Day 16, Final, Afternoon Session

:01:43. > :01:48.Good afternoon. Youth trumped experience in last night's

:01:49. > :01:54.prizefight at Wembley but will it do so again in the Crucible Theatre?

:01:55. > :01:57.Because we have got ourselves another heavyweight contest. Mark

:01:58. > :02:02.Selby, the world number one at the peak of his powers is the man who

:02:03. > :02:08.owns the title. John Higgins, one of the greats of the game, at 41 years

:02:09. > :02:13.of age still capable of landing a punch and a fifth world title. The

:02:14. > :02:22.Crucible Theatre is filling up beautifully ahead of this year's

:02:23. > :02:26.Betfred World Championship final. And the world number one defending

:02:27. > :02:34.champion Mark Selby is into the second round. And he wins quite

:02:35. > :02:46.comfortably in the end, Mark Selby is now through to the quarterfinal.

:02:47. > :02:49.It's nearly embarrassment level. What tremendous, almost flawless

:02:50. > :02:56.snooker from the current world champion and he's going to be so

:02:57. > :03:02.hard to beat. It's been a fabulous semifinal. Mark Selby gets into his

:03:03. > :03:06.third final in four years. To get there again having come here as

:03:07. > :03:10.defending champion, it would be nice to go out there and win it again but

:03:11. > :03:14.if I didn't I have had a good run as defending champion but I will have

:03:15. > :03:21.to scrape myself off the table for the next two days for me to not win

:03:22. > :03:25.that title. Every credit to Martin, he did really well there but John

:03:26. > :03:33.Higgins is now safely through to the second round. 94% potting success,

:03:34. > :03:41.what a performance from John Higgins, he's back to his best in my

:03:42. > :03:51.opinion! John Higgins is through to his

:03:52. > :03:56.eighth World Championship semifinal. John Higgins wins comfortably by

:03:57. > :04:01.17-8. What a final we have got to look forward to! It means everything

:04:02. > :04:05.really, it is the World Championship, the biggest tournament

:04:06. > :04:09.in the world, and having a chance to compete in the final again and try

:04:10. > :04:11.to add another one to make it five, it would be my best ever achievement

:04:12. > :04:24.in snooker. Steve, put yourself in Mark Selby's

:04:25. > :04:26.shoes, what have you made of his progress in the championship? I

:04:27. > :04:34.think he will be pleased with it, confidence and energy levels will be

:04:35. > :04:37.high. Two easy first rounds and a second round, against Marco Fu in

:04:38. > :04:41.the quarterfinals, he got into bed with one session to spare, tested

:04:42. > :04:46.strongly against Ding Junhui but came through with flying colours,

:04:47. > :04:55.but from John Higgins' perspective, how do you think you will be

:04:56. > :04:59.feeling? He had a tough draw, Martin Gould, since then the matches have

:05:00. > :05:03.gone to plan, he came through relatively easy against Barry

:05:04. > :05:07.Hawkins and let's be honest, you don't win four of these things

:05:08. > :05:14.unless you know your way around one of these. Whoever picks up this

:05:15. > :05:19.trophy will have deserved it. This Crucible final between Selby

:05:20. > :05:24.and Higgins is take two, ten years on because they squared up in 2007

:05:25. > :05:29.when an up and coming Mark Selby had yet to win any titles in the sport

:05:30. > :05:39.and now owns seven majors. Higgins was the man back then, but this time

:05:40. > :05:47.in the 16th big match between them, the veteran comes in as underdog.

:05:48. > :05:54.Here we are, backstage, next to the champions board. Who will be on

:05:55. > :06:00.there 2017? Will it be John Higgins, four times champion, Mark Selby,

:06:01. > :06:03.defending champion? This is when the nerves, excitement and anticipation

:06:04. > :06:09.kick in. They both look very relaxed. Just a little smile. They

:06:10. > :06:15.can't wait to get out, we can't wait to see what happens. The first few

:06:16. > :06:18.frames very important, set down the marker.

:06:19. > :06:22.Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. After 15 epic days of

:06:23. > :06:29.action, this is the big one, welcome to the final of the 2017 Betfred

:06:30. > :06:30.World Snooker Championship. Two of the all-time greats waiting

:06:31. > :07:01.backstage so let's get the boys on Please welcome a player already

:07:02. > :07:07.regarded as one of the greats. He won his first world title in 1998

:07:08. > :07:11.and here he is, almost two decades later still going strong, still at

:07:12. > :07:15.the top, still hungry for more, a man of immense courage and

:07:16. > :07:28.determination, such a proud day for him and his family, the Wizard of

:07:29. > :07:38.Wishaw, John Higgins! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

:07:39. > :07:44.And his opponent, a player who from humble beginnings has journeyed to

:07:45. > :07:51.the very top of his sport and done so with humour, humility and style.

:07:52. > :07:55.Ten years on from his first Crucible final, back as defending champion

:07:56. > :08:00.and world number one. A mild-mannered man with the heart of

:08:01. > :08:07.a lion. Ladies and gentlemen, he's a credit to the sport and his family,

:08:08. > :08:14.he is the from Leicester, he is Mark Selby! -- the Jester from Leicester.

:08:15. > :08:30.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE So sit back and immerse yourself in

:08:31. > :08:32.what is a full two de drama at the Crucible.

:08:33. > :08:37.Four sessions between now and tomorrow evening, John Higgins

:08:38. > :08:42.attempting to join Ronnie O'Sullivan as a five-time world champion. Mark

:08:43. > :08:45.Selby hoping to join three legends who have won this back to three

:08:46. > :09:00.occasions. John Parrott alongside John Virgo,

:09:01. > :09:05.good afternoon. COMMENTATOR: Yes, there is nothing

:09:06. > :09:14.like the final of the World Championship at the Crucible,

:09:15. > :09:18.Sheffield. And as you say, it will be played over four sessions, the

:09:19. > :09:29.first to a team to lift that magnificent trophy. But we well

:09:30. > :09:34.know, Stephen, that this first session is always very important.

:09:35. > :09:47.Just to get a foothold or stay in the match or those psychological

:09:48. > :09:51.things you think about. STEPHEN HENDRY: Very much so, I agree

:09:52. > :10:00.totally. The last thing John wants to be doing is chasing this final

:10:01. > :10:06.the whole way for two days. I think John Higgins can... It is a world

:10:07. > :10:10.final, he's not going to relax, but I think he can enjoy it. He's

:10:11. > :10:16.definitely the underdog, he has nothing to lose in my opinion. He

:10:17. > :10:21.can relax and play the snooker we know he is capable of. That's a good

:10:22. > :10:36.start. He came through his semifinal very

:10:37. > :10:38.comfortably. Without making a century break I think, in that whole

:10:39. > :10:55.semifinal, John. He is OK, maybe overscrewed that

:10:56. > :11:10.slightly. You wouldn't be human if you weren't feeling a little bit of

:11:11. > :11:12.nerves. In these opening exchanges. That one not right in the heart of

:11:13. > :11:29.the pocket, but safely in. A couple of roads above the black

:11:30. > :11:33.available. That's why he didn't have to go into the reds to play any

:11:34. > :11:37.cannons. He's played that nicely. And it's been a bit of a resurgence

:11:38. > :11:54.of John Higgins this season. In three ranking events early on in

:11:55. > :12:03.the season, to show he was no back number. He just went off the boil a

:12:04. > :12:07.bit but has produced some great snooker in this championship. His

:12:08. > :12:15.performance against Mark Allen, if he produces that, he has a chance

:12:16. > :12:21.here. He has more of a -- more than a chance if he reproduces that. If

:12:22. > :12:26.you watch after every pot, his tongue comes out slightly and that

:12:27. > :12:38.to me is a sign of when he is in the zone, focused.

:12:39. > :12:51.Just got to be precise, going for the red in the same pocket as the

:12:52. > :13:00.black. Judged it nicely. Yes, you will see that almost every shot.

:13:01. > :13:10.That didn't sound too good, that did not sound good. No, that was a bad

:13:11. > :13:15.contact. Contact that took all of the pace out of the cue ball.

:13:16. > :13:26.Thankfully the red went in, but this black is tricky.

:13:27. > :13:38.A shake of the head. Has he got on this red? He can't hit through to

:13:39. > :13:42.the red. That was a good pot, played with a trace of side. That cue ball

:13:43. > :13:46.with a bit more pace may have released, but as you can see he just

:13:47. > :13:54.cannot get to the potting angle. Yes, I think he wanted to have a

:13:55. > :13:57.slight flick on the red that he is snookered by. Didn't quite get the

:13:58. > :14:02.side on the cue ball that he wanted or get the reaction he was open for

:14:03. > :14:12.off the cushion. -- that he was hoping for.

:14:13. > :14:25.This is careless. You don't make a 34 break and then play a careless

:14:26. > :14:30.shot like that. You would be disappointed. Can't be leaving a pot

:14:31. > :15:08.on. He's got quite an acute angle on

:15:09. > :15:09.this blue, if he wants to go into the pink, really nipped the cue

:15:10. > :15:18.ball. He thought about it. This needs good striking. And he

:15:19. > :15:37.did. Yes, good shot. Doesn't have to do

:15:38. > :15:43.much with this red, just roll it in, even though he's closer to the

:15:44. > :15:49.cushion than he would like. Yes, right in the heart of the pocket.

:15:50. > :15:55.And John Higgins will be sitting in his seat now, thinking, "What was I

:15:56. > :16:00.doing with that safety shot?" All he had to do was make sure he didn't

:16:01. > :16:06.leave the pot on. He couldn't leave anything. He just needed the cue

:16:07. > :16:11.ball to run this side of the black. How costly will that careless shot

:16:12. > :16:34.be? I used to find playing in the world

:16:35. > :16:37.finals four session much over two days, the final session seems so far

:16:38. > :16:51.away when you start in the afternoon of Sunday.

:16:52. > :16:57.That was a nice little kiss, the last case he got just took the cue

:16:58. > :17:05.ball up towards the blue. Otherwise he was going to be on nothing there.

:17:06. > :17:14.Yes, he's got a bit of work to do here, to get the cue ball at the

:17:15. > :17:21.baulk end. He has got a good line. But as hard as he hit it, I think

:17:22. > :17:23.the cue ball would have run down the table a bit further. This is no

:17:24. > :17:47.gimme. The cushions have apparently been

:17:48. > :17:53.recovered for today and tomorrow's final so perhaps didn't get that

:17:54. > :18:00.speed of the blue out of the baulk that he will maybe get in a few

:18:01. > :18:04.games' time. He got a good red to rescue the situation and this is an

:18:05. > :18:19.excellent positional shot. He will be disappointed not to win the frame

:18:20. > :18:22.from here. Yes, when you look at the table, you can't see a difficult

:18:23. > :18:29.ball, apart from the pink but he doesn't need the pink to win this

:18:30. > :18:34.frame. Without worrying about that. It just shows you though, Stephen,

:18:35. > :18:41.you just cannot drop your guard for a second. John Higgins was playing

:18:42. > :18:46.nothing safety shot, left the red, looks like it cost him the frame.

:18:47. > :18:54.Yes, and that's why this tournament is such a test of stamina and

:18:55. > :19:00.concentration. One lacks shot, you think oh well, I will get away with

:19:01. > :19:02.that, but you don't at this level. And probably the last player you

:19:03. > :19:18.expect to do that is John Higgins. That takes Mark five points into the

:19:19. > :19:26.lead with the four reds left on the table. And the black, you would

:19:27. > :19:36.assume. That would be enough to get to the snooker is required stage.

:19:37. > :19:42.Here are seven of the 24 points needed. He will be playing the red

:19:43. > :19:48.on the left-hand side of the table here. Could have played better.

:19:49. > :19:52.Could have played it better. I thought it would have screwed off

:19:53. > :19:56.the side cushion. That's exactly what I was thinking. If you use the

:19:57. > :20:04.cushion you have a much better chance of leaving yourself a decent

:20:05. > :20:14.shot. Blind pocket. But right in the heart of it. He's going to have to

:20:15. > :20:26.pot this black and come in the left-hand red. And he got it right.

:20:27. > :20:32.-- cannon the left-hand red. Perfectly played.

:20:33. > :20:41.It has to be said, both players looking sharp. John Higgins was in,

:20:42. > :20:48.but for a better kiss when he hit the roads, this could have been his.

:20:49. > :20:54.A careless positional shot. Mark Selby has looked very sharp also.

:20:55. > :20:59.Hopefully, a sign of things to come. Let's be fair to John as well, it

:21:00. > :21:06.was a bad contact that left him a quarter ball like. If he'd had a

:21:07. > :21:20.normal contact he would have been better on the black.

