Day 9, Part 1 UK Snooker Championship

Welcome back to the big-time! Mark Welcome back to the big-time! Mark

Joyce beats the world No. 1 and reigning champion. That is the end

of this year's UK Championship for Mark Allen. Mark Williams, gracious

in defeat. Absolutely brilliant, John Higgins. Maximum break. Neil

Robertson, I would think he is absolutely shell-shocked. Mark

Selby somehow has turned it around. He missed a couple of pinks which

would have got him into the semi- final. Shaun Murphy goes through.

Ali Carter congratulates Shaun Murphy on quite a remarkable

comeback. Great performance from Mark Davis. But it is Mark Selby

going through to the final. He has going through to the final. He has

got a big match facing Shaun Murphy. Something to really look forward to.

Good afternoon. This unforgettable sporting year might be closing but

we have still got a couple of big prizes to claiming 2012, starting

today at the York Barbican Centre in the final of this Championship.

They are playing for a first prize of �125,000. That has got to

improve the quality of your Christmas list. But if it is

quality you are after, quality you shall get. With the newly-restored

world No. 1 Mark Selby facing the I think it is going to be very

tough game. He would not give you anything. We are really good mates

but that will be left behind in the dressing room. When we step out

there we will try to kill each other. We will love the banter

because of it. He is a great player. We have known each other a long

while and we are great friends of the table but on the table we will

try to beat each other but we will still be friends. We go back such a

long way and we have always said to each other it would be nice to play

each other in a final. It would be amazing. I looked at the roll of

honour when we got here last week and I saw the names and we have got

some serious names on that trophy. Some people have taken it more than

once and that is an even smaller group and they are going to go down

in history. To have a chance of joining that club... It would be an

amazing feeling just to win the tournament with the standard the

way it is at the moment. It is a great achievement to win the second

biggest tournament on our calendar. come through the junior ranks

together but they have never met in a major final before. Murphy has

the edge in previous professional encounters at 8-5. But be just a

from Leicester had the last laugh in the air and the other long

format match at the Crucible five years ago. Factor all of that into

years ago. Factor all of that into your computations. It is certainly

one of the biggest stages in a player's career. Steve Davis and

Ken Doherty now without major finals. This would be a significant

victory for either player for different reasons. Shaun Murphy was

asked how he would feel about being a multiple champion and cementing

his place in the game. But it could be considered more important for

Mark Selby. The best in the world but yet to win this championship.

In the eyes of players around the world, they are monumental great

players anywhere. Who is it more important for? We are splitting

hairs. And I have not got as many as you! Who has played better to

get to the final and is it important? They have both had a

difficult road to the final. Luca Brecel could have put one of them

out of this tournament. And that match against Neil Robertson. As

the tournament has gone on, they have got better. Shaun Murphy has

kicks on more. But Mark Selby and his matchplay and instincts of

keeping him there even when he is not playing well, his game is so

good. No matter what he brings to the table, it will always be a

tough match with M. It will be fascinating. Can you pick a winner?

No! It is going to go very close. It will be 10-8, or 10-92 either

player. The best thing we can do is to get the players in the

auditorium. -- 10-9. What a climax we have got in store for this

year's UK Championship. It has been an epic week and we have got an

epic showdown. Without further ado, Please welcome a class act on and

off the baize. His comeback against Ali Carter in the semi-final was

one of his greatest moments in the game. Attempting a second UK title,

the 2005 world champion, he has had a sublime week and can he keep it

going? We can find out. Ladies and gentlemen, shorn of the Magician

And his opponent, one of the most colourful characters on the circuit.

A brilliant comeback this week against Ryan Day and Neil Robertson.

He recaptured the world No. 1 spot last night. He is bidding for his

first UK title. Ladies and gentlemen, the Jester from

HAZEL IRVINE: This is and has the makings of a great afternoon and a

great final and guiding us through the opening frames in the best-of-

19 his A-team that has seen some great sessions already. Stephen

Hendry and Dennis Taylor. Good afternoon everybody at home and

what a reception both players have got at the Barbican Centre. Both

had a standing ovation. We have had at the this audiences all week here

and I just hope the final lives up to expectations. -- fabulous

REFEREE: The first frame. Shaun Shaun Murphy won the toss and

elected to break. This is the First to 10 frames. Ken Doherty and Steve

Davis would not commit themselves and I do not blame them. It is

tough to decide who is going to be I agree with Steve Davis, Mark

Selby just getting to world No. 1, I think it is important to cement

your ranking by winning one of the big events. After the World

Championship, this is the next biggest. The UK, the World

Championship at the Masters. They are the top tournaments in the

world. They are all pretty difficult to win. Shaun Murphy as

won or three. -- has a won or free. His safety is going to have to be a

lot better. On that occasion he was a bit unlucky. He could not take

the green on but he has got second best. He has blocked the path to

the red and with a red either side of the bunch, not easy for Mark

He just got into it too much and didn't finish on the green. And he

was in a bit of a whole, to say the least. Shaun Murphy has got another

chance. Black tied up. Lou available. I am not sure about the

pink. It might go into the left- Pink also available to the middle

I think he needed a day off after that match against Ali Carter. To

come back after five frames was an unbelievable performance. I am not

sure what is best, to have a day off, or playing the day before the

final. But it certainly helps to He just nudged it back when he was

putting it back to the balls. has been referee in three finals in

China. It is a big day for him, as the white gaze into the bunch. A

possible pot in the right middle. He did not get high enough on the

blue with the cue ball. It is difficult to generate enough speed

That day of rest does not seem to have made much difference. He

started today the way he finished It might take a while to get the

pink. It has got to go behind the Pink and black are totally out of

the game at the moment. He has not got the angle to go into the bunch.

It is imperative he gets the correct angle on the blue to go for

It looks like he is going a bit too far. He is looking at the blue but

you can tell by that expression that he doesn't like it. We keep

talking about his power. Watch the It was never going to be easy, but

He could do with a touching ball, just to resolve this. He cannot run

Back to normal after that shot. He can take the white up the table.

The natural angle from that red would just take him up past the

He is going thin. That is close to the pocket. In fact he almost got a

snooker. He just got that much too thin. I did not think that is a

three-ball plant. But hang on there. He is wondering if he can make that.

