:00:36. > :00:40.Good afternoon. This year's the knighted Kingdom Championship gets
:00:40. > :00:47.better and better with every championship. We are all buzzing
:00:47. > :00:54.with the memory of last I's first semi-final, in which Shaun Murphy
:00:54. > :00:59.came back like Superman they gazed Ali Carter. He is the first man
:00:59. > :01:05.through took tomorrow's final. Today, we will find out who will be
:01:05. > :01:15.joining him. Will it be Mark Davis or Mark Selby? Time to roll the
:01:15. > :01:28.
:01:28. > :01:38.Mark Selby, a convincing winner, 6- 3. Mark Davies runs out a very
:01:38. > :01:49.
:01:49. > :01:59.It look like it was a long way back for Mark Selby, but he finished up
:01:59. > :02:06.
:02:06. > :02:16.Mark Davies comes through against John Higgins and reaches the
:02:16. > :02:27.
:02:27. > :02:32.Neil Robertson must be shell- shocked, four-0 up, but the fist
:02:32. > :02:41.pump from Mark Selby it shows you all. He is somehow in the semi-
:02:41. > :02:50.final. Mark Davies has played superbly well and he runs out a
:02:50. > :02:57.If you are thinking who is Mark Davis, that is perhaps not
:02:57. > :03:01.surprising. After 21 years as a professional snooker player, the 40
:03:01. > :03:11.you rolled from Hastings is through to the first major semi-final in
:03:11. > :03:17.this game on British soil. -- 40 year old. Mark and his family was -
:03:17. > :03:23.- were due to be at a musical this afternoon. They had booked their
:03:23. > :03:29.tickets not expecting to be here this afternoon. Yesterday, John
:03:30. > :03:36.Parrott caught up with him. You are right at the UK Championship, fair
:03:36. > :03:39.to say, a little bit by the back door. Yes, I got in because we
:03:39. > :03:43.Ronnie O'Sullivan took a bit of time off and Stephen Lee has his
:03:44. > :03:50.problems. Unlike have got in there on merit and probably, but I think
:03:50. > :03:55.I have justified it this week. It is new territory for me, being here
:03:55. > :04:00.as a seeded player. It was a little bit strange in the first match.
:04:01. > :04:07.have made the most of it, what has your form been like? I have been
:04:07. > :04:16.playing pretty consistent for the last couple of years, to be honest.
:04:16. > :04:22.I have been getting close to the top 16. Hopefully, I will get into
:04:22. > :04:25.the 16 by right this time. The have been a professional for quite a
:04:25. > :04:31.while, twenty-one years or something. Where has improvement
:04:31. > :04:36.come from? I think it is doing our bit of work with Terry Griffiths.
:04:36. > :04:41.By manager brought him on broad and with the amount of tournaments that
:04:41. > :04:47.we have now, back in any help to keep you shot. You are playing
:04:47. > :04:51.against the top players all the time. Your semi-final opponent is
:04:51. > :04:57.one of the most experienced and best players in the world. It will
:04:57. > :05:01.be tough. Yes, it will be very tough. Mark is up there as one of
:05:01. > :05:05.the best players in the world and has been for a long time. I have to
:05:05. > :05:10.play at least as well as I have this week, and probably a little
:05:10. > :05:14.bit better, to have any chance against him. It is new territory
:05:14. > :05:18.for me, so there is still the experience. I had a look at the
:05:18. > :05:28.venue before the session started and it looks really good. We wish
:05:28. > :05:45.
:05:45. > :05:48.He is one of the players that has exploded up the rankings. He is he
:05:48. > :05:58.is one of the players there you have to really scraping off the
:05:58. > :06:04.table, he will do anything to win. Great tactical play, all round game.
:06:04. > :06:14.He is a tough player on the table. He never gives in, so he is always
:06:14. > :06:17.
:06:17. > :06:22.hard to play against. Competitor, he never gives up. He has won a lot
:06:22. > :06:28.of matches coming from behind. is probably one of the hardest
:06:28. > :06:37.players to beat. He has a level of consistency that is far better, I
:06:37. > :06:47.would think, than anybody else just now. He is a great player, a great
:06:47. > :06:51.that, a great professional. A good ambassador for the game. Mark Selby
:06:51. > :06:56.is the world No. 2 but could regain the top spot if he books a place in
:06:56. > :07:06.tomorrow's final. Everything points in his favour, not least his record
:07:06. > :07:08.
:07:08. > :07:13.A but we have seen had brilliantly Mark Davis has played this week. We
:07:13. > :07:21.know this old story about like beginning at 40, he is living proof.
:07:21. > :07:26.What is the story? I think the reason is... I haven't got a clue!
:07:26. > :07:31.I do not know why it in this game what has been proven that players
:07:31. > :07:34.have their best years at 30, and most players are crumbling when
:07:34. > :07:39.they get their forties, why a person like Mark Davis all of a
:07:39. > :07:45.sudden will have the best years of his life. Obviously, all the
:07:45. > :07:51.different tournaments, and the prize money. If anybody has got the
:07:51. > :07:55.answers, a bright to to me, please! Mark Selby has had to come from
:07:56. > :08:01.behind in his matches so far. He freely admits that he asked it out
:08:01. > :08:06.of the starting blocks without stumbling. Yes, but he also he
:08:06. > :08:10.might feel like he is bullet-proof. If you can come back from four down
:08:10. > :08:15.against Neil Robertson, how does that make you feel? If you do get
:08:16. > :08:24.off to a good start, that is fantastic. Perhaps the catalyst for
:08:24. > :08:28.him getting a good start is that he has at best of 17 match today.
:08:28. > :08:33.Selby is 8 double Masters winner and is desperate to win gone of
:08:33. > :08:39.these big prizes in the ranking events. If he keeps putting himself
:08:39. > :08:43.there of their about. They are so many good players around. But he if
:08:43. > :08:49.he keeps getting himself to the final stages, somewhere down the
:08:49. > :08:54.line he will convert. And Shaun Murphy will need a rest after the
:08:54. > :08:58.last night's amazing stuff. superhuman performance and an
:08:58. > :09:01.unbelievable match. He does need a rest because if he had gone into
:09:01. > :09:08.the final after an exciting match like that he might have had some
:09:08. > :09:12.sort of reaction. He can deserve that day off. It is the second
:09:12. > :09:19.semi-final of this year's williamhill.com United Kingdom
:09:19. > :09:25.championship. Overtook rock Walker. Good afternoon, ladies and
:09:25. > :09:29.gentlemen. What an atmosphere we have here in the York Barbican.
:09:29. > :09:36.Yesterday's semi-final was sensational and we have another
:09:36. > :09:40.classic in store here. What an afternoon in prospect. Please
:09:40. > :09:46.welcome a player absolutely flourishing into his for teas. He
:09:46. > :09:51.has beaten John Higgins and Matthew Stevens already this week. This is
:09:51. > :10:01.his third ranking event semi-final of the season. But this is the
:10:01. > :10:21.
:10:21. > :10:31.biggest match of his life. Please MUSIC: "Don't Stop Till You Get
:10:31. > :10:33.
:10:33. > :10:39.What is going on? You have been around 21 years, and suddenly
:10:39. > :10:45.you're on the big stage go for a massive final. I don't know! It is
:10:45. > :10:50.amazing. I should have started when I was 40, shouldn't I? Probably the
:10:50. > :10:56.other 20 years I wasn't rubbish! This is the sort of match that you
:10:56. > :11:01.want. Your phone must have gone nuts this week, knocking out John
:11:02. > :11:06.Higgins. Yes, my family have been me and lots of support and some
:11:06. > :11:12.have come up today. I have not had a chance to think about it too much
:11:12. > :11:22.because you have a match the next day. Ladies and gentlemen, Mark
:11:22. > :11:26.
:11:26. > :11:30.His opponent, one of the most colourful characters on the circuit.
:11:30. > :11:36.They should be calling him the comeback came this week after his
:11:37. > :11:46.wins over Ryan Day and Neil Robertson. Bidding for his years --
:11:47. > :12:20.
:12:20. > :12:26.A change of walk on music. Are we expecting a long want? How much
:12:26. > :12:33.confidence the take from Neil Robertson? He is an amazing major
:12:34. > :12:39.championship performer. Obviously, he is a class act and to come from
:12:39. > :12:44.4-0 down, I have to take confident. But to beat him from any score, I
:12:44. > :12:52.would have still taking confidence. It is gate be a great match, it
:12:53. > :12:57.ladies and gentlemen, Mark Selby. Stephen Hendry and Dennis Taylor
:12:57. > :13:06.have teamed up again today, hoping for more of the same as they sought
:13:06. > :13:12.DENNIS TAYLOR: It this match is anything like yesterday evening,
:13:12. > :13:22.you are in for a treat. We have only just recovered. A big day for
:13:22. > :13:35.
:13:35. > :13:45.Mark Davis, his first major semi- Mark Davis gets the first frame
:13:45. > :13:54.
:13:54. > :14:04.He got a terrific reception when he walked into the Barbican here. As
:14:04. > :14:20.
:14:20. > :14:30.That is Mark pot my wife, Vicky. She probably did not think she was
:14:30. > :14:38.
:14:38. > :14:43.going to be here today, the way REFEREE: Can you please adjust your
:14:43. > :14:47.earpieces, please, for the volume. The referee asking the crowd to
:14:47. > :14:57.adjust their earpieces. Sometimes you can just hear the noise coming
:14:57. > :15:15.
:15:15. > :15:25.That was a pretty attacking safety The one to the left corner is
:15:25. > :15:37.
:15:37. > :15:47.pottable but he would have to get He nearly potted in both corner
:15:47. > :15:49.
