Day 10, Afternoon Session

:00:34. > :00:41.Good afternoon. A week today we will be closer to finding out the

:00:42. > :00:45.identity of the 2017 Betfred World Snooker Champion. Today is the final

:00:46. > :00:49.day of second-round action. Five men already through to this year's

:00:50. > :00:52.quarter finals. Three more spaces up for grabs. Leading the charge is the

:00:53. > :01:43.defending champion, Mark Selby. The two-time Crucible champion

:01:44. > :01:50.looking to book his place in the quarter finals. This is what's

:01:51. > :01:56.coming up this afternoon. Mark Selby, the undisputed world

:01:57. > :02:04.number one is four frames ahead against China's Xiao Guodong.

:02:05. > :02:08.But, Kay xa won the last two -- Xiao won the last two frames to stay in

:02:09. > :02:13.the match. As for Barry Hawkins he is looking to set up a quarter final

:02:14. > :02:20.clash with Stephen Maguire. He's looking good. But do not rule out

:02:21. > :02:24.the 2006 world champion, Graeme Dott. Last night he made a fight

:02:25. > :02:30.back. So, this is the state of play at the

:02:31. > :02:32.Crucible. This is how we're looking. Remember, best of 25. We could have

:02:33. > :02:40.a very quick finish this afternoon. We hope it goes down to the wire.

:02:41. > :02:44.Good afternoon to two men who know that very sweet feeling of lifting

:02:45. > :02:48.one of the world famous trophies at one of the great British sporting

:02:49. > :02:52.venues. Do you think Mark Selby will be

:02:53. > :02:56.wanting a quick finish, Steve? Possibly. We all want to get away as

:02:57. > :03:02.quickly as possible, in that respect. He's up against a guy who

:03:03. > :03:05.is good amongst the balls. Perhaps tactically unsound on a couple of

:03:06. > :03:11.shots yesterday, otherwise the score line could have been closer. Among

:03:12. > :03:19.the balls Guodong can score. Mark will hope to coast him. We had a

:03:20. > :03:27.chat with Mark last night. He's in the mood. He was 10-4 at one stage.

:03:28. > :03:33.I think Guodong got luck to win those frames. He had to show

:03:34. > :03:37.courage, a little bit of bottle. I think Mark was aggrieved that the

:03:38. > :03:41.score wasn't bigger for him. And Xiao, if he is going to take this to

:03:42. > :03:46.the wire, he has to get on the board early doors. Yes, he has. He'd be

:03:47. > :03:50.silly to go all out of tact. He has to go the way he plays. If you start

:03:51. > :03:56.to change your game too much, it never works. As for the other table

:03:57. > :04:01.- there's something about Barry Hawkins this year - quietly going

:04:02. > :04:05.about his business. He's that quiet - assassin type. He's been to a

:04:06. > :04:10.couple of finals, semi-finals as well. The guy he's playing has won a

:04:11. > :04:15.couple of finals as well. He made a great comeback Graeme Dott. At 9-3

:04:16. > :04:20.down he looked out of it. It could have been closer. That last frame

:04:21. > :04:24.when Barry Hawkins got the kick, but the pink still went in, it was

:04:25. > :04:29.incredible. It could have been closer. I commentated on that first

:04:30. > :04:33.session of that match. It gave every club player around the country hope.

:04:34. > :04:37.It was a tough start for both. Barry Hawkins, the Hawk started off, he

:04:38. > :04:42.looked like he would be a dodo by the end of the match. Graeme Dott

:04:43. > :04:46.didn't capitalise. He lot himself into a hole. Slowly digging himself

:04:47. > :04:51.out of it. No guarantee. Barry Hawkins is experienced. We were

:04:52. > :04:58.keeping a close eye on the match, that is one I couldn't get you away

:04:59. > :05:05.from. We did have a look at the way that Graeme Dott was cueing. He was

:05:06. > :05:11.cueing beautifully. He's such a determined character. He never gives

:05:12. > :05:15.in. He's got plenty of grit determination. We are in for more

:05:16. > :05:18.snooker than people think. Thank you very much. Let's say good afternoon

:05:19. > :05:25.to our MC, Rob Walker. THE COMMENTATOR: Good afternoon

:05:26. > :05:29.ladies and gentlemen. This is the day we complete the line up for the

:05:30. > :05:33.quarter finals. Five through and this afternoon two more will join

:05:34. > :05:35.them. It is day ten here at the sport's spiritual home, the

:05:36. > :06:03.Crucible. Please welcome a man who so often

:06:04. > :06:07.produces his best here in Sheffield. Three times a finalist, world

:06:08. > :06:13.champion in '06. He won three of the last four last night to give himself

:06:14. > :06:33.a chance, from Scotland, he's the Pocket Dynamo. He's Graeme Dott.

:06:34. > :06:45.His opponent, bidding for a fifth consecutive Crucible quarter final.

:06:46. > :06:52.Running up in '13. Winning of three ranking titles, including this

:06:53. > :07:03.season's Grand Prix. Here comes the Hawk, Barry Hawkins.

:07:04. > :07:18.On table one, here comes the player hoping to continue his best ever run

:07:19. > :07:24.at the Crucible. Coming through the qualifierers, winning the last two

:07:25. > :07:34.frames yesterday to give himself a fighting chance, Xiao Guodong.

:07:35. > :07:55.And finally, bidding for his seventh criticisible quarter final --

:07:56. > :08:02.Crucible quarter final. He won his 11th title in China. World number

:08:03. > :08:04.one for well over two years and the defending world champion, he's The

:08:05. > :08:28.Jester from Leicester, Mark Selby. Every shot here at the Crucible shot

:08:29. > :08:32.covered here. If you are out and about, and you want to chose between

:08:33. > :08:41.table one or two, that is available for you. Red button.

:08:42. > :08:44.Live here on BBC Two, it is Mark Selby against Xiao Guodong

:08:45. > :08:52.THE COMMENTATOR: Good afternoon Jason. Good afternoon, everybody.

:08:53. > :08:57.And they look to be a time, as we look at it, just short of

:08:58. > :09:01.five-and-a-half hours for these 16 frames, it looked for a time that

:09:02. > :09:06.Mark Selby had the upper time and was going to run away with this.

:09:07. > :09:11.Winning the last two frames last night gives him a bit of hope here.

:09:12. > :09:17.It does, John, absolutely. I have been very impressed with him. He's

:09:18. > :09:22.been a pro for ten years. He's really took Mark Selby to the sword

:09:23. > :09:27.here. Mark Selby has produced two very, very good clearances to be

:09:28. > :09:31.that four frames in front, rather than be all square. But this boy can

:09:32. > :09:36.play. I'm a little surprised he's not got better before now, that is

:09:37. > :09:41.how good I rate him. A little bit naive in the game when he was 60-odd

:09:42. > :09:43.points in front yesterday and should have put...

:09:44. > :09:48.APPLAUSE An extra seven points and that is

:09:49. > :10:00.one that Selby ended up winning. He's actually ten points ahead on

:10:01. > :10:08.points scored in this match. Amazing.

:10:09. > :10:19.He didn't play the best safety shot, Xiao, that's why he's in trouble.

:10:20. > :10:26.Cannot get the cue ball back to the baulk in.

:10:27. > :10:32.We are right into the second round of this tournament now and Mark

:10:33. > :10:51.Selby is yet to make a century. Very surprising.

:10:52. > :11:00.Mark Selby, as we all know ask hard to beat. If he's -- is so hard to

:11:01. > :11:06.beat. If he's not playing at his best, he still finds a way to win.

:11:07. > :11:14.That was a bit too thin. The rattling in the jaws has made it a

:11:15. > :11:15.better safety shot than it was. Mark Selby, the longer matches -

:11:16. > :11:49.tailor-made for it. There is a couple of reds he could

:11:50. > :11:52.play the pot on, but too risky. Making certain he's not going to

:11:53. > :11:59.knock anything towards the right corner here.

:12:00. > :12:05.Needs to miss the brown for it to be a good safety.

:12:06. > :12:23.He has. So it is a good safety, that one.

:12:24. > :12:33.Got to be a little careful with this thin safety shot.

:12:34. > :12:53.That is a long way, away, but he was making sure of the cue ball.

:12:54. > :13:01.See here the advantage of getting that cue ball tight to the baulk

:13:02. > :13:17.cushion. Plenty of reds he can hit. Got to

:13:18. > :13:22.avoid the kiss. Too thick! Much too thick! Result... Is it a result? Or

:13:23. > :13:25.maybe not. I think Mark can just get past the

:13:26. > :13:42.blue for this red. He could. I think the pink may be

:13:43. > :13:50.available. It shows you, that one good safety shot. Get that cue baulk

:13:51. > :14:09.tight under the cushion. Force a mistakes from his opponent.

:14:10. > :14:19.The cue ball a couple of inches too far. Clearly play the red next to

:14:20. > :14:31.the pink... APPLAUSE

:14:32. > :14:36.Mark Selby now becoming a past master, when you get a chance to

:14:37. > :14:47.make sure you score heavily. I know when he first started

:14:48. > :14:52.playing, started in your snooker club in Leicester.

:14:53. > :14:59.Did you spot the talent straightaway? I remember when I

:15:00. > :15:06.first saw him play, his cue action was a little bit long and you just

:15:07. > :15:13.felt, has he really got it? When did you notice he was destined for the

:15:14. > :15:17.top? He always had a top 32 safive game -- safety game. Neil Robertson

:15:18. > :15:22.and Mark Selby, both of which started to play at my club when he

:15:23. > :15:26.first came over are the most improved players I have ever seen.

:15:27. > :15:32.Mark Selby was not going to be a journey man. He was always a decent

:15:33. > :15:35.player. Not going to be top 16. Then he got cueing close to the cue ball.

:15:36. > :15:39.Improved 40 points overnight and now is one of the best players we've

:15:40. > :15:54.had. So solid.

:15:55. > :16:02.Never seen anything work harder. He would be in my club eight hours a

:16:03. > :16:05.day. Never stopped. I think that's the secret to success - hard work.

:16:06. > :16:06.But you can only put in the hard work if you actually love the game

:16:07. > :16:46.and you want to do it. Looking up to the balcony, where his

:16:47. > :16:54.supporters are. Not happy with that one. He has tried three shots to get

:16:55. > :16:59.on to the black. When that black goes back to a different spot.

:17:00. > :17:03.18 out of 18 he's potted with the rest. A little to do with the cue

:17:04. > :17:07.ball. I don't think he can play it slow enough to get on to the black.

:17:08. > :17:25.If he decides to get on to the pink at the middle.

:17:26. > :17:48.Can he get a good angle to get the black on to his own spot?

:17:49. > :17:57.OK this time. Around the back of the black or screw it direct? I think

:17:58. > :18:26.he'll have to go around the back of the black.

:18:27. > :18:32.I like you thought he might have screwed around the back of the

:18:33. > :18:39.black. OK he wouldn't have fancied missing it. But there's a little

:18:40. > :18:42.more to do here. No problem. Now looking for an angle

:18:43. > :19:02.on the colour. He'd like to hit the left-hand side

:19:03. > :19:14.of the three reds in front, on the left. The bottom red pots.

:19:15. > :19:23.He got quite a bit of action on the cue ball, didn't he? Just watch the

:19:24. > :19:31.white, hit then and the back spin was still on it. That's why he's on

:19:32. > :19:34.this red to the right middle. That's all you're looking for - an

:19:35. > :19:50.easy ball to continue the break with.

:19:51. > :20:21.In actual fact a red and a black will put him 70 points ahead, 67

:20:22. > :20:26.remaining. So not far from the winning line on

:20:27. > :20:31.this frame. With all his experience he knew a

:20:32. > :20:45.quick start was paramount. So the black to leave his opponent

:20:46. > :21:02.needing a snooker. He's had to work for this. He's had

:21:03. > :21:29.a brown, a blue. Five pinks and now four blacks.

:21:30. > :21:58.This is his highest break of the match.

:21:59. > :22:21.This red close to the pink, to the middle.

:22:22. > :22:29.Tried to disturb it. He's just about done it.

:22:30. > :22:36.He hit more of the pink than he wanted to. As I say, just on it.

:22:37. > :22:46.Sent me a text last afternoon saying, I can't make a century! He

:22:47. > :22:54.can now. And that's absolutely superbly

:22:55. > :22:58.played. That is the 4th century of this year's Betfred World

:22:59. > :23:00.Championship. The record is 86. We're not started the quarter finals

:23:01. > :23:14.yet. That's not in. It doesn't matter.

:23:15. > :23:15.Xiao Guodong stays in his seat. Mark Selby first century break of

:23:16. > :23:30.the match. 11-6. That is Mark Selby's first century

:23:31. > :23:35.of the tournament. Good afternoon to you. We are now in

:23:36. > :23:43.our studio. It is surprising. He's only had one

:23:44. > :23:50.century. He's played so many frames, for the world number one. You have

:23:51. > :23:55.seen other players, even like Mark Allen he had five or six centuries.

:23:56. > :24:02.It is unlike Mark Selby. There was one particular shot, looked very

:24:03. > :24:05.simple - it was a drag shot. He's dragged the past there to the red

:24:06. > :24:11.for the same pocket and kept the break going. He's granite when he's

:24:12. > :24:16.on top form. He's so tough. People kind of focus on his tactical play

:24:17. > :24:21.and the fact he can dig in. But he's vastly talented. Incredible cue

:24:22. > :24:25.action. I remember playing an exhibition with him where he was

:24:26. > :24:30.potting long balls, ramming them in the pockets. I realised then how

:24:31. > :24:33.strong a cuist he was. I said to you at the start of the afternoon, is

:24:34. > :24:40.Mark Selby looking for a quick finish? I think we have our answer.

:24:41. > :24:48.THE COMMENTATOR: He's looking at me in the commentary box... He's made

:24:49. > :24:51.one. He sent me a text saying, I cannot make a century. H his match

:24:52. > :25:09.play has been, as usual, perfect. It has gone in. He put up his hand

:25:10. > :25:16.to apologise. The idea wasn't the pot. The idea was to get the safety.

:25:17. > :25:23.He's potted the red and coming out of a baulk and nicely on the yellow.

:25:24. > :25:29.Thought he may have taken an opportunity there, particularly with

:25:30. > :25:33.the black tied up to come off the yellow with pace and into the side

:25:34. > :25:34.of the cluster. Here's the shot. Much too thin, really. But the

:25:35. > :25:51.pocket got in the way. He will play that shot into the

:25:52. > :25:55.pink. He hasn't got another red to fall back on. Full on the face on

:25:56. > :26:08.this pink. He couldn't have hit that any

:26:09. > :26:13.better! He could not have hit that any better! If you want to see how

:26:14. > :26:18.of the break the balls open - that is it. Pink full in the face. If you

:26:19. > :26:20.do that with stun, that is why the cue ball stays in the middle of the

:26:21. > :26:51.table. A super shot! What I have been impressed with is

:26:52. > :26:55.the way he break builds. Most players would have taken the yellow

:26:56. > :26:59.into the bunch rather than the blue into the bunch on the second shot,

:27:00. > :27:04.but he's very, very good in the balls. Played over 100 competitive

:27:05. > :27:13.centuries as well, which is always a sign.

:27:14. > :27:18.Obviously the slight problem here is the black out of commission. He'll

:27:19. > :27:26.have to concentrate on the five other colours.

:27:27. > :27:35.He's gone through three qualifying matches and believe it or not, this

:27:36. > :27:41.is his 72ed frame of this year's World Championship.

:27:42. > :27:50.Need some stamina, don't you? Yes, all the qualifiers, coming in

:27:51. > :27:55.sharp, when you consider they've had four days of play before they get to

:27:56. > :27:59.the marathon of 17 days, you need to be fit. You certainly don't need to

:28:00. > :28:03.get any illnesses during that space of time as well. It's a long time to

:28:04. > :28:07.keep your form. And you have to be mentally strong

:28:08. > :28:10.as well. There's the side bar. 47 points from

:28:11. > :28:14.this position. It will put him into the snookers

:28:15. > :28:29.required stage. I don't know what snooker players

:28:30. > :28:34.are supposed to look like, but he looks more like an accountant than a

:28:35. > :28:37.snooker player! He's looked at the outside one. He's straight on this

:28:38. > :28:43.one. Well, if he's straight, I can see no reason why he cannot roll it

:28:44. > :28:46.into the pink in the middle. Obviously when you are behind the

:28:47. > :28:53.shot, you see it differently. Can he get to the right side of the blue?

:28:54. > :29:00.Well, he couldn't in the end. He decided to play for a baulk colour.

:29:01. > :29:19.Well, that is a very surprising miss.

:29:20. > :29:25.The frame was there for the taking there. That may be the first sign

:29:26. > :29:34.that Xiao is struggling in this match now.

:29:35. > :29:43.One of those, particularly if you don't get through the ball you

:29:44. > :29:54.decelerate slightly. Only a fraction, but it makes all

:29:55. > :30:13.the difference. If you miss one at this level, it can be very costly.

