Day 9, Afternoon Session Snooker: World Championship

Good afternoon. This time next week will all be sitting down for the

first session of this year 's's jumping ship final but from what you

have seen so far, who will be in that final? Higgins and Selby.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is going to win it. It will be Ronnie O'Sullivan and

John Higgins but keep an eye out for Marco Fu. It is interesting you

mention that because possibly the best form from the first week has

been shown by O'Sullivan and Higgins. Both of them 41 years of

age and the owners of nine world titles between them. They are indeed

on opposite sides of the draw. Nice one. I'm just throwing it out there

for your attention but the uppermost for men who have already cemented

their names into this year 's quarterfinal draw.

Ronnie was just a little bit too good.

Ding Junhui gets to the quarterfinals where he will play

Ronnie O'Sullivan. A very confident young man. What a performance from

John Higgins. He is back to his best in my opinion. Much was made of the

fact that the draw was a little top-heavy with the top players, it

is difficult to argue against that. It must looks like an invitation

eight-man event, the top half, you have the big guns, Ronnie and Mac,

Ding Junhui and Neil Robertson. Whoever comes through from the top

half order it the hard way. That is greater when, to sweep to be the

hard way. If someone comes through from the suffragan think them

favourites to win the title. But attached at someone. The bottom half

is no less competitive, but of all those players and it but Becky

Wenner in that. You have to say John Higgins as the standard. It is

starting to look possibly like a Higgins O'Sullivan final, he is the

big name in their Kyren Wilson has been impressive and the other two

second-round match still to finish. Barry Hawkins and Graeme Dott blogs

tough match. I can see that going 13-11, 13-12. Pick a winner. Of the

ultimate. On the form shown so far, Ronnie O'Sullivan. This is what

really got coming up this afternoon for you. Ex-world number one Neil

Robertson is a serious contender for a second world title. Marco Fu

fancied for a first. What gives today? Graeme Dott times 40 next

month as a bullet Barry Hawkins is that today the two will be

celebrating after their opening session? Mark Selby is chasing a

third world title. Xiao Guodong displaying him today. And Rory

McLeod is for behind and Stephen Maguire would take nothing for

granted. Graeme is next and there are no plans to make this a ranking

event. And we would love to hear your questions and views so get in

touch using the hashtag, BBC snooker. This middle Sunday should

be a day for simmering emotion rather than boiling tension is

unlike yesterday for never three fabulous finishes in the

second-round, road, and another today due to come to a conclusion.

That doesn't mean that they want but it is a day for sitting back and

immersing yourself in the developing drama of second round and one of the

most intriguing matches we think today will feature Neil Robertson of

Australia against Marco Fu from Hong Kong.

I'm very happy with my game. I have been practising really hard coming

here, but never practised so hard before and two chips and I have done

everything right so regardless of performance at least I know I've

done everything I can. Since the UK I have been playing quite

consistently, reducing the tip of consistency that I want and that is

the most important thing especially coming to the World Championships.

Marco has been clingy sniffer of his career hadn't had the low season.

You look at the draw and there aren't too many players left,

everyone fights to be death. We play some other type of game, you want to

get amongst the balls and other clearance. Hopefully I can win

playing as quickly as possible with the and relatively too many safety

shots and try and attack the game. I am quite happy to be one of the

lesser fancied, O'Sullivan, Judd Trump and Selby ahead of me in the

betting and to go about my business. I'm sure it is good to be a tough

challenge for both of us so it will be evenly matched contest and

hopefully I can go there and play to my best and enjoy the occasional

hopefully come out as a winner. Neil Robertson determined to rule the

snooker world once more, Marco Fu image or do so for the first time

and the Hong Kong player relieved to have the chance after that

incredible comeback in the opening round from 7-1 down to win 10-9. If

you were with us this morning you would've seen Neil Robertson lead

4-2, both men with a century each so far and we pick it up on the seventh

frame with Robertson marginally in front and it is being watched by Ken

Daugherty and John Virgo. COMMENTATOR: Years wondering if you

can make these two reds into a plant. It is very tight but he may

be able to squeeze that second red one closest to the pocket in that

line. It could go in and did. The sea have

the green into the left-centre? He has to take this green on.

Nicely on the blue and I think this red just above the black is

available. It will be a nice one to get on and pull clear the black.

He played that nicely to get on that road. He would prefer to be a bit

straighter on this red. We saw the cue ball bounce but I

think it is just OK. I think it might have worked to his advantage.

It is not often depicted as that he's not actually on this thread as

it turned out. If you didn't get the heavy contact, this red years

playing no would have been lower and delivered more work to do with the

cue ball. It had finished her food. A lucky kick.

He took that opportunity to open those two reds, 17 point really one

is definitely a frame-winning opportunity.

Still looking for more points but you would certainly have fancied

him... I know he was trying to ensure that of the pocket to retain

good position on the pink but his schoolboy error missing the red.

Trying to hold for the pink, blood sacrifice the pot. -- don't

sacrifice the pot. He didn't leave anything easy for

Neil except a possible read to the right-centre that was not the best

safety shots has overplayed. What has she left this time? No two

games of snooker are alike, we were commentating on John Higgins and

Macau was that had any team any player made a mistake the other one

cleared up. It is not happening in this match so far. Chances coming

thick and fast for those players. But all those mistakes that Marco

has made in this room will be put behind him if you can know when it

after that wonderful long put. It is easy to forget your errors if you

win the frame. It is never easy to forget though should you lose it

from a simple error. Even though he has been a bit edgy this morning, if

you can somehow manage to win this frame and cut the deficit to one he

will be absolutely delighted. 33 ahead so he needs at least three

more reds depending what value colours he gets so it is not a

formality to get over the lingo. The three red on the job mission is

tight he has no option to put to play for it. With the angle he has

only black. I thought that was a nice angle but it is a bit more than

he wanted. He still needs red, colour, red. A APPLAUSE

It was almost like the red was hugging intrusion.

-- hugging the cushion. Plenty of room at this road to put it into the

left-centre. Here's a 49 points ahead with 51 remaining is just this

red antinuke cut the deficit to one. Well played, Marco Fu. This had a

couple of bites at the cherry but managed to win it in the end. The

big last three moment for both players. Robinson will feel he has

dominated the session and may come out of it all square should Michael

winner this last frame. It is amazing how the psychology can swing

back and forward between players. This has been the longest frame of

the match so far which is slow by any means but I agree with you, I

think this last frame of the session is quite an important one because it

just looking at the way both players have played, I think Neil Robertson

will be very disappointed if he came out all square. I think it will be

certainly Marco Haywood psychologically have the edge. He

has played at his best and he knows that. From Marco Fu's point of view,

even if it is losing last frame, and is 5-3 behind, he would be too

disappointed after the start he had. -- want to be disappointed.

The pink didn't matter because the frame was one, Neil Robertson lead

4-1 but then he is only one in front, 4-3. Marco Fu one of the

Scottish open in fine style and one the finals of the two other majors

this season and having been 4-1 down in this match, it can he get out of

this opening session all square? COMMENTATOR: He have chance for Neil

Robertson, this red. Just below the bank puts into the bottom right hand

corner pocket. A natural angle back towards the goal area. So good at

those type of shots. He wasn't using any force or power there, just

cueing nicely. Not the best chance but there are if

you open reds and the pink in the open and the blue nightspots. That

flick on the pink was no hindrance. He wanted to put the cue ball and an

area anywhere around that export area. Plenty of options but if you

reds able to put. A good chance. Important for Neil

Robertson to go into the next session with at least the lead.

Particularly the way he has played this morning, he lost his way for a

couple of friends. A good chance now to re-establish that to frame

advantage. Both players in this first session to have unexpectedly

missed putts he would ever expect them to miss and it can just know we

at your confidence but he seems to have built up a nice head of steam

here, the Australian. He has paused because he was too

straight on the pink. If he had a slight angle he would just get down

and knock down but he's just considering which is the best red to

play for. I think he has decided to play to

the one for the rich middle but he should have been just slightly the

other side of street on this. And has cost him good position. He is

not ideal on this pink. Just a bit careless with his positional shot

there. He has rolled pink in nicely. Having to leave a mid-range red and

this is the type of shot hurting missed in an earlier frame. He kept

to thick the last time but no problem with that one. And that

cluster of reds around the black, the top one goes to the right, and a

that it will release one to the left corner so he is back in print

position. His target is 68. When he puts this it releases to the left of

it. I'm the one just above the black pots so the two reds of the black

pot. It was careless to leave himself the wrong angle on the pink,

he should have been straight when it obviously this one to the left of

the black goes but he just keeps losing the cue ball a fraction. And

now he has lost it completely. He was not perfect in this pink atoll.

Making hard work of this. He is saying that rolled off but I

don't think so. He can put his arm out as much as you like but you

could see it was just snowballing, running out of position, not being

on the ball he wanted to play on and the role of that much.

