Day 14, Semi-Finals, Evening Session - Pt 1 Snooker: World Championship


Day 14, Semi-Finals, Evening Session - Pt 1

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Transcript


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Hello and good evening and welcome back to the Crucible Theatre in

:01:17.:01:22.

Sheffield. Tonight we have the third session of the semifinal between

:01:23.:01:28.

last year's finalist, Mark Selby taking on China's Ding Junhui. It is

:01:29.:01:32.

set to be another gripping night of snooker. Mark Selby trails by five

:01:33.:01:42.

frames to three. You can stand there all day and try and hit that shot

:01:43.:01:48.

perfectly. Excellent reply. Very well done, his fifth century of the

:01:49.:01:51.

tournament, but more importantly, he has closed the gap again. He going

:01:52.:02:01.

for it. He has got it, what a shot. Tremendous pot from Mark Selby. Ding

:02:02.:02:10.

Junhui, not having much run of the ball. Mark Selby came into it two

:02:11.:02:20.

behind, he is going into the interval two in front. Mark Selby

:02:21.:02:26.

has something to think about now. A little bit of luck for once. Well

:02:27.:02:28.

played, brave shot. He has got a beautiful line. If he

:02:29.:02:44.

misses the brown, this is sensational. What a shot that was.

:02:45.:02:49.

And the black, for all wonderfully compiled century break. Wonderfully

:02:50.:02:59.

played, Ding Junhui at his best. Mark Selby started the session two

:03:00.:03:08.

behind, finishes it two in front. This is how it stands this evening.

:03:09.:03:14.

Look how tight it is between these two superb players. Selby's 12 wins

:03:15.:03:26.

the Ding's 11. Ding winning in the quarterfinal in 2011 and Mark Selby

:03:27.:03:29.

winning last year's final at the Crucible. Stephen Hendrie is

:03:30.:03:35.

alongside me. Let's talk about third session mentality, what is going

:03:36.:03:41.

through their minds now? It is moving day, you have to get yourself

:03:42.:03:47.

into a nice position. Mark Selby has given himself the opportunity to do

:03:48.:03:50.

that. The big night for Ding Junhui commie has to win this session to

:03:51.:03:55.

have any chance of winning tomorrow. What was your assessment of the way

:03:56.:03:58.

Mark Selby came out and performed so well? He put all the doubts to bed

:03:59.:04:05.

in the first round, his safety play was as good as it always is. Ding

:04:06.:04:10.

made a magnificent 139, Diaz to do more of that. He virtually hasn't

:04:11.:04:15.

got to miss the ball. He didn't get much luck in the first three frames?

:04:16.:04:22.

No, he didn't get a good run of the ball, but it normally evens itself

:04:23.:04:27.

out. Ding Junhui knocked out Ronnie O'Sullivan, does he walked out of

:04:28.:04:32.

here thinking, this is my night? He beat Ronnie, magnificent. He has got

:04:33.:04:36.

to step up another level in this match. The session tonight for Ding

:04:37.:04:41.

is so important, he has to win it. Cheeky question, does the winner

:04:42.:04:48.

tonight on and win the title? I have thought Mark Selby's name has been

:04:49.:04:54.

on the trophy from the start. Let's said hello to Rob Walker.

:04:55.:05:02.

What an epic night in store at the sport's spiritual home. This is a

:05:03.:05:10.

battle is be part of the 2017 BetFred World Snooker Championship

:05:11.:05:13.

final. We sat for a cracking night of here at the Crucible.

:05:14.:05:21.

Please welcome first of all, a man who has helped pave the way for a

:05:22.:05:41.

new generation of snooker players and fans back home. He won his first

:05:42.:05:46.

ranking title when he was just 18. 12 years later he has a dozen big

:05:47.:05:51.

victories to his name. He has been brilliant here this year and will be

:05:52.:05:54.

ready to produce that form again tonight because he is a national

:05:55.:06:01.

hero in China. So enter the Dragon, Ding Junhui.

:06:02.:06:04.

CHEERING and APPLAUSE And his opponent, 12 years after his

:06:05.:06:30.

Crucible debut, he is now one of the sport's key players. World number

:06:31.:06:34.

one for more than two years, winner of 11 ranking titles and three

:06:35.:06:40.

Masters crowns, the reigning UK champion, the defending world

:06:41.:06:45.

champion, the Jester from Leicester, he is Mark Selby.

:06:46.:06:49.

CHEERING and APPLAUSE COMMENTATOR: It is Mark Selby

:06:50.:07:08.

against Ding Junhui live on BBC Two. Good evening to John Virgo and

:07:09.:07:19.

Dennis Taylor. COMMENTATOR: Great to be sitting

:07:20.:07:23.

next to John Virgo for what will be an important session in this

:07:24.:07:24.

semifinal. It is Ding Junhui that gets it

:07:25.:07:40.

underway. I am with Stephen Hendry, John, Ding has to win the session

:07:41.:07:51.

5-3? Yes, but if he can go into the final session tomorrow afternoon

:07:52.:07:55.

just two behind, I think it is still all to play for. But to be only two

:07:56.:08:01.

behind of course. This is a big session.

:08:02.:08:08.

Not a lot of difference between the important stats, both made high

:08:09.:08:18.

breaks, the pot success. Little bit lower than what you would expect,

:08:19.:08:24.

89%. But they are both on the same mark, so both have missed some you

:08:25.:08:32.

would expect them to get. This is a lovely line, it is a lovely length.

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Behind Biyi Alo. Good shot. Nice shot. -- behind the yellow. Got the

:08:41.:08:46.

pace of the table. It looked as if it wasn't going to

:08:47.:09:20.

reach there, but because he had so much side on that to create the

:09:21.:09:24.

angle, it just kept on rolling. Can he get behind the yellow again? He

:09:25.:09:32.

will be trying to do that. Bit too hard, I think.

:09:33.:09:42.

He still got behind it. Great atmosphere this evening in the

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Crucible Theatre as the players were introduced. The crowd were really up

:09:48.:09:54.

for this session. That is what Mark is faced with there. I think when

:09:55.:10:03.

you get evenings like this, there is tension in the air. We all want to

:10:04.:10:07.

see great matches and this has the potential to be one. Mark Selby,

:10:08.:10:16.

world number one, defending champion. Playing a man who has

:10:17.:10:22.

proved, and he proved against Ronnie O'Sullivan, given half a chance can

:10:23.:10:29.

win any frame in one visit. So Mark has to be very careful. But

:10:30.:10:32.

shouldn't leave anything with a shot like this. He is somewhere in the

:10:33.:10:42.

audience, not sure where. A good mate of ours, in the sponsor's

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Lounge, the Silver Fox, David Taylor, world amateur champion,

:10:49.:10:54.

great professional for many years. 74 years of age, doesn't look a day

:10:55.:10:56.

over 50. Great to see him here. This is a more difficult shot than

:10:57.:11:46.

the snooker, funnily enough. Beautiful line. Well played. It is

:11:47.:11:55.

very, very difficult to trap that man. He has got lots of moves on a

:11:56.:11:57.

snooker table. He has missed the blue. Good safety

:11:58.:12:30.

here from both players. Who is going to get the first chance?

:12:31.:12:53.

Had to catch this very thin. Good line and the horrific pace. We know

:12:54.:13:12.

where this is going to finish. Superb shot.

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Is there any player in the game that knows the angles as well as Mark

:13:21.:13:25.

Selby? That was judged to perfection. And what a situation

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Ding faces here, as we show you it again. Went off for questions before

:13:36.:13:49.

it went behind the yellow. That is why I have christened him, Sat Nav

:13:50.:13:59.

Selby. The only way Ding Junhui can get self if he gets to the red

:14:00.:14:05.

closest to the top cushion. It is a great hit.

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We haven't had a ball potted yet, but the applause from the audience

:14:16.:14:22.

for some of these safety shots and escapes, the refit. -- the horrific.

:14:23.:14:32.

