Ken Doherty v Paul Hunter, 2003 Snooker: World Championship

Hello again. The 2003 World Championship was a tournament of

records. Stephen Hendry made his 100th tonne at The Crucible. Paul

Hunter scored the 750th in Crucible history and Ronnie O'Sullivan

excited the crowds against Michael Fu. But we were to reach even

greater heights of excitement and drama in a semifinal that featured

the popular 24-year-old, Paul Hunter from Yorkshire and Ireland's former

Crucible king Ken Doherty. Paul was one of the top players in 2003 and

he was one of the men to win the World Championship -- one of the

favourites to win the World Championship because he had been

playing so well. The people loved him. The Beckham of the base was his

nickname. He had all of the looks going for him and then there was me.

LAUGHS . He was one of my best friends. He

liked to laugh. We had a lot of fun together, but on the table, he was -

he wanted to win at all costs. He was a great player. Paul Hunter was

widely considered by many as a champion in waiting at the cruise

cruise. At 24 years of age, he was already a double Masters champion

and a lot of people thought that 2003 would be his year in Sheffield.

He already had beaten the defending champion Peter Ebdon in a

final-frame decider in the quarterfinal and was soon taking

Doherty apart in the first session of this semi. 8-4 he led as we pick

them up in Frame 13. Thank you, 13th frame. Paul Hunter to break.

Foul. Greg Hunt 4. Cut that safety a little too thin.

Last shot to stick on the black. APPLAUSE

Which, being slightly protected by the red to the right of it, Hunter's

decision to go back up for blue. He's coming around to have a look at

what is available. Black out of commission at the moment, as is the

pink. But, if he could drop nicely - he's got a choice of reds to play

for. He looked to see if he could get on the red on the right of the

black. He tried to get onto it. He had the one for the right middle. So

if he's got an angle on this one, and the black is available into the

opposite corner, this would open things up.

This is a promising start after the mid-session

It wasn't a good pack to go Still a couple of reds available.

Before he has to disturb anything. Now an important shot coming up now.

This cannon the left of the two reds. One will be available on the

right and one next to the cue ball. If this works out nicely, he could

open up a few reds here. APPLAUSE

We talk about Paul's temperament, Clive, I think that match against

Peter Ebdon when Peter played two flawless games, the way he clinched

the deciding frame, he's got everything, this young man, hasn't

he? A very cool temperament. Gritty when he is behind and he's got the

killer instinct when he has a chance to win.

Even that shot there, I mean that was awkward cueing there. He played

the cannon with the amount of rescue. Just watch the reaction on

the white. Top draw there. 45. He would have to miss something very

freight forward not to clinch the frame here. He's done all of the

hard work. He's had breaks of 50, 61 and frame 11, 53 and frame 12 and

now this. There have been a couple of pack

openers in this break. 61. We are at the stage now where

you see the best snooker being played when you get to the

semifinals at the Embassy World Championship. No distraction from

the other side of the arena. Only one table playing. It doesn't get

any better than this. 68. So, this is effectively frame

ball. 69. APPLAUSE

It is amazing how the audience know when the frame is safe. You always

get a round of applause. So they really do know their snooker here in

the cruise cruise. 77. -- At The Crucible. 77.

82. Right from the start of the tournament Hunter has been very

fluent and assured. When there has been a big break on,

he usually has made it. And this reminds me of a few seasons ago when

he played in the final of the Masters and was 6-2 down. He came

out in the evening and he made four centuries and six frames and almost

equalled Stephen Hendry's five centuries and seven frames.

Something that I thought would never be equalled and this young man

almost achieved that. But four centuries in six frames!

This is quality. It is so helpful in long matches. If you can win frames

in a single-scoring visit, it is taking less out of you that way.

That white flew off the top. It is really quick out this. -- out there.

APPLAUSE And with that, 135. Greg Hunt goes

five frames clear and he leads by nine frames to four. Db, but there

isn't one there this time. This is a chance for Ken. He can pop

this red and with a bit to the side he can avoid the cannon closest to

it. He didn't completely avoid it, but it has been a help there, just

catching it slightly. It has kept him in position. As long as he did

it hit it faux ball. Ken, in this session has only made

two mistakes. The frame before the mid section interval he took his eye

off the brown. He was concentrating on the white and it cost him the

frame albeit with a 73 clearance. He missed in the -- he missed the black

in the frame before and the same thing happened. Although, at the

time, Clive, you said that the black had just dipped down do the top

cushion and you were right because I spoke to Ken's friend, Mik, in the

dressing-room and he said it just drifted slightly that black.