It all started when he didn't get straight on that pink, that was a

careless shot and he just needed to be straight for the two reds above

the black and the opposite corner pocket. Did this rule of? Maybe he

put a little bit of unintentional side on the cue ball and it may have

just turned the pink. He doesn't want a kiss. It is still on the red

but the kiss was not what was needed there. As we see it again, he is

trying to avoid all contact with those reds, trying to get on the two

reds above the black. If you can get on the loose one

above the black with a nice angle and what that and bring the black

into years having a look at maybe going straight in to the reds

. He was contributing playing about shot from the blue. Going into the

red closest to the black but you doesn't have to, there are two

restraints available. There is his luck? It is not bad, not too bad.

Nicely played. He purposely tried to hit that red and played very well.

The fact that he is 34 points behind, that's tough year will come

into play. If he gets that far from this brick. He is over this. What

has he done here? As Neil Robertson before him, here's just not got

complete control of the screwball, a lot of tension the cue. Ding a

little bit of tension NVQ. Is he doesn't want the kiss on the

brown. Not too bad a flick but he has to get this pupil travelling.

It is so much easier if you get your nice position and all you have to do

is roll the ball enemy the next shot easy. He is not out of the woods

yet. He says little extension. 25 points

behind now. He potted it but he's not on the black. I wonder if you

will notice the opportunity, he has a nice angle on the black to try and

get up? That is the possible choice. Train get in behind that red. He

recovered with hitting it a little bit harder but he is OK.

APPLAUSE The people in the front row there

are new it was in before we did. But it is not ideal, too straight on

this black. He may just put it and try and play is Nick on the road.

You have to keep your head down on those, watch lift his head a little

bit, he almost missed that. He was trying to pinch a bit. The 30 had

missed that. He thought he had missed that. Watch his body, never

mind the red. He thought he had missed it. How did that drop?

Gravity. I knew you would see that. From behind his that he had had to

them. But he is too straight on the black. And as we mentioned before,

he has a lovely touch in and around the balls but he is not blessed with

the muscular. For him to play a deep screw with lots of references to get

onto the book mission, it is not in his armoury.

He is contemplating about taking the pink off the side cushion, leaving

the yellow there, not going for the black. He could just pot the black

and play safety on the yellow but the difficulty will be playing a

good safety from web the yellow is now. What is going through his mind

is, I need that pink interplay, bring it out into the middle of the

table, put Neil under pressure. That is very well worked out. I think he

has the snooker. The pink out in the open.

It is one of those incidents where potting the black would not make any

difference. A good effort, he could not do much

else. He could only see just half of the yellow. A big frame now. Both

players have had chances, so whoever loses it will feel a little bit

aggrieved. Not quite the snooker. But possibly

the edge with Marco. He can get through to the potting

angle of this year low. He may have to play the pot because it is one of

those situations, I do not see a safety here.

Fair play to him, he did. And that could be a telling one. He has got

the snooker. And at this stage of the frame, it can give you a big

advantage. He has got to hit this and try and get it safe. It is a big

swerve he is trying here. The problem is you played that swerve,

you don't get any pace into the object ball and he has left this

yellow. Couldn't get as close as he wished

to the green. This is a big shot here. He played that very nicely

indeed. And there the fact that a fuse shots ago when he brought that

pink into play could prove dividends. The last two frames are

beginning to stretch out in time. It is a big one.

He has played this nicely. Maybe just a little bit too pacey but he

got a good line. If the blue had been on its spot, it would be ideal

but he still needs a good pot on the blue and he needs the pink as well.

Good shot on the blue. How easy he on the pink? The cue ball needs to

slow down a little bit. Not ideal, but he has a chance if it pops into

the Leicester centre and what right left-hand pocket. The left corner

because you can turn the cue ball to the baulk end. He was up and out of

that very quick, wasn't he? He has done that a couple of times in this

frame. As soon as he hit it, he knew. And

Neil has gifted him the frame. And Neil once again saying, intimating

the table rolled off. This pink to square the match.

APPLAUSE He had chances to stretch further

and I think that from Marco Fu... The finish the first session, all

square. Disappointment for Robertson delight for Marco Fu. They will be

back for another eight frames this evening from 7pm. You can see that

on the red button. We did identified this match as one of the key games

of round two, particularly after Marco's reprieve. When you come

through a much that is so tight and you have over the line in such a

dramatic fashion, how does it set you up? You just breathe a huge sigh

of relief and you go into your second round with a clear head. It

is amazing. You could have been out and now you have a second chance.

When were you ever 7-1 down? I have had to take first rounds, Gary

Wilkinson, I think I was 9-8 down in one decider and the next round I

played great. The pressure seems to com. We have underlined what a

fantastic season Marco Fu has had and you guys watching him. He has

become my guilty pleasure. I like watching him make a break. He is a

cherry picker. Lots of times you see people splattered the balls

anywhere. He prepares to cherry pick. It is all square. Neil

Robertson, a 12 time was ranking event winner. He is out at world

number nine, his lowest for nine years. Wants to re-establish himself

at the top of the game. Is he going about it the right way? He seems a

different character. He used to be full of confidence. Now he is saying

he is happy to go under the radar, be a underdog. He is in danger of

becoming on the second tier of the top players who is not regarded as

favourites to win tournaments because I don't think he is the same

player. Why not? I have no idea. Maybe his practice regime has

changed, maybe he's not working hard enough. I do not know. Whatever it

is, he is not quite at the levels he is at. Some of the levels he was at

was stellar, but he's not up there at the moment. He did have a problem

with video gaming and he has quipped that. He has turned over a new leaf

in that regard and that will refocus his efforts. He is picking and

choosing his events as well. He did not enter the China open, he chose

to put more practice in for this, so if he comes up short in this, he

will have to rethink his whole regime. We talk about the betting at

the start of the tournament, he was 12-1, you could back him 16-1. They

looked at him and did not think he was impressive in round one, but if

he plays property, that is a massive prize. A lot of mileage in this

match. I wonder if you remember a trick shot that we showed you at the

Masters in January. It was staged at the Bristol all-stars club and it

was Shane O'Hara who was the general manager who created this trick shot.

We thought what could he create here in Sheffield? Perhaps his ambitions

were not quite as foursome as back in January, but will they create

another video viral success? Always some difficult shots here but

none quite as tricky as these. Shane O'Hara, a name you may be familiar

with when he pulled off a trick of all time and he is now back doing

this 40th anniversary to try something new. Talk us through the

challenge back in January. January was a very elaborate trick shot. It

took place over ten tables, a flight of stairs and 20 metres section of

bar so it was particularly elaborate. Gravity was the real

winner in January's one whereas I have to take all the blame for this.

We want to pot some balls using some other sporting equipment. I have

been here for a while and I think I will surpass the amount of attempts.

You have to watch it and see. Do you play all of these sports as

well? Yeah, I am a jack of all trades, but a play a bit of

everything to a modest degree. I need a few more goes at it to

possibly nail it, but it wasn't bad. No, I was rubbish. I will get back

to my real job now. We are officially throwing the

gauntlet down. We want you to dream up some trick shots and film them

and send them to us. I don't know what you will come up with, but I

can imagine the kids getting the loo roll and facilitate out. It is

better than the dreaded iPad. Let them have a go and send their

efforts and your efforts to us. You guys might have a go. I am not so

sure about this gentleman here. I cannot do trick shots. We are

looking forward to seeing them. Graeme Dott, when it comes to horses

for courses in major events, he is a runner. Particularly at the World

Championships. He has proved that time and time again. He was in the

final in 2004, two years later got his hands on the trophy and then

battled through a third final in 2010, Neil Robertson got the better

of him, but he is facing a man facing a similar affinity with this

event, because Barry Hawkins stunned everyone to reach the final here in

2013 having not won a single match for his first five years. Played a

fantastic match against O'Sullivan and seems to have given him a taste

for success. Two more semifinals. Today was a very special Crucible

day for him. Please welcome the birthday boy, Barry Hawkins!

38 today. Well done, Barry. Having a good laugh before his match. Two

players who thrive in the pressure cooker environment of the Crucible.

They started at ten o'clock this morning and Graeme Dott establishing

a lead. We joined them in the fourth, it's the Scots to play.

Being watched by Willie Thorne and Steve Davis. I guarantee you, both

players will be straight to the practice table at the end of the

session. To try and work out what is going wrong or just to get their arm

going. Oh, no. This is just so uncharacteristic of not just Barry

Hawkins but Graeme Dott as well. Hard to commentate on this, isn't

it? We are as much to the new stairs they are. We have just been told by

their starts that in his first round match he has never missed a black of

the sport. It just shows you can get it one day feeling great, get up the

next not feeling good. But what you have to do is get something out of a

session. All I can think of other than the

fact it is the morning session and it is best of 25, is that both

players not relish laying each other because they know they are both hard

on the table. Would it have been easy to fire yourself up against

Ronnie O'Sullivan or Mark Selby with a little bit of expression Pella

expectation that they could go through? I do not know. Or is it

just on the day it has all gone wrong?