There is an interesting stats, Ding just slightly ahead. Unlucky. May

:14:33.:14:41.

not cost him too much, but a bit unlucky to flick the yellow and go

:14:42.:14:42.

in office. I wonder if Ding can return the

:14:43.:14:52.

compliment? I think that was a half-hearted

:14:53.:15:18.

attempt at the plant. This frame is in its eighth minute and I cannot

:15:19.:15:22.

think of a pot that has been available for either player. Just

:15:23.:15:33.

coming up to the eight minute mark. There is a pot left on here, but

:15:34.:15:37.

whether Ding Junhui will be tempted by it, is another matter. Having

:15:38.:15:42.

said that, it is very difficult to see the safety. And sometimes when

:15:43.:15:49.

you corner a player and don't give him an escape route, you force him

:15:50.:15:51.

into playing the pot. This is his view. He can't get saved

:15:52.:16:06.

down the left-hand side of the table, as he looks. But those three

:16:07.:16:12.

reds on the right, the outside one of the three, it does pass the

:16:13.:16:17.

black. He doesn't fancy it. So nestling up to the red near the top

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cushion, the one he made contact with before. Good line. Beautifully

:16:26.:16:27.

judged. Back behind the yellow again, if he

:16:28.:16:38.

misses the blue. It is on its way again. Not quite

:16:39.:16:54.

this time, but still a pretty good safety shots.

:16:55.:17:32.

He can hit reds, but he doesn't feel as though the red pecan hit, he can

:17:33.:17:41.

get say. Bit more difficult this time to judge. But looks like he has

:17:42.:17:53.

judged it to perfection. Unbelievable, this.

:17:54.:18:11.

Not that you would be allowed to do, but one player could stand at one

:18:12.:18:18.

end of the table and the other player at this end of the table and

:18:19.:18:22.

it would be a bit like a tennis match.

:18:23.:18:39.

This time he has a possibility to play safe down the right-hand side

:18:40.:18:48.

of the table, as we look. But he has got to catch this red thin. You

:18:49.:18:57.

can't catch it much better than that and what a beautiful line. And all

:18:58.:19:02.

of the sudden he gets the advantage in the safety exchange. Well played.

:19:03.:19:10.

There is no escape route for Mark Selby down the right-hand side, so

:19:11.:19:13.

he is faced with the problem but Ding Junhui has been faced with, his

:19:14.:19:15.

last four visits. He is trying to think of another

:19:16.:19:41.

escape route. But Ding Junhui, twice had gone across the table and landed

:19:42.:19:47.

on the red behind the black spot area. Mark has spotted another

:19:48.:20:00.

escape route. No gap this time, but I think he has got away with it.

:20:01.:20:05.

Only one possible pot into the right middle pocket, but I can't see a

:20:06.:20:14.

colour from that. Not much value in taking the pot on, unless he could

:20:15.:20:23.

get onto the pink. The early part of the second session, Ding Junhui

:20:24.:20:26.

didn't have a very good run of the balls. It is so important, he

:20:27.:20:34.

deserved to get the first chance. But Mark Selby, played a poor

:20:35.:20:40.

safety, has been very fortunate. Caught the red much too thick and

:20:41.:20:46.

that is why it went into the black and then the black covered the red

:20:47.:20:50.

that would have tempted Ding Junhui. I don't see another. No, he had no

:20:51.:20:54.

pot on. I think he can see enough of this

:20:55.:21:13.

red on the right side of the table to come back down off. But he has

:21:14.:21:18.

got to be careful, he could get the double-kiss. So he doesn't like that

:21:19.:21:31.

one. I suppose the other way is to come off the top cushion and nestle

:21:32.:21:36.

into the red. He is thinking of something.

:21:37.:21:52.

The red is on to the middle. How is it just run that inch too far? I

:21:53.:22:04.

think it will cut in, John. It is a very thin one. But he's not looking

:22:05.:22:06.

at it at the moment. I think he can get past the black.

:22:07.:22:21.

He's now looking at the angle of the red. If he cuts this in, he wouldn't

:22:22.:22:25.

have any idea where the cue was going. There is not a lot of value

:22:26.:22:31.

in coming back up the table because pink and black are awkward. Pink is

:22:32.:22:36.

in the open somewhat, but he doesn't fancy that cut in.

:22:37.:22:50.

He caught that a bit too thick, but he has still covered the safety. We

:22:51.:23:15.

are in the 16th minute. Hardly a sniff of a pot for either player.

:23:16.:23:43.

That has opened the reds up nicely. I suppose this is one stack we

:23:44.:23:55.

wouldn't have. I can't remember a frame with still 15 reds on the

:23:56.:24:01.

table and they have been going 16 and a half a minute without a ball

:24:02.:24:09.

being potted. I can't remember one. And I have been coming here John, 40

:24:10.:24:14.

years. Every year playing and commentating, and I can't remember a

:24:15.:24:18.

frame going this long, the opening frame of the session. So close, but

:24:19.:24:27.

he has got a good cue ball. Good cue ball. I have been coming here the

:24:28.:24:38.

same, Dennis. Normally when it takes this long without a red being

:24:39.:24:42.

potted, we are thinking about every rack, but not on this occasion. The

:24:43.:24:49.

way the Reds are spread, who ever gets first chance, could get plenty.

:24:50.:25:09.

He looked at sending this red in off another red. Far too thin. Surely he

:25:10.:25:22.

can't get away with it this time. There must be something available

:25:23.:25:26.

into the left corner. He can pot the one next to the blue. But there is

:25:27.:25:38.

certainly a red available but can he get onto a colour? Now he's back

:25:39.:25:39.

looking at the one next to the blue. He had to avoid the kiss on the

:25:40.:26:00.

yellow at all costs. No problem doing that. Ding Junhui gets the

:26:01.:26:09.

better of Mark Selby. In an 18 minute safety battle. That doesn't

:26:10.:26:11.

happen often. It is not going to nestle on the

:26:12.:26:42.

red, surely? You are playing the wide into an area where you think

:26:43.:26:46.

you will have a choice of five or six reds, and look where it has

:26:47.:26:53.

landed. You just think to yourself, but the whites in the area and you

:26:54.:26:57.

are bound to have a pot on and look where it landed. Anything he is

:26:58.:27:04.

faced with, is not straightforward. There is one possible red and that

:27:05.:27:05.

is just above the pink. He would be on the yellow, should he

:27:06.:27:21.

pot it. He's going for the more difficult red. He needs to get this.

:27:22.:27:33.

Where is the red going to finish up? I think he can get past the yellow.

:27:34.:27:40.

There is a gap between the brown and yellow. Maybe he has got away with

:27:41.:27:44.

it. With a prolonged safety bout, you

:27:45.:27:56.

lose a little bit of rhythm. Can he knocked this long one in? No. He

:27:57.:28:06.

might have got away with this. I am just having a quick look. One will

:28:07.:28:11.

go in the middle but there is no easy start again. It is quite

:28:12.:28:15.

unusual this, to be right in amongst them and then not have an easy

:28:16.:28:21.

starter. They all seem to be covering each other into the left

:28:22.:28:25.

corner, covering each other into the left middle. Full.

:28:26.:28:38.

Just the one read that will pot, the one to the left of the pink.

:28:39.:28:55.

This is a slightly better chance for Mark Selby. He has been fortunate a

:28:56.:29:05.

couple of times, John? Unbelievable sometimes, the run of the balls.

:29:06.:29:11.

Once Mark Selby had missed the red in the corner and the cue ball

:29:12.:29:15.

stayed in this half of the table, how did he not leave anything easy?

:29:16.:30:26.

He can just forget about the black, concentrate on the pink and the blue

:30:27.:30:34.

if he needs it, it's on the spot. It is a pretty good chance this.

:30:35.:30:40.

What is there? At least five, six reds, nicely placed.

:30:41.:30:47.

Looking for a 70 points, to leave Ding needing a snooker.

:30:48.:31:43.

Just got to be careful now, he needs good close control of the cue ball,

:31:44.:31:50.

the reds are becoming a little more awkward.

:31:51.:31:57.

I think there will be a time when, there's three reds to the left of

:31:58.:32:01.

the black, the bottom will go to the corner, he could play for the black,

:32:02.:32:06.

the black would be available into both corner pockets.

:32:07.:32:15.

Might play for that red now. The one immediately to the left of

:32:16.:32:16.

the black. Straight run would have been better,

:32:17.:32:31.

but he can play for the black off this red now.

:32:32.:32:44.

