Day 3, Afternoon Session - Pt 1 Snooker: World Championship

Good afternoon. Easter weekend was a big one, wasn't it? It certainly was

here at Sheffield at the start of the world snooker Championship. You

know, we are living inside our own little world here for these 17 days.

As our pointless friend Richard Osman put it at the weekend in a

tweet, if there is a full-scale nuclear war with China, Russia and

the US I hope they'll wait until the snooker is over. Well said! Every

move here is subjected to forensic analysis and scrutiny as it all

becomes magnified in a snooker bubble, if you like. We have had

plenty to enjoy and analyse since the first balls were potted on

Saturday morning at 10am. He is the defending world champion,

he is the jester from Leicester, Mark Selby!

Got it! Pot of the match so far.

Good cueing, right in the heart of the pocket.

It's there! Mark Selby in the end will run out a very comfortable

winner. He is into the second round by 10-2. Happy to get through to the

next round, happy with the scoreline. Performance, not really

happy with, I wasn't really killing the frames off in one visit like I

would like to. Overall, happy with the result and through to the next

round. This is a test of cueing.

Good effort. Fabulous shot. Well played.

It was nice to see Anthony with a little tap on his knee there as he

played that pot. That's a wonderful shot from Steve

Maguire. Terrific plant there.

This longish blue to secure the match.

And that is it. Anthony shakes the hand of his good friend Steven. I

think that's the first I have beat him in tournament play because he is

solid. He never played his game today, he can play better than that.

Another excellent long pot. How good did he strike that?

That's got to be the best shot so far in this frame. If not the match.

The handshake comes in the end from David, but he never got in front and

he looked the better player. Always nice, especially in the first round

match, you feel like you are part of the tournament now. David is a

debutant, so he did very well on his debut and I managed to take

advantage of a few first-time nerves.

The seeds always like to have a easy first round if possible. There is

pressure on this session now for Ronnie. If he has the snooker behind

the blue, that's a stunner! What a shot that is! Absolutely Fabulous.

Well played. A lovely shot. He is within one again.

He has played the cannon and if this is right, what a shot it is. Oh,

come on! What a shot! Match over. Gary Wilson

gives Ronnie a handshake. Look at that, that's what it means to him!

He was all fired up for that. Ronnie became the fourth man through to the

second round. After that victory over an impressive Gary Wilson who

very gamefully went about his task yesterday. Ronnie as you know has

had a long-running feud with the authorities. He has made a point of

not discussing his matches and performances immediately afterwards.

But that long-running feud simmered over immediately afterwards because

he went into a press conference and having decided not to say anything

at all, ended up saying a whole lot. I phoned Barry up weeks ago and said

I am done with you and your board of people and I got very good friend of

mine who said look, let my lawyers deal with it and I won't get

involved no more because I am not being bullied, I am not being, you

know, people doing that to me ever again. I am not. I am fortunate I

have a very good friend who has very, very good lawyers and they've

got my back. I just want to play, I want to have fun. I like Barry. But

I am not being... I am not being intimidated or bullied any more. I

am not prepared to put myself in a position where I am in breach of the

game, you know, if I say something bad about the refs, something bad

about the players, about the venue. If I say something bad about... You

know, so many things. You know, I am just, I am tarnishing the sport, I

am doing this. You know what, please, just drop me out, I have

done 25 years service to this game, I think I have given enough to the

game. I think I have helped, I have done my bit. I don't need that. Not

at 41. Drop me out. I don't need you. You probably don't need me.

But, you know, just, I want to enjoy my life and I am not putting up with

someone thinking they can threaten and bully me, ain't happening. We

will have to be sensible, hopefully, and they can make relax a little bit

and chill out. And just stop being so precious about everything. But I

am in the prepared to put myself in that situation any more.

I am tw with two respected media guys in the press room. Hector, to

fill in the background when did this particular spat start and why? I

think the origins were at the Masters, after the semifinal win

over Marco Fu, Ronnie O'Sullivan was fiercely critical of the referee,

felt he had done a couple of things wrong, gave an interview live on TV

in which he made comments about him and that's really triggered this,

that and also swearing at a photographer in a press conference

shortly afterwards. There have been bizarre responses as well. Yeah,

since I think he received a letter addressing the possibility of

disciplinary action, not actual action and since then he decided he

was going to do a bit of a work to rule on the media. Been one-word

answers, even Oasis songs, I think, talking about interviewers' fashion

sense. It's been interesting the last three months, definitely.

George, you did the interview with him yesterday and you said something

about it seemed slightly different, why? Well, having interviewed Ronnie

O'Sullivan a lot over the years, you kind of get used to him coming in

and threatening to retire and falling out of love with the game to

such an extent that you don't bat an eyelid when he does. Yesterday I

felt there was genuine ire, real ferocity and emotion, his voice

crackled with emotion when he was speaking. It took a while to get him

to open up but we eventually did and what he said was extraordinary. He

meant it. He absolutely meant it. Whether you agree with Ronnie or

not, whether you agree with Barney who reckons he has been childish in

some of his behaviour or you agree with Ronnie that he's being

persecuted, that's what Ronnie feels, which ever side you are on,

he absolutely believes it, Ronnie. He believes that he's been treated

very, very unfairly and that really came across yesterday. He used

strong words, as well, bullied and stuff like that. But he is not been

charged, has he? He hasn't been charged for anything that happened

at the Masters. I agree with George, I have been fortunate to interview

Ronnie many times over the years and he has always had good relationship

with large sections of the media but he is unhappy about this. It was

maybe the tone of the letter that he received caught him on a bad day, he

was unhappy about that. Yeah, I just think this one's not necessarily

going away in a hurry. So, is there a solution to this, what do you

think he will get from Ronnie O'Sullivan whilst he is still in the

tournament and as media guys what would you like to see him get? This

is what we were debriefing over a beverage last night were thinking!

How do you think Ronnie will respond this morning when he wakes up and

sees the newspapers and us talking about it again, about what he said,

will he be pleased, will he be even more angry? What do we want to see

next? Well, the point I was trying to make to Ronnie yesterday,

independenting the media have become a bit of unwitting casualty in this.

He said he has no problem with us, we have always had a good

relationship with him but in his protest against world snooker he's

taking it out on the media with robot impressions and stuff and I

think he beganed respect yesterday by being reasoned and passioned. Why

could we have not seen that three months ago? He would have got more

respect rather than being childish. What would I like to see going

forward? Speak about the snooker. He talks about his loyalty to fans. A

lot of fans want to see him talking about the game. He is a five-time

world snooker champion playing at the world snooker Championship. Not

speaking about the snooker. That's just a bit odd, I think. There is no

reason. He says I will get into trouble if I do. Just think about

what you are saying. You don't have to say controversial things. Talk

about - he could have given respect to his opponent yesterday, who was

brilliant on his Crucible debut. He missed a chance to pay tribute to

his opponent. That Ronnie normally does. He can still recognise that

the media is crucial in really helping to promote the sport that

has given him a living and I would like to see more of that moving

forward. Boys, thank you very much for your views.

Thanks, John. We have just received a statement from Barry Hearn. It

says in view of Ronnie O'Sullivan's comments yesterday regarding

bullying and intimidation I find it necessary to respond as follows. He

has made four points here. The first underlines the fact that Ronnie has

signed a players' contract like everyone else. He is no different in

that regard. The second one makes clear that it's world snooker who

own the worldwide commercial rights for professional snooker. It's the

body responsible for the disciplinary aspect of it and it

says neither world snooker nor myself have any involvement

whatsoever in disciplinary matters. He goes on to say, in point three,

neither world snooker or myself have received communication from Ronnie

O'Sullivan's lawyers in regard to his responsibilities or concerns in

relation to his signed players' contract.

And number four: Jason Ferguson is the chairman of

the governing body and also a director of world snooker, and we

have Ken with us again. This appears to be escalating because it would

appear not so ve lishgs ed references to possible legal action

by world snooker and even Barry. Your response first of all to Ronnie

A initial accusations of bullying and intimidation the last few

months? I certainly don't think that's the case at all. I don't

think there is any bullying, any intimidation. Let me talk about the

players' contract. The contract with world snooker binds the players to

certain rules and regulations, it really means that they have to

adhere to certain standards and that's very reasonable as a

professional sportsman. It's worth noting in that players' contract

that events are optional. It doesn't tie Ronnie O'Sullivan to all 27

events or any other player. It is an option and each event, the form goes

out, players can opt to enter that event or not. If you enter that

event, we expect that you will turn up to your opening ceremony, we

expect you to do your PR. In particular, your post-match

interviews. It's that kind of responsibility. So in terms of

bullying and intimidation I don't accept that at all. Ronnie has

fulfilled the terms of his contract in as much as he has done interviews

afterwards. But Barry was on record last week as saying that it was

rather embarrassing some of the responses because he didn't feel it

was in the spirit of the rules to give one-word answers or sing

answers. How do you respond? Barry's comments are fair on this point.