As we currently sit, whoever gets out of this session with a 5-3 lead

might as well go, that his bonus time. At this moment in time looks

like Graeme Dott will be favourite to do that, especially if he goes

3-1 in front. We normally would be talking of this position as a

frame-winning opportunity. Luckily enough for Graham he has got

it into the corner. Had to get top side of the blue to get that shot.

Not the tallest so he will need the rest for this.

Top cushion seems a little bit lively this morning. A few shots

that Graham has played, it seemed to have bounced a bit more than he

wanted. Maybe he has not got the pace yet.

The new cloth was, was it yesterday ordered down -- or the day before?

Time flies. First couple of sessions on the new cloth, the balls

certainly don't bounce off the cushion fast, but they get brushed

enough times that that Sheen gets brushed off and they quickly revert

to their normal lively selves. A bit of balance here, Graeme. Considered

easy enough that he will pot it regardless. Getting closer to the

finishing line. Could win the frame, 31 points in front.

Break goes to 51 which is the highest of the match so far.

Oh, my God! Both players are feeling it. It is the first session. I don't

think I will be upsetting either of these players if I said it is

possibly one of the worst sessions I have seen an fault here in many

years. But in its own way it is fascinating, isn't it?

Shot. APPLAUSE

It is fascinating who can kick start the engines?

Great effort to release that red. A bit unlucky how bad has ended up to

be quite honest. The fact that Barry is left-handed,

that red on the side cushion has led to bigger problems than a

right-handed player. It depends what angle he gets on the next colour. I

am not too sure he can playback is on the red here. But he probably

wants to make things as easy as he can. If he was playing great he

might not have done that, to his credit, perfectly. But can he

escaped with 2-2? Looks favourite now even though he is 21 behind.

There is that cushion playing lively. Look at that. Yeah, that

could cause some problems as the day unfolds as well. Not absolutely sure

what the fitters can do. In the short space of time they get between

sessions. Any sticking point here for Barry Hawkins. Yellow to green.

A bit disappointed he finish is so back on the black. Just off straight

to green but it is about right. Barry Hawkins will certainly enjoy

his cup of tea more than Graeme regardless what happens, because

Barry knows he could be 4-0 behind the way this game has gone so far

and there is every chance it will level at 2-2.

Slight kick on the blue there which took a little bit of pace out of the

cue ball. The best frame of the by far. We are all square at 2-2. Both

players can be a little bit amused with what has happened so far.

Hawkins won a third frame in a row to take the lead for the first time.

We will head back into the six now. The whole is trailing by 46 points

to four. Very tempting. Hold on a minute,

what has he spotted? A slow role behind the brown he has looked at.

If the cue ball rolls off, it is not good. I think he is going for the

pot. Perhaps he was not looking at the

slow role behind the brown. Hoping to get back you ball in behind the

brown somehow. Don't tell me he has left the perfect angle for Barry

Hawkins, two or three cushions and flick the brownout. Awkward cueing

so. It is Graeme Dott's saviour. The shot is definitely on apart from the

awkward cueing. Side cushion, top cushion. He will certainly play it

even though he is hampered. How does this look? Good effort.

Great effort. That pot was made three times harder because of the

cueing over the brown. Regardless he has the green in and now he has

first crack at the good safety shot on the brown. It is good. Excellent

weight. Graeme Dott's failure to clinch the

frame in one visit when he was in prime position has given him a

headache. Effectively a brown ball game. It is

quite a nice target with the blue and pink being where they are but he

has not played this well. I don't think Barry will be taking this on.

What has he done here? What has he done here?

Well, clearly he pushed the brown by the middle pocket, but as you can

see, this is well pottable. Well, a very relieved to Graeme Dott

I feel. And he walks off just to perhaps compose himself. 3-3. The

standard has been a little better since the interval. Previous frame

breaks 44 by Hawkins. No player has yet taken the frame by the scruff of

the neck. You would expect a standard to get

better without being rude. It couldn't have got much worse. Two

great players, to Greek champions struggling out there. In this first

session of the three session match. Nice to see them getting stuck in a

bit. The black pots, the two reds are a problem by the black spot so

perhaps you believe that alone for a while. A nice angle on the blue will

give him options. There is a chance of going down on the right-hand side

of the pack, pushing a red to the red corner, of course you can always

smash into them if he wants. And he does. A bit unlucky perhaps. Nothing

easy. And this is one through the gap. There is one through the little

cluster of reds, the bottom one of the five watts into the corner and I

think he can screw onto the black from here. Almost playing a cannon

on the red helps, he completely cannon on the top cushion so that

was pretty good. Should be able to shift these two reds at the same

time. The wants to make sure he is not missing the black spot. Here's a

bit delicate with kisses and sometimes. The black has to go as

near as possible to its own sport without touching the right and has

he snookered himself? It must be close. V is playing up

the table away from the black and even know the pupil is fractionally

behind the black as you can see from the overhead,, the amount of times

he has had a look at this, it must be incredibly close. I do think it

goes, he is swerving it. Obviously it can't be a touching ball so there

is definitely that fraction which means for me he can hit it very thin

and pocket. It is the type of shot, you have to talk yourself into

playing, he's talking himself into it. I don't think it does go. If you

play that on the left-hand side, you can swear of the cue ball around the

black Sony doesn't have to hurt as much of it but cutting his losses.

Disappointing. It was a bad cannon. He should have hit it far harder.

What is the point of playing that with finesse. Has himself to blame

for through the black finish. If you keep the right moral... It wasn't

that he had to play with a local side, it was mostly plain ball shot

to bring the two balls into play. We may be able to show you that tricks

than what we are talking about. This was the positions he had on the

black, displayed firm with a little bit of side, push-button reds out of

the way. The fact he didn't hit it hard enough that the reason the

black on its own sport and snookered himself. It maintains out of ten

they would probably have resolved itself but just asking for a little

bit of trouble and he got it, the flick, not enough. It could be a

problem for Graeme Dott. On first viewing, this his escape path back

to baulk seem limited. Trying to bring the cue ball to the

same position that is there that he had that far too thick.

Can he generate enough pace and, looks as if he has enough angle

especially with this back in being a bit more responsive. He just got

enough. He didn't want to finish straight, that is the reason he took

a bit of time on that shot. As you can see, the red is available

into the left-hand corner so he has to leave a thin cut. And that surety

can guarantee missing two reds on the right. There is enough room in

just to screw by them. Skim off the set edition and baulk addition to

play for one of the baulk hours or even he blue in the middle. It is a

good recoveries. Barry Hawkins is a lovely player to

watch and around the black, the shoes are very smoothly, he is very

parallel, a lot of things these days is slightly off parallel, a lot can

go wrong with that action, almost the perfect cue action.

A 57 point lead saw two more reds and Barry Hawkins will definitely be

no worse than level going into the second session.

Both reds available into the middle but he has the angle he will

probably nudge one away, depending if he has a good angle on this

black. Devoted to play for the middle, 72 point lid, 67 on, this

rate was in, guaranteed to be frame over.

So barring stickers, Barry Hawkins was 4-3 in front.

Should Graeme Dott be able to successfully negotiate these to be

reds and the top half of the table, a big if, that read the further data

that is a poor shot. He has given. This in the Redwood in the middle

pocket and Barry Hawkins gratefully received a 4-3 lead. Barry Hawkins

has come to the Crucible in good form, winning the most recent of the

world ranking titles but can he put some proper distance in this session

between himself and the former world champion? Last of the session coming

up. COMMENTATOR: That was in the balance

is that Redwood in the table, in particular that was going in or not.

Graeme Dott stayed there, he thought he had got it. First chance for

Barry Hawkins. He can but the blue, cannon into the pink, it would open

up some reds but you can't guarantee position.

I don't know if he played it like that. He didn't hit it hard, he

didn't go into them hard. He probably felt it would push a road

towards a corner knowing he had this as a bonus should the position went

wrong, a similar sort of shot here, he doesn't have to play it confirm

that I will be playing in the red next to the bank equipped PC.

He doesn't want to miss the black area because that is nice and free

at the moment perhaps that is why he is going and softly. If he had the

red next to the pink everything into play and should win the frame this

position. That was an excellent shot. Lovely, and studied risk any

of those rates creeping towards the black. It looks like the red to the

right corner is the one even though he cueing is awkward.