It would be macro 4 balls but he might squeeze is away. -- a for all

He does not look to have settled, Mark Selby. He has made a few

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Nice touch, Shaun Murphy. Tight on No escape for Mark Selby. Using

this end as a safety and sending the red back-up. He might have left

at red next to the pink. I think that could go. That is surprising.

If the white at not been tight on the cushion, this would have been

And that just shows you how lively the cloth is. A bit of a

distraction did not help Shaun Murphy. He had to get back down

Well, he will take that. He has now got the perfect angle on the blue

Just this growing at the moment. He did not intend to hit the knuckle

of the pocket but it could not have turned out better. As you say, he

will take it. But he has got to be I think he was worried about that.

He thought he might plant the two reds into the colour pocket. He did

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A bit of a problem here. There is his wife in the middle. And her

sister and his manager and his manager's wife, or coming all the

way from Russia. Did Michael Ladies, That was the first quality safety

shot he has played in this final so far. An excellent shot to find the

path between the balls next to the cushion. They are both fantastic

tactical players. We are getting a bit of everything in this final. We

will see some high breaks and high- quality safeties. The referee has

asked the audience to turn down a I like that shot. Bringing the

black in to play. A very good, positive safety shot. He could

avoid the black here. Out of the REFEREE: Can you please make sure

It is always nice to draw first blood. You were one of the best at

winning the opening frames, along with Steve Davis. You were winning

throughout the 1990s as he was The Barbican Centre here in York

That is what these players practise all hours for, to be in places like

this in one of the biggest tournaments in the season. If you

cannot get a buzz from playing games like this, then you will

never get a buzz, would you? Still He has not quite got the angle to

take this red into the corner and finish on the black. He will maybe

try and pot this. It would not leave a great deal but it still

He forced the angle to get on to the black and look where the red

has come, right over the middle pocket. It was just pace keeping

that red out. When they rattle in the jaws, they go out to be called

a pocket usually but he has been unlucky and it has come out towards

The green is going to be awkward because of the free reds. That is

why he is taking the blue. -- three Great shot and a good cue ball. He

has certainly played into an area You are looking at two players who

turned professional together, grown up in my game together and they are

two fantastic ambassadors more the It does not matter how close you

are off the table, all the table it is a whole new ball-game. -- on the

A quick glance at the scoreboard, if he can get the two loose reds

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with colours, the frame will be Surprising mess on the blue --

missed that a snooker needed. will be annoyed at missing that

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He would like to have seen or read disappear because every chance to

get now, but he cannot really hold He did try to force that to come

back round the table so he is having to take the long pink. This

And he looks over at Shaun and says that is enough for this frame. No

big breaks, the balls were a little bit awkward but Shaun Murphy has

done what he wanted to do and he started the match by taking the

opening frame. HAZEL IRVINE: 26 minutes for the

opening frame, a bit cagey, obviously it. Ken and John and tell

me, the two styles of these guys. What sort of final tee you think it

lends itself to? I think it looks like it could be a close final

because of the styles of play. I am not saying that Mark Selby is that

much slower than Shaun but slightly more... How shall we say it, a more

of a match player. Selby can make it difficult match plate which is

probably the way he will look at this final if he is not at the best.

He has played well but overall has not been at his best. A I it think

it is important for Shaun Murphy, when he gets the chance to close

out the frame, he should have closed it out like with that blue.

He wants to kill off the frame, said his energy for the next one

rather than letting Selby drag on and playing for snookers because

that can come back and take a bit out of you towards the end of the

match. What has been so good in this match, a serious business out

there at the table but before they went out to play, very seldom do

you get two finalists in the same practice room having a laugh and

joke. They are obviously great friends and it was lovely to see

the level of relaxation between these two men before they went out

DENNIS TAYLOR: That can happen. My best friend on the service -- best

friend on the circuit was Cliff Thorburn, and we probably hated

each other with a dependence on the The only thing with Mark Selby, I

hope he does not try too hard to get that big major under his belt.

Sometimes when you try too hard, it doesn't happen but he is well

experienced. He has been the world number one on a number of occasions.

A terrific amount of experience. He will have to call on all that

It all depends how the balls will split up. It dictates how the match

will be. If you get the big colours going safe early on, you will get

tactical play more. You never know with a game of snooker how they

will break up at the beginning of a frame.

Have a look at that shot! How hard did he cue that, Stephen?

stunning long pot. And the queue power. -- cue power, is phenomenal.

A great shock to have in your To be able to do that with very

little at that is a huge advantage. Not a bad set to return shot there.

-- not a bad safety return. The white stops and then starts to spin

back and we can show you with the black and white ball, it is amazing,

watch how it stopped there and almost certain it picks up speed

and keeps on coming back. All done And now a useful snooker behind the

yellow. Mark immediately will be looking through to a route behind

the red and he is so close to the yellow, it will not be easy to find

If he can get enough side on this, he can get across the table twice

to get there but there's a red a slightly in the way it there and he

Possibly if he could see enough of that he could get was a cross and

land on that red, I am not sure if that red is... The line is in the

wake there, said he has got an That was a slightly more risky

escape but may be a two-cushion escape, he was frightened of

hitting the road that was to the I am not sure if he can hold this

white or whether he will try to go round the table to get back up to

the reds. Lots of colours in the way. He has avoided the brown and

The black now on the green spot, I think the pink pots to the right

corner pocket. He has got a choice with this road. It depends where

the pink will be re-spotted, of He does not want to block another

He keeps so still on the shot, Shaun. One of the players that

doesn't seem to have any movement in his head when he delivers the

cue. It is very difficult to Even on the power shots, he seems

to keep his head perfectly still in contrast to Mark Selby who moves

around a little bit on the shot. If he gets on a roll, the way he

played against Ali Carter, and get a few frames against Mark Selby in

front, he will take some stopping. The cannon on the brown this helped,

he ever had that. He removed the red from the black spot and played

to get on the black there and One of the things that Shaun does

more than any player, he tends to play a lot of position shots and

overhit them. He times the ball so well but possibly it is more

reaction from the cue ball than I am not sure if the red next to

the pink... He is looking at it now to see if it will go in the left

corner. It is pretty tight, that. As we bring our camera in, it's

Shaun not taking any risk for He looked the more comfortable of

the two players. -- looks. He has got his first frame on the board,

hasn't he? Always settles you down. It will be interesting to see if he

plays for that read now, the one next to the pink after potting this

He has played a can -- Cannon, that was very well played with the rest.

