:00:31. > :00:37.Good evening. The last five days of the Betfred World Championship are
:00:38. > :00:41.all about the last four men standing and, if your interest in this great
:00:42. > :00:46.Championship starts to peak about now, your timing's perfect because
:00:47. > :00:51.this evening we start with the semi-final, it features a man who
:00:52. > :00:56.Peppers the honours board. In 1998, 2007 and 009 and 2011 andth because
:00:57. > :01:06.John Higgins is bidding for a fifth world title.
:01:07. > :01:19.John Higgins clears. He beats the defending champion, Ken Docherty by
:01:20. > :01:23.18-12. There is no place like it when it's down to one table. He wins
:01:24. > :01:29.the 2007 World Championship. Fantastic. That's the best I think
:01:30. > :01:33.I've ever played in my life, and to do it under that sort of pressure,
:01:34. > :01:47.it's amazing. Standing ovation... It's amazing to obviously win the
:01:48. > :01:50.first one in 98 then it took so long to win another one, then a couple of
:01:51. > :01:53.years after to win the second one then to come and win it again, it's
:01:54. > :02:07.brilliant. He's taken the double! That was absolutely fantastic. He
:02:08. > :02:15.takes his fourth world title. 2011 was the last time. Obviously I'm
:02:16. > :02:20.taking one day at a time. Not since John won the last of those four
:02:21. > :02:24.world titles in 2011 has he actually walked back out through here into
:02:25. > :02:27.the tunnel and on to this one table stage at the Crucible Theatre in the
:02:28. > :02:35.semi-finals. What a thrill it's going to be for him to be back. But
:02:36. > :02:39.his opponent, Barry Haw canes is an old hand now. This is his fourth
:02:40. > :02:42.semi-final in the last five years, although he's still to get his hands
:02:43. > :02:50.on the trophy. They'll be back out here very soon.
:02:51. > :02:57.It's a quiet occasion. I've been watching it since a young boy. I
:02:58. > :03:01.dreamt about playing at the Crucible. If I don't enjoy that
:03:02. > :03:04.occasion at the table, I might as well put the cue away. John's
:03:05. > :03:12.playing great stuff and I need to be at the top of my game to beat him,
:03:13. > :03:16.that's for sure. At the one-table set-up, there's no place like the
:03:17. > :03:21.Crucible and it's down to one table. I'm delighted. 2011 was the last
:03:22. > :03:28.time and I began to think, am I ever going to get there again to sample
:03:29. > :03:33.it. Obviously I would be willing to bet that I'll get to the final.
:03:34. > :03:37.Proper legend of the game now. He's been playing some brilliant stuff
:03:38. > :03:40.the last couple of years. When he's playing well, you have to play
:03:41. > :03:48.perfect snooker to beat him. Great champion and great bloke as well.
:03:49. > :03:52.He's became such a tough all-round player. He was before but I think it
:03:53. > :03:57.was maybe mentally that let him down a little bit, he maybe felt he
:03:58. > :04:03.didn't belong on the same stage like a an O'Sullivan or a Selby but he
:04:04. > :04:07.knows he belongs here now and he's such a tough, tough player. It's a
:04:08. > :04:11.matter of taking my chances when they come along and I'm going to
:04:12. > :04:24.need to score heavy, that's for sure, I need to win frames in one
:04:25. > :04:29.visit. If it gets too nitty-gritty, I can't be having that, I need to be
:04:30. > :04:33.clinical. I'm going to be competing here for the next few days on the
:04:34. > :04:37.one-table set-up. No place like it. Can't wait to get out there.
