06/12/2013 UK Snooker Championship

Good evening. Semi-final day at the William Hill UK Championship here at

the Barbican in York. Australia are dominating the second Ashes Test

Down Under and here, an Australian, Neil Robertson, is leading an

Englishman, it's Stuart Bingham. Well played, Stuart Bingham.

Where is the red going to go? It's not getting close. Might go in if it

runs. If it runs. Oh! All square. One apiece.

Played it well. Would you believe it?

Neil Robertson puffs his cheeks but he's 5-2 in front and happy.

Excellent eight frames. Stuart Bingham can smile after this

evening's session. 5-3. That was a really crucial frame for

Stuart Bingham, but obviously, as we go into this evening's session, it's

Neil Robertson who has the upper hand. Ken Docherty was watching. How

do you think he did? She was clinical, web he got his chance and

he stole two frames before the interval. Stuart Bingham had a

chance in every sippingle frame today and he finds himself 5-3 down

still. Robertson, he took his chances very well. You touch on the

something there which is key. Bingham took his chances yesterday

but didn't do that today? He scored an awful lot more heavier against

O'Sullivan yesterday. No doubt. Today he got the chances and wasn't

clinical enough. He looked a bit tired and concentration waivered a

bit maybe just getting over the match yesterday. It was a big one

for him. I still think he's playing well, cueing well. That last frame

of the session today was so important for Stuart Bingham. A do

you think Bingham can turn this around? Absolutely. He still has to

have the belief and do what he's been doing all week. The first

couple of frames are crucial. Stuart can't lose 3-1, he has to stick in

there and keep doing what he's doing and to keep the belief. OK, Ken for

the moment, thank you very much indeed. Neil Robertson needs four

frames to reach Sunday's final. He's never won the UK title. The players

are standing by. Let's join Rob Walker.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It's Friday night. We are in York.

This is the concluding session of the first semi-final in this year's

William Hill UK Championship. It's all to play for at the Barbican

centre and we are rocking and rolling here.

Please welcome first of all, a player making his first appearance

in a world or UK semi-final, beating Ronnie O'Sullivan yesterday for only

the second time in his career, he won the last frame of the afternoon

and he is right in the hunt tonight. He is the pride of Essex, he is

Stuart Ballroom Bingham. APPLAUSE

And his opponent, a player who started out here ten years ago with

nothing and he's risen to the top of the world all the way from

Australia. He's won at the Crucible and the Masters, this would be the

hat trick. His mum has flown in to see him tonight? Can you hear the

thunder from Down Under? Here comes Neil Robertson.

MUSIC So, this is the first semi-final,

tomorrow the reigning champion Mark Selby takes on Ricky Walden. He's

aware of his record against the world number one, he's beaten

Robertson five times and twice this year. Dennis Taylor and Willie

Thorne join us now. Very good evening to you Jason and

good evening to everyone watching. What a cracking semi-final this has

been so far. Stuart Bingham with that terrific break of 78 which he

really needed to just leave himself two behind. Fascinating evening's

snooker. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Frame 9. Stuart Bingham

to break. Who is going to be lifting that

little beauty on Sunday night? It was a strange session the first

session. Should have been 4-1 in front possibly, Bingham, and ended

up being behind. Then all of a sudden, he had to win that game. It

was just at the right time. He dug deep in the final frame to give

himself a chance this evening. Both in the 90s, Bingham just 1%

ahead of Stuart. Just 1% deminks the safety success rate. So they are

very evenly matched. APPLAUSE

That was about the best that he could do from the position he was in

there. No black available. Didn't want to

cannon the two reds. Landed in no-man's-land. It was very

difficult. I couldn't see what he could get on to there. He's looking

at the reds. There is no value because the pink and black are tied

up. He has took the plant on. Stuart

Bingham, 6. Hasn't left anything. You never

know. That was a tough one. Suppose he was going through for the blue

and the only one he could leave was that one.

Neil is looking for a possible plant but with safety in mind.

I don't think I've seen Neil play as tight as he did this afternoon. He

decided to take no chances whatsoever. I wonder whether he's

going to play the same way this evening. I noticed that, watching

back at the hotel. Refusing a few long pots, Neil.

There is Neil's mum there, Alison. Still recovering from jet lag. Been

in two days. The most charming woman you could ever wish to meet.

