Day 7, Part 2 UK Snooker Championship

MUSIC. Down to one table and it is going to be over longer distance,

He a remarkable talent, he really is. It is great to see such a

talent come through in the game, and not waste it. He does enjoy

himself but lots of it has been over-hyped. At tournaments, I e is

a really good professional. It is nice to be favourite but that

brings a bit of added pressure. in the PTC events but beaten in the

worlds, I think I will do better than I did in the worlds, but he is

a better player since then. He's an absolutely monstrous opponent.

have always had tough games against Neil, he is an excellent player, he

never gives you anything easy, and he is one of the best long potters

in the game, so I have to improve my safety play against him.

going to go out there and enjoy it Good evening. Englishman Judd Trump

and Australian Neil Robertson are two of the brightest stars in

snooker, both young, super- confident, with a stylish swagger

round the table. One of them is going to be the first man into the

final of this year's UK championships. We have extended the

distance in the matches. It is the best of 17 in the semi-finals. This

is how the first part of their What a match this is likely to be.

Two of the greatest potter as we have seen in the game for quite

sometime. Amazingly, they are all left-handers. That is a nice start,

He felt that it rolled off. Foul, and a miss. He played that

beautifully. Couldn't hit that much better. The shot of the match, for

me. You have to take your hat off to Neil Robertson, he was 2-0

behind and struggling. But he has Oh, my goodness. It is, anything

you can do, I can do better, coming up. How do you like those apples?

Not many of those to the pound, John. He is the best plan to in the

world. He ought to change his name to Judd Titchmarsh, the way he is

Robertson has been playing catch-up all afternoon. He is going to have

The red needs to slow up, and it These two players have treated us

to some wonderful potting. Both look in great form, and tonight we

are in for a session of snooker. Don't miss it. We are all square at

4-4. Ken Doherty joins me for the match. Neil Robertson finds himself

pursuing Judd Trump. Yes, but he came back very well, the match is

finely poised, very little between them. This could go quite to the

Wire. Judd Trump is on record as saying that he likes to play

naughty snooker. Shorts that are slightly dangerous that, when they

come of, they give him something of a thrill. How much of that have you

play? For me, it is drowsy snooker a! Both of them are on top of their

game and keep you on the edge of their seats. Both of them go for

shots, make lovely breaks, and not afraid to express themselves.

Looking forward to this, popular, too. The people of York have been

turning up in the of droves, all week. M C Rob Walker, it is all

years. Thanks, Hazel. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is Friday

night in York commander and it is the climax of the first semi-final

of this UK championship. They could not be any more talented. And it

could not be any closer. The please welcome the newest global star of

the sport, he announced his arrival at the top winning the China Open

in April at making the world final in May. Fearless and confident,

with his own brand of not the snooker, it is the pride of Bristol,

This Aussie's temperament has brought him six ranking event

pittance. Champion of the world's last year. Here comes the Thunder

Terrific atmosphere in the Barbican Centre. Looking forward to this in

the commentary box are Dennis Taylor and John Virgo. Good evening,

Hazel. What that this tour. Walking on to the venue it was like coming

to a football match. Hordes of people coming into the Barbican

Centre. It could not be better poised than four apiece. Two of the

greatest potter has the game has Thank you, ladies and gentlemen,

Judd Trump has always been in front in this match. He led 2-0, 3-2, 4-3.

Neil Robertson, you would think, based on that would come into this

evening were recession quite pleased to be 4-4. -- this

That is the safety success rate. Neil Robertson a couple percentage

points ahead. The other one has come right back into the pack,

there. The red wind across the table and more or less back to near

enough when it was placed. -- went across. The only trouble with

taking on the double is you are never sure where the object ball is

going to go. He might have to screw this back to leave a good angle on

the blue, to then get into the pink. I don't know if he can go directly

into them. He might have to go off a couple of cushions. Looking to

see if that one as available off the edge of the bunch. Has to force

Watch the white as it hits the cushion. It just takes off, with

He was close to the cushion. Close, A little bit of a nervous start,

quite understandable under the circumstances. A packed house at

the Barbican. Not sure even got between the jaws of the pocket.