He is definitely one of the top two or three players in the world with

94% is very impressive. I am glad they did not have those statistics

when I was playing! It would be The white is in, the white is in.

Awkward cueing and he never thought the white would go in. It was some

shot to put the red from that position but a trick shot to get

the white in also. And is there a possible plant here to be made?

Could that be a turning point? Two reds there to the left and he might

just plant the second one into the As you can see, it had to be made.

A choice of playing the yellow with a rest or playing the green in the

He is choosing the first choice. It is much easier to control with

I was going to suggest he would play a cannon but it did not look

like he played that because he did not hit it that hard. Still on this

Has he finished straight on this red? Yes, he has got a bit of

angled to screw out on the black. In fact, he could stand out on to

A bit of an early turning point in the match, Shaun was on his way to

leading 2-0. And tell that in-off. He has got a slight angle and the

last thing he wanted to do was He will probably play off two

REFEREE: Can you put that camera I think there was someone with a

camera, the referee spotted him saying he is having the cue ball

He is giving him a Colin Montgomerie Tapper of look there! -

Played beautifully. That was a superb position shot

So he needs the brown. Giblin and Even the great players never settle

until they get the first frame on the board. He has left it awkward

but he only needs the pinks so he Well played, Mark Selby!

Shaun Murphy a bit unlucky but that was a superb clearance at 54 from

Mark Selby and nothing to pick between the players, one from all.

-- one frame all. The first to 10 but very important, that frame,

because Shaun Murphy was getting into his stride and looking good,

and although a sudden he was hampered and he had a difficult

shot to take up into the corner pocket. I suppose he never thought

about the cue ball going in the middle, did he? Of estate he didn't

think the angle was there -- obviously he didn't. He has left a

plant. He is not dead set but he is coming from the right side of the

rest to make it comfortably. He played the cue ball with not that

much speed, deliberately to land on a cover. He could not play its off

one cushion and he finished up using two cushions and that is a

shot the players will practice but to trouble all this way with a

little touch of right hand side, two cushions and to miss the yellow,

that was the shot of the break and that paved the way to giving him

the frame. That is what they are playing for, this beautiful trophy

that Stephen Hendry has won on five I think these players have said

many times are so finely matched, it could be whoever wins is the

person who wins the most That is a super pot. It just shows

you how confident he is after See how low he is hitting the cue

The white is almost tight on the But that is certainly not terrific

cueing. No, he is annoyed comic he ever screwed the yellow and left

himself with a thin neck out. -- a He rarely misses those as Stevens

says. At least the pink and black out of commission that may not be

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He thought he might nudge the reds He works so hard at his game, Mark,

and throughout this UK Championship even at the mid-session interval,

he has been in the practice room. Other players go back to their

dressing room but Mark is always on beat practice table. -- on the

practice table. A perfect angle on the green if he wants to go in and

to the green and reds, get plenty He did not get as much pace in that

cue ball as he would have liked. Perhaps the angle was a bit thin.

It is hard to generate the speed on the cue ball if you do not have the

Is there a plant into the middle He might even be able to play the

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Well. He would like to have a go at that one again, that was a total

mishit. He has left Mark Selby right among them. That is very

unlike Shaun Murphy to make a Not sure about that shot. He is

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That is not what he intended by any He has left himself awkward on the

He didn't have do much thinking about position, just make sure of

I think the cloth is catching both players out. It is so lively. He is

just about OK. Looked like it was going to slip in behind the pink,

from that picture, you think he was snookered on it. From the other

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Shaun was looking the more Now it is Mark Selby that looks the

more relaxed. It is going to be a He looks in terrific shape in the

way he finished that previous frame, The psychological boost he would

Mark Selby has gone from strength Unlucky there. Tried to free the

There was a possibility of a century, but I tell you what, that

was a terrific 66 from Mark Selby. He gets himself in front. He now

leads 2-1. HAZEL IRVINE: It has been a special occasion in that

arena even before the match got under way. World snooker's official

charity is Blue bell Wood children's hospice and we had a

visit from pupils and staff who have released a single. It is out

today, it is called Stand Together. All the money raised from that will

be going to the children's hospice, the players are doing their bit,

the sponsors are donating �250 for every century made, we have had 33

so far, so over �8,000. And all fines from some of the players are

going straight there as well. I am not encouraging anything by the

way! It was a wonderful moment when the kids gave us a song.

# We'll stand together # Shoulder to shoulder

# Stand together # As the days become colder

# Stand together # Side by side you and I

# Together we're strong # And when your hopes and dreams

have all gone # We'll stand together as one

# Together as one. # That was Sarah with the lead vocal

there. What a fantastic voice she has, congratulations to all

concerned and we hope you have a number one smash on your hands, all

for the Bluebell Wood children's hospice. Meanwhile, back to

That was a great moment in the Barbican Centre. The children were

singing there. Got even in a great mood. There have been -- they have

been in a superb mood throughout the UK Championship. Always goes

down well in York, at this lovely One more frame before the mid-

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The red to the right corner, when you are going over, all you need is

the slightest millimetre, unwanted, and it pulls the cue ball away, so

important to make sure you strike Well played. Didn't expect him to

miss it, but you have to give a bit That is where the height comes in

handy, both players are over six feet tal. When you are bridging

It is not a good pack to go into from the black, because of the way

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Have you have to play with too much bottom on the cue ball you tend to

bring it back to the black cushion, . Look at the power he generated

there. The whited then it spins on. -- the white stopped, then it spins

You see the advantage of playing the split from the cushion, because

the white ball stays in among the reds, when you are playing from low

in the black, the white ball comes John Higgins can rest easy for

another frame! Yes, that maximum �10,000 for a maximum break, and

3,500 for the highest break, he has He has come up a bit short. I don't

know whether he got a slightly He potted the red in the right hand

side, he almost missed it. Therefore, the cue ball didn't go

Looking to see if one red passes the other, it is a slightly easier

pot than the one that is closest to The pink is available. Good shot

I think he is having the cue ball cleaned because of the way he is

going to clean the pink. If you are rolling it and dropping it in,

Mark Selby, he can't do much about this, so there is very little

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That is the frame safe. He can concentrate on making the century

break now. He made 34 centuries last season. Mark Selby made 55

Shaun only 13 centuries this season. If he can make that century, if he

can make that century... No century break. He will be pleased though.