Family get uptight when they come to watch, you know. He just says, I'm

here, I'm going to enjoy every minute of it, if Neil wins he wins,

if he doesn't, it's not the end of the world, she's not going to get

nervous. Terrific lady. That's the first poor safety shot of

the evening. It's one that you would normally expect Neil to pot. He

could possibly get on the black, but with the two reds either side, may

decide to play the blue first. He's one of the game's best long

Potters. APPLAUSE

Never refused one like that. Quite difficult ones. He's pretty good

when he's at distance from them. It's given him an early chance here.

Pink still out of commission. The Reds are nicely open. Just the

black. Got a slight angle on the blue so he

can get to where his hand is at the moment by powering the blue. Quite a

big gap in-between the two reds to get on to the ones on the black

spot. If he takes the one into the right

corner, he might be trying to hold for the black. If he takes this one

to the left corner to play around for the blue, you would feel he'd do

that. Play around for the blue. Depends on the angle. Back to his

first choice. There is a shot on here if he wanted

to take it. When potting this, he could play a little cannon. If he

cannoned that red, that would clear things up. He doesn't have to play

that shot. He could probably get around the back of the black but

that's not a bad option. Just move that slightly out of the way.

APPLAUSE Isn't that one shot now that puts

the black near the two pockets. This is an excellent chance to go three

clear again. There's something about left-handed

snooker players and golfers. They always look very elegant. He's what,

about 6'2", something like that. And just has a terrific technique.

He struggled a bit, but he's improved unbelievably. It's amazing

Dennis. He spent a year at my club in Leicester and he was not even in

the top six or seven players in the club, lost his tour card, then ended

up trying to come back again, lost it again, then was given a wild card

on the tour and from then on, he's been the most improved player of

all-time. It's just amazing how much he's improved.

Rightly at number one at the moment. He's been the most consistent.

Doesn't really want to be playing cannons here, but he might have to

do looking at that. He could avoid that because you

could stick, if you play the cannon on the two Reds, you could stick in

there. Nice enough at the moment. Made something like 14 more

centuries than anybody else this year. Made 55 centuries, which is

quite remarkable. Made 45 last season. I think just over 60 or 61,

Judge. 62 I think is the record. As long as he remains in good health,

he's certain to beat that then. Plenty of tournaments to cover

before the season ends. That time he did play a little

cannon and maybe that took his eye off.

Just was concerned about the white there. Doesn't miss many of those.

An unexpected chance for Stuart Bingham here. Unexpected chance, it

doesn't half hurt your opponent. He's sitting in the chair think, I'm

going to go three frames behind, all of a sudden he has a gift and

Robertson will be sitting there and all he can do is hope that Bingham

makes a mistake like he just did. Play the cannon this time. Has a bit

of insurance. He'll take the red and go up for the cannon.

If he leaves that straight, that's very careless.

Perfect little bunch of reds to go in. At the right angle on the blue,

it could have opened up the whole game if it was in-between the red

and pink. Got to be careful he doesn't screw back too far. Needs to

get virtually close to being straight, otherwise it's too

difficult to pot. Decided to try and make an angle. Needs a kiss on the

red, otherwise it's nowhere. It was the shot to get on the blue

that let him down. Should have had a better angle.

This was the one here. Fin fished almost straight. -- finished almost

straight. Cut the red over the corner pocket

where the black is. Might be able to take a pot on, the

one that's nearest the pink there. That's what he tried, but had safety

in mind also. This looks pretty good to me.

Neil can play that as a pot, but he'd do well to miss the kiss on the

blue on its way back. If he plays that red, that's the

sort of line he'd take. He's got to get it just right. He didn't get it

right. It's always going to be difficult.

At first glance, he could have left something easier than this.

Once he cannoned the other red, every chance of putting Stuart in

with an easy open opener. Difficult to judge those. As soon as he hit

the other red, well... That's a good start.

Excellent chance for Stuart Bingham. Seems to be playing a fraction

easier, with new cloth and cushions on. Whether it's sliding better

because of that, I don't know, but there was a struggle on the table

yesterday. Tell you what, I had a practise on

one of the practise tables there and these pockets are so tight. tight.

- players make it look so easy. Like to get the odd game here, you

know, Willie, nice and warm here in the Barbican Centre, knocking a few

balls around. Normally could reach that. But just

a few balls in the way slightly. He has to lean over the black there, so

the extension means he just can avoid touching the black.