:04:38. > :04:46.And we are joined by the 1991 world champion, John Parrot. You played in
:04:47. > :04:50.this amazing set-up three years in a row, 89, 90, 91 - you never take
:04:51. > :04:54.these occasions for granted. What so so special about this place on a
:04:55. > :05:01.night like this? You have been over there sitting next to your opponent
:05:02. > :05:04.for the last week or so, you are the centre of attention, the dividing
:05:05. > :05:08.wall's gone and this is where the business starts. And it's six years
:05:09. > :05:12.since John Higgins last had a taste of it like this. Excitement yes but
:05:13. > :05:16.a few nerves would you imagine for him tonight? It's the moment now
:05:17. > :05:19.actually, he'll be cursing us two being out here talking before he
:05:20. > :05:24.needs to come out because behind there I'm feeling for the boys who
:05:25. > :05:28.want to get out and hit some balls. He came out here today to get the
:05:29. > :05:32.atmosphere and sit in the chair because if you have been away, you
:05:33. > :05:37.need to come back and sock it all up. We have seen vintage Higgins,
:05:38. > :05:42.fantastic counterclearances as well. Are the bookmakers right to make him
:05:43. > :05:46.favourite? On what they've watched so far and he scored slightly
:05:47. > :05:50.heavier than Barry, rightly so but this is a tough match-up. They are
:05:51. > :05:54.Consulate players, played 14 times, seven each, so it's going to be
:05:55. > :05:58.tough. Barry's become a real form horse here. What do you put that
:05:59. > :06:01.down to? If you are very good at shot selection, if you play them to
:06:02. > :06:04.the best of your capability, if you have a good temperament and score,
:06:05. > :06:09.you will end up in the semi-final of the World Championship and Barry
:06:10. > :06:14.Hawkins ticks all the boxes. He has. This is his fourth in five years and
:06:15. > :06:18.they'll be out here shortly. The second semi-final is about to get
:06:19. > :06:25.Bray, the first burst into life this afternoon. -- about to get under
:06:26. > :06:32.way. The one-table situation at the Crucible Theatre. No better than you
:06:33. > :06:40.in snooker. Good shot, found the gap, played it positively.
:06:41. > :06:51.He could not have played that any better. Wonderful first frame. If
:06:52. > :06:54.the match stays like that, we are in for a cracker.
:06:55. > :07:07.Straight red. Good cueing needed. And got. Wonderful shot.
:07:08. > :07:15.Well, showing signs of a confident player. Very difficult shot to take
:07:16. > :07:25.on. But take it on he is. And getting it...
:07:26. > :07:36.He's played it well. The red for the century. Oh, just a fraction off.
:07:37. > :07:48.All square, two apiece. Never a doubt. He's adjusted to
:07:49. > :08:07.absolute perfection. Just six points away and he's going
:08:08. > :08:13.to leave a red on. Well, would you believe that? ! It's amazing. The
:08:14. > :08:21.only thing we've missed this afternoon is a century. Not now.
:08:22. > :08:25.Wonderful, absolutely wonderful play from ding Junhui who, has a
:08:26. > :08:30.five-frame lead over the defending champion. Mark Selby trailing for
:08:31. > :08:35.the first time in this Championship. That's a match between the younger
:08:36. > :08:40.boys, Ding is 30, Mark 33, but this is an evening for the more mature
:08:41. > :08:44.playing, Barry Hawkins is 38 and John Higgins is still teaching the
:08:45. > :08:50.younger guys a thing or two at the age of 42. Let's not keep them
:08:51. > :08:56.hanging around any longer. MC Walker is at the ready! Thanks, Hazel, good
:08:57. > :09:01.evening, ladies and gentlemen, what a match in prospect, two of the very
:09:02. > :09:05.best in the business. This is the start of the second semi-final in
:09:06. > :09:12.this year's bet fret snooker World Championship, they are poised and
:09:13. > :09:25.ready backstage. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.
:09:26. > :09:31.Please welcome, a player who in recent years has acquired a
:09:32. > :09:36.brilliant Crucible record, making, as we have heard, four of the last
:09:37. > :09:40.five semi-finals. Here, after victory over Stephen Maguire last
:09:41. > :09:43.night, three times a ranking event winner, including this season's
:09:44. > :09:46.world Grand Prix, his son Harrison will be watching live tonight, here
:09:47. > :10:15.comes the Hawk, Barry Hawkins! And his opponent, emerging for his
:10:16. > :10:22.eighth Crucible semi-final, his first was back in 1998. This is his
:10:23. > :10:27.best run in Sheffield for six years. Winner of a staggering 28 ranking
:10:28. > :10:33.titles, he is without doubt one of Scotland's finest sportsmen. Four
:10:34. > :10:53.times the champion of the world, the wizard of Wishaw, John Higgins.
