:00:36. > :00:43.Good morning. This 40th anniversary championship from the Crucible
:00:44. > :00:47.Theatre was given the big build-up and it certainly lived up to
:00:48. > :00:54.expectations. It's the final push this weekend. Stand by as four
:00:55. > :01:02.becomes two. In the closing stages of the semifinals. Stand by for a
:01:03. > :01:07.snooker Festival over the next three days. It's what the bank of the
:01:08. > :01:51.weekend was made for. -- bank holiday.
:01:52. > :02:00.This afternoon from 2:30pm, reigning champion Mark Selby has nine frames
:02:01. > :02:16.to keep his defence on track. He is 12-12 against Ding. The fireworks
:02:17. > :02:24.have been overshadowed in a more nervous and fragmented affair
:02:25. > :02:30.between former champion John Higgins and Barry Hawkins. So, Stephen
:02:31. > :02:36.Hendry, 15 days of long nights and matches and adrenaline and getting
:02:37. > :02:40.tired. That's just the broadcasters! In the first semifinal, they look
:02:41. > :02:47.like they are peaking, in the second one, a little bit of wilting going
:02:48. > :03:00.on. Let's talk about Ding and Selby. That session, how good was it? One
:03:01. > :03:05.of the best in Crucible history. Selby through the sink at this guy.
:03:06. > :03:16.This is one of the best shots I've ever seen. Ding had to go about
:03:17. > :03:20.level and he really impressed me. I didn't think he had it in me to
:03:21. > :03:35.produce two centuries but he did, back to back. What do you think
:03:36. > :03:42.produce this mental strength? Perhaps it's working with Terry
:03:43. > :03:51.Griffiths. He was Serena in his chair when Mark Selby was playing.
:03:52. > :03:55.That is going to be a blockbuster for session coming up at 2:30pm.
:03:56. > :04:02.This morning, John Higgins. Yesterday he changed the tip of his
:04:03. > :04:09.cue. I wonder what he's searching for. He has always tinkered. If he
:04:10. > :04:14.is not happy, he's not going to play well. Neither player has settled
:04:15. > :04:17.well in this semifinal. Very surprisingly. If you're going to win
:04:18. > :04:21.the championship, you need to get better as the tournament goes on.
:04:22. > :04:27.They have stood still. Today could be different. It's the day they can
:04:28. > :04:39.get into the final. John Higgins is very experienced. Barry Hawkins has
:04:40. > :04:44.been here as well as. What needs to happen for John Higgins in terms of
:04:45. > :04:55.his level? He needs to win the first session 3-1. 2-2 is no good. --
:04:56. > :05:02.Barry Hawkins. John 's Higgins could win it this morning. John Higgins
:05:03. > :05:07.first played here as a 19-year-old and became world champion within
:05:08. > :05:14.three years. He played another final in 01, losing to O'Sullivan. He
:05:15. > :05:19.waited until 2007 to become world champion again against a very young
:05:20. > :05:27.Mark Selby. He was there again in 2011. He hasn't been back since. It
:05:28. > :05:34.is 20 years since Barry Hawkins first tried to qualify. Only at the
:05:35. > :05:42.tenth attempted he set foot on this stage. Five first-round defeats in a
:05:43. > :05:48.row. Not a stunning -- but a stunning run to the final in 2013
:05:49. > :05:55.when he lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan. Raring to go in the commentary box,
:05:56. > :06:01.Willie Thorne and Dennis Taylor. Make a case for Barry Hawkins this
:06:02. > :06:06.morning? Stephen Hendry said, he has to win the first mini-session 3-1 to
:06:07. > :06:13.get a foothold in the match. John Higgins isn't playing brilliantly.
:06:14. > :06:20.If he had a chance to get to another final, this is it. John did well to
:06:21. > :06:24.win the last two frames. I can't remember John Higgins playing 16
:06:25. > :06:31.frames and not making a century. Very unlike him. To win the last two
:06:32. > :06:36.frames was a boost. He has to think, if I can share the sessions, I'm in
:06:37. > :06:43.the final. We will leave you at home to be the judge as we introduced the
:06:44. > :06:49.players. They are all set for a mammoth Saturday with likely to
:06:50. > :06:54.sessions to play. The arena weights and so too does MC Rob Walker. Good
:06:55. > :06:59.morning ladies and gentlemen. This is the day that we complete the
:07:00. > :07:04.line-up for the World Snooker Championship final. Today, this
:07:05. > :07:23.famous old theatre really does become the arena of sporting dreams.
:07:24. > :07:34.Please welcome a player with a brilliant Crucible record in recent
:07:35. > :07:40.years, making four out of the last five semifinals. He won his first
:07:41. > :07:47.ranking final in 2012 and hasn't looked back. Winner of this season's
:07:48. > :07:52.world Grand Prix in Preston, a brilliant left-hander, now firmly
:07:53. > :07:55.established amongst the game's elite. Here comes the Hawk... Barry
:07:56. > :08:17.Hawkins! And his opponent, a player who has
:08:18. > :08:27.once more arrived on the sport's biggest stage. Back in the first
:08:28. > :08:33.time in six years, he won his first ranking title of 28 in 1995 and his
:08:34. > :08:41.first world title three years later. One of Scotland's finest sportsmen.
:08:42. > :08:50.The Wizard of Wishaw... John Higgins!
:08:51. > :08:59.It's time to sort it all out. Willie and Dennis are with you.
:09:00. > :09:10.COMMENTATOR: Thank you very much. A huge session coming up. Barry
:09:11. > :09:25.Hawkins could do with winning 3-1 in the mini-session here. Frame 17. Ari
:09:26. > :09:35.Hawkins to break. Always important to get a good break. That is not a
:09:36. > :09:46.good break. He's hampered with the green. I don't think I've ever seen
:09:47. > :09:47.a break of shot when you hit the blue and then the green. That might
:09:48. > :10:03.be a first. That was a great effort considering
:10:04. > :10:13.he was cueing right over the top of the green. Big targets now the green
:10:14. > :10:23.for Barry Hawkins. We can see that John Higgins was very close. But
:10:24. > :10:25.with the cream of its spot, it -- with the green off its spot, it's a
:10:26. > :10:42.massive target. Look at that. Wonderful site.
:10:43. > :10:56.Crucible Theatre, semifinals day. Can't beat it.
:10:57. > :11:06.This is a better line. Has it got the pace? Still a good shot but not
:11:07. > :11:14.a snooker. The match last night between Ding Junhui and Mark Selby,
:11:15. > :11:20.I've never seen anything like it. 18 minutes without a ball potted and
:11:21. > :11:28.then Mark Selby made a century break. Usually, after 18 minutes,
:11:29. > :11:34.all of the colours have gone safe. It was amazing. That's how good the
:11:35. > :11:49.quality of play was. I hope it'll be the same this morning.
:11:50. > :12:01.That's one way of getting the cue ball up the table. A bit of good
:12:02. > :12:03.fortune there. At any sport, you need a little bit of luck now and
:12:04. > :12:27.again. Goes a long way. Don't know whether he can hit this
:12:28. > :12:31.thin enough to get back into baulk. Just playing a slow roll up. A
:12:32. > :13:47.containing safety shot. Didn't find the baulk crush on this
:13:48. > :14:02.time. So Barry may take this on. This is a real test of your cue
:14:03. > :14:08.action. Beautiful. Terrific cueing. Could have done with just bringing
:14:09. > :14:13.the white back a fuel more inches. Running slightly away from the reds.
