:00:35. > :00:42.Good morning, welcome to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, it is
:00:43. > :00:46.day five of the 2016 World Snooker Championship, the big news from the
:00:47. > :00:49.Crucible this morning is that 2010 world champion Neil Robertson was
:00:50. > :00:53.dumped out of the tournament by Michael Holt late last night. Four
:00:54. > :00:58.more players dreaming of making it through to the last 16 today, one of
:00:59. > :01:01.them is Mark Allen who is in a good position against a young Englishman
:01:02. > :01:08.making his debut here, Mitchell Mann.
:01:09. > :01:17.It's like a dream come true, really. I have watched it for the last
:01:18. > :01:23.probably 14 years as a kid. Always wanted to have a chance to play and
:01:24. > :01:29.now I have so I am over the moon. Being here for the pot black in 2007
:01:30. > :01:34.I think it was was good memories and since that day I wanted to come back
:01:35. > :01:40.and play here properly, proper best of 19 against the best players.
:01:41. > :01:45.First time be a bit nervous. But I think we will do all right. Ladies
:01:46. > :01:52.and gentlemen the 2007 Junior pot black champion, Mitchell Mann. I met
:01:53. > :01:57.him when he was 15, he didn't seem to have any direction, he wanted to
:01:58. > :02:02.play snooker but he sometimes maybe thought it would come to him rather
:02:03. > :02:09.than him going out and finding what he had to do to be successful. I
:02:10. > :02:14.felt like I had a fairly promising career at football, without being
:02:15. > :02:22.big headed, I thought I was very good at it as a kid. Then I had the
:02:23. > :02:28.bone disease, it is called per phase disease and it eats away at the hip,
:02:29. > :02:33.in the socket. It's like that if you look at it on an x-ray and they told
:02:34. > :02:36.me I could never do football or any high impact sport again. When I was
:02:37. > :02:44.told I could not play again it really heart. I remember being in
:02:45. > :02:48.the house one day and my dad took me up local snooker club and I have
:02:49. > :02:54.never looked back since. I knew that's what I wanted to do,
:02:55. > :02:56.Jeongseon, at that point. I remember having an operation and still
:02:57. > :03:05.turning up to a tournament several weeks later on crutches and playing
:03:06. > :03:09.in the tournament. He has just completed two years on the main
:03:10. > :03:18.tour, he got his tickets through winning the men's Europeans two
:03:19. > :03:25.years ago, and that got him his two the ticket on the main tour. My
:03:26. > :03:27.dream was to play football at Wembley but now we are at the
:03:28. > :03:29.Crucible and I think that is the Wembley of snooker so I am very
:03:30. > :03:46.pleased. Mark Allen, the Pistol. Always plays
:03:47. > :03:50.the right shot, never frightened to attack the ball and go for the win,
:03:51. > :03:55.likes to try to win the match rather than you lose it. Fiery on the
:03:56. > :03:59.table, he seems to have chilled out a bit off of it. You are just
:04:00. > :04:05.waiting for him to win the big events. Top opponent, very
:04:06. > :04:11.outspoken, could have got into trouble but at least he's honest.
:04:12. > :04:17.He's great from I think you need people like that to say hit out it
:04:18. > :04:24.is. Very attacking, he will be there or thereabouts in the years to come.
:04:25. > :04:27.Very fluent around the table, he has a different action from everyone
:04:28. > :04:35.else, great pressure player, when there is a clearance for him to make
:04:36. > :04:41.it he will do it nine times out of ten. He is always having a laugh and
:04:42. > :04:48.a joke, fantastic player. Very good under pressure. He is one that you
:04:49. > :04:52.fancy making clearances. Very attacking, his safety game has come
:04:53. > :04:53.on very well, very talented guy and certainly a potential world
:04:54. > :04:58.champion. When he is on form Mark Allen is a
:04:59. > :05:17.joy to watch. You just wonder if this is going to
:05:18. > :05:23.be his year, has not really performed at the Crucible since 2009
:05:24. > :05:27.when he reached the semifinals, losing 17-13 to John Higgins. He is
:05:28. > :05:33.up against Mitchell Mann who has a tough task on his hands today. You
:05:34. > :05:38.also have to wonder if this is the year of Ding Junhui, dropped out of
:05:39. > :05:42.the top 16, number 17 in the world, a man who has wonderful 13 ranking
:05:43. > :05:50.titles, what a story if he makes the final this year, he starts this
:05:51. > :05:55.morning against Martin Gould. But the live match this morning is Mark
:05:56. > :06:01.Allen against Mitchell Mann. This is the last full day of action, what
:06:02. > :06:05.are tournament it has been so far, the first time in 34 years that
:06:06. > :06:11.three of the four top seeds have gone out in the first round, what on
:06:12. > :06:33.earth will happen next? The crowd and everyone are ready to go again.
:06:34. > :06:40.Please welcome, a player whose achievements inspired a nation to
:06:41. > :06:44.fall in love with this sport. Winner of 11 ranking titles and the
:06:45. > :06:50.Masters, forced to come through the qualifiers this time he conceded
:06:51. > :06:52.just seven frames, he is back and ready to roar, enter the Chinese
:06:53. > :07:18.dragon, Ding Junhui! And his opponent, a player who has
:07:19. > :07:22.worked so hard to earn his place amongst the game 's elite, winner of
:07:23. > :07:27.the snooker shoot out and the championship league three years ago
:07:28. > :07:32.but what a breakthrough earlier this year securing his first full ranking
:07:33. > :07:56.title in Germany. Ladies and gentlemen, Martin Gould!