You might have heard him say, "Just a sec, Ken." That is because the

pink won't go in its own spot. The others are occupied. He's got to get

it in a direct line behind it without touching the red. That puts

the pink out of economics now. So he's only the -- commission now. So

he's only the blue to work with for the time being. He might just elect

to cannon the two reds and pink. That is not all that bad. He's freed

the pink. The one he is looking at would be a

bit risky. He is thinking of counting the red and black, but he

wants to keep at the table, so he is playing for the blue again.

APPLAUSE He'll have a look at that red again

because that is still a possibility. He is going to still have to

concentrate on the blue. It just depends where the pink goes.

I am not sure if the spot is available. Those two reds I think

are on it. If it goes onto the black, it might just be available

into the pocket he's just pocketed it into. And it does.

I was just thinking, Clive, it was a similar-type shot to that when he

rolled the black along and that is the one that stayed along the pocket

and he lost the frame, but no problem this time.

We mentioned that black in the third frame. Watch this. When he first hit

it, it looked in the pocket. It touched that near knuckle.

That mistake cost him that frame. He's built up a usefulful lead in

this one. The standard in this session has

been as good as any session we have seen in the Embassy Championship. It

really has been top-class. He breaks a 62. 11 1. Now this here. A bit

special. Just this red then will secure the

frame for do do. -- Doherty. 62.

APPLAUSE Specific

And he's clinched this frame without the aid of the black. The black has

been tied up until that last shot until he brought it into play. A

good break, this. APPLAUSE

He developed an awkward red. Pity he lost position with the

black. The way this has gone, this might go in the corner pocket.

APPLAUSE Now that it has, you've got the

prospect of back-to-back total clearances. Hunter potted all 15

reds with colours, plus the colours in sequence to make 135 in the last

frame. This could be a total clearance in reply from Doherty.

This will get a terrific round of applause, this.

APPLAUSE You could say, Clive, this is just

what the doc ordered. LAUGHS

. The quality of this effort from

Doherty shows that he is still capable of winning this match.

Doherty shows that he is still his opponent is playing

exceptionally well, too. Yep, a fantastic break by Ken, but, try as

he might, he was continuously out-played by the flamboyant

youngster. Breaks of 84 and 92 extended Hunter's lead to 5, as we

rejoin them in Frame 18. Fully committed. Had he missed this

red he was leaving a sitter for Paul Hunter, the one next to the black.

Maybe just gone a little bit too far this time. He wanted to be

straighter on this red. Let's see if he can avoid not hitting the black

and staying on it. Yep! Now, if he can catch the Reds, not the middle

red, just the end would be better - that is perfect.

APPLAUSE ust the end would be better - that

is perfect. APPLAUSE

He took the cue ball through the thinner part of the bunch.

That made it virtually certain he was going to finish on a red. If he

had gone into the heart of the bunch, the cue ball could have stuck

on it. Well, Paul Hunter hasn't had a

chance yet. But he is very cool. He won't be

getting bothered yet. After that final frame with Ebdon b after Peter

made two plus breaks to level, he kept his cool in the first chance of

the deciding frame and he won it. He has got the complete game, has Paul

Hunter. APPLAUSE

It only lasted 35 first one, Clive. That was less

It only lasted 35 10 minutes. It must be fairly tight

because he's had two or three looks at this.

He hadn't quite got the angle into the reds that time. He may have

to go in for the reds after. I thought for a moment he almost

missed that. He was way ahead of himself there. It is all about this

cannon. Once again, he doesn't want to go into the middle of the reds.

He could stick in there. That is exactly what he has done. So he

would like to take that one again. Not an easy safety shot by the looks

of things. All he can do is roll into them. Ken Doherty 59.

APPLAUSE Well, he's got the cue over there.

That is where I was going to put the little white ball. If he leaves the

white over there, thin off this red, everything would be fairly safe. As

long as he doesn't push this one into a potable position that he is

going to glance off. Maybe that could have been foreseen.

In doing so, he shunted a red. That was dangerously near the right

corner. You have got to watch the white that is going towards the red

on the left side of the table if it goes around the back of the black.

