Third Round: Part 2 UK Snooker Championship Highlights

Hello, good evening, welcome back to

the Barbican Centre in York. Coming

up the best of the action from the

bet UK Snooker championship and the

third round. We will see Shaun

Murphy, the former champion, shortly

but let's start with Michael White

taking on Ronnie O'Sullivan on a

very special day for the Rocket.

The

birthday boy plays today. 42 years

of age. His opponent, Michael White.

You never know where they are going

to finish, and what a result, there.

So, Michael White gets his first

frame on the board.

He's played that

very well indeed.

Well, what a

magnificent clearance from Ronnie

O'Sullivan. Well, did he get a kick

on that?

Fine shot. That's a

marvellous shot.

Ronnie O'Sullivan

extends his lead. He leads 5-1.

Good

recovery.

Doesn't matter about

missing the pink. He just couldn't

get going, Michael.

Ronnie

O'Sullivan runs out a very

comfortable winner, by six frames to

one. When I look at the breaks it

was pretty decent. I missed a few

balls, could have got punished

harder but Michael did not play the

way he can play so it made my job

until bit easier in many ways, but

it feels like I kind of got away

with that one today.

Sullivan

through, John Sullivan was in action

taking on Chinese sensation Yan

Bingtao, some 25 years his junior,

and it was the 42-year-old who

opened up a 3-0 lead. Yan Bingtao

was expected to prove a difficult

opponent and showed why he's

dominating the back pages,

dominating the match with breaks of

79, and 81. But the matchstick

another huge swing with Higgins

claiming the next three, leaving

Higgins as one of the favourites for

this year's title.

I thought he was

pretty solid. I went 3-0 in front of

any paid then in the final three

frames I thought I played OK. Happy

with the result. He is a special

player.

Mark King will be John's

opponent in round four after the

initial and sort of Luca Brecel of

Belgium. You can see that match with

us later today. In the evening

session, the 2008 champion Shaun

Murphy was looking to book his place

in the last 16. He was up against

world number seven Jimmy Robertson

who was beaten at this stage by

Oliver Lines. Murphy led 3-1 at the

mid-session interval before

Robertson pulled one back. Into

frame six, Murphy has potted six

reds and six blacks. Commentary from

Dennis Taylor and Stephen Hendry.

He doesn't want to leave himself

straight on that red. The cannon can

go wrong. He hasn't red available to

the right corner. Once the just play

on this red. This is definitely

missable, because he's got a player

at pace.

Always missable at pace, and perhaps

the cannon was possibly the shop,

then, the cannon of the black. The

red jumped slightly off the bed of

the table.

red jumped slightly off the bed of

the table.

Jimmy Robertson comes to the table.

He has a chance to get right back

into this frame.

Looking at those rates around the

pink, I don't think he has to play

any cannon is just yet. They look as

if they would all play each other.

He might want to play a cannon onto

the red to the right of the bunch

but he doesn't have to do that. He

has gone into them straightaway. And

he's not too badly placed. They

would have all cleared each other

anyway. Those five reds are all

available now.

It is a real test of bottle here

with Jimmy Robertson. These are the

frames that you've got to pinch, to

go deep into tournaments and even be

a tournament winner. You've got to

be able to pinch these frames. To

win the frames that you shouldn't

have. It makes a difference.

24.

He has only used the one cushioning.

So, result. If it finishes high on

the black again he should play for

the red on the cushion. He's got to

play it sooner or later. Sometimes

if you leave it until the end

there's more pressure on it. He

could just stun off the cushion for

that red to the right corner. Again,

reluctant to play it. He was perfect

on the black to get close to that

red.

As you mentioned, he's going to

need that, and he's going to leave

it until the last minute. It was

such a good angle that he could have

done previously, there. All will be

revealed.

With this road it is easy to get

that perfect angle on the black to

get close to the red. You don't want

to be playing it from distance. --

with this red.

He would like to get

the cue ball were the other white

is, straightforward. He has played

to move it, and that makes it a

little bit easier. He finished

nicely on the black, there, and I

don't blame him for taking that

chance to bring the red into a more

favourable position. Didn't want to

be straight on the black, he's not,

he can stun of the side cushion and

up towards the yellow. It is a

strange game. Shaun was going to the

maximum break, there. He has seven

reds, seven blacks. And this was a

red that he missed trying to get on

the black again.

You, the maximum

could've been in the back of his

mind. But I'm sure it was at the

back of his mind that this was what

Jimmy had to do, really punish

Shaun. In the most severe way. I

think his heart was in his mouth,

there. It came off that right-hand

jaw. That's why he was low on the

blue.

