Last 16 - Part 4 UK Snooker Championship

# You know my name, you know my name

# It took you a lifetime to get

where you got...

# If I had my way, be came for a

day...

HAZEL IRVINE: Evening all! We're on

the eve of the quarterfinals in the

Betfair United Kingdom jumper. Live

long and prosper is the usual mantra

of the top seeds and names in any

major Championship, but not this one

because only two out of the top 16

have made it through to this point.

One of those is Ronnie O'Sullivan

Huddlestone on course for a

record-equalling sixth UK crown. He

is due out here very shortly in the

Barbican centre, and these are the

guys that he is aiming to join in

tomorrow's line-up.

DENNIS TAYLOR: Joe Perry beats Mark

Allen.

Mark King goes through to the

quarterfinal...

It's On Fire Stephen

Maguire!

He's produced the goods

when it mattered the most.

The

result is all that matters, and

Martin Gould wins 6-4...

Shaun

Murphy, former champion, and he goes

through to the quarterfinals...

So,

the two remaining places up for

grabs this evening in the last

eight. Mark choice, the man who

knocked out Neil Robertson, taking

on the world number 82. And the

lowest ranked player left meets the

highest, with Sunny Akani taking on

the man he calls his idol, Renny

O'Sullivan. And Ronnie is trying to

muscle in on this man she loves

record of six titles here. It is an

extraordinary Championship so far?

That's right. When it first to a

best of 11, people said it would be

more of a lottery, but now we are

seeing some of the lower ranked

players coming through to the latter

stages of a lot of events, but you

would not have thought it for the UK

Championship.

You wouldn't. And who

is the man who can beat O'Sullivan

this week?

The one who stands out is

obviously Shaun Murphy. I think of

the players I've seen so far who

have been playing well, I think

Stephen Maguire and Ryan Day have

looked impressive as well. Anybody

who is in it can still win as leader

best of 11. But I think it would be

fair to say, Ronnie O'Sullivan, as

we currently speak, could win this

tournament with an average

performance. I don't necessarily

think any of the other players could

win the tournament with an average

performance.

And I, on paper,

Ronnie's match looks like a bit of a

mismatch, with the greatest of

respect to Sunny Akani. He has been

in just 1/4-final since turning pro,

he's 22, he has done some damage

this week and he says this is his

dream matchup, he's a charming

individual?

What a fantastic event

this is for him, he's probably got

millions of fans back in Thailand.

Azizul Awang guy and what a dream

come true. You never know what a

player is capable of. He's got and

unusual cue action, a bit like a lot

of the old time players in the game.

It will be interesting to see how

Ronnie copes with something slightly

different perhaps.

And he turned

over the world number eight Barry

Hawkins 6-0 in the last round, so

this guy knows what he's doing. His

real name is a lot longer. I think

the commentary team is a lot happy

that he goes by his nickname Sunny

Akani. And no doubt Rob Walker as

well!

Good evening, ladies and

gentlemen. What an atmosphere we

have in the Barbican centre tonight,

as we look to complete the line-up

for this year's quarterfinals in the

UK Championship, a massive blend of

youth and experience right here,

right now in Yorkshire, it's

Showtime!

Please welcome first of all, a young

player brimming with confidence

after making his first banking event

semifinal in Northern Ireland last

month as a teenager. Already beaten

Marco Fu and Peter Ebdon en route to

this fourth-round appearance in York

- can he rise to the occasion once

more, it's Lyu!

And his opponent, enjoying the best

season of his career so far, bidding

for his third quarterfinal of the

current campaign and his first at a

UK jump Egypt in seven years.

Knocking out two-time winner Neil

Robertson in the third round, this

is a tournament that tends to bring

out the best in Mark Joyce!

And on table one, please raise the

roof for a player in merging for the

biggest match of his life and the

biggest individual payday of his

career so far. Here after

whitewashing multiple ranking event

winner Barry Hawkins, he is about to

face his boyhood hero. So, take the

roof off for the man proudly flying

the flag for Thailand, Sunny Akani!

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

And finally, to the man who has been

thrilling snooker crowds for a

quarter of a century. First lifting

this trophy in typically, he has

since gone on to amass a record

seven Masters crowns among many

others. Ronnie O'Sullivan!

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

HAZEL IRVINE: A fantastic crowd in

tonight to see this match, and both

matches live on the website. As

Storm Caroline sweeps across the

country, let's see how sunny it gets

in the Barbican centre! Dennis

Taylor, over to you.

in the Barbican centre! Dennis

Taylor, over to you.

DENNIS TAYLOR: Welcome to the

Barbican for this intriguing

encounter between Ronnie O'Sullivan,

who's breaking off, and his young

opponent, Sunny Akani. What a

welcome they all got, but especially

for this delightful young player

from Thailand.

