Steve Davis v Jimmy White, 1984 Snooker: World Championship

Hello again. 1977 was the year when the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield

first hosted the world snooker championship. If you fast forward

eight years from that date to 1984, you would find that by that point

Steve Davis was the only player to have won the title in Sheffield

twice - he had done so in 1981 and 1983. But at that point, neither he

nor anybody else for that matter had ever managed to successfully defend

the title at the Crucible to win it back-to-back. And here he was in

1984 attempting to do just that. In his way was a cocky Londoner,

22-year-old whirlwind Jimmy White, appearing in his first Crucible

final. And attempting to add that title to the Masters crown that he

had won a few short months ago in London. The 84 final - I was in a

different frame of mind, or that world championship I was in a

different frame of mind. I had regained my championship the

previous year so now I was a multiple winner of the world

championship and I started to mature as a player, felt more comfortable

at the match table than I had done even in 1981 and I was starting to

look like I was the dominant force completely within the game. So I had

an air of superiority around me walking into that arena. It was

starting to become my office. As expected, Steve began strongly. He

had been in devastating form that season, after all - he had won six

trophies. He took the first frame and he had a wee bit of a slice of

trophies. He took the first frame and he had a wee bit of a slice of

luck at the top of the second. Steve takes no notice - they all

count. Not only was the fluke very

disappointing for Jimmy, but he must be wondering with six or seven loose

reds now, whether he will be able to win this frame when Steve has

finished here. Appears to have finished a little

straight on this black here. Won't have an opportunity, I feel, to

break the cluster of reds, but will have to play for one of the two

loose ones. He started the first frame with a

break of 44. This time, it's 50 so far. That's the hand of our referee,

Jim Thorpe. REFEREE: 50 to Steve Davis.

APPLAUSE REFEREE: Touching ball.

That's a very good shot for Jimmy there, for Steve, opening the brown

behind the pink, because the ball is obscuring the two reds. With 55

points, he will obviously be very pleased with that shot.

And some more damage there. It was a very difficult shot that Jimmy had,

there, tucked underneath that side cushion. He was forced, really, to

have a go at it. But I'm afraid he has done a lot of damage.

This black will mean that Jimmy White will need a snooker.

Well, I feel that Steve didn't play to kiss the black then, he played to

go around the back of the black, and got rather a nice kiss to keep the

frame going. APPLAUSE

APPLAUSE 26-year-old Steve Davis forged two

frames in front. The younger man, Jimmy, didn't really seem to have

settled down by this point. He had a chance, though, in frame three.

Well, the first red from Jimmy there was quite an amazing shot. Steve had

been a little fortunate, even though he played a foul shot, not to leave

Jimmy with a better opportunity. But now he seems to have the balls split

very nicely. Now, all the spots are occupied, so

the green will have to go just near to that cue ball. As near to its own

spot as possible. In fact, I think it is on its spot.

He didn't play too good a shot on the green but he will be pleased he

has been able to hit the cue ball where he wanted. And now he has got

back into prime position. Jimmy white -- White, I feel, still

not completely settled down. It was a 47 break there, but it should have

been more. Well, the main saving grace for

Jimmy here will be the red on the left hand side cushion. Steve will

have to manipulate the white ball into such a way as to be able to

remove that on the some time to win this frame in one visit.

Steve has a choice here - he could, if he wished, play to move the red

out now. Well, he didn't get the white quite where he played but he

certainly got the red out. If he decides to play the black, it's

going to be a very, very difficult shot.

REFEREE: 37 to Steve Davis. APPLAUSE

14 points in it, then, and 43 points left on the table.

That was a lovely shot from Jimmy, knowing that if he missed the black

he could have lost the frame, he played the shot perfect strength.

And the blue means that Steve requires a snooker this time. But

Jimmy has snookered himself. 28 points in it, 27 points on the

table. Now, Jimmy mustn't miss this. Steve

has put the green very near that top pocket.

Jimmy purposely played the white ball hard there, just in case he did

miss it, but he still left Steve an easy opportunity on the green, I

feel. Just wants the five balls now to win the frame.

Jimmy appears to be throwing caution to the winds at the moment.