He cant stand it through the gap between the two reds. I don't think

there is any way it can go wrong. You can just play the plain ball

shot off this edition of as many red Square into the

and shows you how cruel the scheme can be sometimes, if you miss easy

shots like Graeme Dott stayed in the first four frames, he could and

should have won the first four weakens out of the session 5-3

behind. But out of the game but he knows he should be reading. A little

bit frustrating having to prepare for tonight's second session with a

little bit of negativity in your mind. And regardless of the

mentality of both players, as every player deals with this appointment

in different ways, it is a lot easier to recover from a bad session

when you have ended up winning it. Barry Hawkins would beat himself up

anywhere near as much as potentially Graeme Dott will. A fascinating

session nonetheless. We're so used to seeing a bombardment of bricks

and enthusing about the overall standard of these players but this

in its own way is just as gripping. It shows you how difficult the game

is and how much it means to both these players. Barry Hawkins one of

the best players never to have won the World Championship, Graeme Dott

trying to win it for the second time.

Normal service has been resumed for Barry Hawkins. Looking much more

like the predator he is. All of a sudden it doesn't look like

he's going to put a foot wrong. At the start button quickly had two

left feet. -- Springwatch this will be the

highest break for Barry Hawkins of this black was, his highest only 54

at the moment. He missed the little cannon but knew

he would be on another one enemy. He had the choice of two a few reds.

Either very surprised if he doesn't make a century now.

APPLAUSE The knowledgeable Crucible crowd

knew that that was frame ball and that that was all he needed and know

he can concentrate on making a century.

This is the only time either player has had the cue ball on a string,

the perfect breakfast so far. Barry Hawkins has met 29 centuries this

season, this will be his 30th. He has only had one in the tournament

so far, this looks like being his second and this will be the 45th

century, and surely record is going to go this year. I think there will

be over 100 centuries before the finish.

What a shame. But Barry Hawkins will have been more than delighted to

have won the session by 5-3 going into the second session this

evening. Back at seven o'clock for the next session of good play from

Barry Hawkins and what really would be a tough tactical battle. But the

scoring patterns be the deciding factor? Very much so. I said that to

someone, said this would be the deciding factor, RA does score and

win more frames and one visit. Remix a lot of 40 and 50 and 60 bricks but

doesn't kill frames off on one visit the same with Barry does it I would

expect to enjoy in this match. We were talking about green's

consistency, 19 have centuries and three in the first match against Ali

Carter, it is good scoring but with not being as regularly involved in

the sharp documents, is that the contributing factor? Barry is at the

business end of almost every two women, one of the names you can't

discount, we talk about Selby or O'Sullivan to when Germans but we

forget how consistent Barry Hawkins has become a drug Springwatch

regularly getting to semifinals and finals so easy ferocious scorers

when he gets going. He has had a couple of near misses and a lot of

bit of bad luck as well. He was all but across the line and the Masters

and he works hard, he has always underestimated coming into the

Crucible, in some respects he is never one of the heavy favourites

and the vetting. I'm as guilty as anyone and not including my choice

as to when to women's, I think Marco Fu is another that deserves more

attention and can't be overlooked. Going back to Graeme Dott, 50 bricks

becoming a tough player to beat and very solid but to go on and win

these two minutes you have to be killing off more frames and one

visit. There is a lot of mileage left in this one but it is 5-3 in

front. It and a half days in Sheffield have no past and a

complete blur but imagine a sharply into focus of these fellas who are

striding into the second week of the championship.

If you were with us last night on the red button, you would have seen

a superb conclusion to that John Higgins, Mark Allen match, one of

the finest we have seen in many a year at the Crucible. It was a

little controversy about the pot quiz and John was involved because

many of you out there are received, wasn't John's tame cracker than

Marco Fu? We can definitively assure you that there was at least three

quarters of a second between Fu and Higgins, it is all very serious

business. Graeme Dott exchange of that, let's see how he does. Welcome

to another edition of pot quiz and contested today is the 2006 world

champion Graeme Dott. Graeme, I have seen any questions because I am the

question master and I estimate that you are going to be OK with at least

four of these questions. If we look at our leaderboard so far, Marco Fu

with one minute 27 seconds just popping John Higgins. What I would

say is that it has been littered with mistakes from all the players

so far so your first question Graeme, every question you get right

a ball was taken off the table and you put all the goals and finish on

the black. Who is the only manner that you have played three times

year the Crucible? I knew I wouldn't get any of these right. It is not

O'Sullivan. It is not Higgins. I don't know. There is no shot clock.

That no tournament on, we can edit it, you can do what you like. I

don't know. Have a guess. Think of a player. I could name a player but I

know it is not him. It was Peter Ebdon. When you won the world title

in 2006, who did you beat in the quarterfinal and semifinal? Neil

Robertson and the quarterfinal and O'Sullivan and the semi final.

Correct for Wenbo. What is your highest rate here the Crucible? 146.

Correct. Who beat you on your Crucible debut in 1997? James

Wattana. Correct. Question five, Ndon snooker question, what was the

number one hit in the UK charts on the day you won in the world title

in 2006? Was it a, Crazy, be Sorry or Edge of Heaven? Crazy. Correct. I

can't possibly help you with the tactics. Frantic that breakaway. And

that one and two more. You are losing tame, the shot clock will

start the moment you hit the cue ball. And he is off. He is off the

mark. A little jog around the table. Trying to say it doesn't matter to

him but he wants to win the title. It just about snakes and. He has

lost precious seconds by changing his mind. The most positive strike,

but a straight as he would like. So far no mistakes. That was a good

shot. I would say that is about 30 seconds Army be a bit more. 40

seconds and we are of time. That is a confident shot. 50 seconds and no

mistakes so far. Plenty of time. He has missed it. Oh my goodness. He

doesn't have to wait for that red to stop. One minutes 04. He is playing

the role, a nice line up there. That has got to go down as a schoolboy

error. He was 120 and all of a sudden there is a growing that is a

great recovery but it is just... Yes to get the rest out. A left-handed.

A lovely finish, congratulations. I don't think I can build the

tension appear, the lowest scorers Stuart Bingham, one minute and 44

seconds. One minute and 39 seconds so and you go into that place

there... A great champion and a great sport.

Great to see him enjoying himself. The tension in the Crucible is about

to ramp up again because we are about to go live for our afternoon

sessions, so sit back and get ready. The action features Mark Selby. He

completed that clinical victory over Fergal O'Brien on the opening day.

He returned last night for his second round match against Shell

Guodong. This is how their frames when class might. Every match is a

tough game so you know you will not get any easy matches. Fortunately I

played a decent game first round. That is quite the scoreline is like

it was world number one defending champion. He is into the second

round by ten frames to two. I do feel a bit more relaxed this year as

defending champion, because I am not going in their blind, I know what to

expect and I showed that in the opening game. I have only played

Xiao Guodong a few times. I know he is a great player, played great in

his first game, looked confident and he has been bordering the top 16.

For -- hit a bit of a brick wall over the last two years but seems to

have come into form. Probably it wasn't that confident because his

season was not as good as he would like, but he has won three matches

qualifying, come here, you have seen the confidence on the table and he

will be confident going into my match.

You are kidding me, just took his eye off the pot. Guodong had the

last chance in this frame. That 58 ties up another frame for

Mark Selby. He is in control here, he is 2-0 in front. What a fabulous

pot. Mark Selby is one of those players that if he clears it here,

wins the frame, you know how much that will hurt. Mark Selby in front,

five frames to one. He struck out nicely. That will give him a bit of

confidence. Closes the gap but he is still three behind at 5-2. A tough

session for Guodong. But of course he is our defending champion, Mark

Selby who wins this first session. Six frames to two. Second round

second session. Mark Selby and Xiao Guodong.

That man of many talents, John Parrott has exchanged his pundit's

had fought that of our MC this afternoon and he wears it well. Two

matches this afternoon both poised at 6-2 and what a fantastic

atmosphere we have here in the Crucible today.

And first out on table two, a man still going strong at the age of 46,

a giant slayer in round one, Rory McLeod.

And his opponent, a winner of five ranking titles, from Scotland,

Stephen Maguire. On table one, a qualifier from

China, Xiao Guodong. And his opponent, a class act on and

off the table, the defending champion of the world, Mark Selby.

So there is our afternoon line-up. That is online on the BBC sport out

and website, but we are on defending champion watch for now. It is time

to welcome two champions who fought out the odds in the past. It is

Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor. A very good afternoon. Xiao Guodong

gets this first frame under way. Could quite easily, as you have seen

there in the build-up, could quite easily have been 5-3 behind rather

than 6-2, but he will be hoping to get off to a good start. Yes,

Dennis, it is a tall order to beat Mark Selby in his backyard.

He was concerned about cannoning into the black and red. It is a half

chance here. The young Chinese player... That is quite low for Mark

Selby, 29%. Maybe that is why he missed that opening attempt by so

much. But with this gentleman, he doesn't

always have to play at his best to win.

And first chance he gets, he will try and get on the red that is

closest to the black. There are another five reds that are away from

the main bunch. He is on the one just above that,

but this looks a decent chance as you can see. Pot bad, pot the black

and then get the red next to the black. Pot the pink if he wishes.

