Fourth Round - Part 3 UK Snooker Championship

Good evening. We are reaching the quarterfinals of one of the most

prestigious snooker tournaments, the UK Championship. The York barbican

is filling up the C of E four time world champion John Higgins can book

his place in the last eight the night. More on that after we bring

you up to date with this afternoon's matches. The 2013

champion, Neil Robertson, is into the quarterfinals after defeating

Scotland's Stephen Maguire. He thrashed him 6-1, knocking in three

centuries in just over two hours. Last night I was doing a bit of

practice. And part of my routine, I played some safety shots as well.

And Stephen has come in and he has gone, don't you dare play any of

those tomorrow. I said, mate, you go for it and I will go for it. I am

fine with that. The way it started, it kind of put me, he put a marker

down and I knew I had to respond and be at my best today because he

looked in a really, really determined mood. A long old

afternoon for Liang Wenbo and Tom Ford. It looked like Tom Ford had

done enough when 5-3 up at Liang Wenbo roared back, winning the final

three frames, sealing a 6-5 victory. I think I'd changed, after 5-3 down.

I do not know why. I was very relaxed and I enjoyed playing. I do

not know why. I just concentrated. I wanted to give some pleasure. I

worked hard. The last shot, I controlled the table. It was a good,

good experience. This is how the quarterfinal draw looks. David Grace

will play the winner of Martin Gould and Joe Swail, which gets under way

tonight. Liang Wenbo takes on Marco Fu, who dumped out Shaun Murphy.

Neil Robertson lies in wait for John Higgins, or Jamie Burnett. Matthew

Selt is taking on the well-known one and 2012 UK champion, Mark Selby.

I think we have got the best seats in the house, John. I tell you

something, Neil Robertson was scintillating. As close as flawless

as you will get. Magnificent performance. Last year in the

Masters when he played against Ali Carter was as close to perfect and

that was very close today. Wonderful. He was playing well, but

he could not get to the table, Stephen Maguire. Liang Wenbo does

this almost every round, he knocked out Judd Trump. You thought he had

given himself too much to do. The quarterfinal with Marco Fu, it would

be great to get in front for a change but no doubting his

determination. 5-3 down today and winning. He cannot keep doing that

and would like to get in front sooner or later. John Higgins

overwhelming favourites to defeat Jamie Burnett. Watching him last

year I thought he looked wrecked the confidence and it was almost the end

of the line and winning three tournaments in the year, two this

season is remarkable and he was superb today. He is happy with what

he has got, he has not been messing around with the cue for the last two

years and when you win you get more confident. An all Scottish clash and

they are mates as well. A funny thing happened in practice, John

Higgins potting a blue and picking it up and repotting it for him. It

can be very awkward. John is experienced enough to know it will

not happen but John text Jamie and said, do you want to come and

practice? You are kidding me. said, do you want to come and

hardly practices. He played two days before and has comfort loose and

fancy free and it is working out for him. Thank you very much. All

Scotland clash and a meeting of two old mates.

You can only get excited about these games. The UK's second-biggest

tournament in the calendar. Somebody like John Higgins, a four-time world

champion and for me, one of the ST experiences ever. You can only look

forward to it. I am loving it. As I say, have been here for the last

couple of years and really struggling, not knowing whether next

win will come from. I started this year and it has been great, winning

two tournaments. And that was... The season is going great so far.

Because we are friends, it is good. You do not want to see your mate

struggling. It is somebody I like and respect. It has taken a while

and he feels comfortable again and you can see it, you can see the

difference from a couple of seasons ago. He is nearly back to his best.

He has had some great wins against Lee Hein and Alan McManus. He is

feeling good about the game. We are good mates on tour and it is tough

playing one of your pals on tour but you have got to get on with it and

try and lock out who is sitting in the next year. I know how well I

need to play to win. I am not worried, or scared. I have played

him before. We played in the same age group together. If I take my

chances and by the way I had been playing, I think I will be there, I

will be there again. Well, 8-0, John Higgins in head to head matches.

Jamie winning just 18 frames out of eight meetings with the world number

seven. Defeated in the first round last year and now competing for a

place in the quarterfinals. The players are standing by. We will

join the master of ceremonies. Thanks, Jason and good evening,

ladies and gentlemen. Two massive matches as we complete the line-up

for the quarterfinals in this year's UK Championship. It has been

a brilliant tournament so far and tonight we are paused for yet more

drama. The players are ready, and so are a raucous crowd here in York!

