:00:38. > :00:42.Hello, today's Crucible Classic is a semifinal occasion that really
:00:43. > :00:49.packed a punch - almost literally, in fact. Because in 2002, the
:00:50. > :00:53.defending champion, Ronnie O'Sullivan, was taking on seven
:00:54. > :00:58.times world champion Stephen Hendry and in the build-up, had promised
:00:59. > :01:03.to, "Send him packing back home again", in no uncertain terms. That,
:01:04. > :01:06.in turn, had fuelled Hendry's fire, and had created plenty of column
:01:07. > :01:10.inches in the newspapers in the build-up. I thought we had gotten
:01:11. > :01:13.all right off the table but obviously Ronnie said we didn't, so
:01:14. > :01:17.that was a surprise to me as much as anything, what he said. I think that
:01:18. > :01:20.was quite a defining point in my career, really, because obviously he
:01:21. > :01:24.is the king of snooker, you know, and such a great record at the
:01:25. > :01:31.Crucible, that it was like, you know, his own back yard in a way. He
:01:32. > :01:37.made it his own kind of back yard in a way. And you were made feel second
:01:38. > :01:43.best when you played Stephen Hendry We play the same game, Ronnie
:01:44. > :01:46.obviously plays it a bit quicker but basically we play the same kind of
:01:47. > :01:50.snooker, so it was obviously great to play Ronnie and play those
:01:51. > :01:51.aggressive, attacking matches where obviously whoever is playing the
:01:52. > :02:10.heaviest is going to win. Well, the Crucible crowd - we have
:02:11. > :02:18.oohs and aahs all around. This was very close.
:02:19. > :02:27.A similar shot, albeit on the other side of the table, with which Hendry
:02:28. > :02:40.started his 91 break. In the decider yesterday against Ken Doherty.
:02:41. > :02:45.Well, he is left with a tester here, if he takes the black on, he is
:02:46. > :02:49.going into the reds - the reds over the corner pocket - and up left of
:02:50. > :03:03.the brown. It's a must pot situation here.
:03:04. > :03:41.A bit awkward cueing. He might take a red to the middle pocket. I
:03:42. > :03:44.thought that was a bit of a stretch there. There's one that will go into
:03:45. > :03:47.the middle and then he can get on to the blue, but this is a bit awkward,
:03:48. > :03:57.bridging over the reds and pink there. It's quite straightforward to
:03:58. > :03:59.knock this one into the middle and stun over to the right side of the
:04:00. > :04:44.blue. Always had this red in reserve, if
:04:45. > :05:00.he came the wrong side of the blue. It really is a fascinating battle.
:05:01. > :05:04.You've got a player here who I think will go on to be the greatest ever
:05:05. > :05:08.player that played the game up against, for me, the greatest player
:05:09. > :05:11.that's ever picked up a snooker cue and I think even the great Steve
:05:12. > :05:48.Davis has conceded that fact, as well.
:05:49. > :05:55.Good start from Ronnie O'Sullivan. I do hope that both players play at
:05:56. > :06:08.the top of their form. It will be a fascinating semifinal, this.
:06:09. > :06:40.O'Sullivan's picked up where he left off. Against Steven Lee last
:06:41. > :06:57.evening. He finished that match off with 82 centuries.
:06:58. > :07:01.And just look at the position he's in here - it's take your pick time,
:07:02. > :07:36.with three reds in a row. Well, to make his century, he's
:07:37. > :07:59.going to have to get from yellow to green .
:08:00. > :08:06.Very quick, very sure. The break only just reaching the six-minute
:08:07. > :08:25.mark. APPLAUSE
:08:26. > :08:32.So this would be three centuries in four frames, you would have to say.
:08:33. > :08:40.APPLAUSE Spread across two matches. But what
:08:41. > :09:04.a tremendous start - one chance and it's all over.
:09:05. > :09:15.A superb effort of 115 gives Ronnie O'Sullivan the first flame of a
:09:16. > :09:22.possible 33 -- frame of a possible 33 spread over four sessions. What a
:09:23. > :09:27.clearance from Ronnie of 115, and O'Sullivan trying to do what only
:09:28. > :09:28.Hendry and Steve Davis had previously achieved by successfully
:09:29. > :09:33.defending the world title the following year. Well, that clearance
:09:34. > :09:36.really did set the tone in the early stages - both men quite clearly up
:09:37. > :09:41.for this, given the history and the build-up to the match. Into frame
:09:42. > :10:03.four we go and it's O'Sullivan leading by 2/1.
:10:04. > :10:30.O'Sullivan replying to Hendry's break-off shot.
:10:31. > :10:42.A starter for a good many. Good opportunity for this, then, Hendry.
:10:43. > :10:48.That was amazing, Clive. The audience anticipated that the white
:10:49. > :10:50.was going to go in the pocket - so they really are keyed up for this
:10:51. > :11:03.match. They're involved in every single shot.
:11:04. > :11:27.That's a careless one, to cannon the brown.
:11:28. > :11:35.Well, if Steven starts knocking in the long ones, we're in for an
:11:36. > :11:42.absolute treat here. Yes, his initial red in this break - as easy
:11:43. > :11:51.as it was - was too thin to hold for black. And momentarily he was in
:11:52. > :12:51.trouble. But, he's back in prime position again.
:12:52. > :12:57.Always had the brown as a bit of insurance there. Bit unlucky not to
:12:58. > :13:00.be on the black but it just means he has got a long way to travel with
:13:01. > :13:17.the white here to get back to the reds. That was the pace. He's having
:13:18. > :13:26.the cue ball cleaned quite a bit. It must just be picking up a little bit
:13:27. > :13:29.of dust or ... It's amazing sometimes, how you can pick little
:13:30. > :14:09.bits of the carpet up and it gets on to the ball.