:10:54. > :11:00.Well, this is a three-day drama in the Crucible in the semi-finals,
:11:01. > :11:04.best of 33 frames played over four sessions, eight frames this evening,
:11:05. > :11:10.a team of two in the commentary box. And that's Willie Thorne and Denis
:11:11. > :11:15.Taylor. Good evening, fellas. Good evening to everyone. Two of the
:11:16. > :11:21.game's great nice guys contesting this semi-final here.
:11:22. > :11:30.And it's Barry Hawkins who gets the first frame under way.
:11:31. > :11:37.Couldn't believe it was 2011 since John Higgins was at the one-table
:11:38. > :11:42.situation here in the Crucible Theatre. But doesn't time fly by.
:11:43. > :11:45.Look at that, down to the one table. That's when it really comes into its
:11:46. > :12:07.own. Gonchtsing to be a fascinating
:12:08. > :12:13.tussle this one, Willie. -- going to be a fascinating tussle this one,
:12:14. > :12:16.Willie. Barry Hawkins considered himself fortunate against Stephen
:12:17. > :12:21.Maguire. 17 days at the Crucible, you need that little bit of the run
:12:22. > :12:25.of the ball now and again. He's been here four times in the last five
:12:26. > :12:27.years at the semi-final stage. Can he go one stage further and get to
:12:28. > :12:45.the final. That's a slight mistake there,
:12:46. > :12:49.catching the yellow with a safety shot. But no damage done. It means
:12:50. > :12:51.John can play a more telling safety. He'll be looking to get in behind
:12:52. > :13:10.the yellow and brown. Not quite, but with the yellow off
:13:11. > :13:15.its spot, it's a pretty good target those two colours. Tournament safety
:13:16. > :13:33.success rate there: APPLAUSE.
:13:34. > :13:46.Great opening pot. Just shows, if you don't get the cue ball down on
:13:47. > :13:49.the baulk cushion, right in the centre of the pocket, there's
:13:50. > :13:53.something about left-handed players that are great to watch. At this
:13:54. > :13:58.game and of course at the great game of golf.
:13:59. > :14:11.Yes, we were talking to Neil Robertson about that. So many good
:14:12. > :14:27.left-handers. Mark William, Judd Trump, Mark Allen.
:14:28. > :14:37.Found the gap in-between the cluster of reds. Running through, it's going
:14:38. > :14:42.to hit the second red a little bit thick so he's got to be careful
:14:43. > :14:43.here. He might push the black into a safe position here in potting this
:14:44. > :14:53.red. For that reason he's screwing it
:14:54. > :15:01.back because he had the pink and blue available.
:15:02. > :15:08.It's not a good chance just yet. They are all covering each other,
:15:09. > :15:20.these Reds, even though they are open slightly.
:15:21. > :15:28.I think he's overhit that by quite a way. Playing for the red to the
:15:29. > :15:36.right. For the left middle pocket. New cloth. Obviously on the table.
:15:37. > :15:38.Now that we've just got the one table in the Crucible Arena, it's a
:15:39. > :15:54.new cloth. It was the shot before where he ran
:15:55. > :16:01.slightly out of position. He hasn't left anything. Always nice when you
:16:02. > :16:02.miss one, if you can get them safe. Once he missed it, no idea where
:16:03. > :16:32.that red was going to finish. In his pre-match interview Barry
:16:33. > :16:36.suggested he'd need to compete in the break-build department. That's
:16:37. > :16:42.the only thing that's been lacking from him this week. Safety play's
:16:43. > :16:45.been good but he's playing the master in the safety department so I
:16:46. > :16:51.believe he's going to have to push the boat out a little more in this
:16:52. > :17:00.match by scoring more heavily of the two, if he can.
:17:01. > :17:06.Of course, it takes a bit of getting used to because you have got so far
:17:07. > :17:09.to walk to the table when you are down to the one-table situation.
:17:10. > :17:11.When there are two tables, you don't have very far to walk to get to the
:17:12. > :17:23.table. But the beauty about it is, there's
:17:24. > :17:27.no distractions whatsoever. I think it's great for the people watching
:17:28. > :17:45.at home because you can't hear the noise from the other table.
:17:46. > :17:51.He's concerned about the red cannoning into the black or the red
:17:52. > :17:57.to the left of the black. Two-cushion escape. Dangerous shot.