Please welcome a player enjoying his best run in a major event for

several years. A Welsh open finalist in 2009, twice a world championship

semifinalist, he has that of his way back onto the tour and is

flourishing into his 40s, from Northern Ireland, the Outlaw, Joe

Swail! And his opponent, a player who

appeared in his second ranking event final at the start of the season,

just losing out against Higgins in Australia. His fine form has

continued in York, defeating Mark Allen in the third round. What an

opportunity for the pin-up offer, Martin Gould. -- Pinner Potter.

On table one, playing his second match against a fellow Scot after

victory against Alan McManus, he secured a famous break of 148 in the

UK qualifies 11 years ago. In 2010 he had a brilliant run to the final

of the Shanghai Masters. Please welcome, from Hamilton, Jamie

Burnett! And finally... One of the finest

sportsmen this country has ever produced. Winner of three ranking

event titles this year alone, a four time world champion and three-time

UK champion, the wizard of Wishaw, John Higgins!

That is the match for you tonight on BBC Two but if you want Martin Gould

and Joe Swail with Ken Doherty and Willie Thorne, that is on the red

button and the BBC sport application. But we say good evening

on BBC Two to Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis. Very good evening,

Jason, good evening, to everybody watching. Thank you, the first

frame. John Higgins. John winning the toss and he will get this match

under way. Not a bad break off shot. And John

is up against one of his best buddies in Jamie Burnett. They

practice a lot together. You could see at the top of the show, Jamie

has yet to defeat John. It is 8-0. But I suppose he has beaten him in

practice. Can he take that to the match table? That is the big

question. It will be a tall order. If he can get off to a good start,

who knows? Might have looked risky but that was

the only red he could see. He played it at such a speed, he was hoping to

get away with it, if he missed. And that was the outcome.

Starting to build up very nicely, this year's UK Championship. Neil

Robertson in magnificent form. Mark Selby back to his brilliant best.

John Higgins right back to where he was a good few years ago. Yes,

enough of an X factor to win the tournament. Some dark horses and

some pretenders to the throne. I would not say Jamie Burnett, one of

the younger players on the circuit, you might not have seen him much on

your television screen, but it is fair to say he had been a journey

man for many years but a very skilful one who has refused to go

away. Very talented. Quite meticulous in the amount of times he

cues up. He is very talented and he makes a lot of century breaks. Rob

Walker alluded to that break of 148, made in the UK Championship 11

years ago. That is one of the quiz questions.

What is the highest break in snooker? A lot of people say 147 but

it is 155 if you get a free ball. Jamie got a free ball. And he went

on to make a break of 148. That is not a bad start. That was

far from easy. As we show you again. Straightaway, John Higgins will be

looking to get on the red, to the right of the black here. That is

just about perfect. That will clear the black into both corners. This

one is a little bit awkward. It is great to see this player back

at the top of his form. It was interesting, Jamie Burnett, I know

they are good towels, he thinks John is the greatest player that has ever

played the game. -- good friends. I know my own personal opinion, John

is in my top four of all time. A gentleman sitting next to me,

Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan I have ahead of

John. Very kind, Dennis. But I would disagree. John Higgins is the best

match player I have ever seen in my life. I remember you saying that

before. But it is personal opinions, isn't it? I elevate you to

another free, Ronnie, number one and Stephen Hendry, number two. The fact

he is still producing the goods at the age of 40, and winning

tournaments, it is just astonishing. He will do what all great champions

do. They seem to start very quickly. The number of times they win the

opening frame with one chance. There are two things required to get

off the mark really quickly, not just accuracy, but judging weight.

Sometimes if you are nervous, you can overdo it, or under do it. But

John Higgins seems to settle down very quickly.

But what he has stopped doing, something he was doing a few seasons

ago, he was among the balls and then he would miss a sitter. He has

eliminated the on his game. -- that from his game.

That will leave Jamie requiring a snooker, wrong side of the blue but

it should not be a problem. He has got to make sure he does not catch

one of the baulk colours on his way around the table.

I have got a feeling he thought he was going to get a flick from the

red. He thought he was going to nudge the red and it would have

slowed the cue ball down. This is very thin.