Ronnie is not in breach of rules by the way, he has turned up to press

conferences and those interviews and they're not in the spirit of what we

expect, and unfortunately, sadly, Ronnie did the shame in China

recently, turned up to a major press conference, gave a one-word answer.

It's disappointing. We are here as a governing body for all the players,

trying to promote the sport to a new level and take it to the next level.

Where can it go next? We need the sport and players to do that. What

is your interpretation of Barry's response today because it does look

as though there is a veiled threat of possible legal action on his side

and world snooker's side, as well, this is going steadily upwards?

Let's hope it doesn't. Let me tell you from a chairman of a governing

body's point of view and former player, nobody loves watching Ronnie

O'Sullivan play snooker more than me. He is a total genius. Let's hope

we can resolve these issues as Ronnie's representative and the

governing body representative I am more than happy to discuss any

issues and take those up with Barry if there are reasonable arguments.

What steps will you take now, Jason? I think from our point of view

there's nothing there that's in breach of the rules today. We will

sit back. We will have to assess what Barry's position is. We will

certainly have to monitor Ronnie's behaviour during the event. But at

this moment in time I am happy to see him playing and competing. Who

knows? He may still win that 6th title. Ken, he was clear about how

the distractions off the table and his interpretation of things had

cost him, he says, his performances, actually ruined his chances in about

three tournaments and ironically if the attention has not been good over

the last few months, what is this level of attention going to do in a

quest for ath Crown? He could do without the distractions, no doubt

about that. Anything Ronnie says is going to make the papers anyway.

From a playing point of view I don't think he needs this distraction at

all. He could do without it. He wants to achieve, like a 6th and

possibly a 7th World Championship, he could do without this hassle. So,

if it's going to affect him, you know, then it's to his detriment. If

going to affect him or fire him up, and saying OKs, to the rest of you,

this is the real Ronnie O'Sullivan? I hope, as Jason just said, we all

love Ronnie playing. We want to see him play all these great matches,

out there, at the Crucible. Let's hope that it doesn't affect him at

all and it inspires him to play great snooker. I do side with George

on the final point, in all of this Gary Wilson's performance has been

forgotten and that's a great shame. It is, yeah, it was fantastic. He

really put it up to Ronnie when he was down. He came back at aim. I met

Ronnie outside his dressing room after the match and he was like, oh!

I didn't need that. I said sometimes a tough match does you goo good. He

said Gary Wilson played absolutely superb and he was fantastic for a

debutant which is very difficult as we all know. Can I ask one further

question to Jason. We heard in that interview that Ronnie pleaded with

the authorities to relax, be sensible, and not be so precious

about it all. Does he have a point? Well, not really. I think the

authorities are relaxed. We love to see him play. We love snooker. We

love being around the events as we all do. Let me put the record

straight. Disciplinary action kicks in when a player either swears in a

press conference, swears on social media, uses offensive or abusive

behaviour. A lot of the fans that follow these players are very young

children, they're supporting their idol and they follow their social

media. We have a duty to protect that social media. I suspect this is

going to continue for some days to come. Thank you very much.

Ken, you are with us for the afternoon. As ever, it's Ronnie who

grabs much of the attention and headlines on the opening few days at

any World Championship. But for the next few days until he comes back at

least, on Thursday, the attention will be grabbed by the 24 other guys

all trying to get into round two. Now Ding Junhui starts his quest

once again and he was so close last year to becoming Asia's first ever

King of the Crucible. Over 200 million people back home

watched Ding Junhui become the first ever World Championship finalist.

Another quest for the title begins today. The 2015 champion Stuart

Bingham has his hands full with Peter Ebdon, who is sticking to him

like glue. Shaun Murphy resumes his watch against Yan Bingtao and John

Higgins plays Martin Gould. The Far Eastern impact on the game is our

first topic of discussion in Table Talk.

And John is on a mission this year. Over the next couple of weeks we

will be trying to help you with your game here. You can send in questions

and questions, anything you are struggling with and also send in

videos, we will look at those, pick the best from the day and try and

make your snooker game better. You can reach us via social media on

hashtag cuefix. We look forward with interest to some of those videos. It

was like old times yesterday, Ronnie holding court, Peter Ebdon holding

on Grimley in the opening round here. My goods in, there was another

example of that in the final game of their session. Ebdon had actually

been three frames to five down but he won the 8th. Here in the 9th he

needed four snookers to tie. He potted the black to go behind. Ebdon

in his 24th Crucible campaign gives it one of his big come on

trademarks. It shows as ever it were needed that he is still a hard man

to beat. Stuart had time to sleep on those events and he knows he would

have so summon some of that Ebdon resolve in their deciding session.

We started at 5-4 to Bingham. Stuart leapt ahead this morning. We will

pick them up in frame 14. Bingham to play. This time he needs two

snookers. Pretty good. He has the sneaker with

the black and the pink here. -- the snooker with the black and the pink

here. A big swerve you would have thought. Lots of right-hand side.

Oh, not enough. Not enough side.

No miss can be called of course when we are in the snooker's required

stage of a frame. But there you see it. 20 behind, 18 remaining.

Just the one snooker needed now. If you had have seen the look on

Peter's face there! And you can see it there. If the cue ball doesn't

kiss the black it's not a snooker. The problem is with this one if he

tried to swerve, and it's an easy swerve around the pink you can catch

the blue. That's why he is having to come around off two cushions. He

could miss this. And that's exactly what he has done.

Well, can you believe it? Foul. Stuart Bingham 5. Stuart Bingham can

now win the frame. This will be the two strangest frames we are going to

see in this tournament. The last frame last evening, Peter Ebdon

needed four snookers, got it in one. This time Bingham needed two on the

blue, got them, can he pot the three remaining colours? Will definitely

have a go at this, insurely. This will hit a nail in one's coffin if

he pots this. This is a real turnaround in this frame. What a

great pot. It's called seizing the moment. This will be a real body

blow to Peter Ebdon. If Stuart can pot the pink and black.

Oh! Fractions, he was on the black. But

he didn't get the pink. Thank you. Settle down, please!

Always looked a little high. To be honest, I thought it was just about

right. In the old days that would have just

curled in. If anything, it seemed to curl up.

The way Peter must be feeling at the moment, this looks easy on your

television screens, but trust me, it's missable.

You called it. You called it! Why would he not just play to pot it. He

has played a shot to nothing. Look at where the cue ball finished. He

made it harder playing at that pace. As you say they always look easier

on the screen. Just caught the near jaw. Let's be honest, he is not at

his best, he is struggling, feeling it out there. Nothing looks easy.

Just playing to get the white in behind the black. Lovely shot. Not

quite got the snooker but the cue ball and object ball...

Refuses pots you think he should go for. A shot with not a high tariff

of getting it, he takes them on. This has become the longest frame of

the match, coming up to 39 minutes. Yes, although it's a very long

frame, it is an important one this, because all right, Peter is

struggling, but so is Stuart Bingham at the moment.

If Peter was to win this and keep Stuart two frames away from victory,

if your opponent gets within one, then it's very difficult to win the

match. But if he can get him within, keep him within two of victory, you

always feel as though you have that little bit of elbow room.

Take the pot on or not? It looks an easy cross double safety to me. As

you say with Peter, you never know. Well, it looked an easy cross double

safety but he has hit it much too thick.

Much too thick. A shake of the head. He knows that could cost him the

frame. And possibly the match. Well, this is no gimme.

But right in the heart of the pocket! And a fist pump from Stuart

Bingham. That's how much it meant to him. That's a frame that should have

really gone Peter Ebdon's way but it didn't and now he is one frame away

from exiting the BetFred World Championship. Stuart Bingham leads

9-5. Stuart has done an Ebbo and Ebbo. He is one place away from the

second round. Into the next, it's Ebdon trailing by 20 points here.

He overhit this. Where is the cue ball? Woman, that little bump on the

middle pocket has given him a slight angle on the blue that he needed to

play for that red to the left of the pink.

Asking for the cue ball to be cleaned. A little bit surprised he

went that close to the middle pocket, was Peter.

But if anyone can dig in, it's this man.

Never count him out. The next red's going to be

interesting. He is going to have to power through the pack. By running

in or screwing off the bunch. In other words, you are saying it is

good cueing. And his cueing has not been consistent this morning.

Just about OK. This black is tricky. But the only advantage with it is

you concentrate on the pot, just watch this again. Could have done

with the cue ball stopping there. It just ran on a fraction. He doesn't

have to do a lot with the cue ball. If he pots the black, a little stun

on the red immediately above the black, which is a natural. So just

concentrate on the pot. Well done. I think he can get his

cue through the gap so play this next red comfortably.