It's so pleasing to pinch a frame, but demoralising if you're the

opponent. Jimmy White, then, paying for his

mistakes and Steve Davis makes it three in a row. Playing Jimmy in the

final, even though Jimmy was a younger player, which is always

harder to play against, he was still a player that I had not really

struggled against in the past, so everybody expected me to overcome a

player who was more of a throw caution to the wind, cavalier style,

that I would pick him off and do a clinical job on him. The difference

now 18 points. Yes, and the worst thing about that shot, Ted, is he's

brought the blue out into play. Steve was needing every ball and now

this makes it a little bit more easy for him, should he get the

opportunity. Could be the chance that Jimmy has

been looking for. He's 18 points in front.

Hasn't got that beautiful flowing cue action right yet. If there's any

consolation at all, I feel it's that the green looks relatively straight.

Steve would need to really get into this cue ball to get on the brown.

Seems to have acquired the perfect angle to play round the table and

finish on to the blue. Would probably be playing the white around

three cushions. Hasn't got it quite right. Well,

these are the shots, Ted, that either win frames or lose them,

should he care to take it on. He's not even attempted the pot -

probably a very wise decision in that moment.

A terrific roar, then, for Jimmy White as he takes our fourth frame

and the two players leave the arena for the interval. Steve Davis

leading three frames to one. The rest of the session was quite

simply one-way traffic for Davis. 7-1 ahead - that is quite a

demoralising margin. Jimmy was trying hard to summon any kind of

resistance as we headed now into frame nine.

He doesn't like being away from the table for so long. He was quite

eager to take that opportunity. It didn't appear as though the ball

kicked at all, but it was certainly some distance away from the pot.

Davis attempting there to move one of the reds from the side cushion.

Steve Davis plays seven frames ahead. He leads by eight frames to

one. That was a good shot from Jimmy

immediately, potting the black ball off the top cushion and bringing it

back into play. Well, he has brought the pink ball

free now, disturbed the red that was nestling on it, but this is not an

easy pot to the centre. Well, this is more like the Jimmy White we

hoped to see in this final. He's very disappointed with that one

- with the red over the pocket. It was the ideal opportunity to break

into the pack, with the insurance of the red which was already there.

Still going, but not a perfect position.

Well, there's tremendous cue power there from Jimmy White, the white

ball flying around the angles, but not quite in the right direction to

get a break on the remaining cluster of reds.

So, what's more likely - all mutuals in the snooker world will be glad to

see that 61 break by Jimmy White. Well, he's a long way behind in this

match, is Jimmy White, at this present stage, but when he starts

playing in this kind of form, it makes you think that he could

perhaps reel four or five frames off on the trot and be right back in the

match. Nine and a half minutes of genius -

breaks of 61 and 76 give Jimmy White the tenth frame, but Steve Davis

still leads by eight frames to two. That frame was a rare highlight in

those early moments for Jimmy White, who had had problems with his cue

tip throughout. He finished 12-4 behind and quite frankly things

really didn't look that good for him. The late Jim Medecroft, who was

a currentater, I said to him, my tip is really hard and I felt my tip and

he said it's like a rock so I took my tip off played for about an hour,

but for me, that first final, was all about having a new tip. After

the first day's play I think I was 12/4 up and that was an understand

commaing lead, but then I suffered, as I had done on a couple of

occasions, not many but a couple, the loneliness of the long distance

runner - I looked over my shoulder. And that night's sleep, even though

it should have been a wonderful night's sleep, I started to worry

that he would come back at me. Well, that's an event. A completely

misjudged safety stroke from the champion and at his previous visit

to the table, he attempted a pot, which would only just go, but he

missed that as well. Even though Jimmy has played a good

shot with the rest there, even with the red up on to the black, it's

difficult to get into the black unless he plays the kiss into the

red. Decided to play the half ball short and play into the black.

A frame-winning opportunity now for White. And with the reds wide open,

he must take it, otherwise he would be very vulnerable to a

counter-punch. Well, Jimmy has spent a long time in

the practice room this morning, had a new tip on yesterday, and seems to

have got the weight a little bit better today. Last night, he was

sadly out of touch with the new tip. But this will do his confidence no

harm at all. Well, Jimmy will be slightly pleased

to know that, if he pots this black, Steve Davis will require snookers.

There is a chance of seeing a very big break here.

Well, White has really showed his character with this break.

APPLAUSE Well, he was eight frames down

overnight, but no hint of giving in. A really marvellous clearance of 119

by Jimmy White and just the start he wanted to this afternoon's session.