:14:14. > :14:30.Two are available into the right corner. The white is going up past
:14:31. > :14:35.the blue spot area. He'd like to take that one again. He's covered
:14:36. > :14:43.those two reds with the blue. So, that's end of break. We'll have to
:14:44. > :16:09.try to get back behind the green. Feels he can find a path around the
:16:10. > :16:22.back of the black, if he takes this on. And, well,... What a result
:16:23. > :16:29.there. He was playing to get around the back of the black. They weren't
:16:30. > :16:34.quite on for a plant but the black very close to going in. It of good
:16:35. > :16:43.fortune to finish on the black there. He's got the perfect angle to
:16:44. > :16:56.go into the bunch but seems a bit reluctant to do that. You think he'd
:16:57. > :17:00.have to go into a bunch at pace. Yes he did. He needs a good click here,
:17:01. > :17:17.otherwise he's nowhere. That's very unfortunate. Very unlucky. He's
:17:18. > :17:25.hampered on one read to the middle but that one there, if he can cue to
:17:26. > :17:42.the side, he might be able to take that one on. John Higgins, eight.
:17:43. > :17:47.Amazing how neither player has got his A-game in this semifinal. Barry
:17:48. > :17:53.Hawkins not been to a final for a couple of years. John Higgins trying
:17:54. > :18:01.to get there for the first time. Both players very tentative. The
:18:02. > :18:07.shot that you called to cannon into the reds, he was on the key to open
:18:08. > :18:14.them up like that and not finish nicely on one. It's a very tricky
:18:15. > :18:26.one. Looking to the left middle pocket. One will go into the left
:18:27. > :18:35.corner. No. In fact, he didn't want to know about a pot. I don't blame
:18:36. > :18:43.him there. Two reds he could have had a go at, wasn't guaranteed. Good
:18:44. > :18:52.position. With the reds open like this. One stake and the frame could
:18:53. > :18:58.be over. -- one mistake. Barry Hawkins has played a very good
:18:59. > :19:13.safety shot there. Maybe forced into taking this pot on. No, he's decided
:19:14. > :19:18.against it. I wonder if Barry Hawkins will take the pot on. If the
:19:19. > :19:25.red hadn't gone next to the black, he might well have done. The red
:19:26. > :19:34.going next to the black is properly going to stop it. This will be some
:19:35. > :19:54.short. Everything seems to be covered in to
:19:55. > :20:04.the left middle pocket. Can he get past the black? I don't think so. To
:20:05. > :20:20.pot that read. Can't see enough of that. There is one he can get
:20:21. > :20:25.through to the middle pocket. An edgy start from both players here.
:20:26. > :20:48.Quite understandable. Got very close to the last long pot.
:20:49. > :20:59.This one is easier. He's played up for the blue. If he gets on the red
:21:00. > :21:11.to the left of the black, it is a frame-winning opportunity. Probably
:21:12. > :21:14.can't do that on fifth blue but... The pace is good for the one in the
:21:15. > :21:47.middle but he'd like to get on to the black.
:21:48. > :21:58.Couldn't ask for the balls to be any better here in this first frame of a
:21:59. > :22:05.very important session. Played for the red that Willie mentioned. That
:22:06. > :22:25.just gets it out of the way. Just coming round to see if he can
:22:26. > :22:35.get to the potting angle of the red that is nearest. Once he gets rid of
:22:36. > :22:41.those, all the avenues to the pockets are in the clear. He will
:22:42. > :22:47.just pushed the red slightly towards the red on the side question and
:22:48. > :22:49.that will clear the pockets now. An excellent chance of winning the
:22:50. > :23:05.first frame of the session. Needs a delicate little positional
:23:06. > :23:41.shot here. He has hit that a little bit too
:23:42. > :23:47.hard. He didn't want this kind of angle on the pink. We'll have to
:23:48. > :23:59.screw back of the cushion. A lot of Czech side on their two strain it
:24:00. > :24:05.up. This is not bound to go right. He may kiss the red fall ball. Now
:24:06. > :24:13.he is playing with bottom to screw back. It's gone wrong. The fact that
:24:14. > :24:17.the green off its spot helps this shot. He can go around the back of
:24:18. > :24:48.the green. Looks to have regained position.
:24:49. > :24:54.Thought it would be a lot more difficult with the green on its
:24:55. > :24:59.spot. Because he went right over the spot on the last positional shot.
:25:00. > :25:02.His demeanour is a lot better this morning than it was in the last
:25:03. > :25:27.session yesterday when he looked all at sea. Not the best contact.
:25:28. > :25:40.Just jumped slightly there and took the pays out of the cue ball. --
:25:41. > :25:45.pace. Now he's got to try and get to the blue. Is it going to cannon onto
:25:46. > :25:56.the rednecks to the pink? He'd like to avoid that.
:25:57. > :26:11.He could just avoid the cannon. Warm or good shot and Barry will have
:26:12. > :26:20.this opening frame of the session. -- one more good shot. That looks
:26:21. > :26:27.pretty good. He might have to use the rest. If he was to get this red
:26:28. > :26:49.and a black, he'd be in pretty good shape. He'd be 60 in front with the
:26:50. > :26:55.red and the black with just 59 on. Just the start that Barry was
:26:56. > :26:59.looking for. John had a couple of chances. He should have clipped the
:27:00. > :27:13.red into the middle pocket. That was a great chance for him. Missed it.
:27:14. > :27:18.Barry can relax now. APPLAUSE The stats sometimes don't actually
:27:19. > :27:25.tell the truth. Barry is in front of every start. The only thing he's
:27:26. > :27:32.missing is the pot success. That tells the story. Barry is not
:27:33. > :27:43.scoring the 40 and 50 breaks early on. He is out playing him in most
:27:44. > :27:47.departments. He seems to be getting either 30 or 80. He doesn't get the
:27:48. > :27:57.50-60 breaks that put the opponent on the back foot.
:27:58. > :28:13.John signals to the referee and concedes the frame.
:28:14. > :28:19.Just the start that Barry Hawkins required. Will there be a hangover
:28:20. > :28:25.from yesterday or will it be a brand-new start? I think today will
:28:26. > :28:31.be different. They have had a very slow start to the semifinal, one
:28:32. > :28:36.session per day. It will seem like it has dragged on. Now, they can
:28:37. > :28:40.finish it today. It was a perfect start for Barry. He's got to do that
:28:41. > :28:47.this morning and really pal pressure on John Higgins. He's never looked
:28:48. > :28:53.easy this final. He has really got to smell blood and go for the
:28:54. > :28:59.throat. John Higgins has changed the tip of his cue. I wonder how long it
:29:00. > :29:07.will take him to settle. How long will it take to get the measure? You
:29:08. > :29:16.need to get a 60-70 break to ease the pressure, or make a long pot.
:29:17. > :29:20.Until you do that, there is doubt in the back of your mind. This tip
:29:21. > :29:27.feels different. How's it going to work out? But find out.
:29:28. > :29:39.COMMENTATOR: All he has to do is share the sessions and John is in
:29:40. > :30:01.the final. He'll be looking for at least two in this mini-session.
:30:02. > :30:12.I thought he could have a free pot at that and wouldn't leave anything.