You would think roll this in and then cannon the red just above the

:32:45.:32:53.

red he's potting. Nicely played. Now he can get the black in play, then

:32:54.:32:58.

it does become a frame-winning opportunity.

:32:59.:33:32.

I've noticed with Mark Selby he is comfortable striking and bridging

:33:33.:33:38.

over a ball when he is hampered. He is quite a tall lad, he's got

:33:39.:33:48.

longish fingers which helps but he never seems to miss, he always

:33:49.:33:53.

seems, and even with power he seems to be able to strike over a ball and

:33:54.:33:57.

create enough pace. So there you see it. Just another 19

:33:58.:34:14.

points needed to get to the snookers required stage.

:34:15.:34:20.

That basically equates to three more reds and three colours.

:34:21.:34:32.

He should be OK up this end of the table but he has the red up next to

:34:33.:34:40.

the yellow that is in a nice easy pottable position, if he should need

:34:41.:34:41.

that. He has done very well here u but it

:34:42.:35:11.

has to be said he was rather fortunate, he got away with a couple

:35:12.:35:16.

of shots that he messed up, and didn't leave Ding Junhui in.

:35:17.:35:26.

Yes, it's a cruel game sometimes but Ding Junhui did have a good chance,

:35:27.:35:30.

you could say he was unlucky when he potted the green and finished on

:35:31.:35:35.

nothing, but... You have to make the most of every half chance you get,

:35:36.:35:42.

particularly against this man. He doesn't give many opportunities

:35:43.:35:49.

and this black, the moment he is 58 points in front, there is 59

:35:50.:35:55.

remaining. Manufacture This black, two snookers will be needed.

:35:56.:36:16.

It looked like it was going to be a really long frame, it was 18 minutes

:36:17.:36:23.

before a ball was potted but this break has been going just

:36:24.:36:26.

seven-and-a-half minutes so.... It is still going to be under the 30

:36:27.:36:35.

minutes, you would feel. This red as I mentioned was always

:36:36.:36:39.

going to be available, but his hasn't played it too well, unless he

:36:40.:36:45.

finds the gap. He might pot this off the side cushion. A trick shot. Dead

:36:46.:36:50.

weight, if he knocks the red in he will get a terrific round of

:36:51.:36:55.

applause, he is good at the angles. He is pretty good at the angles.

:36:56.:37:06.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE He certainly enjoyed that, and we

:37:07.:37:11.

had a few whistles as well for that little trick shot.

:37:12.:37:21.

Wow! Look at this for a shot. Unbelievable. Wow! Where did this

:37:22.:37:35.

come from? A possible hundred from the situation the balls were in.

:37:36.:37:40.

He has already had five in this year's World Championship.

:37:41.:37:46.

66 we've had in tote 8. 20 away from the record.

:37:47.:37:47.

-- total. He may be faced with quite a thin

:37:48.:38:04.

cut back here. This is a very similar cut back to the one in 85.

:38:05.:38:21.

Right in the heart of the pocket. It didn't look possible to make a

:38:22.:38:25.

century break from where the balls were situated.

:38:26.:38:32.

But in it goes. Fabulous effort from Mark Selby.

:38:33.:38:37.

That is his 54th century this season.

:38:38.:38:43.

He made 47 last season, and that's why he is world number one and has

:38:44.:38:46.

been for just over two years. Yes, and a bit when he missed a

:38:47.:39:01.

couple, but this has been a sensational clearance. And I say

:39:02.:39:06.

clearance because I expect him to concentrate fully now, and pot this

:39:07.:39:08.

blue, pink and black. He has had a 139, a 143, but Ronnie

:39:09.:39:28.

O'Sullivan holds 146. But this is very timely.

:39:29.:39:38.

It was a very tactical frame at the start, over 18 minutes before a ball

:39:39.:39:44.

was potted but that is a magnificent break of 128, and Mark Selby extends

:39:45.:39:52.

his lead, he now leads 10-7. The 67th century of the tournament so

:39:53.:39:55.

far. Why have two former world champion, you have an extra one

:39:56.:40:00.

here, Ken is with us this evening, absolutely brilliant from Mark

:40:01.:40:05.

Selby. Yes, a fantastic break, I mean he potted some fantastic balls

:40:06.:40:10.

to keep the break going but he got a lot of luck. Ding was beating him

:40:11.:40:16.

with safety. His safety success isn't much higher than Mark Selby.

:40:17.:40:21.

Before he played the shot. Ding was left in. The red has covered the

:40:22.:40:26.

red, into the middle. It could have been, that break could have been

:40:27.:40:29.

Ding Junhui's break. He went for a tough red in the middle. Trying to

:40:30.:40:33.

get on to the black into the left corner this is what happened.

:40:34.:40:36.

Sometimes you need a bit of luck. But when you do get the bit of luck

:40:37.:40:41.

as Mark Selby did, he dually converted and what a fantastic break

:40:42.:40:47.

it was. Yes, this shot, I mean, wow. That was just like cueing, the

:40:48.:40:52.

highest order. I know the frame is one but to cue that like that, the

:40:53.:40:56.

power and control that is required. It is difficult to teach that sort

:40:57.:41:01.

of thing, Ken is right, the luck was frightening, how he got away with

:41:02.:41:05.

that, but from then on, it was just flawless. Flawless. I mean I

:41:06.:41:10.

commentated in the 143. That was the same. On our highlights show later

:41:11.:41:15.

on, if you have been watching on BBC Two we have shot of the day. Do you

:41:16.:41:18.

think we have a contender? That is shot of the Championship.

:41:19.:41:36.

Not the best break-off shot there. Mark Selby. Ding Junhui. Just having

:41:37.:41:42.

a look to see if the black is available into the right corner.

:41:43.:41:48.

If it is, I think it makes this pot a little more easier. He didn't have

:41:49.:41:59.

to do much with the cue ball. The black did go, where is this red

:42:00.:42:08.

going? He's going to be hampered, Mark, but will he take it on? The

:42:09.:42:14.

black goes to the opposite corner, he tried to play that red.

:42:15.:42:21.

The question is, has that red run safe? Just waiting for someone to

:42:22.:42:30.

take their seat there. As I mentioned Marking ore a red

:42:31.:42:35.

seems to play them so well. This is a tester for that. Very solid bridge

:42:36.:42:39.

hand there, but a bit of unwanted side, you can miss these.

:42:40.:42:45.

He plays them so well. That was about the best he could

:42:46.:42:58.

imagine, he is the wrong side of the blue but he can get back up to the

:42:59.:43:07.

reds here. Well not as he intended but it might

:43:08.:43:11.

work out to his advantage, he will take this on with the rest and maybe

:43:12.:43:17.

open the bunch. He put a bit too much left-hand side side. It may

:43:18.:43:22.

work to his advantage but this red is definitely missable. See when it

:43:23.:43:26.

checks up, that the left-hand side that caused that and it just sent it

:43:27.:43:30.

too straight on for the red. As Dennis said it may work to his

:43:31.:43:34.

advantage, the fact in potting it he will be bringing in the pink and

:43:35.:43:38.

other reds into play, he has to play it with a lot of pace and using the

:43:39.:43:52.

rest makes this red missable. 93%, he has only missed one with the

:43:53.:43:56.

rest during this match. He has missed that one. What has he left?

:43:57.:44:08.

Nothing. Amazing. He would have thought I must get in

:44:09.:44:12.

otherwise I'm going to leave Ding Junhui right in among them and he

:44:13.:44:18.

has covered everything. Doesn't half make a big difference

:44:19.:44:21.

if you miss and you get away with it. I think from Ding Junhui's point

:44:22.:44:32.

of view, Dennis, he is very debilitating, you see your opponent

:44:33.:44:36.

make a mistake, it is quite a walk to the table and you are looking for

:44:37.:44:40.

something, anything, and that is about three time, and of course, now

:44:41.:44:44.

we are at the one table situation, there you see, players sat quite a

:44:45.:44:51.

distance from the table. Mark Selby, he is playing his luck

:44:52.:44:52.

here. Nothing lucky about that safety

:44:53.:45:15.

shot, played to perfection. Just a little point while we show

:45:16.:45:19.

you the players's view, we were talking to Ding Junhui's friends up

:45:20.:45:25.

in the champions lounge, from China, and Steven Hendry said what do they

:45:26.:45:31.

call him in China, do they call him Ding? They said it is all right.