:14:10. > :14:21.A Stephen Hendry special coming up he's got enough angle. But it's a
:14:22. > :14:24.little bit awkward, this - if he catches that pink half ball, he
:14:25. > :14:27.could go into either corner pocket. He has had a good look at the reds
:14:28. > :14:31.to see if there was anything available, but he's definitely got
:14:32. > :14:42.to move them. So he might be running it around here.
:14:43. > :14:50.Well, at first glance, it looks as if he's not on one, but there might
:14:51. > :14:55.be one pot-able. But he couldn't have played it any better - opened
:14:56. > :15:01.them perfectly. But he needs a bit of help to reach this. You could see
:15:02. > :15:13.his reaction, there, to his bad luck.
:15:14. > :15:22.The referee, Arian Williams, producing the necessary aids to
:15:23. > :15:29.performance. He's going to need a few of them here, Clive. He needs
:15:30. > :16:02.the spider to bridge over them. APPLAUSE
:16:03. > :16:08.Did it well. He did more than well! Not only the pot, but judged the
:16:09. > :16:09.cannon on the black and I would give him definitely ten out of ten for
:16:10. > :16:50.that. Well, Clive, I don't know about you,
:16:51. > :16:53.but I'm enjoying every single minute of this match. We're coming to the
:16:54. > :17:03.mid-session interval and it has been a fascinating opening four frames.
:17:04. > :17:08.And there's a little bit of snooker still to be played in this one
:17:09. > :17:18.before we go to that interval - that is a bad miss. An unforced error,
:17:19. > :17:22.just when Hendry seemed certain to level to two-all. It frame appeared
:17:23. > :17:24.to be his but it might not be. Just look at the scores - he only needed
:17:25. > :17:37.a red and a colour. So here's the first crisis point for
:17:38. > :18:15.Hendry. Could his blunder cost him a two-frame deficit?
:18:16. > :18:18.Well, they're all in a perfect position now. What a frame to pinch,
:18:19. > :18:45.this would be. And just looking at Stephen Hendry
:18:46. > :19:07.there, I don't think he expects Ronnie to miss . Well, I don't know
:19:08. > :19:11.about him - I certainly don't. But you never know with the blue on the
:19:12. > :19:32.pink spot and the pink on the blue spot.
:19:33. > :19:43.Not very often you see the colours like this. When a player's clearing
:19:44. > :19:44.up. The brown - he's got a lot further to get to the blue and then
:19:45. > :20:18.back to the pink. Pink and black still needed. And
:20:19. > :20:22.he's straight on the pink. That's what I mean - with that pink being
:20:23. > :20:28.on the blue spot. Look what he's going to be left with, if he rolls
:20:29. > :20:55.the pink in. Is it going to be 3/1 or is it going to be two each?
:20:56. > :21:02., after all! It's going to be 3/1 to O'Sullivan, assuming Hendry pots
:21:03. > :21:12.this. APPLAUSE
:21:13. > :21:20.Hendry first in with 65. O'Sullivan with a chance to clear. But lost
:21:21. > :21:24.position for the last black. So it's Hendry who levels at 2/2 at the
:21:25. > :21:28.mid-session several. All square there and already this is shaping up
:21:29. > :21:32.to be a memorable occasion. 26-year-old O'Sullivan took the next
:21:33. > :21:41.and as we head into frame six, it's Stephen with a 35 points advantage
:21:42. > :22:11.here. Well, it looks as if he might be able to make this.
:22:12. > :22:38.So now Hendry has a chance to atone for his unexpected mistake.
:22:39. > :22:46.He hasn't got a good angle on the black, he normally would play it to
:22:47. > :22:56.get up to the circle, but he can't do that so that's why he is looking
:22:57. > :23:03.at whether he can put a red into the right middle pocket. He's just not
:23:04. > :23:08.sure and sometimes when the reds are close together like that, you're not
:23:09. > :23:11.sure if one of them will pot. But one of them must go to the middle.
:23:12. > :23:48.Now, which one is it that pots? The pack opener left the red and
:23:49. > :23:56.colour that Hendry needed to clinch the frame.
:23:57. > :24:01.Well, it's still fascinating stuff from both of these great players.
:24:02. > :24:19.And we're going to be all square after six frames.
:24:20. > :24:22.Three times Hendry has been the odd frame behind and three times he has
:24:23. > :25:11.responded. Hendry's initial 43 in this frame
:25:12. > :25:21.ended prematurely when he missed a very simple red.
:25:22. > :25:52.But he has taken his second chance to level the match.
:25:53. > :25:58.Well, I mentioned earlier, his highest break in this match so far
:25:59. > :26:19.was in the fourth frame, of 65. He's going to better that here.
:26:20. > :26:26.And with his break of 73, Stephen Hendry levels of match, three all.
:26:27. > :26:31.Three all and O'Sullivan, who had beaten John Higgins in the final the
:26:32. > :26:33.previous year, edged ahead in the next frame, 4/3. That's the score as
:26:34. > :27:09.we head into frame eight. Excellent red and also got into the
:27:10. > :27:16.cue ball sufficiently to get above the blue. And what about that for
:27:17. > :27:30.perfect judgement? A nice little cannon on to the red
:27:31. > :28:21.there at the back of the bunch will hold the cue ball nicely.
:28:22. > :28:29.Ronnie O'Sullivan opened this afternoon with a break of 115. He's
:28:30. > :28:48.going to finish with a few here, I feel.
:28:49. > :29:06.He really is something special to watch. You could watch him all day.
:29:07. > :29:14.He's a wonderful break-builder, particularly in the way he keeps
:29:15. > :29:40.going into the bunch to develop reds.