APPLAUSE Two Reds below the black spot there,

he'd really like the black on its spot to make the reds easier, but

he's not going to do that obviously, so will have to work off the pink

only. Next two reds and pink are not a problem, maybe the next one is not

a problem. The next one along the cushion will be tough to get off the

cover. He'd love to leave an angle on the

last pink. Like to leave an angle to move off this cushion. Of course,

that's going to be tough to get that kind of angle. If the angle was

there now, he could play it now, but I don't think it's quite there.

Could have done with that white being there. It's worth playing this

kiss. Far too much on that. At least he's

in the driving seat at the moment. The right side of the pink to try

and get the snooker. He's looking for something else. But it seems a

straightforward shot. I thought he'd go one cushion. He's

going off the other side. Should get a similar result.

I don't blame him for that. Only eight points in front, so if Neil

pots the red, he'll need the pink, but it was worth the risk.

Now, can he get past the blue? Had a hard look. Stuart's having a long,

hard look. Oh, that's not the best shot

Stuart's ever played. Trying to leave the red near the

yellow. Still not in this frame. It's going to be tough for either

player to win the visit. The pink's not safe when we get to that ball

because Neil being a left hander, if it's his shot, it will be an easy

one. That was a fabulous pot, wasn't it?

Sorting out the angle he has now. These pockets are not easy, so

close. The closer you are, makes the pot slightly easier. It's amazing,

the pink being there has now worked to Neil's advantage.

APPLAUSE He'll get the snooker, play the

snooker, guaranteed to get it if he plays this correctly. He's 5-3 in

front. He'd dearly love to open that goop to three frames so he will play

the snooker. It's funny though, sin? He'd take the 30. -- isn't it? He'd

take the pot. No problem hitting it even though he

may have to play off the back cushion. It's where the others are

going to go. Like to try and swerve it thin but will do well to cover

the yellow up. Hit it thin. Right over the pocket.

There is a shot on here. If he plays it with a bit of right hand side, he

can swing it past the pink, new the middle pocket and drop nicely on the

green. Looking to see if he can go up and down, but I think if he goes

that side of the pink, well, I think that's what he's got in mind. If you

just drop it in, you can have the pink or the blue. That way, he's

bound to finish on the green, somewhere near the line which would

be perfect. Gone all the way around, going to hit the blue. Surprised he

tried to get all the way around. Amazing. He probably was worried

about the in-off. That's the only reason why I can consider that shot.

Looked pretty straightforward, to be honest. Must have thought the in-off

would be close so decided to take that out of the equation. It's not

easy. Well, that is exactly why he is

world number one. On the cushion, almost on the pocket in fact, to cue

that as smoothly as he did. Ten out of ten.

He's going to open up that three-frame advantage. He's just

making sure and checking the score. Needs the pink as well to make

absolutely sure. Lack at the side on that. Going to be close to the

cushion. Look at the side on that. Amazing. Wow. First frame of the

evening session. Could we have a respoted black? That was much easier

than the green that he potted, but that was frame ball.

Two shots here. He could play the snooker in behind the back. He could

play thin off it and leave plenty of distance between pink and white.

There is a possibility he could push the pink to the side cushion and get

the snooker in behind the black. He can only tie at the moment.

Trying to get in behind the black. Making sure he's got that pink safe.

APPLAUSE Always nice to see the big breaks to

win a frame. Tell you what, nothing like a good, close frame to watch

for excitement. It's a massive frame, isn't it, as

far as Bingham supporters are concerned. Can't afford to go behind

again. He tried it again, didn't he? It

wasn't a bad effort. He's got the main part of the shot right. Got to

keep that object ball safe. A snooker would have been a bonus.

Not enough room to go in behind the pink to push at the table. So does

he push it on the side cushion or play the pink up and down? Looking

at the pot. A few players would try to double the pink to the top

pocket. He's tried it and he's not far away.

It's in! And what a shot the Australian's

pulled off there. Stuart can't believe it. But he has got himself

into that. And he has a three frame lead.

I think it was Dennis Taylor at the beginning of the session said we are

in for a cracking semi-final. It's so tense out there, and then

something like that happens, Ken? Yes, it's amazing. A very clever

shot there by Robertson. The only reason he went for this, he's ahead,

so Stuart needs pink and black, so it's worth having a go, particularly

in the position where the black was. The fact that the black is tight to

the cushion, Stuart still needs two balls and the spot to win the frame.