:30:14. > :30:19.He's expecting to make the most of this chance. He has the problem that

:30:20. > :31:08.Xiao had - the blacks not available. The four reds around the pink look

:31:09. > :31:23.nice and easy. Don't know whether he can run

:31:24. > :31:40.through to get to the top. Looking at that picture, he probably can.

:31:41. > :31:45.That surprises me, that shot. This is a tough pot to get out for the

:31:46. > :32:08.pink again. It was never easy that and the pace

:32:09. > :32:11.he had to play it. Disappointed with that.

:32:12. > :32:51.Xiao gets a second chance. Not bad. Will want to be using the

:32:52. > :32:54.rest for the pink. He has the same problem that Mark Selby had before

:32:55. > :32:55.all these reds seem to be covering one another for the right corner

:32:56. > :33:31.pocket. I think he was trying get to the

:33:32. > :33:43.red. Three reds behind the pink, the one to the right of those. The one

:33:44. > :33:52.to the bottom of the three goes into this corner? Never easy these.

:33:53. > :34:02.Well, he will be disappointed. They're never easy when you're

:34:03. > :34:07.digging down. I expected him to get it.

:34:08. > :34:12.Yes, that was his second good chance in this frame. Usually you are happy

:34:13. > :35:03.when you are playing one of the top players to have one chance a frame.

:35:04. > :35:10.The next two reds don't appear a problem. If he is to win the frame

:35:11. > :35:15.at this visit has to possibly leave an angle on one of the reds to move

:35:16. > :35:21.the red and black out of the way. Didn't expect such a big bounce as

:35:22. > :35:52.that. Played for the blue in the middle.

:35:53. > :36:01.Four points the lead. Still not straightforward to win the frame at

:36:02. > :36:22.this visit. Sorry four points behind.

:36:23. > :36:31.His head's not moving as much as it was last year, as well. He has

:36:32. > :36:39.worked hard on that, trying to keep his head still.

:36:40. > :37:01.I knew he would kiss the other red and that other red to kiss the black

:37:02. > :37:08.on to the pocket. Give him the benefit of the doubt and say well

:37:09. > :37:15.played. Lots of left-hand side there to take

:37:16. > :37:22.the cue ball on. Played it nicely. Now an 11-point lead so he will need

:37:23. > :37:43.these three remaining reds with colours and that's a big ask.

:37:44. > :37:56.Playing a stun to get on to both reds there.

:37:57. > :38:45.A nice angle on the blue. A red and a reasonably high colour.

:38:46. > :38:54.So the pink and Xiao Guodong... If he pots the pink you would think he

:38:55. > :39:01.is bound to be on the yellow. And he is. No way back now for the

:39:02. > :39:32.young man from China. 101 in the first frame, 51 and

:39:33. > :39:53.counting this frame, he is on a mission again.

:39:54. > :40:01.It was like a salad bar there watching all the colours he had

:40:02. > :40:06.potted in this break. This is only the second black in the break. But

:40:07. > :40:09.it's the black that takens him to 73. 101 in the first. 73 in the

:40:10. > :41:24.second. Now leads by 12-6. What was important about all those

:41:25. > :41:35.statistics, a good record at The Crucible. Xiao Guodong trying to

:41:36. > :42:04.keep his hopes alive. He has to win this frame.

:42:05. > :42:15.Terrific pot and a helpful little flick on the blue there. He has the

:42:16. > :42:18.green or the blue to play for now. Excellent pot.

:42:19. > :42:41.Deserved a bit of luck. Looking at that stat, his long pot

:42:42. > :42:46.success - I say Xiao, exactly what you need, 67%. He played that

:42:47. > :43:00.positional shot off the blue absolutely inch-perfect.

:43:01. > :43:25.Xiao has played quite well in this match and it's not beyond the

:43:26. > :43:30.possibility that Mark Selby will close out a winner. It shows you the

:43:31. > :43:33.standard you have to get. I have been impressed with the young man

:43:34. > :43:41.but playing against one of the best in the world.

:43:42. > :43:47.This is the standard you need to get. Played that with a trace of

:43:48. > :43:53.left-hand side so when the cue ball came off the cushion it checked. But

:43:54. > :44:00.it didn't stop the pace of the cue ball so having to play this black

:44:01. > :44:09.with the rest. Right in the heart of the pocket.

:44:10. > :44:23.He always knew if he overran it, he would have something to the right

:44:24. > :44:27.middle. 41 points needed. To get to the snookers required stage in this

:44:28. > :44:32.frame and match-winning opportunity. Even though there is a couple of

:44:33. > :44:37.loose reds, the two reds he is looking at, if he hits the join

:44:38. > :44:42.directly above the black, this could be a frame and match-winner this

:44:43. > :44:47.shot. Got the joint perfectly. Brought another two reds into play.

:44:48. > :44:56.Perhaps he would have wished he played it a little bit harder. Is he

:44:57. > :45:05.not on this red? Oh, he is not on it. Can he bend it with a little bit

:45:06. > :45:09.of side, I don't think so. No, I don't think he can.

:45:10. > :45:15.Plus the fact with the red closest to the cue ball, sort of stopping

:45:16. > :45:20.him playing with that little bit of left-hand side. He is having to play

:45:21. > :45:22.safe. Maybe he thought on the previous

:45:23. > :45:27.black that he couldn't really get into the cue ball if he played it

:45:28. > :45:31.any harder. Because as we know, he can push through before he goes

:45:32. > :45:34.back. I thought he played the cannon perfectly, didn't you? Yeah, when he

:45:35. > :45:39.hit them I thought that seems perfect.

:45:40. > :45:44.But the cue ball, obviously, just ran on a little bit. One of the reds

:45:45. > :45:48.he cannoned didn't move. That was the one that covered the potting

:45:49. > :46:04.angle. Had a chance of a red to the right

:46:05. > :46:08.centre. But fair play, he is going - he is basically saying to Mark, you

:46:09. > :46:12.are going to have to win it, I am not going to give it to you.

:46:13. > :46:18.Mark's had a look at the possibility of a plant. Two reds in the middle.

:46:19. > :46:26.A plant to the corner. Depends how close they are, whether

:46:27. > :46:31.you can move it. He can't get through to the two balls but he is

:46:32. > :46:35.thinking can he make it into a three-ball plant? Close enough, you

:46:36. > :46:44.could turn it, hit the first on the right side, pushes the second one to

:46:45. > :46:53.the left. Maybe worth playing. I don't see an alternative.

:46:54. > :47:01.No, couldn't hit the first one on the right. A little flick off the

:47:02. > :47:03.green. Oh, nearly crept the cue ball behind the yellow. But a thin cut on

:47:04. > :47:30.here. That's a little unlucky. That's what

:47:31. > :47:38.you don't need when you're trailing 12-6. Excellent pot, kiss on the

:47:39. > :47:42.red, you would have expected to be on a baulk colour.

:47:43. > :47:49.You know, last night on this table, Neil Robertson played exactly the

:47:50. > :47:55.same type of shot and he said it just drifted up. It's just along

:47:56. > :47:57.that baulk line where you can get that.

:47:58. > :48:16.Yeah, you can see it curl. What a big difference it made.

:48:17. > :48:25.But Mark could have got a bit of cue ball.

:48:26. > :48:35.A red going towards the corner. There you see it. Mark can't get

:48:36. > :48:38.through to it. A red in the middle of the table he can get through to

:48:39. > :48:40.and he might be able to cut that back to the right corner and still

:48:41. > :48:59.get the cue ball back to baulk. Too thin but he knew he would get

:49:00. > :49:08.the cover with the two reds on the right of the table.

:49:09. > :49:14.Xiao Guodong is taking a risk playing this red, trying to get

:49:15. > :49:19.around the back of the black, avoid the red near the top cushion.

:49:20. > :49:24.Well, he didn't avoid the red near the top cushion. He has knocked it

:49:25. > :49:27.over the corner, caught the bump in the middle pocket. I am trying to

:49:28. > :51:03.think of anything else that could have gone wrong!

:51:04. > :51:09.That's going back on to its own spot. So this now, obviously a

:51:10. > :52:10.chance to win frame and match. So the pink going in, 65 ahead, 67

:52:11. > :52:18.remaining, but not for long. Pot this red... Now 66 points in front.

:52:19. > :52:27.Only 59 left on the table. Xiao Guodong's race has been run.

:52:28. > :52:32.I think he has a future in the game this young man, but you play Mark

:52:33. > :52:37.Selby at the Crucible and you're always going to be up against it. I

:52:38. > :52:41.have been impressed with him, sounds strange when you have been beaten,

:52:42. > :52:47.he will be disappointed, he knows he could have more three or four more

:52:48. > :52:53.frames than he has done. Yeah and it's all a learning experience.

:52:54. > :53:32.First time here, you have to take the positives out of it.

:53:33. > :53:41.It's all over but the handshake now. He will keep an eye on the match

:53:42. > :53:46.this evening on this table, which is the third and final session between

:53:47. > :53:59.Marco Fu and Neil Robertson. What a match that has been. 8-8 at the

:54:00. > :54:10.moment. Well, doesn't matter about the blue. Mark Selby, without

:54:11. > :54:15.breaking a lot of sweat really, well played, young man, but Mark Selby is

:54:16. > :54:21.through to the quarter-final. He wins comfortably in the end by 13-6.

:54:22. > :54:24.STUDIO: That's unbelievable. I said he is looking to get over the line.

:54:25. > :54:29.There was something about Mark's demeanour last night that he wanted

:54:30. > :54:35.to get this over and done with. Yeah, it depends upon the resolve of

:54:36. > :54:40.the other player, whether he feels he can get back in or if he's

:54:41. > :54:44.mentally given up. It looked like, some of the scorelines are quite

:54:45. > :54:48.big, a big gap. It's because the other person feels like there is a

:54:49. > :54:52.mountain to get back in the match is too hard to climb. What was

:54:53. > :54:59.interesting last night, when we were on the red button show yesterday, we

:55:00. > :55:02.saw Ronnie O'Sullivan coming in, we saw Mark Selby and Neil Robertson,

:55:03. > :55:07.straight after he finished his match. Is that the mark of a

:55:08. > :55:11.champion, someone who wants it that badly, we didn't see Xiao going in

:55:12. > :55:16.after his match yesterday evening? Sometimes, Xiao plays in the academy

:55:17. > :55:21.here at Sheffield, he may feel he wanted to go back to there, more

:55:22. > :55:25.comfortable in his own surroundings. They all work very, very hard away

:55:26. > :55:30.from the Crucible or from the tournaments. They like the practice

:55:31. > :55:35.and like to loosen up, as well, even in between matches. From my memories

:55:36. > :55:41.of the era I played in, don't know about you, Ken, but I never, ever

:55:42. > :55:46.went to the practice table after a session. Never. Perhaps I would have

:55:47. > :55:49.if it was two sessions in a day, get ready for the night. I never ever

:55:50. > :55:53.did that. This is more in keeping now with what you see in the golf

:55:54. > :55:57.world, after a round of golf they go to the practice range. Well, that

:55:58. > :56:00.for me would have been a strange thing to do. I think it was about

:56:01. > :56:04.ten minutes after Neil Robertson finished he was back in the practice

:56:05. > :56:11.room which was incredible. I think what happened it was highlighted

:56:12. > :56:15.through the commentators from the match and Neil Robertson was playing

:56:16. > :56:18.mid distance and long range shots and everything he was putting

:56:19. > :56:23.left-hand side and everything was hitting to the left cushion. Sew

:56:24. > :56:26.wanted maybe to try and -- so he wanted maybe to try and fix that, as

:56:27. > :56:33.it were. We will show you the best of the action from the match on the

:56:34. > :56:38.other table, Barry Hawkins, runner-up in 2013, playing Graeme

:56:39. > :56:44.Dott. But all this week we are going celebrating the special people who

:56:45. > :56:47.make the World Championships here at the The Crucible tick and today we

:56:48. > :57:01.are meeting MrDuncan Richmond. .

:57:02. > :57:06.Duncan Richmond, cameraman 20 years. The word unique is overused.

:57:07. > :57:14.Sheffield, The Crucible is unique. There isn't enough space to work in.

:57:15. > :57:18.And then it becomes one of the most spacious venues. It's not just

:57:19. > :57:21.called The Crucible because it's a nice word, it is a Crucible, you can

:57:22. > :57:25.feel the atmosphere. You cannot get closer to the crowd,

:57:26. > :57:30.there is no other sport in which we work closer than the officials and

:57:31. > :57:36.the players. You have two tables. Four players.

:57:37. > :57:39.Two referees. Five cameras. And we all have to work in that space

:57:40. > :57:43.together. You are wearing headphones, you have

:57:44. > :57:46.the director in your ear, he is not necessarily telling you what to do

:57:47. > :57:50.but guiding your hand. I spoke to someone yesterday who referred to us

:57:51. > :57:55.as the dancing cameraman. On the floor cameras three and four as

:57:56. > :58:00.they're known, they complement each other's shot and you have to work as

:58:01. > :58:06.a tight pair. One wrong move from you, you can put a player off. Rule

:58:07. > :58:10.number one, we wear black. Rule number two, player goes down on the

:58:11. > :58:15.shot, you don't move. Players know us and trust us. The adrenalin

:58:16. > :58:18.pumps. The more exciting, the more difficult it gets, I find the

:58:19. > :58:22.breathing slows down, the heart rates slows down. Because you are

:58:23. > :58:27.thinking quicker and quicker. It's incredibly exciting.

:58:28. > :58:30.Yes, you get caught up, because if you are in the game you are in the

:58:31. > :58:35.moment. You know where to go, you know what to do. You are thinking

:58:36. > :58:39.clearly. It's like putting on an old coat,

:58:40. > :58:42.comfortable jacket, that's fine, I know where I am and what's

:58:43. > :58:48.happening. They put up with me, I have put up with them.

:58:49. > :58:54.It's good to be part of it. I had my 40th birthday here. I had

:58:55. > :58:59.my 50th birthday here. I jokingly said to somebody if I have my 60th

:59:00. > :59:03.here, please shoot me. I may restrakt that statement! I would

:59:04. > :59:10.like to think I won't be here for my 70th.

:59:11. > :59:18.He is a lovely man. Look at this. This was earlier today before we

:59:19. > :59:23.came on air. Duncan celebrating his 60th birthday today. Rob Walker gave

:59:24. > :59:27.him the big Crucible walk-on. A lovely hug with Ken and Duncan. He

:59:28. > :59:33.will be celebrating this evening. He is such a lovely man. Lovely bloke.

:59:34. > :59:36.Yeah, he is. You know what, all the ka ramen that cover the snooker and

:59:37. > :59:40.girls -- cameramen. They are exceptional at their job and are

:59:41. > :59:43.specialists, as well. You see that bit, you don't usually see that,

:59:44. > :59:48.they're dancing around, getting out of the way and back into position.

:59:49. > :59:52.You can see the snooker player, how close the cameras are to the pocket.

:59:53. > :00:00.Great guy. 20 years here, fantastic. The sign of a good cameraman, you

:00:01. > :00:04.never notice Duncan as a cameraman. We should reinforce the fact to

:00:05. > :00:07.viewers, it's like one big happy family here, from the production

:00:08. > :00:10.staff, on the television, through to the cameras in the studio and

:00:11. > :00:25.everyone around, world snooker, as well. It's like one great family.

:00:26. > :00:30.I've had the privilege of doing other sports as well. The other

:00:31. > :00:34.thing, yes, you do other sports as well. I don't know any other sport I

:00:35. > :00:38.have covered at the BBC where you get this close to players. These

:00:39. > :00:44.guys are happy to chat in the practise room. It is a big family,

:00:45. > :00:48.isn't it? Talking about how close the camera is to the corner, you are

:00:49. > :00:55.tuned in and you wouldn't know it, would you? That is a compliment to

:00:56. > :01:00.the cameramen. The cameramen, when it is a two-table set up, they

:01:01. > :01:06.hardly have any space to manoeuvre. As seef says, when you are focussed

:01:07. > :01:11.you don't notice anything. When you are not focussed everything seems to

:01:12. > :01:18.bother you. Who were you pointing to when you said I made my first

:01:19. > :01:23.century break at the Crucible. I have made lots of 60-plus. He would

:01:24. > :01:29.be, I will be happy if you make 60. Today I made one. Got that monkey

:01:30. > :01:33.off my back. I asked Steve when we came on air how quickly you wanted

:01:34. > :01:38.this over and done with. Was it important to get it done? The first

:01:39. > :01:47.frame was the key one. 10-6. You have a comfortable lead. 11-9, back

:01:48. > :01:53.in the match then. To win it in one was better. It is interesting. I was

:01:54. > :01:57.commentating on the match, there was a massive frame he failed to clear

:01:58. > :02:03.up after the baulk. That seems tactically it was not strong enough.