:29:41. > :29:45.Simply because O'Sullivan has four times been the odd frame in front, I
:29:46. > :29:52.think he has shaded this session. And here's his chance to reflect
:29:53. > :29:55.that by taking the last frame of the afternoon to secure a two-frame
:29:56. > :30:44.overnight advantage. He just needs one more red and it
:30:45. > :30:47.will be #r5/3. -- 5/3. The highest break of the session, as we
:30:48. > :30:53.mentioned, that break of 115, in the opening frame. By Ronnie. Can he
:30:54. > :31:28.finish with a century? O'Sullivan is good in all
:31:29. > :31:29.departments, but in terms of reeling off frame-winning breaks, he's
:31:30. > :31:44.simply superb. Can't score enough to overtake
:31:45. > :31:50.Matthew Stevens' break of 145, the highest in this year's Embassy World
:31:51. > :31:57.Championship, and there's ?20,000 for the highest break. He fails to
:31:58. > :31:58.get the century, but the break of 99 secures for O'Sullivan a 5/3
:31:59. > :32:49.overnight lead. You've got to knock a high
:32:50. > :32:50.percentage of those shots in at this level, because so often they give
:32:51. > :33:12.you the initial chance. It's extremely important in this
:33:13. > :33:44.second session of four that Hendry doesn't fall further behind.
:33:45. > :33:55.O'Sullivan started with a break of 115 yesterday, four times went the
:33:56. > :34:02.odd frame in front, and eventually got two in front in their last frame
:34:03. > :34:20.of the day, with a break of 99. I'm sure Stephen there played up on
:34:21. > :34:25.the blue so he could cannon into the bunch. He didn't find the angle but
:34:26. > :34:37.he has played a good positional shot there. He's just got to judge as the
:34:38. > :34:40.ball goes into the other reds. But as he pots this here, he will be
:34:41. > :34:42.releasing some more reds. He couldn't have played that better -
:34:43. > :35:55.that was an excellent shot. Well, you can always tell with a
:35:56. > :36:01.player, if he gets down pretty quick, he's happy with the po
:36:02. > :36:06.potting angle he. He. -- -- potting angle. He looks a little bit
:36:07. > :36:11.straight but straight is OK. He has come back for a choice of reds, one
:36:12. > :36:17.in the left centre and this one in the corner. It's quite amazing,
:36:18. > :36:30.really, when Stephen came to the table, he thought it was his turn to
:36:31. > :36:34.break off. But the referee said it's Ronnie's break, so Ronnie came to
:36:35. > :36:37.the table - because I don't think he was sure - he broke off, and Stephen
:36:38. > :36:39.knocked a tremendous long red, and this is the result. Talk about toss
:36:40. > :36:53.of a coin! Well, Hendry hasn't won this frame
:36:54. > :37:33.yet, but he's certainly got a chance to do so.
:37:34. > :37:37.Hendry will be very disappointed if he doesn't clinch the frame this
:37:38. > :37:51.visit. He did make a couple of unexpected
:37:52. > :38:01.errors yesterday, when he seemed to be heading for a frame-winning
:38:02. > :38:02.contribution, although strangely enough he ended up winning both
:38:03. > :38:24.those frames. The black, one more red and a colour
:38:25. > :38:28.is what's required and he's looking a little thinner on this black than
:38:29. > :38:37.he would have liked. But in it goes. Nicely on the next red. Tough
:38:38. > :38:46.school, this. More so, having just broke off. But it looks as though
:38:47. > :38:55.it's going to be his only shot in the frame.
:38:56. > :39:07.APPLAUSE Knowledgeable applause for that
:39:08. > :39:08.simple pink. It was the ball that guaranteed Hendry the frame, barring
:39:09. > :39:51.snookers. A long red to start with and then
:39:52. > :41:11.slide rule precision. Well, this has just been a
:41:12. > :41:13.tremendous start from Stephen. I remember you saying yesterday,
:41:14. > :41:18.Clive, you didn't think Stephen would really be happy until he won a
:41:19. > :41:21.frame at one visit. Well, you don't come any better than this - from the
:41:22. > :41:24.break-off, never gave his opponent a chancement -- chance. Superb start
:41:25. > :41:53.to the morning. O'Sullivan broke-off, but the next
:41:54. > :41:59.35 shots were Hendry's. His break of 125 halves his overnight deficit,
:42:00. > :42:02.but he still trails by 5/4. It's fantastically high quality stuff,
:42:03. > :42:06.this match, isn't it? And neither man can shake off the attentions of
:42:07. > :42:11.the other so far. They shared the next couple of frames, so O'Sullivan
:42:12. > :42:28.leading 6/5 as Hendry gets ready to break in the twelfth.
:42:29. > :42:40.So often a red like this is left from the break-off shot.
:42:41. > :42:45.O'Sullivan had a shot like that in the frame before last, at Hendry's
:42:46. > :42:55.break-off, but he has missed both of them.
:42:56. > :43:01.We saw Ronnie's reaction when he missed the red - he wasn't happy at
:43:02. > :43:10.all. Probably a little bit frustrated he lost the last frame.
:43:11. > :43:14.There has been some great match-ups in snooker, hasn't there, Clive. You
:43:15. > :43:22.can think of Reardon and Higgins. There's Ronnie's reaction. You've
:43:23. > :43:26.got Reardon and Higgins. Then you had Steve Davis and Higgins, then
:43:27. > :43:32.Steve Davis Jimmy White. But this one is a bit of a match-up to
:43:33. > :43:40.compare with any of those, I think, Hendry/O'Sullivan. Yes, there's a
:43:41. > :43:56.touch of the old king versus the new king about it.
:43:57. > :44:01.But at the moment, Hendry is playing like the king of the 90 he was. --
:44:02. > :44:28.90s he was. Hendry hasn't been all that
:44:29. > :44:35.successful on the circuit this season. He has won only one title,
:44:36. > :44:38.the European Open. But in a sense, he has always regarded all the other
:44:39. > :44:51.tournaments as preparation for this one. The climax of the season.
:44:52. > :44:56.The one which counts more than all the others put together in terms of
:44:57. > :45:07.status and standing in the history of the game.