:45:32.:45:37.

People call him Ding, even though it sound like you are calling him by

:45:38.:45:44.

his surname. You have Selby and Ding, so it is a

:45:45.:45:48.

surname but it is OK to call him Ding, he is quite happy with that.

:45:49.:46:01.

That's all he coiled do. He has made -- could do. He has made a good job

:46:02.:46:10.

of it. The one to the left of blue is pottable. He must be very

:46:11.:46:14.

anxious, wants to get his hand on the table, have an easy starter.

:46:15.:46:20.

You can't blame him for thinking he is entitled to get one.

:46:21.:46:25.

It is like when people fluke a red and make a big break, you say yes,

:46:26.:46:29.

but apart from the fluke, the rest of it was flawless. . If it hadn't

:46:30.:46:33.

been for the fluke he would never have had the opportunity.

:46:34.:46:44.

To the line. I think he is using all his experience, he is not going to

:46:45.:47:05.

risk a long pot, and leave Ding in among them. So he is keeping it

:47:06.:47:11.

tight here. Got a three frame advantage, that is

:47:12.:47:17.

why he didn't risk the long put. Keep your opponent in trouble.

:47:18.:47:21.

Yes, I think that has been Mark Selby 's game plan from frame one.

:47:22.:47:28.

He is more inclined to play thin safeties rather than the attacking

:47:29.:47:32.

safety. He knows how dangerous Ding Junhui can be, when he gets in among

:47:33.:47:34.

the balls. He is frightened to play the

:47:35.:47:56.

containing safety to this end, because there is is a red, the one

:47:57.:48:00.

furthest away from this top cushion would be available to the right

:48:01.:48:03.

corner. He can't get to the side cushion, to

:48:04.:48:09.

nestle on the red because the yellow is in the way.

:48:10.:48:13.

So another headache for the young man.

:48:14.:48:23.

That red that is just away from the top cushion the furthest away, he is

:48:24.:48:27.

trying to nestle on to that. He needs to judge this well.

:48:28.:48:34.

Needs to judge it well, if he slips by it he leaves it. Well played.

:48:35.:48:46.

Haye had threes capes like that in the opening flame that which

:48:47.:48:52.

particulared to perfection. -- that were played.

:48:53.:49:04.

Couple of reds he can get back down the table off, but he is looking for

:49:05.:49:10.

the one that will make it as awkward adds possible for his opponent.

:49:11.:49:19.

Needs to miss the brown, and he hasn't.

:49:20.:49:25.

And brown, now it is next to the yellow is a nice target, Ding might

:49:26.:49:29.

be able to get in behind those two. Two.

:49:30.:49:30.

From this position. You have to say this, start of this

:49:31.:49:56.

evening's session is absolutely wonderful snooker. Snooker for the

:49:57.:50:01.

connoisseur. Some of the safety has been

:50:02.:50:10.

absolutely brilliant. Called it a bit too thick. And he's

:50:11.:50:20.

left to a chance. You would think he would be looking at the red close

:50:21.:50:23.

toast the cue ball. Just got to avoid the left middle

:50:24.:50:25.

pocket here. A lot of support here in the

:50:26.:50:45.

Crucible Theatre for Ding Junhui. He has been living in the Sheffield

:50:46.:50:49.

area for ten year, believe it or not.

:50:50.:50:56.

But this is a pretty good chance. Can he return the compliment and

:50:57.:51:02.

make him a sizeable contribution here? You have seen Mark Selby make

:51:03.:51:10.

that magnificent 128. This is his response.

:51:11.:51:59.

He's OK. A bit straighter on this red would have been ideal. Needs

:52:00.:52:06.

another 49 points from this position, to clinch the frame.

:52:07.:52:16.

He may not be too happy with that. Slightly hampered. It all depends on

:52:17.:52:21.

the potting angle of the pink, if he can roll it in and get on the next

:52:22.:52:25.

red, fine. He's OK.

:52:26.:52:32.

He was OK. He just said the agile where he

:52:33.:52:39.

could roll it in, max time, just over seven hours.

:52:40.:52:44.

-- angle. OK, he has a red just above the

:52:45.:52:58.

black spot, if he has the right angle he can play for.

:52:59.:53:04.

Could decide to play for the black. Got the perfect angle on the pink.

:53:05.:53:13.

When you have these long-drawn-out safety ex change, when you get these

:53:14.:53:17.

opportunities, you have to take them, so there is pressure on every

:53:18.:53:22.

shot. And when he pots this red it is

:53:23.:53:28.

clearing the path for the red to the right of the four, for the left

:53:29.:53:37.

corner pocket. So those four reds are all available

:53:38.:53:47.

towards the pink. Playing out for those, rather than the difficult one

:53:48.:53:50.

on the cushion, he could have done with hitting it a little harder. He

:53:51.:53:54.

is just slightly out of position, but he should be OK, there is is a

:53:55.:53:58.

little gap there that he can screw through, to get on the pink.

:53:59.:54:06.

Just a delicate little gap that he has found perfectly.

:54:07.:54:11.

Looked at his body language, he looked up there. I don't think he is

:54:12.:54:17.

perfect on this pink. He can just hold it. A little stun

:54:18.:54:22.

run through, he found he can drop it in, dead weight. Still retain nice

:54:23.:54:27.

position. And those three reds in the middle

:54:28.:54:31.

with colour, you would think he would put it past the point where

:54:32.:54:39.

Mark Selby needs a snooker. And removing that red has cleared

:54:40.:54:43.

the path for the other two to the right corner.

:54:44.:54:48.

So good response after that opening frame.

:54:49.:54:59.

It was always going to be cracking semifinal. It would have graced any

:55:00.:55:06.

final, this match. Well, it was a final last year,

:55:07.:55:11.

wasn't it. When Ding had to come through the

:55:12.:55:17.

qualifying stages, and got himself through to the final. So now, this

:55:18.:55:30.

red, and the black, to go 66 points ahead, with only 59 remaining.

:55:31.:55:35.

As you say Dennis, what a response this has been. He could have been

:55:36.:55:39.

forgiven for feeling a bit down after what happened to him in the

:55:40.:55:45.

first frame, but none of it. Very well played.

:55:46.:55:52.

Very well played indeed. 66 points the lead, 59 remaining.

:55:53.:55:57.

And I suggest that he just rolls this red in, he doesn't want Mark

:55:58.:56:01.

Selby to be playing for snooker, just make certain of the red.

:56:02.:56:06.

That's exactly what he does. That will mean no way back to the table

:56:07.:56:09.

now for Mark Selby. Good play. Oh great shot on the pink! The

:56:10.:56:32.

standard here is absolutely superb. Chance of a century. Who would have

:56:33.:56:40.

thought it? Yes, who would have thought it in the opening frame

:56:41.:56:44.

after the way the match started, over 18 minutes without a ball being

:56:45.:56:49.

potted but the standard has been superb.

:56:50.:56:57.

He has had 11 centuries so far, way ahead of anyone else in this year's

:56:58.:57:09.

Bet Fred World Championship. If he could get one here he would

:57:10.:57:13.

have twice as many as the next player.

:57:14.:57:18.

Mark Selby and Mark Allen are on six.

:57:19.:57:24.

He just didn't get the right angle. For 100, what a century this would

:57:25.:57:31.

be. Oh he got a kick. He got a kick.

:57:32.:57:43.