:07:57. > :08:01.And on table two, the only debit and in the draw here at the Crucible
:08:02. > :08:09.this year and what a way to earn his place on the big stage, 10-9 against
:08:10. > :08:13.two opponents, he got a massive reception yesterday and it will
:08:14. > :08:35.surely be the same this morning, for Birmingham's Mitchell Mann!
:08:36. > :08:42.And his opponent, one of the most exciting talents in the modern game,
:08:43. > :08:46.when he is in the balls his break-building is brilliant to
:08:47. > :08:50.watch, semifinalist here seven years ago and secured his third ranking
:08:51. > :08:55.title earlier this year in sensational form. He is poised, he
:08:56. > :09:19.is ready, the pride of Northern Ireland, Mark Allen!
:09:20. > :09:26.Live on BBC Two it is Mark Allen against Mitchell Mann and on the red
:09:27. > :09:31.button and connected television you can watch Martin Gould versus Ding
:09:32. > :09:42.Junhui. We say good morning to Willie Thorne, and John Parrott.
:09:43. > :09:45.COMMENTATOR: Good morning everybody. This is the second session of this
:09:46. > :09:50.first-round match between Mark Allen, a possible contender for the
:09:51. > :09:53.title against Mitchell Mann, he would have been a little
:09:54. > :09:58.disappointed yesterday, was in the balls first on many occasions and
:09:59. > :10:02.said to Stephen Hendry earlier this morning that he has to play more
:10:03. > :10:10.aggressively. I think that's the only way they can win this. Yes, I
:10:11. > :10:13.think in his favour is the fact he is now seen the Crucible, played in
:10:14. > :10:17.the atmosphere, been out there and knows what it's all about. Yesterday
:10:18. > :10:21.should have done him the world of good. But if you don't score at this
:10:22. > :10:28.level and score heavily you will not be winning. His first shot is a shot
:10:29. > :10:40.to nothing, can get around the back of the black without a problem.
:10:41. > :11:03.One always has to be above 90% in the pot success rate especially as
:11:04. > :11:10.the best of 19, Mitchell Mann is down at 87%. Seems to have a better
:11:11. > :11:20.or long pot success rate than Mark Allen.
:11:21. > :11:31.Are we ever going to find out why? Numerous theories and attempts to
:11:32. > :11:34.solve it, does seem to be prevalent at this year 's championship. I
:11:35. > :11:44.thought we had got rid of the worst of it. All the tables have been
:11:45. > :11:48.kicking like meals. It's annoying, you are in the middle of the break,
:11:49. > :11:56.it happened quite a few times yesterday in the match against Neil
:11:57. > :12:03.Robertson. He had some horrendous kick's. As per Mark Allen, he has
:12:04. > :12:09.been massively improved this season, on a good run in his first
:12:10. > :12:16.tournament on home soil. Has he got away with that? I've seen that shot
:12:17. > :12:21.played three times already this week and all three people have brought a
:12:22. > :12:24.red back towards the top cushion. It's a new composition, the balls
:12:25. > :12:29.have been in play for a few seasons now but they seem to be a lot more
:12:30. > :12:37.we active. Going into the pack, eight reds out, years ago when we
:12:38. > :12:41.did that three would move out. He has not settled at all yet has he? I
:12:42. > :12:47.think the balls are one of the things which could help, make
:12:48. > :12:51.slightly heavier ball. People talk about heavier cloth as well which
:12:52. > :12:57.might indeed help. I remember playing in the clubs years ago we
:12:58. > :13:01.never used to get any kick did we? Maybe it is the fact that the cloth
:13:02. > :13:07.has been shaved, it charges up the ball little. This is a good chance
:13:08. > :13:18.for Mark. He'll be surprised he's back to the table so quickly.
:13:19. > :13:24.Big fan of Mark Allen in the break-building department and I can
:13:25. > :13:29.put my finger on why he hasn't done better because he scores as well as
:13:30. > :13:36.anybody in the game. Maybe he gets a little agitated? Sometimes I just
:13:37. > :13:40.think he's got, he is a good long pot, great break-builder, good
:13:41. > :13:45.competitor. Just occasionally sometimes a bit of a lapse in
:13:46. > :13:51.concentration. Have seen matches go 6-4, 6-5 which he has dominated and
:13:52. > :13:55.should win 6-1, 6-2. But that's the only thing you can say, he is one of
:13:56. > :14:02.those players who has a genuine chance of going very close in this
:14:03. > :14:09.championship. He's got the talent. Choice of colours here, brown or
:14:10. > :14:15.yellow, he will be playing for two or three reds. Would like to get on
:14:16. > :14:40.the black as soon as "The reds are perfect for a frame-winning break.
:14:41. > :14:51.The pink dolls go, I did have doubted it would get past the red.
:14:52. > :14:57.-- the pink does go. Big help. These are now widely spread. I am not sure
:14:58. > :15:05.he played for the pink on the previous shot, he played for the
:15:06. > :15:15.black. I think it was a bit of a bonus wasn't it? Gone into the cue
:15:16. > :15:37.ball that too much. Not the shot he played for but that doesn't matter.
