04. > :17:07.beer, it would have tied things up. But he is a very quick thinker and a
:17:08. > :17:11.good brain mine comes to these situations. I have always said, and
:17:12. > :17:13.the pink and black, he is one of the best I have seen. Yes, tremendous
:17:14. > :17:25.break-builder. He has not been at his best this
:17:26. > :17:32.morning. But because Mark Williamson has been way below his best, he has
:17:33. > :17:40.been getting plenty of opportunities. -- Mark Williams has
:17:41. > :17:42.been. You can't keep giving Ding Junhui, someone offers class,
:17:43. > :17:57.opportunity after opportunity. So, just three points behind now.
:17:58. > :18:00.Red, colour, yellow, green, brown and blue would clinch this eighth
:18:01. > :18:10.frame. That is a strange choice of shot.
:18:11. > :18:15.You can only assume you're trying to get back up for the blue to make it
:18:16. > :18:22.easier to get on the yellow. Fortunately for him, he has just a
:18:23. > :18:26.slight angle on the pink. He was trying to get back up for the blue
:18:27. > :18:31.here. Did mean to collide with the black but he is OK for the pink. On
:18:32. > :18:39.it nicely. He is not inch perfect on this yellow.
:18:40. > :18:49.That positional shot from the red is asking him a question or 2-mac. He
:18:50. > :19:03.played that nicely. You try to be too clever and hold for the green.
:19:04. > :19:12.Cued it well. Brown and blue for a four frame advantage.
:19:13. > :19:20.Well, Mark will be disappointed. But he is a realist. He knows that he
:19:21. > :19:29.has had his opportunities. You could put it down to a few bad contacts
:19:30. > :19:35.and the like. The first session goes to Ding Junhui. Another frame in
:19:36. > :19:43.less than 40 minutes. Quick fire snigger. -- 14 minutes, quick fire
:19:44. > :19:48.snigger. He waves to the crowd and back to his dressing room. 6-2 in
:19:49. > :19:51.the first session of the quarterfinal.
:19:52. > :20:00.It was not vintage from either man. But success rate was low for both
:20:01. > :20:04.men. Ding Junhui seems to be able to find a way through now and that is
:20:05. > :20:07.so significant for him. It was evident against Judd Trump mine got
:20:08. > :20:11.to the closing stages of that match and Judd Trump putting pressure on
:20:12. > :20:16.him. He responded with some great breaks under pressure. He has been
:20:17. > :20:20.bereft of confidence in the last 12 months. He has gone off the radar
:20:21. > :20:24.and that is why he slept outside the top 16 and had to qualify. Maybe it
:20:25. > :20:27.has done him good. Winning those three matches now, giving him the
:20:28. > :20:32.confidence he was lacking, he is coming to the Championship under the
:20:33. > :20:37.radar. No pressure. Nobody expects too much from him. But he is
:20:38. > :20:41.starting to find his form. Egypt knocking and 50, 60, 70 breaks and
:20:42. > :20:49.cleaning up when the opportunity presents itself. He is very good at
:20:50. > :20:52.that. How much of that is because he is doing more comfortable the
:20:53. > :20:57.Crucible? It has taken ten years to get to this point. The best he has
:20:58. > :21:02.done here is the semifinal. It takes some players a little bit longer.
:21:03. > :21:05.You looks more confident. He seems a little bit more relaxed. He is
:21:06. > :21:09.smiling a bit, interacting with the crowd. We never used to see that
:21:10. > :21:16.from Ding Junhui. Maybe years more relaxed. But still he is not at his
:21:17. > :21:18.best. But he is in the quarterfinals and looking good against Mark
:21:19. > :21:23.Williams. As fore-mac Williams, you never really know whether he is that
:21:24. > :21:27.bothered or a seething mass of ambition, let's be honest. But do
:21:28. > :21:31.you believe the believes he can win this title this year? Anybody who
:21:32. > :21:39.comes to the World Championship as to believe. Mark Williams will
:21:40. > :21:45.probably say, I don't give myself a chance. "Heidi As a bully. Here's
:21:46. > :21:54.been there and done it, he has won it a couple of times. He has a great
:21:55. > :22:00.record here. -- he has won here couple of times. He is a very late
:22:01. > :22:04.back type of character. But when it comes to the crunch, Mark Williams
:22:05. > :22:07.will be fighting tooth and nail, no matter who his opponent is, and
:22:08. > :22:13.giving it 100%. Don't worry about that. I am sure he will. As Mark
:22:14. > :22:16.Williams played better than Ding Junhui to get to the quarterfinals?