Mark Selby deciding whether to come back to the table, but I don't

think so. That break of 83 was superb and we go to the mid-session

interval. It couldn't be closer. HAZEL IRVINE: With the exception of

that opening frame, this has been brisk business so far, Ken. There

has been really good quality stuff. I thought sell b bee was getting on

top, but in all fairness to Shaun Murphy, he came back with a much-

needed break and started off with a fantastic black, into the pack.

have watched a lot of stuff this week, players haven't been getting

into the pack with pace this is how to open up the pack. You have to

have a gue accuse -- cue action: There is so much top spin. Hits

them perfectly. That is the way to play that shot. Have to play it

with pace. It is great to see them urging each other on, for a moment

in that first frame it looked like we are in for a bit of a grind.

Exactly. Both will want to get on with it. I just worry about Shaun,

if the game gets down to the nitty gritty, that Selby is probably

better in that department. I mean Shaun has been cueing so well. We

saw a red he took into a corner pocket there, screwed back in to

the baulk. There is not many players can play that. He is

hitting the ball so well, and sometimes too well, but it is good

stuff so far. How do you assess their core venion rates in finals.

Selby has been in ten major final, including world ranking and Masters

finals. He has a slightly better rate from Shaun. I would say that

is not bad, not brilliant but you have to remember who they are up

against. I bet Mr O'Sullivan was in a few of them. Yes. All right. That

is the situation, it is all square, as they head into their interval.

You know, this wonderful city, York is a lovely, inspiring place to be,

at any time of year not just in the run-up to Christmas. In the way

Sheffield is the home of the world, this Barbican Centre is the

established home of this UK Championship. It has been about a

bit this is the fifth city it has travelled to. But if it's a sense

of history you want, it is of history you want, it is

everywhere here. York is a city that is well used to contest. There

have been claims laid to the lands between the rivers going back over

7 thousand year, from the peoples of the Bronze Age, the Roman, the

Anglo sackss on, the Vikings, their last king was Eric Blood Axe. The

Championship has its roots in the red rose County, rather than the

It was thought Blackpool would be a good venue because they had the

world Championships in the 50 and 06s, but that was in April. This

was December and the place was freezing, and the crowds weren't

I was 11-7 in front after the first 18 and we started every session at

two clock. I didn't realise on the Saturday afternoon they started

earlier for Grandstand and I got a phone call in my hotel room saying

"Where are you?" I said we don't start till the two. He said we we

start at one. I got there late and I was told because I was so late I

was 20 minutes later than the start time, I was forfeited two frames,

it has never been done before. went in to see John because I felt

awful. I said look, John, I am very sorry, I said I don't want the

frames but if you want to do something with the prize money,

trying to be helpful, and he turned round and he said "Well you haven't

won yet" I beat him 14-13. At the end it was the best day of my

snooker life and the worst day. This is all that remains of York

castle, built by William the Congress cancer. Henry VIII had the

bodies of his enemies put on display here. And when it comes to

power, in our parallel history story Steve Davis has a monopoly on

that, he took the Championship Trophy captive and he held it

hostage throughout much of the '80s. Looking back, I think I was in the

right place at the right time. The golden years of snooker were the

80s, it was fresh on television screen, and I was a new kid on the

And there he is with a big smile. don't think I really realise I was

capable of winning until I was lying in a bath after my

quarterfinal win, and all of a sudden it dawned on me I was

capable, if not very capable of Shows you of how much a fighter

Alex Higgins was, that is one of my It mist have been a bitter pill for

Alex to swallow, to see somebody like me come on to the scene, in

him charismatic exciting player and me the boring robot. He came out

with a line he would rather have a drink with idy am minute than me. I

think I must have driven him mad. - And that is unbelievable. I should

have rolled through the blue, I decided to screw back save me

walking round, I missed the blue, thinking I could lose this match

now I realised perhaps I had a chance and it gave me a bit of a

Springboard. I think in fairness, if I had been playing anybody else,

I would have surely won, Steve Davis is one of those players who

could change gear when he saw weakness, he saw me thinking "I am

near the line." And he did the job on me, played really well in the

Still standing today it is on two- and-a-half miles worth of the 13th

century wall that surrounded the medieval city of York, built to

repel the advances of the Scots. The Scots sacked this places

several time, and indeed it was also a Scot who in the end

successfully laid siege to Steve Davis's UK fortress. Steve Davis

would strangle you to death on the table and Stephen Hendry came up

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You could say it was the end of To go back 13 years later and sit

in virtually the same chair was Running at 17 was playing people

about 10 years older. Nobody has been competing at that sort of

level at such a young age. Ronnie O'Sullivan, ladies and gentlemen

To finish a match off in style like that gives you a good pleasure. A

total of 146 is my highest ever break in the final frame of a

ranking final so that was pretty # Solitary brother, is there still

Believe me, I was trying to beat every record that Steve had! I knew

it was the benchmark, I wanted to take every record he had so that is

one of the regret of my career, that I hadn't managed to overtake

The HAZEL IRVINE: It's humbling to think that the majestic York

Minster has stood here for over 1,000 years and B36 yet history of

our championship seems a mere drop in the ocean compared to that but

when we moved here in 2001, it marked the start of the modern era

in an ancient setting and we have had a jumble of winners since then,

nine different champions in the last 12 years.

With the new generation really We have gone through the Steve

Davis era and Stephen Hendry where they dominated and the standard is

so high in the modern era that if you are not on your knock, you will

# Everybody's changing and I don't The 2006 final was a fairy-tale

journey from a. I hadn't shown any form up until then, I was

struggling and then I started playing quite well and knocking on

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the doors of winning the UK This is his chance to show he could

be the real deal and boy, did he HAZEL IRVINE: 36 years of history

and Steve Davis is the six-time winner, record winner of this event.

Do you think, that record will ever be pinched, Ken? I don't know, at

least he has changed his hairstyle! Be one man still capable of doing

it, Steve has gone on five wins and John Higgins, do you think he has

still got the fight and desire to achieve that? Are absolutely, there

are a few players, John Higgins is certainly one of them. He will

always be around and is probably one of the best players I have ever

played against. John Higgins and Steve Davis will alludes to that

and he will be around for a few years yet. When you look back at

the achievements, what for you does stand out as perhaps the greatest

win for you in this event? suppose the first. I suppose it

always is. It jumped me up a couple of levels in stature and it was

very important in my heart and many people's heart, it was very

important from a television and perspective. It is a bit harder now

because of the vagaries of luck. You will get good players get to

the final but which ones they are, we don't know. You're one of

several multiple winners. Shaun Murphy would love to be the eightth.