:15:38. > :15:45.Any harder that wouldn't have gone in. It's a big frame in the context
:15:46. > :15:51.of the match, I know they all are but this one in particular, the
:15:52. > :15:55.first frame of the morning, nice 6-3 lead, your opponent missing a
:15:56. > :16:01.couple, if you can win the frame in one visit it closes the door. Mark
:16:02. > :16:13.will be looking to win in this visit. Mitchell stewing in his chair
:16:14. > :16:17.about the couple of Mrs he had. In seven out of the nine games
:16:18. > :16:26.yesterday Mitchell was in first. Only manage to win three. Mark Allen
:16:27. > :16:33.once again the wrong side of the blue. It's a poor shot, really, a
:16:34. > :16:35.man of his abilities, to have to take this cue ball all around the
:16:36. > :16:47.angles from a straightforward playing ball shot. Don't think he's
:16:48. > :16:57.quite far enough is he? Going to be pretty tight. First frame in the
:16:58. > :17:12.morning, you haven't got your cue arm going, little cold coming in.
:17:13. > :17:15.Played a few shots so far. That was beautifully struck, as poor as the
:17:16. > :17:26.one that was a run through, that was excellent. Another funny contact,
:17:27. > :17:33.not boding well for this match, two poor contacts already. In the space
:17:34. > :18:08.of the first half of the frame. Stop the cue ball.
:18:09. > :18:18.Another poor shot. Played to go past the red. Luckily has the red over
:18:19. > :18:23.the middle pocket in case of accidents and that's what he needs
:18:24. > :18:24.to score, needs another 22 points at least from here to leave Mitchell
:18:25. > :18:38.Mann needing a snooker. Decided to roll out in to make sure.
:18:39. > :18:43.Played a nice little drag shot to hold the cue ball, knew it was going
:18:44. > :18:56.towards the yellow. Took the pace out of the cue ball. What a mistake
:18:57. > :18:57.that is. Always been there, the middle pocket, they haven't moved
:18:58. > :19:42.that! Got a good cue ball but the red over
:19:43. > :19:44.the corner, but cannot play it without making contact with black or
:19:45. > :20:04.red, so playing a safety. Tempting for Mitchell but the same
:20:05. > :20:09.equation, cannot avoid the red next to the one which is near the pocket.
:20:10. > :20:18.Bob probably play the up and down safety again. Just has to be a
:20:19. > :20:33.little careful with the two reds on the side, will take on the pot. He's
:20:34. > :20:37.missed two comfortable chances. Once again Mark Allen has another chance
:20:38. > :21:00.to win the frame. That is what is commonly known in
:21:01. > :21:04.the trade as bad cueing. His alignment must have been wrong,
:21:05. > :21:09.could have had a twitch, might have been nervous, he was aiming at the
:21:10. > :21:16.right hand job as we looked down and that's exactly where he hit it. --
:21:17. > :21:24.right-hand jaw. No wonder he's a little surprised. The only good news
:21:25. > :21:27.was he got away with it. Just when Mitchell Mann needed an easy starter
:21:28. > :21:59.to gain some confidence the red came off the jaws and covered up.
:22:00. > :22:49.Very good shot. Very good. Top-class. He has got all the shots.
:22:50. > :22:55.Knew he couldn't gain the advantage of that safety shot but just hopes
:22:56. > :23:00.he's not snooker. Could get right behind the pink and green here. --
:23:01. > :24:21.he's not snookered. Great cueing. And a terrible kiss.
:24:22. > :24:24.44 point lead. Good choose to put colour safe on the cushioning case
:24:25. > :24:31.there is a counter clearance or just a safety. Interesting to see what he
:24:32. > :24:33.does here. Has landed on the spot but is quite difficult to put a
:24:34. > :24:42.colour safe. I understand him putting the blue
:24:43. > :25:11.there but didn't need to screw that. Left a choice of pots on. Can get
:25:12. > :25:18.back in the frame if he gets this. Can score 24 at least. He is not
:25:19. > :25:27.timing it. Decelerating. Exactly what that was. What happens there?
:25:28. > :25:32.Missed timing it, there is nothing on the cue ball by the time it
:25:33. > :25:35.reaches the object ball, all the work that you're supposed to be
:25:36. > :25:39.putting on it is lost, it has dissipated by the time it reaches.
:25:40. > :26:30.Not great cueing. Perfect angle to Jeongseon off --
:26:31. > :26:35.perfect angle to play off two cushions. This is game ball so he
:26:36. > :26:46.may just roll out in and leave the double. Cannot blame him for that.
:26:47. > :26:51.You know that Mitchell Mann will continue, sometimes with it being an
:26:52. > :26:54.easy black it would have been better probably trying to play another red.
:26:55. > :27:09.We will see what happens in a moment.
:27:10. > :27:21.Come on Mitchell, let's get along one in, you've not been close so far
:27:22. > :27:24.this morning. Isn't it amazing, when your bottle goes at the Crucible or
:27:25. > :27:30.you don't feel good at the Crucible it's amazing what you can miss, you
:27:31. > :27:37.can miss anything. It's a tough old game. Looks a heck of a lot worse
:27:38. > :27:43.than it is but usually struggling at the moment. We have all had sessions
:27:44. > :27:48.where we'd been out there playing great and had somewhere we could not
:27:49. > :27:57.see the wood for the trees and other moment that is what is happening
:27:58. > :28:03.with Mitchell. The players he has beaten to qualify tells you he is a
:28:04. > :28:08.good player, Matthew Selt who is an excellent player. You can play if
:28:09. > :28:18.you can beat him. He's an excellent player. I think Matthew was 9-7 in
:28:19. > :28:22.front at one stage. That is why they call an iron man, because he played
:28:23. > :28:35.more friends than anyone else in the qualifiers. If he misses this one...