:22:17. > :22:20.Mark Williams was very impressive in his first couple of matches. But
:22:21. > :22:27.Ding Junhui has had a tough couple of games. He is scoring a lot better
:22:28. > :22:32.than Mark Williams. Mark Williams is very good at those scrappy games.
:22:33. > :22:37.Now one better than him or John Higgins, Mark Selby, to win those
:22:38. > :22:41.scrappy games. Scoring wise, making the centuries and one frame visits,
:22:42. > :22:46.Ding Junhui is a lot better in that department and that is exact what
:22:47. > :22:51.has happened in this fast session. When you look at the plus 50 breaks,
:22:52. > :22:55.it is 6-2, reflected in the overall frame scores. They will be back this
:22:56. > :23:00.evening for the second of their sessions. It has been a pretty
:23:01. > :23:03.eventful afternoon in the Winter Gardens here in Sheffield. We have
:23:04. > :23:07.quite a number of people lining up to play here and we have been joined
:23:08. > :23:19.by some of the top female players in the world. They are all supporting
:23:20. > :23:25.Blue Bed -- Bluebell Woods children's charity. We have a great
:23:26. > :23:29.reaction to the SLB. She is the original women's world champion.
:23:30. > :23:37.They are having a few games lining up to play. Good to see them year.
:23:38. > :23:46.Little bit of a photo opportunity. There is the man who runs the
:23:47. > :23:50.snigger blog. It is fantastic. -- snooker blog.
:23:51. > :23:55.We have seen John Higgins got home early from this Championship in
:23:56. > :23:58.recent years ago on to win. Every time he is got to the quarterfinals,
:23:59. > :24:02.the last three games, he is gone on to win the title. Here he is once
:24:03. > :24:07.again in the quarterfinal and this time he plays his great friend and a
:24:08. > :24:11.man that he has come to regard as something of a mental or. Because he
:24:12. > :24:15.used to practice with him when he was 15 years old. -- meant. Let's
:24:16. > :24:27.hear from John and Alan McManus. Floyd Mayweather. From the recent
:24:28. > :24:35.time watching boxing. Celtic were the first British team to one the
:24:36. > :24:40.cup in 1966. -- 1967. The Ryder Cup. Other schools had a penalty
:24:41. > :24:44.opportunity and I was chosen by my school. I wonder the penalty kick
:24:45. > :24:53.competition. I would love to win the world title again. That would be
:24:54. > :25:00.amazing. Crucible. Followed closely by golf's, where we played the Irish
:25:01. > :25:07.Masters. I would have loved to play for Celtic. I have been stopped with
:25:08. > :25:16.people asking if I still play snooker.
:25:17. > :25:22.McGuire, he would bring the alcohol. Ricky Walden, he throws a few
:25:23. > :25:28.shapes. I would make the pockets wait. I
:25:29. > :25:35.think there are little bit tight just now. -- pockets wider.
:25:36. > :25:44.I nipped out this morning and got a couple of bits and pieces. Garlic,
:25:45. > :25:52.chilli, olive oil, white wine, bay leaf, some herbs, Parmesan...