:21:21. > :21:27.That was an important black because these two players are probably the

:21:28. > :21:32.best in the game against snooker is so it's very important to make sure

:21:33. > :21:39.you kill the game off when you get to the end of it. Don't let your

:21:40. > :21:45.opponent back to the table, if there's even three snookers, John,

:21:46. > :21:49.they might fancy it. They certainly know their way around a snooker

:21:50. > :21:55.table. And looking at the time of this frame, it's been quickfire

:21:56. > :22:00.potting and break-building, but we will have some very tactical games,

:22:01. > :22:07.I think that's bound to happen. Well, missed the brown but I don't

:22:08. > :22:11.think John Higgins will come back to the table. It was just a loose

:22:12. > :22:17.safety shot really, he was unlucky not to get on a red, but he did not

:22:18. > :22:21.give Mark Selby anything. With that break of 76, he takes the first

:22:22. > :22:28.frame. Yes, it is worth telling you that

:22:29. > :22:32.that was the 202nd frame they have played in professional snooker, and

:22:33. > :22:39.the margin of difference is two frames. Selby actually leads John

:22:40. > :22:43.Higgins! What a start, brisk business, and tough school, one

:22:44. > :22:49.mistake on safety and that's it. Yes, not like John as well. We have

:22:50. > :22:54.a shot later that we will show, this is all about Mark Selby. It is a

:22:55. > :23:00.horrible shot into a blind pocket that he drops and keeps the break

:23:01. > :23:05.going. Trust me, they are horrible and I don't think there is anybody

:23:06. > :23:10.in the game that's better at awkward shots. I used to think Mark Williams

:23:11. > :23:14.was good at that stuff. I think we saw a famous black missed like that

:23:15. > :23:21.at one time. There's nobody like him. Steve, what will be the

:23:22. > :23:28.difference for John Higgins here? Because he said after his semifinal,

:23:29. > :23:35.his levels are going to have to come up. Already there is a spring in his

:23:36. > :23:40.step. Yes, there's a thought, it may not play a part in it. There's four

:23:41. > :23:43.sessions of play coming got to get out of the starting blocks in each

:23:44. > :23:47.session as quickly as you can and that's one of the keys to being a

:23:48. > :23:51.successful winner of this tournament. John Higgins got out of

:23:52. > :23:58.the blocks quickly but when the question was asked Mark Selby he got

:23:59. > :24:05.straight back into his stride. The one ahead.

:24:06. > :24:15.JOHN VIRGO: Frame two under way, and that's not the best safety from

:24:16. > :24:20.Mark. He doesn't have to do anything, no side, he can go round

:24:21. > :24:36.the back of the black so good cueing, centre ball striking needed.

:24:37. > :24:48.And got. So, as in the first frame, John Higgins gets first chance. Yes,

:24:49. > :24:54.two out of two. A little bit ironic really, mistakes on safety shots

:24:55. > :25:00.macro from two of the best players in safety today. That was a nicely

:25:01. > :25:10.played shot as well. Couldn't really have picked the cue ball up in his

:25:11. > :25:17.hand on put it any better. I like to see 90% on safety, but we are in the

:25:18. > :25:30.final so something has been working. I like to see about 30%, John!

:25:31. > :25:39.Using the bunch here. Don't miss the black. At this level, if you miss a

:25:40. > :25:45.black on the spot while you are in, you are asking for trouble. Yes, I

:25:46. > :25:50.agree, John. He's going to struggle to win this final if he misses many

:25:51. > :26:02.of them. Got to keep unforced errors at premium.

:26:03. > :26:10.He has got the red to the right corner, but hampered. But he thinks

:26:11. > :26:17.he can cut this one back to the left corner.

:26:18. > :26:31.The cue ball could be going near the right middle here. He has overcooked

:26:32. > :26:33.it. -- overcut it. For once, missing the black off the spot has not been

:26:34. > :26:59.too costly. Playing the road the middle, which

:27:00. > :27:09.gives him more control for position. Played it well.

:27:10. > :27:18.Don't think there is any value. He could pot the green and try to bring

:27:19. > :27:23.the black into play, but no value in that, Stephen? A bit early to be

:27:24. > :27:35.thinking of that. Just concentrate on the loose roads. I don't know, it

:27:36. > :27:38.is a pretty good call. Yes, it's just one of those things that if you

:27:39. > :27:42.caught the black the wrong side and couldn't get through to the red over

:27:43. > :27:48.the corner, you would have been thinking, why didn't I do that?

:27:49. > :27:53.Maybe concentrate on building up a useful lead and think that way at

:27:54. > :27:58.the moment. Yes, I think if you are four or five frames into this

:27:59. > :28:03.session, you would definitely have played that shot. He has been

:28:04. > :28:05.unlucky there. He has got this blew straight to the green pocket, he has

:28:06. > :28:23.been very lucky. That was a nice kiss on the blue. As

:28:24. > :28:29.Stephen said, anything but straight that would have been very awkward.

:28:30. > :28:31.But the one of the ball can change so quickly in this game, when you

:28:32. > :28:45.get it, take advantage. Especially in a four session match.

:28:46. > :28:54.The run of the ball can change so many times.

:28:55. > :29:07.It looks like he's going to leave himself further away from this red

:29:08. > :29:17.than he would like. I think the pink is available to left middle. Nothing

:29:18. > :29:29.to do with the cue ball, just stun this red in.

:29:30. > :29:39.Stroke that beautifully. It is so easy on that type of shot to

:29:40. > :29:40.decelerate and just not get through it, but he held the cue ball

:29:41. > :29:56.perfectly. Now, does the pink go on its old

:29:57. > :29:58.sport? You wouldn't mind it going on the black spot. That's handy. That's

:29:59. > :30:20.very handy. This could be the shot now That wins

:30:21. > :30:22.him a frame. The pace should open everything up

:30:23. > :30:46.here. To the right middle, it's

:30:47. > :30:49.unmissable. He will not want to nudge the other red. He'll want to

:30:50. > :31:08.pot it clean and he did. Looking for another 24 points to get

:31:09. > :31:12.to the snookers required stage. That was a heavy contact. It didn't run

:31:13. > :31:18.through as he would have liked. Wanted to be straight on his red

:31:19. > :31:33.immediately left of the pink. Now, as we watch it, he doesn't want to

:31:34. > :31:46.Whether he thought he could get a kiss on the black or something, I

:31:47. > :32:09.don't know. I know he'll play the snooker now.

:32:10. > :32:17.You don't want to break up your rhythm, do you? You don't want to

:32:18. > :32:26.stop all the time to get the cue ball cleaned. He's got a 42-point

:32:27. > :32:30.advantage. He's thinking, can I pot a colour safe and stale get the

:32:31. > :32:41.snooker? Personally, I would be rolling up to the green.

:32:42. > :32:58.Mark Selby having a look. He's interested.

:32:59. > :33:04.Unless it flicks off the next red, it's hard to tell from behind the

:33:05. > :33:09.pocket. You'd only know if you looked down. It's not a direct

:33:10. > :33:11.plant, but it is a return to bog. I don't know whether it flicks off the

:33:12. > :33:28.third red. We'll see. Only just trying to find the path

:33:29. > :33:33.back to the ball. That red immediately to the left of the pink,

:33:34. > :33:36.I think it's available. That's the one John played for before, until he

:33:37. > :34:01.got the heavy contact on the blue. Stephen said they recovered the

:34:02. > :34:03.cushions. Seem to be coming off them a little bit slower than they had

:34:04. > :34:21.been doing. I think as a player, you prefer that

:34:22. > :34:26.from the other extreme, bouncing off the cushions.

:34:27. > :34:42.Pretty much uncontrollable when that happens.

:34:43. > :35:41.Just a bit thick. That was half a chance.

:35:42. > :35:56.There is a red, so not completely snookered.

:35:57. > :36:03.A bit thick again, took the pace out of the cue ball.

:36:04. > :36:07.I suppose you could say not left anything that easy. But a look of

:36:08. > :36:24.bemusement on John's face. I bet the fans of the safety game

:36:25. > :36:27.will be fascinated to find out who gets the better of the exchanges

:36:28. > :36:44.over the next two days. The thing is and that was a nice

:36:45. > :36:49.kiss, but no matter how good the safety is, it will come down

:36:50. > :37:06.eventually to who will knock the long reds in.

:37:07. > :37:21.So John Higgins has made that adjustment to get the pace of the

:37:22. > :37:25.table. Given Mark here something to think

:37:26. > :37:33.about. As I say, John Higgins having a

:37:34. > :37:53.42-point lead. One more chance and the frame will be his.

:37:54. > :38:02.If you play that across double, a fraction too thick, you can get into

:38:03. > :38:15.another red and keep the cue ball at this end.

:38:16. > :38:22.Over one minute's thinking time. If he could, he may play off the side

:38:23. > :38:26.cushion to try and nestle on the red. I think the brown may be

:38:27. > :38:36.stopping that escape route. If he plays the red on the left-hand

:38:37. > :38:45.side of the table, he's got to catch it mighty thin.

:38:46. > :38:52.This is a big shout - a two cushion escape with pace. I know he's very

:38:53. > :39:01.good at this t this will be good. He's caught it thick. Where's the

:39:02. > :39:07.red going? Would you believe it! Looked to his

:39:08. > :39:13.opponent, raised a hand. Not a glimmer from John Higgins.

:39:14. > :39:20.This is horrendous if you were John Higgins sitting in the chair. He's

:39:21. > :39:32.in. He's going to win the frame now and the red goes in the mid-. And

:39:33. > :39:40.yes... John's been around long enough to know that things... If the

:39:41. > :39:46.red doesn't go in the pocket, look where the cue ball was, it was a

:39:47. > :39:48.simple finish of the frame. OK, only cost one point, but it's kept him in

:39:49. > :40:22.the frame. Once again, struggling with the pace

:40:23. > :40:24.of the table, want it to be on the baulk cushion, no not the baulk

:40:25. > :40:59.line. Well, couldn't have been much closer

:41:00. > :41:05.with the pot and no luck this time for Mark Selby. I have to say it is

:41:06. > :41:14.a bit unfortunate for that red to come back, the cue ball.

:41:15. > :41:22.Just got to control it. Got to miss the kiss on the red and

:41:23. > :41:40.the red below the pink, for position. Shouldn't be a problem.

:41:41. > :41:50.Seems to be playing slower off the cushions at the moment.

:41:51. > :41:54.The last long ball attempt that John played, you could tell when the cue

:41:55. > :42:07.ball came off the top cushion, the way it reacted.

:42:08. > :42:11.If you watch the cue ball here... Couldn't quite see it from that

:42:12. > :42:24.angle. Not perfect on this pink. That's why

:42:25. > :42:29.he's missed it. And it all came about when he potted the blue and he

:42:30. > :42:36.didn't get right on the red. OK, he potted in the middle.

:42:37. > :42:42.He's gone away from the red he needed to clinch the frame. He

:42:43. > :42:47.shouldn't have missed the pink, in all honesty. Needs to win this frame

:42:48. > :42:56.for me now, John Higgins, because he's had a few chances at it. And

:42:57. > :43:00.he's maybe getting a wee bit edgy. I couldn't agree with you more and

:43:01. > :43:02.that red over the corner now covered.

:43:03. > :43:13.John Higgins has a problem. Played that nicely. Needs to run a

:43:14. > :43:41.touch. The red to the left of the pink as

:43:42. > :43:50.we look, he can get to the potting angle. Can he? There's a gap.

:43:51. > :43:58.There's always a gap! He can pot this.

:43:59. > :44:14.Unbelievable! It's amazing. Is he on the colour? Is he on the

:44:15. > :44:20.brown? At the moment, he's 47 points behind and he's only 43 remaining.

:44:21. > :44:22.He was hoping to be on the black. If he pots the brown, he can only tie

:44:23. > :44:36.now. He could pot the brown but he's 43

:44:37. > :44:41.points behind, 43 remaining and he's sneaked past the pink and he's not

:44:42. > :44:43.on the red. And whatever red he plays, if he doesn't get a black

:44:44. > :45:14.with it, he'll need a snooker. Not out of the woods yet.

:45:15. > :45:20.This is tough. I don't think as a player you can just roll in. I think

:45:21. > :45:24.there's a danger of the left corner pocket, so he'll have to stun it a

:45:25. > :45:28.little bit and that makes the pot a little bit more difficult. Right

:45:29. > :45:34.below centre, just to widen the angle.

:45:35. > :45:38.Yes. He was tough. I am sure he would like to look at John Higgins

:45:39. > :45:48.now and say, you can have this frame. But it's not to do that.

:45:49. > :45:57.He'll be a very relieved John Higgins now to have finally got this

:45:58. > :45:59.frame in the bag. Once again, you see, just not got

:46:00. > :46:22.the pace of this table yet. On the line and on the scoreboard, I

:46:23. > :46:27.wonder how much relief there'll be from John Higgins. A few edgy

:46:28. > :46:31.moments there. As he got off to a decent start in the first frame.

:46:32. > :46:37.Looked like he was cueing well. It is not nice to feel you are cueing

:46:38. > :46:42.well and the frame starts to slip away. Sort of reset now and you've

:46:43. > :46:46.got your game going. You've got your arm going. This is the fifth time

:46:47. > :46:50.they have met at the Crucible. Interesting matches in the past. It

:46:51. > :46:54.is John who has the better record here. He's 3-1 ahead at the

:46:55. > :47:02.Crucible. He played in a best of 17 as well. So, as it's going a long,

:47:03. > :47:06.John's held the upper hand, which may surprise a few people. Mark

:47:07. > :47:09.Selby only beat him once at the Crucible, way back in the first

:47:10. > :47:13.round. Other than that John Higgins has been doing very well. He's won

:47:14. > :47:20.three titles this season. Mark's won four. I was looking at the odds the

:47:21. > :47:27.bookmakers were offering, you could get lengthy odds on John here, just

:47:28. > :47:30.over 2-1, which surpriseded me? There was a big boxing fight last

:47:31. > :47:33.night between the old man and the young man. I think probably the

:47:34. > :47:37.youth was the only reason that person got over the line in the end.