STEPHEN HENDRY: Yeah, when they

shook hands, he almost looked

apologetic when he shook Ronnie's

hand.

Just hit that a little bit too hard.

This was the handshake that Stephen

was talking about. A very modest

young man indeed.

APPLAUSE

He's a long way off this attempt,

Ronnie O'Sullivan. It will be a test

for Ronnie's focus and concentration

tonight, because playing somebody

ranked 84 in the world, and someone

that everyone probably expects

Ronnie to win, even perhaps his

opponent. That's nice, for Sunny to

get his first pot in before Ronnie

got his. Just unfortunately

travelled the wrong side of the

blue. But he's on the pink, I think.

Which would be a good ball to play.

A little cannon on the two reds that

are touching each other.

Chance to score a few points here.

The green tape around the bottom of

his cue. Sometimes when you're

starting of it gives you a guide as

to where to grip the cue. It's a

decent start for the man from

Thailand. He looks pretty composed

around the table. We said he looked

apologetic when he shook Ronnie's

Han Solo he looks up for business

now that he's on the table. -- when

he shook Ronnie's hand, but he now

looks up for business.

Coming across the table to could

have done with just another 6-8

inches, would have made it much

easier. He's just got to be careful

of the red that he's leaning over.

That green tape that Stephen was

talking about. Very good.

I was on the other table when he was

playing Barry Hawkins, but to beat a

player of his standard 6-0, must be

very talented.

Yeah, I don't think

we've had a top player since James

Wattana I think got into the top

four the rankings 20 years ago.

There's not been many. Lots of

players are coming from China. It's

great to see different nationalities

in the latter stages of these

tournaments.

Yeah, when Steve Davis and myself

went to mainland China back in 1985,

there were no Chinese players, we

played a couple of amateurs and they

couldn't even make a 20 break. Who

would have thought that just over 30

years later, there are so many top

players from that part of the world?

Meanwhile he's just got slightly out

of position here. But a very

difficult plant if he's going to

take but one. With that distance

between them, this is far from easy.

Very well played. Very well played

indeed. Cool as a cucumber so far.

Absolutely. Why not go for these

shots?

Speaking

shots?

Speaking to

shots?

Speaking to some

shots?

Speaking to some of

shots?

Speaking to some of the

shots?

Speaking to some of the players,

shots?

Speaking to some of the players,

everyone got the impression that he

was a very slow player, but... When

the game gets bogged down you can

perhaps slow up, but at the moment

it's a pretty decent pace he's

playing at. Wrong side of the blue.

Baulk cushion, touch of left-hand

side.

REFEREE: Foul. Sunny Akani, 34.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, four.

He'll feel

a lot better, having had that visit

to the table.

Played that as a shot to nothing.

He's got a good cue ball, as you can

see there. And he's covered the one

that's near the right corner pocket.

So, if he plays a safety shot here,

he's got to make sure he covers

that, so that Ronnie can't get to

it.

Well, that's a bit unlucky, because

he had covered it, but he's knocked

another one over the pocket, which

Ronnie can get through to.

Ronnie's

been paying some attention to his

cue tip for the last couple of

minutes.

He lost control of the cue ball

there.

Hike can't see there being a problem

with Ronnie's cue tip, he was in the

practice room for well over an hour

this afternoon. That's looks like a

beautiful tip to me.

This is a beautiful shot, it really

is.

It's very, very tight as to whether

he can get past the yellow just to

snake this red. He's had a look from

both ends. Just that little bit

sticking out, by the looks of it.

Yeah, well played. Very well played.

Just a little bit more pace and he

would have had the snooker behind

the yellow. With the green off its

spot, there's nothing over the right

side of the table as we look at it.

Well, Sunny has got a red if he

plays a shot-to-nothing to the

corner. But he has to be careful he

doesn't leave one to the other

corner. He needs to get a good few

ball here.

He's keeping it pretty tight.

Ronnie's not had anything to go for.

Similar shot here...

DENNIS TAYLOR: It's quite unusual

the way Sunny Akani gets down into

the striking position. It's quite

deliberate. I've never seen a player

do this. He is not slow by any

means, but it's just when he's

getting down into the striking

position, watch his little

mannerism.

Where is that red bowing to finish?

Where is that red bowing to finish?

STEPHEN HENDRY: Yeah, it's almost

like when he first took up snooker,

coach told him to do that, and he's

just kept on doing it.

If he takes

that pot on to the right middle

pocket, he's going to come up and

cannon into the pink, that's what

he's concerned about, otherwise he

would have already taken it on.

Just keeping things tight.

I'm not

sure what he played there. Whatever

it was, I'm sure he wasn't planning

to leave the cue ball there.