APPLAUSE That was the problem. It was at an

angle to hit that red. So one long blue and he rescues back.

APPLAUSE Moving that red will work to his

advantage now. I don't think he intended to move

it. A great spot. He moved into a potable position and they are all on

now. This would be a body blow for do do

if Hunter cleared up here. He had a flying start to the session. 92

break in the opening frame. First in with 59 and this one.

He would have to make an elementary mistake and h didn't make many in

this morning's session. As you said, Clive, what a frame this would be to

pinch. It would be a real body blow, but a real boost to the young man

from Leeds. That smile on his face when Alan Hughes introduced the man

with the golden cue. I like that. Very fluent. Very assured. Very

confident. So just one mistake from Ken. He

tried to open the reds up and stuck in amongst them. That is all this

young man seems to need. This was the shot, didn't quite get the

cannon as he wanted. Doherty lost that frame. He seeps to

be on his way. Hunter with a 75 who guess six clear at 12-6. Paul Hunter

just blew me away. I was trying to hang onto his coat tails and going

into the last session I was 59 down. I have to win eight of the nine

frames that we were due to play in that afternoon session. No-one gave

me a prayer. I didn't give myself a prayer. All I wanted to do was try

to make it hard for him, try to stick in and use that sort of

determined, fighting Irish spirit that we are renowned for and not

give it to him too easy. That fighting Irish spirit was clearly

evident as we went into the final session on that fateful Saturday

afternoon. Ken made breaks of 73 and 93 to reduce his arrears to only

four frames now. We will pick them back up in Frame 27. Paul had made

31 points here, but he is out of position on the black.

What sort of shot was that he's just played? I thought he would have tied

the black, put it on the cushion and left the white on the cushion. He's

left a pot here, Clive. I don't think he could see what he was

doing, reaching over like that. Well, that would do it.

You mentioned, Clive, he couldn't see exactly what he was doing, but

he didn't need to hit it at that pace.

A couple of reds were hotted into the right corner. Ken has the

perfect angle on the yellow to come off the side cushion and come up for

one of the reds near the pink. If he can reach this, there might be

a gap to pot that red he is looking at and rescue into the gap. If he

can pot that red and just rescue between the others, he would finish

nicely on the black. Even if he touched one of the reds on the way

through, he would still be OK. He judged this very well. Didn't

matter touching a red, as long as he only touched it gently. The pink is

not available at prent. He might have to head up towards the blue

here. Just a quick glance at the

scoreboard. He's got a long way to go here in this frame, but he's at

the table and that is the main thing.

Just too thin a cut to hold for the blue. He's got quite a bit to do

here. It is far from a clear-cut chance just yet.

Extension on the cue preferred to a rest shot.

He will have to leave himself a longish pot, by the looks of things.

Yeah, he couldn't do much better than that. So a big shot coming up.

Red into the left corner, rescue the white across. He would finish on the

black if he pots it. That is the sort of angle he would

be looking at. It is not straightforward.

Just skimmed across the face of the black.

That is the first slip-up. It could be pretty costly and it was a fairly

straightforward pot as well. I think he was thinking about the white and

he never dreamt he would miss this. The way appeared clear for do do to

reduce his arrears to two frames. This is Hunter's chance to go five

up with six to play, assuming that he is still on that red to left

middle. Only just, I think. Very tight, obviously. He wouldn't be

looking at -- or he wouldn't be looking at it this long. Well, he is

not on it. This is a much more difficult pot.

We have said about him being a cool APPLAUSE

We have said about him being a cool customer. He played a poor

positional shot and he pulled out a difficult pot there.

This match would be more or less level apart from Doherty

unexpectedly missing easy balls like that. There have been four or five

of them in this match. That is not the best positional shot that Paul

has ever played. He can still cut the pink in, but it is quite a thin

one. He will have to come twice across the fable to finish ob on

that red. He will want to finish between that rd and the blue. -- red

and He is going to need the yellow. He's

got the perfect angle on the black to slide the white past pink and

blue and leave a pretty straightforward yellow.