:47:38. > :47:41.I think youth may play its part in this game as well. I think they are

:47:42. > :47:45.chatting about the cushions or something here. I think because we

:47:46. > :47:48.noticed straightaway on the commentary it doesn't seem to be

:47:49. > :47:53.bouncing off the cushions very quickly. It is a new cloth. It was

:47:54. > :48:00.done last night. Sometimes it takes a while to bed in. I think that is

:48:01. > :48:05.what the discussion was about. Plenty to talk about between the

:48:06. > :48:07.players and us. We are into frame three.

:48:08. > :48:13.THE COMMENTATOR: Sorry, I can not help you with what they were

:48:14. > :48:19.chatting about. Any clues, Stephen?

:48:20. > :48:26.I don't know. Normally it would be, I wouldn't say there was much point

:48:27. > :48:30.talking about the cushions - it's not as if they can do anything about

:48:31. > :48:35.it. Sometimes the players can think a white is a little bit light and

:48:36. > :48:40.maybe change the cue ball. The cushions - there's no point chatting

:48:41. > :49:05.about it as you cannot exactly change the cushions.

:49:06. > :49:13.A little pacey on that one. He hit the red, as he wanted to. Maybe a

:49:14. > :49:37.normal adjustment, trying to find that baulk cushion.

:49:38. > :49:43.You heard John Higgins there saying, "Shot." That was an excellent safety

:49:44. > :49:58.shot there from Mark Selby. Can hit the red down the left-hand

:49:59. > :50:04.side of the table. Nestling into this cluster, got to be careful. You

:50:05. > :50:07.can slide past them. Doesn't want to slide past them!

:50:08. > :50:18.He has. And I was going to say, he's weary

:50:19. > :50:24.about how the cushions are reacting, that wasn't as easy a shot as it

:50:25. > :50:31.might have been. Mark playing the more difficult red.

:50:32. > :50:39.The position, may have to use the bunch now to kill the pace of the

:50:40. > :50:41.cue ball. Keep it on a red, left corner. Don't forget to pot the

:50:42. > :51:01.black. As we said, normally very costly. In

:51:02. > :51:06.fact when John Higgins missed the black off the spot in the last

:51:07. > :51:15.frame, it didn't cost him in the end, but it may cost Mark dear here.

:51:16. > :51:24.Well, he will be going back to his seat now, John Higgins, absolutely

:51:25. > :51:42.kicking himself. He let Mark Selby off there.

:51:43. > :51:50.Mark Selby got out of his seat, he sort of examined the cushions and

:51:51. > :51:57.pulled a face of disapproval. Obviously players are not happy with

:51:58. > :52:04.the way this table's playing. Got to get over that and just get on

:52:05. > :52:07.with it. The old saying, it's the same for

:52:08. > :52:18.both players. It is at this level. It's not if

:52:19. > :52:25.you're playing someone you should be.

:52:26. > :52:36.This is what Stephen's referring to. You see, sometimes when they recover

:52:37. > :52:40.the cushions, they can just pull them a little bit too tight and then

:52:41. > :52:44.the point of the rubber, where the cue ball bounces off, could just be

:52:45. > :52:52.a little bit trapping the ball slightly.

:52:53. > :53:04.Normally the table-fitters do such a good job. This table seems to be

:53:05. > :53:12.playing superbly. The session that Mark Selby had against Ding Junhui,

:53:13. > :53:20.nothing wrong with the table then. They have put new cloth covers on.

:53:21. > :53:25.I am sure, at the interval they'll have a word with the tournament

:53:26. > :53:27.director. Anyway n the mean time, excellent

:53:28. > :53:56.chance this now for Mark Selby. John Higgins couldn't blame the

:53:57. > :53:57.cushions for the red he missed middle. It had nothing to do with

:53:58. > :54:19.the cue ball. Just pot the red. OK, it's more of an acute angle than

:54:20. > :54:24.it looks sometimes. You wouldn't have expected him to have missed

:54:25. > :54:30.that. A cannon into this cluster of five, if it goes right, frame over.

:54:31. > :54:41.Well, he must have found a red in the middle of that five that goes.

:54:42. > :54:45.Does it go? Must do. Yes.

:54:46. > :54:56.So, let's have a look now. He'll still have to open these four reds

:54:57. > :55:05.to open the frame at this visit. Looking for another 18 points.

:55:06. > :55:30.He's going to need another red and a high value colour. Blue will put him

:55:31. > :55:59.63 points in front, with 75 remaining.

:56:00. > :56:31.It was a half chance of a counter attack. It was not easy that red.

:56:32. > :56:36.Especially playing two cushions for the black. Sometimes those are the

:56:37. > :56:41.ones in world finals you have to take.

:56:42. > :56:50.That was a type of frame. It may still be because I don't think he's

:56:51. > :56:55.left Mark Selby anything easy. 75 remaining. Still needs a red and

:56:56. > :57:02.a colour. But it is frames like that crow can look back on in -- you can

:57:03. > :57:04.look back on in matches and say, remember that third frame, it turned

:57:05. > :57:15.the match? John Higgins missed a red in the

:57:16. > :57:18.middle. A bit of nerves out there. I think it is plain to see.

:57:19. > :57:49.Understandable. The double... It's not there. The

:57:50. > :57:54.problem is if the double doesn't go in, you are not certain where the

:57:55. > :57:57.red will go, depending on which jaw of the middle pocket it hits. It was

:57:58. > :58:09.close. Just not there. Will John be tempted

:58:10. > :58:16.to play this red along the cushion? It's a lot more difficult than the

:58:17. > :58:20.one he missed before. A big shot. Could be a big frame if

:58:21. > :58:45.he knocks it in. Too thick. Just wanted to glance off

:58:46. > :58:52.the red to lead it to the left corner. Safety shot now, I think,

:58:53. > :58:57.unless this red fancies going to the left-middle. But I think it is too

:58:58. > :59:07.risky. Just got to make sure... He's coming around now, covers that brown

:59:08. > :59:09.or yellow. Probably brown. He's very much back in this frame, John

:59:10. > :59:28.Higgins. Got to cover the red near the middle

:59:29. > :59:34.and I'm not certain he has. No. He's left a gap.

:59:35. > :59:40.Not saying it's the easiest pot. He shouldn't have left him this. I was

:59:41. > :59:46.going to say that, John. This is a horrible shot. He's not really play

:59:47. > :00:20.it with a lot of pace. Bound to leave it.

:00:21. > :00:26.Took the stress out of the short. Bidwell, his shot maker, Mark Selby,

:00:27. > :00:43.no doubt about that. So, a nervy frame, but Mark Selby is

:00:44. > :01:03.going to take it. Just this red required.

:01:04. > :01:09.There you see it, 67 ahead, 51 remaining, but not for long. The red

:01:10. > :01:24.just right of the pink is on. Yes, the second famous 22 minutes,

:01:25. > :01:28.but this one just over 13 minutes is going to be finished any time now so

:01:29. > :01:35.I'm sure in this match we will have some 40 minuters, maybe even 50,

:01:36. > :01:40.because they are such great tactical players, but at the moment it is

:01:41. > :01:55.pretty open. Of course it depends if the black and pink stay in the open.

:01:56. > :02:09.Nice shot, got the cannon. The frame is over, so getting down quickly.

:02:10. > :02:24.It's not far away. It has just pulled to the cushion.

:02:25. > :02:30.The World Championship last for 17 days, and at the end of it you just

:02:31. > :02:40.want a show really, you want a good final. And it has all the makings of

:02:41. > :02:45.being a good final. Mark Selby world number one, defending champion, and

:02:46. > :02:54.John Higgins, one of the toughest competitors in the game. So let's

:02:55. > :02:56.hope both players find their best form and we will be in for a real

:02:57. > :03:21.treat. A bit of an exhibition shot there

:03:22. > :03:36.from Mark. He's not bothered about the pink now.

:03:37. > :03:44.Indigo is the black, so Mark Selby made a few mistakes, John Higgins

:03:45. > :03:51.was unable to punish him, and the defending champion goes ahead 2-1.

:03:52. > :03:55.Interesting opening exchanges from both players. You saw the players

:03:56. > :04:00.talking at the beginning of the frame and they were talking about

:04:01. > :04:04.the cushions. This table has a new cloth on it, and what happens is

:04:05. > :04:10.sometimes the cue ball traps so it's a little bit slower. Remarks are --

:04:11. > :04:16.we saw Mark Selby low on a black and both players are little bit

:04:17. > :04:21.unnerving. But don't forget there were 57 frames over the two matches

:04:22. > :04:29.in the semifinals. This is a new cloth and it will take a few frames

:04:30. > :04:34.to bed in. Some of the safety shots have been short of the baulk line.

:04:35. > :04:42.They are not as square off the cushions as in the semifinals. It

:04:43. > :04:46.will take a few frames to bed in but I'm sure the players will get used

:04:47. > :04:54.to it quickly. That was well explained by Ken.

:04:55. > :04:58.After the referee set up the balls in the last frame they were having

:04:59. > :05:02.an in-depth conversation about something. But there's not a lot he

:05:03. > :05:11.can do about it, unless he's got a screwdriver with him. The cushions

:05:12. > :05:12.are ready-made, ready to be clipped on, so I suppose they could do it

:05:13. > :05:33.after the afternoon session. Cut that break of shot much too

:05:34. > :05:36.thick. But not left anything that would tempt John Higgins you

:05:37. > :05:40.wouldn't have thought, unless he can get past the yellow to the red on

:05:41. > :05:46.the right-hand side of the table, but I don't think you can. No, he

:05:47. > :05:48.cannot play the pot on this red, he would be bound to be running into

:05:49. > :06:02.another red, so just a safety. Need to miss brown. And that's one

:06:03. > :06:44.of the best safety shots we have seen so far. Good line, good length.

:06:45. > :06:58.Something that he didn't do a lot with with Dean -- Ding Junhui. A

:06:59. > :07:29.possible plot, but risky. Now, can he cue past the red to make

:07:30. > :07:35.the black unmissable? I think he can. Good part. An aggressive safety

:07:36. > :07:41.from Mark Selby just left half a chance, in it went, and then for all

:07:42. > :07:45.money it looks like the cue ball was going to finish up in the middle.

:07:46. > :07:54.Couldn't have been any closer. But as I say, I think he can just cue

:07:55. > :08:03.past this red. It is awkward if he can't. One good thing, he can just

:08:04. > :08:08.fully concentrate on potting the bark. He's bound to be on something.

:08:09. > :08:13.There is a red in the bottom of the bunch to the left corner, even the

:08:14. > :08:28.red closest to the cue ball pots in the same pocket. Playing with a

:08:29. > :08:35.touch of the left-hand side. As you say, Stephen, quite a few reds to go

:08:36. > :08:40.four-point Here, having to put side on that you wouldn't want to. It

:08:41. > :08:43.always makes the pot a little bit tricky. So a decent chance for John

:08:44. > :09:18.here. I said earlier on, we didn't have

:09:19. > :09:26.the century in the semifinal, we did have one in the final. You would

:09:27. > :09:30.expect John to have three or four. One of the best break-builders the

:09:31. > :09:40.game has seen. He needs to bring that game to this final. He has had

:09:41. > :09:45.six in the competition so far will stop its going to put pressure on

:09:46. > :09:51.Mark Selby in this final. He has got to win frames like this at one

:09:52. > :09:53.visit. I know you can win frames in all types of ways but nothing puts

:09:54. > :10:04.fear in all types of ways but nothing puts fearing your -- fear in

:10:05. > :10:13.your opponent than capitalising on shots like this. Played for the red

:10:14. > :10:27.just the right of the black. He wants to be straight on at all

:10:28. > :10:33.costs. He is perfect. If he'd just been the wrong side of Street, he

:10:34. > :10:38.would have had to try to avoid the two roads near the top cushion, but

:10:39. > :10:47.finished on it nicely. Still imperfect position. When you watched

:10:48. > :10:50.John Higgins' technique, what's different from almost every other

:10:51. > :10:55.player in the game is how far his tip is from the cue ball when he

:10:56. > :11:02.addresses the shot. Almost every other player virtually touches the

:11:03. > :11:09.cue ball. You can see the distance. Fortunately he has had the same cue

:11:10. > :11:20.action his whole career, very repetitive, very effective.

:11:21. > :11:31.Yes, it's funny when you look at that addressing the cue ball, when

:11:32. > :11:42.you get someone like Ding Junhui, he is so close. The other day he fouled

:11:43. > :11:43.the cue ball, just feathering it. No chance of John Higgins ever doing

:11:44. > :12:03.that. Another little quirk, John, he's

:12:04. > :12:09.right-handed but he puts his job in his left pocket and uses his left

:12:10. > :12:16.hand to chalk his cue. Ray Reardon used to do the same, he have that

:12:17. > :12:22.habit. -- puts his chalk in his left pocket. The reason you have got all

:12:23. > :12:32.of these bits of knowledge about John, you practised with him for so

:12:33. > :12:39.many years. It's getting near the point now where he may have to go

:12:40. > :13:00.into reds, so he needs a good angle on the block. Just about got it.

