Day 8, Morning Session Snooker: World Championship

Good morning, it was a big night inside the Crucible Theatre on

Friday night but we are as bright eyed and bushy tailed and is clear

thinking as we could possibly be at 10am on a Saturday because it seems

about 100 years ago since Mark Selby, defending champion got is

under way here last Saturday and we officially in two weeks to the

Betfred Championship. Mark returns this evening. This morning, this

place is absolutely packed once again because it is the return of

two snooker prizefighters. The last session of their much hyped grudge

match. Yesterday, Shaun Murphy inflicted just enough pain upon

Ronnie O'Sullivan to remind him he is still dangerous... If this

session is anything like the first session, we are in for a treat!

There you go! Ronnie never got a chance in that frame, it was all

about Shaun Murphy. Thought it was worth the risk and he got it and

played it beautifully. He is on a mission. Real determination and

steeliness about his whole demeanour this year. A great shot and is the

comeback going to get stronger? He's still trailing by four points. Shaun

has a look of determination. Oh, he's missed it. Clearly

unforgivable. Indigo is the black and Ronnie O'Sullivan makes a

marvellous clearance. Ronnie went into the session 6-2 ahead and they

shared the eight friends yesterday, so Sullivan's comfort blanket

remains the same size. He needs three more this morning to guarantee

an 18th quarterfinal appearance in what is his 25th time here in

Sheffield. O'Sullivan first place in the Crucible in 93 and although he

made the semis in 98 and 99, eight to nine attempts to finally land the

title. He beat Higgins in 2001. He won against Graeme Dott in 2004, Ali

Carter four years later and then that stunning back-to-back double in

2012 and 2013, when O'Sullivan defended his title despite having

taken the whole season out of the sport. It might have been a treble

had it not been for Mark Selby's tenacity to deny him a sixth title

in 2014, his first defeat in Crucible final. Stephen Hendry, a

winner of seven world titles and 18 majors in all, well, you are

champing at the bit to see this one, I am sure. At ten o'clock in the

morning, it is 0- 60 in about two hours from breakfast time on words,

a tough thing to have a final session in his key match. Yes. Both

players have done this many times. They probably got up about 7am so

they will be ready. I'm sure everybody was intrigued by events

yesterday because it could have been 7-94 Shaun Murphy. He will be

stewing on a final frame. It will have been a long night for Sean, he

missed a trick. All to do this morning: he needs to do this against

O'Sullivan. Is still possible? Inside the must believe. How much

does he want it? How much does he still believes he can? I think if it

was 9-7, he would have had a slight chance. But this morning he must win

the first four frames, if running wince just one of them, I think the

match is over. Thinking about 2007, he was five frames down against

Matthew Stevens but he came back to win it. Is this a different kind of

proposition? It is a different kettle of fish, night and day,

Ronnie O'Sullivan is one of the best players of all time and he looks

really up for this championship. I think Shaun missed a trick

yesterday. Do you expect Ronnie's levels to dip to the degree they did

yesterday? He looked jaded and fatigue in those last four frames.

No, I think it will come out firing this morning. OK, you will be

commentating shortly. This is backstage. The Kaiser pacing around,

there is Ronnie, ready to go out. Into the back straight. Mark Allen

produced a blistering performance yesterday. Despite three centuries

and a 96% success rate. John Higgins is only two friends behind. A wily

player. And there is Mark Allen. Their second session will be coming

up today. One for the early birds, including all of you at home. Let's

get on with it. Rob Walker will get the ball rolling.

What a line-up. Four of the greatest entertainers the game has ever seen.

One thing is for certain, Day 8 of the Betfred World Snooker

Championship is starting with a bang!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Please welcome one of the best

break-builders in the modern game. He made the semis in 2009 but

yesterday we saw arguably the best snooker he has ever produced at the

Crucible. Three centuries and the other breaks over 60, the three-time

ranking event when is fired up for this one, from Northern Ireland,

here's Mark The Pistol Allen! And his opponent, without doubt one

of the finest sportsmen Scotland has ever produced, winner of 28 ranking

titles in all, four times a world champion and a huge clearance in the

last train yesterday has kept him in touch, he's the Wizard of Wishaw, he

is John Higgins! On table one, here comes a player

who has been producing his best here for more than two decades, now just

three frames away from a Crucible quarterfinal, reigning Masters

champion, five times world champion, its Ronnie "The Rocket" O'Sullivan!

And his opponent, a class act on and off the table. Winner of seven

ranking titles in all, he will give it absolutely everything, he's the

magician, Shaun Murphy! Hazel Irvine label so, early start,

here on BBC Two we are sticking with the last phase of the match and a

story that has run all week, a possible nine more friends to play

and we will share it all in the company Stephen Hendry and Dennis

Taylor. Good morning, Hazel and good morning to everyone watching. It is

going to be a fascinating frames here and as Stephen Hendry said, he

thinks Sean would need to win all four.

He certainly would need to win the many session three frames to one.

COMMENTATOR: The last frame was a huge one, Sean almost back to two

behind after being 9-3 down. The brown is in. It has just cost

him four points. Everything looks to be reasonably safe. Not easy for an

opening attempt. Didn't make a great deal of difference, just cost him

four points. This is far from easy. On the

cushion, requires to be thick cueing to put this.