What a reception both players Court, coming into the arena. -- both

players got. There is not much that is say for a snooker table when

these two boys are around. Unbelievable potting, from both

I think I had John Parrott saying this afternoon, that Judd Trump is

the real deal. We have heard about him for so long. Wondering when he

was going to make the breakthrough. The World Championship final was

obviously the catalyst for that. Now he really looks like one of the

players that everybody is going to have to look out for. Tremendous

temperament, to produce the type of shot he plays at this level, to

Just a slight angle on the blue. He would have liked a touch more side

on that. Slight angle, to pursue truth. -- to push it through. This

is not a gimme into the middle. He has got to get on the other side of

the blue. Only one more loose red to go for. What a good chance just

That, absolutely perfect to go into the reds. With the cueing per that

he has, he can create all sorts of angles. Not quite sure where he was

going for that, but how much power did he generate? Unfortunately he

got too much backspin on it. That is why he did not get the cannon.

There, you can see a little bit of experience from Judd. Not that long

ago, he would have been playing an attacking safety shot, opening the

reds up. But he knows how dangerous a potter Neil Robertson is. No

matter how good you are, you got to give a lot of respect to your

opponent. The standard is so I, that you cannot just give them

chances. -- so high. He has got into that far too much. Probably

pleased he did not pot the red. Look where the cue ball has ended

In fact, it has finished awkwardly for you Robertson, because of the

red to the right of the blue. If he takes the white up to the baulk end,

He might just be coming back behind A straight forward escape, you

would have thought, off the side cushion, but you have got to be

Played that well. It looked easy enough, but it is one of those that,

if you misjudged it, you could have left a red. It is safe enough.

Touching ball was called, so Neil has an opportunity to play into the

baulk, but he has to cover this red that is adjacent to the right

He would like to get the white somewhere about their, at to cover

that red. If it finishes there, that'll be OK. It is a little bit

hard, but it still might be all right. I think that Judd Trump can

see enough of this red, he has gone a little too far, and it may cut

into the middle pocket, so that was a little bit of a slip up from Neil

I fully expect him to pot that. He has not got away with it this time.

This is Neil Robertson's first good chance of the evening, the black

available into both corners, the blue on its spot, the baulk colours

available. He had played a poor shot, hitting it a little too hard,

and now it has worked out to his advantage. How many times do you

see that? That certainly has opened things up. He was first to six

points behind before he started and took the chance, but he had enough

side on that to swing it over towards the blue. Brought most of

You could hear Neil groan there. He felt that he got something of a

bounce off of that baulk cushion. Did it come off quicker than it

went on? It is difficult to tell, It seemed to come off that cushion

very quickly indeed. Can he get It doesn't matter if you get a bad

bounce off the cushion and get out of position, when you can pot like

That was a natural angle to just roll the black in. He could cannon

the reds if he wished, but it would make the pot slightly more

difficult. But he might try and The one at the back of that

triangle of reds around the pink spot will go, the only problem is,

the white is a little close to the cushion. Further away from the red

than he would have liked. Right in the art of the pocket. -- heart. He

goes through so streak when he pots, that is the secret. So straight.