That is the first sign of weakness from Paul Hunter. He put a quick one

in there. He is such a smooth cuist. He wasn't smooth on that one. Just

watch the cow. You could see that there. That was for five up with six

to play. Just have a look at this shot that

Ken has played. What a difference that missed yellow

can make. We have talked about Paul's temperament. He's still got a

bit to do and he's left that a little bit short and he will have to

come off the top cushion. How is the space on the white? It is pretty

good. It looks certain that Paul Hunter

would go five up with six to play, but Ken Doherty reduces the gap to

three frames, which is the least it has been since it was 7-4. Hunter's

lead now reduced to 15-13. Round 27 was crucial. He is 26 points ahead

and looks like he is going to win the frame. He just needs the yellow.

There is 27 left on the table. He has a straightforward yellow into

its own pocket. Just came off the cushion and onto the green. OK, it

is a mid-distance pot but it is a pot you would always fancy getting.

I never thought he would miss it. He potted the balls and all of a sudden

I have closed the gap even further and that is when the tension started

to build, you know. A round of applause. But I think he

left Paul at the back of the pack. He didn't skip from that as he

intended. That is just the sort of pot that Paul needs to settle him

down again after that miss on the yellow.

He might just be OK. He is having a long, hard look. He might be able to

get to the potting angle with that red to the right of the bunch.

What has he spotted? Is there something - he can get through the

gap past the pink, can he? No, yes. APPLAUSE

It looked as if it was going to hit that near knuckle.

How is the luck this time? It could have been better. He's covered

everything into the right corner. Everything into the left corner.

He's got one to the middle. He's looks at the possible plant, but

there is quite a distance between the two reds. Not straightforward

here. That was a bit unlucky there. You

don't really want to be trying to make that plant at this stage.

Can he get through to pot the other one? There you go. I think he had to

band that, Clive, because he never looked at that one before, did he?

Yes, he did. Hughes right of centre striking.

APPLAUSE Just slightly the wrong side of the

blue, but there might be a red either side that he can play on just

by dropping the blue. He might need the extension on his

cue to reach this. That corner pocket will be in Paul's way

slightly when he reaches over the table.

We have got a mid-session interval coming up after this frame. I think

a lot of people, most people in The Crucible didn't think we were going

to get to a mid-session interval, Clive.

We are going to have one and if Hunter were to lose this frame, I

imagine that 20-minute interval would be a time of some anguish.

What a thumping kick. Now, that is so unlucky, that. Look at the black

jump. Absolutely amazing and Paul, well, he smiles about it, but that

was so unfortunate there. I thought for a moment he might have got away

with it, that the black was going to cover the pocket for this red, but

there is a gap past. I think there is a little bit of

tension creeping in again. Quite a bit of tension, actually. So Ken has

let him off the hook. He is starting to get anxious, isn't

he, Dennis, if he lost this frame he would be very anxious during the

mid-session break. Yes, I think that bad contact in the

mid-session break. Yes, I think that like he was going to go on and

clinch the frame. Well, both players have missed sitters there. But that

It really is fabulous to be out excitement of The Crucible Theatre.

It really is fabulous to be out there. Nerve-wracking, but very

enjoyable. A long way out. He can only see one

red and he might have to have a go at it. That is the only red he can

see on the table to hit. Now, wouldn't it be ironic if he knocked

this in after the one he just missed. He's got the white where he

wanted, but there is a red coming up as well. He is OK, though. But Ken

could have the advantage, a snooker at this age with the reds and

colours as they are, and even though he is 44 points behind, it could

give him a chance to get right back into this frame.

It might be difficult to get the snooker, but he needs that white

tight on the cushion. Looking to see if he could cover the

red left middle. You could hear a pin drop out there.

A terrific shot. APPLAUSE

That is as good a safety shot as you will see because he's put Ken bang

in trouble. Nowhere back down the table, the

only chance is to rescue the white down and where is this red going to

go? I don't even know if he can see enough of it to play that shot.

Well, this red could go anywhere, if he takes this on. That is unusual to

put the extension on your cue playing the white from that

position. Is it giving him a little bit more weight to screw the white

back? He was in a tough spot there and he

hasn't got out of it. He is already 44 behind. I think you had a point

about the heavier cue, though, Dennis. The American pool players

break off with a heavier cue. A heavier cue than they use for the

rest of the game. It is just I have never seen it done before, Clive.

48 in front in a couple of shots time he will be in a perfect

position, you would feel. As long as it is nicely onto a red,

then there shouldn't be any problem. He has four or five reds to finish

on here. He celebrated with a magnificent

safety shot. This is the one. Absolutely superb. He's let that

slip. He's let that slip. That was a straightforward cannon onto the red.