:13:01. > :13:15.Played to perfection. He had to get that screwing the cue ball to bring

:13:16. > :13:16.it back out of the reds. This is the first century of this final coming

:13:17. > :13:52.up. There you see it, 63 ahead, 83

:13:53. > :13:59.remaining. That equates to red, colour, red, to get to snookers

:14:00. > :14:20.required. I must admit, in the second round I

:14:21. > :14:23.thought we might beat the record for centuries this year but it doesn't

:14:24. > :14:33.look like it now, unless we have an extraordinary final. 86 is the

:14:34. > :14:38.record. I can't see there being 17 centuries in the final, John. That

:14:39. > :14:48.would take some doing. You never know. In goes the black so there

:14:49. > :14:54.will be no way back to the table now for Mark Selby. Mid-session interval

:14:55. > :15:02.after this game. The question is, can John make the century.

:15:03. > :15:15.What a way to punish that mistake on the safety shots from Mark Selby.

:15:16. > :15:22.Just over an hour ago, so it is pretty good pace. As I said at the

:15:23. > :15:27.time, it was the type of safety shots that he wasn't playing against

:15:28. > :15:33.Ding Junhui. But he thought he would put pressure on John, and this is

:15:34. > :15:37.what happens. John knocked it in, or I may be a bit fortunate to catch

:15:38. > :15:43.the knuckle of the pocket and finish on the black, but Mark Selby, no

:15:44. > :15:49.matter how good a player he is just had to sit in his seat and watch.

:15:50. > :15:54.Not the best positional shot there though from John Higgins. It's a

:15:55. > :16:04.good shot here to keep this break going.

:16:05. > :16:38.Immaculate. There is his mum Josephine, enjoying this century

:16:39. > :16:50.break. It really has been immaculate from the word go.

:16:51. > :16:58.Possible 141 if he gets the black off this last red. The highest break

:16:59. > :17:13.of the tournament is still held by Ronnie O'Sullivan, a break of 146.

:17:14. > :17:22.Soap, the six remaining colours for a wonderful compiled break. And it

:17:23. > :17:31.just shows you, this game, half a chance, good pot, and he's never

:17:32. > :17:37.really been in trouble. He has taken these really well. That's a good

:17:38. > :17:39.sign for the rest of this match as far as John Higgins and his

:17:40. > :18:21.supporters are concerned. Well played. Superb, and Mark Selby

:18:22. > :18:28.gives a little tap on the table to agree with me. And John Higgins has

:18:29. > :18:32.never been in front but he's all square again as we go to the first

:18:33. > :18:39.mid-session interval of the final. All square, two apiece.

:18:40. > :18:48.John's highest break at the Crucible this year, Mark Selby with the

:18:49. > :18:54.immaculate 143 which was described by the pundits as the most

:18:55. > :19:00.incredible they have seen, but John Higgins' significantly means he has

:19:01. > :19:06.found 50. And what a fillip for him, what a great way to walk into that

:19:07. > :19:09.session. Absolutely, there was an interesting aside at the start of

:19:10. > :19:15.the frame because Mark Selby played a safety shots, thick edge, to try

:19:16. > :19:20.to stop Ding Junhui, took a chance to open the balls up and said go on,

:19:21. > :19:24.off you go, I will leave you belong red, and John Higgins played it

:19:25. > :19:30.beautifully. This will be a feature of this. If John Higgins keeps

:19:31. > :19:36.knocking them in, and does what he did, obviously he is a match for

:19:37. > :19:41.anybody. He chipped the black in and made 141. And how important to

:19:42. > :19:46.remind Mark Selby that he can still produce this. In the semifinal he

:19:47. > :19:50.didn't produce it all that often but Mark Selby will know it is there.

:19:51. > :19:56.You always hope your opponent won't do well but you expect him to do

:19:57. > :20:01.well, nobody has got to the final by merit. For the crowd watching,

:20:02. > :20:06.trying to work out what type of match we were in for, there was a

:20:07. > :20:11.possibility with these two tactical players that it could become not

:20:12. > :20:14.exactly a safety battle but a battle of the weights. As it turned out

:20:15. > :20:19.it's been quite an interesting first session with a couple of great

:20:20. > :20:23.clearances and also mistakes, and the occasional bad safety play. So

:20:24. > :20:27.it hasn't gone to plan, which has been refreshing in a way. It's been

:20:28. > :20:32.a very quick session. Perhaps we were thinking it could be a long

:20:33. > :20:43.one. Yes, a lot of people thought we would put the sign on the door

:20:44. > :20:45.saying craftsmen at work! It is fascinating that this final is

:20:46. > :20:49.actually a repeat of the final we had to mark the 30th anniversary

:20:50. > :20:54.championship in 2007, that was also the year Judd Trump made his debut

:20:55. > :20:59.at the Crucible, and John Parrott and Steve Davis played in the first

:21:00. > :21:04.round, it really is that long ago. But this is the 40th anniversary

:21:05. > :21:10.championship and it has lived up to expectations so far.

:21:11. > :21:17.HAZEL IRVINE: Good evening, welcome to a special night at the Crucible.

:21:18. > :21:31.Ronnie, you know what to do. 17 days of this, it is fun. It's a fantastic

:21:32. > :21:36.tournament, it doesn't matter if you have been here one-time or ten

:21:37. > :21:44.times, you still get goose bumps. JOHN VIRGO: We are back at the

:21:45. > :21:52.Crucible Theatre. And the world number one, defending champion Mark

:21:53. > :21:58.Selby is into the second round. What is shot! Obviously in a bit of

:21:59. > :22:06.discomfort out there. What a magnificent victory for Rory McLeod,

:22:07. > :22:13.absolutely brilliant. He has pulled off one of the best comebacks from

:22:14. > :22:17.7-1 down. This is what they have come to see. He gives Ronnie a

:22:18. > :22:22.handshake and look at that, that's what it means to him. I don't get

:22:23. > :22:26.involved because I'm not being bullied. I just want to enjoy my

:22:27. > :22:31.life and I'm not putting up with someone who wants to threaten and

:22:32. > :22:36.bully me. It always seems to be Ronnie, I like to do my talking on

:22:37. > :22:42.the table. Could have handed the initiative to Ronnie now. Very solid

:22:43. > :22:45.performance from the five times world champion. Don't normally see

:22:46. > :23:03.that from Neil Robertson! Just come off the rail. I like his

:23:04. > :23:09.shoes, I really do. What a performance and he beats the former

:23:10. > :23:16.world champion in the end. There is some pressure out there at the

:23:17. > :23:17.moment. A great match between these two Chinese players, Ding Junhui

:23:18. > :23:33.goes to the final. I think he just caught his leg! The

:23:34. > :23:39.pain has gone. If that pin breaks we are all in trouble here. That's one

:23:40. > :23:44.of the best century breaks I have ever seen. What a tremendous, almost

:23:45. > :23:49.flawless snooker from the current world champion and he will be so

:23:50. > :23:53.hard to beat. If John Higgins is through to his eighth World

:23:54. > :23:59.Championship semifinal. Barry Hawkins delighted to get his fault

:24:00. > :24:03.semifinal in five years. He has made the highest break of this year's

:24:04. > :24:20.World Championship, a magnificent 146. Absolutely fantastic from this

:24:21. > :24:25.Chinese sensation. I can't make a 146 these days without getting

:24:26. > :24:30.slated for it, what can I do? He gets through to his third final in

:24:31. > :24:36.four years. What a final we have got to look forward to!

:24:37. > :24:43.From your perspective, Steve, what will you take with you from the last

:24:44. > :24:47.couple of weeks? I think the spirit of the game. The opening Friday when

:24:48. > :24:51.we started it off and seeing all of the champions in the room, realising

:24:52. > :24:59.how much everybody has been a part of snooker and then watching the

:25:00. > :25:09.greatest event unfolding, and also the biggest bit of scandal, Ronnie

:25:10. > :25:14.makes a 146 instead of a 147! Ding Junhui has impressed a lot of

:25:15. > :25:18.people, 13 centuries, and got so close to being in a second

:25:19. > :25:24.semifinal, and I think he has won even more at my wrist, particularly

:25:25. > :25:29.in these parts in Great Britain. 100%. I'm struggling to think of

:25:30. > :25:35.anybody who has played that well and lost here. That's how good he was.

:25:36. > :25:39.Ding Junhui competed better than I've ever seen him, his scoring was

:25:40. > :25:45.better than Mark Selby but he didn't win. Going back to that match, at

:25:46. > :25:49.the end of it Mark Selby was criticised to some degree for his

:25:50. > :25:55.overzealous celebration, but you don't really understand how much it

:25:56. > :25:59.has built up and it's pent up inside you. Champions have that nasty

:26:00. > :26:05.streak in them and perhaps the only thing possibly missing from Ding

:26:06. > :26:10.Junhui's armoury is that little bit more nastiness. Perhaps the likes of

:26:11. > :26:19.Mark Selby, John Higgins, Stephen Hendry... And you. I wasn't going to

:26:20. > :26:25.say, but off the table a different story. Some people like that passion

:26:26. > :26:29.and people don't. It is just in the moment, it is a release. When they

:26:30. > :26:34.have played here and been through that, they would do the same thing,

:26:35. > :26:39.they really would. I am like you, I like to see the passion. This may be

:26:40. > :26:45.the 16th day of the championship but perhaps you are just dialling in on

:26:46. > :26:50.the bank holiday weekend. That's OK, you are very welcome at any point in

:26:51. > :26:54.this 17 day marathon but if you are using in gradually, it is time to

:26:55. > :27:00.bring you up to speed with some of the most gentle points of the game.

:27:01. > :27:03.It is our jargon buster with John. The game of snooker has some

:27:04. > :27:09.complicated terms and phrases so we have put together this guide to help

:27:10. > :27:18.you make sense of some of the game's snookerisms. Screw, also known as

:27:19. > :27:20.back spin, applied to the cue ball by hitting low of the equator. It

:27:21. > :27:35.can be a real crowd pleaser. Look at the action he has got on

:27:36. > :27:41.that! Cannon, the cue ball hits more than one object ball with either

:27:42. > :27:47.positive or negative consequences. That is a nice little cannon. By

:27:48. > :27:51.striking the cue ball just above the centre, the tiny amount of top spin

:27:52. > :28:01.that is applied will cause the cue ball to stagger through, a handy

:28:02. > :28:06.shot to have in the armoury. Kick, one of the great phenomena of

:28:07. > :28:13.snooker, where either the cue ball or the object ball literally jumps

:28:14. > :28:21.in the air after receiving contact. That is a terrible contact. It took

:28:22. > :28:26.all of the pace out of the cue ball. Double kiss, can be either fortunate

:28:27. > :28:33.or unfortunate, it is when the cue ball hits the same object ball

:28:34. > :28:41.twice. He got it on the second attempt, double kiss. The shot to

:28:42. > :28:45.nothing refers to a stroke where report is attempted but the safety

:28:46. > :28:51.shot is of far greater importance and the uncle takes the cue ball

:28:52. > :28:54.into a safer area. As a result, positional colour is guaranteed, but

:28:55. > :28:59.if it stays out the opponent will have nothing to aim four-point

:29:00. > :29:06.Excellent shot, look at the cue ball. That is one of the best shot

:29:07. > :29:10.to nothings you can never see because he wasn't leaving anything

:29:11. > :29:21.and he is perfectly on the brown. And finally, the masse shot, by

:29:22. > :29:28.striking the cue down, this is used by players to attempt to get round

:29:29. > :29:33.balls in close proximity. If it was at distance it would be called a

:29:34. > :29:44.swerve. But there is one thing still bothering me, why is this called a

:29:45. > :29:48.half butt? Don't ask me. They are in their mid-session interval. Here at

:29:49. > :29:53.the Crucible people fly in from all over the place, and like a real rock

:29:54. > :29:58.star he is we have a special guest here with Ken. We have a very

:29:59. > :30:03.special guest, a big snooker fan, the drummer of the biggest heavy

:30:04. > :30:09.metal band in the world, Iron Maiden. There's a rumour going

:30:10. > :30:13.around you arranged tour with the tour manager to make sure this

:30:14. > :30:18.weekend was free so you could come and watch the snooker. That is very

:30:19. > :30:22.true. My manager spoke to me last year. We started the tour in

:30:23. > :30:27.February and halfway through he said we will go back out next year for

:30:28. > :30:33.months starting in April. And I said I need that bank holiday weekend

:30:34. > :30:40.off. He said, I don't know about that, Nicky! Bless his heart, she

:30:41. > :30:44.said what you want the weekend off I said the World Snooker Championship.

:30:45. > :30:50.He said we will see what we can do. True to his word, here I am.