Only just. As we show you. Just in from the right jaw of the pocket. He

has run out of position by the look of it. 57 in front. He needed a few

more pots to secure the opening frame. It will have to be a safety

and wait for another chance. Jamie Burnett is probably forced

into the four Cush and safety. Which means he has got to hit it a little

bit harder. -- caution safety. Look where this has finished! In

fact he has covered a lot of reds! It is lucky the red is on the left

side of the table, otherwise it would be a snooker. It was a total

mis-hit. He is working out whether he can hit the red on the left.

That is a pretty good shot from where he was. Look at that for

length, with the ball. Can he see enough of this red? Yes, to take

this one on? 57 behind. If he can get this one, and finish on the

black, there is a red slightly in the way but it is all about the pot.

If it goes, he has got a chance to get back into this opening frame. If

he misses it, you would feel it would be the end of the frame.

It was too thin. Pot up into the corner. It could have been easier.

He is not even looking at it. Back looking at it now. No. I do not

blame him for refusing that one. Just putting another red here. Where

is the cue ball? Where is that white? Trying to put it back into

the jaws again and snooker him. Concentrating on getting that to the

cushion. Sacrificed. Sacrifice the direction a bit but he is happy to

drive reds to the cushion. It is Jamie's job to try and keep them

off. It was far too thick. Perfect chance

for clinching the first frame. He is always one of those players

that has been able to keep his head perfectly still. No matter how hard

he hates it. -- is hitting it. It is not an easy clearance but he

would like to pot the remaining balls.

These are tricky. Slight angle here, as you can see. But they are not

easy. Does not really matter. He needed a couple of chances, but he

took them. John Higgins quite comfortable you taking the opening

frame, leading 1-0. The world number seven, John Higgins, is up and

running and you get the feeling looking at him today that opening

frame and also knocking the balls tonight that he would like this over

and done with as quick as possible. I did not realise his record was

8-0. That is class. Normal service has been resumed. He was superb

knocking out Ali Carter the other day who I think would have given the

game to anybody. John was too strong and he has started up again. He will

be looking forward to getting it over as quick as possible. What is

really interesting, John Higgins defeating Ali Carter on Monday,

others have played two matches in four days and he has completely

picked up where he left off. He has practised hard. Every time we have

been in here, John has been there for a good few hours in the

afternoon. That is what you had to do to keep your form. It is nice to

make a good contribution in the third frame and get that first frame

on the board. Thank you for that. Back to Dennis and Steve.

The magnificent barbican centre. It comes into its own when you get down

to the two tables. The crowd along as well. When there is four tables,

the crowd are all on one side. He is a bit unlucky. Unless the

yellow comes to his rescue. Well! A bit unlucky for the red to flick the

black and go over the pocket but he had a bit of good fortune with the

white dropping behind the yellow. Not sure John Higgins can get into

the right-hand side of the pack and dropped it. If he can do, any type

of containing shot... A good chance of a re-rack. You heard it here,

folks. Steve Davis predicts a re-rack. Not a lot they can do with

the red over the pocket. You might be right. They will have to keep

playing shots like this. They might look at each other and say, shall we

start again? John Higgins is just checking with that red, not

completely over the pocket. Whether there is a possibility of avoiding

it by playing into the right corner. If he does that, Jamie Burnett might

be tempted to get that red away from the pocket. It would be hard to

guarantee a good safety. That is what John Higgins is playing for,

the advantage of it. I think he can cut that in from the red because it

is not tight on the cushion. If it goes, that is arguably... Is he

playing the double? It does look like it.

It will be interesting to see what John Higgins does. He might look at

that possible cutback. I know that it is a very thin one but he is

looking at it. Jamie did not seem to have a look at that one. Here we go.

John Higgins is taking it on. John Higgins left Jamie that shot. Maybe

he is playing the double. Do not understand at the moment. He is

cutting this end. Well... Firstly, why did John Higgins play that shot

in the first place with that shot available? Second, why did Jamie

Burnett not play that shot? Third, what am I talking about? He was

looking to put the white on the cushion but I thought Jamie would

have taken that on. It is a funny pack with the two reds

on the side of them. If he can get on the black and develop them, I am

just wondering if he is thinking about screwing back for the blue.

Simply because of the way those two reds are behind the bunch, it would

be better to go back for one of the baulk colours, all the blue.