You have to give credit to

Jimmy. He is good to watch, is in

the? He's quick around the table.

Very well played. Shaun Murphy was

on his way to a maximum and broke

down at 56 and Jimmy Robertson

cleared up with that magnificent 90

break and he's all square at rehab

and three. Good little comeback from

Jimmy. Into the next frame, and

Murphy is at the table.

Didn't expect Jimmy to miss his

attempt. And we certainly didn't

expect Shaun to Mestalla. -- to miss

that.

I was trying to count how many

times it wobbled in the pocket and

it must have been at least four

times. And stayed there. Let's have

a look. There are one, two, three,

four, five...

He was concentrating so much on the

cannon, he forgot about the pot. A

little bit edgy, out there. A long

way to go in this match.

That was an excellent pot.

It was a natural angle to come back

down the table to the black. Just

had to concentrate on the pot.

Another decent opportunity in this

frame.

He expected to be on this red over

the corner. There was a much fuller

contact on the bunch.

Maybe a plant,

to rescue him.

It must be close.

Yes, it is right in line for the

pocket. He just concerned with the

cue ball, that he can push it

through and get on the black. The

pink now available. That plant,

coming to his rescue, there. One

good pot on the pink, but it's not a

gimme by any means. If this goes in,

great chance.

Good solid pot.

He does like a wander around the

table, Shaun. He surveys the whole

situation sometimes, he wanders from

side to side and up and down. He

reminds me of steady Eddie Charlton.

He was a little bit slower than

Shaun around the table, that's for

sure. You can see Shaun's average

shot time, just 18 seconds. He

doesn't hang about.

A couple more pots will secure the

frame.

61 ahead, just 59 remaining. This is

just what he needed. He led 3-1 at

the mid-session interval but Jimmy

came right back at home, especially

in that last frame with a break of

90, after Shaun had made 56. -- came

right back at him. Some good breaks,

when you look at it. A wobble on the

black but that doesn't matter, Shaun

Azad 41, 68, 86, 40 eight. -- Shaun

has had. He's had one century so

far, 129.

He sat 20 centuries this season, and

438 in total. But no century yeah,

but that doesn't matter. -- no

century here. It is now 4-3. And

with a break of 60, Shaun Murphy

then made it 5-3. Into frame night,

Murphy leading, and back to Dennis

and Stephen. -- frame nine. He has

misjudged it. That's careless. That

wasn't that difficult, you know.

It

certainly wasn't difficult to hit

the red. I didn't expect him to miss

making contact at all. Just, for

whatever reason... He just lost his

concentration in this frame. He

knows he's had three chances

already. An amateur safety shot that

left Jimmy and easy escape, could

have put him in more trouble. Not

even making contact with the red,

there. Maybe he's just a bit eager

to get over the winning line.

What belief has Jimmy got in himself

to stay in this match?

What he's got

to be thinking is, he was in the

same situation in the previous round

against Alan McManus, 5-3 down, and

came back and won the match. Those

other thoughts he wants to be

thinking. -- those are the thoughts.

And also his opponent's had three

decent chances to put this much away

and hasn't taken any of them. You

see that head movement.

The baulk collars are not in ideal

positions but that shouldn't matter.

He should have the frame won by

then. He couldn't have the reds in a

much better position.

Potting this red releases another

two further white corner. Two to the

right of the pink become available.

Just keep focus, full concentration.

And you can get one frame back,

here. And straightaway he plays

little cannon, unintentionally, and

he's put himself in an awkward

position, just between the gap, and

he's got a choice of rates. Now he's

left himself a tricky one, this one,

if it passes the black. But this

should have been so easy. He's

looking at the want of a middle

pocket to hold the black. -- he's

looking at the one for the middle

pocket. See? You just make one

little error and it just escalates.

It's all about keeping close control

of that cue ball. Now he's just 26

points ahead. Well, that's what he's

faced with, there. If you don't push

that cue through in a straight line,

these can be missed. Well are

dialling, very well done! Jimmy

Robertson. That was a pressure pot

that he got there.

He didn't want to be high on this

pink, he let the cue ball go a

couple of inches too far. He's

making hard work of this.

He only

needs one more red after the pink.

And he didn't want to be playing a

cannon, but in the end he had to.

And this is awkward because he's

having to bridge over the pink. We

can show you the cannon he played,

there, which hasn't promoted the red

into the perfect spot. 40 in front

with still 43 on.