The only thing with their pink, it might just have to go in behind that

little mini triangle of reds. And the black is only available to

one part, so let's see if the pink's pot is in the clear. No, it is going

as near to its own spot because all the other sports are occupied, so he

needs a couple more shots to get back into prime position here. Very

nice cue action Guodong has, a lovely guy and a good pro. A good

diplomat, everything. Maybe not the best contact their or

maybe just underhit that shot. Betwixt and between and a bit close

to the blue to make the pot into the green pocket a certainty, so a bit

more mileage with the cue ball. A lot of hilarity from the other

table. One of the biggest problems here at the Crucible, with such an

intimate atmosphere, you really do know what is going on at the other

table. There have been times when players have been on 147 breaks on

the other table and you know what is happening. It is hard to concentrate

when that is happening. Who will ever forget when Cliff

Thorburn was making the first ever maximum break it at the Crucible.

His good friend, fellow Canadian with peeping round the curtain.

When somebody is on a 147, you know the numbers in your brain, so if you

hear the numbers, you hear the crowd a bit more animated. You hear the

number 120 and then 122, play stops on the other table.

Seems to have got into his rhythm very well here.

Desperately wants to win this first frame, goes without saying.

It was 2014 when he last played at the Crucible when he lost to Ali

Carter ten frames to eight in the first round. It is hard to believe

he has been a professional since 2008 so he has served his

apprenticeship and he is starting to push on now. A smashing lad. They

all are, they are all very nice, the Chinese players. I saw Liang Wenbo

out last night when he lost and he was in the best of spirit, very

jovial Chinese player. One of the characters in the game, you would

have to say, Steve. Your interview was hilarious!

It is no disgrace to lose in such a great match as the one that they

played out. I would imagine he probably had a few spirits last

night as well. He deserves them. Textbook cue action, everything is

right, great start, right leg back brace, good solid stance. Nothing

moves. Head rock solid. If he gets a good angle on the pink here he might

be able to bring those reds and look at the shape of them, it's like a

little... Has he got a good enough angle? He

just needs a little angle as we show you this red wobble slightly.

Now then, where does the pink go? As we show you the nice split. Is the

pink going to make things a little awkward? We cannot tell at the

moment. It will go as close to that red so it will not block the part of

the red into the corner and he doesn't need that more pops. A bit

close to the red for comfort. Some players struggle with this shot more

than others. Obviously if you double hit the cue ball, it is a push shot.

OK. Sounded a bit funny, might have got a kick on it a bit. It was

definitely not a push shot there. What a start for this Chinese

player, Mark Selby had a go at a long red, didn't get anywhere near

it and he has had to sit there and watch this terrific break.

That's the frame safe. Xiao can just relax now and see if he can make a

century. What a way that would be to start. Just a second visit and he

has never made a century at the Crucible, so that will be another

milestone in his career. He is going to need a thin one to

cut this into the right, middle pocket, unless that read next to the

pink goes with it and I'm lucky. But he will not be too concerned about

that. Mark Selby made one mistake and that was all it took for the

young Chinese player to take the frame. He closes to three behind at

6-3. STUDIO: Great wind therefore Xiao

and thank you for sending in your trick shots. The best of the bunch

so far is this one from Tom Hill. What is he going to make a? Let's

find out, beautifully weighted shot. Look at that! And we love, love it.

It doesn't say how many takes that was, but we don't care. What do you

think, John? I would be giving that between seven and eight. Can you

beat it? Do try. It does not have to be on snooker balls. Mr O'Hara we

saw with basketballs, so use your powers of invention and get them to

us. Meanwhile, back to the serious business and the defending champ.

Thank you. Frame ten. Mark Selby to break.

That could be touching. Which means Mark Selby can just run away up to

the safe and of the table. I was just trying to save their

before that noise from the other side of the arena, there was no

point in Mark going behind a coloured their pickers Xiao could

play the same shot again into the side of the red.

Twice they have played, 2010, 2011, and they were just in the PTC

tournament, so nothing major. 4-3, 4-2 to Mark Selby.

Played very well on the second session against Ryan Day. It was a

little bit edgy as Ryan was at the start of the match, but he was very

solid. Oh, he has flipped one and he might drop on the yellow. He is

holding his hand to apologise, but it was quite an attacking type of

safety shot, but if he can pot this yellow and get up to the reds, he

has an early chance in this second frame. Good shot.

Always a risky shot opening reds up. That was quite a strange type of

safety shot for it to happen. Could not have foreseen reds going towards

the corner pocket, but hit it with such a pace that you cannot

guarantee, well, a great chance here. And poop and read but this

green is begging to be potted and such a wide area to cannon into.

Couldn't fail to disturb reds. Has to go in hard though. Yes, they are

all covering each other so that is the shot that Seve... -- Steve was

suggesting. Didn't open that many up but he is nicely on the red. He can

play a similar type shot to the one he just played. Could consider

himself a little unlucky there. Could not really have foreseen

pushing the black safe. Another bash. A controlled bash. Yeah. I

would say, you know, give it plenty. Did not quite get enough right-hand

side on that, so it didn't get the cannon as he intended. Can he pot

that and screw back for the black? That would be some shot. Looks like

it is a shot to nothing. A free go into the middle pocket. Be very

unlucky to leave anything on. Well, OK, you can take in out for a

poor positional shot there, I suppose, but it did sneak by.

Perhaps it he was hoping for a full boy kiss on the red but he left it

short. He got into it a bit too much, but he hasn't played that very

well. There are two reds that Mark Selby is having a look at but I do

not think they are a plant. Otherwise he would have been playing

it. This is where he is so good, Mark

Selby. Not only one of the greatest break-builders, he is a tactical

player that is superb as well. Just enough room to play the one above

the pink and get it thin to come back down again. He has pushed one

over the pocket though. Oh, no, it is all right. As long as the cue

ball pulls up. That will do nicely. He has blocked paths off the

left-hand side of the table. Given Mark Selby a problem. These days, I

think very few players at the top of the game art pour in the safety

department, it is a means to an end. But it is tough to get your opponent

to make a mistake from safety. Unless Mark Selby can, we have

spotted a one-cushion escape, effectively escape onto the top

cushion, he can have two goes at this as a miss. Nicely played.

Guodong can more or less the Ellie repeat the operation, but that is

very risky. Cue ball is going to end up more or

less where it was a shot before. So with the red. Fractionally different

position for the cue ball. Mark Selby doesn't seem to have the

one-cushion escape, but what he does have as a last resort is to slowly

roll the red down the cushion into the pocket and if he misses, there

is the possibility that the cue ball well and up in the jaws of the top

pocket, but that is very much a last resort shot.

Just playing the red on the top cushion thin. Does not want to hit

this thick. Good enough. Just perhaps, as I recover. He has left a

possible long pot on. We know how good Guodong is that this type of

shot, but just looking at the ankle he has, can he follow through

without hitting the black? Ike do not think so. So he will have to be

very precise with this. And that is a terrific shot and he is a little

bit unlucky. A full ball cannon on the Redwood have left him an easy

black, but they are so good at this type of shock, long pots, your

safety has to be spot on. The only thing about that shot was position

wasn't guaranteed, so perhaps Mark Selby made it just difficult enough.

That is me digging myself out of the hole. He will probably pay up now,

Steve. Good luck to him if he puts this black. This is visible.

Are either was looking for a half ball cannon on that red but it just

slipped past and I think they are all covering each other know. That

was very unlucky. You can see the role in blocking each other but if

he had just caught that red you would have left three easy reds for

himself. He's looking at the possibility of a plant with quite a

bit of distance between them, OK with a bit of safety and minty

complete for a baulk colour but he would need to be carefully accurate

with the plant. It wasn't in line for the pocket. That was what the

risk because you were to be the brown there he didn't quite judge

it. Mark Selby non-white would take this threat of pasty thing but the

green is on the way. That has no value in risking that because he has

hampered. There was a big area to play the safety shot into their with

the blue Allsop between the yellow and brown.

There are safety players and there are safety players and when Mark

Selby does play the puts you bang in trouble. He knows exactly where he

is going with the cue ball and that is the reason I nicknamed Tim Sutton

because he that was such a good shot that Mark

Selby played that the has created this opening by forcing the error

from Xiao Guodong. He will need one of those two reds

on the top cushion to win the frame in this visit.

It is not necessary for a player to know this at this stage of the break

but after a few more reds it would be more critical to do the maths.

Most of your concentration, Dennis, his only shot in the hand, could you

want the ball for the next shot. You can't be spending too much time

analysing which holds you need so Ellie and a break that it is handy

if you have a quick brain for that. That has just finished a little

awkwardly, the cannon didn't quite work out and he might have to go up

the table known with the blue not on its spot so you may have to play for

the green from the situation believe that I'm not. If you can play a

little cannon he might be OK. He has gone up for the green as I

mentioned. It just wasn't the angle to play the cannon and stiffer pink

or black. That screws you have two heads the

ball when you play screw back shot, you're fitting it at six o'clock to

screw back. But trademark shape of Mark Selby, one of the greatest much

players the game has ever seen as a little shake of the body when he

places shots. You wouldn't know it from the way he delivers the few

delete cue, the same for John Higgins. Forget the movement side to

side, people think he is moving on the shot, he is not, by the team he

has pulled the cue back he is settled and rock-solid. The bit

short of pace there. Made a bit more difficult. He doesn't want to clip

on the other red, it is getting worse.