Here they come, locked together at two frames apiece. Having a bit of

a rest before the evening session and then raring to go, two former

UK champion has an two Johns, John Virgo and John Parrott. The JOHN

VIRGO: thank you, Hazel. So far, the snooker has not

Not at all, the opening frame was a little scrappy but the first three

are top class. I can't believe he You would not want to give anybody

an opportunity like that but It is a straightforward shot, the

break-up shot. A little bit of carelessness there I would imagine

from Shaun. He has played the safety shot with left hand side and

just pushed the cue ball over and that is why he caught the cue ball

much too thick -- the red. And that He has a nice angle on the black

here and he may decide to play for A choice of shots here. If he goes

in really firm, he could open a lot here. Decided to flick off the red

He can just get past the red with He will be a bit disappointed with

He decided he did not get enough into the cue ball to get back up

the table so he let himself with this park. -- left himself with

He played that well. Just about on a red which I think he can play the

pot. Nothing to do with the cue ball. Roll through for the black in

the opposite corner. Awkward Oh, awkward enough to cause the

That is the type of shot way you worry about the cannon and you

He bounced off the top cushion a little too high so I am not sure he

can play a red into the opposite corner to the black. Having to play

for the red along the top cushion which would not have been his ideal

choice but not much else he can do. The bottom red on the right is

I like that shot, John. I think that has been the one thing that

has been evident all week. OK, he has had a few scrapes, Shaun, but

he has had a positive attitude when he has got in amongst the balls. He

certainly showed it there. All the Let's be fair, after the break-off

shot, he will be glad to have a chance in this frame. The very much

I think we have seen in this frame itself that marks a bit looks like

he will play on loose red and try to chip away and get them out

whereas Shaun Murphy, very positive straight into the pack and opening

That wiped its feet, didn't it? A bit more pace, I don't think it

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Back in prime position now and just That put the points all square. A

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I get the impression in this match that Shaun Murphy's scoring is

slightly better than Mark Selby's in this tournament, a bit more

comfortable in amongst the balls but that is not to say that Mark

Selby cannot win this final - of course he can because he is such a

competitor. You can always get inspiration from somewhere but

usually we caught Mark Selby the Hoover. We have not seen too much

of that in this tournament but what we have seen is somebody trying

He needs these remaining two reds after the black, just needs the red

now. Doesn't need a car luck. -- He is short of that one. He would

have liked to have been a bit easier than this. This red would

put him 30 points in head with 27 Clean as a whistle. And a bit of

pressure on that, wasn't there? just another example of 1 double

The cue ball flew back into the Just short of the century break but

He has used the pink and the black A terrible break shot but Mark

Selby had the first chance and could only make 35 but he missed

when he was in and that could be costly and Shaun Murphy now goes

one frame ahead again at three frames to two. As I said at the

time, John, after a break-off shot like that, he was lucky to get

another chance they didn't he take it will? This is the shot that

marks will be missed -- that marks Selby missed. He is just trying to

make sure he does not get a thick cannon on the red because if he

does, it will hold the key ball from going through, it dug down and

missed the pot. Many times do we see that, a player who is so

concerned about where the cue ball will end up, they forget about the

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REFEREE: thank you, frame six, Mark Oh, catching the green... He nearly

let this read on. -- left this read on. It looks as though there is a

chance of playing the pot here but it is quite an acute angle. If it

caught the FA jaw, it could come back to the cue ball so digging in,

trying to get back to the baulk Couldn't play it much better than

that although having said that, he is a little unlucky to have left

The brown has come to his rescue but a bit unlucky to have left that.

Marc moved out the way it there to let the referee have a look. Maybe

that will suggest he will try to He put the side on and just stayed

He certainly has had his potting boots on in this tournament. Great

shot. And grid position because if he can get past the yellow, you see

the red going in there. If he can get past the yellow here, he has

You always just a little bit too luck but he could not have hit this

cluster better than he did but the cue ball just ran through that

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little too far. I am not sure he You have got to be 90% at the

standard for your pot success and 95%, that is very good for Shaun

Someone once said that snooker is chess on a green baize and the next

move now, Shaun has an opportunity to get the cue ball back to the

baulk end. Yes, anything to guard against this to make sure you don't

put your cue ball in-off. Chipping off this red but making sure you

take out the possibility of the in- off. He is looking to see if he can

Don't hit be read either - that is a very poor shot. No excuse for

An unforced error there, and once again Shaun has given him a chance

for no apparent reason. He was not in any great trouble. And those are

the ones that Hurd, John. You know you have not been in trouble and

He has an angle to stun off but He will not be happy with this,

surely? To come this side of the That is another example of Mark

Selby playing on a single red again. He has come up far too short. He

could have really played into the pack there with the red being in

the top right hand side cushion, he could have bought the pink or black

in to play but he is unlucky not to He is trying to be exact and

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If you do not miss the pot, you get Shaun thinks there might be a shot

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to nothing here, similar to what Shaun just having a look and there

are good friends off the table and Mark had a result then. He lifted

his foot up to see if there was anything on the bottom of his shoes

The only thing is, if he plays the shot, he will have to play it with

a trace of left-hand side and it is a bit more difficult to judge the

pace of it because when you put side on, it will come off the

cushion quicker. He is playing just REFEREE: foul and a miss, Mark

Selby, four. The baby he was playing the two-cushion but the

trace of side. I think the middle pocket is in the wake of what would

normally be the perfect two-cushion escape but he has got some idea of

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the line-out. Yes, you could say he There may be a return to baulk here,

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It was all about making sure you At first glance, I can't see a

Well only if you play it adds thin It is one of those where you are

happy to get back into the baulk It could have been a not to -- is

Make certain you pot the red, with He always going to struggle to know

where the cue ball is going to go. But he got the red so he gets the

You don't want to get too clever. Make sure you get the cue ball

tight to the baulk cushion. could be one of those instances

where you prefer to let your Sometimes leaving a difficult shot

on aed are is good. -- on a red is Well worked out. The black is

stopping the path down the right hand side, I think the blue may be

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He will be happy with the result of It is tough snooker at the minute,

It is difficult to get behind the baulk colour, unless it is brown.