:28:36. > :28:42.You need three reds, three blacks, has to finish high on the black to
:28:43. > :28:47.get a chance to get beyond the two reds. The only red you can really
:28:48. > :28:52.play on now is the one past the middle pocket. And you have one
:28:53. > :29:00.chance at that, where is the two on the right-hand side, but you have to
:29:01. > :29:07.pot the black of course. A nod of disappointment but he's conceded the
:29:08. > :29:12.frame, gave Mitchell Mann about five or six chances but Mark Allen goes
:29:13. > :29:16.further clear at 7-3. We were talking about kicking earlier on,
:29:17. > :29:20.you cannot really say it is chalk with the first kick, but it makes a
:29:21. > :29:26.massive difference. This is the first one. Just go straight up in
:29:27. > :29:31.the air, the one thing against the chalk theory is that this is the
:29:32. > :29:36.first frame of the day, the tables have been brushed and Ireland. Not
:29:37. > :29:42.much chalk on the table. The next one killed the cue ball. This is
:29:43. > :29:48.what happens, watch the chalk explode. That's getting into the
:29:49. > :29:53.cloth, it could be the fact that that makes a difference as well, I'm
:29:54. > :29:58.not quite sure. I think that's definitely part of it, it could be a
:29:59. > :30:02.combination of a few things, I'm an advocate of static electricity. The
:30:03. > :30:07.cloth is more shaven than it's ever been, when they used to be thicker,
:30:08. > :30:11.the ball is getting charged and it particularly happens after long
:30:12. > :30:14.screw shots. There was an experiment at Bristol University, they put a
:30:15. > :30:22.negative current to the bid of the cloth and didn't get it ticking for
:30:23. > :30:29.three months. There must be something there. -- kicking.
:30:30. > :30:33.Mitchell Mann looking for a lawn. He has to brush himself down and think
:30:34. > :30:36.if I am going out I am going out fighting. Looks like he doesn't want
:30:37. > :31:02.to be there at the minute and the Crucible can get you that way.
:31:03. > :31:12.So Mitchell Mann breaks off. Frame 11, last flame is one to forget.
:31:13. > :31:17.He had lots of chances and his cueing wasn't great there. Try and
:31:18. > :31:26.pick himself from that frame. Mark Allen won it, but hasn't had to
:31:27. > :31:32.do bay lick -- basically anything. I wonder if Mark suspects his opponent
:31:33. > :31:36.-- opponent is struggling. This is normally a good ploy, because he is
:31:37. > :31:39.facing this shot and thinking I have previous of missing the long shots
:31:40. > :31:44.this morning so he won't look forward to this. He has to brush
:31:45. > :31:47.himself down and take it on. Luckily for him the black is safe otherwise
:31:48. > :31:58.he could take it on with a bit more confidence.
:31:59. > :32:05.Is whey hee hit it too thin, to make sure gets back to baulk. I don't
:32:06. > :32:08.know if he is looking up to his coach, and I don't know who coaches
:32:09. > :32:14.Mitchell but he has looked up a couple of times into the balcony,
:32:15. > :32:23.when he played that long pot. Yes, he is looked after by an old pal of
:32:24. > :32:27.mine John Farnworth. He played I played in pro ams with John years
:32:28. > :33:01.and years ago. So John knows the game. He has been round a long time.
:33:02. > :33:08.Is a couple of long pots on, but I am not sure if he can get back to
:33:09. > :33:15.baulk nicely. One down the left-hand side looks better than this one.
:33:16. > :33:26.Is he trying to hold it for pink in the middle? He was trying to hold it
:33:27. > :33:32.for the pink. Once again looking crisper on the shot. Could have
:33:33. > :33:34.played it a fraction harder to it to the cue ball. That will give him a
:33:35. > :34:14.bit of confidence now. Tricky for Mark this, path back to
:34:15. > :34:20.the baulk area isn't easy. Certainly down the right-hand side as we look
:34:21. > :34:26.at the table. Can't see a way baulk to the baulk area there.
:34:27. > :34:30.As you look down the left-hand side from that. That is all he has there,
:34:31. > :34:36.red straight. No colour of course if he goes down there to pot one, he
:34:37. > :34:44.can't play the run through. The second red up either, so,... He
:34:45. > :34:51.can't play slow off the right hand cushion. He may be forced to take a
:34:52. > :34:57.pot on here. The only good thing he may have had
:34:58. > :35:02.a good white. The red is going over the pocket.
:35:03. > :35:09.Right Mitchell we need a 60 or 70 break to give you confidence to get
:35:10. > :35:13.back in to this match. It was interesting the way he played I
:35:14. > :35:16.thought he might have played a dead weight instead of playing up and
:35:17. > :35:21.down the table. Even if he missed it he wasn't going to be leaving too
:35:22. > :35:24.much. He decided to play it the way he did. Unfortunately for him, that
:35:25. > :35:31.is the way it finished. He has lost the cue ball. Here is a
:35:32. > :35:35.tester unless he clips it in the middle thin. He takes it up into the
:35:36. > :35:52.corner. That will test his cue action.
:35:53. > :35:58.There is no problem with missing the yellow on the way down, it is
:35:59. > :36:02.missing it on the way back, he will have to play wit a bit of check
:36:03. > :36:04.side, if he plays it in the top, as John said, this is a lot more
:36:05. > :36:12.difficult than playing in the middle. This needs to be hit well.
:36:13. > :36:19.Well done. Well done. A big shot that in the
:36:20. > :36:54.context of the way the game has gone so far this morning.
:36:55. > :37:00.At the minute he just wants the ground to open up and take him out
:37:01. > :37:05.of here, that is... That is what happens to you sometimes.
:37:06. > :37:09.I remember playing John Spencer years ago, and I was winning
:37:10. > :37:11.convincingly and he walked n Spencer years ago, and I was winning
:37:12. > :37:14.convincingly and he walked by me and he said "Get me out of here." That
:37:15. > :37:40.is sometimes what you feel like, you don't want to be there sometimes.