:02:04. > :02:09.Yesterday? He allowed, he tried to roll the black in and he left all

:02:10. > :02:12.the balls live. I didn't want it straight after that visit. It was

:02:13. > :02:17.strange of him playing the black. When I look back, he was potting the

:02:18. > :02:25.black for an extra seven. It was gaining no value. You have had a

:02:26. > :02:29.week off, you know between matches, from your first and second round,

:02:30. > :02:34.has that made you more refreshed? It's been a long season. You have

:02:35. > :02:39.won three times already this year. Coming here nice and refreshed, or

:02:40. > :02:43.were you tired getting? It was nice to have a week off. I was surprised

:02:44. > :02:49.it was that long. Normally two years ago I played on the Thursday, the

:02:50. > :02:53.Friday morning, Friday night. To play not until Saturday, if you do

:02:54. > :02:58.progress you don't have the day off. It could work in my favour, it could

:02:59. > :03:03.not. If you have a week off, I don't mind. What you know now is the games

:03:04. > :03:08.come thick and fast. You are on tomorrow at 2. 30pm. Are you feeling

:03:09. > :03:13.the pressure? Are you relaxed? Not really. I would rather play every

:03:14. > :03:16.day in some ways. You can only practise so much on the table. You

:03:17. > :03:19.have done all that before you have come here. It is a question of

:03:20. > :03:23.staying positive and staying in the right frame of mind. I would rather

:03:24. > :03:29.play every day, I think. Is it good that you are back on at 2. 30pm

:03:30. > :03:35.tomorrow? Looking forward to it. Robertson or Fu to play Selby? It is

:03:36. > :03:43.good from Mark's point of view. He can watch those two sweat it out

:03:44. > :03:47.tonight. I think it will be an absolute classic final session. Very

:03:48. > :03:51.hard to pick a winner between the two. I don't think as a player and

:03:52. > :03:57.if I can sort of transpose myself into Mark, when I was playing in the

:03:58. > :04:01.game and I felt comfortable, it didn't really, you didn't really

:04:02. > :04:06.mind who you play. You go, I don't know who I play, it will be a war.

:04:07. > :04:10.At my best I came out and said, it will be a fight, you know, it is

:04:11. > :04:14.like a Crucible fight to the death sort of thing. You are happy enough

:04:15. > :04:20.with your own game that you just go, bring it on! That is how Mark feels.

:04:21. > :04:25.Is that how you are feeling? I don't mind who I play. Whether you are

:04:26. > :04:28.playing Neil or a guy down the club, the game don't change. It is a

:04:29. > :04:33.matter of how you approach it mentally. Confident enough. See who

:04:34. > :04:37.wins. One final question. There's been a lot in the back pages,

:04:38. > :04:41.perhaps more in the first week than we've had at the Crucible because of

:04:42. > :04:45.what Ronnie said in the news conference and then Sean responded

:04:46. > :04:47.as well. Are you happy to be sitting there and letting them get on with

:04:48. > :04:51.answering all the difficult questions from the press? And you

:04:52. > :04:56.can quietly go about winning matches and easing your way into the quarter

:04:57. > :05:00.finals? I would rather take a back seat and let your snooker do the

:05:01. > :05:06.writing. Try and get under your skin - he's hard enough to beat at the

:05:07. > :05:10.best of times. You don't want to rub him up the wrong way, that is for

:05:11. > :05:14.sure. See you tomorrow at 2. 30pm. Thank you, Mark. Let's bring you

:05:15. > :05:21.up-to-date with what is happening on the other table. Barry Hawkins, 2013

:05:22. > :05:23.Crucible runner up, taking on Graeme Dott.

:05:24. > :05:33.We are going to join the action in frame 17.

:05:34. > :06:02.Graeme Dott leads by 14 points. Commentary from Denis and Peter.

:06:03. > :06:09.THE COMMENTATOR: That is a terrific chance for Barry Hawkins. As I say,

:06:10. > :06:21.at the moment, it looks like the black is just available into the one

:06:22. > :06:27.corner pocket. He's the wrong side of the blue. He's got work to do.

:06:28. > :06:31.The two reds near the cushion there, one's blocking the path for the

:06:32. > :06:45.black, he would love to get on that in a few shots' time.

:06:46. > :07:01.This red, back for the blue, the correct side of the blue.

:07:02. > :07:07.He'll be back in prime position. He's got three or four reds he can

:07:08. > :07:10.play for. That one that's blocking a black, he would like to get on that

:07:11. > :07:33.at some stage. He's played on it straightaway.

:07:34. > :07:41.That's bounced a little. He wanted to be closer to the cushion. He's

:07:42. > :07:45.finished a little awkward. There's no problem with cue for Barry

:07:46. > :07:50.Hawkins. Oh, he didn't pop that into the centre of the pocket. That's why

:07:51. > :07:52.he's run out of position somewhat. Watch where the red goes. In off the

:07:53. > :07:56.right. Barry Hawkins facing with a

:07:57. > :08:29.difficult black here. He's coming around to check that red

:08:30. > :09:42.that is just above the red. Just needs to be a little bit

:09:43. > :09:54.careful with this positional side here. If he's playing for the black.

:09:55. > :10:05.Times the ball beautifully, doesn't he, Denis? I think I said it

:10:06. > :10:10.yesterday, he's very easy on the eye. He's a lovely player to watch,

:10:11. > :10:20.Barry. He's got a terrific technique.

:10:21. > :10:27.The only consolation is he hasn't got on the red.

:10:28. > :10:30.Where did that one come from? Put a little quick one in, which he

:10:31. > :10:35.doesn't normally do. He's telling himself off there.

:10:36. > :10:40.This red will pass the black. But it's not a gimme. He played for the

:10:41. > :10:42.one closest to the cue ball. Because he missed the black he didn't get on

:10:43. > :10:52.that. It's all about potting this. It

:10:53. > :10:55.doesn't matter where believes the cue ball. He'll be on the black.

:10:56. > :11:11.It's not straightforward. He didn't really fancy it. Look

:11:12. > :11:16.where he's left the cue ball. So Barry had a little result there

:11:17. > :11:21.when he missed the black, not to leave anything easy.

:11:22. > :11:30.Probably get down and mark this red in after missing the black off the

:11:31. > :11:40.spot. I thought so. Amazing, isn't it?

:11:41. > :11:49.The angle he has on the black here, the white's going to go towards the

:11:50. > :11:51.three reds. It depends on the pace, but the white will certainly go

:11:52. > :11:58.towards them. That's just about as well as he

:11:59. > :12:25.could have expected there. This isn't absolutely

:12:26. > :12:27.straightforward. Could well be running into the blue here.

:12:28. > :12:54.That was the problem. Got to be a bit careful if he's

:12:55. > :12:58.going to roll up to the yellow. Just about. Want to get as close as

:12:59. > :13:03.possible. But the number of times you see a player not reaching, you

:13:04. > :13:09.know, putting themselves in trouble, but Graeme Dott has got a big

:13:10. > :13:22.problem here. He's 30 points behind. There's no easy red to land on.

:13:23. > :13:33.That's not very inviting. Neither is that, no matter which side he looks.

:13:34. > :13:37.I suppose if he could Nestle on the one there, that nearest cue that

:13:38. > :13:43.he's pointing at, might just possibly get away with it.

:13:44. > :13:46.But very difficult. I think he's also got the

:13:47. > :13:55.opportunity, Denis, he would rather leave that red where it was, to be

:13:56. > :14:01.honest, on the cushion. But he could play with the spider or the swan and

:14:02. > :14:08.come off the baulk cushion, side cushion and possibly side cushion

:14:09. > :14:12.and hit that red. And the cue ball could possibly

:14:13. > :14:16.finish around the black pocket. He would be leaving a difficult red

:14:17. > :14:20.into the left centre. But he doesn't have too many options. He's looking

:14:21. > :14:26.at that shot now. And I think that's the shot he's going to play. So,

:14:27. > :14:30.he's got two options with this shot. He can either play to just nestle

:14:31. > :14:36.into this red. The problem with that is he could be pushing it towards

:14:37. > :14:45.the right corner. If he plays it with pace, he needs to catch the

:14:46. > :14:48.third can ushtion first. That's the line he's after.

:14:49. > :14:56.It is a good choice, because if he catches it right and doesn't catch

:14:57. > :15:00.the red he's trying to hit, he's only leaving a very difficult red

:15:01. > :15:05.into the left centre. I think that is the right choice. Probably just

:15:06. > :15:11.got the first line slightly wrong. But that's where he wants to go.

:15:12. > :15:26.That was an excellent shot from Graeme Dott.

:15:27. > :15:33.And that literally couldn't have worked out any better. He was in a

:15:34. > :15:42.lot of trouble there. Played a wonderful escape. So, Barry

:15:43. > :15:48.Hawkins looking to see where he can put Graeme in the most trouble.

:15:49. > :15:55.Could flick off the red that's next to the pink. If he doesn't get a

:15:56. > :16:05.good cue ball he would with leaving the red into the right corner that

:16:06. > :16:09.he's playing now. That's quite a clever shot. He tried

:16:10. > :16:12.to put the red on to the black cushion. A bit of insurance, trying

:16:13. > :16:50.to protect his 34-point lead. The one to the left of the pink will

:16:51. > :16:56.cut in past that red. It may be heading down towards the

:16:57. > :16:59.yellow. He's so good at this type of shot, the number of time he pots

:17:00. > :17:13.these balls, which are very difficult.

:17:14. > :17:30.There's no easy safety shot for Graeme Dott here. He may be forced

:17:31. > :17:36.to take a very difficult pot on. As Peter said, 34 points behind if he

:17:37. > :17:43.takes the pot on to the left corner. He'll have to get it, doesn't like

:17:44. > :17:49.it. Graeme has a safety shot here. It is

:17:50. > :17:56.tough. He needs to hit this really thin.

:17:57. > :17:58.That's a very, very good shot! Well played!

:17:59. > :18:17.A Barry Hawkins special coming up again.

:18:18. > :18:26.He's so good at that type of shot. He really is.

:18:27. > :18:31.It is the sort of shot that, if you were wandering through the practise

:18:32. > :18:34.room, you will see the players practicing for quite some time,

:18:35. > :18:47.because they know it will come up quite a few times in a match.

:18:48. > :18:55.It should be a frame-clincher, so long as he rolls this one in,

:18:56. > :19:30.automatically on the black. Denis, the long red Barry Hawkins

:19:31. > :19:36.knocked into the pocket is a really good example of how important it is

:19:37. > :19:38.on these clothes to be able to play plain ball shots, when you're

:19:39. > :19:42.hitting above the centre of the white. Even on these very fine

:19:43. > :19:47.cloths, if you played a touch of left-hand side he would have pulled

:19:48. > :20:01.that thin. It was an excellent plain ball pot.

:20:02. > :20:13.A very important contribution. Barry Hawkins pulls further away

:20:14. > :20:29.from Graeme Dott and will now lead by 11-6.

:20:30. > :20:35.Graeme concedes no not the start he was after. Barry Hawkins will be

:20:36. > :20:44.delighted with that. He extends his lead. 11-6.

:20:45. > :20:50.REFEREE: Frame 18. Barry Hawkins to break.

:20:51. > :21:18.A very good break-off shot as well. This needs to be very thin.

:21:19. > :21:23.That is a good cue ball. A good response from him.

:21:24. > :21:29.I don't know if Barry may possibly be tempted here by the long red into

:21:30. > :21:35.the right-hand black pocket, but it is quite difficult to avoid the

:21:36. > :21:42.cannon on the black. He almost has to play this as a soft stun shot

:21:43. > :21:47.with right-hand side, if he takes it on.

:21:48. > :22:08.That's beautiful. Wonderful cueing from Barry Hawkins.

:22:09. > :22:15.The secret to that type of shot is keeping your head still. Barry's

:22:16. > :22:18.very, very good at doing that. Probably deliver the cue in a

:22:19. > :22:22.straight line. It is a big help if you can keep your head absolutely

:22:23. > :22:46.still. It is not as easy as it sounds to do that.

:22:47. > :22:52.We can show you a shot that... Now, you watch his head when he delivers

:22:53. > :23:45.the cue. Very, very good. Barry's a little disappointed.

:23:46. > :23:48.There's positional play there. Just off straight the right way, really.

:23:49. > :23:58.Deep screw, with side. Played that well. Side. Very nicely done.

:23:59. > :24:02.There you see the side coming off the cushion. He needs to be careful

:24:03. > :24:30.not just to skim off the reds here. Loads of spin there. From that

:24:31. > :24:34.fantastic opening long red he's created another opportunity to score

:24:35. > :24:36.heavily once again. Very, very impressive stuff here from Barry

:24:37. > :24:57.Hawkins. Barry's so comfortable at the

:24:58. > :24:59.Crucible, if you look at his record, the quarter finals, semi-finals the

:25:00. > :25:05.year before and the year before that. And then of course 2013.

:25:06. > :26:02.Runner up. And that's dropped. Absolutely plum

:26:03. > :26:32.on the red. To get that side of the blue from

:26:33. > :26:38.the angle he had on the red was very good indeed.

:26:39. > :26:44.Every chance now to go on and take the second frame of this session and

:26:45. > :26:50.put himself just one frame away from a place in the quarter final.

:26:51. > :26:56.The white's going the wrong side of the pocket, but the pace and a

:26:57. > :27:21.little trace aside. That was spot on for him.

:27:22. > :27:29.Just slightly underhit that one. Deciding to play the screw shot

:27:30. > :27:33.here. That's OK.

:27:34. > :27:55.There's not much that Graeme Dott can do about this. Barry Hawkins is

:27:56. > :28:01.playing very well now. I mean Graeme's record against Barry is

:28:02. > :28:06.very good. He beat him here at the Crucible in 2009 in the first round.

:28:07. > :28:14.10-8. It is a much improved Barry Hawkins since then, it has to be

:28:15. > :28:22.said. He's certainly one of the top players in the game, that's for

:28:23. > :28:24.sure. Currently ranked number seven in the

:28:25. > :29:25.world. Had he of closed from 9-3 to 9-7, he

:29:26. > :29:29.would have been in with a great chance this afternoon. But Barry

:29:30. > :29:32.Hawkins looks very comfortable. Very relaxed.

:29:33. > :30:03.And he's cueing beautifully. 133 centuries in his career, Barry.

:30:04. > :30:27.He has made 29 -- he has made 29 centuries this

:30:28. > :30:32.season. We have had 49 centuries so far in

:30:33. > :30:40.this year's Betfred World Championship. Could this be a half

:30:41. > :30:53.century of centuries? Barry's just had one so far.

:30:54. > :30:59.Thought he might have played for the black and guaranteed the century,

:31:00. > :31:08.but still shouldn't be and problem. He just needs the colour and then

:31:09. > :31:16.the yellow. Oh, that's not what he wanted.

:31:17. > :31:24.I think he's just about OK. Almost went wrong.

:31:25. > :31:30.Oh! Can you believe it? No century break but he won't be too

:31:31. > :31:36.disappointed about that. That was a superb break. And now he is just one

:31:37. > :31:51.frame away from a place in the quarter-final. 12-6.

:31:52. > :31:57.Every chance that we might not get to the mid-session interval with

:31:58. > :32:34.Barry only needing one more frame. Where is this red going to finish?

:32:35. > :32:40.It's usually the case when you are playing well, and you do make a

:32:41. > :32:44.mistake, you always get the run of the ball.

:32:45. > :33:10.When you are struggling, if you miss, you always stick one up.

:33:11. > :33:18.Excellent safety shot there from Barry Hawkins. That's to make sure

:33:19. > :33:25.that the cue ball didn't cannon into either the brown or the green

:33:26. > :33:31.because that would have left the long red into the left-hand black

:33:32. > :33:34.pocket, so very well played. Graeme's taken the opportunity to

:33:35. > :33:40.open the reds. He has left this long red into the

:33:41. > :33:43.right-hand black pocket. Barry Huw kins can get his hand on

:33:44. > :33:47.the -- Hawkins can get his hand on the table.

:33:48. > :33:51.Interesting to see the way he plays this. A lot of players would be

:33:52. > :33:54.playing this with screw and right-hand side around the back of

:33:55. > :34:07.the black. That's the way he played it. It was a lovely strike. He is on

:34:08. > :34:14.the blue. Or is he on the blue? Maybe he can't see enough? Looks as

:34:15. > :34:20.though the red may be in the way. It's a tough green or brown.

:34:21. > :34:27.I think with the balls open, you can see the angle, just can't quite see

:34:28. > :34:31.enough of the blue. What would you do here, Dennis? Keep your opponent

:34:32. > :34:35.under pressure or take the difficult pot on?

:34:36. > :34:41.Well he has a six-frame advantage, so, if he is feeling good, he will

:34:42. > :34:46.take the pot on. But he's having second thoughts about it. Maybe just

:34:47. > :34:51.keep the white tight on the cushion. Yeah, can't make his mind up. Yeah,

:34:52. > :34:58.he is going to play the white tight on the cushion, not a bad choice.