It looked like a clear run to the line. This looks like an attack of

clinch's disease, making unexpected errors.

Within sight of the winning post. You would still have to make him

favourite for this frame. He's kept the brown with his last shot

reasonably safe, keeping it close to the cushion.

Well, that was so close. He got a good white again. When I say a "good

white" Ken Doherty needs a good white here because a thin snake of

white will be heading up towards the red and blue.

He's got a good kiss. A very fortuitous kiss.

APPLAUSE And a chance to get right back into

it. Hunter continues to be put through

the ringer. The general expectation was that he

would clinch a comfortable victory this afternoon. The general

expectation was wrong. He took the chance to develop that

red there. With the red being sow close to the

pocket, I wasn't sure what would happen on the right but what a nice

way to leave the easy pink. How much apart will that brown that is off it

spot play in this frame? He's got quite a few balls the pot before he

gets there. But that is the only one that is reasonably safe.

You need plenty of self-belief to withstand this sort of pressure. At

some point Hunter has got to come out this afternoon and do the

business. There is a lot of snooker left in this frame. If Paul Hunter

wins this frame, I think he would be a comfortable winner. If Ken Doherty

nicks this frame, what a semifinal we could be left with.

He won't do anything about the brown until he pots the yellow and leaves

an angle for the green and then he will worry about the brown.

He wants to be dead straight on the yellow so he can pot it and rescue

trait back to more or less where the white is now. It is all about

getting a good angle on the green to give himself a chance to do

something about that brown. Well, just looking at it, he's gone

a little bit too far, so what he might do is try to play this

righthand side as you look at it to take the white off the bottom

cushion and drop in behind the brown. It would give him a choice of

pockets. How is the pace on the brown. It would give him a choice of

What a big shot this is. It would give Doherty a passport to take the

CHEERING frame.

Absolutely amazing. He's played three perfect frames.

Absolutely amazing. He's played missed a few in this frame.

CHEERING Cheer

At the start of play Paul Hunter was within two frames of a place in the

final. He still is, but his lead has been reduced to only two frames.

Hunter leads by 15 frames to 13. So the pressure levels are really

beginning to squeeze these players and Paul in particular because his

once commanding 5-frame lead is now down to two. In we go to Frame 29

and it is Paul, 11 points behind and one red left.

You would have to say that the run of the ball at the moment is

slightly favouring Ken. If the red had dropped in, as it well could

have done, it would have given Hunter an excellent chance to take

the frame. He is going for the brown, just

looking at it. And that - hit perfectly. What a fightback from Ken

Doherty. Hunter can only wait to see if

Doherty clinches this frame to reduce his lead to one.

Amazing! APPLAUSE

A 5-frame winning streak for do do. He is only one behind. Hunter's lead

is reduced to 15-14. CHEERING

He was always going to play the pink next, but would have preferred to be

able to reach it without art official aids. It is the fact he has

to get quite a bit of power in this to give himself a possible pot on

the next red. He had a look at the red on the left middle pocket. That

is not an option. It is far too an acute angle.

Pretty reliable with the rest, but at this stage of the match you want

to be getting your hand on the table.

Not quite far enough back with the white. I don't think he can cannon

the red. He tried and he got very close to leaving an angle to pot the

pink and cannon that red. The white is going away from it now.

But that is second best. He was trying to swing that all the way

around the angles and avoid the green and brown.

A good shot. A brilliant shot. APPLAUSE

Not that straight forward to send the red back up the table. He's got

to be careful. The brown is in the way, I think. But this is difficult.

Where is the red? Where is the red going?

It is Ken's turn to have a little bit of bad luck to push the red over

the pocket. But it is not easy por Paul to get good position with the

red being so close to that pocket. He's got to force this.

If he could have forced out another 4 or 5 inches, it would have been so

much easier. What a test for this young man.

That is pretty cool. A terrific pot. Awkward cueing. Had to just drop the

yellow in to stay on it. The crowd absolutely engrossed. The crowd,

which I am sure didn't expect to finish lick this. He's overrescued

it, has he? Not quite. I don't think the brown passes the pink. That is

what Paul was having a look at there and if it doesn't, he might not have

the angle to leave it to the opposite corner. It is very tight.