You are right, that first was also...

APPLAUSE A chance to go into the bunch, he

can almost missed the two reds and bring the cue ball back to the

right. That is the shot that Stephen

suggested is not a bad choice. It seems as if he is reluctant to play

that. Maybe first frame in the morning, just play for the open,. --

the open red. In the end, he played the cannon. He still has this read

to the far right. Possibly the middle.

Looks very focused this morning. The boys would have been seven o'clock

to make sure they have wide awake. I had the feeling Ronnie would come

out not really 100% focused this morning. He kind of dodged one

yesterday. In that session, it should have been 9-7 in front and

then he would have been favourite but under more pressure. He wants to

just put this match to bed now quickly. That's the end of break.

When he won that last frame, I was coming out of the commentary box and

he said to me he could not believe he got down to pot the black.

Somebody walked out just as he was delivering the cue, they stood up

and walked out! APPLAUSE A fantastic pot.

That's too amazing reds he has wanted from the cushion this

morning. I don't know if there was even a thought of playing safe. The

cue ball ended up in and out of baulk. Ominous signs for Shaun

Murphy, I would suggest. He's done nothing wrong, Shaun Murphy, and

Ronnie knocked a cracking opening pot in. Dead straight on the blue

there. That's where he would like to leave the cue ball. It's going to be

in the gym length pot he's going to leave himself. -- a medium length

pot. Going for the centre of the pocket

at the moment. Has he got to the angle on this

rock, to get on the black without having to nudge it? Just. And this

is the key shot coming up. If you get the cannon on the red. That

looks perfect. What a start in this opening frame.

Yeah, this is one way of reminding Shaun Murphy he should have spotted

that green yesterday afternoon. How do you like them apples?

He has made 47 centuries this season, way head of last season,

where he made 30. And then all of a sudden he misses a sitter. And Shaun

Murphy has a glimmer of hope. APPLAUSE I think he just lost a bit

of concentration. He was concentrating on the cannon

Mac. No, that is just sheer carelessness. I think he won the

friend mathematically. And just eased off on the concentration.

I'm just looking at the situation of the balls. If he can get this black,

the more reds and leave either red next to the pink, it would be

perfect for the snake that he needs. So, there is a glimmer of hope here

for Shaun Murphy. He is removing the red to the left

of the pink. Oh, he has missed it! I thought I was going to the jaw.

Let's have another look... He left about red to the right of the pink.

So, just the one for snooker to tie but if he... If he does get a good

snooker on that red next to the pink, always the chance of a free

ball. To leave himself just the one snooker to time, he has to get a

black of the next red. And need to keep on running.

Pot the black and get taken behind that pink and this opening frame is

far from over, let's put it that way.

Have you lost the cue ball? I was about to say he might only get one

chance at this, absolutely tight snooker. Oh dear. And the red pots.

He didn't get the point where he wanted. Still expected Shaun Murphy

to get in behind the pink but he just overscrewed it.

APPLAUSE Shaun Murphy did make Ronnie pay for that.

That earlier easiness. -- EEC miss. A tremendous amount of left-hand

side. Shaun had a glimmer of hope. Ronnie

extends his lead now. It is 11-6. It looked very sharp. Shaun had a go at

a long walk or Mac and left the white tight on the cushion at the

start of that frame. And the first red 13 knocked him was a cracker,

wasn't it? Amateur players cannot try this. You have to cue it so

well, not only pot the ball but a stunning shop. We thought he would

play a safety shot. He played full-blooded. He came out colour, to

cracking pots. Yeah, he is totally focused, the third session of the

match to win, when you really have to be on it and more often than not,

the best players are, Selby, Higgins, O'Sullivan, they know.

As I said at the top of the show, Shaun needs to win all four frames,

he definitely needs to win all three now to have any squeak in this match

at all. Shaun left this angle on the red

purposely because he knew the black was going up to the blue spot.

Now he needs a good cannon here to develop a few more. He can't really

crash into the pink the way they are sitting, so just a more delicate

one. And the black will come back onto its own spot. He is hampered

slightly. They want us to the right of the black will pot. He is looking

to the one to the right goal and it was one in the right corner but the

man next to the black would be the shot that would get a better

position. Just have a slightly. It's going to be difficult to get 69

points from this position. One more loose red Blood Moon Shaun he might

play this with top spin to go into the bunch.

Brilliant. A great shot. A very aggressive shot. So important to go

into the bunch when you have one or two loose reds. You don't leave it

to the last minute. He looks to be cueing beautifully,

Shaun Murphy. He wants that cue ball to stop, just

in time. I think Shaun Murphy is the best

player in the world with the rest, so I don't see him missing this one.

I don't want to say too much because when I said Ronnie Wood make a

century in the first frame, he missed. But it is looking very much

like one visit. Let's see, just as I say it... I am going to keep quiet

now. That was just a little lapse in concentration from Shaun. In the

first frame, he just lost the cue ball at the crucial stage. He looks

a little bemused by that. Now he is going to have to need another chance

and look at the way the red sand colours are situated. He will have

to be very, very careful here because this is a must win frame for

Shaun. There is a possibility of a very

difficult pot into the left corner pocket. If he can't see the one past

the green to take the safety shot. He is looking to see if he can get

past the green to clip the other one. No easy safety shot and he will

have a go at this. What a shot that is. What a part.