He has possibly sacrificed in the ideal position on the black for the

last two reds. This was critical and I think it is perfect. He has to be

so precise that side. The other side is easier. It had been able to get

into the circle they are secretive potted the black and cannon vote, a

bit or margin for error, he had to be absolutely spot on there. This

cannon is not guaranteed to develop a red. You would like to play it

with power but it may be to wait for that, a controlled break is

desirable if you knows exactly how it is going to go. I didn't think he

could get the cannon. On the television that looked perfect. He

only needs this and the Blackbird pink.

It makes a big difference to the player's confident playing those

shots that they have seen lots of them dropped. Do you think the

pockets are big this year? What do you think, Dennis? They are supposed

to be exact same size every tournament. A lot of players here

feel they are slightly easier if. Meanwhile that should be enough to

open up before frame advantage again. When you have a lead like

6-2, at the back of your mind you think you can keep sharing in the

sessions you're through to the next round. You think you can cost but

there is never such a thing as costing. One thing I have noticed is

that the slate didn't seem as sharp as it used to be. They used to be

very sharp, a cliff edge but there is a bit of revelling on the slate,

not easy to see from the camera positions that we have had mixed the

cloth easier to pretend that makes it the fall of the slate bit further

out. It makes the pockets of bit easier. That is much too interesting

for me, Steve. Shut up. A kick. 42 behind, eight points in

smokers needed so Xiao Guodong does not really want to put this red. It

would be the wrong shots to put it. In my opinion. Surely he has not

been to pot it. He has to get onto the black if he does. Oh well. He

has got on the black. The reason why is he now needs to lots of smokers

successfully gained as opposed to one and if we delete Mac free bowl

and some weird things happening if you kept the red on the table.

Sometimes one snapper is enough with the free bowl situation but he has a

good chance to get the first of the stickers that he needs a few screws

the right far enough up the table. Peter Ebdon got for smokers and his

first run much, it is not impossible. Stuart Bingham declared

a foul on himself at wasn't a foul and Peter won the frame.

An excellent shot from Guodong, he has made it difficult. It is just

highly unlikely against a top-class player that you can get him to miss

on two occasions. One is acceptable but this is a good effort. There is

an element of a problem with this. It looks OK is going up and down the

table and reason Mark Selby will do that is that he gets two chances, on

the way up and then off the back cushion as well. Quite a big target

area. But it will still test here. I thought he was going to go and. It

could be back behind the black again. But as you say, he needs to

smokers but in theory he will need a lot more than that.

Nice shot and in some ways this is a more difficult escape, sometimes

harder to judge off one cushion. He has to be careful of the free bowl

as well. Another chance to get in behind the black and will be a lot

more distance between object and cue ball if you can judge it. I think as

a matter of tactics that is wrong to put that last red and Guodong's

position. Excellent shot again. This looks good.

APPLAUSE I was just going to say before he

played that shot, I watched in much for Mark Selby must've got five or

six stickers, it was unbelievable sum of the snookers he was putting

his opponent. Xiao Guodong has conceded and Mark Selby takes the

second frame and he is back for Mac frames and if again at 7-3. You have

been impressed with Xiao Guodong when it looked like he was going to

really streak up the rankings. At that years ago in China anti-knocked

in clearance and a 30 had every shot and the game commie effort after

Ding he was good to be the next best thing from China. Very talented but

it hasn't really happened for him in terms of getting into the top 16 are

winning big tournaments are getting to semifinals, we don't see him

regularly enough suffer what ever reason for the letters bottle or two

freezers on the big stage, I don't not. He did get to the Shanghai

Masters final, beating by Ding four years ago and he did it up to world

number 19 but he is now down at number 44 and they had Mark Selby

mention in his piece of video before we started this match and it is a

bit of a mystery why he has not pushed on. Maybe he got as far as 19

and that was his limit and whether he were still practising enough or

other players have improved more but he just hasn't achieved what I

expected him when I saw him years ago. Overall, the state of this

match and we Mark Selby is playing, it was a very efficient job against

Fergal O'Brien last year, we haven't really seen in the real Mark Selby

yet. That's important, we know his credentials but it is was

interesting to see the favourites when they are pushed, but they can

come up with. Ronnie O'Sullivan was pushed in the first round of the cue

with the goods. COMMENTATOR: He is faced with a shot but he had in the

opening frame and he missed it and it sat down for the remainder of the

frame. But he couldn't get closer with that one. Some nice words from

John Parrott in the studio the, weather?

Nearly potted two balls there,... Did you read going? That is the

second very aggressive safety shot is that, he didn't have a clue

Prydie reds were going to try to get a good football and though one could

put on the green, but pressure on this. Excellent. He nearly potted

three balls in one pocket and Tino has a plant which will leave another

one of the pocket and he get onto the blackness. What a fluke. You

couldn't ask for a nicer spot of reds.

Guodong one of the players who before he starts to move the Hay/

his last hit has his eyes fixed firmly on the object ball, that

apparently is the theory of how to play the game and that's plenty of

players don't use that method and some of the greats of the game. Ding

Junhui does. Jimmy which does. Stephen Hendry didn't nodded Mark

Williams. He looks to have a slight angle on

the black. He could stun up the right-hand side of the table or

screw back for the red into the same rocket or even into the left corner.

Undecided so stunned up and regroup and make your mind up before you

play the shot. He had to judge the weight of that

pretty accurately, he could have played it more as a power shot from

the red into the left corner. Starting to run out of reds in the

open. A bit of a strange pack two triangle into.

What he doesn't want to do with this one is the himself straight on the

black. This is more or less the last red in that little bunch that is

available to him. Does he have enough angle to play

another cannon? I think so. This is an important shortcoming appear. He

couldn't have played it any better. He caught that red absolutely spot

on. He is going to do what he did in the opening frame but it was with

the aid of a tremendous fluke, it has to be said. Give him credit for

trying to force the issue during the second session. He knows he has to

make something happen so that aggressive safety shot that he

played mix means exactly is more or less over the line and this frame.

Look at that. Still some work to do but surely he can get on one of

these reds with a bit of left-hand side question. Within the angle of

the cushion. No side. If you click the Li... He displayed for the red

in the middle. My mistake. He screwed back slightly to find

there are no people have to use a red again to stop the white from

running up the table. That was just taking this little positional shot

but he has played there. If he puts the black playing ball, it looks

like he will collide with the left-hand side of the red and

probably beyond the other red but he is playing it with back spin to try

and change the angle. he is six to six ahead so just a

couple of more parts needed and a chance to make his first century at

the Crucible Theatre. That is the one that should see him

over the line. This is the biggest match of his career to date I'm sure

and probably his biggest audience back, and China. Willing him on.

They saw a great match between Ding Junhui and then win ball recently.

Apparently speaking to some of the Chinese press, they much prefer to

see players playing against other players rather than their own

countrymen. . We saw Xiao Guodong called his

hand up apologising, I think if you had done that against me, Steve, I

might have just smacked your hand off.

I never really saw the point of apologising. Your deleted. -- you

are dilated and obviously it is not something you play, it is a lack of

skill, you apologise for a lack of skill?

It needed to pull up and died. There we go, Xiao Guodong has made his

first-ever century break at the Crucible Theatre. And coming just at

the right time. 86 is the target that was reached last year to equal

the greatest number of centuries, it will go this year.

Every chance that that will be beaten although it is debatable

whether it will get to 100 centuries. We are effectively

halfway through the tournament but come the semifinals, we would only

to a one-table set-up. The standard is getting better in

this match. As is this Chinese player.

A very tame layer 131 break for Xiao Guodong, he And his seat for the

whole of the frame after that flick and he is just three behind, 7-4 to

Mark Selby. A fantastic break and a landmark moment for any player to

make your first at the Crucible. He would mind about that. Brilliant for

him and just view it at a rear activating what Stephen said, he

looks like someone who has all the shots over has he been? It doesn't

matter where he has been, he is and it's no. Steve Davis was talking

about sharp edges and the fall of the slate. What is he talking about?

There is a fall on the pocket, Elaine and save the pocket with the

Bollywood goes in or it doesn't and it used to be cut completely square

so you knew when the ball was and not, they have slightly change the

back of it but they are seeing it is not that is exactly how it used to

be but the combination of that plus the new cloth is definitely making

them play easier. What already are doing it, bowls along the top

cushion should not be going in some debate as accommodation in age

again. Because the cloth is so difficult to fit that is why they

did it but a much should it is a good idea. Back we go.