:34:59. > :35:03.Highly unlikely that Graeme could win all the remaining

:35:04. > :35:10.frames, but you never know at this game what can happen. Don't put your

:35:11. > :35:17.opponent right in amongst the balls, make him work for them.

:35:18. > :35:23.Oh, the white's in. Foul.

:35:24. > :35:36.That means there's a long straight red, the one next to the blue.

:35:37. > :35:45.I know that Barry Hawkins is 12-6 in front and he has the ball-in-hand

:35:46. > :35:48.here, but there's a bit of pressure on this red because if he does miss

:35:49. > :35:52.it... He could roll it through and play for the black and that would

:35:53. > :35:53.take the pressure off. But he is digging down in it. So he must get

:35:54. > :36:08.it. He took the pressure out of the shot

:36:09. > :36:17.the other way, by screwing back for a baulk colour. He is still wary of

:36:18. > :36:20.Graeme Dott's class and fighting capabilities.

:36:21. > :36:25.Graeme will be thinking if I can just win three frames now it will

:36:26. > :36:32.plant that seed of doubt into Barry's mind and Barry will be well

:36:33. > :36:34.aware of that, as well. Well, let's see how close he gets to

:36:35. > :36:37.this one. This is more difficult than the

:36:38. > :36:42.previous one. There you go, he loves that type of

:36:43. > :36:45.shot. He really does. He is probably one of the best in the game at that

:36:46. > :37:37.type of shot. He really is superb. That was a well-judged cannon there

:37:38. > :37:41.from Barry Hawkins. Playing for the two reds into the same pocket after

:37:42. > :37:49.this black goes in. Didn't think he had the angle to

:37:50. > :37:59.hold for that red. This is the cannon. Played that beautifully.

:38:00. > :38:05.This is very clinical and precise. But maybe that wasn't!

:38:06. > :38:10.Foul. He will be anxious. He will look at

:38:11. > :38:16.the tip there. When you miscue you get worried about taking a piece out

:38:17. > :38:26.of your tip. Wow! Don't see it very often. He had a

:38:27. > :38:42.look at the tip there but I think he is OK.

:38:43. > :38:53.Come on, Graeme, let's see a sizeable break from you here.

:38:54. > :39:03.Great to see Graeme Dott back at The Crucible. He had to win three

:39:04. > :39:11.qualifying matches in Sheffield and then he defeated Ali Carter and Ali

:39:12. > :40:03.said Graeme was just too good for him.

:40:04. > :40:10.Graeme's lost a bit of timing there, he hit that too hard. He was

:40:11. > :40:14.disgusted with himself. He just rolled it off the black. He can't

:40:15. > :40:19.believe how hard he hit that last shot. Lost a little bit of focus.

:40:20. > :40:23.When you are 12-6 down and he probably is tired. He is rubbing his

:40:24. > :40:25.eyes, it's been a long stretch for him here with the qualifying rounds

:40:26. > :40:58.and the match with Ali Carter. I can't see a straightforward safety

:40:59. > :41:41.shot so he may have to take this on. Yeah, OK, he's covered it, but once

:41:42. > :42:08.you put it on that near cushion, very rarely drop in.

:42:09. > :42:17.Terrific chance. OK, a couple of safe reds, a good chance to close

:42:18. > :42:28.the match out here. It may not be Graeme Dott's year

:42:29. > :42:33.again this year, Dennis. But his name is on that wonderful trophy.

:42:34. > :42:40.And that's something that nobody can ever take away from him. Absolutely,

:42:41. > :43:01.Peter. Three finals he's contested here.

:43:02. > :43:28.It's not going to be easy to get those reds into play.

:43:29. > :43:39.21 points in front so the red and the black, 29. Red and the blue, so

:43:40. > :43:46.he is going to need one of those difficult reds to clinch the match.

:43:47. > :43:50.Just came a little straight. He may still be able to force an angle. I

:43:51. > :43:56.thought he might leave himself the angle to cannon into the red closest

:43:57. > :44:00.to the right-hand middle pocket and leave himself on the yellow.

:44:01. > :44:04.Deciding against that now because he would have to play it with a lot of

:44:05. > :44:23.pace. He has a little bit of angle on the

:44:24. > :44:27.black so he will have to power this around with top spin and right-hand

:44:28. > :44:42.side to get to that red to the right of the blue. Here it comes.

:44:43. > :44:46.This is where his problem starts. Has to make sure he gets the correct

:44:47. > :44:49.angle on the blue and even then it's not going to be easy to get to the

:44:50. > :44:56.two reds. Or at least one of them, which is

:44:57. > :45:00.all he needs. 39 in front. In fact, the red and

:45:01. > :45:44.the blue, well, 29 in front, sorry. He's looked at the green might which

:45:45. > :45:50.might be a slightly better angle. He is back looking at the blue.

:45:51. > :45:55.But looking at the angle he would have to power this in with top spin,

:45:56. > :46:01.virtually come around the back of the black or past the black. No, he

:46:02. > :46:04.is making sure of the five points. I don't know if he can take the

:46:05. > :46:09.double on, the pink seems to be slightly in the way. He only needs

:46:10. > :46:15.the red. He is having a look to see if he

:46:16. > :46:32.could get the double. It might be on.

:46:33. > :46:46.He misjudged it and did hit the pink, but what a result.

:46:47. > :46:55.Just taking the opportunity to bring this red into play, try to get

:46:56. > :47:00.behind the brown and green. He has played this well. A glimmer

:47:01. > :48:16.of hope for Graeme Dott. I am wondering if that is the last

:48:17. > :48:19.shot that Graeme Dott has played in this year agencies World

:48:20. > :48:20.Championship. -- in this year's World

:48:21. > :48:45.Championship. Yeah, that's a terrific long pot.

:48:46. > :48:56.That should be the end for the very likeable Scot, Graeme Dott. There is

:48:57. > :49:04.another Scot waiting for Barry Hawkins, Stephen Maguire. Barry will

:49:05. > :49:21.contest the quarter-final. He did all the damage in the middle

:49:22. > :49:27.part of the match. He went at one stage where he had won nine out of

:49:28. > :49:40.ten frames. Doesn't matter about the green.

:49:41. > :49:43.Graeme comes forward to congratulate Barry Hawkins. Wishes him all the

:49:44. > :49:50.best for the rest of the tournament. He was just too good in the end.

:49:51. > :49:53.Barry Hawkins, and Graeme acknowledges the crowd, well done to

:49:54. > :49:58.Graeme Dott but Barry Hawkins was too classy and he runs out a

:49:59. > :50:02.comfortable winner in the end. 13-6. STUDIO: He is becoming a permanent

:50:03. > :50:07.fixture in the latter stages of The Crucible. I am delighted to say The

:50:08. > :50:13.Hawk has flown into the studio. Barry, well done. Nice early finish.

:50:14. > :50:21.I was delighted with that. Graeme's gritty and tenacious and will never

:50:22. > :50:26.give up, he will come out all guns blazing, to get three frames quick

:50:27. > :50:30.was pleasing. If we go back to yesterday, from 3-3 to 9-3, that was

:50:31. > :50:34.the pivotal moment in the match. I had a little spell, I think Graeme

:50:35. > :50:39.fell away a little and I capitalised on his mistakes. Yeah, I can

:50:40. > :50:43.remember, I think it was 9-4 I was in the balls and got a kick on the

:50:44. > :50:47.pink, looking like 10-5 and I was getting on top and the game changed

:50:48. > :50:52.a little bit and he played well and came back. A great campaign from

:50:53. > :50:56.Graeme Dott to go for the qualifiers and a great first round match. You

:50:57. > :50:59.think you are going to have a tough opponent but take you back to - I

:51:00. > :51:04.was commentating on the first session, back to the start of the

:51:05. > :51:07.match. The wheel fell off for new the second frame, missed an easy

:51:08. > :51:11.pink and you are now 2-0 down. It looked like you were going to be in

:51:12. > :51:16.serious trouble and Graeme had the chance to press home that early

:51:17. > :51:21.advantage and it seemed like all of a sudden he froze. Yeah, it was a

:51:22. > :51:25.terrible miss on the pink. When you are out there you can start

:51:26. > :51:30.panicking and get anxious. I was trying to tell myself stay calm,

:51:31. > :51:33.stay patient, it's a long match and I think maybe having more experience

:51:34. > :51:38.here now I learned from that over the years and managed to get

:51:39. > :51:41.stronger then. And that was probably, possibly, as bad a session

:51:42. > :51:45.as you could possibly imagine playing and you ended up winning it.

:51:46. > :51:48.I staid to Terry when I came in after we finished that session, I

:51:49. > :51:52.said, well, I am delighted with that, I can't play any worse than

:51:53. > :51:59.that. Graeme missed a few, he could have maybe put his foot on the gas

:52:00. > :52:03.and got a good lead. I was over the moon. What is it about The Crucible,

:52:04. > :52:08.you save a lot of your best snooker for here, what is it? I don't know,

:52:09. > :52:12.it's weird, don't know. I don't know, it was strange, the last few

:52:13. > :52:18.years have been good to me. Yeah, I seem to get up for it more, seem to

:52:19. > :52:21.focus more. It's more pressure here than anywhere else we play, perhaps

:52:22. > :52:27.that helps, I get focussed more and up for it. If you can settle here,

:52:28. > :52:29.it's a great place to play. What are the biggest challenges, Stephen

:52:30. > :52:37.Maguire next, you have had tussles with him in the past, what's the

:52:38. > :52:41.biggest danger for Stephen Maguire? Well, he is a great player. He went

:52:42. > :52:45.off the radar the last couple of years, but I think he's realised he

:52:46. > :52:49.is putting the hard work in and it's a matter of time before he gets back

:52:50. > :52:54.to the top of the game where he belongs, he is a great player and he

:52:55. > :52:58.is probably underachieved many in many people's eyes, I love watching

:52:59. > :53:02.him play. We go back a long way with growing up through the junior

:53:03. > :53:06.competitions together and I get on well with him. Hopefully it will be

:53:07. > :53:11.a great game. Lots of questions in on social media last night on our

:53:12. > :53:15.7pm show, lots of people saying they're loving the way Barry Hawkins

:53:16. > :53:18.is quietly going about his business, progressing to the quarter-finals,

:53:19. > :53:24.do you feel good, are you feeling pressure? I feel all right. I felt

:53:25. > :53:28.better today, I felt like I cued better and I don't think I am

:53:29. > :53:33.hitting top form, but I am doing what I should be doing out there, I

:53:34. > :53:38.think. I am concentrating and focussing and feeling calm enough.

:53:39. > :53:42.Hopefully as the tournament goes on you generally hopefully get better.

:53:43. > :53:45.It's not a bad thing to not have hit top form and the second week is

:53:46. > :53:51.where it would be nice to. Exactly, now is a good time to start hitting

:53:52. > :53:56.form. Saying that, I mean, sounds disrespectful to Graeme, but I

:53:57. > :54:00.still, I played solid enough, I done good clearances when I needed to. I

:54:01. > :54:04.had a few breaks. Not probably scoring as heavy as you would like

:54:05. > :54:07.really, but I am winning, that's the main thing. You are in the

:54:08. > :54:11.quarter-finals, that's all that counts. Good stuff, thank you very

:54:12. > :54:16.much. You can stay here if you like and look at this.

:54:17. > :54:23.In a short time ago we recorded Barry's pop quiz. He knows what

:54:24. > :54:29.happens, but this is what happens! OK. We are back with Pot Quiz.

:54:30. > :54:32.Former World Championship runner-up and world number seven at the

:54:33. > :54:37.minute, Barry Hawkins, ladies and gentlemen.

:54:38. > :54:40.APPLAUSE I presume you have seen it first and

:54:41. > :54:45.you know the rules, every question you get right you can take a ball

:54:46. > :54:50.away. Best score so far is Marco Fu with one minute 27 seconds.

:54:51. > :54:57.Hope you have your trainers on! First question, what was the number

:54:58. > :55:07.one record the day you were born on 23 April 1979, was it Night Fever,

:55:08. > :55:13.Call Me, or was it Bright Eyes? I will give you a hint, something to

:55:14. > :55:15.do with rabbits. LAUGHTER

:55:16. > :55:19.That one then, that's the one. C, you are right. Well done.

:55:20. > :55:26.Who contested the World Championship final the year you were born in

:55:27. > :55:31.1979? Some fella with big glasses and some fella who was very slow?

:55:32. > :55:35.Griffiths. Which player have you played the most at the The Crucible?

:55:36. > :55:47.Someone who was very fast. Very fast? Ronnie. Correct. Who did you

:55:48. > :55:56.play on your Crucible debut in 2006? You. He lost 10-1 by the way. He was

:55:57. > :56:02.lucky to get one! What was your Crucible highest break? Wouldn't

:56:03. > :56:11.have a clue. Don't know. No clue whatsoever. No clue. 140... It's

:56:12. > :56:17.close. 140. Yeah. No. It was 141. OK. Very good. Good effort. OK. You

:56:18. > :56:21.have got one, two, three, four questions right.

:56:22. > :56:27.You can take four reds away. Four reds.

:56:28. > :56:31.I would say try and be the middle ones. These ones. No? Whatever you

:56:32. > :56:36.think. What do you think? I don't know. Most people have taken the

:56:37. > :56:41.middle ones away. Because they sort of are blockers.

:56:42. > :56:49.This one? Doesn't really matter. This one and this one. OK.

:56:50. > :56:55.The time starts... Starts as soon as you strike the cue ball. I sounded

:56:56. > :57:01.like John Virgo there! Pot as many balls as you can!

:57:02. > :57:10.Oh my goodness! He has missed the first, can't believe it. It's OK,

:57:11. > :57:15.still have plenty of time. No panic. Yes, OK. He has missed the second.

:57:16. > :57:21.Still no panic. Plenty of time. Quick, quick!

:57:22. > :57:28.Get the rest, Ken. We could run out of film here!

:57:29. > :57:40.No! Start again. Go on, quick, quick.

:57:41. > :57:42.35 seconds, come on. Yes, how did you ever get to the

:57:43. > :57:54.world final! No wonder you only won one frame

:57:55. > :58:02.against me! OK, come on, quick, one minute, come

:58:03. > :58:09.on! This could be the worst time ever.

:58:10. > :58:14.Oh, good shot. He is back. Oh!

:58:15. > :58:17.Oh, no! Schoolboy error. He is not chalking

:58:18. > :58:22.the cue. Come on.

:58:23. > :58:29.OK. Two more balls. Come on.

:58:30. > :58:41.Oh, look at this! What a finish! Come on, quickly. What's the time?

:58:42. > :58:49.Oh, no! Roll it over the pocket.

:58:50. > :58:54.This looks good. Is it in? Hit it.

:58:55. > :59:00.Oh! Oh, no!

:59:01. > :59:09.Even Steve Davis beat you. Oh, no! How embarrassing is that?

:59:10. > :59:12.You said hit it. It was my fault! No, what's going on here?

:59:13. > :59:18.Even Terry Griffiths would probably beat you.

:59:19. > :59:33.Yeah! And the clock was two minutes and 18

:59:34. > :59:41.seconds. Where does that firmly put you, very last.

:59:42. > :59:50.OK. Two minutes and 18 seconds. Give him a round of applause!

:59:51. > :59:54.APPLAUSE Barry Hawkins it's fair to say has

:59:55. > :59:58.had a shocker. Any TV producers out there watching this right now, do

:59:59. > :00:02.not hire this man, as a game show host, you are supposed to help the

:00:03. > :00:05.contestants. I tried, I was prompting him the answers to the

:00:06. > :00:11.questions and everything. A bit critical though, weren't you? A bit.

:00:12. > :00:16.Although funny, I have to say. Can't believe Steve had a better time.

:00:17. > :00:21.Right, if you are tuning in our live matches have finished prematurely,

:00:22. > :00:27.so we are going to give you another opportunity to see a magnificent

:00:28. > :00:28.night at The Crucible, 40 Years at The Crucible. Our very own

:00:29. > :01:01.celebration. It is almost like a very tell. We

:01:02. > :01:07.are going to introduce almost every living great who has graced the

:01:08. > :01:11.Crucible over four glorious decades. And also we will concentrate on a 32

:01:12. > :01:41.men hoping to win the World Championship this year.

:01:42. > :02:32.All Hoping To Add Their Name. Pick A Winner. I Did Not Pick Sergio Last

:02:33. > :02:40.Weekend And I Was In Awe Of Him. . This is a trial, 17 days. We are

:02:41. > :02:48.going to love this. We have 32 players behind us. This will make us

:02:49. > :02:52.feel slightly old. We have a 17-year-old, the first player to

:02:53. > :02:57.have been born in the year 2000 to qualify for the Crucible. We are

:02:58. > :03:05.feeling rather ancient, I have to say. That said, I am sure that all

:03:06. > :03:10.of the contenders would love to join the list of greats who have become

:03:11. > :03:15.Crucible champions. We have many of them here this evening. Give them a

:03:16. > :03:21.massive welcome as we introduce them. We start with the six times

:03:22. > :03:32.world champion who won the last of the six titles, Ray Reardon, a

:03:33. > :03:44.Crucible winner in 1978. CHEERING.

