Day 15, Semi-Finals, Evening Session Snooker: World Championship

Hello again. It's been nonstop action and nonstop drama here at the

Crucible today. Only half an hour ago we were with you to see the

defending Champion, Mark Selby, get over the line in what was quite a

contest against Ding Junhui. Forget Klitschko Joshua this was a

heavyweight contest. He came from three frames behind to just one

before missing a blue to the centre pocket and allowing Selby the chance

to cross the line with a closing break of 72. What relief he showed,

thumping the table and punching his way to a fourth Crucible final.

Since 2007. Ken Doherty and John Parrott know

the thrill of making it to the biggest occasion in your sport.

Thats with a heck of a contest. One of the greatest matches any of us

have seen here? I feel really sorry for Ding.

He put in a monumental effort in that match. As good as I saw him

compete. All round he was brilliant. Needing to win the last four frames

the effort was great. Missed that blue that let in Selby. What a

clearance. What a contribution to get over the line. Ding played

superb safety. Made four centuries in that match. Let us be honest, he

nearly did a Selby on Selby? They were trading blows you talking about

the Bocking, they were going blow to blow from word go. Like John, I feel

sorry for Ding. He has done everything put win that match. What

a performance from Mark Selby, his match play, determination and his

champion instincts. Have you to scrape him off that table. Ding

Junhui he has shown here, again, this year. He is the real deal. Pure

box National Audit Office this sport? No doubt about. It he went up

in everybody's estimations. Stephen said he went up in his estimations.

We know what it's like out in the pit. He hasn't always gave

everything. We know that. He came out with every single bit of

concentration and will and determination was there on the

table. It was great. We are still very much buzzing after that, I must

say. Tonight, we will find out who Mark will be playing. After the

morning's play, John Higgins has one foot in the final, again. A huge

session of snooker coming up. An edgy start. That is a lapse in

concentration. He has had three golden chances now

to win this frame. He cannot hit the ball this morning. It looked as if

Barry Hawkins could have got within three. He's now five behind at 12-7.

It will be a very tough black. The four fiems former world champion has

pinched that frame from Barry Hawkins. -- times. Can he get this

with a special to spare. He's out there to do a job. Playing for pride

at the moment, is Barry Hawkins. A terrific cheer for Barry Hawkins.

It's not all over just yet. But John Higgins needs one frame to get

through to his sixth final. 41-year-old Higgins enjoyed that fix

frame run this morning. Barry Hawkins dug deep with a session to

spare. We are back tonight. Higgins seeking one more frame to book a

spot in his sixth world final and his first for six years. Ken, is

this something of a formality tonight? You would say so. Maybe

15-9 or 14-10 you would say Barry has a chance. One Graham against the

four-time champion, previous champion here, with that bags of

experience he has, John Higgins, one of the toughest players and greatest

players that graced the game, very slim. OK. John Higgins could

probably have done with the night off this evening, in truth. It paut

new tip on the cue last night. Tell us about his eventful Friday evening

I stuck a tip on initially. We had a few shots, said it was too hard. He

drove to Southport. Had a tip put on. The motorway was closed because

it's being dug up. He came through the back roads. He was wondering if

he was ever going to get back here. He got back at 4.00am and went to

bed. He had to play shots with it and

break it in. He seems happy with it. The proof is in the pudding. He

played so well this morning. . He certainly has. The biggest comeback

was achieved by a certain Ken Doherty to win against Paul Hunter.

We could be in for a short evening or, there again... Rob Walker is

ready and waiting. Thank you. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This

is the very last session of snooker before tomorrow's Betfred world

Snooker Championship Final. The crowd are ready to deliver a massive

reception at The Crucible. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Please welcome, a player who has done brilliantly here at the

Crucible in recent years making four of the last five semi-finals. Since

winning his first ranking title in 2012. He hasened looked back. He

will come out tonight determined to show his class. Come on The

Crucible, raise the roof for The Hawk, Barry Hawkins.

MUSIC: My Love by Kele Le Roc. His opponent, now of course just one

frame away from a sixth World Championship final. He won the first

of his four world crowns 18 yearsing ago and has en massed 28 ranking

titles of all. One of the finest sportsmen Scotland has ever

produced. Here comes John Higgins. Barry appears to have the crowd with

him. They want to see semi-final snooker tonight, don't they. All

right we can hand over to our commentary box. Mark Selby with his

feet up, he lies in wait. COMMENTATOR: Thank you, Hazel a

typical Crucible reception for what we can only describe, not at the

start of the match, but now the underdog. John Higgins, he'll

appreciate the backing that Barry Hawkins has got. Thank you. Frame

25, Barry Hawkins to break. COMMENTATOR: Can't afford a mistake.