:30:13. > :30:13.He's left the red near the middle. Just skewed slightly across that
:30:14. > :30:27.one. Over the black, it is tough to get
:30:28. > :30:35.the white away from the pocket, is having to dig down on it as you can
:30:36. > :30:41.see. That is a good shot. The perfect angle to go into the pink.
:30:42. > :30:45.There's one at the back end to the left that is available. But he
:30:46. > :30:54.usually goes into them the first chance he gets. Maybe there's a
:30:55. > :31:03.plant at the back as well. Maybe he spotted the two reds, yes, in line
:31:04. > :31:10.for the pocket. Just means he has got to get good position again. To
:31:11. > :31:16.go into the pink. One of the red is available. -- one of the red is
:31:17. > :31:34.available. This is a slightly more difficult
:31:35. > :31:47.pack to go into than it was from the blue. A lot of side and a lot of top
:31:48. > :31:53.spin. No, he's played for that red that I mentioned and now that he has
:31:54. > :31:57.finished short on it, he can open the pack that way, there are
:31:58. > :32:02.different ways of going about getting the pack open. This was
:32:03. > :32:15.John's choice and if this works out, he has got lots of reds in play.
:32:16. > :32:30.Excellent. He has brought at least three reds into portable positions.
:32:31. > :32:34.That the match yesterday and Stephen Hendry was saying if one player
:32:35. > :32:39.plays well, it's burst the other on, and that is and has been -- spurs
:32:40. > :33:15.the other. Yes, Stephen Hendry in the studio
:33:16. > :33:19.was talking and only four frames in the match has a player won one frame
:33:20. > :33:25.in one visit and that is the important part of these matches, it
:33:26. > :33:31.takes a lot of pressure off yourself if you win a frame in one visit. It
:33:32. > :33:52.has only happened four times in 17 frames.
:33:53. > :34:07.This is the only red that is available. He will be looking for
:34:08. > :34:13.another cannon. He does not want to be straight on the black, that is
:34:14. > :34:18.careless. He stopped in his tracks and he has a look at the angle he
:34:19. > :34:22.has left himself and it is not good. He might be able to power this in
:34:23. > :34:30.with a lot of top spin. He's striking the cue ball right on the
:34:31. > :34:34.top to send it off two cushions into the reds, it will not be easy to
:34:35. > :34:41.develop any here. The shot on the black was careless. A little bit
:34:42. > :34:48.surprised he did not generate very much top spin. The white came off at
:34:49. > :34:52.normal pace. When they powered them in with side like Selby or
:34:53. > :34:57.O'Sullivan when they get the top spin going, they go in with a lot of
:34:58. > :35:28.speed. He did not generate a lot of speed.
:35:29. > :35:40.John Higgins, 42. Barry might be tempted here to take this red into
:35:41. > :35:53.the right corner. He could get on the black. He would have to play
:35:54. > :35:57.it... He would have to play a great shot, a lot of scrum and side. He
:35:58. > :36:12.will take on the fact he's 42 behind. This would be some shot if
:36:13. > :36:17.he pots and gets it for the black. That was a good attempt, but he did
:36:18. > :36:27.not get the cue ball where he wanted. He will be up behind the
:36:28. > :36:33.green and pink. You would think. I don't think he can get behind the
:36:34. > :36:39.green and pink from this one. Very clever. He could have got in behind
:36:40. > :36:43.the green and pink off the red on the right side of the table, but he
:36:44. > :36:48.left it and he played a safety shot and he pushed another red safe. That
:36:49. > :36:53.was clever thinking. Which always have said he's one of the best
:36:54. > :37:02.snooker brains in the game and he proved it. Yes, it just shows how
:37:03. > :37:07.bad my defensive thoughts are! I thought to get behind the green.
:37:08. > :37:11.Well played by John Higgins and he has another two reds saved, forcing
:37:12. > :37:39.Barry Hawkins to play that shot. Well, he has got away with that. He
:37:40. > :37:43.got the old red with a double-kiss and I think he would have been very
:37:44. > :37:48.concerned when he saw this red coming up the cushion and making
:37:49. > :38:05.contact with the white, because he has been very fortunate.
:38:06. > :38:16.Well, he wants to play off the thin one, but he would be pushing that
:38:17. > :38:22.red towards the corner. You can't get into was a colour playing the
:38:23. > :38:30.way he's doing now but he can get into trouble if he placed tight off
:38:31. > :38:35.that cushion. And that's not good. You could see his reaction, he was
:38:36. > :38:42.pushing the cue through afterwards as if to say, I did not cue that
:38:43. > :38:47.very well. That was interesting. Just watch after he plays the shot,
:38:48. > :38:59.watch what he does. Look, he did not hit it hard enough.
:39:00. > :39:08.And I think Barry knew that was coming, that is why he reacted the
:39:09. > :39:18.way he did. You have got to get that cue ball near the cushion, not the
:39:19. > :39:21.baulk line. He has come up just a little bit short, another six inches
:39:22. > :39:25.and he would have had a very easy shot to get back to the five reds
:39:26. > :39:52.just above the black. This is good. This is excellent.
:39:53. > :39:55.That is a frame when. -- winner. Yes, a lot of talk about Mark
:39:56. > :40:01.Selby's tip in the opening frame they played yesterday against Ding,
:40:02. > :40:06.but he's played two shots that shows me he's very happy with his tip. The
:40:07. > :40:11.first red was a stunning run, and that shot round the angles, he has
:40:12. > :40:17.obviously spent a lot of time knocking that tip in. I think our
:40:18. > :40:28.own John Parrott put the tip on for John. Can you believe it? I mean,
:40:29. > :40:33.that is incredible. He slipped back into what he was doing a couple of
:40:34. > :40:38.seasons ago. He looked a world beater. And then all of a sudden, he
:40:39. > :40:43.does something like this. That is just amazing. Look, as he hangs his
:40:44. > :40:53.head. That is a lapse in concentration. That is four black
:40:54. > :41:00.Sea has missed off this spot. How costly is that going to be? That was
:41:01. > :41:11.very careless. The miss four in one match is amazing he's in front. --
:41:12. > :41:26.missing four in one match, it is amazing he's in front.
:41:27. > :41:34.Barry Hawkins will be buzzing inside at this moment because if he can
:41:35. > :41:41.pinch this frame, it may take a while for John Higgins to get it out
:41:42. > :41:46.of his mind. As Dennis said, that was a frame-winner, and it was. I
:41:47. > :41:47.think that is one of the easiest blacks I have ever seen anyone
:41:48. > :42:08.missing. There's a little bit of work to do
:42:09. > :42:16.with this cue ball. Obviously, the black is nice and easy, but can he
:42:17. > :42:21.get the white away from the cushion? Close to the pocket, it is sometimes
:42:22. > :42:26.hard to generate the speed. And that is the prime example. And he can
:42:27. > :42:33.afford to be another two feet further up the table, so overhit
:42:34. > :42:36.rather than underhit. So he has not punished John Higgins so John
:42:37. > :43:00.Higgins may forget that black very quickly.
:43:01. > :43:07.John can get back down the table and is looking at the two reds. He
:43:08. > :43:11.played the safety shot but might get close to planting those reds even
:43:12. > :43:16.though there's quite a distance between them. Just a safety shot,
:43:17. > :43:23.but a chance he could pull this off. And he has hit it far too thick.
:43:24. > :43:27.That is a terrible safety shot from John. He played some yesterday like
:43:28. > :43:38.that where he just was not getting the cue ball past the baulk line.