Worth a gamble. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they jangle, sometimes

they go safe so it was worth the choice. Crucial? Yes, a carbon copy

of some of the frames he's lost today. He's getting chances and

breaking down. He's not clinical enough, not winning the frames on

one visit. I'm not sure whether the O'Sullivan match took it out of him,

but he's not the same. That's how sport is and snooker is. Ever ary

day can be completely different and that's what we are seeing with

Stuart. What is so special with Bingham at the moment? There is an

aura about this fella? Yes, surprised when he misses one,

Robertson, but he potted some great balls. The green that he potted into

the middle pocket, such a great Potter, and this match particularly

has been very conservative. It's like a different approach. Normally

he'd go for a lot of long balls but he's been conservative, concentrated

more on the safety, keeping the pressure on Stuart Bingham and it

seems to be working. A huge frame for Stuart Bingham? Couldn't agree

with Ken more. We are looking at the score, 6-3, and it could easily have

been the other way around. Bingham's had chances virtually every single

frame, but he'll be disappointed with the scoreline at the moment.

Not out of this match yet though. It's a snooker but they are almost

back in the pyramid again, the reds. Sometimes when you play someone in

an exhibition, they put their chalk down and say, I would like to hit

there. You are not allowed to do that in professional snooker. It's

just squaring up off the cushion. It's a natural angle before the

middle pocket from where the white is and that's bound to be two or

three inches away from the pink. Whether the cushion is squaring up

or not, I don't know. He's overcompensated now. And has he put

the red on? Does it pass the black? Oh, that's very tight. You would

have to role that and even then... That is just too tight.

Can certainly see the left hand jaw but not the centre of the pocket.

He's decided he can't see enough of the pocket to pot it.

Should be a straightforward safety back for Stuart.

Hamperd slightly with the brown. He's got two reds to aim at to play

the little thin one off down the right side of the table. When you

are striking down, it's easy to get a bit of unwanted slide on it. And

he hit it too thick. He didn't plan to hit that red.

Getting a little frustrated, isn't he? He's entitled to be with that

shot though, fortunate to have left himself hampered -- unfortunate. He

hit it too thick. What sort of shot is going to be

played here, because he's going to go into the reds. The blue slightly

in the way. He could finish on the black if he judges the cannon

correctly. Good effort. Might just slip off the

reds. And he will have finished nicely on the black. He's left with

a pink that he could take on. You just sense that the Australian

is growing in confidence. As Ken said, he has been very

conservative. He's refused a few long pots, but he's quite a thinker

is Neil Robertson. Looks as if he's playing to a game

plan and it's working. Just wonder whether going to the

four reds left of the pink here, but he's no need to. Might just do that

because it's definitely going to give him a chance to go for the

frame. We know the red passes the black and the one that's nearest the

black spot is the one he wants to get rid of.

He's got a choice of reds. Too close to the cushion for comfort to play

the one nearest to the black spot. May decide to go for the blue. Or

the one nearest the black. We'll know in a moment.

Dhees sided to play the slightly more difficult red. But, as you can

see, it's difficult cueing. If you are not comfortable, just

take the easier pot, then he can come back to that one if it's nicely

on the blue. Slight change of plan. Taking the

blue into the corner. Shouldn't be a problem. There are reds available.

Misjudged the shot at the minute and everything is falling nice for Neil.

If that cue ball would have stopped further back from where it was, he

couldn't have played that shot. He played for the middle and finished

dead straight on the corner. This is what happens when you are starting

to play well. You get that little bit of run on the ball.

It's amazing, Stuart's record against Neil. Beaten him five time

times. Neil's just won the once. Some of those wins, 4-0, 6-0, 4-0.

There is no real advantage of playing on the cushion because the

black doesn't pot in the opposite corner. They are virtually level on

points, but the big difference, of course, is the three frames.

Thinking about that. Looked at the blue, but I think he's just going to

try and lock the path off to land on the red that's near the cushion.

I don't know if he's done that. Stuart might be able to get to that.

It depends. He has got it very close to the green so he's going to have

to go off the side cushion up past the blue. To land on that would be a

terrific shot, but he might be automobile to pull it off.

If he's close to the green, he could go around the angles to get to that

one. But if he can come off the side cushion, that would be much easier.

He's had a close look to see if he can just get off the one cushion.

Even if he has to go into the red and can't get to that one that's

near the cushion. He's going to swerve it and tray and get off the

side cushion to land on that red. It just hit perfectly. Played it

slow to give it time to take. There may be a red that's available in the

top corner pocket. He'll be unlucky if he's left that one. Yes,

everything going right for Robertson at the moment. Not so for Mr

Bingham. You have still got to knock them in. And that was a good, long

pot. He's one of the best we have ever had in the game at long

potting. You were saying there is the long

pot success rate, the difference is for me there that he's only played

16 long pots and potted 13, Bingham's played 22 and potted 15,

so Bingham's been pushing the boat out on the long game and Robertson

hasn't today. You would think it was the other way around, wouldn't you,

with how good Robertson is for the long pots.