Not such a bad thing there underhiting it because he knows he

can play the same shot as last time. Hit above the black at pace,

probably bring the pink in at the same time. There will be a choice of

two reds. Well, that shows me he is not that

confident at the minute at all. He could have had pink and those four

reds into play there, no problem. Obviously he's got it all to do. But

snooker's a funny game sometimes. If he was to make a sizeable break here

to win this frame, it might give him the confidence to kick on. As we

have been saying all morning that, Stuart Bingham will have seen the

weakness in Peter Ebdon, but Peter will see the weakness in Stuart.

And it is a mind game when all is said and done. What Peter has got to

get out of his mind it should have been 8-6 rather than 9-5. His

opponents needing two snookers on the blue to win the last frame. You

can see the importance of playing that shot he didn't play earlier on

where he could have had the reds and pink into play.

He may have missed a trick here. He played for blue. That's bounced off

a cushion. That is unfortunate. Well, the jaw's come to his rescue.

That Frew off the -- flew off the back cushion. We haven't seen many

bounces like that. He can't believe it. That would have been six inches

short of the middle pocket, but the bounce would have taken it two feet

past the middle. I don't know whether the one below

the pink pots. If it does it's a great shot. There is two reds below

the pink. Are they a plant? He is having a look now. If they're a

plant, it is unmissable. Another plant any more. Depends what

sort of potting angle he has on the pink.

That tells you he was perfect on the pink.

It is hard work at the minute. He is having to pick one effort at a time.

If he had opened them up earlier it would have been easier. Not certain

of the availability of these two reds on the right-hand side of the

table. Oh, I think they're both available,

so he is perfect for the pink. He has taken these well. When you

talked about the a earlier part of the frame, the highest break was

only 55, this is an excellent chance to beat that 55 and win a frame for

the first time in one visit. This will be his highest break. 122

for Stuart Bingham. 55 it was for Peter Ebdon.

I think he's OK. The left hand red of three just below the pink is

available to the left middle pocket. It is the first real pressure shot.

Because this is frame ball. No body movement needed here. Needs

to keep his head still. Hmm! Just a fraction out. And once again, I have

got to be honest with you, at first I thought it was in. But is it just

drifting up. Didn't notice at the time. Maybe we will look at it some

time again. Any way, that was his chance. To win the frame in one

visit. He's not got it. So is that his last shot in this year's World

Championship? It is a practice situation now.

Obviously this is not practice. Connor Wilson awaits the winner of

this game. It is easier making a break at the end of a frame.

You haven't got all the congestion of balls and colours on the spots.

What an opportunity this is. There has been at least three frames

this morning that Peter could have won. So it could have been a lot

closer. Could have, wouldn't, should have!

These four remaining colours for a place in the second round.

Straighter on the blue. It would have been a formality.

He has played it on and off the cushion. It is o'. OK as long as he

can reach it without using the rest. He won't mind that. Peter fearing

the worst. In goes the black. So Stuart Bingham

is relieved. Peter, the always a nice chap and always congratulates

his opponent and wishes him good luck for the rest of tournament.

Stuart Bingham will be relieved to get this first round out of the way.

In the end he looked comfortable at 10-5. It was anything but. Peter

Ebdon, well he will be joining us in the commentary box for the rest of

the tournament. So we have not heard the last of him. I'm with the man of

the moment. Always nice to get the first round out of way. Yes I think

I had one of the toughest opponents. So over the moon. When the draw came

out, what did you think? It was good and bad. There is no tough love, but

you know what you're going to get with Pete. There ain't going to be

any un... You know what you're going to get. There was a frame in that

match that was bizarre. That ninth frame. I know about being honest,

but this is ridiculous. What did you do with this black. You thought you

had touched the black and called a foul on yourself. We looked, there

is nothing. I must have watched it about ten times last night. As soon

as I hit I thought I heard something. You tweeted this, what

was it? What a plonker, Rodney! I felt I touched the black. But I

owned up. The game's hard enough without doing that. Of course, later

on in t match, you nicked one on him with two snookers. It was give it a

fist pump. No vegan power? No. Now this the tough bit. You're our first

victim for pot quiz. We are going o' to ask you five questions. For each

one you get right, you can remove one red from the table and then you

have got to clear them all by finish by potting the final black. Can I

get rid of the black? No. But the questions are not easy. Don't moan

at me. What was the No 1 record the day that you were born on 21st May.

Fernando by Abba, save your kisses for me, or Bohemian Rhapsody. B. No,

it was Fernando by Abba. The world charp ship has been -- Championship

has been heard since 1977. Where was the final held in 76. Somewhere like

Derby. No Manchester. Whoever gave you that question, that is a

stinker. Third one. Who is the only player to have made a century in the

first frame of World Championship on the opening morning. Steven Hend

tri, Peter Ebdon or Mark Williams? B. Peter Ebdon is direct. A round of

applause. Very good. Well done. Great guess. No 4. In 2013 it was

your first appearance and the first time you didn't meet a former world

champion in the opening round. Who did you play? Sam Baird. Comment.

Two reds off. Your final question. John Spencer won in 1977, but who

won it in 87 and 97? 97 was Ken. Correct. 87 was... It's got to be

Davis. Correct well done very good. You have got three out of five. That

is a good effort. You can take any three reds off you like. One down.

Two and one more to go. One more? Yeah. Am I right in saying you never

did this last year? No, I weren't here long enough last year! You have

to clear all the reds against the clock the clock will start the first

time you strike the cue ball. I will keep you up-to-date with the time.

When it is near the end, everyone put him under pressure! Off you go.

Start now. Move. Sorry. Aye, aye! No misses so far.

Excellent. OK. Just gone past 20 seconds. Oh, he has snookered

himself. Oh, no! Oh no, a schoolboy error. Your potting is good any way.

I have had a bit of practice. That is true!

We are just... Coming up nearly, just gone 55. Coming up just to a

minute. Now. You have had one minute. Oh, good shot. Nice touch.

Snookered yourself? He is playing a swerve, he just touched the red.

Very nice. Cue ball's got to do a bit of manoeuvring. The pressure on

this one. Oh! I see. He has gone for the one there. He has got one minute

30 now. I won't beat you. Can't believe you didn't beat my score

last year. You're gutted. One minute and 40. Final black. Don't miss it.

In it goes, well done. APPLAUSE. Congratulations. You have done it.

In one minute and 44 and the good news is you're leading. Brilliant.

Hazel it's all yours. I know that is trickier than a first round

opponents at the Crucible. Now the professional scene is a big

travelling global circus. That was underlined today when a man who had

been missing from that circus came back. It was a heart felt welcome

for the referee Leo Scullion this morning. I came back from China. I

had done the final there. Neil Robert sop and Joe Perry. My wife

said, right, doctors. I think she knew. I made an appointment and went

to the doctor's and the medics took over from there. The first thing

that happened I had an X ray and the doctor said, there is a shadow on

your lung. Maybe it's just hind sight, I feel as though I knew the

word cancer was uttered and my wife just went to bits and I panicked. If

they try to remove it, there was a danger they wouldn't be able to

remove it all and more importantly there is a major nerve runs there. I

don't understand the medical terms. But if he damaged that, that

controls the left side of my body and I would have no left side. It's

taken a while to recover from that. Because that is major. Physically,

I'm fine and it is a fortunate position, now I think is that

something to be concerned about or are you just getting ole and grumpy.

A lot of the time my wife this I'm getting old and grumpy. I had the

great honour of refereeing the final in Glasgow. Of the Scottish Open.

That was fantastic to referee my first final being back. I would like

to say well done to Leo, we knew he battled a life-threatening illness a

couple of years ago. To referee the open final was a massive affair. I

suppose... There will be the icing on the cake to referee at the

Crucible. The pride of Glasgow, Leo Scullion. It will be exciting and it

will be nervous, because in some ways it will be like almost like my

first time again. I will look back on it once it's done and think,

you're back and just carry on my life from there and see what it

holds for me. And great to see him back. John Higgins praising Leo. It

was a class act and he was a runner up and to have the presence of mind

to pay that tribute says a lot about the match. Leo's first match back in

charge was this morning. And it Wurz Ding Junhui and the youngster who

has idolised him, 19-year-old Zou Yuelong. And we saw the highest

break of Championship so far. Joe won the first, but Ding is marching

on. He is trailing by 46 points. Doesn't need that many points to

secure this seventh frame. He has done well since the interval.

I know he lost the last frame, but it couldn't have been easy coming

out this morning, playing Ding Junhui, first time at the Crucible.

He would have been very nervous. But he looks to have settled down a lot

now. He is cueing a lot more smoothly than he was.

His composure and demeanour around the table looks a lot more relaxed.

Yeah, I mentioned that Terry Griffivities iths said he was

feeling a bit under the weather. A small touch of flu.

Be good for his confidence if he can try and clear the table here. The

frame's already won. But it gives you a good feeling going into the

next frame and you can pot every ball on the table.

Don't relax for one minute. Needs to keep coming. And it has.