That is the first shot he has missed, so a chance for Jamie. He

might be able to get onto the black of the red. It is a natural angle

not to come in the black and not to go twice across the table.

Is he on the red into the middle? He is tight.

I don't think so. If not, he will have to take the double on. He might

just be a busy enough, but if not, have a go at the double, it is a

free shot. It must be very close. A bit of side spin?

The double is the better choice, I think. He wanted to take it on.

Well played, a good shot. One good cannon here, he could really open

things up. Don't take your eye off the pot. If you cannon somewhere in

there, you will open them right up. Why play it at that pace?

That was not the best choice. Perhaps it was hard to grab the

white ball and get into the main pack. It did not look a problem. If

he put the black, he still does not open the pack up. He could have been

more aggressive there. We will give him the benefit of the

doubt and say it was too thin to get into the main part of the pack. An

excellent safety. If he puts the red, he is looking to

see whether the blue is viable. He is playing to pot be red, stunning

it in. Very little chance of sticking it up.

The red at the bottom of the pack cuts in. It is a shock to nothing.

Ideally, he would like to be able to pot the blue very thin and go into

the main pack. He is just summing up if there is any type of angle

between brown and green before the middle pocket, and then come in-off

the side. Or, all trust him and straight into the pack. I think your

choice is the best, a little thin one. Swinging around the ankles. He

have to be careful of the middle pocket, the left middle.

He did not really hit it with any conviction, I don't think the angles

were on for going into the pack with speed. Perhaps he could not hit it

thin enough to go straight into the pack off the ball cushion. A couple

of chances now. A speculative double, or not even

trying it? It is not a good safety shop. At the level we are at,

playing against the likes of John Higgins, you do not give half

chances away easily. It does not matter if he cannot see

the red, he can and the other one onto it. He could even pot it

directly. Nothing wrong with playing the other red. He could control the

positional side of the shot a bit better. He could possibly open up

the pack. An aggressive shot, he would be on the black.

He deserved that. It was a great shock. He was snookered until it

flicked the red. He played it well. Look at the red, it just flicks that

one out of the way. He could not do much with that.

There is a red to the left middle pocket. This is a key shop early on

in this frame. It would settle him down if he could get a sizeable

break. I don't know if he has left one to

the left middle, he might just have got away with it. It was not easy, a

tough shot. A bit of pressure on it. You expect the players at this stage

to be getting them. I thought he had covered this one. But he can get

through to the potting angle. It is pretty tight. He might have to put a

bit of left-hand spin on. No, he could get direct. If the pink

goes, that is a bonus. I was not sure.

Jamie Burnett knows that he will not get too many chances against his

good friend John Higgins. If you don't take them, he knows he will be

in big trouble. When you have got a player like John coming behind you,

if you make a mistake, sometimes that is all you need to do, it costs

you the frame. He might be all done, it has landed

on the red. It is end of break. He cannot believe it. I bet Jamie

cannot believe it either. It is amazing, this game. Have a look at

that. He lands right on top of the other red.

The yellow and brown are quite a target. I am not sure if he can slip

off the red and get up behind those two colours. Was it touching ball?

If it is, he can get behind them. It must have been, yes. Surely he can

play fourball onto the brown of two cushions. As long as the weight is

right, it is a guaranteed snooker. cushions. As long as the weight is

He does not need to get as far as the brand, even. Slightly the wrong

line. He will be disappointed with that.

Pretty heavy contact. No real shake of the head or reaction from Jamie

Burnett. He did not feel as if it ruined the potting line. A chance

now for John Higgins into the middle.

I thought he was going to clinch the frame with his last visit, he

probably would have done if the white hat not stuck right on a bed.

Nothing in the way now, though. He does not have to play any cannons.

Two or three seasons ago, he was not comfortable with his cue, he tried a

few different ones, at this one he has been using for a couple of

years, he is very comfortable with it. People say, is it not like golf

or tennis, you can play with anything? It is supposedly

different. You can have two made identical and they play differently.

A big move back to the 1-piece cue in recent years.

I was the first ever player in the UK to use a 2-piece cue, I brought

it back from Canada in 1974. John Spencer won the 1977 World

Championship with one and it became a craze. It is purely because they

were easy to carry around in the days when you could take them on

board a plane. You cannot do that now.