:15:49. > :15:59.pockets there! Mark Selby will be looking to stamp his authority
:15:59. > :15:59.
:15:59. > :16:40.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:16:40. > :16:50.early in this match. He will know Totally mishit. Look where the cue
:16:50. > :16:50.
:16:50. > :17:53.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:17:53. > :18:03.It is that time of year again. It is that Willie Thorne and John
:18:03. > :18:16.
:18:16. > :18:26.He has come too far for the blue so the angle is more acute than he
:18:26. > :18:41.
:18:42. > :18:51.Again, the red is a more acute angle so he will probably have to
:18:52. > :19:28.
:19:28. > :19:38.The so-called red is blocking the If he had got nearer to the pink he
:19:38. > :19:38.
:19:38. > :20:21.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:20:21. > :20:31.could have removed the red that is That is a horrendous cake. -- kick.
:20:31. > :20:41.
:20:41. > :20:45.It took all of the pace out of the The white would have come off the
:20:45. > :20:55.cushion and into where the circle he's showing and he would have been
:20:55. > :21:11.
:21:11. > :21:19.It is a while since we have had the Davis been a semi-final! He will be
:21:19. > :21:26.in the studio listening to that! How many times has he won this? Six
:21:26. > :21:30.times, Steve Davis has won the UK Championship. And you won it five
:21:30. > :21:40.or six times? 5, so you will have come out of retirement to equalled
:21:40. > :21:45.
:21:45. > :21:50.his record. That is a good safety. We have seen this week that Mark
:21:50. > :22:00.Selby has won most of his matches coming from behind, so he will be
:22:00. > :22:20.
:22:20. > :22:30.He caught that to thick and that is why he has pushed it across to the
:22:30. > :23:05.
:23:05. > :23:15.There is an extra incentive for Mark Selby. If he wins this match,
:23:15. > :23:22.
:23:22. > :23:30.A little bit more pace and he would have been on a shot, but it is just
:23:30. > :23:38.a safety shot now. He was at world number one, and that is just
:23:38. > :23:43.because of the consistency. He has yet to win a major. He has won a
:23:43. > :23:53.couple of ranking events, but he is due to wind one of the pick three,
:23:53. > :24:08.
:24:09. > :24:15.the world, the UK and the Masters. It is probably fair to say, given
:24:15. > :24:25.how good a player he has, that he is an under achiever in his career.
:24:25. > :24:51.
:24:51. > :24:55.He should have won one of the big The reason why that was an
:24:55. > :25:01.extremely good safety shot is because the yellow is tight against
:25:01. > :25:11.the cushion, so he had to get up against the cushion. He has blocked
:25:11. > :25:29.
:25:29. > :25:39.He has had a look to see if he can see enough of that red to get up
:25:39. > :26:10.
:26:10. > :26:20.around the back towards the safety A similar shot is available to Mark,
:26:20. > :26:32.
:26:32. > :26:39.but with the red next to the blue, He would have to for Boyd the black
:26:39. > :26:49.and red, and it is a tricky situation. -- and four eat that
:26:49. > :27:00.
:27:00. > :27:10.What about that for the shot? He could not see an easy safety, so he
:27:10. > :27:33.
:27:33. > :27:43.They are not that easy when you what that close to the object ball.
:27:43. > :27:43.
:27:43. > :28:28.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:28:28. > :28:38.That was very fortunate. He played It is always nice to win the first
:28:38. > :28:38.
:28:38. > :29:43.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:29:43. > :29:47.If I'd was playing someone in a semi-final who was more
:29:47. > :29:52.inexperience, I would be thinking I can win this match in the first
:29:52. > :30:02.session. Really put the pressure on them, because they will not feel
:30:02. > :30:02.
:30:02. > :31:06.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:31:06. > :31:16.comfortable until I get the first He has come up and bit short and
:31:16. > :31:37.
:31:37. > :31:47.The red and pink would put him 36 in front. Didn't neen the canon on
:31:47. > :31:47.
:31:47. > :32:37.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:32:37. > :32:47.That is a good effort, 48 break. Without a snooker it would give
:32:47. > :32:47.
:32:47. > :33:37.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:33:37. > :33:42.Mark the opening frame. Be it is It looked as if Mark tried to
:33:42. > :33:45.develop the yellow this, but he has nod y where the red was going to go.
:33:46. > :33:49.Might have within better off leaving the yellow there, and
:33:49. > :33:59.getting the chance to pot the red and a high value colour, then he
:33:59. > :34:19.
:34:19. > :34:24.That looks close, what a lovely Mark signals to the referee he does
:34:24. > :34:30.concede the frame, so Mark Selby with the aid of that 48 break,
:34:31. > :34:35.opens his account, and he leads 1-0. And you mentioned there Steven,
:34:36. > :34:40.about Mark Davis won't settle down until he gets his first frame on
:34:40. > :34:44.the board. He was a bit unlucky. He looked to have settled but then he
:34:44. > :34:49.got a terrible contact on the blue. This was very unlucky. Mark would
:34:49. > :34:54.have been thinking, give me a nice chance in the first frame, get my
:34:54. > :35:01.cue arm going, a chance to win the frame. And there is nothing you can
:35:01. > :35:07.do about that. Really unlucky. Mark Selby did what he had to do,
:35:07. > :35:12.and it was a nicely compiled 48 break, he looked in complete
:35:12. > :35:15.control there, and that last red he knocked in, Haye a beautiful shot
:35:15. > :35:25.of the red coming down to the pocket. This one here now. This was
:35:25. > :35:32.
:35:32. > :35:42.There is that fantastic trophy that Stephen Hendry has won on five
:35:42. > :35:42.
:35:42. > :35:52.occasions. Unusual experience for Mark Selby, the la two matches,
:35:52. > :35:54.
:35:54. > :36:04.breaks off 1-0. Ryan day went 3-0 behind. Against Neil Robertson went
:36:04. > :36:23.
:36:23. > :36:26.4-0 behind. So he will be happy to They played each other six times
:36:26. > :36:36.and Mark Selby has won all times, but it is a different Mark Davis
:36:36. > :37:10.
:37:11. > :37:18.The players are getting younger all the time. Luca Brecel was one shot
:37:18. > :37:21.away from winning in the quarterfinal. Mark said he
:37:21. > :37:27.attributes his improvements to the amount of tournaments we are
:37:27. > :37:30.playing these days, the PTC tournaments. It is becoming more
:37:30. > :37:40.familiar playing against the top player, and so they aren't so
:37:40. > :37:40.
:37:40. > :38:25.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:38:25. > :38:29.Totally mishit, which can happen when you are playing with lots of
:38:29. > :38:39.side. But he has been fortunate, once he did catch it thick and
:38:39. > :39:02.
:39:02. > :39:12.bring the red up the table, he Hello, hello! It was still a good
:39:12. > :39:16.
:39:16. > :39:20.shot any way, because he had the That is tighter in behind the green.
:39:21. > :39:30.I wonder if Mark can get to the two reds, as we show you this trick
:39:31. > :39:59.
:39:59. > :40:09.That was usual for Mark Selby. He It is tricky when the cue ball and
:40:09. > :40:43.
:40:43. > :40:47.This is what was attempting. He They recover the table for the
:40:47. > :40:57.semifinal, so these two haven't played on it yet, so perhaps that
:40:57. > :41:07.was the reason for Mark not to Mark Davis hasn't judged that right.
:41:07. > :41:11.
:41:12. > :41:21.He will have to play that with a He didn't judge it. Maybe he
:41:22. > :41:22.
:41:22. > :43:03.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:43:03. > :43:13.Lovely shot there by Mark Selby, using the pack to control the cue
:43:13. > :43:28.
:43:28. > :43:38.ball and leave himself on this red He might have to play the canon
:43:38. > :43:55.
:43:55. > :44:05.He is on two easy reds, but the black has gone a bit nearer the
:44:05. > :44:05.
:44:05. > :45:14.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:45:14. > :45:24.He looks very focused. When he came out, and in his interview, he was,
:45:24. > :45:24.
:45:24. > :46:45.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:46:45. > :46:49.For the top players, they are there He won his second Masters title
:46:49. > :46:59.against Ronnie O'Sullivan, he won the last four frames to win that
:46:59. > :47:07.
:47:07. > :47:17.The Masters is one of the most difficult tournaments to win. It is
:47:17. > :47:47.
:47:47. > :47:52.Mark, just one mistake in this frame and he tried to pot a red
:47:52. > :48:02.when he needed a touch of side to bend it, and he didn't, he caught
:48:02. > :48:02.
:48:02. > :49:30.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:49:30. > :49:40.He has every chance of making his Neil Robertson also made five
:49:40. > :49:47.
:49:47. > :49:55.Fantastic play from Mark Selby. That is his fifth century this year,
:49:55. > :50:05.and his 273rd in his career. Very clinical. Cueing beautifully, and
:50:05. > :50:07.
:50:07. > :50:15.So Mark Davis knows he can't afford many mistakes against a man in this
:50:15. > :50:23.He has potted the lot and Mark Selby, with that break of 121,
:50:23. > :50:27.takes the second frame. It is now 2-0 to the man from Leicester. That
:50:28. > :50:33.is much better from Selby's perspective. It has not been plain
:50:33. > :50:41.sailing for him in the early rounds, impressions? He looked like he
:50:41. > :50:49.played his way into the tournament. He was behind against Ryan Day, his
:50:49. > :50:54.A game wasn't there. It is today. He is in Hoover mode. As for Mark
:50:54. > :51:00.Davis, opening observations, he doesn't appear to have done a whole
:51:00. > :51:04.lot wrong. He has done enough, the stakes are raised. The tricky red,
:51:04. > :51:09.perhaps he talked himself into it going, you can sometimes do that,
:51:09. > :51:15.but generally, the questions obviously will be asked of Mark
:51:15. > :51:20.Davis. It is a one table set up, it is the semifinals of a massive
:51:20. > :51:24.event. Where he hasn't been before. Also, has he settled? And you have
:51:24. > :51:29.to fight very hard against settling for this being a good performance.
