01/12/2013 UK Snooker Championship Highlights

My safety's better than before and my attack is more stable, so I'm

more confident now. I'm looking forward to the UK and best of the 11

for a few rounds and I still like the UK championship. I win twice and

good memories for me. Good evening. He was the centre of attention here

this evening in York. Shortly we'll see the man who has won the last

three major world-ranking titles in a row over the last three months.

It's been all go here in this championship. We are going a little

snooker loopy today. We are trying to keep track of 16 second-round

matches. They are dotted all over this great venue. I think it's time

we cued the headlines. Jimmy White made his return for the first time

for three years. But it's time -- his time in this tournament was

brought to an end by Stuart Bingham. He never really settled into the

match. He allowed the Number Ten seed to assert his dominance with a

couple of breaks. Bingham closed it out, 6-2. Let's hope it's not other

three years before we see Jimmy again. Jimmy suffered a bit. He was

snatching at a few. The table went a bit awkward. It dragged me down a

little. A bit weird saying that against Jimmy, but it was hard to

get going and I took the Mickey a bit and it gave me a kick up the

back side, but it was nice to be still in the tournament. Pretty

frustrating, because I was hitting the ball OK in practice. If you keep

giving these guys so many chances it was like a comedy of errors for me.

It's a bit frustrating to play that bad. Judd Trump met Thailand's

Punjang. He came close to a maximum in the third frame. He missed the

next black and with it the chance of a ?59,000 bonus. However, that

setback proved to be the only downside and it was a 6-0 whitewash

against an on poen nenT who potted over 39 balls in the whole match. It

was a little too easy. I would liked to have been questioned a little bit

more. I'm a bit disappointed to have missed the 147. An escape from

Stephen Maguire. He was behind again his opponent. He came back and won

it 6 - 5. I was outplayed. I got off to a good start, and then he totally

outplayed me in every department. He wasn't lashing out. He played a good

game and picked me apart to go 4-1. All I was trying to do was just

stick in there and take a frame at a time and after that I didn't fancy

spending it off. Another champion, Matthew Stevens survived against his

opponent, who had been in command. The we will eshman pulled off a long

pot to complete -- Welshman pulled off a long pot to complete his

comeback. It wasn't great snooker, but I managed to get to six first

and I'm still in, and there's only one thing to do and it's improve.

The three-time winner, John Higgins also progressed thanks to a more

straightforward 6-1 win over his opponent. The last few months have

been a struggle, so I want to see some signs. You maybe expect to come

through the first couple and it's a game you want to win. Mark Williams

saw off Rory McLeod and he stuck to his task and game through it 6-3. It

wasn't a very good standard at all. The first game wasn't either. I

don't know what round we're in, but it's nice to be in whatever round it

is. Mark, you are in the last 32. So are these guys.

All in all t was a pretty eventful day, even before we got going with

the evening session. In that evening session it featured James Wotana of

Thailand. 43 years of age and the man who was responsible 20 years ago

for sparking a revolution in snooker in the Far East. He was up against

the man who now leads that revolution in snooker in the Far

East. They shared the first couple of frames and we'll join them in the

third. I don't believe what I'm seeing. I

don't believe it. He's obviously thinking that that is a frame ball,

but to go directly in off with no cushions involved, I mean it has to

be close to it. Very surprising. It's been a catalogue of errors.

What a frame. Seen so many balls rattling. Ding will fall over the

line now. Snou he'll win the frame and -- somehow he'll win the frame

and lead 2-1. It will be ding that takes a 2-1

lead with the snookers. There is an outside chance here for

James. Whether he goes once across or twice across the table to get

this snooker in behind the black. He's going once. It's too pacey. A

good line otherwise. A bit scrappy but Ding will be

delighted to take a lead. It is a bit scrappy so far and Ding, who

struggled a little to get back Anthony Parsons in his opening match

is still to find the top fluency that has brought him so many riches.

In the next frame and it's Ding 15 points ahead.

These two are quite subdued toe nit and they've got a nice little

knuckle off the pocket and takes it perfectly off the blue into the pack

here. One of the best in the business at this shot. A lot of the

victories recently have seen the splitting of the reds breath-taking

at times. He always does it like that with complete control.

It would be good getting the reds into play. Obviously, there's enough

room between the two reds near the pocket to get on to the black in the

opposite corner. An excellent chance to go 3-1 in front.