He's playing for pride at the moment. No thoughts of winning the

match. But pride is a big thing. I know you were on this match this

morning, Willie. Is there any possible way that bare could give

him a run for his money? Well, I mean, obviously, we would love to

get the match to the interval to put John Higgins under some sort of

pressure. For Barry's supporters he's not played in this match. John

Higgins in fairness has not played. It's been a poor match. Whoever wins

this match, it looks like John Higgins, he will have to improve an

awful lot to beat Mark Selby. Obviously, Higgins is that good he

could improve, obviously. Maybe a plant here than have the balls put

back. There's the pot success for this

match. Both players below 90%. Only 1% difference pot success. Eight

frames behind, Barry Hawkins. For the tournament, John Higgins

92%, Barry Hawkins 90%. That is what you need to be.

So another go at this. Just misjudged it. He wants to slide past

them. There is loose reds on the right hand side of the table here.

He's hit the pink again. That's all because he's frightened of slipping

by them. That plant looks easier this time. I wonder whether he will

take the plant on. No, still doesn't fancy that. Surely those two reds

are set. The 12 points doesn't mean anything

at all. Obviously, you would rather keep it in the pink rather than

leave him an easy red on. This is a straight-forward escape to the side

of the reds. I wouldn't expect someone of John Higgins' class to

miss it three times on the trot. Beginning to doubt he's got the

right line. He doesn't want to over compensate. Perfect that time.

. Too thick on that. He needs that cue

ball to go near the cushion to make this red difficult for John Higgins.

He's gone close. He may have to dig down on it, but he needs to player

better safety than that. Ah, right in the heart of the

pocket. Good shot. APPLAUSE

Well, decided he couldn't play for that one loose red. He thought he

could get behind it and go into the cluster. Misjudged it.

He can see the edge of this red. He can't see it thin enough to get back

into balk. He's got to be careful he doesn't career into the pack, if he

plays it thin. So it looks like he's trying to find the back cushion.

He's played it with with a lot of check side. Has he missed the pack?

No, he didn't. Why didn't he have that kind of look in the

first-sessions. This is not the time to get a good look now, Barry.

There's just a gap. It oh, he's hit it too thin, caught the pink. Now

the red, just above the pink spot, is available. But, once again, that

cue ball going closes to cushion makes this red a little bit more

difficult. Yeah, refused the red because of the

close-proximity. Played an excellent safety there. Safety success. Well,

I like to see 90%. A little bit below that. There's a gap here.

Just a fraction out. But that's all it takes.

John Higgins would love to win the last frame of the morning Serbs not

to play this evening, he won't get a better chance than this, to close

the match out. Yes. We were hearing in the studio

about tip trouble. Not trouble, but he tried a couple before he found

one he liked. What John Higgins has got to do, if he gets to the final,

which looks very likely, he's just got to think back. Not that long

ago, in his performance against Mark Allen, that was as good snooker we

have seen at the Crucible this year? He was scoring, he will win this

match. I think once he gets to the final he may relax. He will be

second favourite against Mark Selby. He under hit that by a foot. Yes.

The red, drop the blue in and play for, the one below the blue, I don't

think it goes to the corner. He has to run through a little bit further,

wrong side of the So now he's got this three-ball pot.

Doesn't have to do much with the cue ball, pot the red, bound to be on

the black. The middle of three reds he'd like

to hit full-ball. He played that very nicely. Keep an eye on this

contact he made here. He caught the second red. If he hit it slightly

thicker the white would have run in baulk. He knows now this is the

chance. Overrun that. Still OK. Should be

able to play this red to the right middle and hole for the blue, in the

same pocket. Choice of reds, the one just below

the pink or the one to the left corner.

Deciding on the one for the left corner. Just off straight. Barry

Hawkins may feel that he's played his last shot of this year's Betfred

World Championship. Not ideal on the pink. He will have

to come on and off the cushion. It pots in the same pocket as the pink.

This is probably Barry Hawkins last hope. If he gets on this next red

perfectly, he should score enough points to win frame and match.

Obviously, there's a red the middle of that, of the five. It goes. Found

the gap. Well, it's tight. Over run it a fraction.

APPLAUSE Nicely played.

Just one more good positional shot needed. Play for the red in the same

pocket as the black. Inch-perfect. Red, black, red, for a place in the

final. So there you see it, 60 ahead, 67

remaining. Not for long. This red will put him 61 ahead with only 59

remaining. In it goes. APPLAUSE

This is the kind of form he needs to show tomorrow. He hasn't made a

century break I think for 30 frames, John. He's not made a century. It's

amazing, isn't it? The fact he's his tip change, maybe he wasn't happy

with it. --. He'd love love to finish this

off with a century. Run round the back of the black.