:30:51. > :31:03.Where did this love of snooker come from My dad took me to Wood Green

:31:04. > :31:08.snooker club above a tailors in. I remember I was there at eight. It

:31:09. > :31:14.was dark. There was a fruit machine in the corner. A little bar. I was

:31:15. > :31:20.not supposed to be in there. I started to enjoy the game. I'm

:31:21. > :31:26.treble at it. I have been trying all my life to play this game. I love

:31:27. > :31:34.it. What do you think about the first four frames? Amazing. Both a

:31:35. > :31:39.black each and a red each. You know, the punishment comes when things

:31:40. > :31:45.like that happen. But to see John make a century break on that last

:31:46. > :31:51.frame. We saw Mark Selby doing some practise there. This is the demo

:31:52. > :31:56.table. I want you to pot the black, screw into the pack... I am only

:31:57. > :32:04.joking! As bent as a nine bob note. OK.

:32:05. > :32:11.Great to have you. Thanks. I know Nick will be back with iron maiden

:32:12. > :32:15.and the boys - I think it is the 10th May they are coming here to

:32:16. > :32:21.play. They are all over the place at the moment. The man in the middle of

:32:22. > :32:25.the action here is our referee. Now, in 2003 he became the first

:32:26. > :32:36.non-British referee of a Crucible final. The big Dutchman wore an

:32:37. > :32:39.orange bow tie. I remember it well. He has overseen one of John

:32:40. > :32:42.Higgins's finals before. This is the sixth time he's been afforded such a

:32:43. > :33:05.special honour. Snooker referee, have been at the

:33:06. > :33:10.Crucible 23 years. The atmosphere is second to none. Everything breathes

:33:11. > :33:20.snooker. To walk out

:33:21. > :33:30.there, through that curtain. The MC does the walk-on for the players.

:33:31. > :33:34.It's just incredible. I have always understood as a referee you are a

:33:35. > :33:38.service to the players. It is about the two players at the table. You

:33:39. > :33:42.have to have the discipline to be in the right spot, never in the

:33:43. > :33:47.eye-line of a player, not to move when the player is down on a shot.

:33:48. > :33:52.And under extreme pressure make the right decisions. I think you're in

:33:53. > :33:55.the wrong job if you don't get butterflies walking out for a final.

:33:56. > :34:03.You are a little tense, I suppose. You concentrate on the job ahead of

:34:04. > :34:07.you. The first one obviously was an incredible moment. Like you have

:34:08. > :34:13.your family over for it. I was nervous then for that final. That

:34:14. > :34:18.pink curtain, I stood there and the inintroduces were coming in. I just

:34:19. > :34:23.-- intros were coming in. I remember the score line. It looked like Mark

:34:24. > :34:28.Williams was going to win it easy against Ken. It looked like I might

:34:29. > :34:32.not have the Monday night and you always look forward to that Monday

:34:33. > :34:35.night, you have seen it on telly and whilst you were working here.

:34:36. > :34:43.Luckily, the third session, it was Ken's comeback. All of a sudden we

:34:44. > :34:52.started 12-12, went 14-14. The score line at the end was magnificent.

:34:53. > :35:00.The one also that stands out is probably the one that Ronnie won in

:35:01. > :35:11.'13 when he had a year off. There was so much media hype about it all.

:35:12. > :35:14.And the one with Higgins stands out for that final Monday night

:35:15. > :35:23.introduction with the players, it was incredible.

:35:24. > :35:36.I actually look, I don't look a lot of snooker back, when I have done

:35:37. > :35:40.intros, but I had to see that again. I'm very proud, especially to be

:35:41. > :35:46.chosen for the 4th anniversary of the Crucible. I'm not the youngest

:35:47. > :35:50.any more now. If I am true to myself, I probably think this will

:35:51. > :35:52.be the last one. I will be over the moon and really proud and I'm going

:35:53. > :36:07.to enjoy every minute of it. The ever popular and hugely

:36:08. > :36:13.respected Jan Verhaas is our man in the middle today. The two finalists

:36:14. > :36:19.coming back, all square at 2-2, after that breathtaking in the last

:36:20. > :36:26.frame from John Higgins. Time for a change in the commentary box now.

:36:27. > :36:34.THE COMMENTATOR: Good afternoon Hazel and to everyone. John Higgins

:36:35. > :36:42.about to get this first frame, after the session, into the under way.

:36:43. > :36:49.And what a cracking start to this final. Both players cueing very

:36:50. > :36:54.well. Both made a few errors. Missed a few

:36:55. > :37:05.easy balls. What a break in the last frame! 141 - magnificent.

:37:06. > :37:11.Not been making enough breaks to win frames at one visit. Whatever

:37:12. > :37:16.happens now Mark Selby knows he cannot take any liberties. He's

:37:17. > :37:31.obviously been the best player throughout this tournament. John

:37:32. > :37:32.Higgins, if he plays like he did against Mark Allen this match could

:37:33. > :37:47.be very close. John never batted an eyelid. He just

:37:48. > :37:53.sat there, which tells me he's well focussed and well up for this final,

:37:54. > :38:08.as we show you that red clinging to the cushion.

:38:09. > :38:15.I think he's left himself a chance of a double because there was no way

:38:16. > :38:19.to get on to a red there. He's pretty good at doubles, Mark Selby.

:38:20. > :38:23.He has to be a wee bit careful because there's a red just sticking

:38:24. > :38:29.out the pack. It will be interesting to see if he screws it back, the

:38:30. > :38:31.double, rather than plan to lead the black into the other corner pocket.

:38:32. > :38:46.He's screwed it back and it's in. The way he played that, he was never

:38:47. > :38:53.going to leave anything. It's all about the split.

:38:54. > :38:59.That was a difficult pack to go in to.

:39:00. > :39:08.Unless there's a plant there, surely he couldn't have a fluke and a

:39:09. > :39:11.plant, no. I don't think he's seen enough of the plant, otherwise he

:39:12. > :39:14.would have come around and played it.

:39:15. > :39:18.Quite dicey there. I thought he could have played harder. Mark Selby

:39:19. > :39:22.is one of the best players in the world at playing this particular

:39:23. > :39:28.shot. Watch the cue ball now. Trying to push its way through the reds.

:39:29. > :39:30.And because those two reds together, right there, that's the reason it

:39:31. > :39:37.stopped. Will be pleased to have been 16

:39:38. > :40:22.points behind after that fluke. I must admit I thought there'd be

:40:23. > :40:29.more tactical playing because they are two of the best safety players

:40:30. > :40:38.in the game. It's just fascinating to see how it will pan out and

:40:39. > :40:52.whether there will be a little more tactical play.

:40:53. > :41:02.I wouldn't know who to pick in the tackty dal

:41:03. > :41:08.In the tactical department. Maybe he feels because John Higgins

:41:09. > :41:13.is equal almost in the safety department he doesen want to get

:41:14. > :41:24.involved in that. He probably feels he's break-building slightly better.

:41:25. > :41:38.I just noticed that John took a little bit longer when he was cueing

:41:39. > :41:42.up to that. He hit it absolute spot on.

:41:43. > :41:47.Didn't force it. Just stroked it beautifully.

:41:48. > :41:57.That angle shows you how difficult that long pot was.

:41:58. > :42:08.Now the only thing I noticed in the semifinal, John started, cracked

:42:09. > :42:14.some cracking ball, of a sudden he would miss a sitter, something he's

:42:15. > :42:19.managed to eliminate from his game. That's why he's been so successful

:42:20. > :42:21.this season. Can't afford to miss the easy ones against Mark Selby. He

:42:22. > :42:52.will know that. Played a little bit too close to the

:42:53. > :42:57.cushion for comfort, but should pot this. Cannot do a lot with the cue

:42:58. > :43:01.ball. All the reds are in the way of one and other. That's why it looks

:43:02. > :43:05.like he's playing the higher one of the two. Trying to force through it.

:43:06. > :43:32.Just brought the one red into play. Just played for that red that was

:43:33. > :43:36.mentioned. Might just bring another couple in to play, looking at the

:43:37. > :43:40.angle he's left here. He could have played a cannon off the black.

:43:41. > :43:56.Previously there he decided to do it this way.

:43:57. > :44:08.He's looking at the two reds if they are a plant. Well, they were

:44:09. > :44:17.absolutely spot on. Seeing if there is a plant in the

:44:18. > :44:34.middle. Would like to finish low on the

:44:35. > :44:39.plant so he could bring the reds into play. If he thinks he's dead

:44:40. > :44:43.straight he might get the double-kiss on the first red. For

:44:44. > :45:04.that reason, he may just knock the pink in to play.

:45:05. > :45:14.Certainly opened the reds up. Shot played with top spin. The white just

:45:15. > :45:33.ran a bit further than he intended. He's cannoned the other red.

:45:34. > :45:37.This becoming a great chance for John Higgins to take the lead in

:45:38. > :45:42.this match for the first time. Doesn't have to worry about the two

:45:43. > :46:06.reds on the side cushion. Finished almost straight on the

:46:07. > :46:12.black. He can screw back, there shouldn't be a problem, can screw

:46:13. > :46:16.back off the cushion and leave the red near the cue ball for the same

:46:17. > :46:24.pocket for the black. Not sure if he's straight. We will find out very

:46:25. > :46:32.shortly, as we zoom in there. That's a perfect picture to see him. He's

:46:33. > :46:48.striking the white right on the bottom.

:46:49. > :46:55.The only thing is if he removed that one that's to the right of the two

:46:56. > :47:13.reds, it would have cleared the path for the right corner.

:47:14. > :47:22.Slightly more difficult this time. I think if he screws straight back

:47:23. > :47:25.he might hit the red near the cushion there.

:47:26. > :47:43.Got a slight angle. I know the three reds are in open

:47:44. > :47:48.play and he can get on them, I think forced to play the run around the

:47:49. > :47:53.three cushions and kiss the reds. He's looking what kiss he can get.

:47:54. > :48:01.He would be unlucky to kiss and not get one.

:48:02. > :48:07.Dethis is one of those shots where you are not quite sure what will

:48:08. > :48:13.happen. He's not played that, he's played to one in the middle.

:48:14. > :48:32.He's got one in the corner as well. I think the...

:48:33. > :48:44.He's only a few pots away from securing this frame.

:48:45. > :49:10.A very nice 63. He knows against Mark Selby it might not be enough.

:49:11. > :49:25.Surely Mark Selby cannot get back into this frame where the reds are.

:49:26. > :49:40.You want a bet! Screw back a little bit to try and

:49:41. > :49:44.move the red nearest the middle pocket or roll through slowly for

:49:45. > :49:48.the black? Hopefully he's got a good angle to play a similar shot. He

:49:49. > :49:51.will not move the red on the left-hand side, nearest the

:49:52. > :49:58.left-hand corner. He will not get on a colour to try and move that one.

:49:59. > :50:01.Which way is he going to play it? Black or pink? He's playing for the

:50:02. > :50:14.black. They always say there are never two

:50:15. > :50:17.frames the same. How often would you see three reds like that on the side

:50:18. > :50:51.cushion? Very rarely. Might just have to sacrifice a

:50:52. > :51:05.really good position. This is where playing left-hand

:51:06. > :51:09.would help. Ronnie O'Sullivan would play this left-handed.

:51:10. > :51:16.And screwing up for the blue, probably.

:51:17. > :51:22.Can he get this cue ball away from the cushion?

:51:23. > :51:46.The cue ball between the two reds and close to the cushion here.

:51:47. > :51:53.That's a pretty good effort, if it keeps on running. This is a tough

:51:54. > :51:58.one he's faced with. If he pots this and gets out on to the yellow, he

:51:59. > :52:16.can bring the difficult red in to play. What a shot this would be.

:52:17. > :52:25.If he could screw over there he would be perfect to bring the red

:52:26. > :52:27.into play. What a tough shot. Just having a little practise run

:52:28. > :52:55.there. He got the cue ball where he wanted

:52:56. > :53:01.it. But John's going to need the

:53:02. > :53:05.difficult red also. I suppose the reason Mark Selby

:53:06. > :53:08.played it, he thought I've got every chance of the red going safe. As we

:53:09. > :53:11.see it for the second time, the red's come back over the middle

:53:12. > :53:30.pocket. There you see John Higgins playing

:53:31. > :53:34.to get into a position that Mark Selby tried to get in to, because

:53:35. > :53:38.the yellow's at a perfect ang toll try and move the red. He would be

:53:39. > :53:42.very fortunate to knock the red over the middle pocket. When it is that

:53:43. > :54:11.close to the middle it's so difficult to judge.

:54:12. > :54:42.This is not straightforward, the green's in the way for the up and

:54:43. > :55:12.down. A minidouble kiss.

:55:13. > :55:16.I think once he's seen the red coming towards the white he thought

:55:17. > :55:32.he'd stick it up. Your DDK that time. Not a dreaded double-kiss!

:55:33. > :55:52.Mark is very good at knocking balls safe when he's snooked. You always

:55:53. > :55:56.need a little bit of luck as well. Hit this off two cushions. Send the

:55:57. > :55:59.red up towards the yellow and brown, you would feel and hopefully the

:56:00. > :56:08.white will come back across the table.

:56:09. > :56:10.That's what he's looking at. He's pretty good at this type of

:56:11. > :56:29.escape. He's miss-judged that.

:56:30. > :56:59.That would have cost him that fifth frame.

:57:00. > :57:05.John's wife there. A little round of applause and rightly so. She's a

:57:06. > :57:17.delightful lady. It was great to see John's mum here

:57:18. > :57:31.as well. I have not seen her for a while. I'll catch up with her later.