I haven't seen too much of this young Chinese player, but I like his

game. I like his cue action. Good solid stance, nice pause at the

back before he delivers the cue. There is so many great young players

coming from China. Ding Junhui is their hero. These

days they watch so much and they can copy it.

It is easier to learn the game these days.

In the old days they used to say you had to be a good bill yards player,

before you could be a good snooker player. That is a terrific

positional shot. To make sure he was on the black. Well played. That was

a terrific game. He had an earlier 42. He will be feeling much better

now. He still trails 5-2. REFEREE: Frame 8. Don't underestimate how big

a star he is in China, Ding Junhui. If he was to win this World

Championship, it would just be phenomenal.

Ding Junhui is looking at this red. It is around the back of the black.

He has turned the red down. Only because he can't get position. There

is no point in taking the pot on. Maybe because his long pot success

is only down to 91%, maybe he is not feeling confident. Ten out of eleven

he has potted. The cue ball glued to that baulk

cushion. One mistake could cost Joe the frame.

That is what he is looking at. I can't see an easy path to even land

on the red behind the black. He can see reds, but there is no path back

down the table. Nothing there. The one behind the black, he would

like to nestle on that. I think he is going into the side of the pack.

I don't know if he can get to that one I mentioned.

Might be he can. It is not a bad effort, you know. Oh! He was unlucky

there. Because the black might be available into the same pocket as

the red, but he is very unfortunate to see this red. He is looking to

see what sort of angle he has left on it.

Ding played off the cushion there. It is difficult when the cue ball

and object ball are so close together.

There is pressure on this black. Good shot. What is he on?

Don't know if the blacks still available to that corner. It will

make this visit to the table a lot easier if it is.

That shot tells tub doesn't go. Has played a great shot. Finished

perfectly on the blue. If he picked the cue ball up with his hand and

placed it somewhere, couldn't put it any better. Can virtually do what he

wants with this shot. The red to the left of the black, don't know if he

can play for that. Somewhere in the circle would be good.

I think he is just about OK there. Only just.

Will play a little cannon here. Two reds above the black, just a little

can nonon the right side one of those, as we look at it. That's what

Steven was suggesting there. He stunned off the other side.

Whatever, he played the cannon perfectly anyway.

Just makes break building so easy. Looks effortless.

Again he is looking, definitely going to play some sort of cannon,

he is looking at the best. The red directly in between the black and

pink, the reds either side of that, any one of those would develop

position. He's not landed absolutely

perfectly. The red to right middle he should get. Virtually nothing to

do with the cue ball, hampered slightly.

It is starting to look ominous now in this frame.

Could be looking at possibility century number two this morning for

Ding Junhui. Yeah, he has missed precious little, just the odd

slip-up but very, very few of them. When he started off nicely with

breaks of 60 and 57, he followed that with a 54 and then that

magnificent 136 in frame four. 78 in frame six. Now this.

It's a very high standard. He has let that cue ball run about

three inches too far. Did well on the previous frame.

Breaks of 42 and then 81. But he can't do anything about this here.

I said when Ding played that magnificent safety shot that it

could cost the frame and it has done.

We are up to 14 centuries now in this year's Betfred World

Championship. Certainly looking like century number 15. And ding's 25th

of the Seaning. -- of the season. Just the black needed and he will

play to get on the yellow also. And that's another super century

from Ding Junhui. APPLAUSE

There we have it. A ton up.

Doesn't matter about the yellow not dropping. He got his century break.

More importantly, he extends his lead and Ding Junhui has now got a

four-frame advantage, 6-2. STUDIO: Second century of the match.

He made 15 on his way and in the final last year. So he is setting

off at quite a pace. His 19-year-old opponent has been a pro for three

years got a bit of chasing to do. It's Zhou Yuelong at the table as we

go into the next one. He hangs his head, he knows he has

put Ding right in amongst them with that little nudge. A little bit

unfortunate there. We will maybe show you that again. He is right in

with a great chance. He comes off the cushion here.

Just watch this little nudge here. He hit the red. Then it hit the

other red and that's the reaction from Zhou Yuelong.

What sort of reaction are we going to get from Ding Junhui? It's a

great chance, it has to be said. He's just run that cue ball a bit

far. If he plays the blue he is going to have to go into the pink or

play some sort of cannon to kill the pace of the cue ball. Make sure you

keep your eye on the pot. He plays that shot really well. More often

than not gets a completely full contact on the pink. Still not ideal

but I think he can find the gap to play up for the blue here.

The pink is out of commission at the moment. The black is available but

that red to the right of the black is a little bit of a distraction. He

is straight on the blue but it doesn't mat they are time, he has

the red to the right corner. He can play for the black off this.

And then maybe do something about the red that's just to the right of

the black that's hampering the black slightly.

I think that red also goes into the same pocket as the black, the one I

mentioned. So he has a few ways of going about this. If he just goes in

between the two reds he can leave that one for the same pocket as the

black, but it's got to be a little bit careful with the positional side

of things here. You always try to take the simplest

way possible. Take the other one first but we know

that that red that was a little bit awkwardly placed is available. This

is missable, playing it at pace. Safely in.

The cue ball just brushed by the red, just to leave this awkward

cueing. I think he thought it would cannon the red and be perfect. So,

got to give this extra attention. Keep very still on the shot.

APPLAUSE Looks very strong indeed now, Ding

Junhui. OK he has a big lead in the match and he has been comfortable

for most of the morning, but he has been pretty impressive.

Yeah, he's been very, very consistent this morning.

If you keep making breaks over the half century you're well on your way

and he's certainly done that along with that magnificent two century

breaks, as they used to say in Lancashire, he is in fine fettle.

That should open up everything. A little unfortunate. He would have

loved to have cannoned the pink and two reds together. Just got a bit

more grip on the cue ball. I still expect him to pot this red to right

middle. When you are in this kind of groove of scoring, pockets start to

look like buckets. You wouldn't bet against him making a third century

of the morning. All good stuff. It makes for a great

Championship this year because we have said, most people have said

this, the most open World Championship for quite a long time.

We keep saying that every year, but there is a lot of players in with a

great chance this year. Ding Junhui, who was a finalist last year,

certainly is in great form as he runs slightly out of position.

What a tough half of the draw this is. Ding Junhui, Ronnie O'Sullivan,

Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson. Mark Selby. Very tough to pick a

finalist out of this half of the draw.

He is going to need the last red to make the century break. He might try

and develop it. And he did. As Stephen said, I think it was in

the first frame, one of the best break builders the game has ever

seen, he is on 442 centuries in his career. Make that 443. One or two,

barring one or two lapses in concentration, Ding Junhui has been

brilliant this morning. 91% long pots. Pot success 97%. Three

centuries. I think seven breaks over 60. Awesome really. Yeah. Zhou

Yuelong couldn't do much about this. He did play well to win the two

frames that he did. But this, without doubt, is the best

performance so far. And finishes off with that magnificent break there,

three centuries and he acknowledges the crowd. Finished with a break of

132. He had 136, the highest of this year's tournament. He acknowledges

the crowd as he leaves the arecent into in a. It's a great performance

-- arena. He leads 7-2. It's the most impressive progress of anyone

so far, particularly in the first session. Three centuries, made 15

last year. Looks I can lease on the march. He is wonderful to watch.

When you watch those breaks you think that's simple. His

break-building is fabulous. It's easy to forget last year he turned

up as a qualifier. He had to go through three matches just to get

here and of course that wonderful run to the final. Yeah, and almost

did it. As you said, the most impressive performance of the first

round so far. When he is on song, playing like that, he is so good to

watch. And his cue ball on is on a string, makes breaks effortlessly.

He looks in fine form. He will come back tomorrow afternoon

to finish that one off. In a way his younger opponent who idolises this

man. You could see that. They've played on two occasions before, it

was something like six nil, 5-1. He is a class act. He has looked up to

him and livestocks he has played, Ding, it's probably not a bad draw

An incredible number of Chinese players coming through at a young

age. Great to see him here. He has been coming through the last couple

of years but one prospect for the future as indeed Yan Bingtao who

place the second session against Shaun Murphy. Let's remind you of

how the draw looks right now. We began with six Chinese players in

the draw. That's a record. In fact, it's the subject of the first Table

Talk of this year's Championship. And we have been joined by Thai to

talk about this. There is a lot to talk about with the Chinese

contingent. That's a record, six players from China and Hong Kong in

that draw. Five in 2012. And they really are in the mix here. Not just

in the Championship, but in the city itself. Very many of them play and

live and are based right here. Before I was a manager for three

years. China people love snooker because of Ding's success. Now they

want to follow. They want to achieve hopefully

similar success. They know each forefor a while,

since they were eight and nine, when they start to play snooker. Six of

them all live in the same flat. They all are different. They always have

dinner together. They have celebrated things together and

sometimes they go out have fun together like racing, off the table.