55 is OK. But he should have

clinched the frame, there are,

without a shadow of a doubt. No

wonder he's shaking his head.

This

red is on, next to the pink.

What a superb long pot.

It was

great, but he's got to pot that

blew. 39 the difference. If he pots

the blue, 34 the difference, so it's

blue, red, black, all the colours to

clinch the match. That's not going

to be easy, that's for sure. But

he's got to take it on.

This is pot

of the tournament, if this goes in.

That long red and that two of the

pots of the tournament. He can win

this match at this visit now. What a

clearance this would be.

This is

tough. This is very tough. Well, he

made it look easy in the end. Now,

the only problem he has. Jimmy will

know that the green is near the

brown, so it's not a formality. It

all depends on the angle on the

yellow. The green will go into the

same pocket as the yellow. He will

see if he can leave it to the right

corner but, as you can see, where he

is cueing, can he popped the green

from there, from there, from their?!

Those first three pots of this break

were just phenomenal.

He is further away from the brown

man he would like. Unless he's going

to go round the table. -- from the

brown than he would like.

Can he shut out the match here? He

knows he's got a great chance of

winning the UK Championship this

year, with all of the top seeds

being knocked out. He had a very

tough match against Liam Highfield

that he managed to get through.

Looked like he was going out. But

he's a class act, Shaun Murphy. And

really, etc Vic clearance, when you

think of some of the pots. Smiles

all round. Jimmy Robertson

congratulates the former world

champion.

APPLAUSE

The clearance at the end was pretty

good and I needed blue or better to

win. I played a cannon on the yellow

went as the cue ball went past the

yellow I thought, what will I do

now? I looked at the blue and I

thought, let us in the coin and see

what happens.

thought, let us in the coin and see

what happens. When it went in I was

like, I had to play the cushion for

the rest that was when it went in

and I went on to win the match but

the match better than the previous

one. If I can improve my cube or

control a little bit I am on the

verge of playing really good stuff

so I know where I need to improve.

-- my cube all control.

Wilson is

having a decent season. The

runner-up in the World Open. And

Ricky was a semifinalist in the 2011

UK championship. Ricky Walden was

leading 2-1 and he extended his lead

to two frames at the interval. Just

the second meeting between these

two. Ricky won at

the second meeting between these

two. Ricky won at the Crucible in

2014. A good break from Ricky and

the next two frames were shared. We

now join in frame seven with Kyren

Wilson to play on a break of 33.

He is playing at full blooded.

Cannot get away with it. That was

just borderline too difficult. He

has given Ricky a golden opportunity

now on the counterattack. Things are

not happening and you end up trying

to push the boat out and usually you

pay the price for it.

Why didn't he

screwed the cue ball back the other

side block the red with the pack

before. A bit too risky. I don't

blame him going for the shot but he

should've differently than that. I

chanced to Ricky Walden. 22 points

behind are plenty of reds on the

table. It has to go into either the

to red a pub of the black to the

left or into the four reds with a

bit of pace and push the cue ball

through. He has the insurance of the

red over the corner pocket but he

has to develop some reds here.

That has worked out a treat.

The top red is on we want to get

back on the black.

It is a bit early

possibly to be talking about it but

Ricky Walden can take mostly blacks

in the next four and five reds and

you won't need the red near that

right side cushion, should he get

that far. 17 points behind right now

so to red blacks and one behind.

It

is an interesting pointers snooker

players will be doing the

calculations of my mind. We might

see Ricky glanced at the scoreboard

a few times during this break and he

will be doing the maths in this head

to see how much he needs before he

even tackles the red that is close

to the cushion.

That is nicely on the pink there. I

think the top red of the two that

are just below the pink, the top red

will putt into the corner pocket.

Debtors have a look from other side.

He can only afford one more pink and

the rest black and it means that

will be 36 in front on the last red.

He is not playing for the black.

I

suppose the next two red/ black are

not guaranteed. He will work it out

head and yes to get the top side of

the red above the blue with a shots

time. Three blacks following this

pink should see him home. He needs a

nice angle on the black to do what's

that red the blue.

Again he must make sure he has a

nice angle when potting this black.

He needs to get on the right side of

the red because he needs the black,

as Allen said. On this red it looks

absolutely perfect. It is a lovely

positional shot. Just

double-checking. 28 ahead.

Just over on the cue ball slightly.

He is a big lad. What does he do

here? Does he try to play the pink

and get the cue ball close to the

red or just drop the black in and

take the cue ball up towards the

baulk area? What would you do here?