:57:32. > :57:36.This could turn out to be one of the all-time great times because both

:57:37. > :57:53.players look to be playing well. Going to take the black as well. He

:57:54. > :58:04.wants to pot the lot. John Higgins gets himself into the

:58:05. > :58:20.lead. It's now 3-2. There was a shot you picked out

:58:21. > :58:24.Denis, that Mark Selby had a choice of playing, either slow to the

:58:25. > :58:29.middle pocket and then leave half to kiss it. You called it right. This

:58:30. > :58:34.is so difficult, isn't it? The pace To get over. I have the three ball

:58:35. > :58:39.anywhere. He's got quite a margin for error. It was all about the pot.

:58:40. > :58:43.He probably would have pot the red. The fact he tried to force it to get

:58:44. > :58:47.it on the yellow, to give himself to bring the difficult red into play, I

:58:48. > :58:52.mean he's wobbled the red. Look where he got the white. He got the

:58:53. > :58:56.white exactly where he wanted there. And just didn't pull the pot off.

:58:57. > :59:01.Just watch the cue ball here as it's bouncing. Because he's put the screw

:59:02. > :59:06.on the ball, the white's bouncing first. That was so close. It was

:59:07. > :59:10.interesting to see Denis the shot that John Higgins played immediately

:59:11. > :59:16.afterwards. He played the same shot to get the yellow half ball.

:59:17. > :59:22.He looks pretty relaxed. He looks very focussed.

:59:23. > :59:29.He's very happy with that new tip that's on the cue. This could be a

:59:30. > :59:40.cracker and this Crucible crowd could be in for a treat.

:59:41. > :59:44.Mark Selby playing catch-up for the first time. Eight frames played in

:59:45. > :00:07.this session. Another three to go. I think they're finding it difficult

:00:08. > :00:11.to get over behind the yellow or the green if you break off from the

:00:12. > :00:27.other side. He couldn't have done much better than that.

:00:28. > :00:34.That's a good return. Tucked up on the cushion to get the

:00:35. > :00:47.white back there. He said we will see what we can do.

:00:48. > :00:52.True to his word, here I am. Jan Verhaas having a good look to

:00:53. > :00:57.make sure he knows where the cue ball will be replaced. He can play

:00:58. > :01:21.this one very thin. REFEREE: Foul. Higgins four. Well

:01:22. > :02:00.spotted. He needed to hit it a lot thinner.

:02:01. > :02:04.Once again, Jan Verhaas just having a look, just in case he was to miss

:02:05. > :02:25.the red. He's in an awkward spot to get the

:02:26. > :02:37.safety down the right-hand side of the table.

:02:38. > :02:52.He might get a thin enough contact. I thought the left side of the table

:02:53. > :03:40.will cut off but it's not. He could go in off.

:03:41. > :03:50.John Higgins more or less tapping the table there, as he has cut off

:03:51. > :04:06.the escape route down the left side. Once again, Finnish contact to avoid

:04:07. > :04:10.that black. -- thinnish contact. There hasn't been a great deal of

:04:11. > :04:16.tactical play so far but watching these players play safety is an art

:04:17. > :04:20.in itself. It's nice to see the big breaks but also nice to see who is

:04:21. > :04:30.going to make the first mistake in the tactical exchange. But it's

:04:31. > :04:41.terrific stuff at the moment, isn't it? Three big shots on the trot to

:04:42. > :04:47.the baulk cushion. John will do awfully well to find the baulk

:04:48. > :04:56.cushion off this. John just tapping his chalk on the table to appreciate

:04:57. > :05:00.the good shots. I don't see how John can get back to baulk here so he

:05:01. > :05:03.will either play the red to the right of the pink and tried to leave

:05:04. > :05:09.the white in the jaws of the black pocket in the corner or he may just

:05:10. > :05:17.rest into the side of the pack. He's looking at doing that. He is playing

:05:18. > :05:20.two cautions to try and get these two red is nearest the black spot,

:05:21. > :05:48.but he doesn't want to drift by them.

:05:49. > :05:52.John might as well have stayed at the table because the white will be

:05:53. > :06:09.in a similar position. That is the same shot available to

:06:10. > :06:18.him, he might play the same shot again.

:06:19. > :06:28.No, he has spotted one he can get back down off. There are two reds by

:06:29. > :06:35.the pink, the right one he can find the gap back down off that one.

:06:36. > :07:22.Great stuff to watch, it really is. Not too much sense... The red is

:07:23. > :07:30.covered by the black so this could be a long frame now. Just wondering

:07:31. > :07:36.if he can get through to it, Willie. It is tight but I think he can just

:07:37. > :07:39.get to the potting angle, but he is going to cannon the black as well so

:07:40. > :07:41.difficult to know what's going to happen here. We will find out very

:07:42. > :08:01.shortly. He has no idea what's going to

:08:02. > :08:03.happen to them there. Yes, you must have thought he was hitting the

:08:04. > :08:27.black thinner than he was. REFEREE: Yellow ball. Just a clear

:08:28. > :08:32.that up, if it is a split ball, if you hit them both at the same time

:08:33. > :08:35.it is a foul shot but he wouldn't have parted the red if he had hit

:08:36. > :09:15.the black first. Mark Selby can see the one below the

:09:16. > :09:22.pink to the left but his worried about pushing the ones you can then

:09:23. > :09:25.into into the corner pocket. He's just coming round to see what will

:09:26. > :09:32.happen to the red when he planted onto the two reds and that what he

:09:33. > :09:35.is worried about, knocking the third red that is aligned. I don't think

:09:36. > :09:53.he can go right of the pocket but he's decided on an alternative.

:09:54. > :10:00.I think what Mark Selby is doing here is shutting up shot for the

:10:01. > :10:29.time being after John Higgins made the break of 141, and then 63.

:10:30. > :10:38.I mean the session with Ding Junhui, in the second session they played

:10:39. > :10:46.for 18 minutes with some brilliant safety play, then Mark got a 128, I

:10:47. > :11:12.think it was. That is fascinating to see who will

:11:13. > :11:19.make the first mistake here. This is one of the hardest shots in the

:11:20. > :11:26.game, when the dropped -- object ball is near the cushion. If he

:11:27. > :11:27.misses the brown it is another excellent safety shot. Some

:11:28. > :11:52.brilliant safetys in this game. As you can see, John well ahead in

:11:53. > :12:20.the safety success department. All avenues back down the table

:12:21. > :12:45.seemed to be blocked off. Did that drift slightly or did he

:12:46. > :12:54.get some unwanted side on it? He left the red on. Let's have a look

:12:55. > :12:56.at this now. He is indicating with acute there that it drifted slightly

:12:57. > :13:14.to the right. Jan Verhaas was quite lucky on that

:13:15. > :13:21.last shot of Mark Selby, Mark Selby nearly harpooned in with his cue!

:13:22. > :13:34.There he is saying, wow, that's an inch and a half roll off. I mean the

:13:35. > :13:41.tables have been playing beautifully and running perfectly straight. It

:13:42. > :13:56.is such a fine art. He did give the referee a crack with acute there!

:13:57. > :14:02.That's not the kiss he wanted. I don't think there is a plant on. He

:14:03. > :14:03.was looking for a better contact on the red when he dropped the black in

:14:04. > :14:17.there. The pink would have been perfect to

:14:18. > :14:21.cannon into there but with the extension on he didn't get quite

:14:22. > :14:28.enough side on it so it looks like it is just a safety. Which Mark

:14:29. > :14:33.Selby will be delighted about because he did feel the cue ball

:14:34. > :14:35.drifted slightly there. He hasn't potted the ball I think for about 20

:14:36. > :14:51.minutes. Another excellent safety shot,

:14:52. > :15:09.virtually snookered on all right. Conceive the red over the left-hand

:15:10. > :15:13.corner but can't see enough to property. With the table drifting

:15:14. > :15:20.that way a little bit he may be able to pot it! But surely he can't take

:15:21. > :15:25.this on. He would have to play with a vast amount of top spin to

:15:26. > :15:32.straighten the white off the second cushion, otherwise he would career

:15:33. > :15:34.into the pack. That did surprise me, the pace he played it. Maybe he

:15:35. > :15:59.worked it out as a shot to nothing. It's pretty tight but John feels

:16:00. > :16:05.this one will pot. OK, he's heading up the table but he feels this one

:16:06. > :16:14.will pass... It clearly does and its there. There's not a lot available

:16:15. > :16:19.to him at the moment, there's only one easy red to the right of the

:16:20. > :16:36.green, the rest are pretty awkward. It might not be awkward after this

:16:37. > :17:13.short. That has brought the black interplay.

:17:14. > :17:38.It's not going to be easy to get to the 72 points he

:17:39. > :17:55.it's amazing, you can hear a pin drop in the Crucible at the moment,

:17:56. > :17:57.brilliant atmosphere. I think he's got an angle here to bring a few

:17:58. > :18:13.roads into play. No, took his eye off the pot. Took

:18:14. > :18:18.his eye off the pot, and there's a red on and Mark might be able to

:18:19. > :18:25.cannon into the reds, open them up and possibly finish on the bike, as

:18:26. > :18:29.we show you this shot from John. But most of the concentration into the

:18:30. > :18:35.cue ball and forgot the pot. This will certainly open up everything.

:18:36. > :18:40.If he doesn't finish on the black he could run through for the pink or

:18:41. > :18:44.the blue, but it will open the red silk, you feel. That's not what he

:18:45. > :18:52.intended. He didn't think it was going to knock one red out there,

:18:53. > :18:56.Willie. I must admit, I thought he was going to bring three or four

:18:57. > :19:01.out, he is now forced into playing the blue. He has cued beautifully so

:19:02. > :19:04.far in this tournament but he's not been behind very often so there is a

:19:05. > :19:17.bit of pressure on this blue. A little bit more pressure than

:19:18. > :19:21.that, in fairness he didn't hit the white vote, did he? He was playing

:19:22. > :19:51.for the middle pocket. This is a bit of a free shot for

:19:52. > :19:54.John, he can screw back for the pink. The only red he would leave is

:19:55. > :20:13.the one he's attempting to pot. And it is there. OK, the wrong side

:20:14. > :20:17.of the pink but what a shot this would be to go right down the

:20:18. > :20:26.angles, avoid the colours, and there is a red next to the black, as we

:20:27. > :20:34.show you this very good longish pot with an extension on the cue. Here

:20:35. > :20:43.it comes, has he got enough pace? Does the one at the top of the

:20:44. > :20:45.triangle pot? Yes, if Potts also so just didn't quite hit it hard enough

:20:46. > :21:32.to be perfect. These long matches, four sessions is

:21:33. > :21:36.always nice. If you can get four frames on the board you know you

:21:37. > :21:39.won't be behind going into the second session. Great point because

:21:40. > :21:49.Mark Selby has only lost one session, against Ding Junhui when he

:21:50. > :21:55.lost 5-3. If you lose 5-3 there is no real problem over this distance.

:21:56. > :22:03.So it is very important, this frame is not over by any means, but it

:22:04. > :22:09.will also be asked of him one of the two remaining frames of the

:22:10. > :22:16.afternoon. And John has got himself on the red. I mentioned he was

:22:17. > :22:20.trying to get the brown on because he knew if he potted that he would

:22:21. > :22:24.bring the black interplay. It's not going to last much longer this

:22:25. > :22:26.frame, but it is the longest frame of the match so far. There was some

:22:27. > :22:46.excellent safety play. So this is frame ball but he will

:22:47. > :22:51.want to pot at least three more reds to keep Mark Selby from coming back.

:22:52. > :23:05.He doesn't want to get involved in a safety battle.

:23:06. > :23:16.This puts him 66 in front. Obviously the red and black 74, so Mark Selby

:23:17. > :23:19.might carry on. Can he get an angle on the black to bring the other

:23:20. > :23:38.roads into play? He has got the angle.

:23:39. > :23:56.Not enough there for a century, but he's cueing beautifully at the

:23:57. > :24:15.moment. This is how he played Mark Allen in

:24:16. > :24:25.the earlier rounds. Yes, Mark Allen was outstanding. John was even

:24:26. > :24:38.better. Watch out, there is a wizard about! He's introduced as the Wizard

:24:39. > :24:40.of Wishaw. Yes, breaks of 141, 63, and now this. He's looking good at

:24:41. > :25:23.present. There was atonement earlier in the

:25:24. > :25:27.season in China, and he was playing with Ding Junhui and finished the

:25:28. > :25:31.match with three century breaks to win 10-7. This season he has played

:25:32. > :26:01.as well as he has ever done. Absolutely magnificent from John

:26:02. > :26:05.Higgins, 63 in the previous frame, and that magnificent clearance of 95

:26:06. > :26:10.in that frame. He goes two clear now.