You just can't hit the ball any better than that. Yes, it is not

often you see any thing on Ronnie 's face after he pops a ball but look

at him here... Yes. He is focused all right.

And there is only the one ball that is near the cushion. The rest are

all sitting very nicely indeed. He is already thinking ahead. That

is where he would like to be in a few shots time. If he can get the

red, a colour and leave it someone near that white, he can drop that

difficult read in and get onto the black. Let's see. He may be able to

move the red now, which is even better. Yeah, I don't think he

wanted to play the cannon. Yes, he has had to leave it into the other

corner but he has left it very straight on this. Now, he could just

roll this in landing behind the black. And that is what... He has

run it through. This is a tough shot he has left himself with. I thought

he would pot the red and leave this behind the black. It is almost two

feet further than he wanted. I think he's going to do exactly what you

said, drop the red in and snooker Shaun. Well, he didn't play the

double, he played the snooker there. Has he got the snooker? That's the

question. Maybe he didn't get the snooker behind the pink. That is

what he played. He is not going to drop this year low in now, surely.

No. Quite a good shot. It is a straightforward escape but

you still have to be very precise to try and knock this safe. It is so

easy to push the yellow on. Well, this is a chance. If he can

pot this yellow, come off the cushion next to the black and back

down for the green. This looks very good. Played that

very well indeed. Good judgment. As long as your opponent needs to

frames, you always feel you have got a bit of a chance.

He's not going to bother with the black. He opened the door for Ronnie

O'Sullivan but Ronnie did not take it and Shaun badly needed that

frame. He still trails by four frames.

Back just in time. The balls have been set up and Shaun Murphy has got

to take a frame at a time. That's all he can do.

Well, that is a pretty good break off a shot. I think all Shaun can do

here is come off the side cushion and nestle into the red. From the

break of shot, you are usually looking to get the white tight on

the cushion. It looks as if he is just planning to nestle on the one

nearest the cushion and he's done well.

The champions' lounge was very quiet this morning. Just Shaun 's wife

Elaine and baby boy Harry there and they feel that Shaun can come back

here and why wouldn't they? He is a delightful little boy, Harry,

smiling all the time. Can Shaun take this much past the

mid-session interval? He has to win one of the two frames before that

interval. Ronnie O'Sullivan never plays

anything playing ball. He never plays straight up and down shots.

He's always trying to put some sort of said on the cue ball, trying to

manufacture angles. Good connection on the red but has

he left it? It is a very tough shot. Very easy to get a double-kiss.

Ronnie has also got to hide that thread that is over the pocket.

Played that with lots of Czech side, there might be a gap through to this

red and the black might be available. The pink is portable. He

can certainly get through to the potting angle and he is coming

through to look to see if the black is available. It is one of those.

You play for the black and do not get on it but the pink is therefore

the middle pocket. It is an early chance for Shaun.

Shaun Murphy has got to make the most of these opportunities when he

gets in first in frames. He will know that.

I don't think the red closest to the black goes to the right corner. He

may just manage to nudge it ever so slightly and stay on it. He decided

to play the more percentage shot and just get the cue ball out of there.

Certainly could not have the reds placed any better. What a horrendous

kick. That was a vile. Absolutely vile. I think that's one of the

worst kicks I've ever seen. Watch the red. It has gone sideways. I

mean, that's ridiculous. And what a time for that to happen. He was

going along, cueing perfectly. Looked like he was going to make a

sizeable contribution again and that happens. Surely that's not Shaun

Murphy 's hopes of winning this much gone without, an incredible piece of

bad fortune. Yeah, you don't mind losing a frame

if you have played a poor shot or had a little bit of bad luck but

that was worse than bad luck. I'll tell you what you notice with

Ronnie. He very rarely has the cue ball clean. A lot of players would

have the cue ball cleaned after a heavy contact but even when he is on

a break, you very rarely see him get the cue ball clean. I suppose it is

after the horse has bolted. There is always a chance of getting a couple

of kicks in a row. He is one of the players in the game that never has

the cue ball clean. Certainly not for the sake of doing it. He will if

he sees something on the cue ball. I mean, how punishing can snooker at

the top level B? What has happened to Shaun Murphy and he has just got

to sit there and suffer. All the spots are occupied. Ronnie

taken the opportunity just to sit down for a while while the referee

from Belgium, he is a nurse in one of the big hospitals in Belgium, and

manages to get time off to referee, a very good referee...

But it was interesting that Ronnie went and sat down while he spotted

the pink. Has he got the angle? 38 the

difference. He would only need one more red and he's just looking to

see if he can get on that one. I mean, if he was behind, he would be

contemplating Canning into the red and pink but he doesn't need those,

he just needs this one red and a colour. 43. In fact, the red is

enough to leave Shaun needing a snooker. If this red goes in, it has

cost Shaun the frame. Very, very unfortunate. Must have spotted

something on the cue ball that time to have it cleaned.