Still well behind, though - Steve Davis leads by 12 frames to 56789 --

5. Steve Davis at the table, making his

counter-punch to the break of 37 which took Jimmy White into the

lead. Well, this shot's certainly not as

easy as Steve would have liked. It's a very straight red with the rest,

but probably trying to screw back for a choice of the pink or blue, or

alternative running around the two cushions for the pink into the

middle pocket. He certainly doesn't fancy either

shot at the moment. Well, there wasn't much angle there

and Davis was trying to manufacture one. The screw shot was much more

difficult with the rest than it would have been with the hand

bridge, so he tried to power the cue ball around off two cushions for the

pink. Well, it's a frim-winning shot if he

attempts the brown - but it could be a frame-winning shot if he misses

it. That was a truly excellent pot under pressure.

Which means that Davis needs a snooker.

So, that should certainly assure Jimmy White of the second frame of

the afternoon. And it did - Jimmy, finally, on a roll, or a mini-roll

at least and his confidence was surging, more on the point when he

took the next as well. Three frames on the spin to trail 7/12. And he

had Davis in trouble in frame 20, as well.

Well, even though Jimmy has left a pot here, it does help with him

being left-handed. I'm sure it will help with his playing to get on to

the blue. Yes, I'm sure Steve will be very pleased to see that. Yes, I

think White can count himself a little unlucky that he wasn't left a

slightly easier red than that. Davis went full-blooded attempting to

escape from the snooker, but didn't leave anything easy. Now, from this

kind of position I would ordinarily expect Davis to clear up, but

there's extra pressure on him to do so now.

And is this where White's revival is halted?

Steve still requiring the fluke to come back and make the save.

A crucial clearance for Davis. He stops his run of three losing frames

and leads Jimmy White by 13 frames to 7. Yes, Jimmy really playing with

renewed vigour now - he took the next four frames in a row to reduce

his arrears to only two, 11/13 behind. But back came Davis, like

the true champion he was. Taking three of the next four to lead

16/12. It's crampons on again for Jimmy as we rejoin them in frame 29.

REFEREE: Foul stroke, four to Jimmy White. Well, he is a little

fortunate that he didn't come another foot down the table, or else

he would have left a really nice leave.

And suddenly two shots and he's opened the frame right up here with

quite a good chance. Well, this is difficult, the pink,

having to cue over the top of the other balls, making it a very

difficult shot. But having so much of the cue over the hand makes it so

much more difficult. But it's a good shot.

And quite happy to go down for the small fry to try and establish a

better position. Tried hard to squeeze that round to

get - keep on the pink into the corner. Would have liked to have

been a little straighter on this. Well, Jimmy needs one more red after

this colour. So just making absolutely sure, now,

of the red to leave Steve needing a snooker.

So this red should really put it beyond doubt and here we are, again,

going to be in a situation of just two frames' difference and he's

stirring the fire again. APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

And what a delightful shot. Well, he shouldn't have missed it,

but not too important. And Steve nods his head and says, "That's

enough". That's two frames behind. Steve Davis withstood the onslaught

of young Jimmy White this afternoon. REFEREE: 21 to Steve Davis. Well,

I'm not sure of the pressure Steve is under at the moment - it's not

the kind of shot that we normally expect Steve to miss.

Now, that's split the reds over the table - one mistake now... .. He

hopes that Steve makes it. Just three frames in it.

And that's a bad one from Steve. He's 22 points in front.

Carefully played for the plant, I believe. No, red into the centre

pocket. The break reaches the half century

and he's 28 points in front. Steve wanting a snooker, even before

the pink. A terrific performance, then, by

young Jimmy White - again, he pulls back a frame and with a break of 72.

He's now just two frames behind at 14/16. I effectively came out for

the second day's play and asked for Jimmy to come back at me. I didn't

play as positively as I should have done. If you could just play as if

it was the start of the match, it would be better. And Jimmy did come

back - great player. And it got back to relatively level.

Jimmy having to work very hard for this break, with the pink and black

both being tied up. That's a tremendous shot from Jimmy,

a lot of pole right hand side in that shot. And he's got a good

chance of clinching this frame here. So just the black and one more red

to leave Steve needing snookers. 53 points in front - 59 points on

the table. And with that break of 53,

incredibly Jimmy moved to one only one frame of Steve Davis's lead,

15/16. Remember, he had been 12/4 down overnight - a remarkable

performance and the tension levels were creeping ever upwards inside

the Crucible, as we rejoin them. And this is a crucial shot Jimmy's

taking on here, trying to deep screw back on the baulk end of the table -

and a tremendous pot. Certain to leave Steve on, had he missed it.