They also If you see one, you always see the

other four or five. I relate a lot to the culture. I would rather sit

there, drink tea, eat food, chill out, relax, watch a bit of TV and

chat. I gravitate more towards the Chinese kind of culture really, if

you like. So, I am very close to a lot of the Chinese players. He works

the hardest, always in the morning the first one in and the last one,

that's the reason why how he achieves so much. When you live so

far away from home you come to the UK to pursue your snooker dream,

that's what they're coming for, they need to deliver on the table so they

know and they have lots of expectations on their shoulders so

they have to work hard because it's a very tough sport. If you don't,

two years later you pack your suitcase and go back. So they are

working harder. They help each other, support each other. And you

are working with world snooker in an increasingly and rather large media

Chinese fraternity. How long have you been working with world snooker?

I think it's longer than three, four years, I am not quite sure. The

first tournament was 2013, Welsh Open. Four, maybe longer than four.

You are very much part of the scene and also doing commentary for

Chinese television. Even in the three years that you have been doing

this job and liaising with the media from the Far East how much has the

level of interest grown, even in that short time? I think it's quite

different now because the time is changing, we have so much of social

media coming now. The total environment has changed already. The

dynamic with how it works. The numbers, the figures we see on the

social media platforms are rising, that's for sure and more people

talking about this, more people staying on TV, on live streaming, on

everything else. People can do anything now, they can receive live

feed on phones. So, it's very likely that when you go on a bus, you go on

subways, with signal receptions there, people will be scrolling down

their phones checking out scores or watching live streaming, that's good

for snooker. It's popular, I remember reading viewing figures

were 210 million in China lone for the final. That sounds like an

audience we can only dream of obviously, but in relative terms how

does that compare with some of the largest sporting events that you

would be watching, are those great figures for China? I think still is,

just for that night, 210 people, you look at those figures it doesn't

really tell the story because we have such a massive population. But

when you look into the night that one, that match is the most views TV

programmes on any of the TVs, that's the leading, number one TV show on

any of the networks, that tells us the story. Nothing else is beating

snooker semifinal. It's extraordinary. When you have a look

at the draw to see the Chinese players who are there. Of the six of

these guys, one from Hong Kong and the rest from mainland China.

They're all in the top half. How is that viewed amongst the Chinese

media? Well, I am not sure how the media thinks, I can tell you most of

the players don't really like it. Do we have to play each other to get to

a certain stage of the tournament? That's pretty much wrong. The first

two rounds when Wenbo played, international Championship, the

first maybe two or three matches is always playing against Chinese

players. You shouldn't have so many good players, it's your own fault

for having too many good ones! Everyone is putting in so much

effort in making it so big in China to more journalists to work, more

photographers, more efforts on the social media platform, maybe not

you, John, last time qualified you didn't even cover... Oh! The figures

are staggering. I think it's something like 70 million in China

play recreational cue sports. That could be pool, could be snooker,

over one week. There is now an academy in Beijing which is a feeder

system for the Tour and has been churning out professionals since

September 2013. But it's long been predicted since Ding Junhui won a

title in 2005 that the Chinese revolution would kick in now. Are

you surprised in some respects it hasn't to this point completely

taken over and do you expect that it might? I think it will, without a

doubt. You have to understand when they come from so far away to settle

here there is a lot of Chinese players have come and gone but these

lads now are going to be staying for a long time. I have beenen to the

academy in Beijing, it's a fantastic facility. Full-sized tables, even

half-size as well for juniors to start. They've full-time coaches

there all the time. Even when you go to schools and colleges in China you

might go to the recreation hall and they've have table tennis tables and

about 20 snooker tables, half-size, full-size, so the facilities are

there from the ground roots. They've worked it out. Because of that

they're going to churn out players from a young age and you are going

to see more. I remember in 1984 the first time the Republic of China

went back into the Olympic Games and since then you have tried to play

catch-up as a nation culturally speaking in sport. In cultural terms

the impact and the position of sport in China, how much has it grown and

where would you say it is now in terms of its pre-a-Lens in people's

consciousness over there now? I think that's massively due to two

things. First of all, I think the Chinese Government has been changing

its attitude to the sport as an industry as a whole, especially for

the reasons maybe five or six years, so we have more tournaments, we have

more people sponsoring big tournaments and help all this

industry grow up. The other thing is just like I said, everybody's able

to have live feed on their phones and tablets, they are able to follow

the sports they love in many of the ways.

Iards, If I ever qualify for China again, I'm coming. This is a subject

and a presence on the sporting scene and the snooker scene that we are

going to see more of in the coming weeks possibly. But we are moving to

our priorities this afternoon, matches this afternoon with some

live games coming up. We have Shaun Murphy against Yann Bingtao, the

youngster of the pack, the man who was born in 2000 and the second

youngest to play here. He resumes against Shaun Murphy and John

Higgins playing against Martin Gould. But it is the Murphy and Yann

Bingtao match that has given us some impressive glimpses of the abilities

of both men. Please welcome Yann Bingtao. Here comes the magician,

here comes Shaun Murphy! Chinese player gets this fascinating match

under way. Clean as you like. What a pot! What a pot that was. He

normally would pot that nine out of ten. But it is his first appearance

at the Crucible. That was a nice break of 52 that gives the form

early-morning world champion this opening frame. Excellent. Great

shot. Now, the possibility of a century. There is a lot of support

here as well and what a finish. Fantastic century from the young

man. That is the first careless one the young Chinese player's put in.

Oh, well... Didn't expect that. This is where the game is so tough, you

have to seat in your seat and watch your opponent do this and you know

you had the first chance and Shaun acknowledging the crowd as they

applaud the century break and Murphy extends his lead to 4-1. This is

terrific stuff we are watching here in this match. He was 4-1 down. He

has won the last two frames and now Shaun Murphy leads 4-3. A fantastic

pot that was. Great shot. Smiles all around from Shaun Murphy. He will be

very pleased and takes a 6-3 advantage. So a fantastic start for

Yan Bingtao. His first frame he wins, it is a century. There is only

one thing missing from his game - experience. He strikes the ball

beautifully. He has a lovely cue action. And he is 17. In 2000 he was

born. People, the amount of players who have been here, 17 to be playing

here is incredible. It is only a bit of experience he needs. There is Yan

Bingtao. His match is about to finish. The other match about to

start. Let's hand you to our starter Mr Rob Walker. Our MC. Thanks Hazel.

Five players have secured their passage to the second round of this

year's World Championship. Time to find out who is next. The drama

continues on the sport's most important stage of all. CHEERING AND

APPLAUSE. Please welcome first of all, a

player returning for an eighth Crucible appearance after coming

through the qualifiers in fine style. Winner of last year's German

Masters. He is poised and ready to go. He is Martin Gould.

His opponent bgs back, can you believe for a 23rd Crucible

appearance. Three more big wins this season, taking his tally to 28

ranking trophies. He is one of Scotland's finest sports man and

four times the champion of the world, the Wizard of Wishaw, he is

John Higgins. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. Please

welcome back one of the most exciting teenagers the game has seen

in recent years, a World Cup winner at 15. Five times he has made the

last six this season. He is the first player born this century to

appear here at the Crucible. That is why we call him Chinese Millennium

Boy. Yan Bingtao! And finally his opponent, one of a

list of players to have completed snooker's Triple Crown. World

champion in 05, UK champion in 08. He seemed the hat trick two years

ago, bidding for an eleventh appearance in the last 16, a class

act, he is the magician, he is Shaun Murphy.

STUDIO: And we are grooving away to Shaun's walk on music and you can

watching the opening exchanges on their match on the web-site. But now

we will focus match, Murphy chasing a place in round two. Watching by

Steve Davis and John Virgo and they both looked impressive? COMMENTATOR:

Yes, very interesting match, Shaun Murphy looks to be a favourite, but

is in young man, like a lot of young players, if nay they get on a roll

they can do it in quick time. Yes, I think Yan Bingtao is a name for the

future. That's nailed on at the age of 17, coming on so strong in the

game. History would say you need a couple of visits here perfect you

showed your true colours. But just see how this player

improves over the next few years. He has got one. He has finished nicely

on the yellow. The problem is the cue ball is

coming down the left-hand side of the table as we look. He is looking

at that red immediately above the black, to see if he can get on that.

This yellow is a lot easier if he doesn't have to do anything with the

cue ball. Choosing the wise option here. He

would be disappointed he didn't more from that excellent opening red, but

part of the equation as to how quickly in the game Yan Bingtao

improves is how wise a head he has got on his shoulders.

Shot selection is a very big part of this game of ours.

REFEREE: Foul. Better in the pocket than rattling the jaws and staying

at this end. He played the safety shot the other

side of the brown. Might be a path round the back of

the black here. So he has a nice shot to nothing.

Another good long pot and this time played it confidently enough to stay

short of baulk line. Nicely on the brown. Good cue action. Some id hit.

Keeps his head rock still. Not an easy layout of reds at the

moment. Hard to see too much of a future in this break.