He's got the perfect angle on the green to rescue up behind the brown,

but I don't think it passes the pink, so he might just rescue up

into them. -- rescue up into them. APPLAUSE

He's still got a shot at it. Brown and blue needed.

Where is the brown going? He seemed to hit that a little bit harder than

he needed. That is anxiety doing its work.

Well, it is amazing, but this is the sort of thing that can happen out

there in The Crucible Theatre. At this stage, anything can be missed.

That was Doherty's chance to level the match, although he needed the

other colours as well. CHEERING

He held his nerve that time. That was a difficult pot.

APPLAUSE The blue was the clinching colour.

CHEERING Doherty had his chance to level the

match, but with a huge sigh of relief, Hunter took the frame to go

two up with three to play at 16-14. Another terrific safety shot.

APPLAUSE He really has Ken in trouble here,

although he can see the one red. It is so difficult to snip that red and

get the white back down the table. He's snookered almost full ball on

that. He's going to have do give this a little bit of thought. He's

going to play the swerve shot. He can hit the other red, so this is

risky. Foul. It will have to go back again.

It might even be a free-ball. If it is a free ball, it is not a

free-ball, if it had been a fro-ball Paul could have played the yellow

and put the ball tight up against the brown.

Ken is reluctant to move the other red. He knows how difficult it is to

get safe on the red on the cushion. That is why he is swerving around

the brown. We will just show you that is where

it was before. Let's look where they have got them now. Not too far away.

Almost perfect. Well done, Colin. That wasn't easy. He is a very

capable, ref, is Colin. Try No. 2. Too much. Now then. Foul, miss. Now,

if Paul doesn't fancy this red, he may take the red on, but if he put

it back and Ken did the same thing, three miss and you lose the frame

would have applied there, Clive. It would, but he got the ball in the

pocket. APPLAUSE

Good cueing. Awkward bridging, but excellent cueing there.

It is not quite tight. So this is not a straight snoreward pot. --

straightforward pot. It wasn't easy, but it is perfectly

safe. And the last few exchanges have, including this failure at that

difficult red, the last few exchanges have changed the position

and both players now need to pot the green. Five minutes ago Doherty

could have won this frame without it.

This could be a snooker. He has played some fantastic safety shots.

CHEERING It's not a snooker. Ken will settle

for the outcome. You never know where you are going to folk a red

when you are snookered like that. -- knock a red when you are snookered

like that. Is he taking it on? He took it on because the green was

safe. He knew it was highly unlikely if he missed it, he would leave the

lot on. Not a bad result for the red to

finish up there. That is a good shot also.

APPLAUSE Well, foul and a miss because he

just caught the brown. Ken won't have them put back. This is a

pressure red here. This crowd in The Crucible came here this afternoon

and thought they were going to have a casual little afternoon, relaxed

in The Crucible. They are all on the edge of their seats now.

Blue no problem. Yellow no problem. But what about the green? It is

better placed than it was a few minutes ago. And it is the green Ken

put safe when he made the 52 break. Had a kick there. Would have been

straighter on the yellow but for that. Well, that could make such a

difference because now he hasn't got the angle to screw back behind the

green. He might still have, but he will have to use the rest, but what

a shot he is faced with. He's got to screw over behind that green.

His plan, if he had gone earlier, he wanted to pot over that green. To do

that with the rest, it has to be some shot. If he doesn't and can

phons the brown, it could spoil things. But he must pot the yellow.

You can never guarantee what is going to happen to that cue ball.

It also has knocked the brown to a worse position.

Doherty tried to get behind it. APPLAUSE

It That is as good as a snooker.

Although he can hit the green, he might leave it on for the right

corner. There is no way he can pot the green

and get to the brown. Knocking the pink safe has made it

very difficult for Paul Hunter. Paul needs them all. Ken only needs

the brown and the blue. It started off with a

applause there and as the brown got closer to the cushion it got louder.

They appreciated the strength of that shot. Look where he's placed

the brown. Is Doherty going to go for this?

Needing just blue in addition. Six inches further towards the

brown, I am pretty sure he would. His

Hunter can't win the frame without the pink. Well, if you are playing

an exhibition you try to pot the blue and moo on the pink, but this

is not an exhibition. But he still tried it. He still tried it!