:51:29. > :51:33.You need to be very mentally strong to be able to go, no, this is just
:51:33. > :51:39.another match and gore to -- go for it. He has Terry Griffiths in his
:51:39. > :51:46.corner as a coach. He will say it is just another match, but it is
:51:46. > :51:53.difficult in a one table set out. The other thing, I don't care what
:51:53. > :51:58.players tell you, when you have a poor head record, it is 6-0 to Mark
:51:58. > :52:04.Selby, I would want to play someone I could beat every day of the week.
:52:04. > :52:09.It is the best of 17 but Mark Davis needs to get going. He certainly
:52:09. > :52:19.does, Hazel, but is he going to get the chance? You would think he
:52:19. > :52:58.
:52:58. > :53:01.would have to get a few, but not Pretty good shot, because Mark
:53:01. > :53:11.Selby comes off the left side of the reds, that one he is going to
:53:11. > :53:12.
:53:12. > :54:50.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:54:50. > :55:00.He doesn't want to curb his natural game. It is important to play his
:55:00. > :55:05.
:55:05. > :55:11.He is thinking about this long pot. He is thinking "If I take this on
:55:11. > :55:21.can I leave myself on the black?" if he took it on and didn't get the
:55:21. > :55:37.
:55:37. > :55:46.canon, he could finish up in the Well, he did take the pot and and
:55:46. > :55:56.he didn't get the canon. He would have been snookered on every colour
:55:56. > :56:01.
:56:01. > :56:05.He will need the spider to get over those reds. If it is dead straight,
:56:06. > :56:15.he might be able to just force a little angle to get out on the
:56:16. > :56:21.
:56:22. > :56:31.black. He might need the extended -- might. He needs to pull up. Just
:56:32. > :56:53.
:56:53. > :57:03.He is working out which canon to play. If he canoned the red above
:57:03. > :57:17.
:57:17. > :57:27.I don't think he is on anything. He tried to canon the left of the two
:57:27. > :57:27.
:57:27. > :59:34.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:59:34. > :59:39.That was very tight. He hasn't done John Parrot was talking about the
:59:39. > :59:47.six victory Mark Selby has over Mark Davis. Four them were in PTC
:59:47. > :59:52.events. Twice he has beat him in the Australian Open, 2000 11 and
:59:52. > :00:02.2012. They were fairly close. Mark Selby came out in the top five on
:00:02. > :00:12.
:00:12. > :00:17.The crowd really getting involved here! They thought he had fluked
:00:17. > :00:20.that but he hasn't and it staid over the pocket. He couldn't see an
:00:20. > :00:30.easy path back to baulk area. Screwed back in there but you never
:00:30. > :00:37.
:00:37. > :00:47.know what is going to happen with He did well to find that gap
:00:47. > :01:09.
:01:09. > :01:19.When you are playing well, that Mark Selby could play that another
:01:19. > :01:58.
:01:58. > :02:08.10 times and he would cannon He may be able to take the blue to
:02:08. > :02:34.
:02:34. > :02:40.the left and swing it around the Once again, it was a good shot. He
:02:40. > :02:50.did well to find the cap but the couple of little cannons that he
:02:50. > :02:50.
:02:50. > :03:44.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:03:44. > :03:53.For Mark Selby it is as though he is getting his reward for coming
:03:53. > :04:03.back from behind in two tough matches. He is getting nice
:04:03. > :04:36.
:04:37. > :04:46.He is terrific to watch when he is like this. He moves his head
:04:47. > :05:10.
:05:10. > :05:20.slightly, but eight few seasons ago Once again, the red that he missed
:05:20. > :05:49.
:05:49. > :05:59.has not left an easy opportunity He has not left anything. It was
:05:59. > :05:59.
:05:59. > :07:04.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:07:04. > :07:14.Both players looking to see if Mark is looking long and hard again
:07:14. > :07:54.
:07:54. > :08:04.but that does not seem to be any He caught it a little thick. Has
:08:04. > :08:17.
:08:17. > :08:24.the blue come to the rescue? He The difference was that Mark Selby
:08:24. > :08:31.was able to get his hand on the table. The white finished up there
:08:31. > :08:41.because of this side that he had to play. Lots of right-hand side just
:08:41. > :09:11.
:09:12. > :09:21.You start to see problems that are not there at this stage, when
:09:22. > :09:28.
:09:28. > :09:32.you're desperate to get a frame on He has come around the table and
:09:32. > :09:42.come up a little bit short. In his earlier matches he would have just
:09:42. > :10:03.
:10:03. > :10:13.got down and played that little The problem will be the three reds
:10:13. > :10:29.
:10:29. > :10:39.that do not pot. He will have to He might have covered it this,
:10:39. > :10:59.
:10:59. > :11:09.That happened with a similar shot in the opening frame when he caught
:11:09. > :11:22.
:11:22. > :11:26.a red. You can do-it-yourself that There is no doubt that if he is
:11:26. > :11:36.relaxed and place his normal game, he is good enough to win this match.
:11:36. > :12:01.
:12:01. > :12:11.But there is no doubt that at the We know that those shots are not
:12:11. > :12:16.
:12:16. > :12:26.easy. So, another chance for Mark Davis, and put good chance. -- a
:12:26. > :12:45.
:12:45. > :12:55.He hit it on the wrong side. I think he played to hit it on the
:12:55. > :13:01.
:13:01. > :13:11.left side. This may just go into If he had hit on the left side,
:13:11. > :13:24.
:13:24. > :13:34.That can happen when you of that close to the object ball. It is
:13:34. > :13:44.difficult to judge it. You are not looking at the pocket inOffside,
:13:44. > :13:58.
:13:58. > :14:04.you just have to judge it. -- in That is not the best shot that he
:14:04. > :14:14.has ever played. He played to be on the blue but now he will have to
:14:14. > :14:14.
:14:14. > :14:59.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:15:00. > :15:04.He may be hampered by the yellow Worrying signs for Mark Davis. He
:15:04. > :15:14.needs to get the frame on the board quickly, or the match can start
:15:14. > :15:31.
:15:32. > :15:41.You plan that the many sessions off four frames. 3-1 would be nice, but
:15:42. > :16:07.
:16:07. > :16:14.He has not missed very much. Just a couple of little mistakes, but he
:16:14. > :16:24.was not punished for it. It does not matter about the pink. It is
:16:24. > :16:25.
:16:25. > :16:31.the best possible start for Mark You can just see perhaps a little
:16:31. > :16:35.hint of unease in Mark Davis. You talk about a couple of shots in
:16:35. > :16:39.which she thought he was almost talking himself into them. It is
:16:39. > :16:44.the type of shot where you tell yourself it goes but it does not
:16:44. > :16:51.really. If you were in a better frame of mind, you perhaps would
:16:51. > :16:54.have there clearer head and cut your losses. Then, he played a bad
:16:54. > :17:04.positional shot and drop on the red and I immediately thought, that
:17:04. > :17:10.does not go. You can sense again, he has half talked himself into it.
:17:10. > :17:16.If you make the wrong judgment, you look like an idiot. He is basically
:17:16. > :17:20.portraying a little bit of panic. To some degree. Both of those shots
:17:20. > :17:30.that he took on had been played with a little bit of side, but both
:17:30. > :17:35.
:17:35. > :17:44.of them it look like he more or less play them straight. A couple
:17:44. > :17:51.of you have noticed something. It is underneath the table. It is a
:17:51. > :17:55.little electronic device, and you are wondering what is this? It is a
:17:55. > :18:03.coin operated game! No, it is a thermostat and it keeps the
:18:03. > :18:09.temperature of the a slate constant. If the slates of cold, moist he can
:18:09. > :18:15.get into the cloth and then they play with more friction and when
:18:15. > :18:21.you put the spill on the balls are does not last as long. So, humidity
:18:21. > :18:25.is a killer for a snooker player. How do you counteract that? You are
:18:25. > :18:32.playing all over the world, in the Far East, where this humidity
:18:32. > :18:38.levels are much greater. humidifiers are good. We played in
:18:38. > :18:43.Thailand. We played one tournament in February in their stormy season.
:18:43. > :18:53.We had one of the machines there and five gallons of water came out
:18:53. > :19:05.
:19:05. > :19:15.DENNIS TAYLOR: Yes, with a damp cloth, you cannot get the ball to
:19:15. > :19:15.
:19:15. > :20:16.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:20:17. > :20:23.REFEREE: Touching ball, you have to He actually played for the red that
:20:23. > :20:33.is closest to the black there. He mishit it but he is still on this
:20:33. > :20:41.
:20:41. > :20:44.He has a nice angle if he chooses to go into the pink here. All week
:20:44. > :20:54.he has been playing quite aggressively when he gets into
:20:54. > :21:06.
:21:06. > :21:16.But this time he played for the red next to the black. At the moment,
:21:16. > :21:16.
:21:16. > :22:06.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:22:06. > :22:12.there are probably four reds The two reds that are to the left
:22:12. > :22:22.of the pink, one of them will definitely pot to the left corner.
:22:22. > :22:22.
:22:22. > :23:22.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:23:22. > :23:32.He struck that very well. When you have a little bit of tension in
:23:32. > :24:01.