It was so cruel what happened to Shaun Murphy but I love what Ronnie

has done. He has absolutely punished him. He has taken this superbly

well. We have had 38 centuries so far.

Ronnie has had three so far. He has made 871 centuries,

incredible. 47 this season. Which is 70 more than last season. -- 17. He

really is animal on the table when he is in this kind of mood. But it

has to be said, he is cueing so well this morning. Very, very focused. He

was lucky to get in here but... Shaun Murphy was so unlucky when he

got that horrendous kick and Ronnie leaves the arena just leading the

macro needing one more frame for a place in the quarterfinal.

Some incredible stats there about Ronnie O'Sullivan. And Shaun is just

sitting there waiting for Ronnie to come back. What happened to him in

this frame? He is just rolling the red in and watch... Maybe he had a

little bit of side but the kick through that read off path by so

much but Ronnie came to the table and thought he might have the cue

ball cleaned but he just carried on and cleared up from there. Yes, the

fact that Ronnie is playing a stunning shot as well. But Shaun

Murphy now breaking off. You mentioned, Dennis, when your

opponent needs two frames, you'll have a bit of room for manoeuvre but

it is the point of no return now. Ronnie will went to win the match in

this frame. He will not want to go to the interval. Which is scheduled

for after the fourth frame of every match. He will want to get this done

now. He knocked one in in the previous

round but have a look at this. He is tucked up on the cushion and he has

rolled that in, perfect on the black. He has played a couple of

wrong pots this morning which were quite incredible. I said in some

interviews before this, I think Ronnie Wood when it and I actually

didn't because of the way he has been playing Annie Nast were last

few months. But in this kind of focus, he will take some stopping.

That read he played at the start of the frame, well, that could win any

hotshot competition. I mean, this would be tough if you

were on the baulk line but from the cushion to roll that winning. It is

a sign of how well he is cueing. You have to be cueing just supremely

well. Striking the cue ball in the middle. Any millilitre of side

either side of middle of the cue ball and you miss that by a mile and

he won't be happy with that one. He will be furious that one. That is

very careless. That is just adrenaline. He has seen the winning

line. He may have covered that one. He got

a terrific cue ball but the red sprang out of the pack and Ronnie

might swerve around the greens here. Because he cannot leave that one

there. He is looking at the pot to the right corner. If he knocks that

winning, this is as the opening pot. I prefer swerving round the green.

He has thought about that. There is every chance that he could finish on

the back if he gets the swerve correct. But he has looked at that

read and it is the very difficult one into the right corner.

Did he just played to hide that cue ball? He has certainly covered it,

that's for sure. I think he definitely took the pot on and for

once, he was well wide of the mark. He has actually been quite

fortunate. There is one read that Sean can cut

in past that one that is over the pocket. That one, if he cut out

across, but I don't think it would go in of the other. He has looked at

that. I think that is the one he has

decided on, the one with the circle. Will it go in of the other red? Will

he knocks the other one in? Look at the cue ball full. Have a look at

the Kewell. -- have a look at the cue ball.

Lots of right-hand side, if he just pots the red a bit sooner... No.

If he has covered that red, he has been very fortunate. He would like

to pop this directly into a pocket. He would still be on the pink if you

took this but if he puts it the black is there. And he potted it

cleanly. That was terrific cueing from Shaun Murphy there.

He lost a little bit of focus there, he was a bit disappointed with the

way he left himself on the pink because he was having to go away

from the reds. He just took his eye off bad pot there. It's just going

slightly to the right side of the pocket.

If this plant goes in... Shaun might just have played his last shot in

this year's World Championship. He is taking the single red. And now an

angle on the pink. To develop the reds if he wishes. He has to avoid

the gap between the sets of the reds. Any contact and you would

think it was framing match over. I am surprised he played for this

red. He is not on the pink. He just has

to avoid the green and the brown to go back up to those reds. This is

the key shot coming up. The pot on the blue is pretty straightforward

but he just has to avoid contact with the colours.

He has got the red to the middle pocket. A strange shot.

He is not on the pink. That was a little bit careless and now he not

only has two pot the blue but leave the two reds.

That's amazing. Usually someone like Ronnie, the top players have no

problem closing a match out. But it shows you that even they can feel

the pressure at the end of a match. But a couple he cannot believe he

has missed. It looks like it has sapped any remaining belief that

Shaun had of winning the match. APPLAUSE

You would think one positional shot now.

The joint favourites before the start of this year's Betfred World

Championship, Mark Selby and Judd Trump, no longer here, Rory

McLeod... If the bookies don't make Shaun Murphy favourite. He has

looked very focused and has played very well against Shaun and it's

going to be a tough match for Ronnie. He made that look easy.

And what a mouthwatering match he has in the next round, the winner of

Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo will be at least a people watching that one

regardless of who gets through because Ronnie is as popular out

there as the Chinese players. That match will start on morning.

Meanwhile, Ronnie going about his business here, just polishing off

the colours. Shaun Murphy, the gentleman that he is, will come

forward and congratulate Ronnie, there was a little bit of needle in

this match but Shaun is the perfect gentleman.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE A very solid performance.