:17:58. > :18:01.Authority burn was the first to play this very, very well -- Cliff
:18:02. > :18:19.Thorburn. The crowd acknowledged that that was
:18:20. > :18:53.such a tough shot to execute. To judge that is so difficult.
:18:54. > :19:00.Barry would like to knock this red that's gone at the other end of the
:19:01. > :19:22.table back up to keep the frame normal.
:19:23. > :19:29.Pet hate when the redstarts to go up against the yellow, green and brown
:19:30. > :19:37.and the sieve day areas back behind the black spot.
:19:38. > :19:44.He just pointed to the red there. He'll be playing the safety shot. In
:19:45. > :19:55.fact, he's just doing it off the reds to the right of the bunch.
:19:56. > :20:01.Just a little bit short of pace. He was trying to block the path down
:20:02. > :20:05.the right side of the table as we look at it and he hasn't. So it's
:20:06. > :20:09.the player that can get the white near the cushion and in behind the
:20:10. > :20:11.yellow and brown that's going to gain the advantage here. That's what
:20:12. > :20:25.they are looking for. I was watching the afternoon session
:20:26. > :20:28.between Selby and Junhui and I thought the back cushion was playing
:20:29. > :20:33.soft, it wasn't getting the bounce that it has in the previous few days
:20:34. > :20:38.here at the Crucible. New table of course, new cushions, new cloth. It
:20:39. > :20:42.will speed up as the days go on. I thought it was a little bit slower
:20:43. > :21:01.than it has been the rest of the fortnight.
:21:02. > :21:23.Interesting shot played with lots of side.
:21:24. > :21:34.This needs thin contact, the one he's playing. And he's got it. Very
:21:35. > :21:43.good. Excellent. APPLAUSE.
:21:44. > :21:48.George Osborne's had a look at three reds as we show you this shot. The
:21:49. > :21:54.natural angle would have taken the right into -- white into the reds,
:21:55. > :21:58.but with the right hand side, it gave it a completely different
:21:59. > :22:02.angle. He looked at the three reds in the middle of the pack but I
:22:03. > :22:03.don't think they're a plant. I think they are going to the right of the
:22:04. > :22:11.pocket. Yes, you can see it there. Quite an interesting tactical battle
:22:12. > :22:35.at the moment. Potted it thin, if that made any
:22:36. > :22:39.sense. If he would have potted it centre, the cue ball would have been
:22:40. > :22:44.nicely on the back. The cue ball had a bit more pace on it. Didn't leave
:22:45. > :22:51.Barry Hawkins the red. Now he's got the same problem though, can he get
:22:52. > :22:54.to the black? If he is going to play off the right, he'll need
:22:55. > :23:00.eeverything the referee's got under that table. Paul collier is going to
:23:01. > :23:06.need the spider with the extension there on his cue and he won't be
:23:07. > :23:12.able to see what he's doing with this because he'll just have to
:23:13. > :23:14.judge this. This is quite awkward. Bridging over three balls! Look at
:23:15. > :23:27.that. Well, he didn't mean to pot it. He
:23:28. > :23:38.played the safety shot and it's a pretty good one. Have a look at that
:23:39. > :23:41.shot! Isn't it amazing. If he had been trying to get in from behind
:23:42. > :23:54.the yellow and brown, and John does it have that position. Amazing. He'd
:23:55. > :24:01.Loch to get to the red near the black. Not sure he can miss the kiss
:24:02. > :24:17.on the left hand side though. He could go off the baulk cushion.
:24:18. > :24:22.Needs perfect judgment. Second cushion, third cushion. He's coming
:24:23. > :24:25.towards it. Just missed it but might catch the other one. Doesn't want to
:24:26. > :24:38.slip by it. He feels he's playing a little
:24:39. > :24:44.slower as well on this table. He gave that more meat than he needed
:24:45. > :24:56.to. Not too sure if he can get past the pink.
:24:57. > :25:01.Looks like he's taking it into the middle corner. Played the stun shot.
:25:02. > :25:48.Played it nicely. Trying to get the black back on the
:25:49. > :26:00.spot now. Should be able to do it from this.
:26:01. > :26:58.There's not many loose reds, two or three that may be available.