:37:41. > :37:46.I feel for Mitchell a bit at the minute. He is not playing great.
:37:47. > :37:49.When he comes to the table every positional shot seems to go awkward.
:37:50. > :37:54.There is more do with the cue ball. That is one of those things when you
:37:55. > :38:01.are not timing it, it is not going your way, it seems to run a little
:38:02. > :38:05.awkward. I don't know whether he is on one.
:38:06. > :38:11.He took the right choice in trying to bring the pink into play.
:38:12. > :38:17.As you can see, he didn't get the pink in play and he is not on a red.
:38:18. > :38:21.I know there is one in the middle, I mean he is not on one that is any
:38:22. > :38:23.good. If he pots this it is going the wrong way, he can't get on the
:38:24. > :38:46.black, he can't get on the pink. This is the shot he tried to play,
:38:47. > :38:48.hoping to push a red on. As it is now, swing round three cushions and
:38:49. > :39:11.in behind the yellow. Well played. At first glance it
:39:12. > :39:16.looks like he is in a bit of trouble.
:39:17. > :39:21.Can't clip the red directly behind the blue. One side of the table is
:39:22. > :39:24.locked off, the red just above, there is two reds next to the black
:39:25. > :39:38.and the one just above that looks like the only path back.
:39:39. > :39:43.A tempter. Go all out and bring the black or
:39:44. > :39:57.the pink into play-off this red. Looks like he has decided to against
:39:58. > :40:34.it. WHITE Looks like he has decided to against it.
:40:35. > :40:41.That has opened things up a bit. Would have a chance to score quite
:40:42. > :41:12.heavily now. Don't blame him taking his time
:41:13. > :41:31.here, this is a knotty problem. It is pottable, but can't guarantee
:41:32. > :41:35.you would get any position from it. You would be cannoning back in to
:41:36. > :41:39.balls as well. No escape down the other side of the table. Can't drop
:41:40. > :41:44.and play the old dump shot and leave the cue ball on the top cushion
:41:45. > :42:05.because of the loose red. Problem. He may have to take this red on.
:42:06. > :42:12.He didn't. He decided just to try and leave this red, he knew he would
:42:13. > :42:17.be leaving it for Mitchell, but if he could leave it straight, there is
:42:18. > :42:22.not much he can do with it. Might only be for one point,
:42:23. > :42:35.In the cold light of day, that was a well thought out shot if he did play
:42:36. > :42:43.that. The blue will be available at distancing but that is about the
:42:44. > :42:47.only ball he can get on. -- at distance. He tried to view
:42:48. > :42:54.past the black, that was a good effort. Has he got a bonus? Has he
:42:55. > :42:56.got the black into the corner? He has to try and make something happen
:42:57. > :43:09.soon. It is tricky to play safe off the
:43:10. > :43:12.black. He would like to play it that way, he is cueing up now, through
:43:13. > :43:16.the gap, he has to get through the gap of the reds and the red on its
:43:17. > :43:21.own would be blocking the path there. Maybe can just get inside it,
:43:22. > :43:37.hit the cushion first, Looked at the chance of the pot past
:43:38. > :43:42.the green, into the corner. If it is dead straight, you know, it
:43:43. > :43:46.is only good cueing you will pot it, if it is not, you can see he is
:43:47. > :43:49.having to dig down, he is trying to play it a as shot to nothing, rather
:43:50. > :44:04.than a shot for something. Well done. I wasn't sure, I didn't
:44:05. > :44:07.say it looked in. After much deliberation that was the shot he
:44:08. > :44:10.picked and well played. It did look a little wide there.
:44:11. > :44:44.Soft enough. Enough. Quick on to the top jaw. And it
:44:45. > :44:47.would have been a good chance. Although saying that, blue and pink,
:44:48. > :45:30.some sort of genius to clear up from here.
:45:31. > :45:37.That was beautifully cued with the rest, it really was. Stretching
:45:38. > :45:40.there, one of those ones that can be slightly awkward. But he hit that
:45:41. > :45:45.beautifully pure, right in the centre of the pocket that was. A
:45:46. > :45:51.chance to get on the blue here, and then hopefully, open up the pink at
:45:52. > :45:55.some stage, he has the angle here, I don't know, but he will be trying to
:45:56. > :46:04.bring one of the two higher colours into play.
:46:05. > :46:09.Both players seem to be having trouble getting hold of the ball
:46:10. > :46:14.this morning. He is still on the red, he was hoping to bring an angle
:46:15. > :46:19.to bring black or pink in, he hasn't got it now unless he plays a thin
:46:20. > :46:24.one. He will be on good fortune where the white ends up. Maybe
:46:25. > :46:29.playing more the blue, or bring the pink in to play, it hasn't quite
:46:30. > :46:31.work but if he had caught it thinner it would have been fine.
:46:32. > :46:39.That is a funny shot. Probably one I would have erred on screwing a bit
:46:40. > :46:43.more and getting up the table to guarantee a position on a blue or
:46:44. > :46:53.baulk colour, but any way, this is thin.
:46:54. > :46:59.It is there but you can't hold the cue ball when wow play that shot.