That is why he's such a good potter. He does not put any unintentional

side on. He also keeps his head very still indeed. Perfect now,

just to stun in between the reds, to leave a choice. He is going to

get there with the aid of the cushion, as long as he is far

enough over. All this we did not have the angle to stun in. --

You can just see it there, his head hardly moved. It is so difficult to

do that, especially honour forcing shot. -- on a forcing. After the

colour, he still needs the four remaining reds. It is not a

It doesn't matter who you are, when you are sat down in your chair,

there is nothing you can do about it. He has had two chances in this

frame, that was a tricky pot, but you expect him to pot those. When

you get opportunities, you have to make the most of them. Will he get

He would of to be able to get in between the two reds. -- he would

love. He still might try to get the cue ball down to somewhere near

there. That would just be about Well spotted, Dennis. Absolutely

inch perfect. Probably will play the one to the right corner. He

looks very straight on this one to the middle. And the one to the

right corner, I would suggest, is going to be a more difficult ball

to get at. He is going to play the one in the middle. Surprises me a

little. This cue ball has got to travel a little bit now, to get on

this red. An important last red, of course. You would think the yellow

would be the best to come back across the table behind the red but

what sort of angle has he got on this brown? Not quite enough to get

in behind, to leave the red to the middle, so it is a long pot, into

Now, and where is the red going? It is clinging to the cushion. At one

stage it looked as if it was going to pull away, and then it starts

turning back into the kitchen. Any more pace, and that would have gone

in. -- into the cushion. Any more Probably could have done with that

the kiss on the blue. But he must feel he can hold it. He used all

the pocket, but with the colours on the spot, very warm favourite to

take this opening frame of the final session. I am not going to

question the choice of shots, but when Neil Robertson played the one

in the middle rather than the one to the right corner I felt that the

one with behind was going to be more difficult to get on, and it

caught him at. -- out. Lose it. It looked like Neil Robertson was

going to go in front for the first time in the match. And so, the

black, for the frame. We are looking forward to a great night,

after the tension and stress that that frame at. At the end of the

frame, Judd Trump once again goes one frame in front. It may be

looking tense out there, but just before we went out, Neil Robertson

was relaxed, sitting in our studio. I did not realise, we thought we

were say hello from the balcony. He got the fright of his life and he

scarpered, out of there, double quick! When we think about that

frame, there was one moment that had heavy chance to make the

decision on again, he would. Have a look at this. He plays the perfect

positional shot. We can see where Denis has put the cue ball up. He

could not have placed it any better. He takes the red closest to the

middle. If he takes the red directly into the green pocket,

gets on the green or brown and then takes the red, then the frame is

over. He took the easier one, subsequently missed and left it for

the Judd Trump to clean up. Just one of those situations that he

took the easier option, he could have taken the more difficult one,

and it cost him the frame. And as has been the case for so much of

the semi-final, it is Judd Trump, He looked well in Hazel's chair.

They would make a good double act, a couple of blondes! Foul. Doesn't

make a great deal of difference, just cost six penalty points. Just

You don't want to overcompensate for slide. You could knock a red on.

He could ju do with a touching ball to sort this out and then the

player can just play up the table. That stops it rolling up to the

reds. The only problem is it gives a slight advantage to Neil

Robertson if he can put in a Where's that red going? It is safe.

Now Judd might have a go at a double. Unless it goes up into the

corner, the one at the end of the pack. Maybe it pots. Well it

obviously did and he nudged the reds and he has left an easy

It is impeck e per tifr he gets -- imperative he gets a good angle on

the blue. He will think about the cannon into the reds. This is the

modern game. First opportunity, try But you have got to hit the pink

full in the face. Ooh well the pink's come to his rescue there.

I'm not certain what he would have been, but for that second kiss.

look how the white suddenly bites I think he just about stopped in

time there. Another roll and he Judged the cannon on the red after

potting the black very well. He knew he was going to flick the red.

Played it with that bit of pace to go across the table. A decent

chance this to build up a Well what sort of a shot was that?

Neil will be disgusted with himself. In fact he might be on absolutely

nothing here. Unless he can just get past. But his body language

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told us he couldn't get through to Pretty good there. He's opened a

few more reds up. He wants a few I'm trying to see if there is a

good safety leaving the cue ball at this end of the table. He could

drop the cue ball near to this top cushion and he may leave a cut on

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In the end he is a bit unlucky. He took the pot on and any other

contact on the black would have been OK. But full ball was a bit

unfortunate. The only saving grace ofrbgs he was in a spot of bother

there. -- of course. The last person you wanted to force into

playing a pot is Neil Robertson. Just a bit awkward now. But Neil

won't bother about the pink and black being slightly out of

commission. A 37 point advantage. Especially with this young potter

I was listening to Judd and he was saying he is going to have to

shorpen up on his safety -- sharpen up on his safety play. If he

develops a top class tabgtsical game, everyone's going to have to -

- tactical gairpblgs everyone's He is just slightly behind Neil in

the safety success department. But in the tournament he is 5% ahead of

him. So over all his safety has But this is what he likes doing.