Ronnie O'Sullivan and in the end, you have to say it was a comfortable

victory. 13 frames to seven. Hazel Irvine: and Ronnie through to his

final and you were absolutely right, Stephen Hendry, absolutely critical

opening frame and he is well on his way. Very much so. He came out

firing and I think he felt he really dodged one yesterday, it could have

been 9-7 and the match could have been closer and sometimes you just

switch on. I used to find the final session of a three session match,

for some reason you just are focused. When you are here to win

the tournament and that was a very impressive first session, some

incredible's from under the coalition. Just awesome. Pin sharp

potting and we have lined a few of those up today. In previous years,

he has flitted in and out in terms of long pot success but in his later

years he seems to have perfected it. It was just awesome. But one that we

saw before, I can't tell you how difficult it is to claim that -- how

difficult it is to cue that. The first session was full of bristling

controversy but much more even tempered, Ronnie, out there today. I

think he knows what to expect with Shaun Murphy. I think the first

round, when you're playing a qualifier, someone who has never

been at the Crucible before, sometimes you do not know what to

expect and I don't think he could shake a Gary off in the first round,

under pressure, he knew what to expect with Shaun and he knew what

he had to do. What do you make of the comparison of performances

between Gary Wilson in the first round on this one? What is the

difference in Ronnie's playing? The second session against Gary, he was

impressive then as well. I think it is hard to say, when you're in the

World Championship, here to win it, you just sort of keep ticking away.

I am impressed on his focus. It looks fascinating. He said after the

controversial press conference on Sunday that his dispute with the

authorities is actually cost and his concentration, in three tournaments

this year, at least, so how has he been able to feed off that

controversy going into this match? There is more attention on it in

this tournament than previously but I think it is the World Championship

and he knows what this means and is able to really switch-on. I have

said in various interviews I did not fancy him to win this World

Championship because of the way he has been playing in the past few

months. You can only comment on what you have seen what I had seen from

Ronnie was not good. But he has come here a completely different animal.

He will play Ding Junhui or Liang Wenbo that match will be played to a

finish. It is currently 9-72 Ding at the moment. It will be fascinating

whichever way it goes and here comes! He's into his 18th

quarterfinal since 1993. Congratulations. Well played. The

chief positives would be what? I don't know, really. It is hard to

assess performance, just try hard, trying to mentally hold it together.

Impressive player of the cushions. I took a leaf out of your book. When

it gets down to the nitty-gritty, I played Stephen in 1996 and he got

more aggressive and I got more negative and he didn't make 100

breaks but he just looked like he wanted it, so I just think, when you

get into that situation, you have the winning attitude, if you miss,

newness, but you have to try to win matches. Did you think you dodged a

bullet yesterday? Yeah, when he missed that green. Next to him, you

still fancy yourself? Yeah, I have just kind of relaxed a little bit.

You have to expect that at this level. You're going to play guys

like that who play games on the spin. We were just talking, Ronnie,

before you came in about the controversy, not what happened on

Sunday and the contents of that press conference but, you know,

having been put off by this view you have had over the last few months,

how were you able to turn the negatives into positives going into

this? How much motivation did you feel? Not any more than usually, you

know, I was pleased and I would rather not talk about anything

during the tournament, just focus on the snooker. Some fantastic players

here and it is a tournament, so let's just play and enjoy the event.