:47:00. > :47:04.For all the people who play regularly at snooker, the conditions
:47:05. > :47:08.at the minute appear like it is playing damp. Obviously it is not,
:47:09. > :47:12.because the Crucible is at the right temperature all the time. When grow
:47:13. > :47:17.in the clubs and it is rain in the air and you try to stun balls and
:47:18. > :47:21.screw them you don't get the reaction, that appears to be what is
:47:22. > :47:25.happening at the moment. They both can't be cueing bad. One of them
:47:26. > :48:03.isn't cueing well but not both. That didn't finish in the worse spot
:48:04. > :48:05.either. Hampered by the brown for cueing, that red near the top
:48:06. > :48:13.left-hand side pocket would have been nice to take on, with a bit of
:48:14. > :48:48.safety in mind. Change of plan now. Once again good cueing required.
:48:49. > :48:56.He is not having do a great deal, Mark Allen. Presented with four or
:48:57. > :49:01.five chances at the first frame, he has had four or five at this frame,
:49:02. > :49:09.albeit he has only scored 26 so far, because of the balls have been very
:49:10. > :49:18.awkward. Didn't get into the cue ball there.
:49:19. > :49:22.Clever little shot he played. Unlucky, he gets a slightly thicker
:49:23. > :49:27.contact there, he flicks the red grey the black. You can see what he
:49:28. > :49:29.is doing. Those two reds come away and maybe is black is in open play.
:49:30. > :49:48.Mind you the pink is OK now. Seems to be OK in on the pink. He
:49:49. > :49:52.can bring the two reds into play. Think the bottom of the two will pot
:49:53. > :49:56.in the opposite corner to the pink, so he may just miss the kiss and
:49:57. > :50:05.play on that red in the opposite corner.
:50:06. > :50:25.He is going to need... The red at the top, the cluster, I think that
:50:26. > :50:31.one pots. By the black. Have a little look. Run through on this
:50:32. > :50:33.pink and drop on that red, then he will have to play a cannon to open
:50:34. > :50:48.the other two reds. You are not guaranteed to get on the
:50:49. > :50:54.black, play on the reds but play for pink or blue. You have to. It is the
:50:55. > :50:57.opportunity to move them all out. Pot one, that is the priority. There
:50:58. > :51:01.you go. Sometimes you make things happen,
:51:02. > :51:06.don't you. That is the beauty of snooker, if you ache things happen
:51:07. > :51:10.you get what you deserve. He deserved a good kiss there, he was
:51:11. > :51:23.fortunate to get the second, but perfect.
:51:24. > :51:35.This is probably frame ball if gets this.
:51:36. > :51:38.Wow! Look at the way that's run. A massive area there to play into.
:51:39. > :51:43.One thing needs to be there was high. As long as he kept it high he
:51:44. > :51:48.was guaranteed on the red He didn't get to the cue ball though, you play
:51:49. > :51:54.to screw it round the two cushion, you should be hitting the cushion
:51:55. > :51:59.eight or nine inches past the middle and he has hit it two foot. The
:52:00. > :52:03.table is not playing well this morning but a very good recovery
:52:04. > :52:07.shot. That flick helps because he has a
:52:08. > :52:12.God angle on the yellow. That was an excellent shot. Really was, low drag
:52:13. > :52:16.on that, a little bit of side. Played that beautifully. Didn't look
:52:17. > :52:58.like much, but trust me, that was a good shot.
:52:59. > :53:05.Only 28 but a 38 point lead. Two reds safe, Mark Allen is going to be
:53:06. > :53:38.favourite for this frame. Can't afford to leave the cue ball
:53:39. > :53:44.in the mid of the table when playing a safety.
:53:45. > :53:45.That is the reason why you can't. His top players don't miss many of
:53:46. > :54:04.those. I am Hooning at mark PMQs, every
:54:05. > :54:06.time he plays a long ball, he is coming a bit off position all the
:54:07. > :54:12.time. He is having to pull out better
:54:13. > :54:17.shots than he ordinarily would. Not a criticism, it is one of those
:54:18. > :54:21.things that can happen in this game. That was an excellent long pot he
:54:22. > :54:27.put in. Coming slightly off all the time.
:54:28. > :54:35.Made sure of the red there, quite right too.
:54:36. > :54:40.Mark Allen has won the frame. So Mitchell Mann, he has not settled
:54:41. > :54:45.this morning, Mark Allen it has been scrappy stuff. He won't mind. He
:54:46. > :54:49.leads by eight frames to three. I want to put a shot up that was
:54:50. > :54:54.played there. I want you to explain the reason why it was more
:54:55. > :54:58.advantageous, not just playing the slow Canning but making sure you are
:54:59. > :55:02.on a colour You have to try and be too clever and play a flick and say
:55:03. > :55:07.I might end up on one, what you want do with this is guarantee yourself
:55:08. > :55:10.position for the necks colour, so he plays this with plenty of pace,
:55:11. > :55:15.takes the chance and got the side on it, to screw back and come back into
:55:16. > :55:20.the table. He takes a chance all could come into play. You can't
:55:21. > :55:24.guarantee it. It has splitted the balls, he has the side on the cue
:55:25. > :55:27.ball that goes up the table. He could be on blue, pink or a baulk
:55:28. > :55:31.colour. You have a chance of winning the frame. We talk sometimes about
:55:32. > :55:35.how people try to be too careful. That is one of the occasions where
:55:36. > :55:40.you have to rely on luck but you know it could be there playing the
:55:41. > :55:43.right shot. You are being positive in your shot selection, the clever
:55:44. > :55:47.way to do it, there was no down side, you were going to get position
:55:48. > :55:51.f you got the bonus of the red splitting up, great. The second kiss
:55:52. > :55:55.to bring the black into play was fortunate but he got the white in
:55:56. > :55:59.open play, that was the key thing, they are the stats of the match,
:56:00. > :56:05.there you can see the pot success, it is not great. He is struggling
:56:06. > :56:09.down at 83%, and of course in this standard of snooker you have to be
:56:10. > :56:14.at 91, 92, 93. This is a match he will have to put down to experience
:56:15. > :56:19.really. It is first time he has been here play, he has done brilliantly
:56:20. > :56:23.to qualify. He is getting progressively more under pressure
:56:24. > :56:28.and his cue action is deaccelerate, he is not quite there today. We know
:56:29. > :56:33.he is a good player. At the moment it is not quite happening. CJ
:56:34. > :56:37.tweeted me saying, what if Mitchell Mann won this match, he would be the
:56:38. > :56:42.only man to be undefeated at the Crucible. Because everybody else has
:56:43. > :56:49.played here and lost before. But obviously 8-3 behind, he has a
:56:50. > :57:01.mountain to climb. Fancy CJ watching the snooker. CJ loves the snooker.