:25:53. > :26:00.I have been big cooking now for probably at least 15 years. So it
:26:01. > :26:06.was nice to do some cooking them year. -- down here. I smell garlic
:26:07. > :26:14.and it feels like being home. That is magic. I love that. I have been
:26:15. > :26:19.away for quite awhile. I not complaining. A lot of people give
:26:20. > :26:24.quite a bit to be in my shoes in these next few days, so I appreciate
:26:25. > :26:29.that. I am quite happy to be here. The disappointing thing, the first
:26:30. > :26:33.few matches, were stable conditions. I am not going to shirk away from
:26:34. > :26:38.the fact that the table was very, very difficult to play on. I don't
:26:39. > :26:43.believe that. I don't think I have ever seen a cushion balance as badly
:26:44. > :26:47.as that. Laughable. There was one point in the last match and I nearly
:26:48. > :26:51.started crying. I've never done that before. But I was really, really
:26:52. > :26:56.down. It was very easy to panic out there. You could be 7-2 up and
:26:57. > :27:02.panic. That's how difficult it can be a clear. I try to look at the
:27:03. > :27:05.matches here as a whole. I do try to get caught up in one little
:27:06. > :27:11.mini-session and whether the go is good or bad. Just try and keep a
:27:12. > :27:16.good standard the whole way through. Whenever that takes us, that is
:27:17. > :27:23.cool. I am cool with that. I know what it is going to take to win. I
:27:24. > :27:27.need to take my chances and play at a high standard. But I have the game
:27:28. > :27:32.plan. I don't think anyone can teach me too much about the actual game. I
:27:33. > :27:36.know plenty about it. I feel fresh as a daisy. I actually feel all
:27:37. > :27:43.right. I would love to go as deep as you can, all the way. That is a long
:27:44. > :27:45.way away, though. By the time someone gets to the semifinals, you
:27:46. > :27:57.are halfway through the event. When I served up to John and Stewart
:27:58. > :28:00.downstairs, I was quite pleased. I don't know if they were giving
:28:01. > :28:05.little bit when they said it was quite good, but big Stewart had
:28:06. > :28:12.about five platefuls so I am pretty surely enjoy that. The best part is
:28:13. > :28:16.the actual cooking. Radio 1, a couple of June... It is two or three
:28:17. > :28:26.Alastair Cook and to three minutes to eat it. -- two or three minutes
:28:27. > :28:30.to cook it. Here's an interesting man and he
:28:31. > :28:34.providing fascinating moments here. He could have brought some of that
:28:35. > :28:41.food here! Here's a fascinating character. I don't think you can
:28:42. > :28:48.tell Alan anything about the game. He is such a snooker historian,
:28:49. > :28:52.aficionado. He lost the game. He has a great all-round game. He is very
:28:53. > :28:55.tough. I played in so many times here. Through the years, one of the
:28:56. > :28:59.toughest players you could wish to play. John Higgins would like
:29:00. > :29:04.playing him because I know that he has a good record against him, Alan,
:29:05. > :29:09.against John Higgins. It is a very tasty record, appropriately. They
:29:10. > :29:13.have played one another feed times here and Alan McManus has had the
:29:14. > :29:18.better of John twice. Not many can say that World Championships. It is
:29:19. > :29:21.difficult for the two players, when you play someone you know very well
:29:22. > :29:26.and you have grown up with and practised with and you travel a lot
:29:27. > :29:32.with. These guys are on the tour together and talk a lot with each
:29:33. > :29:36.other. So, big followings for Celtic as well. They have a lot of
:29:37. > :29:40.interests. It is difficult to play someone like that and maybe that is
:29:41. > :29:43.why John Higgins could struggle. John Higgins is a much more powerful
:29:44. > :29:48.scorer than Alan McManus and that might be the difference in the