:03:45. > :03:45.Next, a legend who won the title at his first attempt. It is Terry

:03:46. > :04:02.Griffiths! This gentleman took the trophy back

:04:03. > :04:12.to Canada in 1980 and took the sport to the max age a few years later.

:04:13. > :04:21.The Grinder, Cliff Thorburn. Following Cliff Thorburn, you may

:04:22. > :04:29.remember the six time champion of the world, Steve Davis!

:04:30. > :04:36.And next, he won the most famous final of them all. Winning the

:04:37. > :04:48.hearts of 18.5 million people. The 1985 champion, Dennis Taylor!

:04:49. > :04:59.Now he is the pride of Yorkshire. At 150-1, he shook the world in 1986.

:05:00. > :05:03.It is Joe Johnson! Will his magnificent seven world

:05:04. > :05:13.titles ever be beaten? It is the standard they aspire to.

:05:14. > :05:17.Stephen Hendry! Next, a blue who mastered the green. One of the most

:05:18. > :05:27.popular champions of all time. John parrot! We celebrate 40 years

:05:28. > :05:38.at the Crucible. 20 years since this man took the trophy home to Dublin.

:05:39. > :05:45.The 97 champion, Ken Doherty. Ladies and gentlemen, a four time

:05:46. > :05:59.Crucible champion and he is not done yet. John Higgins! Next, five world

:06:00. > :06:08.titles. Maximums. There is only one Ronnie O'Sullivan!

:06:09. > :06:13.Next, he has been in three finals but 2002 was the year of snooker's

:06:14. > :06:26.Iron Man. The amazing Peter Ebdon! A man who

:06:27. > :06:36.became the 2005 champion. Shaun Murphy! Another three-time

:06:37. > :06:41.finalist, a Scot who got his reward in 2006 in the latest finish ever.

:06:42. > :06:51.It was worth the wait for Graeme Dott. Snooker is a global sport and

:06:52. > :07:00.in 2010 this man took the title down under. Neil Robertson! At the age of

:07:01. > :07:03.38, this man became the oldest champion since Ray Reardon.

:07:04. > :07:21.Stuart Bingham! To complete the most breathtaking...

:07:22. > :07:27.I don't know about you but that is one of the most fun four minutes of

:07:28. > :07:32.my career. Goose bumps. But there is one man missing. He is one of the

:07:33. > :07:37.greatest students of the game and I love to talk to him. Of course, the

:07:38. > :07:38.reigning king of the Crucible, Mark Selby!

:07:39. > :08:10.CHEERING. First, on behalf of everybody in the

:08:11. > :08:14.room and everybody watching, what an amazing parade. It must be an

:08:15. > :08:20.amazing sensation to be part of the great history of this event? It is a

:08:21. > :08:25.fantastic tournament and it does not matter if you have been here one

:08:26. > :08:31.time, ten times, you get goose bumps leading up to the tournament. It is

:08:32. > :08:36.a special occasion, the day before the tournament starts but this has

:08:37. > :08:40.been extra special. This is your second defence and this time you do

:08:41. > :08:45.not have the Crucible cursor! Is it more relaxing in the build-up? At

:08:46. > :08:52.least I know what I am going into. Trying to defend it, the curse is

:08:53. > :08:56.therefore a reason and coming back to defend it will be harder. This

:08:57. > :09:00.year is the most open the tournament has been with a lot of players

:09:01. > :09:08.playing well and it will be great. You are going for a third title in

:09:09. > :09:21.years. What is the toughest part to try and win this trophy? Physically

:09:22. > :09:26.and mentally. It is gruelling. You are only halfway through. Mentally

:09:27. > :09:29.it takes it out of you and at the end of the two weeks, whoever is

:09:30. > :09:42.strongest mentally more often than not ends up as champion. Fergal

:09:43. > :09:46.O'Brien, you will have to scrape him off the table tomorrow. Apparently

:09:47. > :09:51.he has but a present of a new pair of shoes in the dressing room. He is

:09:52. > :09:56.a great guy and competitor, one of the toughest to beat on the tour and

:09:57. > :10:04.I am looking forward to it. We are looking forward to the match and

:10:05. > :10:09.seeing you defend the title. I think we made a mistake. We started at the

:10:10. > :10:16.end when we have over an hour to do 40 years so let's go back to 1977, I

:10:17. > :10:21.was born, the worst thing that happened! Jimmy Carter was president

:10:22. > :10:27.of the US. Elvis Presley passed away. What can you remember? I was

:10:28. > :10:36.just a toddler, obviously! Virginia Wade winning Wimbledon. The Queen's

:10:37. > :10:49.Silver Jubilee. And a man called Spencer lifted the first title.

:10:50. > :11:40.Let's take you back to the start. CHEERING.

:11:41. > :12:12.APPLAUSE .

:12:13. > :12:40.COMMENTATOR: John Spencer takes the world crown for the third time. The

:12:41. > :12:48.1978 world professional snooker champion, Ray Reardon.

:12:49. > :12:57.A very cool and calculating... Champion of the world, Mr Cliff

:12:58. > :13:00.Norburn. The World Snooker champion from 1982

:13:01. > :13:13.is Alex Hurricane Higgins. And here is the 1979 champion, Terry

:13:14. > :13:18.Griffiths. That was the first World Championship you entered and you won

:13:19. > :13:22.it and it was only the second professional event you entered. In

:13:23. > :13:30.terms of your early impact, why were you able to make a positive impact

:13:31. > :13:34.so early? I was 31 years of age, I was not a 17-year-old coming to the

:13:35. > :13:41.Crucible, and I went through qualifying. Looking back, I think I

:13:42. > :13:45.had things going for me. Most of the players I played were heavy

:13:46. > :13:52.favourites to beat me and to be honest, I was glad to be here, it

:13:53. > :13:57.did not mattered to me. You beat Dennis in the final. The late, great

:13:58. > :14:09.David Vine came out with a classic line. Deliver it again. I am in the

:14:10. > :14:14.final now, you know. One of my favourite lines from history. We saw

:14:15. > :14:19.that your dad told you life is about collecting precious memories. How

:14:20. > :14:25.many do you have from here that you will always carry with you? Too many

:14:26. > :14:29.to talk about, really. I have won every round in this place and lost

:14:30. > :14:34.in every round in this place and I have been here commentating,

:14:35. > :14:41.coaching and I still coach. I enjoy every minute. Looking at the great

:14:42. > :14:50.champions here, I was definitely the best one. I can't argue with that.

:14:51. > :14:53.LAUGHTER. Any time you talk to players from

:14:54. > :15:00.that era, they were not just snooker players, they would giants, Legends

:15:01. > :15:03.of the playground, void workday characters, at least that is the

:15:04. > :15:41.impression. MUSIC PLAYS. LAUGHTER.

:15:42. > :16:47.APPLAUSE . Ladies and gentlemen, Willie

:16:48. > :16:56.Thorne and John Virgo. John, a great place to start. If he could be with

:16:57. > :17:01.as today, how important was Alex Higgins to history? I was sat in the

:17:02. > :17:05.player 's balcony in the semifinal when he made the amazing clearance

:17:06. > :17:10.against Jimmy which says it all about the Crucible and the magic of

:17:11. > :17:15.Alex Higgins. He added Stardust to the game. I was lucky enough to be

:17:16. > :17:21.in the commentary box when Ronnie made his 147 in five minutes and 20

:17:22. > :17:26.seconds. If only those two memories go out from the rest of my life that

:17:27. > :17:33.will be enough. You were a household name in our playgrounds and today it

:17:34. > :17:38.says a lot about how we connect to snooker players. In any British

:17:39. > :17:43.street, Willie Thorne, you are as recognisable as David Beckham. That

:17:44. > :17:48.is the problem with being fat and bald! I like to remember players no

:17:49. > :18:00.longer with us, you mentioned Alex Higgins, Eddie Charlton, Bill

:18:01. > :18:07.Werther Nick. Paul Hunter. -- Werbernuik. So many players have

:18:08. > :18:13.graced the stage and to play here is a lifelong ambition for every

:18:14. > :18:19.snooker player and many will not play here. It is 16, 17 years I have

:18:20. > :18:24.played here but still, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The

:18:25. > :18:30.key word is family. You travel the world together and get to know each

:18:31. > :18:34.other like a brother and sister, mother and daughter. The laughter

:18:35. > :18:39.and jokes, it must have stopped behind closed doors when you were in

:18:40. > :18:44.opposite dressing rooms? It did but in the early days there were only

:18:45. > :18:50.one, two tournaments a year and a lot of time was spent at the bar

:18:51. > :18:54.telling stories, particularly John Pullman, Rex Williams. Now it is a

:18:55. > :19:00.very serious game with more money, the more serious it gets. I remember

:19:01. > :19:05.sitting with Patsy Fagan and there would be nobody here in the morning

:19:06. > :19:10.session. We did not have a two table situation and now you cannot buy a

:19:11. > :19:13.ticket for love nor money. It is amazing how it has grown and great

:19:14. > :19:20.to be here on the 40th anniversary. Thanks. We have so many superstars

:19:21. > :19:25.to talk to. It is a real thrill. For the

:19:26. > :19:29.broadcasters who work on this it is a thrill to be here every spring as

:19:30. > :19:36.part of this amazing sporting community. It is also an endurance

:19:37. > :19:40.test and we are all slightly bonkers and snooker loopy by the end but

:19:41. > :19:47.broadcasters have been up for this challenge since 1977.

:19:48. > :19:55.Very good evening. Through the curtains behind me is the Crucible

:19:56. > :20:09.Theatre, so aptly named. Willie Thorne strikes again. Oh, I say! You

:20:10. > :20:13.thought I was boring, didn't you? I don't believe that.

:20:14. > :20:20.# Ima lumberjack and I'm all right, I work all day I single night. 17

:20:21. > :20:29.days and perhaps we will do it again sometime. But the black and white

:20:30. > :20:33.rag is still beyond me, I'm afraid! Now a major part of the broadcasting

:20:34. > :20:39.team is a man who has a wonderful wit and charm and an interesting

:20:40. > :20:43.personality, which is strange, because nobody thought he had one at

:20:44. > :20:48.all in the eighties! He is a six time winner of the event and starred

:20:49. > :20:50.in seven finals on the trot and learned the hard way you cannot win

:20:51. > :21:06.them all. COMMENTATOR: He is breathing heavily

:21:07. > :21:17.as he comes down to this final pink. That is it. The World Snooker

:21:18. > :21:22.champion, 1981, Steve Davis. I'd like to thank all the people from

:21:23. > :21:28.Romford and plums stood working men's club and everybody else all

:21:29. > :21:37.over the place. Most of all I would like to thank my mum and my dad. --

:21:38. > :21:45.from Plumstead men's club. COMMENTATOR: Steve Davis continues

:21:46. > :21:52.his tapestry of titles by becoming World Snooker champion of 1983. Now

:21:53. > :21:57.I was a multiple winner of the World Championship and started to mature

:21:58. > :22:02.as a player, felt more comfortable at the match table even than in

:22:03. > :22:09.1981, and I was starting to look like the dominant force within the

:22:10. > :22:16.game. A great performance by Steve Davis

:22:17. > :22:19.to win the World Snooker Championship, 1984. I remember

:22:20. > :22:22.feeling so at home and so comfortable, playing so well here,

:22:23. > :22:27.thinking this is the best it has ever been.

:22:28. > :22:49.He's done it! I don't have any regrets about the loss. It was part

:22:50. > :22:52.of snooker history. To think that almost one third of the population

:22:53. > :23:02.were tuned in to watch us play a game of snooker, where only 13 years

:23:03. > :23:07.previously, Alex Higgins had one the World Championship in 1972 in a

:23:08. > :23:10.working men's club. The game had come so far and it captured the

:23:11. > :23:19.imagination of the public and moved it on another notch.

:23:20. > :23:21.COMMENTATOR: He won again in 83 and 84, but he has lost it the past two

:23:22. > :23:31.years. Joe Johnson, the defending champion,

:23:32. > :23:48.is the first to congratulate Steve Davis.

:23:49. > :24:01.It is all over for the fifth time. Steve Davis becomes world champion.

:24:02. > :24:06.I remember going into the 89 final, the last one I lifted and as the

:24:07. > :24:07.tournament unfolded I started to play decent stuff and it was my best

:24:08. > :24:26.win. John Parrott concedes. The title of

:24:27. > :24:31.World Snooker champion 1989, and a hat-trick, goes to the fabulous

:24:32. > :24:36.Steve Davis. We'll see you next year at the Crucible for another World

:24:37. > :24:41.Championships and it certainly is a fantastic place to come and I look

:24:42. > :24:43.forward to coming back every year, regardless of the results.

:24:44. > :24:51.Thank you. APPLAUSE .

:24:52. > :24:58.And a rapturous ovation for Steve Davis. Still times you times you

:24:59. > :25:04.think you are more famous not for the six victories but the defeats to

:25:05. > :25:08.Dennis and Joe? The 85 final was a moment in snooker history everybody

:25:09. > :25:12.remembers being involved in and I look at it fondly, which is hard to

:25:13. > :25:17.believe, it is one of the major moments in my life. The game changed

:25:18. > :25:32.a lot in many ways and looking at the 70s, so many characters in the

:25:33. > :25:34.game. I was brought in to try to redress the balance, those people

:25:35. > :25:37.don't know! From then on, my life changed. I had to play the part,

:25:38. > :25:39.obviously. We were not as boring as people thought? They'll would be

:25:40. > :25:49.Jimmy White and Alex Higgins in a bar and people would say varies

:25:50. > :25:56.Steve No Name Davis. Which of the six victories was the sweetest? You

:25:57. > :26:00.cannot beat the first, against Doug Mountjoy, one of the greats of the

:26:01. > :26:03.70s. I was supposed to be the favourite and perhaps pressures of

:26:04. > :26:08.being the favourite are hard to deal with, but I got over the line. And

:26:09. > :26:13.then re-gaining and obviously with Dennis. My last was the sweetest

:26:14. > :26:20.because I totally ruined the final. There was no last session and I did

:26:21. > :26:25.my job as best I could and sadly beat my fellow co-commentator and

:26:26. > :26:32.mate John Parrott. That was one of my proudest moments. As we have all

:26:33. > :26:37.said, playing here is the pinnacle, the holy Grail, and the fact we have

:26:38. > :26:43.played here is just marvellous. If you had ?1 for every time you have

:26:44. > :26:48.been mentioned, the 1985 final, you would be even richer than you are

:26:49. > :26:52.now. You will have to steal yourself by mentioning it one more time.

:26:53. > :26:56.Dennis is here and we know the big moment we have to talk about.

:26:57. > :27:02.Dennis, tell me about when you got beat up in the final in 1979? It was

:27:03. > :27:09.more important than that one against Steve. That year it looked like I

:27:10. > :27:13.would win it. I had beaten Ray Reardon, six times world champion. I

:27:14. > :27:19.beat Steve will stop played Terry in the final and he outplayed me on the

:27:20. > :27:22.final day, and I had to wait another six years to realise my ambition to

:27:23. > :27:28.be world champion and to do it against Steve was incredible. It is

:27:29. > :27:34.a homecoming, it means so much to the country and the town. When you

:27:35. > :27:37.returned home with the title in 85, it was phenomenal, since we had not

:27:38. > :27:43.seen before in our home country. I had left when I was 17 and to see

:27:44. > :27:50.the reception I got was incredible. Like Ken Doherty when he won his

:27:51. > :27:54.title and went back to Dublin. To go back to mine, a small town, have so

:27:55. > :28:02.many people in one place they tried to get the Popemobile! I finished on

:28:03. > :28:09.the back of a range Rover or Land Rover and that was brilliant. It was

:28:10. > :28:20.the first time you were ahead. You insisted we recreated the shot Steve

:28:21. > :28:29.Davis miss. . I think you have it slightly wrong. I think the white

:28:30. > :28:38.was there and the black was about there. How did you miss that? Where

:28:39. > :28:48.did you think they were? About there. About their? Steeves said the

:28:49. > :28:57.black was there and the white was here. It was something like that.

:28:58. > :29:16.You might not reach it. And you missed... CHEERING.

:29:17. > :29:24.Well played, Dennis. Once again, great sportsmanship from Steve

:29:25. > :29:30.Davis, because you have had to relive that as indeed has Barry

:29:31. > :29:33.Hearn. What did you say to him in the aftermath? Very disappointing,

:29:34. > :29:37.but the bigger picture must have been evident to you then? He is

:29:38. > :29:43.still my client now, after 41 years. I could not watch. There was a

:29:44. > :29:54.curtain in those days. I had a driver called Robbo and I said, tell

:29:55. > :29:58.me he has got it. I heard the click and heard the crowd groaning and I

:29:59. > :30:05.thought, I do not believe it. That Ginger Muppet!