:24:01. > :24:11.He deserved to be on a red into the He was unlucky not to bring more of
:24:11. > :24:34.
:24:35. > :24:44.the reds into play when he hit that The mid- session interval is coming
:24:45. > :25:06.
:25:06. > :25:11.He needs a good angle on the black to bring a few more reds into play.
:25:11. > :25:21.If he can achieve that, he can go to the interval with the frame on
:25:21. > :25:26.
:25:26. > :25:36.The team talk with his coach, Terry, will be a lot easier if he can get
:25:36. > :26:16.
:26:16. > :26:26.Very well played. The white stopped He perhaps could have done with a
:26:26. > :26:26.
:26:26. > :27:23.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:27:23. > :27:31.Again, just a little bit short. But Considering the chances that he
:27:31. > :27:41.missed in the previous frame, he is showing great temperament. Mark
:27:41. > :28:16.
:28:16. > :28:22.already needing a snooker, so one The fact that he has done this from
:28:22. > :28:32.one visit will do wonders for his confidence. He got a kick there,
:28:32. > :28:32.
:28:32. > :28:42.but it does not really matter. A bit unlucky with the heavy contact.
:28:42. > :29:03.
:29:03. > :29:13.Mark has come to the table but he I must admit, I would have the
:29:13. > :29:13.
:29:13. > :30:17.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:30:17. > :30:27.It has not got the same ring about He will have to pot a lot to balls
:30:27. > :30:46.
:30:46. > :30:54.to concede a frame. You are not He was careful not the hit the
:30:54. > :31:04.black there. He needs five four point snoobers but he might need a
:31:04. > :31:04.
:31:04. > :32:35.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:32:35. > :32:45.dozen, because your opponent is I am surprised Mark hasn't conceded
:32:45. > :32:45.
:32:45. > :33:35.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:33:35. > :33:40.and headed off for the interval, to I think I have seen the occasional
:33:40. > :33:46.match, where a player has won needing four snookers. But you
:33:46. > :33:56.could have to go back a number of years to find a frame where a
:33:56. > :33:59.
:34:00. > :34:06.Snookers. It mayed have happened with John Spencer many moons ago. -
:34:06. > :34:16.I am sure there is somebody out there, Steven, that will know, they
:34:16. > :34:16.
:34:16. > :35:31.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:35:31. > :35:41.We could call this a mini Mark will try and clear the colours
:35:41. > :35:58.
:35:58. > :36:08.up here, that will save him having The first four frames have been
:36:08. > :36:23.
:36:23. > :36:28.What a response from Mark Davis in this fourth frame. Every credit to
:36:28. > :36:34.him. So Mark Davis w the aid of a terrific 76 break, gets his first
:36:34. > :36:40.frame on the board and we go to the mid-session interval, it is 3-1 to
:36:40. > :36:46.Mark Selby. HAZEL IRVINE: Well he is off and running, and I am sure
:36:46. > :36:51.that is a relief to him. Why do you think Mark Selby played on despite
:36:51. > :36:54.requiring five snookers? No idea. I don't think I have ever seen a
:36:54. > :36:58.frame from that many behind. I don't know whether he thinks he is
:36:58. > :37:02.saying it is going to be hard to get over line. There was no point.
:37:02. > :37:10.He was never going to win it. Mark Davis is not going to miss that
:37:10. > :37:14.amount of snookers, so I don't know. If you are 49 behind, you can win
:37:14. > :37:17.with one poor shot from your opponent, and you get a free ball
:37:17. > :37:22.and you play the black, and you have 43 points with the black and
:37:22. > :37:24.perhaps if he has played a foul and hit the black, that would be 50
:37:24. > :37:29.points, there are freak situations that can happen, but that doesn't
:37:29. > :37:33.happen. That is a one in 10,000 chance to win against another
:37:33. > :37:37.professional with 52 points needed. Maybe it was a question of saying
:37:37. > :37:41.you will have to play very well and keep potting if you are going to
:37:41. > :37:44.beat me. I am sure you have your opinions at home. We have been
:37:44. > :37:49.going on about last night's concluding session of the semifinal.
:37:49. > :37:53.It was brilliant. If you missed it, he is -- here is a recap. Shaun
:37:53. > :37:59.Murphy found himself at the start of the session, remember there were
:37:59. > :38:09.nine more frames potentially to play. He was 3-0 down, and well,
:38:09. > :38:21.
:38:22. > :38:31.This match poised, and as always, the opening frame is going to be so
:38:32. > :38:33.
:38:33. > :38:38.important. Ali having a two frame advantage. 6-3 to Ali Carter. What
:38:38. > :38:48.a response from Shaun Murphy, he is two behind. What about that for a
:38:48. > :38:53.He only need one for flame for a -- for a place in Sunday's final. He
:38:53. > :39:03.just got the one chance and that was all he needed and Shaun Murphy
:39:03. > :39:12.
:39:12. > :39:22.He is only just one behind, 8-7. There is the red and there is the
:39:22. > :39:34.
:39:34. > :39:44.Shaun Murphy breaks off in the Well, he has give his head a good
:39:44. > :39:49.
:39:49. > :39:55.That is in the middle of the pocket. He is called the Magician, he has
:39:55. > :40:01.waved that magic wand here. He was four frames down, and he won 5 --
:40:01. > :40:11.five frames in a row to defeat Ali Carter nine frames to eight.
:40:11. > :40:14.
:40:14. > :40:19.I can't believe it. Like the Luca match, a few times I thought I
:40:19. > :40:22.without. As soon as he got to eight, to be fair I thought I won the
:40:22. > :40:27.match. I don't think he threw it away, I thought it was a really
:40:27. > :40:31.cracking game. You know, he has played unbelievable there, he has
:40:31. > :40:36.potted long ball after long ball. Like silly shot, he cues them in
:40:36. > :40:43.straight as a die, he has a ram rod cue action. He knows I'm not a mug,
:40:43. > :40:48.but that is why he was at his best at 8-4. He played some great stuff
:40:48. > :40:52.there, you can't, you can't, you know, you can't take that away from
:40:52. > :40:57.him, there is only one winner in this tour tournament for me and
:40:57. > :41:01.that is him. I looked at the role of honour and saw the names on that
:41:01. > :41:04.trophy, there are serious names on there, of the people that have one
:41:04. > :41:08.it more than once, that is a smaller group. They are the people
:41:08. > :41:11.who will go down in history. If I had the chance of joining that club,
:41:11. > :41:18.I would be over the moon, but whoever I face in the final, won't
:41:18. > :41:21.make it easy, they will look for their first UK title andly have my
:41:21. > :41:25.hands full. It was like a snooker Superman emerging from after the
:41:25. > :41:30.interval, winning five on the trot. What was your reading of the way
:41:30. > :41:35.the match turned round? interval saved that match. It was
:41:35. > :41:39.8-4. There was only one winner. Ali Carter was playing him all over the
:41:39. > :41:42.place. Interval came, came out and Shaun just decided to be so
:41:42. > :41:46.positive and go for everything. His long game was magnificent --
:41:46. > :41:49.magnificent, as he said he won that match. Ali Carter didn't give it
:41:49. > :41:54.away. That is as good as I have seen Shaun Murphy play because of
:41:54. > :41:58.the circumstances. He seemed to achieve the most incredible focus
:41:58. > :42:04.and concentration, he was untouch sh in the last few frames. How
:42:04. > :42:09.difficult is it for him to get himself into that state again. It
:42:09. > :42:13.is really achieved? He is at the stage where he is not going to be
:42:13. > :42:18.sort of reacting to exciting big matches like that. He is a complete
:42:18. > :42:22.professional in as much has the is a match, it has gone "I am looking
:42:22. > :42:26.forward to the final." He can regroup. Another player may be so
:42:26. > :42:31.excited by what has happened they have an anticlimax moment. The
:42:31. > :42:35.interesting thing, I think for me, would be as we mentioned at the top
:42:35. > :42:42.top, Mark Selby feels he is bullet- proof at the moment. I think Shaun
:42:42. > :42:47.Murphy does. What happened when these two immovable objects collide
:42:47. > :42:52.if Mark Selby gets through. look at the match from Ali Carter's
:42:52. > :42:56.perspective. Didn't do a lot wrong what could you say to put this in
:42:56. > :43:01.context for him? Keep playing the same way as you are. It will come,
:43:01. > :43:06.your turn is round the corner. I mean he lost in two world finals,
:43:06. > :43:10.it has taken O'Sullivan to beat him twice, his performance, he has no
:43:10. > :43:14.regrets, he missed one red with the rest in a session of five frame,
:43:14. > :43:19.the final frame, that is the only thing that he did wrong he didn't
:43:19. > :43:23.have any chances to look at. Murphy played magnificent. I think,
:43:23. > :43:27.obviously Ali today, you know he may look at it and think that is
:43:27. > :43:31.one that god got away. I did have a chance in the last, and players are
:43:31. > :43:35.very critical of themselves, we look and say grow are going to miss
:43:35. > :43:41.some, but the rest, the red with the rest will be haunting him for a
:43:41. > :43:45.while, and another -- and other shots come up. It does take a
:43:45. > :43:51.player like Shaun Murphy to be able to punish a player of the standard
:43:51. > :43:56.of Ali Carter. It is a fascinating encounter when two of best play
:43:56. > :44:03.each other. So many good players vying for the major, so you wait
:44:03. > :44:08.your turn but you never know when it is going to come. You need a bit
:44:08. > :44:12.of look. Luca got a pink in, he is going home. That doesn't happen, so,
:44:12. > :44:15.even as well as you play, as good as you are, you need a bit of luck
:44:15. > :44:20.to get there. As you mentioned Shaun Murphy has been involved in
:44:20. > :44:24.two final frame deciders to get to this final. He isst resting up
:44:24. > :44:27.today. That has to go down as one of the classic matches, and there
:44:27. > :44:34.have been so many others, we will replay that one over the next few
:44:34. > :44:44.year, I wonder if you remember another incredible cavalry charge
:44:44. > :44:57.