:29:49. > :29:51.match. But as regards all-round games, John Higgins is learned so
:29:52. > :29:55.much from Alan McManus all the years. It means a lot to Alan. I
:29:56. > :29:59.know that. He is on record as saying that this is one of the highlights
:30:00. > :30:03.of his career, to play John Higgins in a quarterfinal the Crucible. It
:30:04. > :30:08.will be one for all others enjoy. Steve Davis, this is an afternoon
:30:09. > :30:14.for the more mature player. Hold on, just trying to get my
:30:15. > :30:16.breath. I ran across from the Winter Gardens. I am just a bit out of
:30:17. > :30:41.breath. All of a sudden in the top 16 the
:30:42. > :30:48.average age is going up. But today this is like the Derby and Joan 's
:30:49. > :30:55.club. The youngest player here is 37. But in the second part of this
:30:56. > :31:04.tournament it is all about stamina. I think we are ready, all the
:31:05. > :31:09.players are there. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the
:31:10. > :31:16.start of the second set of fascinating quarterfinals. One all
:31:17. > :31:23.Scottish Derby and on the other side of the Arena one of Asia's binders,
:31:24. > :31:25.against the man who finally ruled against the rocket. This is date 11
:31:26. > :31:44.at the Crucible. Please welcome a player making his
:31:45. > :31:50.first appearance in the quarterfinals for a decade. A UK
:31:51. > :31:56.championship and Masters finalist and a two-time ranking event winner,
:31:57. > :31:58.he is one of the sport's most important global ambassadors. From
:31:59. > :32:24.Hong Kong, here comes Marco Fu. And his opponent, what a night, what
:32:25. > :32:29.a match, what a display of nerve in the final frame decider against
:32:30. > :32:35.Ronnie O'Sullivan, his first win in 14 years over the rocket, securing
:32:36. > :32:40.him a fourth consecutive Crucible quarterfinal. He is right at home
:32:41. > :33:03.here on the spot was my biggest stage. Please welcome Barry Hawkins.
:33:04. > :33:09.On table one please welcome a player who first made a Crucible
:33:10. > :33:17.quarterfinal 21 years ago. This is his fifth in total. The good friend
:33:18. > :33:21.of Stephen Maguire and Ali Carter. A brilliant run, he is the pride of
:33:22. > :33:45.Scotland, he is Alan McManus. And his opponent is also one of the
:33:46. > :33:52.finest sports men his country has ever produced, coming against Ricky
:33:53. > :33:56.Walden in the second round. This is his 11th Crucible quarterfinal, the
:33:57. > :33:59.four-time champion of the world, John Higgins.
:34:00. > :34:21.HAZEL: We can tell you that the Barry Hawkins, Marco Fu match is on
:34:22. > :34:26.the red button and we will catch up with it later. We are starting with
:34:27. > :34:30.table one and the fourth meeting at the Crucible between these two great
:34:31. > :34:38.friends from Glasgow. It is all over to Willie Thorne and Terry
:34:39. > :34:42.Griffiths. It should be a tasty one. Good afternoon, everybody. The
:34:43. > :34:46.battle of the Scots. Alan McManus is going to have to up his game. John
:34:47. > :34:49.Higgins appears to be in very good form. It will be interesting to see
:34:50. > :35:05.how this pans out. These two have had some very good
:35:06. > :35:12.battles over the years. It will be tactical I am sure. Higgins will be
:35:13. > :35:17.the favourite to win this match. But there are no certainties out there.
:35:18. > :35:19.He struggled a little bit against Ricky Walden in parts, but he did
:35:20. > :35:41.enough to win. Not too sure whether he can get
:35:42. > :37:17.through to the red. Alan is struggling a little bit with
:37:18. > :37:48.the pace. That is twice he has not passed the ball Klein.
:37:49. > :37:57.APPLAUSE That is a confidence builder for
:37:58. > :38:02.John. He missed the first long red into
:38:03. > :38:22.this pocket. A bit too far to make it comfortable on the blue.