:30:06. > :30:13.I seem to remember and I am not advocating this as a policy for

:30:14. > :30:19.losers, but we got extremely drunk. It's nice to have a mate in your

:30:20. > :30:25.corner. Obviously, afterwards for the week after back in Romford I was

:30:26. > :30:32.inconsolable, Barry was great, because he signed Dennis up the

:30:33. > :30:37.following week. This is Barry for you, absolutely. Now you are the El

:30:38. > :30:40.Supremo of the sport the. Things are changing and going well, you are the

:30:41. > :30:46.man who brings us news and I believe you have news this evening, Barry. I

:30:47. > :30:52.couldn't think of a stage that was more appropriate, bearing in mind

:30:53. > :30:57.the history of this room to announce World Snooker's decision today to

:30:58. > :31:01.grant two invitational tour cards for the next two years to two

:31:02. > :31:05.players, multiple ranking winners in their own right, but great

:31:06. > :31:10.ambassador tos are the sport of snooker, so we welcome back as a

:31:11. > :31:14.minimum for two years, Jimmy White and Ken Doherty.

:31:15. > :31:30.APPLAUSE AND CHEERING A more popular decision I don't

:31:31. > :31:35.think you could have this evening. Thank you very much. From the 80s,

:31:36. > :31:38.things were changing, Colin. Absolutely, like with so many sports

:31:39. > :31:42.you think it has reached its peak and along comes somebody else who

:31:43. > :31:50.takes it to the next level. If the 80s belonged to Davis, the 90s

:31:51. > :31:53.belonged to Hendry. I remember obviously I turned

:31:54. > :31:55.professional at 16 thinking, wow, imagine if I got to play at the

:31:56. > :32:08.Crucible. It was snooker for me. The first one is obviously special.

:32:09. > :32:13.It's your ambition to be world champion, it was my ambition.

:32:14. > :32:20.Stephen Hendry, beating Jimmy White by 18-12 to become the youngest ever

:32:21. > :32:25.champion. I won the World Championship when I was 21. That was

:32:26. > :32:33.obviously special and still the youngest to this day. World champion

:32:34. > :32:53.for a second time. The 1993 Embassy world champion.

:32:54. > :32:57.There was a time in the 90s obviously where I felt totally

:32:58. > :33:01.invincible. And almost taking it for granted winning at The Crucible, I

:33:02. > :33:20.just expected to win. Stephen Hendry, once again the best

:33:21. > :33:22.in the world. I played snooker very aggressively, fearlessly, I would

:33:23. > :33:31.like to think I changed the way snooker was played.

:33:32. > :33:42.For the 5th time and a record four times consecutively.

:33:43. > :33:59.Stephen Hendry becomes the Embassy World Snooker Champion for the 6th

:34:00. > :34:04.time. Ray Reardon six times in the 70s, Steve Davis in the 80s, but

:34:05. > :34:09.it's a magnificent seven times for Stephen Hendry in the 90s. To win

:34:10. > :34:13.the 7th world title, obviously to break the record, that was just

:34:14. > :34:19.incredible. Even now when I go there obviously working for the BBC

:34:20. > :34:27.instead of playing, I still think, I would much rather be out there with

:34:28. > :34:29.a cue than a microphone. APPLAUSE

:34:30. > :34:33.I could chat to you for hours, I always love chatting to you. I want

:34:34. > :34:36.to take you back to a young teenager, the youngest ever in here

:34:37. > :34:45.and that year and the next year was very much a battle with Willie

:34:46. > :34:50.Thorne. Yeah, my first appearance was playing Willie, my only aim was

:34:51. > :34:56.not to get embarrassed. I managed to run him close, 10-8 and got that

:34:57. > :35:02.lovely applause, that was lovely. It was just my ambition to play here.

:35:03. > :35:06.Take me to, I want to talk about the relationship with this fantastic

:35:07. > :35:11.crowd. There's no vitriol towards players but we migrate to the

:35:12. > :35:14.underdog and when you are unflappable automatically we all

:35:15. > :35:18.migrate to the other camp, on top of that when you win title after title,

:35:19. > :35:23.you add the other thing to the fact the guy was Jimmy White, did that

:35:24. > :35:28.motivate you? Well, when you come through the curtains it's an amazing

:35:29. > :35:32.place to walk into, it's like a cauldron and when there are boos it

:35:33. > :35:37.can affect you any way, if you use it as a strength, as I did, it can

:35:38. > :35:42.make you play even better. I knew in here that I maybe got half a

:35:43. > :35:47.balcony, Jimmy took four or five with his guests, I maybe had half a

:35:48. > :35:51.one. They were supporting me. About 97% of the rest were for Jimmy, you

:35:52. > :35:54.have to use that as motivation. Your main enemy was not man, it was

:35:55. > :35:57.getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. That

:35:58. > :36:02.nearly scuppered the amount of titles you had. Yeah, the insurance

:36:03. > :36:07.company, you are not allowed to do dangerous sports like skiing and I

:36:08. > :36:11.fractured my elbow going to the toilet in the middle of the night.

:36:12. > :36:16.We talk about the era of players in the 70s and 80s, you did have your

:36:17. > :36:22.own spitting image puppet. Yeah, that was very nice. I liked that!

:36:23. > :36:26.And Very complimentary it was too. You are going to meet a person who

:36:27. > :36:30.has to spend 17 days locked in a room with me.

:36:31. > :36:36.Mind you, there are worse things than spending time in a room with

:36:37. > :36:40.you, I must say. Four finals Jimmy and Steve played together. Jimmy

:36:41. > :36:43.came home empty handed after each one, he remains one of the best

:36:44. > :36:51.loved figures in British sport, ever. Will you please welcome the

:36:52. > :37:00.people's champion, the Whirlwind, Jimmy Whyte.

:37:01. > :37:18.-- White. Nice touch.

:37:19. > :37:24.Jimmy walking towards Barry with a handful of tenners there. But no

:37:25. > :37:28.need. He doesn't take tenners. Bittersweet memories here for you

:37:29. > :37:31.would that be fair? Yeah, you know, for me playing Steve Davis, he was

:37:32. > :37:35.the hardest player to beat and I think monks of the players, Steve's

:37:36. > :37:40.top game, for me, you know, he was such a good long potter and a good

:37:41. > :37:45.positional player. I battled with him for 12 years or something in the

:37:46. > :37:49.amateur and professional. Then Stephen Hendry came along and he was

:37:50. > :37:53.potting them off the lampshades. I vice-president won the World

:37:54. > :37:56.Championships but I am not finished yet. -- I haven't.

:37:57. > :38:02.APPLAUSE This place, this is such a great

:38:03. > :38:07.place for snooker. I have seen snooker go from the top in the 80s,

:38:08. > :38:10.to small decline now, but in the 90s, but now it's in the best shape

:38:11. > :38:14.ever and to be a young professional now is the greatest game to be in. I

:38:15. > :38:18.take it you will be taking up the option of this wild card, tell us

:38:19. > :38:21.yes? I don't know, I have to have a word. No, I will definitely be

:38:22. > :38:23.playing for the next couple of years. That's fantastic. You were

:38:24. > :38:27.still trying to make it here, you were beaten in qualifying and that

:38:28. > :38:32.knocked you off the tour. What for you is the love of the game, why do

:38:33. > :38:36.you still play it all these years? Because occasionally I still get it

:38:37. > :38:41.together and I can beat anybody. Why I still have that game, I keep

:38:42. > :38:45.trying, I love practising. I love doing exhibitions. The game still

:38:46. > :38:52.excites me. It's great to see you in it. We will see you next season.

:38:53. > :38:56.Well played. Colin.

:38:57. > :38:58.Often great sporting moments are accompanied by great sporting

:38:59. > :39:04.commentary and we remember them forever. They think it's all over,

:39:05. > :39:10.it is now. Where were the Germans, frankly, who cared? When you look

:39:11. > :39:18.through four decades one line jumps out to me - good luck, mate!

:39:19. > :39:24.I do remember having a dream a couple of weeks beforehand that I

:39:25. > :39:30.would make a 147 in the World Championship.

:39:31. > :39:36.That's one way of getting them, I suppose. And staying on the black,

:39:37. > :39:40.as well. When I had the opportunity to shoot the first black ball, the

:39:41. > :39:47.balls were actually spread pretty good. These reds are now spread open

:39:48. > :39:52.beautifully. I was sick, actually. I didn't feel

:39:53. > :39:57.all that great. I don't know what I was running on, but anyway, I

:39:58. > :40:03.managed to keep it going. At a stage like this with one red left, he

:40:04. > :40:09.stops, blows his knows, and says, let's have a break. If he can take

:40:10. > :40:20.this red and the black, colours will be on their spots. I was thinking

:40:21. > :40:23.positive. Keep rolling! They have actually stopped playing

:40:24. > :40:31.on the other table. This is the shot to get on the

:40:32. > :40:36.yellow. It hasn't come far enough.

:40:37. > :40:38.He has left himself a tough shot but 15 reds and 15 blacks he has taken

:40:39. > :40:57.now. When I got to the black at the very

:40:58. > :41:02.end I felt comfortable enough to say to myself that I wanted to pot the

:41:03. > :41:12.black and not even have the black ball touch the sides of the pocket.

:41:13. > :41:21.Good luck, mate! Oh, wonderful! That is really truly wonderful. A

:41:22. > :41:29.magic moment, a defining moment for me.

:41:30. > :41:35.Wonderful memories, cliff. And, you know, to think it all started with a

:41:36. > :41:40.fluke. The commentary team didn't start talking about a maximum for

:41:41. > :41:44.fear of jinxing until you potted the 8th red, at what point did you think

:41:45. > :41:48.it was on? Probably after the first three or four reds because the balls

:41:49. > :41:58.were spread beautifully. Like I said, I had a dream about two weeks

:41:59. > :42:01.before that and the dream was that I fluked the first black ball

:42:02. > :42:05.actually, and the cue ball hit the black and then it hit the end

:42:06. > :42:08.cushion and came and landed right in the middle of all the reds and

:42:09. > :42:14.spread them out like that and it was the same kind of thing. In fact, I

:42:15. > :42:17.had done it before. Extraordinary. With one red left, ladies and

:42:18. > :42:21.gentlemen, you had the presence of mind and the discipline to stop,

:42:22. > :42:28.take a breath, blow your nose and go back to it. How did you do that? I

:42:29. > :42:32.didn't want to drop to my knees with stuff all over my face, I didn't

:42:33. > :42:37.think it would look... It was bothering me, so I had to stop and

:42:38. > :42:41.of course I stopped and walked back to the table and saw Terry having

:42:42. > :42:48.his tea and cookies there and that was reassuring for me. The key ball

:42:49. > :42:51.thereafter was the yellow. Is it in the right place? This was missable,

:42:52. > :42:54.particularly in the circumstances, was it not?

:42:55. > :42:58.Sorry, Steve, I would rather have had your shot!

:42:59. > :43:04.Bear in mind, ladies and gentlemen, that no televised 147 had been

:43:05. > :43:08.achieved. Steve Davis had win one, but it was to win a car and I think

:43:09. > :43:13.there was a strike at the time, and it wasn't televised. This was a big

:43:14. > :43:23.moment for Cliff. Thanks, whoever thought this up. This is great!

:43:24. > :43:32.LAUGHTER This is get even time for somebody.

:43:33. > :43:36.But my golf is good. OK. Why I shot it this way is because, if I was to

:43:37. > :43:44.run it through I would end up on the cushion there. And then I thought I

:43:45. > :43:51.could play. And play it with the left-hand side and... I am not sure

:43:52. > :44:02.about this one here. OK. The side comes out. Ronnie, you know what to

:44:03. > :44:06.do. OK. You did it at the time. It's important that I explain this.

:44:07. > :44:10.Absolutely. I get you. Or else I will start to break from the very

:44:11. > :44:14.beginning and it's up to you. OK. Or else I play it with the right-hand

:44:15. > :44:26.side. This is... Holy smokes! You see, this is the reason why I

:44:27. > :44:32.didn't play it one of these three ways. Precisely. I thought about

:44:33. > :44:36.that. You know how I think. Cliff, you did it when it counted and

:44:37. > :44:40.that's all that counted. He is going to have another go. There is no

:44:41. > :44:46.stopping him now! This is the shot. Third time lucky.

:44:47. > :44:54.I seldom played it with stung run-through. I got a short back

:44:55. > :45:03.swing. It's a long story. This is... Oh, gee! Seriously. Why you got

:45:04. > :45:15.these things hanging out? Yellow ball. This is the last shot.

:45:16. > :45:25.APPLAUSE AND CHEERING And he's beautifully on it.

:45:26. > :45:25.Fantastic, Cliff. Thank you very much.

:45:26. > :45:32.Thank you. All right. Well, there already has

:45:33. > :45:37.been a 147 here in Sheffield this week. Gary Wilson has achieved that.

:45:38. > :45:40.He did it in qualifying tournament, it was one of eight centuries that

:45:41. > :45:44.you made, Gary. A second career maximum for you. Congratulations.

:45:45. > :45:48.You are a debutant. What do you make of the prospect of playing here?

:45:49. > :45:51.It's amazing. I have been here to watch a few times and it's great

:45:52. > :45:54.even spectating, but to be here and play for the first time is

:45:55. > :45:58.unbelievable. Tell me about being here the first time. I was actually

:45:59. > :46:02.here when I was nine years old in 95. I managed to come out into the

:46:03. > :46:07.arena and they used to have the globes by the seats and got photos

:46:08. > :46:10.taken, as if the globe was on top of my head. It was brilliant experience

:46:11. > :46:13.to come and see everything back stage and I remember meeting the

:46:14. > :46:19.players and things in the press room, it was unbelievable from that

:46:20. > :46:22.age. The award is a match against Ronnie O'Sullivan, that's a reward.

:46:23. > :46:25.Yeah, it's obviously one of the best draws, I am delighted and going to

:46:26. > :46:28.go out there and give it my best and enjoy the whole experience. We wish

:46:29. > :46:40.you the best of luck. Gary Wilson, ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

:46:41. > :46:44.APPLAUSE Well, many people would say why

:46:45. > :46:48.Sheffield and The Crucible? It started in 76. A sports promoter was

:46:49. > :46:51.looking after the championship and had taken it on the road for years

:46:52. > :46:54.but he was looking for a permanent home and his wife came here to watch

:46:55. > :46:58.a theatre production and went home that evening and said, I think I

:46:59. > :47:07.have found you a venue. Carole, you were absolutely right. 40 years

:47:08. > :47:11.later, Sheffield is snooker city. Sheffield, former steel city to boom

:47:12. > :47:15.town N the past 40 years it has survived the demise of its core

:47:16. > :47:24.industries, to become one of the most fashionable and economically

:47:25. > :47:28.attractive regions of the country. There are plans to open hi-tech

:47:29. > :47:34.manufacturing plants here. Sheffield is enjoying a rennaissance.

:47:35. > :47:38.I think we need to show how this great city, this region has changed.

:47:39. > :47:43.Has learned from the past, but has took values and put them into a

:47:44. > :47:47.modern setting. You can never deny your past, but you can learn from it

:47:48. > :47:54.and I believe Sheffield has learned from that past. By April 1976 the

:47:55. > :48:00.city was making a better -- bitter passage to a post-industrial future.

:48:01. > :48:03.While across the pen nice the snooker World Championship also

:48:04. > :48:10.faced an uncertain future. -- Pennines. Amid criticism the

:48:11. > :48:13.championship that year was played in both Manchester and Middlesbrough.

:48:14. > :48:17.The sport was looking for a place to call home.

:48:18. > :48:23.It found a welcome in South Yorkshire.