Obviously, you have practised for this one because I said in

interviews before that I did not fancy you to win it based on what I

had seen before. I have practised, I have put in about seven weeks

practice. I think snooker is like being a pop star, if you can make a

brilliant album every year, you will do well but if you don't produce an

album, you go missing, so I decided to play a lot of exhibitions and to

pressure off me, really. I don't think I need to prove, I thought, I

can give myself seven weeks to practice for this, it might have

made a difference or not but I kind of just put a little more prep in

for this. But I hadn't played for a year, basically. One of the tracks

on the other may have been the match against Gary Wilson. We didn't talk

a huge deal about it at the weekend but I wonder how much preparation

you have for Gary? Amazing. It was one of the hardest matches. He never

gave in. Every credit to Gary and if he continues to play like that, he

will win tournaments. This place sorts the men from the boys. He

certainly has the head for it. This is about doing it under the cosh at

this level. We're sitting estimating time major winner. You've carved out

a significant piece of history for yourself. You on that and I wonder

how much of a taste that has given you again? Does that sort of stuff

get Europe in the morning? Not really, just enjoying life, enjoying

what I do, it would be great, when I won the seventh it was great, don't

get me wrong but if you had to be 25 years ago, the feeling you get after

winning the seventh, would you put the working? I would probably say it

is not worth it for that feeling. It's not that great feeling. It is

nice to do but the most important thing is the process and I think the

matches you have along the way is what really means something to a

player. 25 years you've been coming here, so... I feel younger now than

I was then. I was bloated and drinking but now I am healthy and

feeling 25 years younger! Do you feel more able of coping with it

now? To be honest, it gets harder. You just see youth and you start to

think, I used to get beat and it used to motivate me to get stronger

but now, you knock them down and you think, I would like to keep them

down but they come back stronger, the same as what I was when I was

younger. I was watching over at John Higgins and I thought, we look like

old men compare to some of these guys. We do! I think snooker has

never been better in this era, so we may be able to give most players a

ten year start. Obviously players like Selby, Ding, Murphy, but the

others, I don't think they are that much. We're all pretty close. Still

fighting and you still clearly have a chance at a sixth world title. I

will just see what happens, 17 days out of the year, it's not going to

be fun, probably the worst part of the job is coming here and having to

go through this because it is really tough mentally. I struggle mentally,

I must admit, I have to work on that, it's my weakest spot. It is

weird because there is a time when it stops being enjoyable. Like a

hobby, when you first start, but while you're here, you don't think,

I am enjoying this. But you get to the end and you win and you say,

next, OK. And next is Ding or Liang Wenbo. I don't know how cross that

match your honour. From what you have seen, Ding looks fantastic but

Liang Wenbo is a real firecracker. Yes, Liang Wenbo 's emotional type

of player. Ding's probably a bit more balanced. Ding got his sessions

6-2, he wasn't going to lose a session 6-2. That's the difference.

You think Ding is the best scorer? Still another level above the

Chinese players, Ding, for me. Yes, he is mental. His positional play is

so good! He's difficult. Ronnie, you have a couple of days off, so you

will be back on Tuesday morning. But well played today. They focused and

professional performance. Well done. We will concentrate on the match at

the other side of the curtain and before we do, it is Mark Allen's

turn for Steve Davis's cab confessional. Stand-by the grand

tour. Anyone order a taxi? I have to let you know, you are in

safe hands, I've been practising in a gear change car and I know my way

around Sheffield because I have spent a year and a half of my life

in Sheffield. I have to apologise, everybody misconstrued my word

championship player. It was misconstrued, I was asking Shaun

Murphy, Mark Allen, Championship player? I said it as a question, not

a statement. But all of a sudden, they are knocking on the doors. I do

feel I am one of the top players. I don't think of myself as a

championship player, so to speak. I know I am doing something right. But

I want to start winning majors on a regular basis. You said three years

ago at the World Championship, I have to get fit. What happened? To

be honest, nothing happened, that's the thing. I did an interview with

Hendry at the Masters and said I would try to get more fit but since

the Masters I have lost 1.5 stones and I want to lose another three

stones. It doesn't help in the long matches. It can only help me away

from snooker as well. Sorry about that! Do you know where you are

going? ... Let's turn right here... First time in this car. This is a

better taxi than I am used to. Can I do a U-turn? Sorry, mate. That's

nice... What's your biggest memory from the Crucible? YouGov is the one

many titles. I think the thing that sticks in my mind is, and it has

been talked about a lot, 1985. What happened? To be honest, it gets

talked about so much back home. I am nearly getting fed up with that!

Don't! It is amazing that you have world titles but that is what you

will be remembered for. And then Dennis Taylor winning the

championship. As if I let him. What happened? How can you go from 8-0 in

front to collapsing like a cheap tent? You know that better than

anyone. No lead is big enough. I imagine that a championship gets

even more... The most annoying thing, what a lovely life you have

but it's not like it's defined me as a player. People say, how did you

miss that? The most annoying thing is that people every now and up and

go, you let him win that, didn't you? It was fixed. And you are

going, what? What do you mean? It annoys me. It is an insult me and to

Dennis and the game. Can't you put your brain in gear? You can't put

this car in gear! At least we're heading in the right direction. You

can go through when the lights are flashing, can't you? Off when it

says the arrow? It says the arrow right here. I am about to now go...

I don't know if that is illegal or not... This is supposed to take 20

minutes. It has taken one hour. I feel like we've married! That will

be ?20. Thank you very much. You owe me ?20 but having to sit through

that! What a lovely chaps to eavesdrop on. Mark Allen produced

one of the Peak performances of any session in snooker at three

centuries and a 96% pot success rate yesterday and yet, four times

champion John Higgins stuck with him and he will feel happy to have got

out of their only two frames adrift. What a match. We will be joining

them at frame nine and watching this are Peter Ebdon and John Virgo...

COMMENTATOR: Very tight. What damage has he done? At first look, I would

say not a lot, amazingly enough. He is looking at a red to the left

corner. First good chance of the morning for John Higgins.

He played it well. Yes, and that was quite a bit thinner than it would

have looked on your TV screen, so, not straightforward. A very good

pot. And just watch John Higgins when he plays this next shot, how

still he stays on the shot. His chin is on the cue all the way through

the shot. For anyone looking to replicate one of the world's

greatest techniques, you could do no better than to follow the example of

John Higgins. Truly, one of the most outstanding and greatest players we

have ever seen in this great game. Yes, when you look at the scoring

with Mark Allen, he only finished two frames behind, his goal will be

to win this session, at least 5-3. You would think he could afford to

lose this session this morning. Mark Allen is in tremendous form and

we'll be ready to pounce on any unforced error.

He will probably have to go for the blue here.

He could not have played it better. A lovely line.