Well, it doesn't matter, well done Ding Junhui, Mark Selby seemed, he

:57:44.:57:49.

got one chance and he did the business. Marvellous play from both

:57:50.:57:55.

players. Two in it again, 10-8, Mark Selby. Almost another ton. I wonder

:57:56.:58:00.

when I look at the quality of match play here, whether we could be

:58:01.:58:03.

looking, one of The Crucible semifinals. Yes, absolutely. I think

:58:04.:58:08.

the most impressive thing, when you have long bouts of safety it is hard

:58:09.:58:13.

to keep concentration, we went 18 minutes without a pot and Mark Selby

:58:14.:58:16.

got one chance and made a century. Same with Ding there, he had been

:58:17.:58:20.

kept out for so long, but the one chance he can make a wonderful

:58:21.:58:25.

break, under pressure as well, that has been very impressive. Mark Selby

:58:26.:58:31.

has got away with winning the first frame, Haye has got away with

:58:32.:58:34.

another one, Ding has come to the table. Long safety bouts but when he

:58:35.:58:40.

gets in he is a machine Ding Junhui, an absolute machine. It is the

:58:41.:58:44.

perfect response. See where he has his arm now. When Mark Selby is

:58:45.:58:48.

parading round the table, he is looking comfortable there, Ding was

:58:49.:58:52.

in that position, and I was looking at him thinking he looks a bit

:58:53.:58:57.

forlorn there, thinking I can't do much there. The way he made the

:58:58.:59:02.

century, the balls he was potting, Ding could be forgiven for putting

:59:03.:59:07.

his head down a bit. Tremendous testimony transplant. Maybe a few

:59:08.:59:11.

years ago Ding said you know he might have put his head down. I

:59:12.:59:14.

think over the last couple of years he has matured. Getting the the

:59:15.:59:19.

final last year here has matured him a lot and working with Terry

:59:20.:59:23.

Griffiths as well, it has to be mentioned. Yes, absolutely. Dennis,

:59:24.:59:28.

Ken is right, we have seen a very different Ding Junhui haven't we.

:59:29.:59:34.

Yes, his temperament is totally difference. He doesn't beat himself

:59:35.:59:38.

up the way he used to do, he used to go back to his seat and slouch in

:59:39.:59:44.

the seat, and the body language was always pretty poor but that has long

:59:45.:59:46.

gone. The white is close. Only going to

:59:47.:00:30.

cost him four points and there's nothing available.

:00:31.:00:46.

That is a bit short of pace. He might be tempted here. He might just

:00:47.:00:57.

be tempted to have a go at this long red because he can get on the black.

:00:58.:01:02.

It is a tough one, but he can come around and see what he would leave.

:01:03.:01:08.

I don't think he can hold for the black of one cushion if he takes the

:01:09.:01:14.

pot on. He is an attacking player and that is what he is going to

:01:15.:01:21.

attempt. This will be some shot if he can pot it and hold for the

:01:22.:01:30.

black. Where is the red going to finish? It might just be tempted

:01:31.:01:41.

here to take the double on. It is a thin cut back. The double would be a

:01:42.:01:50.

free shot. He's pretty good at doubling balls is Ding Junhui.

:01:51.:02:03.

It's not far away. Look at the cue ball. He would have been right in. I

:02:04.:02:21.

am sure, for a second he thought it was in the pocket. It was so close.

:02:22.:02:32.

But once again, Mark Selby close to the Reds. No intention of bringing

:02:33.:02:37.

anything out. He is playing thin safety is all the time, trying to

:02:38.:02:41.

keep this much very tight. You see the other side of it, Ding Junhui

:02:42.:02:46.

will be more inclined to play a thicker safety and bring the Reds

:02:47.:02:58.

into play. Good length of the cue ball was needed and got. He has left

:02:59.:03:04.

a half ball pot on. But he has made so much more difficult with the cue

:03:05.:03:07.

ball tight to the baulk cushion. If he takes this pot on to the right

:03:08.:03:22.

corner, he will do well to avoid cannon in into the red to the left

:03:23.:03:24.

of the bunch. And he didn't avoid the cannon into

:03:25.:03:39.

that red. It will still cut this red to the left of the bunch and he

:03:40.:03:44.

could get himself onto the blue or baulk colours. We will show you the

:03:45.:03:52.

attempt. Maybe if he had potted it, he might have avoided the cannon.

:03:53.:03:58.

Well played. Just the wrong side of the blue. Medium pot red into the

:03:59.:04:14.

corner. Not quite certain what Ding Junhui

:04:15.:04:34.

is looking at, is there a plant somewhere? You would think he would

:04:35.:04:37.

just drop it in and play for the red that Dennis suggested. I think what

:04:38.:04:44.

he was looking at, John, got to play for the thing in such a way to leave

:04:45.:04:48.

a good angle to get into the Reds. If he plays for the pink, the pink

:04:49.:04:54.

won't go on its part and the red to the right of the pink will be

:04:55.:05:01.

available. -- spot. He has decided to go for the blue. He has got a

:05:02.:05:07.

good angle on the blue. I would suggest here, he might be better, we

:05:08.:05:12.

normally see a player cannon into the pink, but I would cannon into

:05:13.:05:16.

the red, just to the right of the pink here. Catching the pink,

:05:17.:05:22.

because it was loose. But he is OK, just about got this red to the

:05:23.:05:28.

middle. It is not perfect, but it is a pot. That is all you can hope for.

:05:29.:05:32.

Just missed the pink and hit the red, I think it would have been more

:05:33.:05:34.

beneficial. That was a good shot. But it's not

:05:35.:06:09.

the perfect angle to pot the yellow and get into the bunch. It is a

:06:10.:06:15.

little bit thin for that. He might possibly, just looking to see if he

:06:16.:06:25.

could do that. It wasn't on. It wasn't quite on. It was just a bit

:06:26.:06:30.

too thin for the shot that he attempted.

:06:31.:06:40.

Just a misjudgement. He would have been better off playing for this

:06:41.:06:48.

red. But once the pink went over the corner, that red was no longer

:06:49.:06:52.

available. It was a good opportunity, tried to break the Reds

:06:53.:06:57.

wants. They didn't break nice. -- once.

:06:58.:07:25.

I think he may just have covered the path down the left-hand side of the

:07:26.:07:39.

table. I think he can just get to the edge of the reds.

:07:40.:07:45.

Of course, with the pink over the pocket, it is not completely over

:07:46.:07:52.

the pocket, it makes this a bit of an awkward frame now. It has to be

:07:53.:08:02.

said that once Ding Junhui could get back the yellow and hip The Reds, he

:08:03.:08:06.

should have found the baulk cushion. He had a good line and he could have

:08:07.:08:10.

had Mark Selby in trouble. Probably an opportunity now the mark to put

:08:11.:08:13.

Ding in trouble. Much too thick. OK, he's not left anything, but

:08:14.:08:29.

didn't make the most of the opportunity to play a good safety.

:08:30.:08:32.

Can Ding Junhui play one here? If it misses the yellow, it could be

:08:33.:08:43.

pretty good. Just got to be careful he doesn't

:08:44.:09:02.

send a red over the corner pocket where the pink is. There is one red

:09:03.:09:11.

that will cut towards that pink. So imperative he gets a good cue ball

:09:12.:09:13.

again. Hasn't blocked off the escape route

:09:14.:09:33.

down the left-hand side of the table, but the reds are gradually

:09:34.:09:35.

going to get push towards the pink. There is another red over there and

:09:36.:09:52.

we might have another one joining it shortly. If the pink was right over

:09:53.:10:01.

the pocket, it would be stalemate. At the moment, you cannot leave a

:10:02.:10:04.

pot into that corner pocket because of the pink.

:10:05.:10:18.

He has made a complete mess of that shot. I think he took the pot on in

:10:19.:10:27.

the end. He could have left something much easier than this for

:10:28.:10:34.

Ding Junhui. Big pressure on this red that is roundabout the black

:10:35.:10:38.

spots. It is hard to imagine what he was playing. Maybe he thought he

:10:39.:10:44.

could play the pot I get to the gap. Mr pot by so much. What pressure is

:10:45.:10:47.

on this? Got to go on. Brilliant. Superb. This young man's

:10:48.:11:07.

temperament to do it on the big stage. We all had great hopes for

:11:08.:11:13.

him. He had a couple of years in the wilderness. Had a few bad beatings

:11:14.:11:18.

by Ronnie O'Sullivan and it affected his confidence and his belief. But

:11:19.:11:22.

he has got it back now. Yes, only a few seasons ago since this Chinese

:11:23.:11:29.

player 15 ranking tournaments in one season. Trusting a little bit to

:11:30.:11:40.

look with the cannon. He might just be OK. There is a red that will go

:11:41.:11:45.

to the right middle pocket. As we show you the shot again, he is

:11:46.:11:49.

playing a cannon just to open things up.

:11:50.:11:58.

He can play this red, drop it in dead weight, he can be on the pink.