:48:24. > :48:31.It was always, I think, extremely friendly city, but it was a very

:48:32. > :48:36.industrial city. It was mainly built around the industry of the

:48:37. > :48:39.steelworks, but also around the neighbourhoods, the mining industry,

:48:40. > :48:43.as well. Against this backdrop Sheffield Council had decided to

:48:44. > :48:50.construct a consro version new theatre. . -- controversial. The

:48:51. > :48:55.Crucible opened in 1971. Six years later, it entered a televised

:48:56. > :48:59.marriage with snooker. Going into a theatre was obviously

:49:00. > :49:04.quite a revolutionary thing to do. One thing that sticks in my mind was

:49:05. > :49:08.the amount of beer that was drank, I understand, at that time they drank

:49:09. > :49:15.in one night, the allocation for a fortnight. The world champion 1977,

:49:16. > :49:21.John Spencer... Everyone knows it's been here for 40 years. The dates

:49:22. > :49:25.have never changed. That's the sort of remarkable achievement. It's

:49:26. > :49:30.vital, not only for the business of the theatre, but it's vital for the

:49:31. > :49:35.business of the city, as well. It put Sheffield right on the world

:49:36. > :49:39.stage and of course it's good for the economy, the local economy,

:49:40. > :49:43.around ?5 million plus a year. I think it actually brings in tourists

:49:44. > :49:47.that come in, not necessarily just to see the snooker, because it's a

:49:48. > :49:52.great place to be during that particular period. Of course, it

:49:53. > :49:56.brings those people back. It is estimated snooker has brought around

:49:57. > :50:00.?70 million to Sheffield, which has fought off other cities bidding to

:50:01. > :50:04.host the World Championship. Snooker found its spiritual home and helped

:50:05. > :50:10.Sheffield become a leading centre for sport and a city renewed. In

:50:11. > :50:16.1977 it was, you know, like working men's clubs, around the city in the

:50:17. > :50:20.suburbs and the neighbourhoods, and now we have a vibrant bars and

:50:21. > :50:24.restaurant city centre. It was a working class sport and one that I

:50:25. > :50:28.think was embraced as far as Sheffield was concerned for the

:50:29. > :50:31.world snooker championships and tlas no doubt that in the proceeding 40

:50:32. > :50:39.years it's become the world of snooker. It's the home of snooker.

:50:40. > :50:43.Julie, the leader of Sheffield Council, we might be fixated as BBC

:50:44. > :50:47.and euro sport on what happens in the tables but you just need to walk

:50:48. > :50:52.through this city over a period of three weeks and see what it means to

:50:53. > :50:56.the entire city of Sheffield. Of course it does and there is a real

:50:57. > :51:01.buzz about the place. I have also said that Sheffield is a great city

:51:02. > :51:04.but also for the people in it, Sheffield people are very proud

:51:05. > :51:09.people and we need to feel really proud of our city and I think world

:51:10. > :51:14.snooker brings that pride to Sheffield, even for people that

:51:15. > :51:16.don't actually come to see the snooker during that period, they

:51:17. > :51:19.really feel part of it because they're proud to be here and they're

:51:20. > :51:24.proud to be a Sheffielder. I am not going to take a side, we have two

:51:25. > :51:32.great football teams in this city. We have also got in the modern era,

:51:33. > :51:37.we see it as the sporting of centre excellence, Yorkshire can win more

:51:38. > :51:40.Olympic medal than most countries, but important was the Crucible at

:51:41. > :51:45.the beginning of that as Sheffield being seen as a sporting city?

:51:46. > :51:49.Sheffield's always been seen as a steel city, the city of steel but

:51:50. > :51:55.also it is now known as the city of sport. It's absolutely the city of

:51:56. > :51:58.sport. As you were saying, we have two great football teams and

:51:59. > :52:05.hopefully shortly one will be going up into the Premiership and one into

:52:06. > :52:11.the championship. But Sheffield, we are gold medallists, Jessica and you

:52:12. > :52:14.are right and you are right about Yorkshire, Sheffield is a very proud

:52:15. > :52:19.and we are very proud of the heritage and sport is a real major

:52:20. > :52:24.part of that heritage for us. Snooker, being here for 40 years,

:52:25. > :52:29.it's just fabulous for the city and again I hope that we look forward to

:52:30. > :52:34.another 40 years of it. I am going to send you about ten yards over

:52:35. > :52:38.that way, because 40 years, it sounds good but I tell you what, 50

:52:39. > :52:44.has a beautiful ring to it. It sure does. Ruby anniversary.

:52:45. > :52:49.Golden anniversary, would you like to make formal the enduring

:52:50. > :52:52.commitment between the sport and the city, because these lovely people

:52:53. > :52:57.are about to sign documents which will keep this great championship

:52:58. > :53:00.here at the Crucible and in the city for another ten years at the very

:53:01. > :53:05.least! Until 2027.

:53:06. > :53:13.APPLAUSE They're putting pen to paper on what

:53:14. > :53:18.is now a guaranteed 50 years of history here at The Crucible for

:53:19. > :53:28.world snooker. Congratulations.

:53:29. > :53:31.Here's to the next ten and beyond. Another decade of champions, to be

:53:32. > :53:35.added to what we have seen tonight and to have them all in this room

:53:36. > :53:39.tonight, so many of them, it's a list of absolute legends. We talked

:53:40. > :53:43.to people who have won it seven times and six times and five, but

:53:44. > :53:53.the beauty of the World Championship is you only need to win it once.

:53:54. > :53:54.A former bus conductor and insurance agent, now world-class professional

:53:55. > :54:20.snooker star. The world title for the first time

:54:21. > :54:29.going across the water to Canada. I am sure you will agree he is a

:54:30. > :54:33.great champion. Yes, he has, as they say in Canada, he is grounded, but

:54:34. > :54:40.he grounds very hard. Every player's ambition when they turn professional

:54:41. > :54:45.is to become world champion. It's just impossible to put into words

:54:46. > :54:49.how I felt after being a professional for 13 years, to

:54:50. > :54:55.eventually have rolled that black in and I think it said it all the way I

:54:56. > :54:59.reacted. The crowd here at The Cruise us are going mad for

:55:00. > :55:06.Bradford's Joe Johnson. - Crucible. I showed no signs of

:55:07. > :55:10.ever threatening to win the title. My thoughts really were I hope I

:55:11. > :55:16.don't get completely destroyed. I just didn't want to make a fool of

:55:17. > :55:22.myself. To have my father there, as well, he

:55:23. > :55:25.came out into the venue and the managers and my wife was there. A

:55:26. > :55:29.very special feeling. I would like to have enjoyed it a little bit more

:55:30. > :55:38.but you are so buzzed up with winning you forget about that part

:55:39. > :55:43.of it. It was very special. Ken Doherty thoroughly deserves the

:55:44. > :55:48.World Championship title. It still gives me goosebumps even talking

:55:49. > :55:53.about it, because it wasn't even the magic of winning the trophy, it was

:55:54. > :56:02.the magic of taking it back to Ireland. Well done, Peter Ebdon, you

:56:03. > :56:13.are the Embassy champion of the world! 2002. A big rising star is

:56:14. > :56:17.born here. Shaun Murphy has beaten Matthew

:56:18. > :56:36.Stevens to win the Embassy World Championship.

:56:37. > :56:43.To win it, especially being first Australian to be world champion and

:56:44. > :56:48.first joer overseas champion since cliff won it, it's great to join

:56:49. > :56:55.those players in the history books. It's a lap of honour. Enjoy every

:56:56. > :56:56.minute of it, Stuart. You deserve this world title that

:56:57. > :57:14.you have waited so long for. And our hero from two years ago

:57:15. > :57:20.joins us now, Stuart Bingham, as he said, win Irwiner, chicken dinner,

:57:21. > :57:23.one of the great lines after. The oldest winner since 1940s. You have

:57:24. > :57:29.been in the game 20 years, what took you so long, Stuart? Thanks for

:57:30. > :57:32.that! To give everyone else a chance, but yeah, obviously, on the

:57:33. > :57:38.road for 20 years as a pro, it's a long time coming. I remember the

:57:39. > :57:42.first time here, I played Stephen Hendry in 2,000 and I just felt

:57:43. > :57:46.there I had the vibes of I could do this one day and took me 15 years

:57:47. > :57:53.more, but I got here eventually. You did and 15 years later you came as a

:57:54. > :57:57.50-1 shot, I wonder if there was an inkling, you had never been past the

:57:58. > :58:01.quarter-finals at that point, did you get a hint there might be

:58:02. > :58:04.something on that year. I had a fantastic year, won three

:58:05. > :58:07.tournaments coming into it, the previous tournaments I got to a

:58:08. > :58:12.couple of semis, so I knew I was hitting the balls as good as anyone

:58:13. > :58:15.and it clicked here for me. Again the Crucible curse struck. A

:58:16. > :58:18.first-time champion, the following year, but as you come back in this

:58:19. > :58:22.time you have just won another big event earlier in the season. Are you

:58:23. > :58:27.a much more relaxed for that coming into the Crucible this time?

:58:28. > :58:32.Definitely. Obviously the Crucible curse got me. But obviously a

:58:33. > :58:36.massive learning curve for me. But it was a dream just to come here as

:58:37. > :58:39.defending champion. OK. 13 men have won it twice. You are hoping to

:58:40. > :58:45.become the next. Good luck, Stuart. Thank you very much.

:58:46. > :58:50.Colin. John and Ken are with me. John, I

:58:51. > :58:55.wonder when you are regarded as a top player and year after year goes

:58:56. > :59:00.by and you don't win, yours was the 8th time of asking, a big drubbing

:59:01. > :59:03.in the final earlier, do pockets shrink and the pressure grow?

:59:04. > :59:06.Obviously, you hope you are going to win it one day. The final, what I am

:59:07. > :59:12.pleased about more than anything when I look back is the final and

:59:13. > :59:18.the drubbing, which I fully deserved, I had to put that to the

:59:19. > :59:22.back of my mind, two years later back to the same table, and that's

:59:23. > :59:26.probably the finest achievement, he forgets by the way I beat him 16-10

:59:27. > :59:29.in that semifinal. That was the finest thing and obviously to beat

:59:30. > :59:33.Jimmy in the final. You are always aware you are never going to win it.

:59:34. > :59:38.But no venue like this and when you win here it's very special. You are

:59:39. > :59:41.standing on milk crates and playing snooker as boys in halls and there

:59:42. > :59:45.you are winning the world title. I remember when you think back to that

:59:46. > :59:49.year, it was Terry's last professional game, the quickest ever

:59:50. > :59:53.century from Ronnie O'Sullivan. Can you close your eyes and remember

:59:54. > :59:58.that moment when you won it or do you do you have to watch it back?

:59:59. > :00:06.Sometimes, I started on a biscuit tin, I stopped that after a few

:00:07. > :00:09.years. Just recently. But it was, I grew up watching snooker and the

:00:10. > :00:15.World Championship on Pot black and I always wanted to be here. When

:00:16. > :00:20.Dennis won it in 85 and Higgins in 82, they were inspirations for kids

:00:21. > :00:23.all over Ireland. And to win it and emulate what they did was fantastic.

:00:24. > :00:27.Dreams, that's what dreams are made of.

:00:28. > :00:33.In terms of dreams, you have been one of the biggest Everton fans,

:00:34. > :00:37.John, so it must have been brilliant to go back and parade the World

:00:38. > :00:42.Championship trophy around Goodison Park. It would have been if they

:00:43. > :00:46.hadn't been away! I was invited to take it to Anfield and I paraded

:00:47. > :00:51.round there. Some of the Everton fans have never forgiven me. They

:00:52. > :00:57.said, this is for the people of Liverpool. I took it there that day

:00:58. > :01:00.and they were fantastic. It had been quiet that year in Merseyside and we

:01:01. > :01:04.had an won any trophies, so I was the only one to get one. It is

:01:05. > :01:11.something I will never forget. You look back at the home towns. In

:01:12. > :01:16.Dublin, you had a positive effect too. 250,000 people lined the

:01:17. > :01:21.streets. I didn't realise I had such a big family! Just bringing the

:01:22. > :01:26.trophy back in an open top bus, it was just fantastic. One funny thing

:01:27. > :01:29.that happened, when I got there, there was a big reception in the

:01:30. > :01:35.Mansion house, the Lord Mayor's house, in Dublin. Someone said to

:01:36. > :01:39.me, between the hours of seven and ten in the final session of the

:01:40. > :01:45.final, we didn't have one call in the central police station in

:01:46. > :01:48.Dublin. And he said to me, the girls in the switchboard were ringing the

:01:49. > :01:54.main switchboard saying, is there something wrong with our phones? And

:01:55. > :01:58.they said, no, everyone is watching this joker. He said, you should be

:01:59. > :02:06.on telly more often, you make my job easier! So, I stopped crying in

:02:07. > :02:10.Dublin for three hours. When it comes to 40 years of the Crucible,

:02:11. > :02:59.most of the crimes in here have been fashion.

:03:00. > :03:08.Dominic and Dominic, what did you do? A man who was always beautifully

:03:09. > :03:13.attired, especially with those spats, UK men is a 150-1 outsider.

:03:14. > :03:16.Take us through that fairy tale tournament, and what remains

:03:17. > :03:21.clearest in your memory from that amazing run that year? I was only

:03:22. > :03:28.one? I thought it would have been more. It is every player's dream, as

:03:29. > :03:33.everybody has said, and nobody expects to win, especially if you

:03:34. > :03:36.haven't won it before. If you have won it previously, then it is in

:03:37. > :03:41.your mind and you know you can do it. As far as I was concerned, I

:03:42. > :03:45.wanted to win a match here because I had never done that, and it was

:03:46. > :03:49.incredible that I won a match, and all of a sudden, I felt part of the

:03:50. > :03:57.tournament, and that was the first time ever. You nearly won it again

:03:58. > :04:01.the next year. There was a T-shirt you wore around a venue, just after

:04:02. > :04:05.the Bradford fire disaster at the club, and you were a proud man from

:04:06. > :04:10.Bradford. What did that T-shirt say? We needed some good news from

:04:11. > :04:15.Bradford. When I won the World Championship and went back there,

:04:16. > :04:20.the Civic reception was fantastic. During the championship I wore a

:04:21. > :04:24.T-shirt that said Bradford's bouncing back, and we really did

:04:25. > :04:28.bounceback that year. Might make you did, indeed. And you have been a

:04:29. > :04:34.proud son of the town ever since. Joe Johnson, thank you very much.

:04:35. > :04:41.APPLAUSE Six years after Joe won that title,

:04:42. > :04:47.1992 was a year which would prove to be highly significant for snooker,

:04:48. > :04:49.because in that year, three of the Crucible's most decorated champions

:04:50. > :04:59.all turned professional, the stars of the Golden generation.

:05:00. > :05:02.It is hard to believe that so many players hit form at the same time

:05:03. > :05:10.and the standards were being pushed ever further, but Ronnie O'Sullivan,

:05:11. > :05:14.John Higgins, Stephen Hendry, all in the mix at that time. Stephen was

:05:15. > :05:18.trying to hold onto his position, but these new kids on the block were

:05:19. > :05:23.coming through, producing astonishing snooker in the 90s and

:05:24. > :05:26.the 2000s, and it is very rare that you get those types of players all

:05:27. > :05:35.coming at the same time. It is almost like the gold in a row of

:05:36. > :05:38.talent. They were the three that you would be looking for in every

:05:39. > :05:45.tournament. The battles they have had have been fantastic. Even though

:05:46. > :05:52.it wasn't considered to be the golden period in the 90s, the 80s

:05:53. > :05:58.had that mantle, but from the fans' perspective, it was by far the most

:05:59. > :06:04.exciting time. It wasn't nice, but cos they stopped me winning a lot

:06:05. > :06:10.more of the major tournaments, and I have been beaten in finals by all of

:06:11. > :06:15.them. Very prodigious talents, different personalities, but once on

:06:16. > :06:21.the snooker table, they were, you know, complete assassins. Ronnie

:06:22. > :06:26.O'Sullivan has been the most amazing gift to snooker I think we've ever

:06:27. > :06:29.had, just an astonishing character, and an astonishing player. And

:06:30. > :06:36.probably the biggest genius we've ever seen at a snooker table. To

:06:37. > :06:41.come back after a year out and win the title is he dead, I just thought

:06:42. > :06:46.it was extraordinary. I know the word genius is used a lot, but he is

:06:47. > :06:55.a genius on the snooker table. I think, of all the players, and when

:06:56. > :07:02.I talk to Ronnie about certain players, he has the utmost respect

:07:03. > :07:08.for John Higgins. John Higgins to the level of match play snooker to a

:07:09. > :07:11.level higher than perhaps I had done. The best all-rounder in the

:07:12. > :07:17.game of snooker, and whether you will see as good an all-rounder

:07:18. > :07:22.again is arguable. No department that had a weakness, fabulous match

:07:23. > :07:27.player, tough to play against, scored heavily, a work ethic,

:07:28. > :07:37.everything you would want, and a brilliant temperament on top of

:07:38. > :07:40.that. He has won five... Theresa he hated to lose, which was a

:07:41. > :07:45.motivation in itself for John Higgins. When we came through as

:07:46. > :07:49.youngsters, Steve Davis is quoted that someone asked him who he

:07:50. > :07:55.thought was best, John Higgins or Ronnie O'Sullivan. He said, I think

:07:56. > :08:03.Ronnie has more talent, but if I had to pick one who was playing for his

:08:04. > :08:07.life, I would pick John Higgins. Mark Williams, I think, has been an

:08:08. > :08:12.astonishing competitive in the game of snooker. I wouldn't necessarily

:08:13. > :08:15.have thought he was guaranteed to be a champion when he first came onto

:08:16. > :08:19.the scene. He didn't necessarily look like he had all the attributes.