:43:39. > :43:49.You see him rubbing his eyes a little bit and he did that in
:43:50. > :43:53.yesterday's session. Do you think sometimes you can want it too much,
:43:54. > :43:59.Dennis? And all of a sudden, you lose your form? If you try too hard,
:44:00. > :44:03.it can affect your game. I tell you what, this man is giving his all
:44:04. > :44:11.here. He wants to get back in another final. But if he keeps
:44:12. > :44:14.making mistakes like that... Barry Hawkins could quickly get right back
:44:15. > :44:47.into this semifinal. A delicate little cannon here. He
:44:48. > :44:51.could get round the back, that was even better, rather than risking
:44:52. > :44:57.pushing the red, just slide round the back of it. It is all about that
:44:58. > :45:05.red that is near the cushion. He's already looking to see that he could
:45:06. > :45:12.pot the red, but a risk trying to move a red when potting a red,
:45:13. > :45:20.always better doing it off colour. So it looks as though that it is
:45:21. > :45:25.planned -- plan, to get off this red and scanning the other out. Only
:45:26. > :45:39.problem is, sometimes you can leave the cue ball near a cushion. He's
:45:40. > :45:41.going to need a good cannon on this difficult red to bring the white
:45:42. > :45:59.away from the cushion also. Oh, he has missed the cannon. Did
:46:00. > :46:06.not look possible, I think he was trying to hit it and did not give it
:46:07. > :46:18.enough. I don't like to be rude, Dennis, that was on missable.
:46:19. > :46:33.Amazing miss. Just over the six hours.
:46:34. > :46:42.Just ten points behind, who would have thought that, John Higgins?
:46:43. > :46:46.Should have been in the next frame, he should have had a four frame
:46:47. > :46:50.advantage gained. And if he does not get this safe, his advantage could
:46:51. > :47:07.cut the two frames. I was just saying the Dennis Taylor,
:47:08. > :47:16.a very strange frame. Four golden chances, two from each. If Barry
:47:17. > :47:21.could quit this in the left-hand corner and not cannon into the green
:47:22. > :47:27.all the brown or going off, he would take it on, but that's not on. So a
:47:28. > :47:51.safety shot right behind the black spot. He's so good with the rest.
:47:52. > :48:03.He's so good with the rest. He's a little unlucky because I don't think
:48:04. > :48:08.the brown goes past the black. But what a fantastic shot with the rest
:48:09. > :48:26.that was, the brown into the middle. That is awkward. 87% success with
:48:27. > :48:39.the rest. Oh, Barry! What a golden chance! Well, Barry has had three
:48:40. > :48:45.golden chances now to win this frame. And John Higgins now we'll
:48:46. > :48:50.forget about that black because even though he was only nine points in
:48:51. > :48:58.front, this should be no problem at all in potting these four colours to
:48:59. > :49:14.leave snookers required. He's going to need green, brown and blue. And
:49:15. > :49:28.he will be able to raise that easy black that he missed off the spot.
:49:29. > :49:32.-- to erase. In the Barry Hawkins camp, I would be very perturbed
:49:33. > :49:44.because he's four frames behind now and he knows he should be only two.
:49:45. > :49:50.It was workmanlike from John Higgins in this frame. At this level, you
:49:51. > :49:54.don't normally get three chances. And he will be delighted going back.
:49:55. > :50:07.He leads, 11-7. We have to ask, how is he four
:50:08. > :50:18.frames ahead? There's a frailty which we did not see against Martin
:50:19. > :50:22.Gould and Mark Allen and Kyren Wilson. This is pure concentration,
:50:23. > :50:27.not nerves. He has done the difficult part, he has won the frame
:50:28. > :50:31.and not paying attention to the black. Sorry, Barry Hawkins does not
:50:32. > :50:34.deserve to win this match. If he does not jump all over that with
:50:35. > :50:40.three chances, that is the brown, the less chance, if he does not jump
:50:41. > :50:44.over those mistakes by John Higgins, you don't deserve to win because at
:50:45. > :50:49.this level, you have to be punishing those mistakes. John Higgins is
:50:50. > :50:54.playing average, let's be honest, average snooker, but is four frames
:50:55. > :50:59.in front. How do we explain this? He's a great champion but since we
:51:00. > :51:03.got into this one table stage, he has looked vulnerable. Yes, maybe he
:51:04. > :51:07.does want it too much and he's trying too hard to play his best
:51:08. > :51:11.snooker on the stage and may be he thinks it is the last time he will
:51:12. > :51:15.be here and he wants to get the final, I don't know. Has Barry
:51:16. > :51:21.Hawkins got too much respect for John? John was a winner when Barry
:51:22. > :51:27.was starting out, has he got too much respect? Yes, if it keeps going
:51:28. > :51:36.like this, John Higgins is just going to cruise to victory.
:51:37. > :51:47.That's not the best break of shot from Barry. That is two break
:51:48. > :51:51.office, in the first this morning he hit the blue and the green and the
:51:52. > :51:57.second, he has, a long way short. He has not left anything for John. He
:51:58. > :52:07.could quit this end, it is a shot to nothing. -- he could clip this in.
:52:08. > :52:14.And he did, he has overcut it. Which means the white... That is a nice
:52:15. > :52:15.little nudge on the brown. Although Barry can get down the right side of
:52:16. > :53:21.the table. He has been very fortunate, John.
:53:22. > :53:25.Very fortunate. He knew straightaway he had not potted this because he
:53:26. > :53:31.would have been on the black, but look at where the cue ball has
:53:32. > :53:37.finished. Yes, and there would have been a nice easy red. The red he
:53:38. > :53:41.missed kissed the red away from the middle pocket which would have been
:53:42. > :53:46.easier than the safety shot he's playing now. And look at the pace
:53:47. > :53:58.again. He just can't hit a ball this morning. That is nerves. Yes, and
:53:59. > :54:03.you are looking at a man who has been at the one-table situation
:54:04. > :54:21.three times in the last four years, a great record. Two semis and a
:54:22. > :54:25.runner-up. This is a bit of a bonus. He would have been playing to get
:54:26. > :54:37.tight on the cushion and tighter behind the yellow. Even better. That
:54:38. > :54:48.is twice across the table just a land on the side of the reds. Well,
:54:49. > :55:02.that is nearer the pink, is it? No, perfectly played, well judged. And
:55:03. > :55:07.John was waiting to hear touching ball, but it is not. Had it been, he
:55:08. > :55:12.could have rolled past the green. All he can do now is off the side
:55:13. > :55:30.cushion and into a similar position. He might just have a little bit of,
:55:31. > :55:38.as John Parrott calls it, tipping and tapping for a few shots. There's
:55:39. > :55:46.a tip. And the next shot will be a tap. Unless they are touching. It is
:55:47. > :56:10.not easy. That has sorted the problem out.