:11:59.:12:09.

Right in the heart of the pocket. Playing it firmer, it made the pot

:12:10.:12:22.

that little bit more difficult but is nicely on the blue. Choice of

:12:23.:12:30.

Reds here. You would like to be on this red below the blue so he can

:12:31.:12:35.

get a nice angle on the blue. Needs another 36 points from this

:12:36.:12:36.

position. Little bit straighter on this blue

:12:37.:13:09.

would have been better, but the red below the pink, you would feel he

:13:10.:13:12.

can play for. He may be looking at a cannon on those two Reds together. I

:13:13.:13:18.

will give him the benefit of the doubt, I think he played for this

:13:19.:13:24.

red. Difficult to tell from the commentary box, exactly what the

:13:25.:13:32.

player can see, but he's perfect. He is very good with his little

:13:33.:13:38.

stubborn screws, as good as anyone I have ever seen, in all honesty. --

:13:39.:13:42.

stun screws. Just one slip-up from Mark Selby and

:13:43.:13:52.

it's going to prove costly. He could play for either of the reds

:13:53.:14:30.

for the left middle. Using the opportunity to cannon off the two

:14:31.:14:36.

Reds. What is the potting angle like?

:14:37.:14:45.

He doesn't like the potting angle, so this red and back-up for the

:14:46.:15:02.

blue. That is inch perfect. Just that one mistake. Mark Selby thought

:15:03.:15:05.

if I could pot the red, he could find the gap. He got nowhere near

:15:06.:15:15.

the pot and then messed up. But hasn't he took full advantage of

:15:16.:15:19.

that mistake? As you said at the time, we referred to it, that

:15:20.:15:24.

opening red, there was so much pressure on it, tight onto the

:15:25.:15:29.

cushion. Just rolled it in beautifully. This was the one. Right

:15:30.:15:37.

in the heart of the pocket. He never got into the cue ball. He never got

:15:38.:15:47.

into the cue ball. Oh dear. That was amazing because if he overdoes it,

:15:48.:15:53.

he is on the blue. He didn't get any screw on it, he just stunned it.

:15:54.:15:58.

Little lapse in concentration. How many times do we see it? Think the

:15:59.:16:03.

job is done, done all the hard work. What a mistake.

:16:04.:16:12.

Snookered on all colours. Who would have thought that from the position

:16:13.:16:14.

he was in? Can he see the black? He is looking

:16:15.:16:30.

at that. I think he is snookered on that one. Maybe he can just see the

:16:31.:16:31.

black? Just about. Well, he had to play it with a touch

:16:32.:16:48.

of side and he has left a possible pot. He is 59 in front and there is

:16:49.:16:53.

lots of points on the table. It doesn't have to be all blacks. He

:16:54.:16:59.

might have been better to try to play the green from that situation

:17:00.:17:05.

rather than risk that little swerve. This would be a body blow if he was

:17:06.:17:07.

to lose this frame now. As to sit there now and suffer. The

:17:08.:17:24.

big problem ball from Mark Selby will be the one that's very adjacent

:17:25.:17:31.

to the black. But he'll just be happy to be back at the table with a

:17:32.:17:37.

chance of winning the frame. Didn't see that coming.

:17:38.:17:57.

53 behind, 59 remaining. A few points to play with.

:17:58.:18:12.

That has cost him the frame. A lot of pressure on him, and he had a

:18:13.:18:20.

chance and he took the slightly more difficult pot for good position.

:18:21.:18:24.

Once he missed that, he knew it was the end of frame. He holds his hand

:18:25.:18:34.

up to apologise, but the frame was safe anyway. Just to absolutely make

:18:35.:18:42.

certain. He is showing a lot of composure here, is this Chinese

:18:43.:18:52.

player. He really is. How relieved Will he be, Dennis? I read, after

:18:53.:18:57.

the mistake he made an Mark Selby didn't punish him. So Mark Selby

:18:58.:19:03.

will feel the repercussions of that. Ding Junhui, he can forget about the

:19:04.:19:05.

careless positional shot. One more frame to be played before

:19:06.:19:19.

the mid-session interval and every chance we could be all square. Mark

:19:20.:19:26.

Selby might have other ideas. Doesn't matter about that. Can just

:19:27.:19:30.

try a double. A treble even. Doesn't matter, Mark

:19:31.:19:46.

will stay in his seat. That is a great frame for Ding Junhui. Now he

:19:47.:19:53.

is only one frame behind. It is the -- nine to the defending champion.

:19:54.:19:57.

STUDIO: This fascinating semifinal tussle takes another dramatic twist?

:19:58.:20:05.

Yes, fantastic opening red from Ding Junhui. Look like it was going to be

:20:06.:20:08.

a frame-winning break before he played the poor positional shot.

:20:09.:20:22.

Ding has great cue ball control. When we started the show, you said

:20:23.:20:27.

it is so important Ding stays in the hunt tonight. You do not want to be

:20:28.:20:30.

going into the final session chasing the match? He needs to win the

:20:31.:20:38.

session at least 5-3 to give him a chance. Mark Selby, edgy on the red.

:20:39.:20:44.

It is a long match. You're going to have lapses of concentration, but

:20:45.:20:48.

Ding looks to be cueing very well. The opening red, we saw the century

:20:49.:20:56.

attempt in the last frame, but the opening red anti-platelet that pays,

:20:57.:21:00.

it shows you how confident he is. If he loses this frame, he goes back to

:21:01.:21:07.

where he started. Lots of people on social media absolutely loving that

:21:08.:21:13.

Mark Selby blue. It is the shot of the tournament.

:21:14.:21:25.

COMMENTATOR: it has been snooker for the, Sir, the safety shot.

:21:26.:21:37.

Considering he had all that in the first frame, hasn't Ding Junhui done

:21:38.:21:42.

well to keep tabs with the defending champion? Big frame now before the

:21:43.:21:52.

mid-session interval. And Ding will get the first chance. What a

:21:53.:22:03.

terrific reception for that long pot. He has got a lot of supporters

:22:04.:22:09.

here in the Crucible Theatre, for this very popular player. He's

:22:10.:22:18.

looking at the two Reds just below the cluster. He thinks there may be

:22:19.:22:23.

Uplands. And there is. Can he get to it the yellow? -- Uplands. We'll

:22:24.:22:29.

have to force those of the side cushion. Well, he didn't. He will be

:22:30.:22:43.

OK with that. Puts his hand up and apologises. But he won't apologise

:22:44.:22:50.

for potting the rest of the balls, if he can.

:22:51.:23:03.

For me, I am certain that plant is still there. He just didn't feel as

:23:04.:23:19.

though he could get on it last time. You play them at pace, you have to

:23:20.:23:25.

be so accurate. First chance has gone begging. You catch that near

:23:26.:23:32.

jaw and it is not going to drop. That is well negotiated to get onto

:23:33.:23:50.

a ball colour. The only consolation for Ding Junhui is the Black went in

:23:51.:23:54.

amongst the reds and is out of commission. The pink is available in

:23:55.:24:01.

a few shots time. And Mark Selby will be hoping the

:24:02.:24:21.

pink spot is occupied. That will make a big difference.

:24:22.:24:32.

Not sure if he's got a good angle to get onto the pink. He might have to

:24:33.:24:37.

go up for the blue again. This is going to require a very

:24:38.:25:05.

accurate shot. He's going to have two pot this blue, go between yellow

:25:06.:25:09.

and brown with left-hand side to head towards the pink and Reds. Here

:25:10.:25:19.

comes the cue ball. How is your luck? Not very good. He turns away

:25:20.:25:29.

and that tells us that he's not on a red. He played it well.

:25:30.:25:37.

Loads of side, you could see it pick up pace. Bit unlucky. He thinks he

:25:38.:25:52.

can just get through to the thin edge of the red and put it through

:25:53.:25:56.

to the corner. And he could. Once again, bridging over a ball. I

:25:57.:26:14.

have never seen anybody as good as this player when he is hampered like

:26:15.:26:23.

this. One thing you have got to do when you are striking down on a ball

:26:24.:26:26.

is find the centre of the white. It is hard to describe how good a

:26:27.:26:56.

shot that last one was, positional wise. To screw up from where the

:26:57.:27:03.

green was anti-finish in that gap, you can't really teach someone that.