This has been a frustrating session for him as well as his opponent.

Once again, I was saying to you how well he plays. In six shots he's

played four cannons and the white has never gone past the pink and

that's the art of break building. Ding is about to make his highest

break. A couple of shots away, but more importantly than that this is

his frame ball. The next thing is will he make another century? 36

Robertson made 51. It's only this season he has made.

Robertson made 51. It's only yet this week in York, he'll get

through this match and I suspect he'll get better.

Different parts of the cushion are hit and no bounce at all there. It

was played the way he expected it to react.

There have been 47 centuries in the tournament, which includes what was

played from Tuesday onwards, when it all got under way, before the

television cameras were on. After he returned from the interval, Ding

snatched the next. This is very tight and we're up to the colours.

No escape this time. This is a question of whether James can get up

and down perfectly behind the green and surely he'll win the frame.

I don't believe it. That just shows you, when you get a little older and

the tension becomes more and more and more and you would never, ever

see James miss a shot like that a few years ago. Incredible. That one

shot tells me he can't win this catch. You can't afford to miss

shots like that. He would like to have been a lot

straighter. He's playing with a lot of side. Has he controlled it? The

cushions are bouncing on him. You can see what he thinks of that. It

definitely accelerated off there. He's making his feelings known. Very

rarely do you see any emotion from Ding. He's got a very good

temprement. This might not reach the pocket.

I think he knows the language now. He's annoyed with himself. He can't

believe that hasn't won the frame there. You get very little emotion

out of him usually. A very good safety shot. As I

mentioned in commentary before he played that shot, he has got the

raving hump. He might even play a double here. You never know.

It might cut in. He's not happy, as you know. It's not an easy shot. The

last two or three shots... What an extraordinary frame of snooker this

has been. Good grief. Well, Ding is going to win it. He is almost as

disgusted as James Wattana, but the bottom line is Ding is 5-1 up and he

needs one more frame. What a frame. He's not happy. He came back and

recomposed himself in the next frame and went on to make sure of his

passage to the last 32. That was a knock of 66. He won over the former

world number three, James Wattana. There was a discussion there. Ding

will face Fergal O'Brien next and we bid a fond farewell to James. It's

Ding who prevails. Didn't play well today. Difficult to find the

positions. James having to lose some big frames and it's important for

him, for both of us, but he always lose that frame, so a little bit

complicated the way I played today. Along with Ding, Mark Allen of

Northern Ireland is much fancied to land this title once again in this

year. After all, he played such a brilliant part in a final a couple

of years ago against Judd Trump and just came off second best. He has

come so close in the UK Championship. Mark is never short of

an opinion, but this season he's largely let his play do the talking,

to pretty good effect. He's won two European Tour events already this

season and the world number nine is warming up nicely. Tonight he took

offer 56-year-old Dave, Harold, for many years a regular and the Stoke

player is a ranking event winner and earned the nickname Hardman Harold

because he ain't no pushover. In fact, over 45 minutes of play had

come and gone in the opening frame before we pick them up and har

raleed's -- Harold's already snookered his way in.

He's got a choice. He could go up and down with the pink and try to

get in behind the black. We'll see what he plays.

That's pretty good. He's got Mark hampered.

Oh, I think he thought he had that. He thought he'd knocked that in.

That was He thought he'd knocked that in.

coming up to 45 minutes. Whoever He thought he'd knocked that in.

body blow. What about this as a shot? As he bends his knees, he

almost goes to the floor. He has left the pink. I don't thi it's a

natural in-off. But he could get to the corner pocket.

He was concerned about the in-off and well he's left Mark Allen with a

similar type shot. This may be a little thinner possibly.

It will be a very relieved Mark Allen. The frame looked like it was

going to be over 20 minutes ago. It looked pretty comfortable, but it

wasn't in the end. The frame went on for over 46 minutes. Harold missed

the pink and it will be be a relieved Mark Allen who leads.

Harold will be giving himself a hard kick, having worked so cleverly to

get himself back into it in the first place. However, an intense

start to that match. I'm sure both players and sections of the crowd

will be hoping they'll pick the pace up in frame two.

It started with a fluke. That's how cliff Thorburn made the 147 years

ago. There's no maximum here because he's already taken the yellow.

That fluke could gain him a few points here.