See what you started, Steve Davis, talking about the purple on the

slaves. Everyone is talking about the powerful on the slate.

If you see top-class golf competition on television, the holes

cut very sharply. You go to the Minister Paul course, you slow down

into the hole and that is what talking about. I will tell you a

lovely story about a lady that sent a letter to David Vine in the early

days of the Crucible. This is a safety battle. David Vine said the

letter said, I realise why the game of snooker 's take so long, the

fellow with the white gloves takes them out and puts the ball is back

on the table. A bit of trouble, got to play this

thin enough to avoid contacting the red on the left side cushion. Two

sin. Too thin. Damage report, may have

got away with it. I think he has. In its own way as much as a fluke as

Pudong's -- Guodong's in the last. Don't think Mark Selby apologised.

It could do with a touching ball here to resolve this little bit of a

stalemate at the moment. There is no safety shot on to get back up the

table. And as John Parrott, when he is with

me says, we could have a little bit of tipping and tapping going on here

until we can resolve this bit of a stalemate. I don't know what it is a

tip and what is a tap. They play it a few more times, Brendan Moore

might decide to have a look at the players and start again. Yes macro,

it is more the players's decision these days. If they do not like it,

just shut up shop and might as well be a rerun. I think the referees

like that because it takes the tactical awareness that perhaps only

a player would know. We don't want a premature rerack.

This will catch on, this game. They are looking at each other now, we

have had enough. Set them up, Brendan. The right decision. We were

going nowhere with that stalemate. Meanwhile, a bit of noise on the

other side of the arena. They are in between frames. As you can see

there, the crowd, a few of them stretching their legs. Yes, some

people in for all three sessions of today. That is a lot of sitting

down. Good start from Guodong today. It is too- one up in this session.

Would be nice to be 3-1 up at the interval. Mark Selby to break. Away

we go with the 12th frame for the second time. And not the best break

off unless it pulls up. He can have a go at this red that is to the

right of the blue. This is a test of cueing. He will not leave a great

deal, only the red that he is taking on.

That was close. That was very close. But does that red go up past the

blue? If it does, Mark will take it on. Screw back for the black, would

not be leaving anything either, so this could be a good chance, because

he if he left the white near enough the line at it is at the moment, he

could pot the black and then go right into the.

Although Mark is leading 7-4-macro, I think Guodong has spotted more

long balls than Mark has. -- potted more long balls. That is heading up

towards the corner pocket again. Needs to hit the green and it has

come to the rescue there. Using those baulk colours as

defenders, pretty decent safety shot, puts your opponent in trouble.

Risking leaving that red in the baulk area.

Not so much from a potting perspective, but if you can then

send that red back down the table, you could possibly put your opponent

in trouble. Swerve to hit the left-hand side of this red. Nicely

played. No, the brown hasn't come to his

rescue, so this is a bit of a chance for Xiao Guodong here. Very fast

cloth. Any kiss like that on the red safety shot, tends to send the ball

to that right-hand corner. Try to keep it away, but couldn't.

Didn't really commit to strongly to that shot. Obviously the more effort

you would have put in, the less accurate it could have been and he

had to be sure of the pot, so this is not easy.

APPLAUSE Not a bad chance now.

Now the only problem is if you put the red and the black, you come

round to see where the Blackwood spot because it looks as if the red

on the black spot, it would go directly behind it and put the red

out of commission. It might go on the green. It is just like the off

its spot. He would not want that. He has got a more difficult red to

play. But this is begging to be ported. We will soon see what his

choices are. I wonder if he has looked at the

green. He probably knows more than we do. It is a weird one, isn't it?

Has he seen where the green is? He might think the green is sitting on

its spot. We will find out very shortly where that black goes.

Enough room on the green spot, is that blacks still available? Does it

past the green, I wonder? It would be nice if it does. He has an angle

on this red, straight back up for the black.

APPLAUSE He did not seem like he had looked

to check on that green spot, but he must have known. It is very

impressive, Steve, the young Chinese player. He has made a break of 89

and that magnificent 131, so he is playing really well here. And the

mid-session interval coming up. If he could take this one and just be

two behind, he would be in pretty good shape. Yeah, I don't

necessarily think Mark Selby's fans or self would look at it exactly the

same way. He would be focusing on the flukes.

He has got one more red available after the black and then he will

have two be looking for a way to bring a few more into play.

Settling down very nicely in this second session of this best of 25

match. He is busy playing decently, put paid to Ryan Day's chances in

the first round and beat him comprehensively 10-4 and in the

qualifiers he was pretty strong as well. Heat Mark King 10-4 in the

final qualifying round. That was the mistake that Mark Selby

made. Also in the round before, he beat

the fast improving Sam Baird 10-4. Hasn't really been stretched.

Meanwhile shakes his head, because when you play that shot that he

played, difficult to judge when you are cannoning are the reds, the pace

and it has finished up near the cushion, which sometimes you don't

want to leave it short, that that time he just over did it and now he

is in a bit of trouble, because he has a 54 point advantage, he was

only one or two pots away from securing this frame. He could play a

colour safe. As some insurance because... Once again, I would say

probably a tactical error. He pops the black and he is 61 in front but

Mark Selby has the counterattack with all the colours in open play.

Why not play a colour safe? Maybe just a lack of experience probably.

We will find out. If Mark Selby does get a chance, because the 54 point

advantage co-direct Ellie could disappear rapidly the way the table

is It is an error. It is a big error.

Put a ball safe. Perhaps that goes some way to

answering the question that Hazel was posing the lads in the studio,

why hasn't he kicked on? Perhaps shot selection in the tactical

department is slightly lacking. Close.

Now when he plays this safety shot, he probably wouldn't want to push it

over the pocket but he would probably want it towards a side

cushion. Something near a cushion as a bit of insurance. There is a shot

to nothing on for Mark Selby. He could cut a red into the right

corner and had up towards a baulk car. He has another one closest to

the black and I think the way the reds are sitting, if he closes this

off, he is right back in the frame. Well, I know there is a long way to

go, but we have seen Mark Selby dish up hundreds of times on our TV

screens. You all know the significance of this one. Yes macro,

this really would hurt the young Chinese player. Because he should

have taken your advice and put a colour safe rather than just trying

to get the extra seven points. Misjudged that pink somewhat. He

wanted to pop that red by the black spot, so a bit more difficult.

He will not be potting the black until the red has cleared from the

black spot. He played for that red that is near

the black spot. When he pops that he will play for the black. He will

have that well worked out in advance.

Well, you can really see the focus on Mark Selby's face. He knows the

importance of possibly pinching this frame and keeping his four frame

advantage. Mark Selby a fraction quick up of the shot after he has

played it. It is OK, he is not moving on the shot, but if he is any

quicker, he would actually be moving, but it is noticeably quicker

than say a Shaun Murphy who keeps his head is rock solid or a John

Higgins, for a little bit longer after he has delivered the cue.

Now if he is straight on the black, he is going to have to screw on and

off the cushion. Now he has a slight angle so he can power this in and

slip in behind that red. He could screw back or power through. His

screw back and he needs to pull up a little bit. It will finish a little

bit awkward. Potting the red back into a blind pocket. He is coming

round to look at the angle there. This is a nasty cut back. Especially

if he's going to try and do anything with the cue ball. We saw Sean

Murphy miss one of these. Beautiful shot. Just proving why he is the

defending champion and has been world number one for almost two

years. And Xiao Guodong just ran slightly

out of position and decided to take the seven points, but should have

put a colour safe. He is so clinical. He has done it so many

times from this sort of position. He is not bothered about the black.

And she looks absolutely delighted with himself. Xiao Guodong just made

one little mistake and the world champion cleared up and keeps that

four frame advantage, 8-4. That is how to slap your opponent down after

he made 130 in the last frame. There was one situation that you think,

John, sums up Xiao's approach. Look at this instance here. There is the

table as it is. He cannot play position. He has got to put a colour

safe. He needs an insurance policy on one of the side cushion is

because all the balls in the middle of the table, you have nothing

better to save you if the opponent gets the next chance. Mark plays a

few safety shots after that but the balls are all there if it is opened

up. It is the minute difference between being a good player and one

of the top ones. It is not inexperienced because this fellow

has been around for a while. Is it a difference in the way he thinks, is

it a difference in the way that he and the other Chinese played the

game? Is there a difference in style? I think it is just ring

craft. Maybe the reason he missed it is because he knew it was a wrong

shot. It is just a poor shot choice. It is not inexperienced, it is just

trying to pinch seven points but when you play someone like Mark

Selby, when you are at the top, you know when you should take your

chance, times in matches when you should clear up. It is a massive

difference. It is the right shot to play. The right shot is to give

yourself an insurance policy. When I first saw it, I would have taken the

black on but I bow to my esteemed colleagues and I would have played

the wrong shot as well. It is all interpretation at the end of the

day. He would have been perfect on the black and round-up. They are at

their interval and we will carry on showing you a bit of inspiration

because many of you at home have taken inspiration from Sean Murphy's

incredible shot. It was not a trick shot per se but this one has

launched quite a few copycats. It was against one ear is then.