:26:59. > :27:07.He's got such a compact style, John Higgins. The head is perfectly still
:27:08. > :27:19.when he delivers the cue. Just watch the head. And this cannon if it
:27:20. > :27:21.works out will certainly give him a chance to knock in a sizeable
:27:22. > :27:34.contribution here. Could be a frame-winner if he splits
:27:35. > :27:43.the reds up. He'll be disappointed with that.
:27:44. > :28:20.-- he'll be disappointed if he doesn't win the frame.
:28:21. > :28:29.Just having to run away towards the blue, green or brown, looking at the
:28:30. > :28:34.angle he's left on this cut back. Always nice if you can stay in and
:28:35. > :28:46.around the pink and black, make it as easy for yourself as possible.
:28:47. > :28:51.So no problem of potting the green and getting on to that red to the
:28:52. > :29:04.left of the pink. Got the perfect angle to do that. One of the game's
:29:05. > :29:17.great builders has made 169 centuries. Ronnie O'Sullivan and
:29:18. > :29:22.Stephen Hendry ahead of him. Won't be thinking about a century at the
:29:23. > :29:31.moment, he'll be thinking he'll want to get the frame. Looking at the
:29:32. > :29:43.angle there. Has to be very precise with this.
:29:44. > :29:54.Thinner than intended. He wanted it a little thicker, as we show you.
:29:55. > :30:11.This is not a gimme this one. This needs good cueing.
:30:12. > :30:17.He needs the black, red and one more colour. It won't be easy from here,
:30:18. > :30:27.he might be able to flick this red out, if he pots this.
:30:28. > :30:31.Down to the one next to the pink, which is ideal that that red would
:30:32. > :30:36.pot there, it looks as if it was tied up with the pink, so check the
:30:37. > :30:42.score board, one more colour and it is a good start for the former four
:30:43. > :30:46.times champion. He is looking good here Willie. Yes,
:30:47. > :30:52.he has kept off the table for the early part of the frame. He won the
:30:53. > :30:59.safety battle with that excellent snooker in behind the yellow.
:31:00. > :31:11.Created this chance. That has won him the first frame.
:31:12. > :31:19.He would have liked to have knocked that in and made certain. You would
:31:20. > :31:21.think that is enough to take the opening frame, but still a chance
:31:22. > :31:40.for Barry here. The yellow is still in a perfect
:31:41. > :31:47.position to get in behind if Barry puts the white on the right spot.
:31:48. > :31:52.And that looks pet I good to me. He can come off that red with a bit of
:31:53. > :31:57.side. He could play behind the black if he wan, he has maybe gone too far
:31:58. > :32:01.to get in behind the yellow. He would have to play a little stun
:32:02. > :32:18.shot so it's behind the black he's playing.
:32:19. > :32:25.Well, that is one of the two snookers he needs, so that is far
:32:26. > :32:36.from over this frame. Barry is still in with a chance here.
:32:37. > :32:54.Got to be careful with the pace he plays it.
:32:55. > :33:01.Good hit from John. Couldn't play it any harder than that, just in case
:33:02. > :33:09.he missed it He might have left a free ball. Usually against somebody
:33:10. > :33:23.like Higgins you would need a couple of snookers.
:33:24. > :33:35.Wants a second one. He can't get to the right-hand side cushion. That is
:33:36. > :33:39.a biggish swerve to go round the black and hit the cushion, so could
:33:40. > :33:45.easily slip round the back of this one. And he doesn't want to hit it
:33:46. > :33:47.too hashed, if he missed it he could leave a free ball.
:33:48. > :34:10.-- too hard. He might just be in behind the black
:34:11. > :34:16.here again. It is nice to see the big breaks but to see proper snooker
:34:17. > :34:21.match play like this it is just as exciting. He has three there, this
:34:22. > :34:51.is the easiest of the three, to hit. No, surely not? Almost knocked the
:34:52. > :34:55.brown in, but that's put the brown out of commission now, for getting a
:34:56. > :35:07.snooker behind. But the yellow is still sitting in a nice spot.
:35:08. > :35:13.Has he fluked it? That was a total mis-hit from Barry that time and a
:35:14. > :35:43.chance for John to pot this long red and secure this opening frame.