:45:08. > :45:14.Well, for one moment, I didn't think he was going to do it. Didn't flow
:45:15. > :45:19.as he intended. Cue ball looked as though it could go off in the
:45:20. > :45:23.corner. Just watch the cue ball. I thought for one minute, it may go in
:45:24. > :45:30.off - slid around the jaws and the red appeared from nowhere. Just
:45:31. > :45:38.having a little run, at the moment, Stephen. The best to of 33, though.
:45:39. > :45:40.It should even itself out and when you get the run of the balls, take
:45:41. > :46:04.advantage while you can. Too far for the simple pink that he
:46:05. > :46:27.was intending to leave, though. Wanted to be straighter.
:46:28. > :47:20.Still not all that difficult, though, the way he's playing.
:47:21. > :47:26.I'm sure when Stephen started this morning, 5/3 behind, the first thing
:47:27. > :47:34.he wanted to do was level the frame scores in this match. He's got every
:47:35. > :47:44.chance to do that now. This is the last frame before the mid-session
:47:45. > :47:49.interval. So Ronnie must have a bit of sleep in his eyes. He has looked
:47:50. > :47:51.in good form. It's just the frame-winning chances seem to have
:47:52. > :48:04.fallen to Stephen, rather than him. He's nothing to panic about. Apart
:48:05. > :48:09.from the fact that Stephen Hendry is in as good a form as I've seen him
:48:10. > :48:14.for many a long year, he really is. And, of course, he's up for this -
:48:15. > :48:18.as Ronnie is - and it's just like two people saying to one another,
:48:19. > :48:24."Look, I can do this" and the other one's saying, "I can do this", and
:48:25. > :48:27.it's just a great match-up, this. Probably the greatest player that's
:48:28. > :48:28.ever played against the most naturally gifted player that's ever
:48:29. > :48:54.played. Who do you fancy? The frame was long since run when
:48:55. > :48:55.Hendry developed that red into a pot-able position. He really is
:48:56. > :49:06.going well. And, above all, he has shown
:49:07. > :49:14.O'Sullivan that in no way is he afraid of him.
:49:15. > :49:21.By his choice of shot, by his attitude, Hendry is carrying the
:49:22. > :49:53.fight to the defending champion all the time.
:49:54. > :50:01.Well, Clive, I'm certain you'll tell us how many century breaks this is,
:50:02. > :50:05.but he certainly loves a century does Stephen. Go in - well played
:50:06. > :50:13.much superb stuff, it really is. APPLAUSE
:50:14. > :50:32.At his first visit to the table this morning, Hendry made a break of 125.
:50:33. > :50:43.This is his last visit before the mid-session interval.
:50:44. > :50:51.And he's produced another spush century. -- superb century.
:50:52. > :51:24.And with that break of 122, Stephen Hendry levels.
:51:25. > :51:30.Committed himself to it fully and, had he made the potting angle, would
:51:31. > :51:38.have been right on the black. But caught the red just too thick.
:51:39. > :51:44.Well, from what we've seen so far this morning, this is a good xhans
:51:45. > :51:50.for Stephen. He' not been missing when he has been getting in like
:51:51. > :51:53.this. It's all about, of course, controlling that cue ball. That
:51:54. > :52:52.could be a costly mistake from Ronnie.
:52:53. > :52:55.The pink spot not available, but going on the blue is no problem to
:52:56. > :53:26.Stephen. Before that red he was five points
:53:27. > :53:30.in front. If he can pot colours with those remaining four reds in the
:53:31. > :53:35.middle of the table, he won't need the awkward red near the right-hand
:53:36. > :53:42.cushion, so you wouldn't expect a mistake, you'd be surprised if he
:53:43. > :53:51.didn't win the frame now. And if he did, it would put O'Sullivan behind
:53:52. > :54:18.for the first time in the match. Well, they're witnessing a match
:54:19. > :54:28.here. I know it's only the second session of four, but the play from
:54:29. > :54:36.both players, the determination and the skill that's on display from
:54:37. > :55:03.both players - this is a tremendous contest.
:55:04. > :55:07.If he were straighter, this would be a certainty, but he should still pot
:55:08. > :55:27.what is effectively frame ball. Well, this is sensational play from
:55:28. > :55:39.Stephen. Made a century in the first frame
:55:40. > :55:50.this morning, made a century in the last frame. The frame before the
:55:51. > :55:57.mid-interval and if he gets on this yellow - which he has - I fancy
:55:58. > :55:58.another one. The skill and powers of concentration of this man never
:55:59. > :56:23.cease to amaze me. APPLAUSE
:56:24. > :56:26.No century, but the break of 81 takes Stephen Hendry in front for
:56:27. > :56:35.the first time in this match. It came from that failed long red from
:56:36. > :56:40.O'Sullivan, and O'Sullivan didn't get back to the table again. Hendry
:56:41. > :56:45.leads 7/6. So for the first time in this match, it's Hendry, the
:56:46. > :56:54.33-year-old, who has taken the lead. And, of course, some people were
:56:55. > :56:57.dusting down the "Hendry IVVV" headlines in the hope he might
:56:58. > :57:04.secure another world title. A long way to go, though. Of as we go into
:57:05. > :57:14.the next frame he has a very healthy advantage of 55 points. Well, that's
:57:15. > :57:17.a big mistake from Stephen and bigger because he has brought the
:57:18. > :57:23.blue into play. That blue wasn't pot-able into the centre pocket. He
:57:24. > :57:28.had a 51-point lead and that's really opened up the chance of a
:57:29. > :57:39.counterattack. But can Ronnie take it? Big moments now in this second
:57:40. > :57:40.session. Ronnie won the first session 5/3, at the moment he's 5/1
:57:41. > :58:41.behind in this. This is a big frame. He's not good - he's not where he
:58:42. > :58:44.wanted to be. He played a bad positional shot off the pink and he
:58:45. > :58:54.won't be getting another chance, maybe. That was disappointing for
:58:55. > :58:59.Ronnie. I must blunt - but there have been one or two signs that
:59:00. > :59:03.O'Sullivan has cracked this morning. But the beauty of championship
:59:04. > :59:06.snooker and its long matches is that there's time for a trailing player
:59:07. > :59:19.to come back. Yes, but of course, if you look at
:59:20. > :59:30.the breaks that Stephen has rattled up, you know, breaks of 59, 122, 81,
:59:31. > :59:35.only a 44 in the last, but it means that - well, it's not gone in! Well!