Has Jimmy got the angle now to come on to the pink between these two

reds and the black? That puts him two points in front. Wants this

frame to make the match all square. Well, he's certainly perfect on the

pink to ball behind the red oft left-hand cushion and, being a

left-hander, this will suit him. And he won't be too happy with that.

Wanted to come away from the cushion a little bit.

This is proving to be a very, very hard day for Steve Davis. And

there's Jimmy just looking to see what angle he wants to leave on the

black to come up for other red. Steve showing the pressure he's

under there - hit that much too thick.

?200,000 is the prize money in this year's Embassy Snooker World

Championship. And it's resting on this final.

Steve Davis, then, with just the black to come.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING Takes the frames to 17/15 and Steve

Davis requires one frame to retain his world title.

That could be a crucial red that Steve has just potted. It gives him

a chance to get a few points on the board and, of course, wanting one

frame, that's going to put more pressure still on Jimmy.

Well, he'll probably hole this red for the pink - won't be taking any

chances. With almost Monday not news magic,

-- monotonous magic, Steve Davis works towards his goal.

Well, I think there's a plant on, just below the pink there. So any

colour and one more red to leave Jimmy needing snookers.

APPLAUSE Terrific round of applause, then,

for Steve. A great effort. Enough balls on the table for Jimmy to take

the frame. That's another good shot from Jimmy,

moving the red out. Would like it to have gone another inch or two.

Well, what a brave shot to play at that speed. Knew he would leave it

over the pocket if he missed it. And still needs all the colours to win.

Wondering what he has to do to get the one frame. And that's gone just

where Jimmy didn't want it. Tight against the cushion - now he's going

to have a job to get the white away from the cushion for the pink.

A fantastic performance - wait for the applause.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING 17/16, and Steve Davis was one away

from becoming the first man ever to successfully defend the world title

at the Crucible. But millions upon millions of people were willing

Jimmy White to take this one right down to the wire and into a decider.

And once again, Steve catches the blue on the break-off.

After this black, Jimmy can clear this red from the right-hand corner

pocket and make the black pottable in both pockets. And I think we will

see Jimmy go into the pack of reds, knowing he will be left on this red

into the right-hand corner pocket. And that shot there just shows

Jimmy's confidence. Had a nice, easy pink but was the wrong side of it

and took a far more difficult brown to come down for this red. And no

doubt, I would think now, will try to go into this pack of four.

Eight points in it - four reds to go - and Steve right underneath the

baulk cushion. Another tremendous shot - this time

from Steve - under immense pressure. Has the problem of the red on the

cushion there. He will screw back here for the pink

but the yellow's only pottable in the green pocket.

Steve's 17 in front, but all the colours in the centre of the table,

so whoever gets this yellow could win.

Well, Jimmy had a go - and I think he may pay the penalty.

Great shot. Still needs the green to put himself 22 in front, with 22 on

the table, and this isn't easy, at this stage of the match.

19 points in it - 25 points on the table.

Jimmy White walks quietly back to his chair.

He was a long, long away from that one. Yes, he got rather impatient

there. And this is probably the best chance Steve's going to have - not

an easy green, but, should he get it, must finish on the brown.

Jimmy sees the championship now drifting away from him.

That great champion - he is achieving what nobody else has done

before. APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

A great performance, then, by Steve Davis, defending his title and

winning it for a second time here at the Crucible Theatre, to win the

Embassy World Snooker Championship 1984. I basically just about fell

over the line - it was a big shock to the system and I was very

relieved to have won the 84 final. I was so confident that I'd win it

next year or the year after or the year after - and where are we now?

2016! I was so confident, I was OK, I was OK losing. If I didn't change

my tip, I think I would have won it. So it was a case of what might have

been for So it was a case of what might have

been for Jimmy So it was a case of what might have

been for Jimmy in the 1984 final. His first Crucible final and the

first of many disappointments on that big occasion. As for Steve

Davis - well, that win represented a third world title and he would go on

to win it a further three more times. In fact, such was his

superiority in the 1980s that he appeared in no fewer than 8 of the

10 Crucible finals in the 80s - or the Davis era as it has now come to

be known.