APPLAUSE What a brave shot. He was a bit

unlucky. What an effort. I am not sure, I don't think he

tried to remove the pink. Because Ken only needs the blue. This could

get him back to just one frame behind. A big shot.

Went all out for it. Ken must be very pleased to see the blue run

safe. With the pink in the situation that

it is, Ken is a slight favourite for this frame.

He's not now. It is anyone's frame now.

APPLAUSE That was such a good shot. Whoever

pots the blue, you would fancy to take the frame.

Doherty walks around anxiously to see if he's covered the blue with

the pink and he has covered the potting angle.

Well, if he has to come off the top cushion, you are never sure where

you are going to knock the blue. You are hoping it will go safe.

Doherty needing this blue to get back to one behind. Hunter needing

this frame for a place in the final. He has fluked a snooker. He has

fluked a snooker. Ken holds his hand up on the way around the table to

apologise, but just look at that. A full-ball snooker.

Another chance. He missed the previous one by a long way.

APPLAUSE What a time for a fluke.

Unbelievable! It was frame ball. Well, Ken has played that blue. He's

hit it so hard. I don't know why. But what a fluke. Why did he hit the

blue so hard? I didn't expect him to play it pocket weight, but I didn't

expect him to play it like that. He must have left a chance this

time. I thought that Hunter should have played something more

conservative there. Just get the pink safe and wait for a better

chance. CHEERING

This incredible semifinal continues. Paul Hunter is still one up with two

to play. But Doherty had to fluke that last frame to keep in

contention. I couldn't believe he hit it so hard, but he won't brother

about that now. What a fluke -- bother about that now. What a fluke

as he looks to the heavens. That was a huge frame, a really big frame.

Instead of losing, because he could have won that match there and then,

but all of a sudden, now it is 16-15. I am one down with two to

play. The pressure the confidence it gave me, the pressure that sort of

built up on Paul, his head went down a little bit.

He's got to be a bit careful on the next shot.

If he is looking to play it off that red he has to be careful of the

double kiss. There is a possible pot-on but it is far too risky.

He can pot the one that is in the circle and that looks as if it is

the one that he will have a go at. Watch the white.

Very risky, that one. But perhaps h thought it no more difficult than

the safety. Is he on a red? Has it gone too far?

It is perfect. APPLAUSE

Choice of reds. I know there is a gentleman up in

Scotland who will be watching this with a lot of interest. He had a

flutter on Doherty. He is the manager of Celtic, Martin O'Neill.

He is a great snooker fan. I don't know what odds he got, but I

He is a great snooker fan. I don't is Bighting his nails as well here.

Not much to do with the cue ball here to leave a red for the opposite

middle pocket. He's got one that is up near the black spot. He can also

play a four, but I would think he would play for that one to the right

middle. Oh, he played for the other one. It meant he had to hit it a

little bit harder and that pink almost came out of the pocket.

He is having a look at the score, 25 the difference. Is he going to play

to develop that difficult red? He sure is.

Pink. The red colour would see Doherty pass the post in this frame.

And that cannon from red to red. When he potted the red to develop

the red was a great shot. We are going in to a deciding frame.

40 in front but only 35 on the table.

Ken Doherty 42. APPLAUSE

Both of these players are giving everything they have got out there.

# two snookers required at the moment.

Hunter's attempt to lay a snooker went badly wrong.

APPLAUSE That red puts us beyond doubt that

this match is going the full 33 frames.

CHEERING It is 16-all.

How incredible! The momentum was now all with the whiley Irishman and

perhaps recent history was on his side, too. After all, he had

prevailed in two final frames already in the earlier rounds of the

championship. This was proving to be a marathon effort for them both.

Deciding frame, Paul Hunter to break.

And how seriously, I wonder, did Hunter consider the possibility of a

recovery like this from his opponent? Of course, he knew that it

was logically possible, but surely in his heart he thought, well, I

have only got to win two frames. Peter only won two frames to draw

level. Can he do it again? APPLAUSE

One. We have talked about his temperament

time and time again. This is the ultimate test for this young player.

Is he on the red? Has he again far enough?

He couldn't pot it. The blue was a bad shot. He didn't get onto the

red. He was trying to just swerve it slightly to make the angle.

He's got a straight red for the corner. It wasn't the red that he

played for. Is the experience going to tell in

this deciding frame? Doherty has played so well to put

Hunter under pressure. He has wilted.