:59:36. > :59:42.Martin Sullivan is going to get another chance. -- Ronnie O'Sullivan
:59:43. > :59:47.is going to get another chance. I was saying, with Stephen doing all
:59:48. > :59:51.the scoring, Ronnie hasn't been at the table too much and probably
:59:52. > :59:55.hasn't got a rhythm going, but this is another chance - the key shot.
:59:56. > :00:06.Pot the pink, get position on this awkward last red.
:00:07. > :00:19.Not bad. Stephen will be kicking himself if he loses this.
:00:20. > :00:26.You would think, when he pots this red, 30 points behind - well, if he
:00:27. > :00:37.pots it. It's tricky, this. It's not gimme. Well! Only just in. He didn't
:00:38. > :00:39.have to do a lot with the cue ball. He'll play the blue, because the
:00:40. > :00:41.blue stops the green going in He'll play the blue, because the
:00:42. > :00:42.blue stops the green going in that pocket. But a good shot required
:00:43. > :01:06.from blue to yellow. APPLAUSE
:01:07. > :01:12.Should be playing soundly now, though.
:01:13. > :01:22.Yes, I'd agree with you, if the black was on its spot. But the fact
:01:23. > :01:26.the black's not on its spot - he wants good position, and it has gone
:01:27. > :01:28.wrong. Well, better more angle than less. A good shot from blue to pink
:01:29. > :01:46.required. This is the key. Looks perfect, he has just got to
:01:47. > :01:49.drop behind the black. A big frame - Stephen Hendry looked twice as
:01:50. > :01:59.though he had it in the bag. What a frame for Ronnie, if he can pot this
:02:00. > :02:08.black. O'Sullivan seemed to be faltering, but at the end he got 40
:02:09. > :02:09.to win on the black and reduce Hendry's lead to a single frame.
:02:10. > :02:33.Hendry leads by 8/7. Attempted the cut-back, knowing he
:02:34. > :02:36.was scattering the bunch. I don't think Hendry's got quite the same
:02:37. > :02:43.exposure that he had a quarter of an hour ago, when he was 8/6 up. Made a
:02:44. > :02:57.couple of costly errors in the last frame.
:02:58. > :03:01.That was a tough red that Ronnie went for. He went for it
:03:02. > :03:16.full-blooded. So the first good chance falls to
:03:17. > :03:19.Stephen. And, of course, he would have been rattled by losing the last
:03:20. > :03:26.frame, which he had two very good chance to say win, and -- chances to
:03:27. > :03:29.win and, well, he could be forgiven for thinking that he's playing this
:03:30. > :03:38.frame and he should have been playing for a 10/6 lead, going into
:03:39. > :03:41.the third session. Now the best he can do is a two-frame advantage,
:03:42. > :03:43.although he would certainly settle for that, having lost the first
:03:44. > :04:28.session 5/3. You can feel the tension in the
:04:29. > :04:32.Crucible. As soon as a player gets down to play the shot, there's a
:04:33. > :04:40.hush descends, and then they pot it and everybody starts coughing and
:04:41. > :04:42.you can hear the little chuntering. This is a match, though, that has
:04:43. > :20:14.caught everyone's imagination. (PHONE RINGING I don't believe it, a
:20:15. > :20:21.mobile phone has gone. REFEREE: Quietly, please.
:20:22. > :20:28.Thank goodness for that. Not perfect on this black. Needs to hold it,
:20:29. > :20:46.half ball red he needs. Well, he's thinking of holding for
:20:47. > :20:51.the red in the middle. I don't know - if he has got the angle, why not
:20:52. > :20:57.run it off the side cushion? But every shot now is a big pressure
:20:58. > :21:07.shot. He's stunned up - he's on the red! There's ?167?,000 at stake here
:21:08. > :21:13.on every shot he plays from now on. He's going to have to come across
:21:14. > :21:23.for the black after pocketing the red. I can't believe it - there's
:21:24. > :21:26.another phone gone off. Come on, Stephen, playing ball, this black,
:21:27. > :21:31.and a natural angle to go on the yellow. I just wonder whether he's
:21:32. > :21:39.going to play it off one cushion or two. No! No! Oh no! It was
:21:40. > :21:44.absolutely perfect on the yellow - what a terrible shame for not only
:21:45. > :21:50.the crowd, the commentators and Ronnie O'Sullivan alike - that was a
:21:51. > :21:55.fantastic effort. No max numb bonus on this occasion for Stephen Hendry
:21:56. > :21:57.but he quickly regrouped to forge into an 11/9 lead as we pick them
:21:58. > :22:10.back up early in frame 21. And that was the worst thing that
:22:11. > :22:12.could have happened. He hit the red in the wrong place. He left a chance
:22:13. > :23:21.for Ronnie. Didn't want to finish too straight
:23:22. > :23:23.on the black, that's why he purposely left it high. Stunned off
:23:24. > :23:34.the red nearest the cue ball. Not the perfect angle. No, he didn't
:23:35. > :23:47.quite get into the black enough. And he's not playing that well
:23:48. > :23:52.either. He's played for the black and he's overcooked it. Can only see
:23:53. > :24:08.a red at the baulk end now. It's a thin black... Don't think it
:24:09. > :24:12.the type of shot you want to be playing with a lot of right-hand
:24:13. > :24:18.side to try and cannon into the cluster here. There's reds into the
:24:19. > :24:22.baulk end to play for. Well, he did play the cannon in the cluster. That
:24:23. > :24:29.was a brave shot and he's got a reward. Yes, it was excellent. He
:24:30. > :24:36.may have to flick off a red here. Yes, he's flicked off a red and
:24:37. > :24:41.another very clever shot. He's unlucky to not put another couple of
:24:42. > :24:47.reds safe. This is the shot that that split the pack. There's the
:24:48. > :24:53.checking up. Deserved to be on a red, playing like that. I'm sure
:24:54. > :24:58.that one of these reds will go somewhere near the bottom of the
:24:59. > :25:03.pack. The top one near the pinch must go. There, you can see, the
:25:04. > :25:14.middle of the pocket, can't see the left-hand jaw. Got to be careful.