:35:44. > :35:52.That last shot that John knocked in, he is terrific at that but Barry
:35:53. > :35:56.Hawkins is one of the best at playing that sort of shot, knocking
:35:57. > :36:01.a long ball in and going round the table. When they play plain-ball,
:36:02. > :36:08.these two players you will see a lot of that plain-ball potting.
:36:09. > :36:12.The modern they player doesn't necessarily put the side on to help
:36:13. > :36:16.the pots as they used to do in the olden days, a lot easier to play
:36:17. > :36:41.plain-ball on these super fine cloths.
:36:42. > :36:48.Some great tactical play in this opening frame but that earlier break
:36:49. > :36:54.of 63 that paved the way for John Higgins to win it, he leads one
:36:55. > :36:59.frame to nil. We are settling in to our arena side home for the next
:37:00. > :37:02.five day, you can almost touch the action, we hope it gives you a great
:37:03. > :37:07.view and a sense of what it is about. Settling into this match
:37:08. > :37:10.nicely John Higgins, such a great examples of the great break-building
:37:11. > :37:14.and the craft. You can expect more of that, as I say the shot selection
:37:15. > :37:18.from both is of the highest quality and then they go and play the shots
:37:19. > :37:23.to the highest quality, you will get a lot of frames that will be
:37:24. > :37:26.tactical. I think more than anything, John Higgins it was the
:37:27. > :37:29.way he hit the ball, that break 63 was beautifully constructed but well
:37:30. > :37:34.struck, there was nothing that was hit hard or forceful. He has the
:37:35. > :37:39.pace of the table. We talked about having a few nerves but not in
:37:40. > :37:43.evidence. He came in and sat in the chair and wondered what it is about.
:37:44. > :37:48.He is a professional straight in. He seems very excited about his chances
:37:49. > :37:54.this year, he never talks himself up but you can tell whether he feels
:37:55. > :37:58.confident and the way he has talked before has been significant. You
:37:59. > :38:03.read the article about two weeks' ago and he said he has fancied his
:38:04. > :38:09.chance, that is not like him at all. He was playing well and practising
:38:10. > :38:25.well, he is backing it up. He sure is. Strike one for Higgins.
:38:26. > :38:28.Eight frames being played. As we talk about in commentary it is a
:38:29. > :38:34.case of winning each session if you can, or if you are going to have a
:38:35. > :38:40.bad session, make sure they are only bad by 5-3, to stay close in the
:38:41. > :38:42.match. Barry Hawkins has this cut into the middle. Not a particularly
:38:43. > :38:55.good breaker from John, that. Playing into the corner. Oh
:38:56. > :39:21.fabulous. He is just ahead, that last shot
:39:22. > :39:26.tells you why, he is too near the cushion to be able to pot the pink
:39:27. > :39:32.and gro straight into the, or pot the blue and go straight into the
:39:33. > :39:37.pink, I should say. Just had to play for that one
:39:38. > :39:43.closest to the black, I think he has gone a bit too far.
:39:44. > :39:52.Looking at his body language he stopped in his tracks there, you can
:39:53. > :39:57.see why. As I say he was unlucky to finish as close to the cushion as he
:39:58. > :40:03.did, otherwise he would have potted the blue and went straight into the
:40:04. > :40:13.pink. Mmm. That has left John a free shot.
:40:14. > :40:18.That was played a bit quicker than he probably should have done, should
:40:19. > :40:38.have just give that one a bit more thought.
:40:39. > :40:46.The attempt at the stun run threw, didn't get it quite right. He needed
:40:47. > :40:52.to come just another eight or nine inches. He would like to play into
:40:53. > :40:59.the bunch here. Play for that one remaining red, because it is so
:41:00. > :41:04.thin. He has played into them. That was unlucky, because this shot,
:41:05. > :41:08.with so much right hand side on these cloths, I can't tell you how
:41:09. > :41:13.difficult that is, and he's very close to this, but he might be able
:41:14. > :41:20.to screw back and touch the reds and get on the black.
:41:21. > :41:27.He's thought better of it and he's going for the safety shot.
:41:28. > :41:31.You would think he would have an easier shot than this, as you
:41:32. > :41:47.rightly said the black was a tough pot.