I think he has to play the black. It

is all about the pot. Probably cue

ball and baulk, in fact. Well done.

A well worked out break but not

completely out of the woods. He need

to snooker. Most professionals these

days are very adept at getting

snookers. He has to be careful here,

he doesn't want to stick the red up.

Ricky Walden, 69.

That was a good

break for Ricky Walden. Requiring

snookers from Kyren Wilson and Ricky

will extend his lead.

Ricky Walden

looking very good, isn't it? That

Lussey what happens in the next

frame.

I would mentally play this as though

I was playing a black off the spot

into the pocket. It is funny how

players play different shots. I

would mentally forget about the pink

there and think the black is on the

spot and play for it. If you land

nice on the black cue on the pink.

It is a bluff with mind games but

because it is trying to hold it he

has held it too much. It is always

easier sitting in here, of course.

Bigshot this may now prove to be.

Pink into the yellow pocket. When he

fully commit to this? Is it there?

Great shot. Well played. Fully

committed.

That may help into the next round of

this championship. It was a brief

shot. -- it was a brave shot.

He just could have been doing with

another four or five inches of pace

out of the cue ball and that would

almost guarantee to be nice on the

next red. The next good positional

shot he plays is a genuine chance to

win the frame and the match at this

visit. He still has plenty of work

to do. That was a good shot. He

played into an area and not into a

specific red. That will do nicely,

thank you very much. The choice of a

couple. He may have to go back for

baulk colour into but this is

developing nicely. This time he has

the absolute ideal angle. Going for

the red below the peak. -- pink.

There was an element of risk

attached about. I was surprised

that, in all honesty. A bit short

with the rest. I fancy getting it.

We know the black doesn't go Iniesta

hit this properly. He could be short

or long playing this screw shot and

these are difficult to judge

properly. Just about high enough, I

think.

He can just drop the pink in

and beyond the bottom of the two

reds below the pink to the left.

Just a few more putts away now. The

adrenaline will be pumping.

The adrenaline will be pumping.

He could hold the pink spot here,

just below the pink spot really.

Screw back an inch or two for the

red into the left-hand corner

pocket. Overall it has been a very

good performance from Ricky Walden.

He has done all of the running in

this match.

It is good to see Ricky back. His

opponent will be back. He has had a

bad day today but he has the

pedigree to come back and win this

championship, that is no doubt. He

just had an off night tonight, Kyren

Wilson. A lot of that is down to his

opponent as well.

Yes, we suggested

earlier that he is just more

reliable overall on the balls

tonight. Breaks of only 33 and 43

from Kyren just not going to get the

job done against anybody on the pro

tour. He has already passed the

point of Kaira needing snookers. --

Kyren needing snookers.

The handshake is forthcoming and

Ricky Walden prevails. He was by far

the better player on the night and

he prevails over Kyren Wilson by

6-2. A convincing victory and good

to see him playing well.

6-2. A convincing victory and good

to see him playing well.

I didn't

let him settled really. I had a rub

of the green in the second row

scored heavily through that session

to keep things in my favour really.

I kept the pressure on nice and

controlled the match. I am going one

game at a time and trying to compete

and stay in the match out there and

see how things go. At the moment

things are going OK but we will see

how it goes. I will chill for a day

now and give it my best shot.

Elsewhere in Xiao Guodong of China

sealed his place in the last 16 by

beating Simon Khan who made a

Crucible debut this year. -- Noppon

Saengkham. The world number 18 in an

interview said he is feeling very

relaxed at this tournament and Gould

is in pretty good form as well.

Martin Gould is through. But another

big name has tumbled out of this

years tournament. Barry Hawkins,

Crucible runner-up in 2013,

sensationally beaten 6-0 by Sonny

Akani of Thailand. He is 22 years

old and this is an amazing result.

The Assad three seasons as a

professional snooker player and his

best performance was a quarterfinal

of the Indian opening 2016. What a

result, Barry Hawkins, out.

Today I

am playing, I am playing very well

but today I am winning because I am

just lucky when I miss a shot and

the last time I pot in the pocket it

goes in there. Today I am playing

OK.

Very well played. This is how

the last 16 looks.

Ten UK titles between these players.

That is it from us today. Extended

highlights in snooker extra coming

up with that match between Barry

Hawkins. There will be live coverage

tomorrow with John Higgins against

Mark King and the all Scotland clash

between Stephen Maguire and Graeme

Dott which is live on your red

button. Thank you for watching.