:25:15. > :25:21.Yes, I wonder if there was a plant into this corner pocket. He may have
:25:22. > :25:27.looked at that, Willie. Yes, it was. A lovely touch, Ronnie
:25:28. > :25:54.O'Sullivan, when he's in like this. I know we had some great match, you
:25:55. > :25:59.always mention the Higgins, Matthew Stevens semifinal, both players
:26:00. > :26:03.scoring very heavily, but these 2, purely one visit snooker. You can't
:26:04. > :26:41.play better than these 2 guys are playing.
:26:42. > :26:59.Well, once again, 1-visit snooker. The black to make the frame safe.
:27:00. > :27:08.And Stephen, well, he is snookered on the black and it was a tricky
:27:09. > :27:13.one. He just left one red. Such is the high standard, that my
:27:14. > :27:20.colleague, Willie Thorne, mentioned, it's incredible snooker. Considering
:27:21. > :27:26.the pressures, it's the semifinal of the world championship... They
:27:27. > :27:28.couldn't play any better than this in the local club, with no pressure
:27:29. > :27:36.at all. This is a tremendous break from
:27:37. > :27:44.Ronnie. This is the best he's produced today, for me.
:27:45. > :27:52.I think that was all the talk at the interval, because Stephen Hendry, to
:27:53. > :27:58.me, particularly today, has been the stronger player. He outplayed
:27:59. > :28:03.Ronnie. But the main thing is, you look at the scored, and after this
:28:04. > :28:09.-- at the scoreboard, after this frame, Stephen Hendry will only be
:28:10. > :28:15.one frame in front. Marvellous century, marvellous. Century number
:28:16. > :28:33.290 for this young man. The a possible 136. All records are
:28:34. > :28:39.going to be broken this year at the Crucible. We are now just one short
:28:40. > :28:42.of the record ever at the Em basse world championship, and we've got
:28:43. > :28:43.another half matches to go and all the final. And the record is bound
:28:44. > :28:59.to be set now. 2 of the most naturally talented
:29:00. > :29:05.players ever to play a game are playing against each other and it's
:29:06. > :29:06.like a boxing match, blow for blow, century for century, break for
:29:07. > :29:24.break. Not even bothered with the black!
:29:25. > :29:27.You know he can get the highest break of the tournament. To get back
:29:28. > :29:46.within one frame. Well, he played a clever shot there,
:29:47. > :29:50.did he play, that John? He did. I thought he was playing contact,
:29:51. > :29:53.which he couldn't play. He was trying to come off the cushion, and
:29:54. > :29:58.catch that red thin. It was clever but it wasn't perfect. He tried to
:29:59. > :30:03.clip that red thin, not that one, in one just before it. If he caught
:30:04. > :30:04.that thin, he would have gone up to the baulk end, but he's left a
:30:05. > :30:28.chance for Stephen. Just a straightforward pot. He's
:30:29. > :30:30.nicely on the blue. And this is where all throughout this match,
:30:31. > :30:36.Stephen has been scoring very heavily.
:30:37. > :30:43.And particularly now, he is got the black in the open, the pink in the
:30:44. > :31:20.open, blue on its spot. How many can he make?
:31:21. > :31:27.Hard pill to swallow when you haven't played a bad shot, as Ronnie
:31:28. > :31:34.hasn't done in this frame. He left Ronnie nothing on. He played a shot
:31:35. > :31:38.to unique. And then Stephen got a snooker in the next shot and now he
:31:39. > :31:43.can only sit and watch and probably think that was his last shot at the
:31:44. > :32:03.frame. You don't expect him to break down before he gets 50.
:32:04. > :32:11.That's really the view from our commentary box.
:32:12. > :32:15.And Stephen as per usual, taking these very nicely. Nicely controlled
:32:16. > :32:28.the cue ball. Tried to develop those 2 reds. He
:32:29. > :32:33.got this red, he's got one more in the open, and he is going to start
:32:34. > :32:37.playing good positional shots. That's why he tried to develop those
:32:38. > :32:43.two reds near the top cushion, but he hasn't.
:32:44. > :32:59.So, what does he need? 55 points in front... That red... The black...
:33:00. > :33:07.63, you need one more red and a colour after this black.
:33:08. > :33:24.Played for perception. -- perfection.
:33:25. > :34:06.I'm sure if he pots the black, it won't be easy to get the next red,
:34:07. > :34:07.unless he can disturb a red. Well, he's got the chance to cannon.
:34:08. > :34:30.APPLAUSE So there's no way that Ronnie
:34:31. > :34:41.O'Sullivan will be coming back too the table in this frame. As you say,
:34:42. > :34:46.he did nothing wrong... Just a few little rubs of the green that went
:34:47. > :34:54.Stephen's bay rather than his and that's the nature of snooker.
:34:55. > :35:00.Table 12 foot long, 6 foot wide and 22 balls on it.
:35:01. > :35:13.But Ronnie shouldn't be disheartened.
:35:14. > :35:15.APPLAUSE And that's his fifth century of the
:35:16. > :35:27.match. He's not bothered about the red.
:35:28. > :35:29.Ronnie concedes, obviously. So Stephen Hendry with another century.
:35:30. > :36:00.He gets back to 2 frames in front. It's very hard to question shot
:36:01. > :36:03.selection when two players are playing so very, very well.