So trying to make something happen. And nothing did I don't think.

Perhaps he can get through. Perhaps he can. You can see from the body

language. He can probably pot it, but he can't do anything with the

cue ball. We say it is all about fractions, I think he can just about

get to this red. If he can screw back it is OK.

Fluent. He is not too bad, he has the blue to the far left corner. But

what goes to the left corner pocket this end of the table, I'm not too

sure. If anything. When he powered that blue in, he

could have hoped for a better split. Got to do some work with this cue

ball to get something going. Looks like a red does go into the corner.

But not only did he miss the pot, but he also didn't get the

positional side right either. So probably won't be too disappointed

with the outcome. It begs the question if that red in the middle

or just below the green does go, why didn't he play the blue? The blue

was unmissable. Any way, he didn't leave anything. Shaun has. Yeah,

another. The way Shaun played that, hey had to trust a bit to luck with

the outcome of the layout of reds. That was perhaps the most important

long pot. More committal. You can see the disappointment on

his face. That was a big one that. If he had got that, I think if he

had potted it, he would have been on the black. Shaun has not had to work

too hard to get this chance. Impressed with Shaun Murphy if their

first session. Wasn't the greatest draw, don't really want to play the

you kids on the block. Obviously Shaun's been watching

Bingtao, perhaps played him as well, but this is the biggest match they

have encountered each other. Head-to-head it is 2-1 to the young

Chinese player. But as you say, different kettle of

fish playing the cauldron that is the Crucible.

The cue ball pulled up just in time. Even though Shaun Murphy needs the

rest, it is preferable to the spider.

Very assured with the rest, Shaun. Doesn't look like he is going to

miss. Purposefully holding the blue spot

there. So he would have a straighter shot on this red.

You're thinking potting this red he will be looking for a hard ball pot

on the blue. To pot the blue and come off the side cushion and try

and open those reds up. That is the plan. Pretty big target.

He could have gone into them probably ten times and perhaps eight

out of the ten you would have been nicely placed. Yes, he was unlucky.

We can always be wise after the event, maybe a bit more pace. But

that's only being wise after the event. But he hit them absolutely

perfectly. Seems a bit of a contradiction, hit

them perfectly and he is on nothing. That is what happens, when you play

the cannon, you're always trusting a bit to luck.

This is a good line. Oh just a bit narrow. Another fraction and he

would have had Shaun in all kinds of trouble. That is what it takes -

just one shot like that. If it had been just half an inch the other

way, Shaun would have been snookered behind the yellow.

Terrific pot. He has got the kiss on the blue. It's not helped matters. I

think it will be yellow and snooker behind the blue here.

He would have liked to have played a bit better. I thought rolling to the

yellow he would be behind the blue and snookering his opponent on all

the reds. Yeah, I think he was doing the maths to see if he could put the

yellow on the side cushion for some insurance.

Should Bingtao get in among the balls, he would need the yellow.

Nice little flick on blue. Did it flick the blue? The red to the right

corner would have been on. If he can get this right, he could

have Shaun in a bit of bother. Try and get in behind the blue. That's

got to be the shot. He hasn't looked at it yet. No? He hasn't even lined

it up. But surely he wants the red off the cushion. He is coming down

to have a look behind the blue. The one closest to the corner pocket, I

think he will be covered by the other red any way as long as he gets

in the middle of baulk cushion. He would like to be tight behind the

blue, but doesn't want to risk. That is a pretty poor effort.

Bad shot. Might not have done any damage. It is a tempter for Shaun

and considering where the yellow is that he did put there for that bit

of insurance policy. That is what we are going. I would

give it a try any way. You don't, you like to go a long cushion if it

makes sense. What does a short cushion mean. Should I explain it in

English? Yes. The player doesn't like to hit the white ball that is

closest. It doesn't release sometimes. He has gone this way

using the spider. The reason you don't want to go to a

short cushion is the ball isn't really moving. It is sliding.

REFEREE: Foul. Miss. You would expect from this position Shaun

Murphy to clinch the frame. Looking at a 7-3 lead if he can

convert this. He has got two colours in the top part of the table the

play on. He can use the green as a getting in shot. Not great. It is

not the thin cut with a bit of trusting to look in and out of

baulk. Don't think he can hold the cue ball.

Well, I like you, thought that was a golden opportunity to win the frame.

Now, if Yan can knock this in, we could have a new favourite.

What do you reckon, 50/50 whether it goes in? With the cue ball going

back up to the yellow, he might think there is a chance of a cover.

Not playing it like that. He didn't have to hit it that hard. Perhaps

there was a gap around the back of the black. I think the pot though

was that difficult that you would have just played it and give it

every chance to drop it in and not been that bothered about getting on

a colour. The trouble was if it is harder like that it does come out a

bit more. It's poked its nose out. Looks like Yan Bingtao will be

behind the blue. Ooh, he has missed a snooker. He has

missed a snooker. That is very careless. And he shouldn't when he

comes back to the table be snookered behind the black. This looks a

natural. Get that cue ball tight behind the black.

Hmm. Another opportunity at a snooker missed.

He would like this one again. Just 20 points in it.

the sports they love in many of the ways.

Any safety shot that sends the object ball towards a pocket is

fraught with danger. You can't guarantee hiding behind a

colour. So it's all about this yellow.

And with the opportunities he has had here, Steve, if Shaun was to

lose this frame, it would be a blow to his confidence. He has had the

upper hand on more occasions, that's for certain.

In this type of situation from Shaun Murphy's position he is pleased that

the black is not a gimme. 15 points of difference. He is going

to need the six remaining colours, Yan Bingtao.

APPLAUSE En

Well, that could turn out to be the killer shot in this frame.

It's the age-old problem, you'd like to hit this off two cushions. Foul.

Well, doesn't want to leave a free ball. Shaun may not play this, he

will just ask him to play from that position.

He has to hit this within two hits to avoid needing snookers.

Has a country cushion escape or a two. He has to commit to either one

because there is a big gap around the back.

He's hit it but he's left it. Shaun Murphy has got to play this

pretty softly to keep position on the green. In doing that, that's the

only risk to the pot. If he hits it firm, he pots it. He may be able to

play a two or three cushion positional shot, as well. But

probably won't. Did and with that extension on the cue and perhaps

putting side spin on, it pushed the cue ball into the yellow. Prefer to

play that plain ball, I think, with the extension on. The fact he had to

play it delicately, but just made certain of the pot. He needs this

yellow to go in. And it obliged. A massive green coming up.

He is going to have to take the pot on because I don't see a safety. Not

a guaranteed frame-winner with the pink and black where they are.

It's been a bit of a nerve-jangler this opening frame of the second

session. It certainly has. You get the feeling that Shaun Murphy is

going to fall over the line in it. You never know.

Still needs the green and brown. A nice shot.

Is he going to snooker himself? No! You can't account for that. Just

shows you sometimes when you have had so many chances and the balls

run against you it's like they don't forgive you for spurning chances

earlier on in the frame. Switch it off, please!

The referee straight on there with a rogue mobile phone.

He's hit it. A nice hit. But this frame now is well and truly in the

balance. OK, Shaun Murphy is 21 points in front but 22 remaining and

now the pink is in a better position. It's not that, it's only

the black, but if you got behind the black you would fancy potting. A

tempter this. It's one of those shots, do you play

it, do you not? It's certainly not a 50-50 pot. But

the rewards are great. Yeah, you think if you played the

cross double it's easy but if you cut it too thick the brown could run

into the black and he could leave the brown on. It's the type of

situation you could play a poor safety shot and regret not going for

the brown. You play the brown, wobble it, stick it up and regret

not playing the safety shot. It's the trials and trib u --

tribulations of a snooker player. You wonder what makes a player

decide one way or another, is it a hunch? Sometimes it is, you get down

on a shot and sometimes you just fancy it. He is looking at the

potting angle. So he is taking it on. A big shot. You can't criticise

a player either way in this particular situation.

Now he has got back up maybe he has decided against playing it. No, he

is going for it. Foul. And that's it. He needs a

snooker. But he won't get another chance because with that cue ball in

the deep and the brown on, end of frame.

So that's the frame in the bag for Shaun. He hasn't been too impressive

in this frame. Needed at least four opportunities to win it. Can't rely

on getting that many in the frame, normally, at this level. Doesn't

matter about the pink. His opponent will concede.

And the frame. So scrappy run but Shaun Murphy won't mind. He now

extends his lead to four. 7-3 he leads.

Important frame. The brown that Bingtao played was the end of it for

him. It's funny, I think this is governed by the scoreline. He has

taken this on which is a difficult pot. The degree of difficulty, this

is right up there. Obviously screwed it off and lost the frame. It's one

of those ones if you were a few frames in front you had an easy

safety shot. He had a chance of getting behind the pink. You live

and die by your decisions on a snooker table. I think it was

governed more by the scoreline. Experience playing a part? A little

inexperience. A couple of shots, he could have played a cross double.