:27:04.:27:11.

Another 41 points needed from this position to get to the snookers

:27:12.:27:29.

required stage. And those two Reds we thought was a

:27:30.:27:47.

plant, they are still there. Are they still a plant? A lot of balls

:27:48.:27:53.

have moved around them. Mark is interested. They are not far off.

:27:54.:28:04.

Just likely to the right of the pocket. He has got the loose one

:28:05.:28:06.

there as well. He is playing the loose red. Just

:28:07.:28:26.

going to the left of the pocket, that plant. As you can see. You can

:28:27.:28:37.

see better from that angle. If he can't follow through and bring the

:28:38.:28:42.

reds into play, he might have to play for the plant. But I think the

:28:43.:28:46.

other red next to it might stop him from making the angle. We will know

:28:47.:28:54.

exactly whether he thinks it's on with the way he plays the pink.

:28:55.:29:05.

There's a bit of distance between the two Reds and he doesn't think

:29:06.:29:14.

the plant is on. Because he was looking at swinging this around the

:29:15.:29:21.

ankles. What a shot this is he's taking on. -- angles. Have a look at

:29:22.:29:31.

that for a shot! That is one of the best positional shots you will ever

:29:32.:29:35.

wish to see. We talked about the long blue, but this was tremendous.

:29:36.:29:43.

It really was. And the amount of side he has put on it, I don't think

:29:44.:29:51.

he's got a tip problem. Good point, the new tip he had put on. If you

:29:52.:29:58.

weren't confident with it, you wouldn't even attempt a shot like

:29:59.:30:03.

that with that much side. And that one shot he played there could well

:30:04.:30:08.

be a frame-winner. He is already 32 in front. It is worth seeing this

:30:09.:30:14.

again. So much right hand side. Look at the white pick-up pace.

:30:15.:30:49.

These two players gave us a great final last year. 18-14 Mark Selby

:30:50.:30:54.

beat Ding Junhui. And the semifinal here could quite

:30:55.:31:12.

well be a classic. You know, things got to within one frame, but look

:31:13.:31:18.

how Mark Selby's responded. Yes he did have first chance of course,

:31:19.:31:23.

Ding Junhui. Missed the black, along the top

:31:24.:31:30.

cushion. And such is the standard and the standard that these two

:31:31.:31:33.

players have shown this evening, you miss when you are in, it is going to

:31:34.:31:37.

cost you. That was the black.

:31:38.:31:48.

And he's been sat down ever since. 53 points the difference, 59

:31:49.:31:51.

remaining. Pot this red go 54 in front, with 51

:31:52.:31:55.

remaining. He is a tough player to get the

:31:56.:32:04.

better of, isn't he? That's why he has remained at number

:32:05.:32:26.

one for so long. To two years. He really is one of the best match

:32:27.:32:31.

players we have ever seen. Well, pity about that, but that will

:32:32.:32:34.

be enough for Ding Junhui I'm certain. He came out this session,

:32:35.:32:38.

he is having a look at the score board, he is going to give it a go,

:32:39.:32:43.

fair play to him. But he is 60 points behind.

:32:44.:32:48.

REFEREE: Can you switch that off please? Just 51 remaining.

:32:49.:32:55.

So three four point snookers erequired.

:32:56.:33:02.

Every credit to him coming back, wouldn't normally, wouldn't normally

:33:03.:33:07.

be in his DNA to play for three snoc, but, -- snookers, but as we

:33:08.:33:13.

always say, one snooker and a free ball, is the equivalent of three

:33:14.:33:15.

snookers. Highly unlikely against someone with

:33:16.:33:29.

the knowledge of the angles like Mark Selby but he will pot the black

:33:30.:33:32.

and try to get the snooker off the last red. Get the snooker, free

:33:33.:33:41.

ball. Now the idea is to try and get this

:33:42.:33:45.

cue ball tight behind the General Pinochet and try to get the road

:33:46.:33:49.

close to any other colour. -- pink. Maybe in behind the yellow

:33:50.:33:54.

or something. Something that could possibly give you a free ball.

:33:55.:34:02.

REFEREE: Ding Junhui 16. Three Three snookers needed. If he

:34:03.:34:21.

gets one with a free ball, one snooker would be sufficient.

:34:22.:34:34.

Yes, one cushion escape, he would have to be very accurate. He is

:34:35.:34:41.

going to slip past it. And he will be snookered in again, in behind the

:34:42.:34:46.

brown. All of a sudden, we are waiting for the mid-session

:34:47.:34:51.

interval, we thought this frame was all over. There is the second

:34:52.:35:01.

snooker. Well this is is a lot easier than the first one Mark was

:35:02.:35:03.

in. Looking at the angle here, can he

:35:04.:35:30.

get twice across the table and in behind the pink? Not a bad effort,

:35:31.:35:44.

just a bit too hard. Left Mark Selby a chance for this red, he won't

:35:45.:35:48.

refuse the opportunity, obviously, because if he pots the red, that's

:35:49.:35:50.

game over. Now then. Possibility here, push the

:35:51.:36:09.

red down to the top cushion, try and get that cue ball, tight to the

:36:10.:36:21.

blue. He may have got it, but he hasn't cut off the one cushion

:36:22.:36:26.

escape, that is why he needed to be tight to the blue. I think he

:36:27.:36:31.

prefers the two cushions. Believe it or not it is sometimes

:36:32.:36:46.

easier hitting two cushions than the one, John. Yes. You won't want to

:36:47.:36:54.

pot this red. He wants to leave it on, so he only has one snooker

:36:55.:37:02.

needed. That is if he can force the free

:37:03.:37:07.

ball. Didn't want that red in. Oh, it wasn't going to be a bad shot,

:37:08.:37:15.

really. May still have the snooker here. Maybe an edge of the red but

:37:16.:37:20.

Mark will be very careful he didn't clip the pink on the way to it.

:37:21.:37:27.

Because if he did, Ding Junhui could then win.

:37:28.:37:41.

Now he may play this red off the bum of the middle pocket and send the

:37:42.:37:50.

red ball back this way and triand get over behind the yellow.

:37:51.:37:53.

I don't know whether that is on but that is the thought.

:37:54.:38:06.

Oh well, that's unlucky. And that's enough for Ding Junhui. He concedes.

:38:07.:38:18.

What four marvellous frames they were. Great safety, snooker for the

:38:19.:38:24.

connoisseur, but the bottom line is, at the mid-session interval Mark

:38:25.:38:27.

Selby still has a two frame advantage over Ding Junhui.

:38:28.:38:31.

Well, the morning started and you could say that Ding Junhui didn't

:38:32.:38:35.

have a run of the ball, didn't have much luck, and half way through this

:38:36.:38:40.

evening's session and that bad luck is still perhaps going with him. He

:38:41.:38:44.

is fighting against it to be honest but he is doing very well. Steven

:38:45.:38:48.

said it was an important frame more for Mark Selby to keep that gap, but

:38:49.:38:52.

it has been fantastic snooker, it is, it is snooker for the purist

:38:53.:38:55.

because the safety has been top quality and when they getting in

:38:56.:38:59.

they are making big breaks and it is good match play snooker, you know, I

:39:00.:39:04.

mean this, this is, we already saw a fantastic shot from Mark Selby

:39:05.:39:07.

earlier, probably shot of the tournament but that is up there

:39:08.:39:10.

within the top ten shot, to keep that break going. Yes he has all the

:39:11.:39:15.

shots in the game Mark Selby. As I said before it is so important when

:39:16.:39:18.

you are chasing the game, as Ding was, he is three behind, he wings

:39:19.:39:23.

two brilliant frame, then Mark Selby wins that one, then he is back two

:39:24.:39:27.

behind. It is so important to get leads after going into the following

:39:28.:39:31.

sessions because you are up against it constantly. It is amazing

:39:32.:39:36.

quality. Let us go in the dressing room, let us deal with Mark Selby,

:39:37.:39:39.

what do you think is going through his mind? He will be happy to keep

:39:40.:39:44.

the gap, even if he gets two of the next four, still has that two Graham

:39:45.:39:49.

gap, it is hard the see Ding get a run of three or four frames or

:39:50.:39:53.

anybody to get three or four runs against Mark Selby, because he is so

:39:54.:39:56.

difficult, it is very hard to Forsterers from him. We have seen a

:39:57.:40:02.

few, but they are few and far between. Ding is up against it. Ding

:40:03.:40:06.

has to go through tonight's session and not make a mistakes, to get a

:40:07.:40:12.

lead going into tomorrow. But that is virtual him possible. Possible.