So far, this has been very good from John Higgins. Just the start he was

looking for this morning. Mark Allen was playing a red witch

from our view behind the pocket, didn't look as if he could get

through to the potting angle. Maybe he just try to bend a little with

side but it was a mistake. And it looks as though it is going to cost

him. This was the shot. He may have tried

to put a little bit of side on, anyway it was an error.

I think in that instance, John, because Mark was aiming so high on

the cue ball, the right-hand, the left-hand side rather has actually

pulled the cue ball to the left and that is why he calls the other red

first. -- why he caught the other red first. This frame now looks to

be in John Higgins' pocket. Just come slightly long on the black

and it looks like that could be end of break but the frame well and

truly over. They do say he is one of the best doublers in the

professional game. I just thought I would mention that. That's enough

for Mark Allen. He concedes. John Higgins keeps hanging on in there

and he is now just one frame behind. Higgins took the tenth as well.

Allen scored only 20 points in the first two frames of the morning and

it is all square, going into frame 11.

COMMENTATOR: That is a good safety shot from

Mark. I'm very surprised John Higgins did not try to get into the

baulk end of his last shot. It is surprising.

Is John playing a shot to nothing here? He is. Where is the cue ball?

What a lovely flick on the red. That was an excellent long pot from John

Higgins. It is one of those you feel, if he does not pot it, he will

leave something on. But he was fully committed. That was excellent.

He will be disappointed to finish straight on the blue.

Playing the stunning shot here for the black into the same pocket.

This is a very good opportunity for John Higgins now. There are five or

six loose red is that he can work with before needing to go into the

cluster of reds. He could also choose to leave

himself slightly low on the next red.

The red I was thinking about was the red on the other side of the pack,

which he could have stunned off and gone up for the blue but no need to

go for that yet with the open reds. Not the best of contacts but this is

the dream start that John was looking for. Whenever you are

behind, you are looking for a good start and winning the first to land

the first chance in this third one of the morning. I don't think Mark

Allen will be getting concerned just yet because he can't really pinpoint

some glaring error that he's made. He's not really made a big mistake.

He has to be patient and wait his turn. And hope that it comes sooner

rather than later. But this is impressive from John

Higgins. Yes, John is timing the ball

absolutely beautifully this morning. As always, keeping absolutely dead

still on the shot. There we see the long backswing. That was on a

fantastic example of his long backswing and that means he gets

more acceleration speed through the cue ball and he gets more work on

the Cuba without actually having to hit the ball as hard as somebody who

doesn't have as long a backswing, possibly one of the best techniques

I've ever seen. And it's amazing how many of today's great players in the

modern game are very long with their backswing. John Higgins, Stephen

Maguire, Shaun Murphy, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Selby. It's a

common trait of the very best players in the world. Very difficult

to do under pressure. As is keeping still on the shot, absolutely dead

still. And there is nobody in the game that does that better than John

Higgins. This blew to go 62 points in front. Still 75 remaining. He has

not got the best angle but he can force the cue ball to get these six

reds into play. This will be the key to the frame. And that is absolutely

brilliant. That is frame over. I was going to say as well during this

frame, he is still yet to make a century break in this match. I think

we could be seeing one here. And just thinking back before he got

in and made this marvellous break, I was saying that he has played a

containing safety and I thought he should have gone back to the baulk

end. Mark Allen had put him in a bit of trouble. He pulled out a

beautiful long red and Mark Allen has been sat down ever since and

this black for his first century of the match. Absolutely wonderful.

Wonderful play. Well, the highest break of the

tournament so far is 127. He can equal that year.

Stuart Bingham has the highest break at the moment. He lost in his match

against Kyren Wilson. He will be watching this and thinking, maybe

they are going to take some more money off me. Pink and black to

equal the highest break of the tournament. Stuart Bingham still has

a hand on it. What a marvellous break that was from John Higgins. He

will be disappointed he missed the pink but what a start he has had

this morning. Trailed by two but now leads by one.

John claimed the frame 12 as well. Completed his perfect start to this

session by taking that for the frame on the bounce and so this match has

completely turned on its head. John Higgins now leads by two. They are

back out after their interval and we are live in frame 13. How has this

one developed? COMMENTATOR:

Very big moments in this match from Mark Allen. Frozen out in the first

four frames, as we have seen. But John Higgins had a go at a long red.

He missed it and a nice easy starter for Mark and you feel he has to make

the most of this opportunity. Produce the play that he produced in

the first session of this match. But John Higgins has been absolutely

flawless. Practically flawless this morning.

But it was a big chance, Peter, and so far, so good. He has taken them

well. He certainly has. And apart from that hard stunning

shot that he had to play because of the angle, he has been stroking the

ball is beautifully himself during this break. This is a sure sign that

he is handling the pressure out there. In the same way that John

Higgins has this morning. Pot the red. He will be relieved to

get this frame on the board and to do it in one visit.

Already made three century breaks in this match. Yes, John. Under the

circumstances, with the pressure that John Higgins has put him under

so far in this morning 's session, this is a wonderful response from

Mark Allen. Very gritty. And nothing less than what you would

expect from a player of his class. Just looking at the balls he has

taken in this break. That is now five pinks, six blacks. The referee

had better get his skates on. And even though he went two frames

behind after being two in front, he didn't do a lot wrong. So that is

why you didn't really fear for him. If he had been getting in and

missing loads of chances, you would have said, well, maybe his form has

dipped, but this is the first real chance he has had. And he has taken

it well. Already had 39 centuries and to

celebrate his 40th year of the championship of the Crucible, we

have our 40th century of the tournament. Well played, Mark Allen.