APPLAUSE There's the family all watching,

John. Wife, son, daughter - fantastic. He's there, again.

Nicely on the blue. He's already made 124 century breaks at the

Crucible. He's made five so far. He needs a

red and a black to make it six. This is tricky this red. Dead weight. It

should drop. Get in, you beauty. Get in, you beauty! Plus plus

To finish the match off in style, the black fork the century.

Wonderful. Wonderful. Finished that with ease. Tonne up. The wizard of

Wishaw's got his supporters here and he'll have them for the next two

days come the final. You would never count him out, Willie, could you?

Not at all. He's the perfect match player. Very interesting to see some

of the safety battles we are going to get in the final. Yes. He can

compete with anybody. If he can score like this, and this will give

him confidence, always nice to finish on a high.

Oh, little exhibition shot for you there.

Testing the tip. What a marvellous way to finish a match. Barry Hawkins

will be disappointed, didn't get his best in the semi-final. But what a

final we get to look forward to. Five-time champion of the world,

we'll see if he can make it, he's got four, he's one behind Ronnie

O'Sullivan, but he's a big ace against Mark Selby, the world number

one. What a mouth-watering prospect that will be, John Higgins wins the

semi-final comfortably by 17-8. Watched by the whole clan I think.

Not sure if his oldest son is here actually but most of the clan

Higgins are up there. I wonder how meaningful that will be for him to

finish that with a century. I don't subscribe to that, sometimes the

stats can lie. If you made an 80 every time, it doesn't matter. I

fully agree that he has to score but I think he will do. Anyone who

discounts John Higgins out for winning the Championship of the

world when he's already won four is out of their mind. Here he is.

Congratulations. The sixth final and you have waited a long time to get

back here six years. How special is it to be back here? Can't wait. It

was nerve-racking, the semi-final. It wasn't the best standard. Can't

believe the standard Barry played. I was expecting him to be playing the

way he's played the last few years. He'll be disappointed. He didn't

even play. I didn't play that great and came out 10-6. I was struggling

with my tip and was all over the place for the first two sessions.

Then I was up all night. LAUGHTER. Travelling to Les Dodd's

club. Unbelievable, honestly! I didn't get back in the apartment

until about 3. 30, 4. How many hours sleep did you have? Two hours. So,

I'm away to sleep tonight. You will need that rest. We were wondering,

you know, you talk about changing the tip, what were you searching for

and, did you really genuinely have a technical problem? The way I played

against Mark Allen, I knew the tip was low but I played good against

Mark Allen. Against Kyren Wilson, same again, then obviously there,

the first two sessions I knew if I kept that tip on I couldn't win the

World Championship. The thing is, you know it's a difficult balancing

act to get a tip that you come here with, do all the practise, play all

the matches, if you get to the latter stages, to have it pollutely

perfect all the way through. It's hard to time that. The fella that

made my cue put the last tip on so I blame him for not having it lasting

longer. But thanks to big Les last night he kept his club open and he

let me have a wee practise for half an hour in there and I jumped back

in the car and it was a good tip so cheers Les. You have had a special

season, won three titles, made an eighth maximum break, runner-up in

the Scottish Open but you talked in a feature about your ambition still

being to win a fifth world title. What is it about this driving

ambition that's kept you going because it's been a long time since

you have made it into a major, the Triple Crown final, John? Yes, it's

been a long time but I just think, you just can't beat the feeling

coming out here. The atmosphere was electric, so it was. A few boos from

Barry's side there, but no, playing out there, it's just unbelievable.

When you are playing well, it's unbelievable. We wondered about your

age, can I mention your age, 41. Yes. Only Ray Reardon's won into his

40s. This is the first time you have been back to the one-table stage for

quite a while. How punishing is it as you get older to make progress in

this Championship? I feel fine, honestly, absolutely fine. People

might say different things but the only thing that was scrambling my

brain was the tip. That was getting me flustered in the first few

sessions because I knew it wasn't right and I couldn't play decent

snooker. Tonight, the third session today I thought I had the ball good.

I missed a couple but I felt as if I was going a lot better with the tip.

We were remarking that clan Higgins is here in force. How many do you

reckon you have got with you, John? About 16. There'll be more coming

so... But they've been here interestingly

for fr more or less ball one. Denise and the kids were here. They came

down last weekend obviously they are off school so came down and shouted

me on with Mark Allen then they are back up the road in school, now they

are back down. That's been very special, as indeed was this moment

as you beat Barry to get into that. There they are, growing up very fast

obviously. John, it's great to see you in another final and it's a

rerun of one Ten years ago and a lot of water under the bridge since you

last played Mark Selby. What do you think of the man? I have every

admiration for him. I said last time I knew he was going to go on to win.