He will probably play the snooker and Jamie will stay in his seat, you

will think. Yes, Jamie signals that he concedes are. He had one chance,

but he missed the red in the middle pocket. John Higgins is looking very

good, he has won two out of two. It is all going his way. Let's

update you with table to, in the other fourth-round match. Martin

Gould taking on Joe Swail. It is the 46-year-old from Belfast who has

taken a 1-0 lead. Coverage continues on the red button and the beast

but, the BBC Sport website and connected televisions. David Grace

awaits the winner. An incredible recovery, considering Joe Swail's

record last year, he did not make it out of round one. But he has taken

the lead. If it goes well for him, he could make the quarterfinals,

that is an incredible story. He has had corrective eye surgery, he can

see the balls, it has made a difference. The last time he was in

the quarterfinal was in 1992, when he played me, so he must be old!

There is hope for you yet! Pretty good length for the break-off

shot. That is pretty high pot success,

94%. He has a safety route back to baulk, but he has to be careful

about the red. He pulled the could have played a

more containing shot than that. Yes, the red on the side cushion was

always going to be a problem. But he hit the safety shot too thick and

careered straight in. Straightaway, John Higgins in amongst the balls.

The black is slightly awkward at the moment, but he could soon get onto

it. He has got to swing it around the

table to get back onto the blue. He got into it too much, and straight

in the pocket. He got a flick of the red. Maybe he did not get into it

enough. Just a flick. He was out of position. I thought, how could he

stump straight into the pocket? I did not spot the flick. It looks as

if the pink is available into the right corner. He will set it up dead

straight. The players practised this a lot, but you have to push the cue

through in a straight line. He did not commit. He was a ring on

the side of safety. When you hit it harder, it makes the pot more

difficult. I am sure the pink potted into the

right corner. A little lack of confidence. He was

trying to play a safety shot at the same time. Now he is back in his

seat thinking, I should have just played for the pink. He could have

put more angle on the long pot and screwed to the right side cushion.

The deeper screw. John is having it pretty easy at the moment. He did

not make much of the last attempt. You would expect him to have a

second bite of the cherry successfully.

A monster kick. Just about got away with it. You could tell by the

sound. Luckily, it did not straighten up the red.

He had a bit of right-hand spin on the shot which negated the throat of

the kick. It is tough for Jamie Burnett. He

has had plenty of bashing is from John Higgins. John must be pretty

comfortable playing against Jamie. The winner will play Neil Robertson

tomorrow afternoon. He was in devastating form against another

Scot, Stephen Maguire, who set off with a century break and then never

got a chance. A lot of matches in that half would have made good

finals. Yes. If John Higgins gets through, that match between Neil

Robertson and John would play -- would be possibly the two most

inform players, matching up. When Jean Todt professional, I would

pop up to Stirling and I had a couple of practice sessions with

him. He practised with Stephen Hendry all the time. What he

achieved in six years, he got to be world number one and world champion,

that takes some doing, six seasons. From his first day as a

professional. The good old days when they used to

practice their and break off for lunch and watch Neighbours, Stephen

Hendry and John Higgins watching Neighbours!

That is a terrific shot, look at the position.

It does not really matter about the black, Jamie Burnett stays in his

seat. John Higgins marches on with the break of 71, he leads 3-0.

This is excellent from John Higgins. And update on the second table,

Martin Gould has levelled against Joe Swail, the third or fourth

meeting between them, it was in the German Masters, the last meeting,

Joe Swail 15-0 in the qualifiers. This is scrappy. It has not settled

down. It is a massive day for both players. They are looking at the

draw and thinking that quite a few of the seats have gone out, it is a

great opportunity to go a long way. Do you think some of these

great opportunity to go a long way. will be looking at the big names

gone and thinking, this is my year? You should not get ahead of

yourself. Martin Gould has been around long enough, he had a good

performance in Australia, and Joe Swail is experienced. But it can

happen. It is all about John Higgins, looking good. It is ominous

for Jamie Burnett, he looks a bit nervous. John looks very

comfortable. He has been used to beating him, it can happen like

that. When you look at the history books, John Higgins has beaten him

eight times, Jamie Burnett has only pitched 18 frames. It is looking

like it will be nine. That match is available on the red button. You can

continue to watch John Higgins taking on Jamie Burnett. All matches

are available on the BBC Sport app. We are back with highlights. Hope to

see you then. Goodbye for now.