:40:13.:40:15.

We're have seen the standard, it is phenomenal. Night and day to the

:40:16.:40:20.

other semifinal, but, there is still two frames behind. Stephen thinks

:40:21.:40:23.

that the winner of the match is no disrespect to the other two chaps as

:40:24.:40:27.

well, the winner will go on to win the title and Steve has been

:40:28.:40:31.

unequivocal in saying it is Mark Selby, he thought Mark Selby's name

:40:32.:40:34.

was on the trophy, do you share that view? No, you would say it on form

:40:35.:40:39.

but as we know, you know, semifinals is only one match, when you get to

:40:40.:40:45.

the final, on form the way it has panned out, yes, we all know in

:40:46.:40:51.

sport, one day one match can be different, when you have someone as

:40:52.:40:55.

good as John Higgins who has been a four time winner, you can write him

:40:56.:41:01.

off at your pearl. Everyone Barry Hawkins, he can raise his game over

:41:02.:41:06.

you know a four session final. I understand what Stephen is saying.

:41:07.:41:09.

On current form you would say the winner is coming from this but you

:41:10.:41:14.

don't know. We are in a small space here, we are no looking at a fight

:41:15.:41:19.

out here! We all love each other here, let us bring you up-to-date

:41:20.:41:24.

with what has been happening in the other semifinal between Barry

:41:25.:41:28.

Hawkins runner up in 2013 taking on John Higgins four time world

:41:29.:41:31.

champion. In happened very early on this afternoon, in the first frame

:41:32.:41:34.

of the day. Now, guy, talk us through this, right. So Barry

:41:35.:41:40.

Hawkins, he has missed, that is his second miss, and so he is going to

:41:41.:41:45.

get a warning here. Yes. Now, watch what happens here.

:41:46.:41:53.

I was in commentary, he has tried this shot twice... Just seen two

:41:54.:41:57.

shots there. I think he played the shot twice, I

:41:58.:42:04.

think he, the pot was on an he didn't want to play it. If you are

:42:05.:42:09.

sat in your chair. Look at John's reaction He is fuming because

:42:10.:42:13.

onthinks when he left the table that pot wasn't on. So whether Barry had

:42:14.:42:18.

to use side to get to the angle, you know, there is no blame on Barry at

:42:19.:42:23.

all, as far as I'm concerned, and even when he is playing pot, in your

:42:24.:42:26.

chair, you are hoping your point is going to take that red on because it

:42:27.:42:32.

is so risky, that is like a two 30 shot. So at the mid-session it was

:42:33.:42:38.

7-5. We will show you the best of the action. Frame 13, commentary

:42:39.:42:45.

from Stephen and Dennis. Quite close to the middle pocket

:42:46.:42:49.

with the cue ball. REFEREE: Foul. And what a chance for

:42:50.:43:01.

Barry Hawkins. Surprised he didn't just anticipate the possibility of

:43:02.:43:05.

that happening. A bit unlucky for it to go in but it was always on.

:43:06.:43:30.

So nice cannon here, can open things up and could give himself a very

:43:31.:43:36.

good chance. He had that superb century break,

:43:37.:44:18.

just before the mid-session interval. Can he continue?

:44:19.:44:35.

The important score line is, he is two frames in front.

:44:36.:45:40.

Just let the cue ball runway Stephen. That was careless. Very

:45:41.:45:47.

careless. I don't know if he can get into the four reds together from

:45:48.:45:53.

this angle into the black. He has to really nip the cue ball.

:45:54.:45:57.

Perfect timing. And don't forget to pot the black as

:45:58.:46:09.

well. He went to go round the table but

:46:10.:46:15.

yes, forgot to pot the black and you take your focus away for one second,

:46:16.:46:20.

plays a careless positional shot, looked to be in with a chance to win

:46:21.:46:25.

the frame. He will be horrified with that.

:46:26.:46:36.

Barry Hawkins, sat in his chair. This shot here looks like it is

:46:37.:46:41.

going to open up all the reds. It is an important shot. That's a cracking

:46:42.:46:51.

shot that he's just played there, an absolutely belter of a shot. If

:46:52.:47:02.

Hawkins didn't feel bad enough going back to his chair, having seen the

:47:03.:47:08.

outcome of that great shot from John Higgins, he will feel even worse

:47:09.:47:18.

now. Let's see how John Higgins is feeling. Can he respond to that

:47:19.:47:27.

magnificent century break that his opponent made?

:47:28.:47:53.

That is pretty good. It wasn't ideal to be straight on the black there

:47:54.:47:59.

but this is about as good as he could have done.

:48:00.:48:14.

That was a delicate little screw shot to get himself on the pink,

:48:15.:48:26.

this is much better. Now a normal plain John Higgins,

:48:27.:48:30.

this would be perhaps be given the frame from here, the way he has been

:48:31.:48:34.

playing today, I wouldn't be quite so sure.

:48:35.:48:37.

It is hard to see where it can go wrong.

:48:38.:48:56.

Well, there is no-one knows John Higgins game better than the

:48:57.:49:02.

gentleman sitting next to me, Stephen Hendry. I used to go up to

:49:03.:49:09.

Spencer's club for the odd week and practise there, John turned

:49:10.:49:14.

professional in 1992. You and John were always playing together, and I

:49:15.:49:19.

think practising with you Stephen, helped to get John Higgins to world

:49:20.:49:25.

number one and world champion in six seasons.

:49:26.:49:30.

He has put a little bit of a careless shot there. He is OK, he is

:49:31.:49:34.

on this red, but unless he wants to follow through the cue ball off two

:49:35.:49:39.

cushion, he will be further away from this black than is perfectly

:49:40.:49:40.

positioned. Because he was going to be further

:49:41.:50:06.

away from the black, screwed the cue ball back for pink.

:50:07.:50:25.

Needs another good shot with the rest. If he was to get a red and a

:50:26.:50:38.

black, Barry would need a snooker, but it is not a gimme by any means,

:50:39.:50:43.

making sure his hands are nice and dry. He knows the importance of this

:50:44.:50:48.

next shot, in fact he was cleaning the little ex tension there.

:50:49.:50:51.

-- extension there. You could see the focus on John

:50:52.:51:11.

Higgins' face there. The concentration, in his eyes there, he

:51:12.:51:14.

knew the importance of that shot. Have a look at that. Just... Well

:51:15.:51:19.

played. Just made sure of the black, 36

:51:20.:51:38.

ahead with just 35 remaining, so not quite safe yet, this frame.

:51:39.:51:51.

Didn't want the little double-kiss there, he was hoping to get a

:51:52.:51:58.

snooker behind the black, but... He will be pleased with that effort but

:51:59.:52:04.

he mows the frame's far from safe just yet.

:52:05.:52:40.

That really was terrific cueing to knock that long red in. Doesn't

:52:41.:52:52.

matter about the black. Barry's thinking about it. And he's nodded

:52:53.:53:00.

to the referee. And John Higgins will be delighted, because Barry

:53:01.:53:03.

Hawkins almost got back to one behind, but he opens up that three

:53:04.:53:09.

frame advantage, it is 8-5. So 8-5 turned into 10-6 at the end of the

:53:10.:53:13.

second session and the boys will return tomorrow morning, you can see

:53:14.:53:17.

that live with us for the third session. That is just about it for

:53:18.:53:21.

now here on BBC Two, but we will be turning on to the red Button

:53:22.:53:25.

shortly. BBC short website and BBC sport app. The players Mark Selby

:53:26.:53:29.

and Ding Junhui out very soon so press the red Button now, and there

:53:30.:53:33.

has been lots of chatter on Twitter. Gardenerers world fans wondering

:53:34.:53:36.

where their programme is, well turn over for the red Button now for more

:53:37.:53:40.

pots and plants. We will see you soon, bye for now.

:53:41.:54:16.

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:54:17.:54:25.

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