Having been shut out for most of this session, he will certainly be

feeling a lot better about things now. And this is a really important

contribution from Mark Allen because he has let John Higgins know in no

uncertain terms that he is up for this, big-time. And that he is

timing the ball very well himself as well.

He played it in the middle. But it is a century. He has said to John

Higgins, you make a mistake and I will take the frame in one visit,

just like you have been doing early on.

A fourth century of this match for Mark Allen and the second we have

seen after John Higgins' a couple of frames ago. Fantastic quality.

Fantastic match. If you have not had much of a lock in, which Mark Allen

did not have in the first four frames... To make that clearance, I

have said it a few times, the long session matches, damage limitation.

The difference between 6-2 and 5-3, yesterday, that was massive. John

Higgins came out this morning with the upper hand but Mark Allen has

shown he is an fantastic scoring form. They have produced some

fantastic matches over the years. Mark Allen leads overall. But in the

longer format matches at the UK championship and at the Crucible, it

is John Higgins that has won the day. You just wonder if it is that

experience and tactics that play a part. Yes, it is the venue. The long

matches, it is such a test. Mark Allen is one of the best players in

the world but that as venue, he is maybe that little level below. But

you can tell that he wants to prove that he belongs there and you can

see it means that much to him. He is such a pugnacious player. Such a

great guy of the table. It has been interesting. The last couple of

times they met, they met at the Masters and it was such a

good-natured meeting, there was a lot of fun to be had as well as some

fantastic snooker. I am sure you are told will be enjoying this. We will

be leaving this one at midday and it will be continuing online. We will

be back at 1:45pm on BBC One to round it all off for you. But in the

meantime, let's enjoy the start of frame 14.

COMMENTATOR: Another red just slightly off target

from John. But I don't know if there is a red available to the left

middle. He went all out for it. He is having to play this one and this

is tricky. What a good pot it was. Nicely on

the blue. Now, does he take the opportunity?

Take the bull by the horns. And play the aggressive shot into the pack

with pace. Decided against it. That is OK. He

has got a choice of two reds into the right corner. The red that goes

into the centre. And there is a red immediately above

the black which is available. He dropped down to 94% pot success. He

was 96 at the start of the morning session.

He is OK. I think he can play this red to the right middle and still

hold for the black. As I say, that red immediately above

the black is available into the same pocket as the black. He will be

playing for it now. But he will be certainly thinking in the next

couple of shots how he can bring more reds into play.

This has been an excellent match, full of quality. Between two of the

game 's brightest stars. Played that very nicely. Leaving himself an

angle to pot this red. And disturbed other reds. He is playing it with

top spin. I always preferred to play the

screw. You have a bit more control. You are never certain how it will

run off the second red. He did not really bring many balls into play. A

tough shot a list now. -- this now. But a good one.

They are certainly treating this, both players this morning, to some

quality snooker. Potting and positional play. Another 31 points

required from this situation. He will not do it without opening the

reds. John Higgins looking on, there is nothing he can do. It is that

fine line between success and failure.

That is unfortunate. That has gone wrong.

I am sure he will be tempted to play this to the right-hand corner

pocket. There is an element of safety. But he needs it in.

Wonderful shot. That is what puts pressure on your opponent.

He just didn't put that black in the middle of the pocket.

That is why he is not perfect on this red to either the far corner or

the middle. You would think the middle. He just hit the black on the

wrong side of the pocket. If he had hated in the middle of the pocket,

he would have been nicely on this red. He felt he had bad contact.

That is why he had the cue ball clean. And that is well play. I am

sure that there is a part of John Higgins that thinks, what is this

man made of? I have thrown everything at him this morning

including the kitchen sink and he has come back really strong.

We know that red is bottom with loose at the bottom of that cluster

but I don't know how he can get there. Does he want to risk playing

for this? I am not quite sure what he has played for. I think he played

for the ready to the right centre, he just lost the cue ball a little

bit. This is a really tough pot. Red black red is easier would accrue all

that is required but it should have been easier than this.

Another tremendous pot. After this black, he is looking for one more

red. Can he get on one? This to go 70 fonts will accrue points in front

but 75 still remaining. Desperately looking for a plant.

Just thin enough on the black that he could not really get into them.

70 points the lead, 75 remaining. It is not over yet.

He will be tempted to play the double with a degree of safety but

the right shot really is to put the red behind the black. Well... Didn't

play that as well as he would have liked but they fantastic and

wonderful contribution from Mark Allen. Under the most extreme

pressure. There is a bit of life left in this

14th frame and it will continue online. We are going to reflect on

these last potentially two and a half frames when we return at 1:45pm

on BBC One this afternoon. A significant morning that has seen

Ronnie O'Sullivan across the line against Shaun Murphy. We will be

back to see who he will play next. That is this afternoon. Thank you

for your company.