Once again the black playing a big He didn't hit it too thick. He

didn't mean to hit it that thin. Here is a chance for Shaun in

potting some tremendous long reds and Mark Selby may have left him a

I couldn't have been much closer: He didn't go all out for it. Wasn't

fully committed. That is probably what caused him to miss it. He just

hedged his bets and screwed the cue ball back to the baulk end, that

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He will have to hit this so thin, It was a thin one but he has left a

The difference with that shot is Mark had an angle where he wasn't

going to canon, so there was a lot less pressure. Good clean pot but

he knew he wouldn't canon into a . He wanted to get behind the green.

I am not certain how much of the cushion he can get to, maybe he

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can't play it, it doesn't look as You cannot strike a snooker ball

better than that. That is just magnificent. The cueing, arrow

straight. Brilliant. You know if he doesn't get near the pot, he could

have gone anywhere, the cue ball, he needed to hit it perfectly to

He will be disappointed he didn't get the snooker. Sometimes it is

not the worst thing to let them see the ball, as I mentioned earlier.

This is very difficult. We call it Because you are striking down, it

is hard to see the edge of the ball, I'm not so sure he hit the right

I thought he may have been playing the one near the pink and missed it,

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A very good chance. Two reds to the He could play the canon. Doesn't

If he had compile add DVD of long Interesting choice, is he going to

play for one along the top cushion? Two thirds of your long pots, are a

He will have to play the canon. If he could just hit the red second

Perfect. He missed the canon I think he was playing but he managed

to knock another red on, so still I think I am with you. I think he

played that one, but played it nice and softly so he knew he would get

It doesn't look like there is any . That was very careless. Straight

for it, shake of the head, bemused. After the amount of time he took.

He had a good look and tried to work it out, but to do that... Very

surprising.. He gets an extra five points, he might refuse the pot

here, you know. He could chip the blue on the side cushion and leave

the white behind yellow and green. He will be disappointed with the

finish of that visit. That was a nothing shot. Didn't achieve

Excellent shot from Mark Selby. How many times at this level does that

happen? You make a very poor shot, don't do anything with the cue ball,

don't get the colour safe, you are trying to chip on the cushion, the

next time you come to table, you are in all sorts of bother. He is

It is worth a go here. He has a choice of reds he could flick off.

The first one on the line, then the one behind the pink. I think if you

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try to just nestle up to one, you He is lucky to come off the side

cushion to play the red. He has hit OK, this will be some effort from

Mark Selby to win the frame from here, but he can get himself back

As you say, the blue is off it spot. The black is tide up. The pink is

not readily available. Not the The pink doesn't pot it really is

. Yes, he has brought the pink in to play. Now, where does it go when

it is respotted. That is the question. Does it high up -- tie up

these two reds in the middle of the That not only has the pink in play,

it has put the reds on the spot. Could have done with a bit more on

Well, what a fluke ch does this black go? If the black pots as well,

That was the ultimate. If he could have cleared up here. That would

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All this situation has arisen from that one careless shot from Shaun

Murphy, when he didn't get on the blue. He doesn't have all this that

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He hasn't quite got the snooker, so but the safety shot isn't any

easier. Bad news for Mark, as he has knocked the brown on to the top

cushion into a more awkward position. It is close to to --

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close to the green, but groun blue Does it bounce? I think it may just

have stopped, to not leave the pot It is quite an acute angle. It

looks easy from that shot, doesn't It was a good pot and he is looking

for the pink and just the yellow, to get to the snooker required

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He usually is. I was about to say The good news is he didn't get

position. He flicked the pink to the, or near the right hand side

cushion. That is very low for Shaun Murphy, he is usually excellent

with the rest. This is a very messy table. If Mark Selby gets a chance

he could win the frame in one visit, It takes pressure off Shaun Murphy

here, when he is playing the safety. Sometimes when you are on the six

remaining colours, one mistake could cost you, but highly unlikely

Mark would love to play a shot where he could clip the yellow over

and get the pink out. He has tried to move the pin it can other way.

It is a very clever shot. Appreciated by Shaun. The only ball

safe, aside from the yellow, is the The referee wasn't too certain when

he hit it or not. I don't know whether it is worthwhile, it

probably more difficult play it from there, that is the two choices.

He missed it by quite a distance He needed to get past the middle to

be safe. Is it going to get there? Can he cuts that? The problem is

that if he did play that, he could run into the black. Maybe the pot

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Just playing around the ankles. -- It looks like a straightforward up

and down for the yellow. But if he hits it too hard, it might get past

the black in to the right corner. That is why he deliberately played

it short. Not much pressure on Mark Selby to play a better shot than

Good shot. I think he is trying to get that yellowed as close to the

They have been playing now for two hours. This frame, 42 minutes and

For me, playing the containing safety Ham's the initiative -- is

handing the initiative to Shaun He does not want this yellow to

A good effort. But if Shaun Murphy can get to the left-hand side of

this year low, he could easily get back to baulk. -- this yellow. He

still needs yellow, green and brown. EC contemplating the double? Maybe

Maybe he had half a thought for the travel! And he did not apologise to

Mark Selby. That might have been in his mind. He is on the green, but

He did not put his hand up, so he must have played at the treble. Is

there any value in potting yellow and green for Shaun Murphy? If he

got a chance now, you would fancy That has tightened it up a little

He will not be playing the pot because of the pink and black. He

I tell you what, I think he has left this brown. Shaun Murphy needs

it to go 23 in front, with 18 Has he fluked? Boy. Mark Selby had

his bit of luck. And on the last few occasions it has been Shaun

Can he get this? Way is that cue ball going?! That is the worst

possible result because now he needs a snooker and of course it is

a free ball. Interesting here. What do you do? Do you put it back in?

do not see any harm. It is a snooker. It might be easy to hit.

But I do not know how he is going to get the brown safe. He could

clip of the blue and come back down the side of the table, or take the

Now, can he hit this gently enough to leave it more or less where it

is and get back to baulk? I am a little bit surprised that he did

not make him try again. He has given Mark Selby a lifeline of

sorts. He is looking to see if he can dig in to the cue ball and get

in between the cushion and the brown and stick the cue ball in

where the brown eyes. I think it needs to be a bit further wrath. --

Well, it was only the double cares. Absolutely. -- double guess. --

And that is the frame firmly in the pocket of Shaun Murphy. Just plain

To snookers required. I think the big problem here is that if you

told the blue, two snookers with only pink and black is a big ask.