:44:57. > :45:05.from 2009. Semifinal John Higgins, Wizard of Wishaw, John Higgins.
:45:05. > :45:10.the 2009 UK Championship Higgins has a tough passage, Vickerys over
:45:10. > :45:14.Jamie cope and Ricky Waldren, he found himself in the semifinal
:45:14. > :45:19.against Ronnie O'Sullivan. Bling and you will miss him. It is the
:45:19. > :45:26.Rocket, Ronnie O'Sullivan. against him was the awesome Ronnie
:45:26. > :45:36.O'Sullivan who was in awesome form beating Matthew Stevens and Mark
:45:36. > :46:10.
:46:10. > :46:15.Selby. A fabulous match and two Unbelievable and it is amazing.
:46:15. > :46:25.double whammy is the in-off. That was huge. And this black is all he
:46:25. > :46:33.needs. He now leads by four frames to one. So much in the ascendancy
:46:33. > :46:41.at the moment. When you start New Yorking those in, -- when you start
:46:41. > :46:48.That is as good a session of snooker as you could wish. John
:46:48. > :46:52.Higgins is leading by six frames to two. John Higgins was brilliant all
:46:52. > :46:56.afternoon, he was 8-2 in front in the evening. Something happened to
:46:56. > :47:06.Ronnie, whether he thought he had lost or couldn't win, he relaxed
:47:06. > :47:18.
:47:18. > :47:24.and all of a sudden the match Superb opener. Ron you -- Ronnie
:47:24. > :47:29.looks up for it, and if he is, anything can happen.. His back was
:47:29. > :47:39.against the wall. What was the Rocket do? He clears the table with
:47:39. > :47:43.
:47:43. > :47:50.a break of 134 and keeps himself in Incredible. He nominated the brown.
:47:50. > :48:00.He is in a terrible position here. REFEREE: Foul, and a miss. Ronnie
:48:00. > :48:07.
:48:08. > :48:14.He is so close. REFEREE: Foul and a miss. John Higgins four. He has
:48:14. > :48:20.given 24 points away. He has fouled the red. Oh well. As I went to get
:48:20. > :48:26.down on the shot, my hand that was bridging me touched the black and I
:48:26. > :48:31.I said, I owned up and said I have hit the black. I assumed that it
:48:31. > :48:36.was an open table, or he John would have the choice to put me back in
:48:36. > :48:39.and play the shot. I didn't call a misbecause he was preparing for a
:48:39. > :48:44.shot and fouled the black, so a shot has not been played. So the
:48:44. > :48:54.letter of the law says I cannot call a miss. It has never happened
:48:54. > :48:57.
:48:57. > :49:02.before, because the rule also have to look at that. Big January has
:49:02. > :49:08.never had that before. Big Jan. There is a section to say the
:49:08. > :49:18.referee is able to make a fair play rule. Although John lost the
:49:18. > :49:22.
:49:22. > :49:26.advantage, that is the let over the Decision. REFEREE: Foul. So that is
:49:26. > :49:31.the concession, lots to talk about as Ronnie O'Sullivan pulls another
:49:31. > :49:36.one back. John Higgins may be a bit bemused and confused. I don't know
:49:36. > :49:46.what happened in that frame and he is not happy about it. He only need
:49:46. > :49:52.
:49:52. > :49:59.-- needs. Sort of an angle on the blue does he have? It need to run
:49:59. > :50:05.an inch more. He can pot the blue and hope for the pink. -- needs.
:50:05. > :50:10.All he needs is the pink. So that pink that John Higgins missed in
:50:10. > :50:15.the mid pocket, kid -- did he get a little kick, I doesn't matter. This
:50:15. > :50:25.semifinal is still alive. It is quite incredible. Ronnie O'Sullivan
:50:25. > :50:29.
:50:29. > :50:35.takes the frame and he is now just Oh, he has canoned the pink. He
:50:35. > :50:45.didn't want to touch the pink. It is end of break. The shenion is
:50:45. > :50:50.
:50:50. > :50:55.unbearable. -- tension is Is it going in? Well, it is quite
:50:55. > :51:03.amazing. John Higgins looks to the heavens, it is amazing what is
:51:03. > :51:07.happening out there. It doesn't go in, but we are into a deciding
:51:07. > :51:17.frame. Absolutely amazing. Ronnie O'Sullivan has fought his way back,
:51:17. > :51:27.John Higgins, he needs to have a word with himself because at the
:51:27. > :51:33.
:51:33. > :51:39.moment Ronnie O'Sullivan is in the There is a certain amount of
:51:39. > :51:49.pressure even on the great Ronnie O'Sullivan. Geneist US or no genius,
:51:49. > :51:51.
:51:51. > :52:00.pressure plays a big part. I can safely say, John, this is one
:52:00. > :52:10.of the finest matches I have ever watched. This is far from easy.
:52:10. > :52:15.
:52:15. > :52:22.That is brilliant. That is This for a place in the final.
:52:22. > :52:28.looked down-and-out, he looked beat, but he somehow dug deep, dug very
:52:28. > :52:33.deep, and John Higgins deservedly now goes through to the final. What
:52:33. > :52:40.a performance, what a match. And what a great game for snooker.
:52:40. > :52:45.Higgins had a lot to put up with, 8-2 ahead, showed tenacity to go
:52:45. > :52:50.through the line, but I think it affected him in the final, he never
:52:50. > :52:55.looked the same and Dean ran out a deserving winner. -- Ding. We were
:52:55. > :52:59.amazing by that, it makes me think, we have seen some brilliant sports
:52:59. > :53:05.here sh watching this game of snooker, haven't we. It must be
:53:05. > :53:10.said it seems like a lot of the classic matchs include John Higgins
:53:10. > :53:14.or Ronnie O'Sullivan. Great that John Higgins is still playing the
:53:14. > :53:19.game, upsetting that Ronnie has decided to take a sabbatical,
:53:19. > :53:27.because he can produce astonishing stuff. Earlier in the Championship
:53:27. > :53:31.Barry Hearn, the chairman, he has maybeed opened the door to runny
:53:31. > :53:36.coming back, Ronnie has decided not to play in any event until the end
:53:36. > :53:39.of the season. He said he had a private meeting. They spoke about
:53:39. > :53:43.the possibility of him coming back for the World Championship, we are
:53:43. > :53:48.not sure what the closing date is, said Barry, but I will call him
:53:48. > :53:53.mainged sure he know, then it is his decision. We know how much
:53:53. > :53:58.interest it will generate. How likely is it, John? I would be
:53:58. > :54:01.ering more on the side he does do it. I think he does, I think the
:54:01. > :54:08.fact he is seeded number one because he is the current holder,
:54:08. > :54:13.is a big thing, he hasn't got to qualify to get in. He won't be
:54:13. > :54:17.match sharp, that is the only bad thing but he will be playing plenty
:54:17. > :54:22.of good players in the club but it is not the same at turbine out. I
:54:22. > :54:26.hope he does play. We know how desirable it would be from a fans'
:54:27. > :54:30.perspective, but how dusierbl would it be from Ronnie's point of view,
:54:30. > :54:36.because as Jono, he is really putting himself on the line, having
:54:36. > :54:43.not competed for a full season if he were to change his mind? It is
:54:43. > :54:47.down to Ronnie, if he can revel in the challenge, of turning up for
:54:47. > :54:53.the Championship. He is not in a situation where he feels as if he
:54:53. > :54:59.can enjoy snooker, but perhaps after Christmas, a fresh
:54:59. > :55:03.perspective on thing, things might change and he might go, "I fancy
:55:03. > :55:06.doing that." That is the point I was going to make, when you have
:55:06. > :55:11.played as long as he does, something it is something different
:55:11. > :55:14.what a test for him. To turn up and go and win it, that many might be
:55:14. > :55:18.the challenge he wants. Mission Impossible. Mission possible. Only
:55:18. > :55:23.he can be the judge of that. That is for more discussion from
:55:23. > :55:28.Ronnie's point of view, for now this is the battle of the Marks. Mr
:55:28. > :55:35.Davis, Mr Selby. At the moment it is Mark Selby, 3-1 in front. We
:55:35. > :55:40.have a change in the commentary box as we say hello to two men we
:55:40. > :55:46.remember, but right now, we know exactly it is Mr Hendry and Mr
:55:46. > :55:53.Taylor. Am I getting confused, it is still you guys. We are still
:55:53. > :56:03.here. Still here waiting for the second half. In the final, we will
:56:03. > :56:16.
:56:16. > :56:20.So Mark Davis gets the frame after the mid-session interval on the way.
:56:20. > :56:30.As I passed the practice area, there was no Mark Davis, but there
:56:30. > :57:03.
:57:03. > :57:13.was a Mark Selby on the practice I remember it was great to have
:57:13. > :57:16.
:57:16. > :57:26.somebody who had been out there and That white is almost touching the
:57:26. > :57:52.
:57:52. > :58:02.He has to be careful he gets the Touching, is that going to help the
:58:02. > :58:22.
:58:22. > :58:26.situation? Is there a path? Is REFEREE: Foul. He touched the reds
:58:27. > :58:36.with the cue. He was concentrating that much on making the plant, and
:58:37. > :58:58.
:58:58. > :59:08.he just caught the threads with the You can see the red just move there
:59:08. > :59:32.