:56:11. > :56:20.This is not straightforward to get back to baulk, the red is causing a
:56:21. > :56:31.big problem with that safety shot. He's going to have to hit that
:56:32. > :56:38.mighty thin. Mighty thin, he did. He has been struggling to find the
:56:39. > :56:41.baulk cushion and he hit that a little bit harder and all of a
:56:42. > :56:53.sudden he has found his timing again. He overhit that. Well, this
:56:54. > :57:07.is a very positive shot John is taking on here. That is a bit more
:57:08. > :57:12.like the John Higgins we have seen throughout this year's World
:57:13. > :57:21.Championship. That was a cracker. Because look what he was leaving had
:57:22. > :57:26.he missed that red. I mean, you go back to the most simple black which
:57:27. > :57:31.he missed in the previous frame but did not get punished for, and he
:57:32. > :57:35.knocks one like that in. He has surprised me the way he has been
:57:36. > :57:39.playing that he even took it on, but he probably thinks he has to make
:57:40. > :57:44.something happen because he keeps waiting for Barry Hawkins's mistakes
:57:45. > :57:55.to get in. An attacking shot and he deserves everything he gets from
:57:56. > :58:07.that shot. He would love to take that one again. Is he on that red?
:58:08. > :58:13.Maybe just a little bit further than he intended. I think you just missed
:58:14. > :58:23.a little cleansing can and when he was playing and when he potted the
:58:24. > :58:34.black -- a glancing cannon. Just glancing off that red on the edge of
:58:35. > :58:45.the bunch. Yes, good recovery because the pink is available.
:58:46. > :58:52.The brown spot is available should the pink not go in, so he would not
:58:53. > :58:59.be tying up any reds at this end of the table. The referee has the ball
:59:00. > :59:05.market in his hand, he's just checking. Top side of the blue,
:59:06. > :59:14.straight into that pyramid red at the top.
:59:15. > :59:32.I can't see the point of playing for the pink, to be honest.
:59:33. > :59:43.Well, that shot amazed me. He has now got plenty to do with the cue
:59:44. > :59:49.ball. Either the pink or the brown. And he could have easily held for
:59:50. > :59:53.the blue, half ball. Taking the brown, probably still going to go
:59:54. > :59:58.into the side of the pack. Got to get a lot of side on this because
:59:59. > :00:08.the middle cushion is in the way for it to be natural. -- Middle pocket.
:00:09. > :00:20.That is what he's after. He was unlucky. Very unlucky.
:00:21. > :00:30.Look how close he had to get to that Middle pocket to make that shot one.
:00:31. > :00:38.Yes, frustrating yawn almost. Frustrating raw.
:00:39. > :00:47.He could have stopped it dead or rolled tin which would have been a
:00:48. > :01:22.lot easier. He has now tied up both pink and brown. -- or rolled it in.
:01:23. > :01:29.Good pot there. It was very awkward. This angle shows you how awkward
:01:30. > :01:36.that bridge hand was there. He has regained the initiative. It's the
:01:37. > :01:49.wrong angle on the green to take the pot on. I think a cue ball on the
:01:50. > :01:58.cushion would be better than trying to roll up behind the colour. Does
:01:59. > :02:09.he feel he can get some sort of angle? He's come off the brown.
:02:10. > :02:16.That's a superb shot. That's a brilliant safety. APPLAUSE
:02:17. > :02:21.Totally the wrong angle on the green but to play it like that and use the
:02:22. > :02:35.brown. Just look at that. Loads of top spin. Brilliant shot. And there
:02:36. > :02:41.he's done it again. This is a bit of the old John Higgins. He's losing
:02:42. > :02:45.concentration. There's no pressure on him. He's potted that fabulous
:02:46. > :02:51.others-macro and he is getting down and Mrs a sitter again. That is
:02:52. > :03:20.going to be very confusing for him. How's that for a bit of misfortune?
:03:21. > :03:32.To see the red comeback and block your path. In fairness, he could
:03:33. > :03:36.have just played a holding storm shot. He got the cannon OK but is
:03:37. > :04:30.unlucky. That's pretty good because he can't
:04:31. > :04:36.come off the right side cushion and get behind the black, well, he could
:04:37. > :04:45.but if he didn't get it absolutely spot on he'd leave a read. If he
:04:46. > :04:53.gets close to the pocket, he can land on the one to the left. This is
:04:54. > :05:02.the one that he could land on here. Well, he's hit the other one. Is he
:05:03. > :05:10.OK? Just about. Or is it? Didn't play to hit that one. The one that
:05:11. > :05:38.Barry thinks he can pot is the one that John was trying to lay on.
:05:39. > :05:50.Little awkward this, he might have to play a delicate little cannon.
:05:51. > :06:04.The only problem, he could push one red onto the black. That's a good
:06:05. > :06:06.shot. Once again, a little unfortunate not to have nicer part
:06:07. > :06:43.than this. -- not to have nicer pot. Careful
:06:44. > :06:48.positional shot. He can get onto leader of the two reds to the right
:06:49. > :06:56.of the black. After that black, he can move the red to the left of the
:06:57. > :06:59.black spot. So, this is a frame-winning opportunity. He
:07:00. > :07:18.certainly didn't play for this red. So short of pace.
:07:19. > :07:26.Can you believe it? Once again, the lack of pace. That's a schoolboy
:07:27. > :07:31.error. Goodness me. He really is going through it out there. He's got
:07:32. > :07:39.John Higgins exactly where he wants him he just can't get into the
:07:40. > :07:40.match. He will never ever see John Higgins play this poorly again and
:07:41. > :08:20.find himself for friends behind. -- four frames. One good positional
:08:21. > :08:48.shot and he can be back amongst the reds. Safely in.
:08:49. > :09:01.Quite a margin of error there. Can you believe that start? After 14
:09:02. > :09:09.days of snooker, both have exactly the same number of points. At this
:09:10. > :09:34.game, points don't make prizes. It's frames that make prizes.
:09:35. > :09:44.If he's held the spot, it's a poor shot. It makes the reds difficult to
:09:45. > :09:53.get onto. Yet only has to run through a couple more inches and he
:09:54. > :09:55.had the cannon. He's tried to play the angle on the black to get the
:09:56. > :10:08.cannon again but he hasn't got it. Still slightly underhitting
:10:09. > :10:39.everything at the moment. Barry Hawkins, 19. Not enough at
:10:40. > :10:51.this level. When you get in, you need to score more. Unfortunately,
:10:52. > :10:57.he didn't put the red on. Look at this shot from John Higgins. OK,
:10:58. > :11:02.it's safe but he didn't intend to cannon into the brown. In fact, it
:11:03. > :11:23.turned out to his advantage. He's covered that.
:11:24. > :12:24.Just the basic, a little bit of side to get past the brown.
:12:25. > :12:39.APPLAUSE Quite extraordinary. Look at this
:12:40. > :12:45.shot. And then write in the middle of the pocket. And then he misses an
:12:46. > :12:52.absolute sitter. It's amazing what is happening to the former champion
:12:53. > :13:05.out there. That was a good long pot to knocking. -- knock in. The
:13:06. > :13:13.right-hand red he'd like to land on. As long as he doesn't slip past the
:13:14. > :13:22.first one. And he has slipped past it but it all depends. Has he left
:13:23. > :13:30.it? That's not the one he played to hit. Can John get to the potting
:13:31. > :13:39.angle? He could even play it as a shock to nothing because the brown
:13:40. > :13:50.is over the pocket. The other way, just drop it in and be on the black.
:13:51. > :14:01.Dead weight. That's what he's done. Of course, as he plots the one
:14:02. > :14:22.difficult one along the cushion. He's left with the other one there.
:14:23. > :14:30.We'll have to roll this one in and finish low on the black. Straight on
:14:31. > :14:40.the black is no good. As slow as he can with this one. That's there.