He is very good in this department, Mark Selby. But he will need to be

Just missed it and he has left the pot on the pink. 52 minutes, this

He got a remarkable snooker against Ryan Day when he was left with pink

and black. One of the best shots I have seen all week. But this is

nearly impossible. And that should be it. Yes, it is just, it give me

the pink. A lot went into that frame. But we have got a gap of two

Here, I would be Roger Federer. I think his professionalism is second

to none. He is the ultimate professional but I had seen. One of

the best players that has ever play tennis. And away from tennis, a top

man. Always polite and well spoken. Always does his job as a

professional. 100 %. I think he speaks five languages. He is

switched on. I think for children looking for somebody to look up to

and emulate, they could do a lot worse than Roger Federer. I had it

installed into me from a young age that being a professional sports

person was a privilege. It is not a right. What comes with that is a

responsibility to the next batch of people watching and things like

that. And being professional at all times. Keeping the sport open and

trying to be a certain way I think comes with the territory. I think

in all sports we have got people doing that well and people not

doing it quite as well as perhaps they should. But Roger Federer is

leading the way for me. And indeed he is very near the top. Especially

with long games. Some of those shots have been absolutely

spectacular. I think in a way, anybody knows how tough it is to

get these shots. I have got nothing but admiration for his cueing. And

but admiration for his cueing. And also his bravery. At the moment, he

is not share in any responsibility on the table. Some of these shots

are very difficult but look how he gets through them as well. That

power he can generate even when he is tight on the baulk it is

fantastic. One of the best at cueing in the game, if not the best.

He gets through those balls easily. He is matching Mark Selby. It was a

slow frame. But he has matched him even in the safety department. He

made a few little mistakes and some bad choices but he has matched him

as well. That was a part of his game lacking a few years ago. But

he has learned his craft. He is still going for his shots but he

still going for his shots but he has learnt the craft of the safety

as well. And I think he looks at the positive strategy all the time

bus-stop if anything is sticky --. If anything is sticking out, he is

going to go for it. His opponent was very worried about the cue ball

to stop him going for his shots. Mark Selby has got a difficult job.

Obviously we have got a lot of things which could have gone either

way. But he deserves to be in front 4-2. He is playing powerhouse

snooker. Mark Selby will try to claw back and we know that he can.

It will be set up for a fascinating evening session. But if it is 6-2,

that is very worrying for Mark Selby. Shaun Murphy is getting into

the pack a lot quicker than Mark Selby. You can see the confidence

that he has got. He is into the pack and trying to win the frame on

his first visit. He knows he cannot be behind now going into the

be behind now going into the evening session. He has got a

couple of bites of the cherry to try and extend his lead as well. If

he can get both, it is a bonus, 6-2. Mark Selby under pressure. He has

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got experienced match play. He Quite an attacking safety shot from

Mark Selby. I had no idea he was going to bring the black into play.

Always one of these, when you play a thin edge down the right-hand

side. One can always get knocked over to the left. And that little

touch has made it a very good safety shot. Excellent length on

the table. Knocked the black to the left hand cushion. He has given

He has got a serious problem. He is looking to see if he can come down

to the top cushion and played virtually dead weight and move the

cue ball on the top rail. But he would have to rely on the table

He took a chance and it had a good chance of going back down the table.

Another very good shot again. He is keeping the pressure Rom. I think

his game is in slightly better neck. But that does not mean Mark Selby

cannot win. -- better order. He has got great survival skills and he

has got terrific match play and is a brilliant competitive. --

Just a containing safety. One red will go to the right centre. But it

is tough. And there is no way back to the baulk. I cannot see him

playing it. That red on the right hand side, he could play of that.

Or he could play up towards the alive. -- you live. Once again, try

and get it as tight as you can to Much to effect. He has been a bit

fortunate. -- much too thick. Good He could get through closest to the

pocket. He will be disappointed he did not pot that. Amazing. You see

all the safety and you see a bad safety and it gets him. And the

black was on the left-hand side cushion a minister gave. -- a

minute before. It looks like those two reds are very close to

I think his intention was to try and get on the blue. But I do not

think he has got an angle. If he pots the black, he will get tied up

five days two reds. He would like to play for one of them and make

room for the black when it has been It must be very tight because if it

went behind, that would not be too bad. It is obviously very close to

going on, if indeed it does not. Trying to stun of the side and get

an angle Ombersley. -- trying to stun off at the site and get an

angle on the blue. That is not what he would have liked. It was not the

most convincing visit, or was it? A little bit tentative. I do not

think he has got his scoring boots on today. He had a fantastic frame

clinching the second, but he has not looked good sense. He has got

another chance. An interesting stage in the match. Shaun Murphy

knows he is playing better than his opponent and he is trying to pull

away from him but that can increase the pressure. That last frame took

52 minutes. That could just take the edge away from your shots. This

time he is going to have to play the black but I still think it will

Now, where does he put the black? That marker is the size of a ball.

It cannot be touching. It looks close. But it will not be touching.

He would have light the blue in the middle but he is not perfect by any

mint -- he would have liked the blue in the middle but he is not

He is just fighting for position at the minute. Everything is too much

or too little. Maybe a foot too far with the cue ball. He is keeping

And that is an excellent shot. Very well controlled. And it looks like

a very good angle on the blue. He can move a few reds if he wants. He

is playing off the a Hello for a That pink is just separated from

the reds. He is just trying to clear that area. Slightly hampered.

But that is all right if it is just a straightforward shot to get the

pink and get a position on the red. But hampered like this, you cannot

What is on our after the pink is replaced? And the red is going to

the centre. This is all right. He needs to make a decent contribution.

Winning in one visit and getting himself back into the frame. He is

An error of judgment there. A lot will depend on this angle with the

red to the left middle. Can he bring the black in to play? He

certainly can. Good shot. Yes, excellent. As good a shot as he has

played in quite a while. Very well judged. This is more like him. This

is what is very good at, scoring. In among the balls and winning in

He should get over the line in this He had a choice of pink or black

but he has gone a bit too straight on this pink but still no problem.