:59:32. > :59:38.and Mark call foul shot, the same Play another four frames in the
:59:38. > :59:48.session and Mark Davis will be able to win the session. He will not
:59:48. > :59:54.
:59:54. > :00:03.want to do any worse than share the He will be trying to get us level
:00:03. > :00:12.That blast safety shot has certainly spread the reds around
:00:12. > :00:22.the table. It is going to be difficult. He will have to hit it
:00:22. > :00:27.
:00:27. > :00:37.past the blue very thin to get back He played that well. That is a
:00:37. > :00:45.
:00:45. > :00:50.The shot of the match so far. don't usually say a safety shot is
:00:50. > :01:00.the shot of the match but on this occasion it was because he had to
:01:00. > :01:13.
:01:13. > :01:22.On first glance, there is not very much for Mark. Only the one red
:01:23. > :01:32.will pot past the black and that is not very inviting. It looked not
:01:33. > :01:51.
:01:51. > :02:01.quite as difficult as the shop Mark That is not bad. Previously we saw
:02:01. > :02:18.
:02:18. > :02:28.that all reds were covering each Just enough room to get past the
:02:28. > :02:45.
:02:45. > :02:49.pink and get the white up into the I think he has got a bit of a
:02:49. > :02:59.problem here. At first glance, I concede an easy way back down the
:02:59. > :03:11.
:03:11. > :03:21.table. He will have to find a very Well played. REFEREE: Foul. Mark
:03:21. > :03:24.
:03:24. > :03:28.COMMENTATOR: but once again, it might only cost him four point
:03:28. > :03:38.because of the way the reds are situated. There is one red he can
:03:38. > :03:52.
:03:52. > :03:57.He did not find the gap to get back up to the table. He just hit that a
:03:57. > :04:07.little bit thin. It caused it to cannon into the red. Had he had
:04:07. > :04:07.
:04:07. > :06:03.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:06:03. > :06:13.potted this, he would have missed 8th of there are a few of the reds
:06:13. > :06:14.
:06:14. > :06:24.available around the black spot He is going to have to work hard
:06:24. > :06:24.
:06:24. > :07:30.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:07:30. > :07:34.He might still be able to get the If he is straight on the pink, he
:07:34. > :07:39.has got a bit of a problem. He has finished absolutely dead straight
:07:39. > :07:42.so he cannot do too much with the cue ball. He wanted a slight angle
:07:42. > :07:46.then he would be able to stun the pink in and finish on the red that
:07:46. > :07:50.is to the right of the blackspot area. That is not available to him
:07:50. > :07:57.now. The only possible pot would be a difficult one into the middle
:07:57. > :08:01.pocket. If you are slightly off straight, you can force an angle on
:08:01. > :08:11.these very fine and responsive cloths but that one was absolutely
:08:11. > :08:13.
:08:13. > :08:23.It is the red into the middle pocket, which looks easy from that
:08:23. > :08:23.
:08:23. > :08:27.shot. But it is quite an acute angle. That was a nice shot he
:08:27. > :08:33.played. The ones we do have to follow through are not quite as
:08:33. > :08:36.easy to did sometimes. This red was a tricky shot to get on. It looks
:08:36. > :08:46.simple enough but if it just goes an inch too far or two short, it
:08:46. > :09:04.
:09:04. > :09:14.Always difficult. Very tight, the middle pocket. You have got to be
:09:14. > :09:14.
:09:14. > :10:20.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:10:20. > :10:29.I think his judgement of pace was spot on there. He could not have
:10:29. > :10:33.got it any tied on the cushion. I don't think it goes past the black
:10:33. > :10:39.but he can still play safe off that one. It is much easier to play off
:10:39. > :10:49.that on the one near the cushion. The one near the cushion is more
:10:49. > :10:58.
:10:58. > :11:08.That was pretty good. It went close behind the yellow. It is always a
:11:08. > :11:11.
:11:11. > :11:15.bonus when you get in behind the You are playing to get the white
:11:15. > :11:25.tight on the cushion and use the yellow as a stopper but that well a
:11:25. > :11:35.
:11:35. > :11:38.little bonus. -- was a little bonus. REFEREE: Foul and a miss. If Mark
:11:38. > :11:48.can't put this in such a way that he will not leave anything, it is
:11:48. > :11:59.
:11:59. > :12:02.That looked pretty good. Has he covered it? at one stage were not
:12:02. > :12:12.set off, I thought he was in the pocket right down the line of the
:12:12. > :12:21.
:12:21. > :12:28.He may have to bend it around the pink or come off the cushion. If he
:12:28. > :12:38.comes off the cushion, it is so difficult to judge have to pot this.
:12:38. > :13:09.
:13:09. > :13:16.It was not a nice shot he was faced He has just gone off the boil a
:13:16. > :13:26.little bit in the last couple of frames, Mark Selby. You could see
:13:26. > :13:43.
:13:43. > :13:53.that he was not going through in a He is looking at this red down the
:13:53. > :14:04.
:14:04. > :14:14.cushion past the black. Well, that is as good a shot as you
:14:14. > :14:14.
:14:14. > :14:17.will wish to see. Cued that beautifully. Just a couple of reds
:14:17. > :14:22.batter available and then you have got those six reds that are near
:14:22. > :14:32.the cushion behind the black spot and the one tight on the right side
:14:32. > :14:35.
:14:35. > :14:45.He played that shot well. He was always wary of the cue ball going
:14:45. > :15:07.
:15:07. > :15:10.behind the pink. That was nicely The two reds below the black - if
:15:10. > :15:20.you could screw into the right hand side of those, it would be nice
:15:20. > :15:29.
:15:29. > :15:32.cannon to play. That was the red he To take this pot on, he will need a
:15:32. > :15:36.bit of good fortune because I cannot see him being able to avoid
:15:36. > :15:46.cannoning into one of the other reds. There is a slight gap but I
:15:46. > :15:56.
:15:56. > :16:00.Look at the problem he is faced with now. He tried to find the gap.
:16:00. > :16:08.He could not and has not a red over the pocket so he has got to get it
:16:08. > :16:12.safe somehow. He would rather have seen that red dropping the pocket
:16:12. > :16:22.because he has got quite a problem now. Somehow he has to cover the
:16:22. > :16:25.
:16:26. > :16:31.Normally, when the blue is on its spot, it helps a bit for him to
:16:31. > :16:41.take the white into the jaws of the right corner pocket and and have
:16:41. > :16:42.
:16:42. > :16:52.the blue as a stopper because the If he could play the black and get
:16:52. > :17:18.
:17:18. > :17:21.in tight behind the reds here, even I DEC and he could even have a go
:17:21. > :17:24.at potting the green because he can't get past the red to the
:17:24. > :17:29.potting angle. He is looking at the possibility of a double on the pink
:17:29. > :17:39.and black. He has got to pull something remarkable off two not
:17:39. > :17:47.
:17:47. > :17:55.He tried the double. He has left a gap through for that red. It was a
:17:55. > :17:59.terrible situation. I don't know if the pink or blank potted but he is
:17:59. > :18:09.on the black now. It is an easy shot to play for. Before I think
:18:09. > :18:32.
:18:32. > :18:40.That was a good point you made. When he tried to double the pink,
:18:40. > :18:50.the pink and black were tied up. Once he took a double on, he was
:18:50. > :19:06.
:19:06. > :19:16.freeing those two high-value The cue ball may be going into the
:19:16. > :19:17.
:19:17. > :19:57.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:19:57. > :20:01.right hand side of the three reds. Now then, Mark Selby has made the
:20:01. > :20:11.mistake there we have to see Mark Davies make earlier. He thought
:20:11. > :20:11.
:20:11. > :21:07.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:21:07. > :21:13.that red would go and he has put it What about that for cueing? That
:21:13. > :21:23.was a John Parrott special. He used to be the best in the business for
:21:23. > :21:51.
:21:51. > :22:01.Of his the going to be tough to win the frame at this visit. Two reds
:22:01. > :22:11.
:22:11. > :22:21.on two different cushions. -- I don't think that red pots to the
:22:21. > :22:22.
:22:22. > :22:25.Slightly thicker contact if the red stayed there on the pink and the
:22:25. > :22:35.red would have finished up and a pottable position. Very awkward
:22:35. > :22:45.Even if he dropped Ryton behind that red, it does not look on. We
:22:45. > :23:08.
:23:08. > :23:18.Perfect. An excellent positional Good control the cue ball using the
:23:18. > :23:25.
:23:25. > :23:29.He tried to force an angle out onto the black. He has missed what looks
:23:29. > :23:39.to be a pretty straightforward shot but at that pace, they can be
:23:39. > :23:39.
:23:39. > :24:21.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:24:21. > :24:31.The longest frame of the match. 28 minutes. The third frame lasted
:24:31. > :24:44.
:24:44. > :24:47.Nothing wrong with Mark Selby's long potting. He has missed a few
:24:47. > :24:57.shots that you would not expect from that will give Mark Davis a
:24:57. > :24:59.
:24:59. > :25:07.little bit of hope. The -- and that will give Mark Davis a bit of hope.
:25:07. > :25:17.The table did not turn off. We saw a few balls drifting when we had
:25:17. > :25:24.
:25:24. > :25:34.On this type of shot, the brown looks to be in the way. You can
:25:34. > :25:43.
:25:43. > :25:47.always go in the middle pocket from REFEREE: Foul and a miss.
:25:47. > :25:57.He definitely does not want to hit the red on that side because it is
:25:57. > :25:58.
:25:58. > :26:08.You might see a few points lost here because as soon as he hits the
:26:08. > :26:08.