:14:41. > :14:44.That's a good shot. A slight chance he's going to go five frames in
:14:45. > :14:54.front. How he's done that, I've no idea. Perfect angle. Just stunned
:14:55. > :15:01.down, keep it away from the middle pocket. Which he hasn't done. Makes
:15:02. > :15:05.the pot more difficult now. Caught the jaw of the left middle pocket
:15:06. > :15:21.there. There's a bit of pressure on this now. No. The black was the poor
:15:22. > :15:25.shot. It should have been a straightforward run to the winning
:15:26. > :15:30.post in this frame. He's got away with that, though. When he parted
:15:31. > :15:33.the black, he shouldn't have been near the middle pocket. Quite a
:15:34. > :16:17.margin of error. Just misjudged it. Very good indeed from that awkward
:16:18. > :16:37.position. All of a sudden, it's anyone's
:16:38. > :16:40.frame. John, if he had parted the black and missed the middle jaw, he
:16:41. > :16:50.would have been perfect on the yellow. This was the shot. Keep away
:16:51. > :17:06.from that and you're perfect on the yellow. What a tester this is for
:17:07. > :17:12.Barry Hawkins. The yellow passes the brown. He's automatically on the
:17:13. > :17:22.green. What a huge shot this is. That's if he takes it on. I'm going
:17:23. > :17:29.to fall off my chair if he plays a safety shot here. I cannot believe
:17:30. > :17:31.it. And it was a big pocket. OK, it's quite a good shot. But where's
:17:32. > :18:14.the advantage? He's looking at the potting angle.
:18:15. > :18:20.This is much more difficult than the previous one. He just didn't feel
:18:21. > :18:36.comfortable taking on the long yellow.
:18:37. > :18:39.John Higgins will be delighted to see the pink and blue go safe
:18:40. > :18:57.because he's 16 in front. John only needs the yellow, green,
:18:58. > :19:00.and brown. With the blue and pink knocked into safe positions, it
:19:01. > :19:14.makes him a strong favourite for this frame.
:19:15. > :19:41.Where is this cue ball going? He's OK.
:19:42. > :19:57.There was the dreaded double case. Careless from John. If he gets on
:19:58. > :20:01.the green nicely, the pet hate of a snooker player. The double case. --
:20:02. > :20:21.case. -- kiss. He'd love to finish on the
:20:22. > :20:27.half ball green to bring the pink interplay. I'm not sure he can do
:20:28. > :20:32.that. He's tried it. If it slows up he's got a chance of bringing the
:20:33. > :20:35.green interplay. Where the blue is, he can drop nicely behind it. He
:20:36. > :21:06.needs the pink interplay. That changes things dramatically.
:21:07. > :21:10.But he still needs some shot to get to the blue. He's got a little bit
:21:11. > :21:21.of angle to study it. He's got to be careful with this
:21:22. > :21:53.one. It's a natural angle to come around
:21:54. > :22:06.the table and finish on the black. What a frame this would be
:22:07. > :22:18.to win he seems to be annoyed by not being in the top left-hand corner.
:22:19. > :22:22.So much for being off in the bottom corner. He took his eye off the
:22:23. > :22:31.pink. This is heartbreaking for these players. He put everything
:22:32. > :22:46.into the positional side of that shot and forgot the pot. At least he
:22:47. > :22:57.didn't leave it. He was having to play that with an awful lot of pace
:22:58. > :23:02.to get around for the black. He's played the up and down well, as long
:23:03. > :23:04.as the pink doesn't bounce too far. John Higgins knocking the table.
:23:05. > :23:53.Appreciation of that good safety. The up and down is not
:23:54. > :23:57.straightforward this time. John might be tempted to go for the
:23:58. > :24:01.double here because the White will be coming back towards the black.
:24:02. > :24:12.Just depends on the angle he has here. He's usually pretty good at
:24:13. > :24:27.doubles, is John. This would be some time to get one. No. And look where
:24:28. > :24:33.the cue ball is. Terrible effort. He should have at the cue ball on this
:24:34. > :24:40.back cushion. What a shot Barry Hawkins is faced with here. He's got
:24:41. > :24:56.terrific cue power. He can pop this and screw back. The thing going to
:24:57. > :25:01.finish. Not over middle, surely. Barry has come around to look at the
:25:02. > :25:13.angle. I think it's just gone an inch or two so far to be cuttable.
:25:14. > :25:26.John feels he can cut this in. Have a look at this angle. How then that
:25:27. > :25:43.would have to be. Surely not. No. And he's got away with it. Settle
:25:44. > :25:44.down, please. I think everybody needs to settle down. It's so tense
:25:45. > :25:59.out there. Such an important frame. No. It's the tension. This is far
:26:00. > :26:24.from easy as well. Don't blame him. It was awkward.
:26:25. > :26:29.More or less in the identical position he was previously when he
:26:30. > :26:33.just doubled the pink on to the left cushion and left the white on the
:26:34. > :26:52.right side cushion. Will he do that again? It's slightly different this
:26:53. > :27:04.time. It's rather macho to take the double on. I think I'd be sending
:27:05. > :27:18.the pink to the baulk cushion. Which he has done nicely. It may have been
:27:19. > :27:29.trying to kiss the black there to push it onto the cushion. Five
:27:30. > :27:33.minutes they played on this pink alone. This is the toughest one
:27:34. > :28:00.Barry has been faced with. Three frames behind of five frames
:28:01. > :28:11.behind. Maybe resting on this shot. No. He's left a chance for John. If
:28:12. > :28:17.he plays a plain ball, the white would be close to the middle pocket.
:28:18. > :28:32.If he puts a trace of side on it, the pot is much more difficult.
:28:33. > :28:44.Safely in and John Higgins will be absolutely delighted. He doesn't
:28:45. > :28:45.need the black. It looked like Barry Hawkins was going to move within
:28:46. > :28:58.three. He is now five behind. It's not looking good for Barry
:28:59. > :29:04.Hawkins. You picked out a shot that was an example of real tentative
:29:05. > :29:11.thinking. He is four frames behind, it's not the time to get negative.
:29:12. > :29:17.He might put the brown safe but when you are four frames down, you've got
:29:18. > :29:20.to attack your opponent. Look out vulnerable John Higgins is looking.
:29:21. > :29:26.Barry Hawkins is not going to safety is way to victory. After, he looks
:29:27. > :29:32.like he might win the frame but then this pink. I wouldn't have played it
:29:33. > :29:37.this hard. I know what he's doing. He's thinking if he plays it slow he
:29:38. > :29:44.might leave the cue ball close to the side cushion. Plays more
:29:45. > :29:53.positive but he took his eye off the pot. Barry Hawkins, the couple of
:29:54. > :30:01.pots after that, he didn't get close. He is starting to look like a
:30:02. > :30:09.beaten man. Higgins is there for the taking but he can't capitalise on
:30:10. > :30:22.what John is doing. John Higgins has played 19 frames. A really average
:30:23. > :30:25.display from him. Whether he is... Barry is respecting him too much as
:30:26. > :30:30.a great champion. He's five frames in front. He's getting away with it.