:26:11. > :26:16.HAZEL IRVINE: It is vintage Higgins, at the age of 41 and chasing a tenth

:26:17. > :26:22.major title, and to underline the longevity of his career, take a look

:26:23. > :26:26.at this. This is major wins. Stephen Hendry won 18 of them in ten years,

:26:27. > :26:34.Ronnie O'Sullivan 17 of them starting from when he was a

:26:35. > :26:40.17-year-old in 24 years, John could win a tenth in a 19 year span if he

:26:41. > :26:45.were to convert this one, that's a long time to be hanging around at

:26:46. > :26:50.the top end of any sport, as indeed it is for Ronnie O'Sullivan. It

:26:51. > :26:56.shows you the nick he is still in. Yes, a lot of attention has been on

:26:57. > :27:02.Ronnie O'Sullivan, the fact he kept himself in good shape and that has

:27:03. > :27:06.helped him with his longevity. A lot of people ask if Ronnie is past his

:27:07. > :27:10.best now, and the same has been asked of John Higgins and he has

:27:11. > :27:14.probably asked the same questions himself. It is great to see him

:27:15. > :27:18.here. I did ask the question of whether age and youth might come

:27:19. > :27:23.into this equation and at the moment John is answering those questions.

:27:24. > :27:28.Win or lose this, his back-up to world number two behind Mark Selby.

:27:29. > :27:34.It was the wonderful Matt Hewitt who just told me that 141 he had in the

:27:35. > :27:39.frame before last is the joint highest break in a world final along

:27:40. > :27:45.with Ronnie's in 2012 so still able to produce the goods on the big

:27:46. > :27:50.stage. So he's in good nick then. I didn't think he still had that, I've

:27:51. > :27:53.been honest, I have watched him in the commentary box and thought for a

:27:54. > :27:59.couple of seasons he wasn't anywhere near his best, his long game was

:28:00. > :28:03.struggling a bit, but his long game has come back, every facet of his

:28:04. > :28:07.game has come back. He plays the right shot all the time and to an

:28:08. > :28:11.incredibly high standard and if you do that you are going to hang

:28:12. > :28:16.around. John Higgins start this campaign off in excellent style,

:28:17. > :28:19.darted well in the tournament, looks like he had run out of steam in the

:28:20. > :28:21.semifinal but you never know. There's a long way to go but he's in

:28:22. > :28:43.good nick. Yes, that showed you, John turned

:28:44. > :28:50.professional in 1992, and he got to be world champion and world number

:28:51. > :28:54.one in six seasons. I could mention a lot of that is down to the fact he

:28:55. > :29:00.practised with Stephen Hendry for a good few years up in Stirling. All

:29:01. > :29:24.of the top Scottish boys used to practice there.

:29:25. > :29:45.An attacking safety shot there, opening the rental. -- the reds up.

:29:46. > :29:52.Such is the brilliance of these two players, throughout the 17 days, as

:29:53. > :29:58.this red goes over the corner pocket... Amazing that over these 17

:29:59. > :30:02.days there is only 50 points between them in aggregate scores, they've

:30:03. > :30:15.both scored over 5000 points. It's amazing in 17 days they can be so

:30:16. > :30:20.close. 17 days, and is only 45, 47 points between them. He will want to

:30:21. > :30:25.make this one count, but he won't be happy with where the cue ball has

:30:26. > :30:27.finished there. Got second prize, got the brown in the middle, didn't

:30:28. > :31:15.play for that. and seven it was just not Astroturf

:31:16. > :31:20.on the right-hand red to get through to the black and that is why he's

:31:21. > :31:32.played a more difficult red to go for a baulk colours. What was

:31:33. > :31:38.interesting, as I mentioned, Mark Selby played a safety shot,

:31:39. > :31:39.attacking safety shot, opened the reds and he's now reaping the

:31:40. > :31:53.rewards for that. One of the secrets of being a top

:31:54. > :31:57.player is to play a lot of safety tactical play and be kept off the

:31:58. > :32:03.table and when you get a chance, do the business. Slightly more reaction

:32:04. > :32:09.from the yellow, he wanted to be straight on the red. There's a

:32:10. > :32:19.lovely gap between red and pink and he can play the stun off the black

:32:20. > :32:20.cushion and that is the key red because it opens everything up. He

:32:21. > :32:46.has done it nicely and it bounces. Yes, he was not happy, you could

:32:47. > :32:50.tell by his facial expression, he left himself straight on the black.

:32:51. > :33:23.It should not be a problem, screwing out for the red on its own.

:33:24. > :33:31.There does not look to be anything available so he may have to play a

:33:32. > :33:36.cannon, he may can then the red to the right which would still leave

:33:37. > :33:40.the red in the right-hand corner. If he catches anything other than the

:33:41. > :33:47.full bore, it is not going to be perfect on the red. He's played a

:33:48. > :34:10.cannon, is it for ball? Not quite, but still just left to the pink.

:34:11. > :34:18.They are awkward when you are that close to them. He played the shot

:34:19. > :34:22.but he was a bit unlucky to cover the one to the right, and because he

:34:23. > :34:36.was so close to that, it is difficult to pick out the angle. And

:34:37. > :34:49.if this next cannon works out, John can leave quite a few on here.

:34:50. > :35:06.Would you believe it? The black off the spot, with all the reds at his

:35:07. > :35:09.mercy. The black is being cleaned, I don't know whether he got heavy

:35:10. > :35:17.contact or he did not strike it very well. Yes, I think up to the

:35:18. > :35:23.semifinal, Higgins had not missed a black off the spot and he picked it

:35:24. > :35:27.up in the semifinal and he Mr two of the easiest you have ever seen, and

:35:28. > :35:30.that was not a difficult black. That is worrying because he would be

:35:31. > :35:41.excited he could take a nice lead into the second session. How

:35:42. > :35:49.much action did he get on that bridging over the red Mr Mark I

:35:50. > :36:00.think he was hoping to be on pink oil blue, the baulk would always be

:36:01. > :36:04.there, but to create that back spin striking over the red. He's one of

:36:05. > :36:15.the best I have seen bridging over the ball and playing the shot as if

:36:16. > :36:20.it is normal. He knows that John Higgins missed that easy black off

:36:21. > :36:24.the spot and that will hurt John Higgins, 30 points in front as we

:36:25. > :36:32.speak. Like out of commission and blue and pink not good. He flicked

:36:33. > :36:42.the blue, the pink and blue were in play and he would be playing around

:36:43. > :36:48.for those. He's just considering whether to flick the black into

:36:49. > :36:58.play. That would reap rewards. He does not get the kids right, it is

:36:59. > :37:02.end of break. -- the kiss. Just wondering whether he has decided

:37:03. > :37:09.against it or he's still going to bring the black into play. That is

:37:10. > :37:24.what he has done, it is on a baulk colour.

:37:25. > :37:30.We can show you the shot previously, the pink and blue were in the

:37:31. > :37:32.perfect position, but he just flicked the blue on the way passed

:37:33. > :37:50.and he knocked them both awkward. Off one of these next reds, he would

:37:51. > :37:58.love to get onto the black on the cushion or finish on the pink in one

:37:59. > :38:03.of the baulk pockets. He's not going to win this frame on this visit

:38:04. > :38:06.unless he brings either the pink or the black into play, he can't do it

:38:07. > :38:37.off baulk colours. He's not quite sure what to do here.

:38:38. > :38:44.Pink and blue is available into the corner pockets. Nearly a minute's

:38:45. > :38:56.thinking time of how to go about this.

:38:57. > :39:19.I think the angle he has made just have to cannon the pink if he takes

:39:20. > :39:32.the blue. If he runs it through, he would clear the pink away. Yes, well

:39:33. > :39:41.played. He can pot this one with the rest. Can he get through to that

:39:42. > :39:51.one? That will be even better. It must be tight. But he feels he can

:39:52. > :39:56.see enough of it. The reason he would prefer to play this is because

:39:57. > :40:05.he does not have to do much with the cue ball to get onto the pink in the

:40:06. > :40:08.middle. That was just wide, and he got back in May he flicked the red

:40:09. > :40:15.and the pink will go into its own spot. But if he's straight onto it,

:40:16. > :40:26.it is not perfect, he needs an angle to get onto those reds.

:40:27. > :40:36.How is his pace? He overscrewed it slightly. He played for the red to

:40:37. > :40:45.the right of the pink, in the middle. Can you believe that, over

:40:46. > :40:54.17 days, Dennis? 5196 points each over 17 days of play. This could be

:40:55. > :41:04.an important point coming up here. Is it there? Of course it is! He was

:41:05. > :41:13.on the march as soon as he hit that, he knew he had potted it. What a

:41:14. > :41:18.great pot! Once again to slow the cue ball down, he might play a

:41:19. > :41:24.cannon into the pink, knowing he would have the choice of the red. It

:41:25. > :41:35.is getting very close to the winning post and if he plays the cannon onto

:41:36. > :41:44.the pink, it will be a slow cannon. I did not know that red potted. 53

:41:45. > :41:58.in front. Red to be assured of winning this frame.

:41:59. > :42:04.Can you believe it? That is the second one he has missed into this

:42:05. > :42:08.pot as he looks to the balcony. I think they were in shot and they did

:42:09. > :42:11.not expect him to miss that. That was slightly easier than the other

:42:12. > :42:18.because he was so close to it. You miss one into the pocket and maybe

:42:19. > :42:22.it is in the back of your mind. I don't think anyone saw that coming,

:42:23. > :42:33.especially after the one he knocked up into the corner pocket. That was

:42:34. > :42:46.not a happy smile, that was bemused. Wondering how on Earth I missed

:42:47. > :42:51.that. That was just OK. It is what John Parrott would call a bit of a

:42:52. > :43:11.smelly one, this. It is so close to it. Just the place! Any harder and

:43:12. > :43:15.that would not have dropped. It just touched the cushion but because of

:43:16. > :43:33.the slow pace, the pocket accepted it. A wobble. Wobble. In.

:43:34. > :43:41.And because of that last black, John Higgins is favourite to win this

:43:42. > :43:54.frame, although he's 44 points behind. He should clear from here.

:43:55. > :44:08.To go 5-2 in front. He has still got to knock them in. What has he

:44:09. > :44:20.spotted here? I don't know what that was.

:44:21. > :44:31.Well, that is just about perfect. He would want more of an angle to play

:44:32. > :44:37.for the red into the left corner, he will have to leave it to the middle

:44:38. > :44:42.pocket now. No, he has gone for the deep screw to swing it across, and

:44:43. > :44:55.he's played it well, he's played it very well. Josephine, his mother,

:44:56. > :45:01.with his wife Dennis. -- with his wife. And this will hurt. And I

:45:02. > :45:06.think Mark Selby when he looked up at his balcony knew that he might

:45:07. > :45:17.have thrown the frame away with that red he missed. He's a different

:45:18. > :45:21.animal today, Dennis. Yesterday, we see Selby missing again, we said

:45:22. > :45:25.yesterday about John Higgins playing Barry Hawkins, was not scoring

:45:26. > :45:34.frame-winning breaks. The run of breaks in the last four frames,,, he

:45:35. > :45:39.puffs out his cheeks as he walks round the table. It is so easy, it

:45:40. > :46:02.looks straightforward, but it is never easy.

:46:03. > :46:18.He could have done with a better angle, he might have to come off the

:46:19. > :46:23.cushion now. How is the pace on the cue ball? He's coming got a long way

:46:24. > :46:30.short, it was the shot previously from brown to blue that was not

:46:31. > :46:35.good. This snubs -- this needs good cueing. Now it is coming round the

:46:36. > :47:06.angles, it looks fantastic. That is huge from John Higgins. Mark

:47:07. > :47:09.Selby had an early break of 51, he missed that red, but John Higgins

:47:10. > :47:15.did well to clear up and now he's three frames in front at 5-2.

:47:16. > :47:21.Vintage Higgins, the trademark, the counter clearance, we saw it twice

:47:22. > :47:25.against Mark Allen and he has produced it to take a three frame

:47:26. > :47:32.lead in this final. You just the words out of my mouth! I'm so sorry!

:47:33. > :47:38.I was about to say that you made two billiard clearances, overdue, Steve.