Remember this? Not sure what he is trying to do. Side cushion,

unbelievable! What a time to play an exhibition country shot in the World

Championship at the Crucible! What a shot! And copycat number one, Declan

Murray. OK, Declan, show us what you are made of. Not bad. And this is

Dan. Get in, Dan! And you can see how absolutely delighted he is. Not

bad. I like both of them. But the last one is brilliant because it

goes really wide and then it arcs the cue ball back. It brings back

memories. Declan, you have a career in this. Keep them coming in. We are

very much enjoying them but we are back into the heat of battle. It is

Stephen Maguire. He won his first match at the Chris Ball for 35

years. He has appeared into semifinals and has come here as a

qualifier. He beat Anthony McGill in the opening round and he is up

against Rory McLeod, the man who sent Judd Trump, the world number

two packing. They came into this session with Stephen 6-2 ahead. Rory

McLeod leaves by 22 points. The miss might not be taken because

the red passes into the yellow pocket. I do not think it will take

the mist. He will take their son. I was impressed with Stephen Maguire

in the opening game against Anthony McGill. He kept Anthony McGill of

the table so much that he scored one point in seven frames. I do not

think that has ever been done at the Crucible before.

You will probably notice, that is the difference between these players

today, Stephen Maguire, if free chance he has to work the ball to

win the frame at that visit, he will take that chance, whereas Rory tends

to be more careful. A few moments ago, you mentioned that he has to

score heavily. He has only had two breaks over 30 in the opening

session. He needs to try and win a frame at one visit to get some

confidence in the balls. Stephen Maguire will recognise the

importance of this visit. With a 6-2 lead, he will be wanting to keep

Rory McLeod under as much pressure as possible.

Stephen score so heavily in amongst the balls, normally, that you feel

Rory really will need to go up a gear or two to be able to compete in

this match. That has not worked out perfectly.

He does have a long red into the yellow pocket, which is pretty

straight. Screwing back for the black. You can almost play this as a

shot to nothing. Well played. Yes, that could be a frame-winner, that

shot. If he can convert into several of the top scoring pockets. The

black is available. Right into the heart of the pocket, this one. The

only thing that was missing from Stephen Maguire was a high break.

Highest break of 71. He has had lots of breaks above 40 in the opening

session. This one will be very high. I thought he had a little bit of

contact the, but still nicely on the red.

At 38 point lead. He needs another two reds and two colours, then he

can concentrate on making the century.

A glance at the scoreboard. That will tell him he needs one more red.

He will probably go around two cushions to play the pink into the

right-hand corner. Just the right amount of side to bring it into open

play. He could have done with a fraction harder, but it is no

problem. A nice cannon on the pink to bring

it on and off the cushion again. He is one of those people, Stephen

Maguire, he believes you, doesn't the? -- he bullies you. You

certainly have to be very strong when you play him. He certainly can

be very intimidating around the table. Like anything else, you can

only be intimidated if you let somebody intimidate you.

But he is a great player, that is for sure. He is in great form. He is

timing them really well. Already the highest break of the match so far.

Very well played. Stephen Maguire's first century in this tournament. I

am sure there will be more. What will please Stephen more than

anything else, the balls are going right into the middle of the pocket.

Rory McLeod will be disappointed not to have scored more. Stephen Maguire

clears up with 114, two increases lead to 7-2.

That is his first Crucible century of this Championship in the venue.

If any more incentive were needed for Stephen Maguire, he is currently

world number 24. If he gets to the semifinals, he will go back into the

top 16. He is not there at the moment, which is why he had to

prequalify for the Championship. Lots riding on this for the Scot.

Into the next we go, and having established that great lead, it is

McLeod, on a break of 48. He will be disappointed not to win

the frame. But with 48, he will be right back into this frame.

How good a safety shot is this? An excellent shot.

From that excellent safety shot from Stephen Maguire, using lots of

right-hand side, on the cue ball, against three cushions. Rory McLeod

is now in all sorts of trouble. It is a good hit. It is the same old

problem, he is not just taking the object ball, it is trying to get it

safe. Unfortunately for Rory, he has not managed to do that.

It looks like another frame that is going to slip away from Rory. That

was a little unlucky, not to have left anything more difficult, when

he hit the red calf ball. Every chance of getting the red safe, but

the fact that he caught it so thick, it could have come more to this end

of the table. He needs something ridiculous to happen to Maguire in

the next few shot is to still be in this game and a few moments. He

needs up to and including the blue to be sure of winning the frame.

So, Stephen Maguire takes the first two frames. The first two in this

afternoon's session. He will be delighted.

They assured the next couple of friends, so at the interval, it is

9-3. Maguire stuck in a break of 61 mainframe 12 to establish the six

frame lead. That will continue online and on the red button as

well. Perhaps, and I am sure Stephen has already thought about this, it

is an early finish if he can get the better of Rory later. Before we go

back to life play, we have had another trick shot. This is very

innovative. Hello, Fergus Baxter, aged eight. You win the prize for

the best use of breaks. Fantastic. -- Jenga bricks. Other building

games are available. The defending champion has established a strong

foothold in the game. An advantage of four frames once again.

It is back to Dennis and Steve. Thank you, Hazel. As you join us, it

is a pretty good break from the start. Mark Selby is snookered on

all red. -- reds. It was a great frame before the mid-session

interval, Mark Selby managed to pinch that, and it has made such a

difference, keeping that four frame advantage.

I suppose Mark would settle for more of the same if he could play this

little mini-session and shade it 2-2. He would still have his four

frame lead going into tomorrow's final session.

That is balls potted for the whole of the match. Xiao ahead on points,

but at the end of the day, he is ahead in the pot success rate, holy

easy losing, 8-4? -- how is he losing. That is the most important

part, the number of frames you win. There is a pot on to the left

corner, he has to be accurate to get the gap between the black and red.

Not even entertaining that. That is a typical Mark Selby safety

shot there. It was like watching a game of bowls

there. I am sure a lot of snooker players would be good bowlers.

It is a keen popular in the Northwest. -- eight game popular in

the Northwest. Not just the yellow but the blue

helping as well, so Guodong has to keep these pretty thin.

Well, he didn't get it as thin as he would have liked. Once again, Mark

Selby is left with a possible pot into the left corner and may have to

play some sort of cannon because I cannot see him finding a gap if he

does, it's a very narrow the gap, with the cue ball.

And the gap he found there was amazing. Not only a good pot but the

gap he found for the cue ball... Wow!

He would be delighted to see that get through.

The black is out of commission at the moment, playing for the pink

there. I keep going back into the cap he

found for the first shot. He sent the white through that narrow little

gap and this is what he intended, I think. That is so precise. Yeah,

certain path is that the cue ball takes are a more natural than

others, he didn't have to do a great deal in one respect but still a

marvellous shot and that is not great... I wouldn't say that was the

worst positional shot Mark has ever played but it is probably in the top

three. I think he misjudged how wide the

cue ball was going to go after he potted the red.

Leads to put a telling safety and that wasn't quite good enough. Watch

the difference between the safety shots.

A bit too narrow this time and that is not the best shot he has left the

pot on. The four-cushion safety is far more preferable to top cushion,

side cushion. REFEREE: Keep the noise down,

please, thank you. He might be able to get this in behind the yellow. It

is on its way. Now, in this situation, Guodong has a chance, I

read that second furthest down the table is a pot and an element of

safety at the same time behind the yellow and he would be on the blue.

I think the angles are there for that. He used choose the first red.

You can't hit the ball any sweeter than that. To avoid the middle

pocket, he had to get so much screw on that. A bit unlucky. The extended

rest, as it is called. It was a great shot.

I don't like this much, No Man's Land... Really should have and could

have done better than that. He underhit it. If he had overhit it,

he would have still been all right. He has got a couple of reds but

missable. It is a tough pot, he had to spend a

lot of concentration on getting the pot, perhaps a little less

concentration on the exact placement of the cue ball, so he has lost it a

bit. It must go... An important pot and he is in prime

position. That was a poor effort, he has put

himself under pressure with this shot. You expect him to get it but

if the cue ball is another foot off the cushion, it would have been a

certainty. Now, he also risks the type of shot where a kick can

destroy the potting angle. If you complete with a bit of pace, it. The

cake. -- if you can't play it with a bit of pace, it will then stop the

cake. -- kick. A couple of choices here, that might

be his choice... Still not an ideal position. But

it's only the plaque on the green that's available, he can't get

through to the blue. -- only the black or the green that's available.

He has got to play this with lots of top spin and will be striking the

cue ball near the top, just above centre.

He has had a couple flicks this afternoon. There is another little

trick shot. Sorry. He really does play that shot very