:36:04. > :36:17.What a kick that was. And that might give Ronnie another chance. Either
:36:18. > :36:21.pot for the kick, he would've been straight on the yellow. I suppose
:36:22. > :36:27.the only comfort for Stephen, at least the green went in. With a
:36:28. > :36:31.contact like this, the green could have been thrown offline.
:36:32. > :36:42.APPLAUSE Good recovery. Now a shot coming up,
:36:43. > :36:50.16 in front. But he's straight on the green, he needs a heck of a shot
:36:51. > :36:58.to get good position on the brown. Well, a good screw back, but I don't
:36:59. > :37:01.think he's going to be on it. In a position where he can guarantee
:37:02. > :37:06.potting it and there's the expression on the face. He is
:37:07. > :37:11.cutting it pack on a blind pocket. Only needs to brown, though.
:37:12. > :37:17.Well, have you to question two shots that these players have played.
:37:18. > :37:23.O'Sullivan's brown, and now Hendry's brown. I don't blame him for playing
:37:24. > :37:30.the pot, but playing it at pace is a shot to nothing. Unbelievable!
:37:31. > :37:36.Unbelievable what's happening in this frame. Great positional shot
:37:37. > :37:41.from Ronnie O'Sullivan. He needs another one now.
:37:42. > :37:52.It's coming a little bit narrow. He's not perfect on this pink and
:37:53. > :37:59.they still needs the pink and black. , and well, you have to forgive
:38:00. > :38:04.players for now and again playing bad shots. They have both played one
:38:05. > :38:13.bad shot each. Goodness me, what a frame of snooker. Hendry start would
:38:14. > :38:17.a 53. You can see what that frame meant Ronnie O'Sullivan. He knew
:38:18. > :38:22.that was a frame that could turn this frame upside down. And
:38:23. > :38:28.O'Sullivan would push on from there, taking the next with a break of 60,
:38:29. > :38:35.and finishes the session 12 frames apiece. Into the next session we go,
:38:36. > :38:40.and it's Hendry who has once again regained the initiative. 14 frames
:38:41. > :38:56.to 12 in front now. And Ronnie eyeing up a tricky long red here.
:38:57. > :39:01.Wow, that's the first reckless shot we've seen from Ronnie. Maybe just a
:39:02. > :39:16.little frustration setting in here. He's going to have to do it all
:39:17. > :40:20.again. 3 behind. And 11-8... So just this straysford red and it
:40:21. > :40:21.will be the first 3 frames of this session. To Stephen Hendry.
:40:22. > :40:41.APPLAUSE And it's a next frame, he needs it
:40:42. > :40:44.to stay in the match. If he lost all four, Hendry would be one away from
:40:45. > :40:51.victory. The next frame is massive for O'Sullivan.
:40:52. > :41:00.Not quite over the line, but barring snookers, it's going to be 15-12.
:41:01. > :41:09.Ronnie didn't get the snookers, and Stephen took the next as well. And
:41:10. > :41:10.now within one frame of what would surely be one of his most satisfying
:41:11. > :41:13.victories. It's there!
:41:14. > :41:53.APPLAUSE Well, if anyone can make a comeback,
:41:54. > :42:33.it's got to be Ronnie O'Sullivan. What what a tall order.
:42:34. > :42:43.That's a well executed shot. Putting the cue ball in between the yellow
:42:44. > :42:44.and brown. Another 2 inks pace would've been better -- 2 inches of
:42:45. > :42:49.pace would've Certainly got into that. I think,
:42:50. > :43:06.too much. No player has every won the Embassy
:43:07. > :43:15.World Championship for the first time and come back and defended it.
:43:16. > :43:17.Ronnie O'Sullivan is attempting to do that, but... He's got very few
:43:18. > :43:23.chances left. Can't afford to make a single
:43:24. > :43:44.mistake. Now, that would need an awesome
:43:45. > :43:45.performance to win five on the trot. Especially as that young man is in
:43:46. > :43:59.tremendous form. This is the key shot. It's not
:44:00. > :44:01.perfect. Well, he made it look very, very simple. What a lovely shot.
:44:02. > :44:34.That could be a frame winner. That's a good angle on the pink to
:44:35. > :44:41.get to the last red, which was the most difficult.
:44:42. > :45:01.So this is the shot... Hasn't got too much to do with the cue ball.
:45:02. > :45:13.This is a brilliant break. Under the circumstances.
:45:14. > :45:21.He made a bad breakoff shot, Stephen Hendry looked like he was going to
:45:22. > :45:24.clinch the man, until he ran slightly out of position while going
:45:25. > :45:30.into the reds. This match is still alive.
:45:31. > :45:59.Got an awful long way to go, but what a start.
:46:00. > :46:22.Oh, Stephen Hendry nufr played a bad shot in the last -- never played a
:46:23. > :46:27.bad shot in the last frame. He prayed what he thought it was a shot
:46:28. > :46:34.on the pink and O'Sullivan potted a fantastic red, cleared with 82.
:46:35. > :46:42.I think that Ronnie has decided to go for everything. Fantastic pot.
:46:43. > :46:49.What a cue action to be able to pot that like that. Could there be
:46:50. > :47:42.another twist in this match? Just a quick look at the bunching of
:47:43. > :47:48.reds. He is OK. Just yet. 2 more reds before he needs to worry about
:47:49. > :47:52.that. Just looking at them, not a great pack to go into, from either
:47:53. > :47:57.the blue or black. In fact, that one at the back of the bunch was
:47:58. > :48:00.available, it would help. But he could go into the left-hand of the
:48:01. > :48:06.of the -- the left side of the This is incredible stuff. Absolutely
:48:07. > :48:33.incredible. Stay focused. He only needs the one
:48:34. > :48:40.frame. But he might have to wait until the
:48:41. > :49:04.next frame. Got a horrible kick. It hasn't made
:49:05. > :49:08.that much difference this time. Apart if they decides to play the
:49:09. > :49:14.black into the pack, because it's a hard barrack. -- black. This without
:49:15. > :49:22.doubt is going to be up there with the all-time great Crucible matches.