:26:09. > :26:12.red, he will stick it up over a I am wondering if the natural angle
:26:12. > :26:21.is there. He will have to go very, very close to the brown to get
:26:21. > :26:31.He has to play this at pace to make sure the red comes well away from
:26:31. > :26:31.
:26:31. > :28:03.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:28:03. > :28:07.He might get a few points from the Where is the red going? There was
:28:07. > :28:17.always the problem. You have to just hit and hope you can somehow
:28:17. > :28:26.
:28:26. > :28:36.It was unfortunate to stick the red over the corner pocket. It was a
:28:36. > :29:00.
:29:00. > :29:10.He has had to fight hard for this frame. Mark Davis looked like he
:29:10. > :29:12.
:29:12. > :29:20.It was that telling shot when he landed in behind the blue that has
:29:20. > :29:23.paved the way for this. He'd left himself with a terrible problem. He
:29:23. > :29:33.finally resolved it but it was a bit unlucky to push the red right
:29:33. > :29:38.
:29:38. > :29:43.No breaks in this frame but that doesn't really matter. It is all
:29:43. > :29:53.about winning the frame. Mark Selby takes the opening frame of the
:29:53. > :29:57.A little bit twitchy from both men in that frame. The worrying thing
:29:57. > :30:01.for Mark Davis is that Mark Selby is not actually playing brilliantly
:30:01. > :30:06.and his head. Early on in the match, he made the century break but other
:30:06. > :30:09.than that, a bit patchy. He missed some reds I did not expect him to.
:30:09. > :30:16.If he is not playing at his best and is starting to pull away, you
:30:16. > :30:21.have got to be worried. He asked a few questions of Mark Davis and you
:30:21. > :30:27.said it could be a key frame for Mark Davis. You would want Mark to
:30:27. > :30:37.get back on to level terms. 5-3 at the interval is something he would
:30:37. > :30:37.
:30:37. > :30:47.be hoping for. At the interval, it is going to be 53, 6-2. Tough to
:30:47. > :30:57.
:30:57. > :31:07.get 4-4. There is a massive gap in I think Stephen made a very good
:31:07. > :31:08.
:31:08. > :31:15.point in commentary. Wanchope open the pink and the blackout, there
:31:15. > :31:23.shot does not work for you, you have opened it out for your
:31:23. > :31:28.opponent -- once you have opened the pink Humbert black out. Each
:31:28. > :31:36.you are going to have to leave your opponent with the shot, try to make
:31:36. > :31:41.it as difficult for him as possible. There was the brief snooker that
:31:41. > :31:45.Mark Davis had to get out of an you were suggesting there may have been
:31:45. > :31:52.an alternative route. In the end, Mark proved that he played the
:31:52. > :32:02.correct shot. It was an excellent snooker from Mark Selby but did
:32:02. > :32:03.
:32:03. > :32:07.open up the frame. He did some damage, and now Mark Selby, with
:32:07. > :32:17.that three frame cushion. It is eight frames this afternoon and a
:32:17. > :32:21.
:32:21. > :32:29.Mark Selby breaks off in the knowledge that he will not go in
:32:29. > :32:39.behind at the end of this afternoon's session. But he will be
:32:39. > :33:13.
:33:13. > :33:21.Just showing there that he is a He has forced an early error from
:33:21. > :33:31.Mark Selby. He is quite fortunate that he has taken the red right up
:33:31. > :33:31.
:33:31. > :34:16.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:34:17. > :34:26.Surely he has not left the red? If So, instead of having Mark Selby in
:34:27. > :34:28.
:34:28. > :34:38.trouble with Cup last safety shot, the choir he has finished up. --
:34:38. > :35:16.
:35:16. > :35:26.If he got the spider out, and there is a possibility of using that line.
:35:26. > :35:26.
:35:26. > :36:12.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:36:13. > :36:22.It is a long way to travel, but I He may not take this red, it is a
:36:22. > :36:26.tough shot. The careless safety that Mark Davis played, it is
:36:26. > :36:29.amazing the number of players, and I was guilty of this, do not put
:36:29. > :36:39.the same concentration into the safety shot as you do go into the
:36:39. > :36:49.pot. It is definitely going to cost him here. It was just a
:36:49. > :37:04.
:37:04. > :37:10.straightforward shot and it was He has to go close to the corner
:37:10. > :37:15.pocket and try to find a path past the blue. He got too close to the
:37:15. > :37:25.blue at the last attempt. He has to go slightly to the right of the
:37:25. > :37:46.
:37:46. > :37:56.It is just a sliding a little bit from the Third cushion. He will be
:37:56. > :37:56.
:37:56. > :39:45.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:39:45. > :39:51.You sense that Mark Selby is going to get stronger as the match goes
:39:51. > :40:00.on. Now that he has that three frame advantage, he will take a
:40:01. > :40:10.little bit of stopping. As John Parrott mentioned, he is not at his
:40:11. > :40:28.
:40:28. > :40:36.But as one of the best players in the game, when you smell blood, you
:40:36. > :40:46.go for it. He will know that he can virtually win this match in this
:40:46. > :40:55.
:40:55. > :41:05.It is a whole new experience for Mark Davis, the first time in a
:41:05. > :41:17.
:41:17. > :41:27.This one shot has opened the reds up in such a way that he could
:41:27. > :41:32.
:41:32. > :41:42.But he let that slip away. I was surprised he did not play the red
:41:42. > :41:58.
:41:58. > :42:08.I think it is a sign that he is not as confident as he normally is. He
:42:08. > :42:08.
:42:08. > :43:01.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:43:01. > :43:11.has missed a couple along the The red was a lot more difficult on
:43:11. > :43:27.
:43:27. > :43:37.that occasion. It would have been He has not really dropped on a
:43:37. > :43:37.
:43:37. > :43:42.colour. Going back, that is where he was the previous time. He could
:43:42. > :43:52.have stunned back for the black. But he played up for the blue and
:43:52. > :43:52.
:43:52. > :45:25.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:45:25. > :45:35.Although he is 43 ahead, he has to He thought there was a gap, but
:45:35. > :46:08.
:46:08. > :46:18.He is back in now with a very good The yellow was the better ball to
:46:18. > :46:38.
:46:38. > :46:48.He has underhit that one. But should still make the pot to the
:46:48. > :46:48.
:46:48. > :47:46.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:47:46. > :47:56.He was able to screw across to the He is putting so much into this,
:47:56. > :48:07.
:48:07. > :48:17.The reason he would like to finish the semi-final early is the final
:48:17. > :48:51.
:48:51. > :49:01.But we have seen a few comebacks this week. This match is a long way
:49:01. > :49:15.
:49:15. > :49:23.from being over. Yes, and a couple He definitely looks very focused
:49:23. > :49:33.over. And the fact that he went on the practice table at the mid-
:49:33. > :49:51.
:49:51. > :50:01.session interval told a story as Two more frames to be played in
:50:01. > :50:21.
:50:21. > :50:31.this session. Mark Davis could do What a terrible kiss that was! Not
:50:31. > :50:36.
:50:36. > :50:46.that it matters. He started with a break of 35 and finished it in
:50:46. > :50:48.
:50:49. > :50:54.style with a clearance of 81. Mark It was interesting to here Stephen
:50:54. > :50:58.Hendry picked out some points about the positional play of Mark Selby.
:50:58. > :51:01.You would expect from Stephen that he would know exactly what
:51:01. > :51:04.positional shot to play. Once you get amongst the balls you do not
:51:04. > :51:11.want to get out of position and you do not want to let your opponent
:51:11. > :51:21.come back to the table. But Stephen spotted a shot that perhaps Mark
:51:21. > :51:23.
:51:23. > :51:33.The lower of the two balls is the one that Mark Selby took on where
:51:33. > :51:45.
:51:45. > :51:52.he failed to take on the red by the blind pocket with the second --
:51:52. > :51:56.blind pocket with the second -- with the first position. Who knows
:51:56. > :52:03.why it Mark decided to go down for the blue and then come back up to
:52:03. > :52:09.what was roughly the same shot. When you're on the table and you
:52:09. > :52:17.will play positional shots, what to make you choose one or the other,
:52:17. > :52:22.nobody really knows. What goes on in your mind in order to choose
:52:22. > :52:26.between two 5050 chances? Is there a case for standing back and
:52:26. > :52:33.thinking, let us look at this more analytically. But sometimes in the
:52:33. > :52:40.flow of the you make a decision and with hindsight you think, why did I
:52:40. > :52:47.do that? But Mark Davis did not punish him bomb that occasion, no
:52:47. > :52:56.real damage done, and lesson not really learned. And different
:52:56. > :53:03.people see things differently. 5-1 down now, and how to read his for
:53:03. > :53:13.Mark Davis? If he does not win at least one of the last two frames,
:53:13. > :53:26.
:53:26. > :53:36.DENNIS TAYLOR: Mission impossible, it we will have to call for Tom
:53:36. > :54:01.
:54:01. > :54:11.If he keeps knocking balls like that in, the colour of the money
:54:11. > :54:47.
:54:47. > :54:57.maybe �125,000, which is the prize That was unlucky. He could not hit
:54:57. > :55:17.
:55:17. > :55:23.it any harder than this. He just But have a look at how that
:55:23. > :55:29.finished. The white could have finished anywhere. But he has got
:55:29. > :55:39.an angle on the blue to go into the pink and reds. He has already held
:55:39. > :55:39.
:55:39. > :57:04.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:57:04. > :57:09.He is on a red, although he has He has the angle now to hold for
:57:09. > :57:19.the two reds to the left of the pink spot. This is turning out be
:57:19. > :57:27.