:41:48. > :41:51.That was almost a tempter. Not quite the snooker, with the blue
:41:52. > :41:55.in between the green and brown there is a lovely target there, if the
:41:56. > :42:01.white was six inches to the right, of where it is now, every chance of
:42:02. > :42:13.getting a snooker the way those three colours are placed.
:42:14. > :42:54.There is quite a margin of error to get a good safety chance and every
:42:55. > :42:58.chance of a snooker. Referee just making sure he knows where the white
:42:59. > :43:06.is, just in case there is a foul, and it has to be replaced.
:43:07. > :43:12.And the brown is in a way of going into the side of a bunch. The left
:43:13. > :43:16.side. He is going to have to go twice
:43:17. > :43:24.across the table to land into the reds that side.
:43:25. > :44:20.That's pretty good. Not quite snookered but I mentioned
:44:21. > :44:25.earlier about John Higgins knocking long pots in. He can't quite see
:44:26. > :44:45.that one for the right corner. Now one good telling safety shot
:44:46. > :44:50.here, and John is coming round to look at this long red, he has been
:44:51. > :44:56.potting really well throughout this year's Championship but that would
:44:57. > :45:03.be a big risk, I think a good safety shot here and if he gets in behind
:45:04. > :45:17.those three colours again, he could cause a problem for Barry.
:45:18. > :45:26.Just a little bit too hard, maybe tempted this time Willie? Yes, he
:45:27. > :45:30.can get round the back of the black, the three reds, the middle one, is
:45:31. > :45:37.going to have to play a bit of stun to get that gap. If he plays it
:45:38. > :45:48.plain-ball. He has to stun it a little bit.
:45:49. > :45:50.Played it with a lot of side, not the stun, he still managed to find
:45:51. > :46:11.the gap. If he pots that red that is the
:46:12. > :46:13.angle he will take, he will go up the table but he can't find that gap
:46:14. > :46:30.there. This time he won't be trying to get
:46:31. > :46:35.the white on the baulk. He will try and get on to the blue and pink and
:46:36. > :46:39.going round the angles as Dennis suggested. I am surprised he missed
:46:40. > :46:44.that. He has been good that the sort of shot all tournament, so far.
:46:45. > :46:49.There was just a disstructure with the colour there, he was leaning
:46:50. > :46:51.over. That green was just putting him off
:46:52. > :47:22.slightly. Well, that was a bad mistake, mine
:47:23. > :47:26.Barry's so good at that type of shot, when you mis-hit it, that is
:47:27. > :47:31.the sort of thing that can happen. He didn't find the path. He didn't
:47:32. > :47:38.get near the pot. Let us have a look at this. If he had potted that he
:47:39. > :47:46.might have got the gap. He has put John in right aunderstanding --
:47:47. > :47:50.among them here. What a chance. Get round the back. Not sure whether
:47:51. > :47:55.the black will be available, I don't think it is on its spot at the
:47:56. > :47:59.moment. He has a nice angle to move the
:48:00. > :48:07.three reds away, to try and open things up at this end of the table.
:48:08. > :48:08.Table. Things must be open. Otherwise he would have played to
:48:09. > :48:42.move those three reds. It is OK but having seen where the
:48:43. > :48:45.black has gone for I think it is still available into the middle
:48:46. > :48:50.pocket but not into the corners. That is why I thought he might free
:48:51. > :49:06.the black spot with that first shot on the black.
:49:07. > :49:12.Doesn't have a great angle on the pink, he is probably thinking of
:49:13. > :49:16.playing the cannon on the black to hold the white. He would love not to
:49:17. > :49:23.play that because he doesn't want to move balls round and put them
:49:24. > :49:27.possibly into a safe position. He may have missed a trick, the
:49:28. > :49:35.first black he could have moved those three reds away, still OK,
:49:36. > :49:39.just. The only problem is the blue is off
:49:40. > :49:49.its spot. The angle he has on this red, he will have to play on the
:49:50. > :49:57.blue and the baulk colours here. I'm not sure if that blue passes the
:49:58. > :50:06.green, if not, you felt he had a slight heavy contact there.
:50:07. > :50:16.With that, the kick, the blue would have been much easier. But maybe it
:50:17. > :50:29.doesn't, he is taking the ?. -- brown.