Couldn't really play that with much more pace because he would have lost

the cue ball. Not a guaranteed perfect position. But still cuts to

the left corner. It's amazing how many left-handed

players switch to the right hand when they use that.

A good potter, this boy, isn't he? No more reds available. It will have

to be the brown. And with the white near the balk line there, it's not

easy. He did play for that red. He could

have done with a little more action on that and he would have been

nicely on the pink. Or even the blue, but the only way to keep the

break on here is if he manages to knock the yell hoe in. -- yellow in.

You never know with Mark, he might just think about doing that.

There's another safety shot. That perfect on the blue now to go into

the bunch. That last blue he potted was a cracking shot. Yeah, he hit it

beautifully. Couldn't have hit it any better. Perfect angle on the

blue. The first frame lasted over 46

minutes and this frame's not going to take very long by the looks of

things. It all started with that fluke when he wobbled the red in the

left corner pocket and shot along the back cushion behind the black

there and straight in the opposite corner.

It doesn't matter how skilful you are, a little bit of luck with play

a big part. He may have to cannon into the reds to hold the cue ball.

He has played a nice shot there. There's a really nice crisp sound

when he hits the ball. Apart from the shot on the kiss on the blue and

the unfortunate kiss to keep the break going, this has been

excellent. When you consider how slow the last frame was.

A chance of a century break now he's developed that red. He's made 19

centuries this season so far. He made 30 last season. 206 centuries

in his professional career. He turned pro in 2005. Well, no century

break, but he's not too concerned about that. That was quite a quick

frame after the long opening frame and well, Mark Allen now leads 2-0.

And he was on a roll because he took the next two as well to go 4-0 in

front. Three more 50-plus breaks for that. 4-0 became 5-2 when Dave

Harold had more of a spring in his step, so now we are in frame eight

and at Len is 25 points -- Allen is 25 points adrift and hoping to

finish the job here. He'll have a choice with the next

shot. Whether to play from the loose and develop the two behind the black

spot. That's brought both of them into play. As long as this red

doesn't block the path of the blue into the pocket, but then he can

stun down to the pink and black here. He can leave the blue in the

centre pocket. The red on the top cushion, that

will take some shot to get it off for a colour.

snookered? I think he's just OK. He might not be able

snookered? I think he's just OK. He he would have to play with a little

bit of so it's not straightforward. We are

all square. Just tucking up and taking the blue on, but not easy to

get nicely on this last frame. That was a bit of a wild one. To pot this

red and get up on to the blue, even if he had have knocked that blue in,

was going to be tough. He has started throwing his arm out

a few shots, Dennis, Mark Allen. He's had to hit the ball hard and

not timed it well. That's another frame on the board

from the man from Stoke. He keeps his hopes alive, but it's a long way

back for Dave, but he's still there. With Mark Allen perhaps a little bit

frustrated with that attempt on the blue that let Harold back in again,

but he has another chance in frame nine. Just 11 points in this one.

Perfectly played. He'll want to go a few rounds better than he did last

year. He lost to Marco Fu. Then he lost the year before to Judd Trump

and he played well in that final. He had a few century breaks, if I

remember. He made four centuries in that final, I think. The seven-times

champion has got a head for of statistics! ! He has finished a

little bit straight on this blue. He's going to move himself further

away from the red than he would have liked. He's hit that very, very

well. That's the best shot he's hit for quite a while.

Another cannon on to the two reds tanned should open up everything for

Mark. Any cannon on the two reds or he's unlucky not to finish on all

four of them maybe? That's was all it needed. 33 in front. Looking good

now. Mark Allen, world champion. We all

know who he's supporting. It's a long, long time since we've had a

world champion from Northern Ireland. I can't remember who that

was, Stephen! Just a couple of pots away from

securing this match. I think he thinks that's the shot

that's won his this match and he has been by far the heavier scorer of

the two and that's been the difference.

He started off with the 54 break in the first and 72 in the second and

two in the third. 52 in the fourth and the sixth frame he had a 70 and

a 52 break. He didn't score pretty heavily. He won't worry about

missing that red. In the end, it should have been easier, but it was

quite comfortable for Mark Allen and he runs out a very comfortable

victor in the end. Mark Allen will now meet Nottingham's Michael Holt.

You've guessed it, it's the Pistol against the Hitman. We are back at

1.00pm on BBC Two with Selby and Robertson.