He's proved that he's won it. Going for a third, he's a special player,

and I'm going to have to play my best to give him a game. But I think

I can do that. There is a chance you might. I'm looking forward to it. We

are too. It's going to be a great two-day game and John, well done,

you've done it again. Well done, pal. If you go into that practise

room, most of the time if John is not practising you will see Mark

Selby in there working and grafting away and his Wingman, Bobby Lee, is

always there. This fella's very much a part of Team Selby here.

Hi, I'm Bobby Lee and I'm one part of Team Selby and have been coming

here for the last three years. I think psychologically I can give a

bit of input and pressure. It's very serious what we do, we try to

approach it in a like relaxed kind of way. That's my job really, try to

make him laugh, not too serious. We all know it's a big match, they all

want to win. If you hear the same things all the time "you want to

win", that's the added pressure, let's take that pressure away, make

him happy, get as much rest as possible. That means taking your

mind off things, watching the football or go for a stroll in town,

normal things. We always share a room. We like to keep the costs down

so it's not too expensive. Knowing how I am, Iover think things so if I

was going back to the room after a bad session I'm overplaying shots in

my mind and stawf, but we just chat about something else or will have a

laugh and a joke, something will be on TV, we'll be cracking jokes. My

wife is very comfortable on tour with me and Mark and his wife, you

know. He's a brother I never had. Coming all the way from China to

watch this, everything was perfect to win it that year, so it was

emotional. We just hugged each other. We have been hugging each

other all tournament, we have kept jumping, you know the man jump. We

did all that and sometimes Ivan, the press officer will be waiting

outside, he must be hearing what is going on in there because we were

cheering high-fiving and it was brilliant, yes. Amazing feeling.

Every players' dream I think. Can't believe it. Can't believe it.

Doesn't matter if he is playing Ronnie O'Sullivan or somewhere lower

down the rankings or someone who is amateur, he will treat everyone with

respect. That's why he's so good. Don't take liberties with the game,

treats everyone the same, plays the same game and, you know, that's what

I think makes his stand out. Very good to see someone I've known since

he was 11 lifting trophies on TV. He's got something I dreamed of

Mile. Now I can't do it, it's great to see someone I can honestly say

that I've seen growing up as a boy doing it, which is a great feeling,

you know. Clash Mark was one of 17 champions

who were here on the eve of the Championship to celebrate 40 years

here at the Crucible, it was a fantastic gala evening. Despite the

hype and expectation, it's lived up to its pre-Championship billing and

all 32 players who made it here have performed brilliantly.

So excited. Good evening and welcome to a very special night and this

amazing little theatre in Sheffield, the Crucible Theatre.

17 days. 705 frames to play before someone lifts that trophy up. It

stretches into the distance. Aaron, you literally are the star of

the show here because, without your coaching, this wouldn't actually be

happening. Through his teaching, he's got them in a place where they

might never have been until they found snooker.

Anybody who can make a 147 has fast as he has televised is a Muir

genius, if you ask me -- pure genius. I want to paint him this big

like a memorial kind of thing. Ronnie's never going to die because

he's always going to be on the wall for a long time. I retired from

snooker and the DJ thing took off. Now I have this alter ego, it's very

strange. Unfortunately, you have got the

runners up prize. Thank you for establishing that once again!

And it all seems about two months ago since we started and it was only

15 days, night and day we've kept going but we have seen some

absolutely brilliant snooker. For you, what's stood out so far Ken? I

thought the Ding match against Ronnie was a classic. Ding against

Mark Selby was one of the best semi-finals, matches that we have

probably ever witnessed here. Ding did everything he possibly could and

Mark Selby stood up to the challenge and I'm really looking forward to

the final. It's going to be an absolute classic. We certainly are.

In the head-to-head Selby 9-6. The fifth time they've met at the

Crucible. Mark's won on one occasion in a first round match and John with

the three wins, none since 200, including the final ten years ago.

It's a very different picture these days, John, isn't it? Yes, but if

there's one player whose game matches up to Mark Selby in the

safety and tactical department, he's in the final with him. He's a son

sue mate match player we've all been there and played him, we know what

problems he shows everybody. -- consumate match player. It's going

to be a classic. I hop you will share your next two days with us

here on the BBC and we'll be back at 2for the first session. It's the

jester against the Wizard take two ten years on. Catch you soon. Bye.

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