Hunter's highest break this afternoon is a modest 39 and he's

made only 3 over 30 and he normally is such a prolific break-biller. --

break-builder. The young man is in completely new territory. The

semifinal of a world championship at The Crucible Theatre.

What other thoughts are running through Paul's mind at the moment?

He knows that this is not a great chance for Ken just yet.

It is that one red before Ken has got to go into them. I don't think

he's got an angle here to go into the reds.

A little bit further to the red to cannon that. He

Now, this is the shot. He doesn't want to screw him to the middle of

the three reds otherwise the white will stick there. He wants to stun

this. A big shot. I think they are all covered to the

left corner. He has to settle with a 44-point

lead. A good safety. with it. I don't think the red. I

don't think the red will pass the green. No way. It is a full-ball.

Plenty of tension there, but not as much, I fancy, as there is in

Hunter's stomach at the moment. Is there a path through for the red

that is over the corner? APPLAUSE

Can he get past the blue? He might have to swerve a little touch. Not

guaranteed to get position, even if he pots it. But that last shot from

Paul Hunter has opened the he pots it. But that last shot from

right up. He's got to bend it slightly. But not too much.

APPLAUSE If he pots the blue and avoids the

brown and the green, he could be in the final.

He hasn't avoided the green. This red near the middle is a thin snip

now. The natural angle will take him

around the back of the red, but where is the white going to finish?

That is quite fortunate if the pink pots. He didn't know what was going

to happen to the cue ball there, but he got the main pot of the shot. He

got a bit of good fortune. He has had it. Hunter knows that the match

is now in Doherty's hands. Doherty has got to contain his excitement.

Absolutely unbelievable this semifinal!

Ken Doherty is one of the nicest lads you could ever wish to meet,

always laughing and joking around The Crucible Theatre, but when he

gets onto the snooker table, he is a little terrier.

Paul Hunter is getting resigned to defeat. It is an easy

match-clinching opportunity. It will be a bitter disappointment for him.

Yes, there were times today when Paul didn't get the run of the ball

when he needed it. APPLAUSE

But he would be the first to congratulate Ken Doherty because he

will know that this is one of the best comebacks seen at The Crucible.

This red is match-ball, in terms of leaving Hunter needing a snooker.

APPLAUSE Regardless of what happened, Paul

Hunter has done so noump the game of snooker here over the last two weeks

-- so much for the game of snooker here over the last two weeks.

This man is a great ambassador for the game of snooker and he puffs his

cheeks out. What a performance! Paul Hunter, I think, is in shock.

He just can't believe what has happened here.

A crushing disappointment for the young Yorkshireman.

APPLAUSE In my experience it has always been

-- he has always been modest in victory. Generous in defeat. He's

never moaned. APPLAUSE

But this will take some getting over, unless miraculously he gets

the snookers that he needs. If he does get a chance he needs to

take three reds and three blacks. What is Ken Doherty feeling inside?

I bet he capital believe that he's pulled this off.

-- I bet he can believe that he's pulled this off. Players have won

big matches here from a long way behind. You have done it yourself,

Dennis, but not with so many behind from behind the winning post. I

think we will have a handshake. CHEERING

An absolutely unbelievable afternoon and Paul Hunter, someone who has a

gracious smile, despite his crushing sense of disappointment. An

incredible triumph for do Doherty. He had to win this concluding

session 8-1 against one of the world's best players. He did. He is

in the final. Doherty produced some fantastic snooker. Paul Hunter has

again from not missing a ball to missing a few and Doherty got

stronger and stronger. It was one of the greatest victories that I will

ever, ever have played in and to do it in the semifinal of the World

Championship from such a long way back, I will never ever forget that

match. He was very dedicated, Paul Hunter. He would probably have been

a world champion. This was by any standards a quite stunning comeback.

It put Doherty into his their world final where he would stage yet

another comeback against Mark Williams, falling just short,

though, 16 frames to 18. It was Williams title but many will

remember 2003 as Doherty's championship. After all, he played a

record 123 frames in total. As for Paul Hunter, he took that semifinal

defeat with a dignity. He went onto become a three-times Masters

champion, but very sadly he never fulfilled his quest for the world

title. He lost his battle fulfilled his quest for the world

only three years later. That is why that semifinal will be special and

will always be remembered for so very many reasons.