:38:23. > :38:32.I am not sure if he meant to play it that way. If he did, he has been
:38:33. > :38:40.very unlucky. He has pushed one red out of the way of another one. Can
:38:41. > :38:46.he get into this red on the right-hand side of the black? Play a
:38:47. > :39:06.cannon onto the other red. Can you believe that? He has put the
:39:07. > :39:15.red in the wake of the black now. He could have played its slower or
:39:16. > :39:22.harder. It is not going to be easy to get onto a red. What John Higgins
:39:23. > :39:32.has to do in this match, and he is strong favourite, because he has
:39:33. > :39:36.been playing well this season, is he does not need to get bogged down
:39:37. > :39:39.playing a tactical game. I expect him to play it a bit more openly
:39:40. > :40:25.than he would do normally. Alan has not quite settled yet. A
:40:26. > :40:31.possible 25 frames in this match over three sessions. 28s and one
:40:32. > :40:50.nine. Well, that was a big ask at that
:40:51. > :41:08.pace. The faster you deliver the cue,
:41:09. > :41:38.there is a bigger chance of the white ball going off the line.
:41:39. > :41:59.REFEREE: Fouled. That was a foul apparently, he touched the green.
:42:00. > :42:55.He spotted one the other day and it took us three times to look at it.
:42:56. > :43:01.Clearly not an easy shot to get back to baulk line. He cannot afford to
:43:02. > :43:19.cannon into any baulk colour. He did not need to bring that that
:43:20. > :43:42.far over. Normally if the other three reds
:43:43. > :43:48.were not about, he would be more confident about the red in the
:43:49. > :44:08.centre. He has had a glance to the red into the left centre.
:44:09. > :44:22.That is the one place he did not want to hit it. It could slip
:44:23. > :44:28.through the near knuckle. And also if you hit the near knuckle, you
:44:29. > :44:29.could get away with it. This is one of the first scoring chances for
:44:30. > :45:01.Alan McManus. He misjudged that totally. He
:45:02. > :45:14.misjudged the deflection off the red onto the other one. The players are
:45:15. > :45:17.reluctant to take the blue on. I don't think you can be John Higgins
:45:18. > :45:23.if you play negatively all the way through. He has come back for a look
:45:24. > :45:36.at the blue. There was a bit of clapping on the
:45:37. > :45:48.other table and it may have disturbed his attention. He looks
:45:49. > :45:54.like a fish out of water does Alan. It is a long-time city played in the
:45:55. > :45:58.quarterfinals. Last time he did beat John Higgins in the quarterfinals
:45:59. > :46:03.when he played him before. Those are the shots you are expected to pot in
:46:04. > :46:17.the first frame. He has not settled yet.
:46:18. > :46:26.You never know when you are playing a friend. They have known each other
:46:27. > :46:52.for years. But it all changes when you go out there.
:46:53. > :46:57.He has got an option if he wants to screw back to the pink. But the
:46:58. > :47:46.black is available. He will have to play with a little
:47:47. > :48:29.bit of stunned just to miss the case on the red.
:48:30. > :49:01.One minute he is out of position and the next he has got a chance to win
:49:02. > :49:18.the frame. You do not see John Higgins turning
:49:19. > :49:22.to many down. That is what he has kept in his career. The older
:49:23. > :49:28.players tend to get a bit negative. John Higgins has been the same
:49:29. > :49:34.throughout his career. He wins a frame when he can. He brings out the
:49:35. > :49:41.balls when he can. He does not smash them up like a man be or Judd Trump.
:49:42. > :50:43.He has kept his form remarkably well. -- Murphy.
:50:44. > :51:23.Three more reds to be absolutely certain of taking the frame.
:51:24. > :51:32.Another good pot. It is always difficult when you go around the
:51:33. > :51:49.back of the balls like the blue and the brown bear. -- there.
:51:50. > :51:54.Apparently it is a new set of balls for most matches, I don't know if it
:51:55. > :52:15.is every match. You know that Alan McManus is going
:52:16. > :52:50.to carry on, so you need to make sure you get another two reds.
:52:51. > :52:54.Play the little cannon onto the pink to push the pink to the right-hand
:52:55. > :53:06.corner. John will not be taking any risks on
:53:07. > :53:09.this last