:50:30. > :50:44.Vice Chancellor to work very hard for these. -- having to work very
:50:45. > :50:57.hard for these. I think this red is possibly dead
:50:58. > :51:02.straight. Not much angle on that so it will have to be a good brown. So
:51:03. > :51:12.one God shot here and he could have a great chance.
:51:13. > :51:20.No, not this time. Where's the brown going in
:51:21. > :51:31.Ooh! He couldn't get himself into the ideal position, he was having to
:51:32. > :51:32.work all the way round the table for those points there. You can't keep
:51:33. > :51:45.knocking them in. This red passes the brown but he
:51:46. > :51:50.can't really see the left hand jaw of this pocket. But he can play
:51:51. > :51:56.through slowly. The brown will be sitting there for him, or everyone
:51:57. > :52:01.hold for the black. Decided to make sure... He needs a
:52:02. > :52:15.bit of cue ball power here. Just went in off it. Not bound to
:52:16. > :52:40.get in off a red, this shot. Played very well.
:52:41. > :52:46.You would fancy him knocking this in, he has plenty to do with the cue
:52:47. > :52:53.ball in potting this red. If the yellow passes he may take it
:52:54. > :53:19.on. Still going to be a long way away
:53:20. > :53:23.from the next red. Does he have an angle to get on to the black in the
:53:24. > :54:07.same pocket? If he does, this is a good chance.
:54:08. > :54:17.I think he has the perfect angle on the black.
:54:18. > :54:21.Yes. Oh he bounced it in and that is the
:54:22. > :54:26.end of break. The fact that the white bounced there, just took it
:54:27. > :54:33.away. He seemed to stun it, he needed the, a lot more top-spin
:54:34. > :54:38.rather than stun on it. Presume it must will have been some
:54:39. > :54:44.sort of kick, because both balls took off there, everything is is
:54:45. > :54:52.covering one of those, or the six reds, so he needs a good safety
:54:53. > :54:57.shot. He can do it off the red, that's just between the two reds and
:54:58. > :55:06.the black, he can stun up past the pink and get in behind green and
:55:07. > :55:10.blue. It's pretty good.
:55:11. > :55:15.There is one red to pot and John will have to take it on but there is
:55:16. > :55:19.a slight angle here, if this goes in, he could finish on brown or
:55:20. > :55:34.black here, but this requires good cueing.
:55:35. > :55:40.It was Barry's shot, he should have got over on the brown and green
:55:41. > :55:47.there, the way John is potting, you can't leave a shot like that.
:55:48. > :55:52.But this is not straightforward. It will pay dividends if this goes
:55:53. > :56:04.on in. Just about.
:56:05. > :56:12.Chance is there now for possibly taking a 2-0 advantage. That was a
:56:13. > :56:21.fabulous pot on the black. He would be bound to be leaving the two reds
:56:22. > :56:24.but just went in off the jaw. With the black big available, all
:56:25. > :56:28.four reds are available, every chance is he is going to be leading
:56:29. > :56:42.2-0. And I don't think like saying this,
:56:43. > :56:50.but what John Higgins is doing now, he is not making any careless shots,
:56:51. > :56:58.over the last four or five seasons, he would play really well and all of
:56:59. > :57:05.a sudden he would miss the easiest of shots, he has cut that out of his
:57:06. > :57:17.game, that is why he is winning lots of tournaments again.
:57:18. > :57:46.39 in front, so just the red needed. He wants to pot both reds to keep
:57:47. > :58:03.Barry in his chair. As long as he doesn't do anything
:58:04. > :58:05.too flash with the red, he should just pot the red and that should
:58:06. > :58:28.keep Barry sitting in his chair. John Higgins conceded so John
:58:29. > :58:31.Higgins has evened the scores at one all.
:58:32. > :58:35.HAZEL IRVINE: John taking a quick break, that is an appropriate time
:58:36. > :58:40.for us to leave you here on BBC Two, but we are going nowhere, we hope to
:58:41. > :58:44.continue sharing the evening with you, over on our red Button
:58:45. > :58:47.coverage, now, so I do hope you will grab the remote. We will catch you
:58:48. > :58:51.again in just a moment's time. Otherwise I will be back with the
:58:52. > :58:54.highlights here on BBC Two, at 11.15. We will catch you soon.