:47:39. > :47:43.I do not need to say anything, Hazel has said it all! How is Mark Selby

:47:44. > :47:48.responding now? Not good coming he had a chance and he blew it, we are

:47:49. > :47:52.not used to that and it is exciting because of that. John Higgins is

:47:53. > :47:58.understandably the underdog, a lot of people wonder how you can make in

:47:59. > :48:03.the underdog with his experience. But he hasn't been there so often as

:48:04. > :48:07.Mark Selby in this area. I think it is wonderfully poised and this last

:48:08. > :48:13.frame always seems to take on extra significance. How surprising is this

:48:14. > :48:15.from John today given what we saw against Barry Hawkins in the

:48:16. > :48:19.semifinal? There was an inkling that the end he was happy with the new

:48:20. > :48:25.tip on his keys and he finished that with no pressure as much as he can

:48:26. > :48:30.be because he only needed one frame. But the way he went about it and the

:48:31. > :48:36.way he struck the ball, I thought he was not far playing like he was in

:48:37. > :48:40.the earlier rounds. 63, 93, 141, as we said last night, he has to score

:48:41. > :48:46.to win this match and that is what he's doing. Steve, you look back at

:48:47. > :48:51.the end of the Sunday play from ten years ago and John had a 12-4

:48:52. > :48:55.advantage. Mark Selby climbed back into it and never really recovered

:48:56. > :49:01.and you wonder to what extent that might be entering his head. You have

:49:02. > :49:06.no clue what will happen and we see that admiring these two players, but

:49:07. > :49:11.Mark Selby has loads of resilience. He has proven that time and again,

:49:12. > :49:12.the defending champion under real pressure in this opening session of

:49:13. > :49:23.the World Championship final. Under pressure a couple of times

:49:24. > :49:27.against Ding Junhui but he hasn't been behind early in a match and he

:49:28. > :49:33.could well be trailing 6-2 going into tonight's session. I know it is

:49:34. > :49:43.early days and the best of the T5, but a full frame made at any time,

:49:44. > :49:46.Mark Selby was favourite and if it goes 6-2, I think you would go even

:49:47. > :50:47.money. -- the best of 35. Well, there are another four reds

:50:48. > :50:53.available. And if he could get a break after that poor break-off shot

:50:54. > :51:01.from Mark Selby, it would give Mark something to think about before this

:51:02. > :51:07.evening's session. He has left it too low, he could still take it on,

:51:08. > :51:11.but another three, four inches and it would be perfect. He could still

:51:12. > :51:17.play the shot because he will open up the reds, but the pot is slightly

:51:18. > :51:24.thinner than it should have been. He has overcut it, it was the previous

:51:25. > :51:27.shot that caused the problem. He will be a little disgusted with

:51:28. > :51:35.himself. Because what a chance he had. I think there were having a

:51:36. > :51:40.conversation, Mark and John after the opening frame. They might be

:51:41. > :51:45.discussing the fact this black cushion was playing the slope. He

:51:46. > :51:50.got down to that shot with disappointment because he did not

:51:51. > :52:03.get onto the red properly. Let's see how this springs off the cushion if

:52:04. > :52:27.he plays it really slow. That seemed to come up pretty high.

:52:28. > :52:38.I mean, the playing conditions these days are fantastic for the players.

:52:39. > :52:48.Lively clots. Always just slightly lighter, you could not have better

:52:49. > :52:55.conditions to play. The only worrying thing about this chance for

:52:56. > :53:02.Mark Selby, he hasn't made a break of 30 since frame three. And there's

:53:03. > :53:07.Mark this time coming up a bit short on a similar shot to the one John

:53:08. > :53:21.played, and he can hold this up for the blue without a problem. He has

:53:22. > :53:28.got a choice here. Plenty of loose reds and pinks tied up. He could

:53:29. > :53:33.risk of playing the cannon into the pink and reds, but it is a bit

:53:34. > :53:46.risky. He has done it, how has it worked out?

:53:47. > :53:56.A little harder and it would have been perfect. Yes, he can't play

:53:57. > :54:03.this well enough to play on the black and he looked at the gap

:54:04. > :54:08.between those two reds, going through the same gap where he has

:54:09. > :54:13.the rest and trying to get onto the blue. He hasn't got the, that is a

:54:14. > :54:19.very poor shot and you can see the disappointment. He still has not

:54:20. > :54:26.made a break above 30 in the last four frames. A big. Six inches, if

:54:27. > :54:36.you would think he would get through that. I don't think he had any side

:54:37. > :55:07.on it, he played a plain ball and he just misjudged it.

:55:08. > :55:14.I think John can play the one behind the pink is a shot to nothing. I

:55:15. > :55:25.think he can see that two want it and bring the white back down the

:55:26. > :55:31.table. -- to pot it. That is the one he can pot in the circle and play

:55:32. > :55:44.the safety shot off. He's played the other one, which is even better! So

:55:45. > :55:53.he had a red either side, but on the brown. And he can go back to the

:55:54. > :56:02.red, this is a big shot. It is there. Well, that was one of the

:56:03. > :56:07.best shots John Higgins has played in this session. I say that because

:56:08. > :56:08.he has been excited thinking, if this goes in, I could win the frame

:56:09. > :56:23.and I could be 6-2 in front. And what a start to this final it

:56:24. > :56:54.would be from the flying Scotsman. Well, that is fantastic, he's at

:56:55. > :56:59.94%. The worrying statistic was 89 for Selby, long potters in front in

:57:00. > :57:13.that department. He has been under pressure a couple

:57:14. > :57:17.of times in the match with Ding and he came through that, fantastic

:57:18. > :57:21.match. He just looks a little tired, he needs something to happen to get

:57:22. > :57:27.his confidence back, he has been kept off the table in the last four

:57:28. > :57:46.frames. But he has missed some easy balls.

:57:47. > :57:50.And that cannon turned out to be perfect, didn't it? He needs to get

:57:51. > :58:10.to 62 points. Mark Selby will be sitting in his

:58:11. > :58:16.chair, realising he will be 6-2 behind and he will probably have to

:58:17. > :58:17.win the next two sessions 5-3, 5-3, and that is hard to do against any

:58:18. > :58:35.player. He has just got to keep his focus

:58:36. > :58:40.here, that seemed to jump a little bit comedy he's having the cue ball

:58:41. > :58:53.creamed. But that did not affect the last shot. Let's have a look at it.

:58:54. > :59:00.Not much of a kick. Oh, he did not want that! Now, that spoiled things

:59:01. > :59:06.and it just shows you what can go wrong, it is just fractions. If he

:59:07. > :59:12.slips past that red, he's absolutely perfect, he's 22 ahead. He's still

:59:13. > :59:18.on the red, but just watch as he catches that. He makes it a little

:59:19. > :59:27.bit more difficult now. And he cannons into the pink. You would not

:59:28. > :59:32.really want to brush the pink safe, that is the problem with this red.

:59:33. > :59:38.And you would not want to pot the pink into the middle pocket when you

:59:39. > :59:46.play this either. He has screwed it. And it has worked out perfectly. One

:59:47. > :59:56.more big positional shot and Mark Selby knows it could be 6-2 behind.

:59:57. > :00:02.It is just a case of getting the pace right on the shot. Where is the

:00:03. > :00:08.brown? Why did he not play that up and down straight to finish, two

:00:09. > :01:33.reds in the left-hand corner? That will do it! 29 ahead. The red.

:01:34. > :01:49.The red. He knows how big a shot this is.

:01:50. > :01:54.They are dilated. His son is over the moon with what his dad is doing

:01:55. > :02:18.at the moment. This is some performance. 41 years

:02:19. > :02:37.of age and how the in the final. Someone moving from Rome. Could do

:02:38. > :02:49.with this one going. John Higgins in that position.

:02:50. > :02:59.Must have caught it in the corner of his eye and a stretcher. If a player

:03:00. > :03:06.is flying towards you you usually know to keep perfectly still. There

:03:07. > :03:12.was an awful lot of people the Crucible this year. They have come

:03:13. > :03:24.from over the world. Very tough to get a seat here.

:03:25. > :03:36.Nearly an excellent shot. If he had left himself on the pink and got the

:03:37. > :03:39.stick and have been tough. He is playing the other side of the blue.

:03:40. > :04:16.Almost a very good snooker. I'm wonder if he plays down and

:04:17. > :04:22.trans him behind the moment. It may be a good choice if you cannot get

:04:23. > :04:28.the cue ball back and look this end. Is that angle now. It would be a

:04:29. > :04:47.tough snooker to hit if he could get the blue behind yellow or brown.

:04:48. > :04:56.John Higgins tapping the table with his chalk again. Tough angle because

:04:57. > :05:20.he is so close to the question. Good escape because not as easy as

:05:21. > :05:37.it looked. John knows only too well this frame is far from safe against

:05:38. > :05:44.this man. You may decide to go for the pot if you cannot get onto the

:05:45. > :05:50.black. He could get on the fact that he wants to keep it on the table to

:05:51. > :05:56.give himself more options. That is a clever shot. To bring the green into

:05:57. > :06:25.play. It shows how positively Mike Selvey

:06:26. > :06:29.is thinking this is if he gets the snooker and a chance with the green

:06:30. > :06:41.of the question he could easily and this final frame of the session. The

:06:42. > :06:57.Schleck he could easily pinch this final frame of the session.

:06:58. > :07:16.Went to thing that time, to getting behind black. Can see from this to

:07:17. > :07:30.take it on. -- he cannot see enough of this to take it on.

:07:31. > :07:40.It would be a tense end to this session. Hasn't really had a great

:07:41. > :07:45.chance to lay the snooker as yet. Just trying it the ball safe. Make

:07:46. > :08:26.sure you do not leave any chances. That could be the mistake John

:08:27. > :08:34.Higgins has been waiting for. One pot and it is 6-2. What result for

:08:35. > :08:40.John Higgins. Just make sure you get the object will say, that is what we

:08:41. > :08:47.were saying. The John Higgins realises what a big shot that was.

:08:48. > :08:48.His heart would have been in his mouth. It shows you cannot take

:08:49. > :09:05.anything for granted. Just the scoreline that caused him

:09:06. > :09:17.to miss. He knows how big this frame is. He knows Mike Selvey is still in

:09:18. > :09:31.this. If he was 30 points behind he would have spotted it every single

:09:32. > :09:43.time. -- potted it. That is unlike Mike Selvey.

:09:44. > :09:52.John Higgins cannot wait to see the back of this red. That will do

:09:53. > :10:12.nicely. If he plays the swerve SHOUTING

:10:13. > :10:22.Close to putting this on the condition.

:10:23. > :10:42.That is OK. Still only needs one snooker.

:10:43. > :10:56.Just looking John Higgins and his face dropped when he saw it going.

:10:57. > :11:47.That black was really tough. This frame still alive.

:11:48. > :12:13.They will be back at 7pm so not much of a restful them.

:12:14. > :12:26.This is better, look where the yellow is going. Usually you prefer

:12:27. > :12:39.two cushions on this gave rather than one. So he has two hit this

:12:40. > :13:03.one. Kudryavtsev Cyber Monday. Well played.

:13:04. > :13:20.No, no. Looking up and smiling. John can play a little swerve and

:13:21. > :13:30.recursion then maybe it is a bigger one than I first thought. The only.

:13:31. > :13:37.Surely he could not pinch this frame. Just enough room around the

:13:38. > :13:49.fact of the yellow. Some players can move it two or

:13:50. > :14:52.three feet. Just flicked the yellow. Jon Dibben want to see the blue

:14:53. > :14:56.heading over there. It is in a better position. -- John did not

:14:57. > :15:05.want to see the blue heading over there. The best two balls at the

:15:06. > :15:16.moment are blue and black. Where is this yellow going? This is a much

:15:17. > :15:25.more difficult shot found the red John missed five minutes ago.

:15:26. > :15:33.Amazingly enough it was 12 months ago. He should be in his hotel room

:15:34. > :15:34.now having a cup of tea. Decided to attempt the snooker rather than risk

:15:35. > :15:55.potting the yellow. This is the longest match and you

:15:56. > :16:02.would expect that with players playing for smokers. He can hit the

:16:03. > :16:08.yellow 4-ball. -- snookers. He can hit the yellow full bull. He will

:16:09. > :16:23.hope the yellow can kiss into the black. They did very thin. That was

:16:24. > :16:36.a bit dangerous. Could have gone into the corner.

:16:37. > :17:01.He would like to keep the Unal and that it is pocket so he might have

:17:02. > :17:41.two just put it. Magnificent angles you can get now

:17:42. > :17:47.they are bound to one table. The brown is on the way. To give this

:17:48. > :17:55.one off three cushions and behind the black. He does not want the

:17:56. > :18:04.green to cannon into the blue. He wanted back in open play. This could

:18:05. > :18:13.be end of frame. Playing at half four, he cannot believe it, walked

:18:14. > :18:27.away from the table in disgust. Looking on the television screen. It

:18:28. > :18:33.is there. John Higgins missed the last red and he would have had more

:18:34. > :18:47.rest going into this second session but now the frame is safe. What a

:18:48. > :18:57.great session for John Higgins. STUDIO: Not since Ray Reardon on

:18:58. > :19:00.this title has anybody done so in their 40s. How surprising is this

:19:01. > :19:06.scoreline, Steve, given that the world number one, the man in form

:19:07. > :19:11.was expected to come out firing today which are certainly was not in

:19:12. > :19:16.the script. But discount this man at your peril especially after having

:19:17. > :19:23.such a good season this year. Had a little purple patch. There was

:19:24. > :19:25.something that led towards Mike Selvey dominating this final but you

:19:26. > :19:31.never know what will happen in sport. What do you think of Mike

:19:32. > :19:35.Selvey so far and what kind of bearing will yesterday have? That is

:19:36. > :19:41.a good point, he went through the ringer. He is the younger man but it

:19:42. > :19:47.must have taken a lot of mental reserve out of him yesterday. He

:19:48. > :19:56.looked tired. He had chances as well. When he was not quite at his

:19:57. > :19:59.best. Not long before they come back and 7pm for the second session. When

:20:00. > :20:05.you were appearing in the finals what did you like to do in between?

:20:06. > :20:11.Used to try to put my head down for 20 minutes even. Tough to know what

:20:12. > :20:16.to do. Some food, that is all you can do. That is exactly what we will

:20:17. > :20:22.do, we will be back from 7pm tonight. We have seen just about

:20:23. > :20:28.everything this afternoon. Brilliant safety, 141 from John Higgins, a few

:20:29. > :20:31.mistakes and enough to keep it tasty. The Wizard has got us under

:20:32. > :20:58.his spell so far. Can he keep it going?

:20:59. > :21:05.You are not a fun person to share a trishaw with.