:57:02. > :57:08.He hasn't played well this morning but only a break of 47, but he has
:57:09. > :57:12.won two frames and leads 8-3. This could be over before the interval if
:57:13. > :57:16.he is not careful. He is not happy with the break off, either.
:57:17. > :57:24.He wouldn't be happy because the two reds have clamped themselves on to
:57:25. > :57:29.the black which is annoy, he would like to get this out of the way.
:57:30. > :57:36.Looking awkward at the top end of the table.
:57:37. > :57:49.Come on Mitchell. Good cueing.
:57:50. > :58:05.It never rains but it pours sometimes, two foot short or two
:58:06. > :58:09.foot long, he is on a nice blue. Mark Allen nipped out in between the
:58:10. > :58:13.last frame and this frame, and he probably needed a bit of energy, and
:58:14. > :58:19.obviously they say that bananas is good for energy, he has brought one
:58:20. > :58:25.out. Had a couple of bites of it. Yes. It has become more common than
:58:26. > :58:29.Steve's ham sandwich of a few years ago, do you remember that one?
:58:30. > :58:34.Never seen that one before in a match. Felt a bit hungry, got
:58:35. > :59:04.himself a ham sandwich. So good news Ed this morning we have
:59:05. > :59:13.heard the health picking up of Jon Williams, the great referee. Hope
:59:14. > :59:18.you are watching. Refereed world finals and major finals. He is back
:59:19. > :59:22.up and running, trying to organise a few pro am events there in Wales
:59:23. > :59:55.like he used to do. Good to hear you are doing well, pal.
:59:56. > :00:06.Everything is going wrong for Mitchell at the moment.
:00:07. > :00:12.Struggling to play a good safety shot, struggling to break. But there
:00:13. > :00:16.is still time. The next two frames going into the interval. Until a
:00:17. > :00:20.player gets to nine you are worried if you are well behind, until they
:00:21. > :00:35.got to nine you shouldn't be too conserntd.
:00:36. > :00:40.Desperate to get the black back in play and he's certainly done that.
:00:41. > :00:50.Chance here again. Good chance as well. It is OK but he
:00:51. > :01:16.didn't really want it. And once again missed time that
:01:17. > :01:22.completely, not played for the red in the top corner, I can assure you
:01:23. > :01:34.of that. Deceleration again wasn't it? So sorry for him, he's a great
:01:35. > :01:44.player but he struggling out there. Have to play it into the yellow
:01:45. > :01:47.pocket, screw back for the black. That's the beauty of the shot, don't
:01:48. > :01:54.have to do anything with the cue ball.
:01:55. > :03:55.Somebody of his abilities to only get nine... Disappointing.
:03:56. > :04:01.Just shows you how difficult the game really is when we see these
:04:02. > :04:08.sort of players struggling, it's not all about getting down and making a
:04:09. > :04:12.hundred break, when you see the big players playing at their best,
:04:13. > :04:14.getting 80 every frame, but it's not that easy, it's one of the toughest
:04:15. > :04:32.games in the world. Little tactical exchange but at
:04:33. > :04:38.least the table is looking a little bit tidier. Blue and green are out
:04:39. > :04:56.of commission, but can definitely pot pink and black.
:04:57. > :05:33.Read all should have been tight on the top cushion.
:05:34. > :05:45.On the top cushion this time so very difficult for children put mark in
:05:46. > :05:59.trouble from the shot. Anywhere on the baulk cushion is safe. Could
:06:00. > :06:04.just drop dead weight on the two reds touching, drop dead weight on
:06:05. > :06:07.the left-hand side one, would not leave anything. OK your opponent
:06:08. > :06:14.will just stick to back down there but at least you can get out of
:06:15. > :06:25.trouble. He's made a good effort with that one. Didn't bring the red
:06:26. > :06:29.back up the table too far. Never a big fan of these frames, they were
:06:30. > :06:34.always horrible, the cue ball at the top and everything going down the
:06:35. > :06:38.other end. Some players have the art of being able to play every frame
:06:39. > :06:43.like it's the first but these type of frames were never my specialty
:06:44. > :06:47.and when you are playing some unlike Mark Selby or Mark Williams, they
:06:48. > :06:52.play it like an open frame. Mark Allen just played a great shot
:06:53. > :06:56.there, screwed the red into another one, the cue ball almost tight on
:06:57. > :07:05.the top cushion. Very good. He's on top at the moment, this is difficult
:07:06. > :07:12.for Mitchell. Might choose to do what I said before and just drop on
:07:13. > :07:16.them, dead weight. These frames are just as important as open frames.