:30:31. > :30:37.We were just discussing the desire levels. It's proving claustrophobic
:30:38. > :30:46.to him. His desire to get to the final. Barry Hawkins looks more, the
:30:47. > :30:48.table. Five frame advantage. Looks like he's marching on. The last
:30:49. > :31:04.frame of the mid-session. And let's just quickly say that
:31:05. > :31:10.after 40 years of the Crucible... I totally agree with Stephen, John
:31:11. > :31:14.Higgins is breaking up in frame 13 and he can't win this match unless
:31:15. > :31:22.he attacks. At the best of times, you will not out safety John
:31:23. > :31:23.Higgins. John Higgins is there for the taking and is five in front,
:31:24. > :31:48.amazing. Excellent safety shot from Barry
:31:49. > :32:50.Hawkins. Foul and a miss. Barry Hawkins,
:32:51. > :32:57.four. Yes, it is amazing the amount of balls that Barry has potted, but
:32:58. > :33:01.he's five frames behind. Paul Collier is just checking that he has
:33:02. > :33:09.got the cue ball exactly where it was. That statistic tells me Barry
:33:10. > :33:12.is dominating most of the frames. But get down to the nitty-gritty at
:33:13. > :33:37.the latter end of the frame, he's not winning them.
:33:38. > :33:45.He might be able to have a go at this. I don't know if it passes the
:33:46. > :33:53.pink, maybe not. Well, I don't think so. Otherwise, he... Well, it sort
:33:54. > :34:00.of does, but he's just playing the safety shot. I don't know if this
:34:01. > :34:07.red cuts in, the one he's playing. No, just a safety shot, and it is
:34:08. > :34:11.not a good one. It was not an easy red but the red would have passed
:34:12. > :34:18.the pink and he could have got on the black without leaving a great
:34:19. > :34:23.deal. John Higgins, just a trace of left-hand side will get him onto the
:34:24. > :34:34.black in the left-hand corner. Decided to play the other ones
:34:35. > :34:42.first, going for the blue. You will probably notice that red went in off
:34:43. > :34:49.the side for the Dua Lipa Micro -- for the jaw. Watch the way this red
:34:50. > :34:51.goes in, how thick, it took the pace out of the cue ball which tells me
:34:52. > :35:18.he's still not cueing great. Imperative this time that he gets
:35:19. > :35:26.the correct side of the blue to get up to the reds near the black. Three
:35:27. > :35:32.reds available. Which he would have played for previously, but he did
:35:33. > :35:44.not get the angle to do that. No, nowhere. So at the moment, John is
:35:45. > :35:53.just playing pretty average snooker, but he's five frames in front. His
:35:54. > :35:54.match against Mark Allen was incredible, Mark Allen was
:35:55. > :36:30.incredible in that match. Barry Hawkins has won one of these
:36:31. > :36:56.first four frames. But he should really be trailing nine, ten now.
:36:57. > :37:06.Well, that was a bit more like Barry Hawkins. He's so good at that type
:37:07. > :37:12.of shot. The black is on, but he's looking at you would have to say the
:37:13. > :37:22.more difficult green. This is just rolling got behind it. -- rolling
:37:23. > :37:26.up. But the red was difficult, the black was nearer the pocket, but he
:37:27. > :37:35.did not even contemplate taking that on. OK, the white was down near the
:37:36. > :37:41.jaws of the pocket, but he potted a cracking red, the black was slightly
:37:42. > :37:53.easier. I think he's waiting to get a good chance amongst the balls, but
:37:54. > :37:59.sometimes, that does not come along. Well, he has got a chance here.
:38:00. > :38:04.Awkward bridging, but if he'd just rolls the red in, the black is there
:38:05. > :38:13.for him. He's hampered by a couple of reds.
:38:14. > :38:28.Well played, very good. Striking down like that, if you just get a
:38:29. > :38:41.bit of unwanted side, it makes you missed the pot.
:38:42. > :38:50.He could do with this being off straight so he could pot this red
:38:51. > :38:57.just is the kiss on the black. He can run round two cushions, so he's
:38:58. > :39:01.OK. Got to be straight on that red. You are kidding me! He just wants
:39:02. > :39:07.the ground to open up and take him away at the minute. It must be soul
:39:08. > :39:12.destroying for Barry, he's such a brilliant player. Stephen Hendry
:39:13. > :39:16.talks about his match in the English Open at Preston. He made five
:39:17. > :39:22.centuries in about nine frames and he looked unbeatable. At this moment
:39:23. > :39:24.in time, he's playing like a club player. Really, really struggling.
:39:25. > :41:08.You have to feel for him. Yes, it is awkward now with the two
:41:09. > :41:16.reds up the other end of the table. John is close to the cushion, but he
:41:17. > :41:23.can just create enough back spin, he feels. Using the brown and the red,
:41:24. > :42:00.and he played that want to perfection.
:42:01. > :42:09.He took that on and he got up straightaway, he knew he had mis-hit
:42:10. > :42:13.that. Was trying to pot that red and come back for the black, but as soon
:42:14. > :42:22.as Barry delivered the cue, he more or less stored up and you don't
:42:23. > :42:45.usually see that. -- he more or less stored up.
:42:46. > :42:52.That was the pot that Barry Hawkins played and missed a long way, John
:42:53. > :43:27.Higgins plays a similar pot and he gets it.
:43:28. > :43:35.Did he get heavy contact that? Fortunately, he has got the red to
:43:36. > :43:39.the left of the yellow available because he's the wrong side of the
:43:40. > :43:49.blue. That did not seem to jump that time. He's almost straight on this
:43:50. > :43:56.blue. So he could leave the one in to the right corner, he had that to
:43:57. > :43:57.the left of the yellow, had it not been quite at the correct angle. So
:43:58. > :44:15.he's OK at the moment. Mid-session interval is coming up
:44:16. > :44:21.after this frame. And at the moment, without playing anywhere near his
:44:22. > :44:33.best, he's cruising towards the final, it has to be said. Should
:44:34. > :44:39.John Higgins get to the final, which is obviously looking like he's the
:44:40. > :44:44.favourite to do so now, he will have to at least get the fourth gear to
:44:45. > :44:51.have a chance of playing against Mark Selby. But he can do that, he's
:44:52. > :44:55.such a great match player. And I think he may relax if he did get the
:44:56. > :45:02.final. He has under scrutiny that again. You just can't get the right
:45:03. > :45:10.side of the blue at the moment. He might relax a little bit more when
:45:11. > :45:18.he gets to a final. Yes, he has got to pot quite a view balls before he
:45:19. > :45:38.gets to that position. Big odds-on favourite now to do that.
:45:39. > :45:46.Nice angle on the yellow and he can go straight into the reds, a couple
:45:47. > :45:52.of loose reds covering each other, so any sort of cannon, he would
:45:53. > :46:01.bring some into play. Just plenty of left-hand side, nice little pond
:46:02. > :46:07.shot. -- punch shot. There's one available, but is he going to be on
:46:08. > :46:14.it? I'm surprised he did not play the cannon. He usually does. There's
:46:15. > :46:33.one red he could get on. And he has misjudged it.
:46:34. > :46:40.Well, the red is still cut a ball, but the white will be running around
:46:41. > :46:51.the table free and he has decided to take the cut on. Coming round to
:46:52. > :46:56.look at the potting angle and with the safety shot, it is bite the
:46:57. > :47:18.bullet and stay safe. It is dangerous to take the cut on.
:47:19. > :47:33.Well, it was a great pot with all the extensions on the cue and rest.
:47:34. > :47:45.So it is just a little talk up behind the brown here.