:08:20. > :08:25.But what he has got, and he had at that time, is a fierce competitive

:08:26. > :08:37.instinct that you cannot teach, and granite under pressure. One of the

:08:38. > :08:41.best potters I have seen alive. He has not won as many as Ronnie and

:08:42. > :08:46.John, but different characters, which I think added to it as well.

:08:47. > :08:50.John Higgins with this great determination, the laid-back

:08:51. > :08:58.Welshman as well, sauntering around the table knocking the ball is in.

:08:59. > :09:01.That temperament, above all else, he could be bombarded and barrage by

:09:02. > :09:09.breaks but just came back. A fabulous, fabulous player. The

:09:10. > :09:13.record among all of them is phenomenal. To do it year after year

:09:14. > :09:18.for so many years, and even now, that three of them still in the top

:09:19. > :09:21.16 in the world after 20- odd years as professionals, it is quite

:09:22. > :09:27.incredible. More often than not, they are at the business end of most

:09:28. > :09:33.tournaments. We won't see that again, because I think we are

:09:34. > :09:41.struggling to have younger players come through alone, let alone in

:09:42. > :09:49.twos and threes. You will never get three like them again, no chance.

:09:50. > :09:54.APPLAUSE To make men who between them had 11

:09:55. > :09:57.world titles - Ronnie O'Sullivan, Ray Reardon.

:09:58. > :10:01.You work together when you won the second of your titles, Ronnie, 2004,

:10:02. > :10:07.aided and abetted by this gentleman here. But when did you first become

:10:08. > :10:13.a way of the feats of Ray and those who went before? I suppose it was

:10:14. > :10:19.when I was watching Davis winning in the 80s. My dad sat me down at ten

:10:20. > :10:22.and said, if you want to be a champion, look no further than Steve

:10:23. > :10:26.Davis. That was when I started to look at records and who I wanted to

:10:27. > :10:30.be like. You don't grasp it until you come to the Crucible and

:10:31. > :10:33.experience the atmosphere, then you look at how many times their players

:10:34. > :10:39.have won it, and you see his name five times, Davies several times,

:10:40. > :10:44.and you think, wow, they are legends and you are happy to be amongst

:10:45. > :10:50.them. It must've been a great thrill for you in 2004, and it is a

:10:51. > :10:56.different spot. You were holding down different jobs at the same

:10:57. > :11:00.time, when you? It was a pleasure. He had a phone call from his dad.

:11:01. > :11:03.His dad said to me, what do you think of my son? Should he be

:11:04. > :11:10.winning more tournaments than he is? I said, yes, but we don't want a

:11:11. > :11:18.triangular talk. Get him to ring me. Which he did do, some months later.

:11:19. > :11:23.When we met up, it was fantastic. He was in the practice room when I

:11:24. > :11:26.arrived here, and he put his hand out to shake hands, and I

:11:27. > :11:29.disregarded his hand and gave him a hug like this. And that's how the

:11:30. > :11:36.relationship went. APPLAUSE

:11:37. > :11:42.He gave me ten years to my life, made me ten years younger. Thank you

:11:43. > :11:46.very much, it was a pleasure. The trouble was, there was nothing I

:11:47. > :11:51.could teach him about potting balls. There is no one who can pop more

:11:52. > :11:54.balls than this man. He had more control of the white ball than I

:11:55. > :11:58.have seen, but the thing was, how can I get him to enjoy playing

:11:59. > :12:07.defensively? Because he didn't like it was he an attacking player. One

:12:08. > :12:12.day, he said to me, I want a bit of practice on the defence, and we went

:12:13. > :12:18.into a defensive situation. People say to me, you are a defensive

:12:19. > :12:20.player. You'd don't win six world titles on the defence, that's for

:12:21. > :12:26.certain! APPLAUSE

:12:27. > :12:30.I like it, Ray. Ronnie, you have had an up-and-down relationship with the

:12:31. > :12:34.Crucible, but I wonder, as you are maturing into your 40s now, is the

:12:35. > :12:39.enjoyment factor higher, coming back to the Crucible? I was sitting next

:12:40. > :12:52.to John, and he asked if I still get a as these days, and I think it is

:12:53. > :13:00.more. -- if I still get a buzz these days. And it is true, I still do.

:13:01. > :13:05.John Higgins preferred it when he was younger. Swings and roundabouts.

:13:06. > :13:10.This man won the last of his titles at 45, so you still have a way to

:13:11. > :13:15.go. The truth is, when we are sitting on

:13:16. > :13:19.the sofa doing punditry, any chance that Ronnie has the wax lyrical

:13:20. > :13:23.about you, he does it. We watched the last bit of video where we have

:13:24. > :13:29.so many greats of the game who are here tonight paying homage to your

:13:30. > :13:36.all-round game, which must be humbling. Steve Davis was my hero

:13:37. > :13:39.growing up, then there was Stephen Hendry from Scotland, who was a good

:13:40. > :13:42.example to the Scottish boys. So come and play your he rose at the

:13:43. > :13:47.best venue, it's an unbelievable feeling. Do you get more

:13:48. > :13:52.philosophical as you get older? Do you drive to the Crucible and think,

:13:53. > :13:58.what will be will be? Or do you last and crave for that trophy as much as

:13:59. > :14:04.you did as a teenager? I was sitting next Ronnie, and he said, these

:14:05. > :14:11.pockets look really tight. I don't know what is going to happen over

:14:12. > :14:15.the weekend. Listen, I have been so lucky to have won it a few times,

:14:16. > :14:19.and it's a great feeling to come and win it, and you would love to try

:14:20. > :14:24.and play well again and see what happens. Any chance we could have

:14:25. > :14:29.David Higgins 147 at the Crucible, please? I would love that. I don't

:14:30. > :14:33.think I have ever been close. Ronnie has had five, the same with Stephen,

:14:34. > :14:36.but there were so much pressure playing here, just to win frames,

:14:37. > :14:41.never mind to take the maximum, so you take your hat off to the players

:14:42. > :14:46.do that. A golden generation, they are not done yet.

:14:47. > :14:50.The man they are all trying to beat is the current world number one Mark

:14:51. > :14:55.Selby. Come what may, over the next two weeks, he will end the season as

:14:56. > :15:01.world number one for a six time, and he is trying to pick up the trophy

:15:02. > :15:05.for a third time in four years. I have known him since he was 14,

:15:06. > :15:11.and his improvement has been second to none. Sincerely, he was never

:15:12. > :15:18.going to be a top 16 player, for me, because he used to cue this far away

:15:19. > :15:20.from the Cuba. When he got close, he improved 40 points overnight. He is

:15:21. > :15:29.consistent and has an excellent second game. Other players, when

:15:30. > :15:32.they are not playing well, go out on the first round, but he seems to

:15:33. > :15:38.scrape through matches and get to the quarterfinals and semifinals

:15:39. > :15:46.regularly. It is so hard to dominate these days. The great players in the

:15:47. > :15:51.past, they'd emanated again, but that is impossible now. If it was

:15:52. > :15:55.that easy, everyone would do it, but to keep making 70s and 80s to win

:15:56. > :15:59.frames, you can't do it all the time. COMMENTATOR: Mark Selby makes

:16:00. > :16:02.one of the best comebacks I have seen for many years, and he wins the

:16:03. > :16:08.World Championship for the very first time. You would have to scrape

:16:09. > :16:15.him off the table, and it means his opponent needs to have such mental

:16:16. > :16:27.stamina to stay with him and keep the con... Competition. Your mental

:16:28. > :16:33.strength gets tested. He is the man to beat, number one in the rankings.

:16:34. > :16:37.There is probably not going to be anyone who can catch for at least

:16:38. > :16:40.another year or 18 months. He is the one raising the bar at the moment,

:16:41. > :16:45.and it is up to the rest of us to make up that gap. He has a great

:16:46. > :16:51.personality, loves everything in life. He has a family now, so what

:16:52. > :16:57.is not to like about him? The greatest player to come from

:16:58. > :17:04.Leicester, which I hate saying! I love the guy. The man standing in

:17:05. > :17:07.his way tomorrow is Fergal O'Brien. OK, we now know you have carved out

:17:08. > :17:14.a bit of your own history with the longest rain never. When I liked it

:17:15. > :17:19.or not! I love the fact that you're here. Just talk me through how close

:17:20. > :17:29.you have been. Five times in a row - complete heartbreak. It is so

:17:30. > :17:35.nerve-racking qualifying to get here, and I have lost five times in

:17:36. > :17:40.the final. When it got to 9-9, literally, the fear of making

:17:41. > :17:45.another mistake to go back to my room like a zombie, haunted.

:17:46. > :17:51.Watching it on telly, demean break demented, for weeks. I took a little

:17:52. > :17:57.bit longer than I needed to or should have, but finally, I got

:17:58. > :17:59.through. All that emotion I was going through, regardless of the

:18:00. > :18:05.pressure to qualify, but I promise tomorrow I will be a lot better. I

:18:06. > :18:11.think that answer was about two hours and three minutes! The best of

:18:12. > :18:15.luck to you who knows, this is where dreams are made. Absolutely. At

:18:16. > :18:22.least I'm here! Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson, you

:18:23. > :18:29.two have scaled this Crucible summit once. How difficult is it to do it

:18:30. > :18:37.again? Yellow and I don't know! I've tried -- I don't know! I've tried. I

:18:38. > :18:41.don't know how I did it. It gets more and more difficult every year.

:18:42. > :18:44.I'm sure we would agree that those players who have won it multiple

:18:45. > :18:48.times, they are different breed. You have an appreciation for them, and

:18:49. > :18:52.in terms of your own performers, Neil, because you are the most

:18:53. > :18:55.successful player from outside the shores who has ever played a game,

:18:56. > :19:00.and you have this wonderful memory from 2010 will stop can you describe

:19:01. > :19:04.what it is like to get over the line in this venue? Yeah, it is

:19:05. > :19:08.something... I've got to say, Cliff must have been an absolute nightmare

:19:09. > :19:14.to play, because look at the handprint he has made on the table.

:19:15. > :19:22.That is just two three shots! He is right. The table fitters will have a

:19:23. > :19:27.few problems. It is just incredible, really. What topped it off was my

:19:28. > :19:32.mum left a voice mail saying that she had booked a flight to come over

:19:33. > :19:36.for the final, and obviously something I'll never forget. I've

:19:37. > :19:42.been smiling my dad over every year since, and he has brought bad luck

:19:43. > :19:46.every year! He is coming over again, and it would be wonderful if I could

:19:47. > :19:50.have a really good run here for him. Don't worry, we will bar the doors!

:19:51. > :19:58.We wish you all the very best for the next 17 days. Colin, we have the

:19:59. > :20:05.trophy over here, which has been played for the last 90 years, bought

:20:06. > :20:07.by Joe Davis in 1927. Doing that introduction at the start of the

:20:08. > :20:12.programme, we were so afraid we would trip over our words and get it

:20:13. > :20:16.wrong. It was so nerve-racking. But the thing that trophy... All the

:20:17. > :20:22.different personalities and megastars over 40 years, this is

:20:23. > :20:25.what humbles everyone, to get your hands on this after 17 days, and it

:20:26. > :20:33.is just magical to be this close to it. The lady on the top, who will be

:20:34. > :20:40.giving her a peck on the cheek in 17 days? We will find out. We will add

:20:41. > :20:41.17 days' worth of memories to the archive, but we have added a few

:20:42. > :21:21.tonight. It has been a great night. Well, I don't know about you, but

:21:22. > :21:27.thoroughly enjoyable watching all that, and watching the legends. How

:21:28. > :21:30.much did you enjoy that? It looked like a wonderful evening. A great

:21:31. > :21:34.atmosphere in the room. The camaraderie amongst the players was

:21:35. > :21:39.great. We have all competed over the years, but we are all friends and we

:21:40. > :21:47.have the same common bond. In the room, the bonhomie was amazing. We

:21:48. > :21:51.shared a love of the Crucible, the World Championship, the history and

:21:52. > :21:56.the nostalgia, and the camaraderie. As Steve said, playing each other,

:21:57. > :22:00.so many great memories, and the music that used to get the juices

:22:01. > :22:04.going. In the dressing room, that musically you stay here all those

:22:05. > :22:09.years ago, just fantastic. The reason we showed you that is because

:22:10. > :22:18.our matches this afternoon finished slightly prematurely. Mark Selby won

:22:19. > :22:27.13-6. Baron Hawkins finished early too, beating Graeme Dott 13-6 also.

:22:28. > :22:33.At 7pm, attention turns to Marco Fu, taking on Neil Robinson. Hazel will

:22:34. > :22:35.be back with that live at 7pm on BBC Two. In the meantime, Robbo has been

:22:36. > :23:01.driving with Steve Davis. Just two. I thought there would be

:23:02. > :23:05.the whole crew. Yellow might just me and you. No one will be listening to

:23:06. > :23:20.any of the stuff that comes out of us. Righty Ho. I have been studying

:23:21. > :23:28.my old fashioned a to Z. Is it true that you used to have arcade

:23:29. > :23:36.machines? Backing the? Yes. At the time, Barry Hearn, apart from

:23:37. > :23:39.managing me and snooker clubs, he had a business renting out fruit

:23:40. > :23:47.machines, so all the games at that time, you had Space Invaders,

:23:48. > :23:59.Defender, and everybody became addicted to them. That was green! It

:24:00. > :24:04.was his fault. So we had a room on the top floor of the Grosvenor

:24:05. > :24:11.Hotel. It's just rubble now, that hotel. We had one room full of

:24:12. > :24:16.arcade games. Wow. You would get four or five days off in the early

:24:17. > :24:19.rounds. In the end, we had to put a doorman honoured because the other

:24:20. > :24:26.players wanted coming. We were selling tickets and everything.

:24:27. > :24:34.Great fun. -- Dorman on eight. You got caught up, as my kids did, and I

:24:35. > :24:43.love watching them play, but it was too late for me, World Of Warcraft.

:24:44. > :24:47.What I gain! It is a whole new world, and it is everything you want

:24:48. > :24:57.the world today, apart from the one that we actually live in. It is a

:24:58. > :25:03.great of escaping. That game has consumed my life at times. Certain

:25:04. > :25:07.point in my life, it has become more important than the world we live in

:25:08. > :25:17.in reality. When you have a hobby that eats into your practising

:25:18. > :25:22.Alice, that is the problem, isn't it? For sure. That is what it has

:25:23. > :25:28.done to mean the past, not that I have ever been is not committed to

:25:29. > :25:32.snooker, it is just some of the games I have played have drawn me

:25:33. > :25:38.away, whether it be affecting the number of hours I can practice the

:25:39. > :25:43.day before I start to feel quite slack, or I practice shots without

:25:44. > :25:49.the proper preparation, technique, and getting lazy. You hear stories

:25:50. > :25:53.of snooker players making 20 centuries in a day. And I think,

:25:54. > :25:59.wow, if I did that in a practice session, I would be bored. I only

:26:00. > :26:06.practice when I was playing badly. It is a fine balance, because I hear

:26:07. > :26:11.stories. When I was growing up, I was told off if I would do less than

:26:12. > :26:15.six hours solo practice six days a week. People would be saying, Steve

:26:16. > :26:21.Davis practices 12 hours a day seven days a week. And I believe that. All

:26:22. > :26:27.the kids in England, they are doing eight centuries a day and they are

:26:28. > :26:32.eight years old. I was asked if it was true that I would practice in my

:26:33. > :26:38.dress suit? That was the rumour will stop the right height of shoes and

:26:39. > :26:41.everything... That rumour made it to Australia, and I have actually seen

:26:42. > :26:50.people doing that. My dad did it once. That moment in time, it wasn't

:26:51. > :26:57.actually my dad and I didn't know that person! From the number of

:26:58. > :27:03.people outside the stage door, I get the feeling that Ronnie O'Sullivan

:27:04. > :27:11.might be on. Yes, the grudge match. I don't think it is, is it? You can

:27:12. > :27:21.tell with Ronnie, he was clean-shaven. Thanks for that, Neil.

:27:22. > :27:43.Yaw thanks, Steve. Video games and games consoles will

:27:44. > :27:48.not be on the agenda this evening for Neil Robertson. 8-8, it is

:27:49. > :27:54.beautifully poised. We are live at 7pm on BBC Two. Fancy Neil Robertson

:27:55. > :28:00.to see off Marco Fu? I don't know about that. Neil Robertson is a

:28:01. > :28:05.strong player. When he won the war championship that season, he made

:28:06. > :28:10.lots of centuries. Very strong. Marco Fu is special. Would it be

:28:11. > :28:23.possible to get an automatic car the next time you go out?

:28:24. > :28:30.Cabin with Ken, you should do that next year. What might we are leaving

:28:31. > :28:34.you slightly earlier because our matches are finished, but Hazel will

:28:35. > :28:35.be back at 7pm with more coverage, starting with Marco Fu and Neil

:28:36. > :29:05.Robertson. Goodbye for now. Our crack team of experts

:29:06. > :29:09.use pioneering research