:07:17. > :07:20.Shaun Murphy lost this week and he doesn't seem to win any scrappy
:07:21. > :07:25.frames at the moment. He's one of my favourite players to watch but it
:07:26. > :07:31.seems if he does not make 50 he does not win the frame. There is an art
:07:32. > :07:36.to it, I have played all the greats but I think Mark Williams is right
:07:37. > :07:39.up there, he is brilliant in open play, you are not champion of the
:07:40. > :07:45.world if you can do that, but if frames go awkward I have not played
:07:46. > :08:33.anybody better. He was fantastic at it. Very clever.
:08:34. > :08:41.Just containing shot. There is not much you can do sometimes. Expecting
:08:42. > :08:44.to be back there again. That's all you've got, you just had to stand
:08:45. > :09:19.for it. It's weirder because there doesn't
:09:20. > :09:32.seem to be any reaction from the cue ball this morning. He actually I
:09:33. > :09:35.bounced the cue ball, as it is coming down it hits the top of the
:09:36. > :09:49.red so there is nothing coming back on it. Is he on the pink? Made that
:09:50. > :10:09.a little bit closer comfort didn't he? That is closer. This could be a
:10:10. > :10:14.fabulous chance. Must be on it. This is a brilliant chance now.
:10:15. > :10:20.Interesting shot but Mitchell played, cue ball in the air, bounced
:10:21. > :10:29.it off the bed of the table and has contacted the red high up. Took all
:10:30. > :10:37.the pace out the cue ball. Cueing down like that, how can it not
:10:38. > :10:48.bounce? Meeting the contact when it's on the bed as it bouncing. Not
:10:49. > :10:53.been a great three frames, thus. Mark Allen would be worried, won the
:10:54. > :10:58.opening two and looks the strong favourite to win this one. These are
:10:59. > :11:03.funny frames, the balls are in the open but it's a different way of
:11:04. > :11:06.thinking, you get used to making breaks of pink, blue and black at
:11:07. > :11:10.the top end and sometimes when they are spread like this it's a little
:11:11. > :11:19.different. Have to give it 100% concentration. I don't know what he
:11:20. > :11:43.played there but it wasn't entirely where he was aiming.
:11:44. > :11:47.Played that red with a little bit of Czech seed just to hold the cue ball
:11:48. > :12:01.for the brown. -- Czech side. Will be hoping to get the black onto
:12:02. > :12:45.its own spot as soon as possible. After a few initial positional shots
:12:46. > :12:53.in this break which were slightly off Mark Allen now has the cue ball
:12:54. > :12:57.where he wants it. This is one of the matches he will want to get out
:12:58. > :13:01.of the way, any time you can turn up at the Crucible and win comfortably
:13:02. > :13:04.it's in your favour, particularly now with the standard of play.
:13:05. > :13:09.You're going to get harder matches all the way through and the easier
:13:10. > :13:13.you win the more petrol you save. He is kicking himself again, he's not
:13:14. > :13:29.hit that hard enough. Shaking his head. Wanted that to travel at least
:13:30. > :13:32.another six inches up the table. Will be pretty sure Stephen Hendry
:13:33. > :13:39.and Steven Davis will be getting mismatch 10-3, 10-4 open with --
:13:40. > :13:46.over with. The significance of getting games out of the way.
:13:47. > :14:11.Excellent pot. That is what Mark will be thinking.
:14:12. > :14:17.To be absolute sure of winning the frame he needs two more reds with
:14:18. > :14:31.high value colours but the high value colours will not be there so
:14:32. > :14:39.to pot at least four of the reds. Going to play forcing shot around
:14:40. > :14:48.the angles. Big area to land on, really. Well played. I mentioned it
:14:49. > :14:54.earlier in this break, sometimes they are little bit tricky, these.
:14:55. > :14:58.The cue ball has not been perfect through this. But he's doing the
:14:59. > :15:03.object of the exercise, knocking and everything he's looking at, and he's
:15:04. > :15:14.still in the driving seat. Can win the frame with just two more reds.
:15:15. > :15:27.Little smile. Doesn't really want to bring the green interplay, it won't
:15:28. > :15:32.make any difference on the frame but the weight could stick on the
:15:33. > :16:01.cushion which is why he is playing the slightly more difficult red.
:16:02. > :16:10.The highest break of the morning session so far, collapsing the 47 he
:16:11. > :16:13.made in frame ten. -- each collapsing. Just one more reds
:16:14. > :16:37.needed. -- red. Good break, this. An awkward frame
:16:38. > :17:00.at the start. Balls all over the place. He has taken them well.
:17:01. > :17:15.That should be enough and it is, Mitchell just one away from losing
:17:16. > :17:19.this match. STUDIO: One more frame and Mark Allen will advance to the
:17:20. > :17:23.last 16 of this year 's tournament, lets just show you what is happening
:17:24. > :17:28.on the other table, Ding Junhui ranked 17th in the world, I said at
:17:29. > :17:33.the start of the programme you wonder if it could be his year with
:17:34. > :17:39.the pressure very much off. He got in a break of 90 and a break of 110
:17:40. > :17:45.in the first two frames to take a 2- now lead, but Martin Gould has pull
:17:46. > :17:53.the frame back. This match is available on the red button, the BBC
:17:54. > :18:05.Sport app and BBC online if you want to carry on watching this match.
:18:06. > :18:12.If you want to carry on watching that match it is available online as
:18:13. > :18:19.is Mark Allen's match against Mitchell Mann and we are back at 1pm
:18:20. > :18:23.on BBC Two, the live match this afternoon Judd Trump against a Liang
:18:24. > :18:25.Wenbo. Steve Davis and Peter Ebdon in the studio, join us then. Goodbye
:18:26. > :18:29.for now.