Brown possibly going in, white up by the blue. Straightforward shot but

that was quite a difficult shot to take on. As Steve said, sometimes

you feel good about a certain shot, sometimes you don't. And it depends

on how you feel at the time. Obviously he felt confident. But it

was very difficult one to take on. Speaking of feeling good on the

shot, if you are not feeling good on the shot, we do have a doctor in the

house. Now this cue fix, you have been getting responses in, are they

to your liking, what exactly do you need from everyone? We would like

more. If you come in, send in your videos of your cue action. If you

are going to tell us something about the cue action, one with full on,

off the cushion or using a rest, anything like that we would like to

hear from you. We would like to see you, as well. Feel free to get in

touch. The doctor will see you any time you like.

Yan Bingtao breaks off. There is three more frames before the

mid-session interval. If he could win them, match on! Shaun Murphy

wins them, of course, match over. It's a tempter.

A slow red. Could drop on to the black and maybe only leave the red

he would miss, should he miss it. Or a better shot maybe the

containing safety. Shot selection the key to much of

Match Play snooker and over the years Shaun has tried to study it to

the best of his abilities. Has looked pretty patient this

afternoon, on occasions we have dug him out for being a bit reckless. He

went for a phase of being defensive, decided that didn't suit his style.

Foul. Mis-hit that by quarter of a ball.

Bingtao has the opportunity to pot a red here but once again a big

decision and as was mentioned in the studio, does the scoreline dictate

this shot? Can he show some patience? Or is he desperate to get

a red in the pocket and a frame on the board? This type of shot, John,

this is like mis-hit 8-3. Yeah, funny thing is I have never seen

this young man play before and everybody told me that his biggest

problem is that he goes for everything. Now maybe he issering on

the side of being cautious and not playing his normal game and he has

got stuck between the two. Well, that was a terrific pot.

He is on the blue or the pink. As we know, the Crucible can play funny

things with your mind, can't it? Yeah. That was a very special shot.

He didn't play that firm to try to get the cue ball back to a safe

position, if he missed it he committed totally to that controlled

pot to stay in the top half of the table. Can he make it count?

I think he could get on the black here but it's whether he fancies

rolling through. He has played it. And he has played it inch-perfect. A

good shot. Now will he come off the top cushion

and play a cannon on these three reds? He would be unlucky not to be

on one. Hit the wrong red really. Needed to hit the middle red. True.

Middle red would have guaranteed position. Now he has a far more

difficult one to the middle pocket although you expect him to get this.

Says me from the safety of the commentary box! He didn't let you

down. Right in the heart of the pocket. And now the black available

into both corners. A couple of reds either side of the black. It's not a

bad chance this. Not quite certain about that shot.

Well, at this level that's an awful shot.

Asking for trouble the way he played that. Two reds closest to the black,

both went into the right corner. He could have easily have played into a

big area on the left side of the table. Perhaps he did but he mis-hit

it, that's for certain. Where is the cue ball going? ! Foul.

When he played his safety he played the loose red, didn't want to open

up the cluster, but Shaun has opened the reds and it looked like a good

one. Got to catch this just right. Yeah the player who is trailing is

usually happier to open up the reds. I think it's a free ball. No, is it?

It was close. No, free ball, I don't think so.

Don't think so. That's never a free ball. Put a ball by the blue and you

will probably be able to work it out. No, no. Shaun's in the having

it. Shaun wouldn't play. Can you show me the picture, please. He has

asked it to be replayed, that's sporting from Shaun. If the referee

has made a decision, but that wasn't a free ball. He knew. Yeah.

Shaun's not going to be the type of person who takes advantage from

maybe a misjudgment of the free ball decision.

If anybody playing club snooker and you are refereeing and not used to

refereeing and any free ball decision, the easiest way is to use

two reds that have been off the table, put one close to the

snookering ball on one side and one close to the ball you are picking

out and then you can work out if you can get through in a straight line

to them. Yeah, if a red is potted you can use one of the colours off

the spots. Let me explain to you for those who might be thinking what's a

free ball? You have to be able to both sides of the ball. For me, you

could clearly hit both sides of the ball. In fact, he could have missed

the ball on the right side as we looked.

Needs to slow up or kiss the pink. It kissed the pink. Would rather

have kissed it a little fuller. He can cut this red in but hampered as

he is I am not certain how thin he has to hit this, but keep your eyes

on the left middle pocket here. Yeah, this is a horrible shot.

Easy to leave this over the hole. Couldn't have played it any better

and he has a nice angle on the blue. He already has a 43-point lead now

with colour to come. He will be disappointed if he can't win the

frame now at this visit. It looks like he will get over the

line in this visit. From what we have seen of his short career he's

well capable of getting back into this match. He can get a few frames

going, play some power snooker. No way back to the table now for

Shaun. It's to be said, Shaun Murphy won the first frame of this second

session but not in convincing style. He had a chance in this one, didn't

make the most of it. So as we have seen so far in this

tournament, the seed might be under a little bit of pressure. Not just

yet, still will have a three-frame advantage, Shaun, but he knows he is

facing a dangerous opponent. Of course with it being Yan's first

time here, the longer the match goes on, the more you think he will

settle and be up for the job. A good bit of sportsmanship from Shaun when

the referee declared a free ball and he didn't think it was, had the

balls replaced. And he's never had much of a chance since.

Well, the pink didn't go in but that won't matter. Shaun will concede.

Wins the 11th frame. Still trails by three. 7-4, Shaun Murphy.

I was saying, Steve, that as we always say, there is pressure on the

seeds. First couple of frames I have not been too impressed with Shaun.

He has looked a little nervy. Yeah, certainly hasn't got his A-game

together. Doesn't look like he's in top gear. I don't think he is

worried. I think he is probably trying to play, not within himself,

but he's just playing what's there. Might get a bit more fire and

adrenalin pumping through his body if Bingtao gets a couple more

frames. The tempo of the match will rise. Yeah, I know what you are

saying. It's slowly building. You just feel as a player, particularly

as a seed, and let's not forget they played on three occasions and it's

2-1 to the young man from China, so Shaun has those sort of negative

thoughts in his mind. One of the fascinations of the World

Championship is in the advent of what we see now in sport everybody

thinks it has to be faster and faster and quicker and shorter

matches. The great thing about the World Championship and the best of

25 is a slow burn. The storyline unfolds. So, Shaun Murphy to break

off. The 12th frame.

If Bingtao has any sort of angle on this red he will be tempted to play

it. A bit risky, though.

He does have a slight angle. Don't think he can play it necessarily the

safety to the top cushion because the red below the black... Can he

get through a gap? This is a gad thought.

-- a good thought. Well, he did find a path back to the

baulk end. Nothing wrong with that. APPLAUSE

Nothing wrong with that choice of shot.

In trying to play the shot with an element of positional play, he has

opened the door for Shaun Murphy, though.

Which he gladly takes. Yeah, a nice clean pot from Shaun.

Trademark Shaun Murphy long pot. Did score very well in the first

session, in fact, both players did, three centuries we had in the first

session. One from Yan Bingtao and two from Shaun. And that's not a bad

pot success. I think the black is available.

Maybe it's not. If it had, he would definitely have

played for it off that red. He could go into the pink with this. But

perhaps there are better options. Clearing that red away from the

black is obviously a priority. Yeah, will make the black available.

Because I assume it wasn't. A bit straight on the red, you have to

power this back up for the blue. There's a surprise! Took his eye off

the pot. A bad mistake. You can only assume he didn't hit

the centre of the cue ball. Obviously straighter on this black,

but I think it's this type of situation you drop the black, you -

I think the cannon will take care of itself.

Got a slight angle on the red along the top cushion. But not much of

one. This is a tough shot. The harder you hit it, the more

chance of missing it. That is why he is refusing it.

I repeat what I said, everybody was telling me, the problem is with the

young man he goes for everything. Well he is not going for everything

here, is he? I don't blame him. Going for everything is a very fine

line between winning and losing. That is a nice shot from Shaun.

Generally, the trend in snooker's been towards more attacking play as

the years have rolled on. Some of the best of seven matches that they

now play on the tour, perhaps that is more the way the play.

But when we talk about slot selection it is also the balance and

being, having that comfortable in your mind what that balance is. You

can't one minute be playing the safety shots and keeping control and

then all of a sudden get down and thrash out at one.

With a younger player, they're more likely to be aggressive any way. I

think if you were looking to judge a younger player, playing the game of

snooker, you could say OK, he is going to learn the safety part later

in their career. But it is how quick you're learning

the game. It is perhaps the difference between some players that

have taken a lot longer to win on the circuit than others, how quickly

they have cracked the code of the tactics of the game. At the age of

17, he is obviously ahead of the game.

Arguably you could say he is best-placed to, if he continues to

improve, to become the youngest ever world champion. There is not many

17-year-olds that have got this man's Trent. -- talent.