:57:27. > :57:32.It is a tough sport. Mark Davies broke off, and it was not bad. Mark
:57:32. > :57:42.Selby pots this phenomenal long red and Mark Davis has to sit in his
:57:42. > :58:09.
:58:09. > :58:13.chair and probably looks like There was a plant even though there
:58:13. > :58:23.was a little bit of distance between the two reds. Everything
:58:23. > :58:31.
:58:31. > :58:34.going along very nicely for Mark I think the shot where he knocked
:58:34. > :58:44.the blue over the middle pocket accidentally is the one that will
:58:44. > :59:04.
:59:04. > :59:14.That was the first slip up, leaving himself on the wrong side of the
:59:14. > :59:41.
:59:41. > :59:51.And Mark Davis is back in it. may just be a gap through to read
:59:51. > :59:51.
:59:51. > :00:40.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:00:40. > :00:50.In his earlier matches, from the He doesn't have to play any cannons.
:00:50. > :01:26.
:01:26. > :01:36.He chose to drop on the red in the cushion. It was a bit high, the
:01:36. > :01:36.
:01:36. > :02:41.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:02:41. > :02:51.There seemed to be an acute angle He would have to play this whipped
:02:51. > :02:51.
:02:51. > :04:26.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:04:26. > :04:31.A couple of times, he did not get This is the way Mark Davis has
:04:31. > :04:41.played throughout this year's UK Championship, showing a lot of
:04:41. > :04:41.
:04:41. > :05:37.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:05:37. > :05:43.Very well played. Knocking the pink He has been frozen out quite a bit
:05:43. > :05:53.bored a reception he gets from this crowd. That was a fabulous break of
:05:53. > :05:59.80. -- quite a bit but what a reception. What a big frame for him
:05:59. > :06:04.to take. He must be absolutely delighted. You can detect a little
:06:04. > :06:07.smile. Mark Selby missed a trick. He had a bit of good fortune when
:06:07. > :06:15.he potted a very difficult red and just look at what happens to the
:06:15. > :06:19.blue. He did not mean to kiss the blue. He held his hand up to
:06:19. > :06:23.apologise but any made a bad error, not getting on the blue. This is
:06:23. > :06:31.very careless. A simple shot to make sure the white goes higher on
:06:31. > :06:35.the blue. A careless shot. Forced to play the much more difficult
:06:35. > :06:42.brown. He actually played fantastic positional shot here but the brown
:06:42. > :06:52.does not go. What a clearance from Mark Davis. 5-1 down, it is easy
:06:52. > :07:07.
:07:07. > :07:14.Mark Selby knows that the next frame is a huge frame, as does Mark
:07:14. > :07:24.Davis. If he can get out of this 5- 3, he could come out this evening
:07:24. > :07:39.
:07:39. > :07:49.If Mark Davis was to win this game, I would hazard a guess he would be
:07:49. > :07:49.
:07:49. > :08:35.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:08:35. > :08:45.The fact that he is playing so well - it is amazing how the run of luck
:08:45. > :08:45.
:08:45. > :09:47.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:09:47. > :09:57.Next safety shot, might even open up a few reds? There may be a plant
:09:57. > :09:57.
:09:57. > :11:05.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:11:06. > :11:10.That must have been pretty tight. There was not much room. He potted
:11:11. > :11:20.it in the right side of the pocket. Doesn't come any better than that.
:11:21. > :11:48.
:11:48. > :11:58.He would like to take that every game. He has landed in no-man's
:11:58. > :12:02.
:12:02. > :12:12.A good like he had finished on absolutely nothing and all of a
:12:12. > :12:24.
:12:24. > :12:34.sudden, he is looking at a little If he could play it with a bit of
:12:34. > :12:57.
:12:57. > :13:07.left-hand side, he could straighten He thought he had got done nothing
:13:07. > :13:20.
:13:20. > :13:23.and then all of a sudden, this one It did not look on. We have said
:13:23. > :13:33.sometimes when you are almost straight, you can force an angle.
:13:33. > :13:43.That is what he tried to do. He did well in the end not to run it in
:13:43. > :14:05.
:14:05. > :14:09.after the blue. Smiles all around - A great pot but did not get the
:14:09. > :14:19.cannon. He was trying to bite the cue after seeing whether White
:14:19. > :14:57.
:14:57. > :15:02.finished. -- where the white He cued up beautifully. When the
:15:02. > :15:12.white was going to finish where it did, he was pretending that he
:15:12. > :15:49.
:15:49. > :15:59.I must admit, I did not spot that safety shot. There is a possible
:15:59. > :15:59.
:15:59. > :17:14.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:17:14. > :17:24.He should be able to play for the black off this red. He has to be
:17:24. > :17:33.
:17:33. > :17:43.careful he does not do the same He is using the rest so it makes it
:17:43. > :17:43.
:17:43. > :18:31.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:18:31. > :18:41.APPLAUSE this time, he has not He needs the extended rest and the
:18:41. > :18:44.
:18:44. > :18:54.extension on his cue. That is like a telescopic extension. That could
:18:54. > :18:54.
:18:54. > :19:46.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:19:46. > :19:50.reach right out into the St! -- Jim Meadowcroft, a great player and
:19:50. > :19:52.commentator endorsed the first cue extension. He has not been too well
:19:52. > :20:02.but I never used to watch us. I hope you're not feeling too bad,
:20:02. > :20:02.
:20:02. > :20:43.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:20:43. > :20:49.A four frame advantage would be Mark Davis is still in with the
:20:49. > :20:59.shot even if he loses this frame. It will be a tall order. But 7-1,
:20:59. > :20:59.
:20:59. > :21:42.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:21:42. > :21:52.It has been pretty good day at the Office for Mark Selby. Not right on
:21:52. > :22:09.
:22:09. > :22:12.the top of his form but he has been He has got himself 51 in front. Has
:22:12. > :22:22.he dropped on the green or brown, Mark Davis would have come out and
:22:22. > :22:32.
:22:32. > :22:37.He looks a little bit annoyed with himself. He wanted to finish it
:22:37. > :22:47.there and get off and relax before this evening's session. Not like
:22:47. > :22:49.
:22:49. > :22:52.him but he did look a bit annoyed He potted the red into the left-
:22:52. > :22:55.hand side of the pocket, which meant that the positioning went
:22:55. > :22:59.astray. We are perfectionists and all like to hit the ball as well as
:22:59. > :23:09.we can. One of those shots where he did not strike nicely and it annoys
:23:09. > :23:22.
:23:22. > :23:25.This one along the cushion and Mark Davis will concede, you would feel.
:23:25. > :23:35.He will wait until mark has finished up the table but it looks
:23:35. > :24:12.
:24:12. > :24:16.as though he has taken the double It is the first to nine in the
:24:16. > :24:26.semi-final so Mark Davis has to win at least the merit 7-2 tonight. A
:24:26. > :24:42.
:24:42. > :24:51.Getting his bits and pieces together and he will go off and
:24:51. > :24:59.have a bit of 80. He is 6-2 down but if he can get off to a good
:24:59. > :25:09.start this evening, who knows? We have seen Shaun Murphy win 5 frames
:25:09. > :25:38.
:25:38. > :25:48.Not a lot of big breaks so far in this semi-final. That is a little
:25:48. > :26:00.
:26:00. > :26:10.Mark Selby had a break of 81. He This crowd have thoroughly enjoyed
:26:10. > :26:17.
:26:17. > :26:27.Mark Selby will be well pleased with that session. In the end, he
:26:27. > :26:27.
:26:27. > :26:32.wins it 6-2 but it is still all to STUDIO: Mark Selby needs just three
:26:32. > :26:35.more to get into his first UK championship final. That is
:26:35. > :26:38.tomorrow but this evening we will have the second session for you.
:26:38. > :26:48.Assess the way Mark Selby has played this afternoon on a scale of
:26:48. > :26:49.
:26:49. > :26:54.1-10. Well, 7. But more importantly, I think he has done his job, really.
:26:54. > :26:59.Without much of a scare, he has done it. If he had tried to predict
:26:59. > :27:06.it, you would have said he would end up the session winner. He would
:27:06. > :27:09.have been happy with 5-3, delighted with 6-2. I think he is in the sort
:27:09. > :27:13.of frame of mind that he is still efficient enough that he will get
:27:13. > :27:17.over the line tonight. To what extent do you think that the
:27:17. > :27:21.occasion might have played a part in Mark Davis's performance?
:27:21. > :27:25.would have to ask him that one. It is a big day for him in his snooker
:27:25. > :27:29.career. Mark Selby is much more used to being out there in the
:27:29. > :27:32.auditorium so it may have had a bearing. What will be disappointing
:27:32. > :27:36.for Mark Davis is that Selby has been good in a couple of frames but
:27:36. > :27:43.overall, I agree with Steve - it has been a seven or eight
:27:43. > :27:53.performance. Mark Davis has given himself a squeak. 7-1 would have
:27:53. > :27:54.
:27:55. > :28:00.been impossible but 3-1, 75 at the worst. -- 7-5. This situation he
:28:00. > :28:04.now finds himself in, nothing to lose. It takes the heat off a
:28:04. > :28:14.fraction in some ways. Perhaps when he goes into his first semi-final
:28:14. > :28:17.
:28:17. > :28:23.in a major event, even if you try it two all 3% more -- 2% or 3% more,
:28:23. > :28:26.it makes a difference. It is not impossible. We saw it last night
:28:26. > :28:31.with Shaun Murphy. That cue for your company today.
:28:31. > :28:35.And thank you for doors. We will return on BBC Two this evening at
:28:35. > :28:39.7pm with the final session of our semi-final. We know you have a lot