But by clearing the pink, it brings those two reds into positions that

he can pot. Eclair run to the winning line in this frame. -- a

clear up run. He will be very disappointed if he does not take

this opportunity. It certainly wasn't plain sailing at the start

of this break, he was scrapping for position. Not quite there. But he

has taken these brilliantly well and that lovely shot to flick the

That put him 60 points in front with 59 remaining, a snooker

If you needed any further example of White Mark Selby at such a good

competitor, this is it -- of Hawaii Well, I thought we would see a

century, another one of the tournament but that is more like it

from Mark Selby. OK, he got in from his opponent but he is now just one

VARIOUS CROWD NOISES, GROWING IN JOHN VIRGO: That is a hard decision

this year, Sports Personality of the Year. Some unbelievable

performances. Yes, a magnificent summer of sport, basically climb

the trophy and give them all one. They have been superb, wonderful to

watch. -- basically climate the trophy. They are just plain ball

one trophy today. -- copy the trophy. It is the second most

important one in the sport, the UK Championship. Shaun Murphy has had

his hands on that trophy once before and Mark Selby, this will be

He didn't fancy the risk of getting back to baulk, containing safety

but you don't get any real Just one more frame to be played in

this session and then we will return this evening. A big frame.

Will it be all square or well Shaun Murphy had a two frame advantage? A

They are sure to know it and there Trying to make sure you don't make

There is a possibility now that he did not miss the brown that Mark

Selby could play this to the right corner, stun across and play for

We have seen Shaun Murphy's cueing He has not been lucky either.

tried to play it as a shot for nothing... Oh, he has got away with

it, he has not left the red. He can get through to hit it but he can't

pot it. Wow, what a difference that makes. Played it in a way to try to

pot/safety but it was always a possibility that that might be left

on. He got away with it and Shaun The frame before the last which

took 52.5 minutes, it can take the edge off your potting been a long,

That was a nice, confident pot. If you are not the right side of the

blue, the more angle, the better. They are not the easiest when they

are being played slow like that. A comfortable path in and out of

He needed a bit more side than that but it is not too bad. As long as

this... I think he played for the outside red and he is not on it.

It clearly goes, can he see enough I agree with you, needed more side

on that and needed to make sure that he was further out into the

centre of the table there. Both of He went not close enough to the

green, really. A bit much stun. He obviously does not feel that he can

just get to the potting angle. If he cannot, he will be very

disappointed. OK, the red just above the black will cut but he

Good recovery, needs a good case. A kiss on the pink isn't too bad.

Trying Again to one of these two reds. He is beyond one of them but

he can get to the potting angle for I think he is deciding. He would

love to run this through, and play for the black off the side cushion

that may have to go back for the He had hit it been so maybe he

couldn't get through to the potting The pots have dried up at the

moment for Shaun. I think he is getting a little frustrated at the

opportunity he is getting. They are either hampered or covered or

He thinks he is playing well - well, he is but he needs an easy starter

and it is not coming his way. pot success was 95% a couple of

I don't think there's any value in taking the pink here. Be straight

He is such a good competitor. He has just missed eight red, Mark

Selby, but he is back at the table again. He certainly compete,

doesn't he? The s, the only concern is that he is relying to get the

frame clinching opportunities by mistakes from his opponent rather

than doing it himself. But he will take whatever is on offer. This is

a big frame as I said and the difference between being two frames

behind or all-square going into this evening session. And as has

been well-documented, OK, he has won the Masters but he has been

world number one around that for the last few seasons at all stop he

would love to have the UK All about the split here.

Magnificent arena, the Barbican Centre in York. We are all totally

That can happen, he got into it a bit too much. The cue ball has gone

forward before being screwed back He had to hit that 14, the first

red. -- he had to hit that one full. Sometimes it takes a while for the

He wanted to find the baulk cushion here. He will leave a chance for a

Is this a plant? He is having a look at it. It could be a three-

ball, the three-ball could make it. If those two go into the left hand

jaw, it will push the second one to the left and so you could do it by

hitting the loose red onto the two that are close together. And you

can play this in a way where there is a bit of safety involved. Yes,

returning to baulk so worth taking on, this. Not guaranteed so that's

why you find a path back to the But it is there, and he is hoping

he is on a colour. And he is just about of the pink. -- all the pink.

He would like to be a bit It is more difficult than it looks

on the screen and that is why he missed it. I get the feeling that

he needed chances slightly easier There is certainly one red at the

top of the cluster that is available into the top left corner

I am wondering whether in he goes through here, he might like another

He flicked one back in, John. is the problem, he needed to pot

that ball in the middle of the He has got a 50 point lead without

doing anything too startling. And his third good chance in this frame.

He will be delighted if he gets out This red is pretty tight, it makes

it look easier but it is tied. -- tight. Able to just loosen those

three reds. Not much to choose between them. If they can get off

this green, there will not be much between them, frame-wise. A great

The red on the left-hand side cushion is causing him a bit of a

problem because his way to go it will be getting pretty close to it.

-- his waistcoat will be getting It is his hand at his closest,

So red, blue, red, pink. He cannot I would suggest the pink and that

would put him 61 points in front He will be absolutely thrilled,

Mark Selby. Looking like danger signals for him this afternoon and

Shaun Murphy will be scratching his head wondering how he will not be

All set up for a battle royal this It might be a late 1, JV. They look

equally matched. A very interesting match, you have got a contrast of

styles, really. Shaun Murphy who is trying to get in with long pots and

breaks but as you just said, the last few frames, his putting has

gone off. Will it be back there I think we have already alluded to

the fact that Mark Selby has a secondary game but I am not sure

about Shaun's secondary game but his primary game is the most

important thing. A very interesting opening eight frames. A warm shake

of the hands from both players, they will be coming back at 8

o'clock tonight but I think Shaun Murphy will be disappointed. Be

held a two frame advantage between Alan now all square at 4-4.

HAZEL IRVINE: And the gentleman in the studio will concur with our

commentary team, it could be a long night because no matter who will

pull away, the other is perfectly capable of mounting a rearguard

action. And obviously a ability to drag you back. We have seen the

classic example. These two are capable of pulling out the fire

when required. Mark Selby producing some great stuff in the frame

before but it will become tough tonight. It just shows, the

character of Mark Selby, you never write him off. Four frames a piece,

I hope you can join us when we come back at 8 o'clock here on BBC Two

because we have a possible - possible - 11 more frames to play

until somebody get their hands on his snooker's second most coveted

prize. Will it be Shaun Murphy for a second time? Or will it be Mark