:47:46. > :47:51.And that is clever, he has blocked off the escape down the right side
:47:52. > :47:58.of the table. And if Barry goes the left side of the table, you will do
:47:59. > :48:06.well not to leave a pot one. I don't know if the two cushion escape route
:48:07. > :48:14.is there to get back down the table. Just looking to see if he could
:48:15. > :48:25.possibly attempt that. He has tried it. He does not mind giving four
:48:26. > :48:30.points away. Better that than hitting the red sick and leaving
:48:31. > :49:03.John Wright in amongst them. -- hitting the red sick.
:49:04. > :49:16.That was the big problem with that shot, so difficult to judge. Just
:49:17. > :49:20.overcompensated. 26 behind at the moment, just glancing at the monitor
:49:21. > :49:34.to see exactly what is left, this red will cost. Changed his mind
:49:35. > :49:47.slightly. As to the way he's going to play it.
:49:48. > :49:54.He did not get the cannon on the pink as he intended and now it is
:49:55. > :49:59.awkward. You can take the green on, but do the reds pot in the left-hand
:50:00. > :50:10.corner, is there one of them available? Yes, there's one there.
:50:11. > :50:17.He can get across full-back. -- he can get across four that. That is
:50:18. > :50:26.just about perfect. Great chance now. Yes, it was fortunate because
:50:27. > :50:30.that was tight on the cushion, that shot would not have been on. The
:50:31. > :50:39.preview shot he played to kiss the green. He's 30 in front. Three reds
:50:40. > :50:46.and three colours is enough. Reluctant to say at this moment in
:50:47. > :50:53.time he's going to get three reds and 323 macro. Nothing is
:50:54. > :50:58.straightforward between Barry Hawkins and John Higgins at the
:50:59. > :51:01.moment. That tells me the top one of the three is into the right-hand
:51:02. > :51:17.corner or else he would not have played that way, clearly.
:51:18. > :51:27.Two ways of playing this, you play the cannon to leave the reds or you
:51:28. > :51:36.play the right-hand side to get the other side of the reds. That is the
:51:37. > :51:43.shot he felt would get on one, but he hasn't, so would you question the
:51:44. > :51:51.way he played it? He would have been thinking any kiss is good, except
:51:52. > :52:11.that one. This red can still be cut. It is fair. And somehow, he goes
:52:12. > :52:17.into this mini-session 3-1. Without any breaks, his highest was 42. If
:52:18. > :52:23.you had told me he would win three of the four frames against Barry
:52:24. > :52:24.Hawkins, there would definitely be a wager on that and I would have lost
:52:25. > :53:00.the game. Barry Hawkins has got a lot to think
:53:01. > :53:01.about. John Higgins goes further clear, now leading 13-7, six in
:53:02. > :53:11.front. A six frame advantage and he needs
:53:12. > :53:16.just four more and he might be looking at them in this session to
:53:17. > :53:19.get into a sixth final. What a curiously difficult first
:53:20. > :53:24.mini-session to describe, please sum that up, Stephen. In terms of the
:53:25. > :53:30.playing of snooker, average, not great snooker. John Higgins looks
:53:31. > :53:34.under severe pressure. I think he's putting himself under pressure to
:53:35. > :53:41.get to a final. I think to be perfectly honest, when he plays
:53:42. > :53:46.Barry Hawkins, he has had half an eye expecting to beat Barry, which
:53:47. > :53:50.is right because he's a better player than Barry Hawkins, he has
:53:51. > :53:54.more pedigree at the Crucible. And he's so desperate to get the final,
:53:55. > :53:59.it is affecting his game and his demeanour. Barry failing to grasp
:54:00. > :54:04.the metal. He has had his chances and has failed to be decisive this
:54:05. > :54:09.enough to go for them. This could be deferred in recent times and he will
:54:10. > :54:15.be well beaten if he keeps going like this. We have talked about how
:54:16. > :54:19.Ding has found another level and maybe Barry Hawkins needs to find
:54:20. > :54:23.another level to start competing at the business end of this tournament.
:54:24. > :54:28.He loves playing here and is very consistent and gets to the one-table
:54:29. > :54:33.set-up, but you need that bit extra. You are only halfway to getting the
:54:34. > :54:36.job done, so he needs to, it looks like he's going to lose this match
:54:37. > :54:41.unless something drastic happens, he needs to look at himself and see
:54:42. > :54:47.what he has to do to win this. The last couple of semifinals, he has
:54:48. > :54:52.been beaten by Shaun Murphy with a session to spare against Ronnie a
:54:53. > :54:55.couple of years ago. So much to do, not many big breaks, only one
:54:56. > :55:02.century, and half a decade since we had a maximum at the Crucible, you
:55:03. > :55:11.remember the one! Cliff Thorburn taking this sport to the max in
:55:12. > :55:16.1983. I do remember having a dream a couple of weeks beforehand that I
:55:17. > :55:25.could make a 147 in the World Championship.
:55:26. > :55:31.Well, that is one way of getting them, I suppose, and staying on the
:55:32. > :55:37.black as well. When I did have the first opportunity to shoot the first
:55:38. > :55:42.black, the balls were spread nice and good.
:55:43. > :55:48.Spread open beautifully. I was sick, I did not feel that
:55:49. > :55:54.great. But anyway, I managed to keep going.
:55:55. > :55:58.On a stage like this with just one red left, he stops and he blows his
:55:59. > :56:04.nose and he says, let's have a break. If he can take this red and
:56:05. > :56:10.the black, the colours will be on their spots.
:56:11. > :56:17.I was thinking positive. Keep rolling! They have actually
:56:18. > :56:24.stopped playing on the other table. Now this is the real shots to get on
:56:25. > :56:30.the yellow. He hasn't come quite for enough. He
:56:31. > :56:47.has left himself a tough shot, 15 reds and 15 blacks he has taken now.
:56:48. > :56:57.When I got to the black at the very end, I felt comfortable enough to
:56:58. > :57:02.save to myself that I wanted to pot the black no matter the size of
:57:03. > :57:12.pocket. Good luck, mate. Wonderful! That is
:57:13. > :57:18.truly wonderful! A very defining moment for me.
:57:19. > :57:25.That was the first in 1983 and there have been nine since made by six men
:57:26. > :57:28.in total, three from Stephen Hendry and three from Ronnie O'Sullivan and
:57:29. > :57:34.yours was the last in 2012, a long time ago! Yes, you keep saying there
:57:35. > :57:38.are a load of maximum is these days but nonsense me, very surprising.
:57:39. > :57:44.Their team this season, extraordinary. Perhaps something to
:57:45. > :57:49.do with the prize money, it is not the incentive it once was? -- 13
:57:50. > :57:54.this season. Yes, it is very poor in the biggest tournament we have, it
:57:55. > :58:01.is pretty miserable, I think. One reason why Ronnie never gave it 100%
:58:02. > :58:05.is that. Yes, that was the third 146 in his quarterfinal against Ding
:58:06. > :58:08.Junhui. We will be coming back shortly, but we are moving to red
:58:09. > :58:13.Button coverage now for the remainder of this. That will be
:58:14. > :58:16.coming up on the red Button, and you can continue to watch the last four
:58:17. > :58:23.frames between John Higgins and Barry Hawkins and then we will
:58:24. > :58:28.return shortly at 1:15pm on BBC Two for the last frames of bests. And
:58:29. > :58:38.building up to that blockbuster final frame and it could be a final
:58:39. > :58:41.session between Selby and Ding Junhui. See you soon.