Now he's a bit unlucky. He almost went in off. But what a pot that

was. That is worth another look at that one. He has got a bit too much

stun on it and unlucky to finish right on the cushion. That was a

Not many players would have took That is a nice little cannon on the

red, because he was going to stick the red up until he collided with

It is safe now, the red's in the A useful double to pull out there.

And it was a double he could play, with very little danger. Of course

it went in. Got the snooker, he wasn't bothered about finishing on

That is not the one he intended to hit. Because it is in that, he

leaves one to the left corner. sure if the plant's on as well,

Looking at the balls, he should clear up from here, John, shouldn't

he? Talk about Noah's Ark, you have I think he thought by paying it

with pace he could widen the angle without using side. Lucky not to go

Well he has got a good cue ball. But he may be tight behind the blue

He had to land on the blue dead weight. That last shot of Judd's

looked reckless, but it wasn't, he Well what a pot that was! And he's

on the brown and he has brought a few reds away from the side cushion.

Still not a frame-winning opportunity. But you never know

It is a terrific sound when he's at the table and the balls hit the

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Terrific amount of side there to He was hoping to disturb two of the

reds. But another tremendous pot. A good cannon. He is going to flay

red closest to the cue ball, is he? He has got a nice angle on the

pifpbg. He may be able to stun into He has got to be careful, he could

slip around the back of the two He spotted something on the cue

ball that would have been in his line of sight. We can have another

look at the cannon. And it looks like this red will pass the pink.

He is only one point behind now, so Ooh he was up. He just got it to

the near jaw. But he's not left anything. Another exciting frame we

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Not easy to put a telling safety In this arena now, cow -- you could

hear a pin drop. There is no distrabs -- distraction from the

other table. The crowds have enjoyed it. Mixed feelings by some

of the players. But this game, a lot about the spectators and

Oh! If the white drops in the pocket, he has lost the frame. He

may still lose the frame. This is much more difficult than it would

have been had the cue ball dropped As we get closer to the winning

line, they're such great long potters, but we will see this type

Another poor safety shot there from Neil. He's lucky that his has run

safe. -- this has run safe. Now would you risk it, Dennis, just

pushing the red down the cushion and use the green and black as the

snookering balls. If he got it it could be a very telling snooker. He

didn't fancy it. That shot is only good if he can get the red in the

jaws of the pocket and he didn't do that. Now that good chance falls to

kneel Robertson. -- Neil Robertson. Can you believe it. He had the cue

ball cleaned and got down and missed a shot that he would, well

how many niem times would -- times He has hardly touched that and

screwed the white more than half the way back up the table. He's

overdone it slightly, but he can just about cut this blue in. Now it

is all about will he be on the red? The yellow's the key ball now to

this frame. That could be the only obstacle between Judd Trump and a

That is the wrng side of the table for a left -- wrong side of the

If he's straight he will be OK. will be disappointed if he loses

To miss the red he missed that gave Judd this opportunity, he will be

kicking himself. Lou do you miss these? Well that was frame ball and

Judd Trump missed it. He's left it. That is just pure tension. Can't

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say he hit it too hard, it is the He should finish somewhere near the

He has overcut it. Where is this cue ball, is the pink going to come

to his rescue. If he has fluked a snooker here, and I think he has,

that is quite amazing. He holds his hand up. But incredible. Have a

look at that and well... Even if he tried to swerve around that, it is

such a difficult situation and difficult to get it safe. If he

swerves around the pink, pots the blue, the white could go in after

it. What a situation! You don't see much emotion from Judd, but as he

was walking to the table, the Can he swerve and pot it? He

couldn't. Can he leave it safe? He deserves to, but he hasn't. Neil

Robertson, very lucky. Can me -- he take advantage of it. He needs,

pink, blue and black. And what is the question mark. -- black is the

Imperative he gets a correct angle on the pink to leave himself on

That is not the best place. If he cuts the pink in, he needs not

necessarily there, but in that line, so that the black is pottable. And

to get there, it is a slightly more difficult pot to take it into the

A much easier pot to the right corner, but he can't get close to

HAZEL IRVINE: What an intriguing frame this is, but we have to leave