:49:23. > :49:23.I don't think we've ever seen two players playing at this standard.
:49:24. > :49:37.Such an important match. This just gives everyone a breather.
:49:38. > :49:43.The pink is a bit tight. The referee needing a bit of time to make sure
:49:44. > :49:47.he gets it absolutely right. I feel he'll go for the blue, because it's
:49:48. > :49:56.a much better bank to go into from the blue.
:49:57. > :50:06.He missed it. He didn't get far enough up on the blue and had to try
:50:07. > :50:10.and use the two cushions. So this a replica of the first frame. Stephen
:50:11. > :50:24.Hendry who got in first in that one. Well, the last frame before the
:50:25. > :50:29.mid-session interval, Ronnie was the front, played a fabulous safety
:50:30. > :50:34.shot, put it tight on the cushion. There is the reaction having not
:50:35. > :50:37.cannoned into the reds. Hendry rolled one in and cleared. Didn't
:50:38. > :50:44.even attempt this time. Waiting for a better chance. And there will be
:50:45. > :50:49.the odd doubt, if Ronnie wins this frame, there could be an odd doubt
:50:50. > :50:51.in Stephen's mind. But he looked so totally focused so far. A bit
:50:52. > :51:04.dangerous. That's careless from Ronnie. He left
:51:05. > :51:09.a chance and Stephen can get up on the black, possibly, from this red.
:51:10. > :51:13.The white is going to go close to the corner pocket. Got to be a
:51:14. > :51:20.little bit careful. That is why he forced the shot. Had he played that
:51:21. > :51:21.plain ball, the white would've been dangerously close to the corner
:51:22. > :51:51.pocket. Well played.
:51:52. > :51:56.APPLAUSE Being having said that -- but having
:51:57. > :52:01.said that, Ronnie is having a look at the table. That one spun out of
:52:02. > :52:04.the little group, and Stephen can pot this red into the corner.
:52:05. > :52:26.APPLAUSE Too far. In behind the black.
:52:27. > :52:36.Yeah, that's all he can do really. He is looking at the other side, but
:52:37. > :52:41.I thought just net yfling into -- nestling into those 2. So long as he
:52:42. > :52:48.doesn't hit it too hard, he'll be OK.
:52:49. > :52:59.Well, he's not thinking of a plant. It's not on, this. He has to try and
:53:00. > :53:05.make it. What a risk this would be. He can see enough that one by the
:53:06. > :53:27.blue, you know, this is risky. He played it in such a way he made
:53:28. > :53:31.it into a shot to nothing. Could have gone wrong but it hasn't. If he
:53:32. > :53:35.knocks this long red in, the frame is over.
:53:36. > :53:48.It was close! There was an awful lot of pressure on that one, though. He
:53:49. > :53:54.is some 49 points in front But if this red goes in, Hendry will be
:53:55. > :54:01.taking on, and he gets on the blue, kisses the pink, who knows? That
:54:02. > :54:03.49-point lead could evaporate very quickly. He can go into the 2 reds
:54:04. > :54:12.off the black. Never misses a chance to win frame
:54:13. > :54:39.at 1 visit and this is a chance. A hush came over the Crucible
:54:40. > :54:59.Theatre. So much pressure on this possible
:55:00. > :55:05.clearance. But the chance is there. Well, if this to a the first frame,
:55:06. > :55:10.you would think he would be a srnty. But -- certainty. This is the frame
:55:11. > :55:15.too get into this ninth World Championship final.
:55:16. > :55:42.He has already won a record 7. The one he lost was to Ken.
:55:43. > :55:51.And Ronnie can't do anything about this. He has to hope that Stephen
:55:52. > :56:02.makes a mistake. He played that last shot with a wrist to the inch. Ron
:56:03. > :56:06.yoi now knows that -- Ronnie now knows a little twitch from Stephen
:56:07. > :56:07.Hendry, a pressure shot, that is the only thing that can stop Hendry from
:56:08. > :56:30.here. We've had everything in this match,
:56:31. > :56:32.2 of the greatest players in the game going head to head, with quite
:56:33. > :56:40.a bit of needle. Stephen Hendry was a man on a
:56:41. > :57:02.mission. He's going to need the black as
:57:03. > :57:20.well. This would put him 7 in front. This has been, in my opinion, one of
:57:21. > :57:27.his graiment performances. And absolutely unbelievable! A fantastic
:57:28. > :57:31.clearance, Stephen Hendry is getting into his ninth World Championship
:57:32. > :57:37.final, and the way he played here, who says he won't win it? It's
:57:38. > :57:42.always nice to close the match out with a scoring visit. It's all very
:57:43. > :57:46.well if the match is scrappy frames, but I get more pleasure from winning
:57:47. > :57:52.with a visit. And Ronnie had taken quite a big lead in the frame, and
:57:53. > :57:56.missed, and to sort of, you know, clear out from well behind to win
:57:57. > :58:07.the match is very nice and gives you good confidence. I thought it was
:58:08. > :58:11.the turning point of my career. Under the most extreme pressure,
:58:12. > :58:16.Stephen Hendry got more aggressive with his game. If you're going to
:58:17. > :58:20.get aggressive in tournaments, you need to be able to pot. He showed me
:58:21. > :58:27.what I needed to do to improve as a player. There is no disputing
:58:28. > :58:36.Ronnie's improvement since then. They remains one of the of the
:58:37. > :58:44.pre-eminent forces. As for Stephen Hendry, it was a bittersweet moment.
:58:45. > :58:51.Not long after tasting victory, his quest for an eight world title was
:58:52. > :59:01.crueled by Peter. He never won This small, ordinary town
:59:02. > :59:05.in the middle of Italy