When Shaun Murphy won the World Championship, he was very

aggressive. Played some daredevil snooker.

Outpoted everybody. Hasn't won the Championship since. And that style

of play, not sure whether it guarantees you to win here that

often. But if you get on a roll in the second week and start fancying

the pots, it can work to your advantage.

That was risky, just about got away with that safety shot. Might have

put Bingtao in a bit of trouble here. He might have got lucky in how

these have panned out. Certainly not an easy path back to the baulk end.

That pink's causing problems for Bingtao. He has spotted something

quickly. Oh! You can't beat a bit of luck and

boy did he have some there! That cue ball was coming back up the table,

having said that where it's ended up, he wouldn't have left any reds I

think, other than the one he missed. Missable pink.

The The yellow's an easier shot. He is forcing himself to play this

pink. Pressure shot and he gets it. Bang in the centre. Once again he

has come a bit awkward on the reds. May not have an easy way to get back

out here. He has got to do some work with this. Punch it n try and get

through the gap between the two reds.

Good effort. Got the cue ball away from the cushion. Away from the

cushion far enough to make this black a lot easier.

Played that nicely. And in potting this red, he will nudge those two

two reds and that won't do him any harm.

A good chance and a big moment in the match.

Played the cannon and played it well. Lovely judgment.

Once again just over did it. He wanted to be low on the black so he

could play a cannon or play for one of those two reds by the pink.

He will have to play for the red along the top cushion and they're

missable. Trying to make the red easy by playing the cannon. It was a

bad last red. He had to make sure that he didn't leave himself in that

trap position. Low or high and the positional play would have been so

much easier. That is a chance gone begging.

When you're playing that type of shot, that red around behind the

black, you have to commit to playing it harder or softer, not just

trusting that you're going to accidentally fall on the black in a

nice way. He found the one place that gave him a problem and he's

paid the price. If Shaun could get a good cue ball,

he may be tempted to play the double. I think he can get past the

black to play the red to the far right corner. I bit is risky.

Got a good white. It would be a case of trickling up to the reds here.

Can't beat a little trickle! Ooh, he didn't play the trickle!

Well, I don't see the value in that. Particularly with that red on the

baulk line, it is just an easy safety now for Shaun to get the

upper hand. That was trickle time for me!

Pulled that a bit too thin to be a telling safety shot. Shaun Murphy

coming around the table to see if there is any long range plants on.

Unlikely to make that into a plant. Also you would have to come around

the table to see for a possibility of pushing a ball towards the pocket

as well. Good effort from Shaun Murphy to cut

off escape routes down the left-hand side of the table. Looking at the

situation, I can't see, well, there is a return to baulk, but there is a

few obstacles in the way. The red second out from the

right-hand cushion I suppose, for someone like Shaun, he would play

the pot and try and screw it back to the baulk end.

As it happened, that red potted. He won't mind if this cue ball goes

behind the green. Not quite. Long range screw back for Shaun Murphy.

He has got the shot in the toolbox. And what a shot to have in your

toolbox. He does it so easily. He has such a good and when we talk

about cue power, it is the fact people can do that without having to

throw everything into it - the shoulder and everything. If you can

keep control of everything and still get that power.

Given himself a chance now. He was a little bit short with that screw

back off the yellow. Thought he was going to run past the black.

Misjudged it. Don't know if he can get through to pot the pink in the

right middle. Don't think he can. He doesn't really want to put a

colour safe here. He is 24 points behind. He will need the yellow.

It has to be said, whether by fair means or foul, he is not making the

most of these opportunities. No it has been scrappy. Positional play

has been not exactly to the inch. That is the best he could do in

keeping the yellow in play. Perhaps forget about looking too far ahead.

Just play a decent safety shot. Being forced to take the safe red

off a cushion. Would have liked to have kept that there. There is a few

options for Murphy here. I'm sure he will be going for a pot

here. Only he will know the exact angle.

This is a brave shot. This is dead straight.

This is a monster. Oh! Oh, my goodness! You cannot hit the ball

better than that. That was a tremendous pot. The acceleration of

the cue. He pauses for a second and accelerated through, as effortlessly

as you could do for such a power shot.

He deserves everything he gets here. Is he going to be snookered. I

wasn't talking about the snooker! Another roll or two and he may well

have been. Very good play with the reds. Notice how his arm is up. The

elbow is up. A lot of people using the rest keep the ep Bolo. Bow --

elbow low. Played ha perfectly. The only problem I can see is the

yellow. You can't win the frame without it.

That yellow is sufficiently off the side cushion that he could be

tempted further down the line in this break to get the cue ball

behind it. This would be an excellent frame for

Shaun Murphy to win from this position.

If he did win this frame, you would have to say, he would be a massive

favourite to win the match. Yes, I think that this will, well...

Amongst many other things will make him feel good. He has potted two

terrific long reds. If that last one can win him the frame at this visit,

that will give him the confidence to push home the advantage.

There again the power, the cue came off the bridge slightly, but still

went through in a straight line. It is all about the yellow now. Needs a

good angle on the the colour to get a position on the yellow.

Obviously, you would think that possibly yellow into the yellow

pocket is the shot. But there is the potential for him to try to get it

better placed. This yellow is missable. Perhaps

that yellow's a bit too close to the cushion to try and get behind it. I

wouldn't say he has come perfect on this yellow. He would have like to

have it three quarter ball, but bring the cue ball away from the

cushion. He is goods with the rest, but he needs the yellow, the green

and the grown. -- brown. I wond irwhether he would have been

better trying -- wonder whether he would have been better trying to

play behind the yellow. But I think he just played it too hard. It

bounced off the cushion. If he had been where the cue ball is now, he

wouldn't have needed the rest. This frame is still in the balance.

And this looks like a pretty good shot. Poked its nose out there. But

nevertheless, Shaun's still got to get it safe.

That was a bit more risky. That is OK. You say it's OK. From what I

have been told about this lad, this is the type of shot he goes for and

knocks in. Big shot to take on. Yeah. Ideally,

he would also like too pot the yellow and pull the cue ball back

six inches to make the green easier. If he plays the yellow up and down,

there is the danger of the double-kiss here. He is looking at

safety options. Beware the double-kiss! Very thin he

doesn't get the double-kiss. You're thinking cross-double? Yeah.

Rather than up and down. Would you take the pot on? Honest

answer! No. Only because I haven't been

practicing! Well said slam! Not necessarily the wrong shot. If you

can't see a safety shot that is guaranteed, then why not take it on?

Pretty low success rate on that shot I would imagine.

This a gap between green and blue? A wry smile on Shaun's face tells me

there is. Just not hard enough. If he had got

the snooker he would have the advantage in this very important

tactical exchange. But he has handed it to Shaun now.

And he has made the most of it. Good shot.

Relatively easy two-cushion escape. But trusting to luck whether he can

hit that yellow through the gap between green and brown.

Just like that? Yeah, like that! It was never a problem.

I know Shaun only needs the yellow, green and brown and Yan Bingtao

needs all six colours. You feel whoever pots the yellow wins the

frame. Nice shot. Tap on the table from

Bingtao. Looks to have cut off, can he see a shot?

I thought it was a complete snooker. Didn't really want that yellow to go

in. As you can see from where the cue ball's ended up. Advantage Yan

Bingtao! For a split second his heart would have been in his mouth.

He has got that yellow too close to the green pocket.

Shaun Murphy plays that perfectly. Wasn't much margin of error there to

get that cue ball off of two cushions, as opposed to one before

he hit the hello. It is tough to avoid poking its nose

out. But what a lovely white ball he's got here. If he had picked it

and placed it with his hand he couldn't have done better. I don't

think Shaun's too impressed. It is a bit lucky. Absolutely. But he played

it thin enough that he didn't really push the yellow right over the

pocket. It was a tough shot he had on. This is a bit of a headache for

Shaun. Ideally, he'd like to go around the back of the black and

play this yellow from behind and push it back up the table. Get some

separation between yellow and cue ball.

Don't know if the angle's on. Doesn't look too bad.

Hit the wrong side of the yellow and a chance for Bingtao. And a big

frame now this, because Shaun Murphy has had his chances.

It hasn't been the free-scoring snooker of the first session.

Perhaps the nerves are jangling a bit. That goes in nicely. Has he

controlled the cue ball? Not really. Don't tell me it goes behind the

brown? Oh, my goodness! Nightmare. You could say he is unliky. I will

give -- unlucky. But he overhit that so much.

You see that cue ball hit the cushion, it would have been perfect

on the green and the yellow pocket and the only thing is he would have

had to play the pot slower. Nice shot. Proving he knows his way

around the table. But what a chance he's missed there.

An ironic clap there. Clapping his own bad positional shot really.

Shaun keeps the pressure on. Two cushion escape. Similar to Shaun

Murphy's off the back cushion. Got to catch it full. I'm wondering if

there is a gap... A one cushion swerve. Or just get through that