Got some action on that, didn't he? They were all covering each other?

Needed something special. Watch this here. It stop and then

all of a sudden it takes off. But cannoned the wrong red and cannoned

the red to the right of that. He would have been OK. Touching balls.

That is a bug advantage. That deep screw shot we showed you

on the yellow, this is it now. Watch the ball stop. All of a sudden the

black-and-white ball will start spinning and keep spunning and keep

spinning. It wasn't you that played that shot, was it, Willie? Too good

for me. Playing an alternative shot now.

Certainly he'll be playing a little thicker than he has done on the

first two occasions. One day it's going to happen, third attempt on

the cushion and you Miskiw. It could cost you the frame. What a time it

would be to Miskiw. Can you imagine -- miscue.

If he rolled to this red, it wouldn't leave a great deal. Oh,

he's played a cracking shot. The crowd certainly enjoyed that.

He's look looking at the old commentary box and smiling. Should

have played it that way the first time! Neil is starting to cue very

well. Getting close to virtually every single one he takes. Both just

over 90%, Neil just 1% ahead. Can't be a five-ball plant on there. Going

to the right of the pocket I would think, last red. Don't see many

five-ball plants. Just when things are not going

right, you can see there normally you go past the green and get on the

cushion, when things are going wrong, it's amazing how many times

you hit the colours. Can't get anything to happen at the minute,

Stuart. Real solid match play snooker from Robertson.

A good friend who sadly passed away many years ago, steady Eddie

Charlton from Australia, used to hit many colours when he played the

safety shot and used to mutter away to himself.

This is good. This is very good. That was the difference. He's just

missed the green by a fraction there. When you are going well, it's

amazing how things can happen. I don't think he's played it

in-between green and brown, just slightly missed it for safety but

he's got it perfect. This is dangerous playing do cushions.

Just coming round to have a look to see, but doesn't look to be anything

easy. Better to miss it all together with the first attempt because the

last thing he wants to do is hit this thick because it will hand the

frame to Neil if he hits the red on the thick side. Such a delicate

little shot, this. He's got the two reds, either of those he can clip

off. Second time lucky. Third time lucky...

Of course, he can have as many goes. He is snookered, three misses and

you miss the frame. Doesn't apply. He'd much rather give another maybe

ten points away, rather than hit the red full ball and leave it that end

of the table and it will be over. Have to get very close this time.

That's what he was looking for. Well played.

Yes, you don't mind giving a couple of fouls away until you get it

right. If he had have hit it thick, he would have handed the frame to

Neil. Neil still has to be careful because all the colours are in open

play. The pink is a little awkward but it's not a bad fable he wants to

get a chance. -- table. It's just that green and

brown are not a bad target to get in behind.

Neil Robertson's turn to hit a ball colour. Stuart's now got a chance to

get the upper hand on this safety exchange. Doesn't matter which way

around he plays it, off the left or the right, he can get in behind one

of the colours. Favoured the right side. Looks

easier than the left side. And he's hit it too thick. Where is this red

going? Might not be too bad. When I first seen the red heading up

the table, I thought it would be staying up there but it's not on.

Changed his mind playing the safety shot.

And a good one it is too. Time to push the boat out, Dennis,

55 behind it may be. Can get past the black. He's been

very positive throughout this UK Championship. Not going to change

his game now. Can't cue them any better than that.

Got a long blue. Without the cannon on the red, he would have been

better. Well done. Well done. That was a

really big one. When you are sucks three behind, it's more difficult

than when you are 6-3 in front. Chance to bring the pink and red

into play. All of a sudden if this works out, he could get himself back

into this frame. Key shot. You could play that shot another ten times and

not finish like that. That is so unlucky. Can't imagine him sticking

on the red there. Five reds all loose. Just aMadame

Tussaudsing. That is unfortunate. Quite a bit of snooker left in this

frame after that white sticking on the red -- amaze amazing. At least

he's got a chance to fight his way back in.

on BBC Two. Live coverage continues on the red

button and on the BBC Sport website. We are back with highlights this

evening. But, slightly later than advertised now at 11. 25, due to an

extended Newsnight programme. We'll see you then, have a great evening.

From all of us here, bye for now.