Now, have been told when he uses

this extension, he holds the cue

rather unorthodox. Now, that looks

very unusual. Never, ever seen that

before.

Itched just like the same grip that

you would normally hold the cue

with.

Whether Ronnie is not

concentrating, or he's edgy or

whatever, but he's yet to get post

to any pot he's taken on so far. --

yet to get close.

Yeah, maybe lost a

little bit of focus, because it's a

very scrappy opening frame, the way

the reds have finish up.

That's cost him a four points, ye

hasn't left anything, but...

He needs a thin contact. Wouldn't

want to hit it on the thick side, so

he doesn't mind giving four away

with the first attempt to.

The way this frame has panned out,

it's not a bad thing for Sunny

Akani. It's given him a chance to

acclimatise. This time, Ronnie DOES

hit it far too thick. And he can

take this red and get on the brown

and then back up for the red. So, in

a couple of shots' time, this Thai

player could have a decent opening.

Yeah, he's got an angle on the brown

to come off the side cushioned

hopefully disturb a few reds and the

black.

Yeah, the mannerisms he's

got, things like playing the rest

the way does, it can frustrate you

if you're sat in your chair watching

him, if you're not properly focused

on what you're there to do. That's

what happened with Barry Hawkins. I

think that's what Sunny Akani does,

speaking to the players - he makes

frames awkward.

Yeah, he wasn't too

far away from opening up the reds

and the there. Backer -- and the

black there. Again, most unusual.

When you think about it, you would

think it is quite sensible, because

you're playing the same way as when

you play a normal shot.

Well, I was

the worst in the world using the

rest - never even dreamt about

trying it that way!

REFEREE: Foul, and a miss, Sunny

Akani, four.

Well, the pot is on, but can he get

himself onto a colour? He could play

a screw back but he's not guaranteed

to be nicely on one. He's just

dropping it in. All this will do

will be to give him six extra

points.

He didn't even bother taking the six

points. He's got that nice

advantage, and he's decided just to

play it safe. He was even very

modest the way he turned around and

said to the referee, I'm playing the

pink. Well, this is going over the

corner pocket, but blew me come to

his rescue. -- the blue may come to

his rescue.

Even shots like refusing

that pink, it was an extra six

points for him, just those

unorthodox shots can just put your

opponent out of his comfort zone a

wee bit.

Can he see enough of this red?

Can he see enough of this red? I

think he might be able to.

He's a bit closer to the cushion for

comfort, but he can stun this in and

cannon on the black even would do.

Well played. He knocked the black

safe, but it's still an excellent

shot.

This green and the loose red would

leave Ronnie needing a snooker.

Doesn't want to force this.

And that has pushed the blue rather

awkward.

But just the one snooker needed.

APPLAUSE

That's the opening frame, that

terrific long pot.

And a nice little nudge on the red,

although it didn't really matter

with the frame well and truly over.

You have to say, Dennis, it's a very

impressive first frame. Hasn't

looked nervous at all.

Doesn't

matter about missing that red.

Ronnie stays in his seat. He did

very well, it was an awkward frame,

but he won it, leading Ronnie

O'Sullivan 1-0.

STUDIO: A cool customer, the

24-year-old from Thailand. Ronnie

had won the opening frames of all

his previous matches here at York.

But interesting alignment positions

from Sunny in the frame.

Nothing

wrong with these shots selection or

unorthodox about the selection. But

he puts out his bridge hand to line

up the cue before he gets into his

down position. He lines up the cue

very early in the position. Some

players don't get lined up until

they are down on the shop. That's

interesting is that the second

thing, he was close to the side

question. Was going to play a

stunning shot. He lined up as if

hitting the middle of the law and

then jacked up into the air. He got

into position first and then came up

to hit the bottom of the ball.

Sometimes you find it difficult to

get the middle of the line if you're

looking down. So he lined up and

then jacked up into the air. The

idea of the rest, he is using the

same cueing action, but the only

thing is, if he puts side spin on,

the cue has a lot more side spin on

it. That can be a bit difficult to

judge.

We go back. The forecast is

Sunny so far!

DENNIS TAYLOR: I love that, Hazel.

Delightful young man, and what a

start for him.

STEPHEN HENDRY:

it's a long time

since I have seen Ronnie O'Sullivan

make such an uncertain start to

match. Can't play a shot right at

the moment.

Good pot. Just letting the cue ball

drift. Solid pot. This black is

dangerous.

He's aiming down on the cue ball, so

we'll be making contact with the

reds. It's there.

They have never played each other,

these two players. I suppose Ronnie

wouldn't know that much about his

opponent. He certainly knows quite a

bit now.

That an attacking shop. Brilliant.

Absolutely stunning shot.

If Ronnie had played that, everybody

would be raving about it, saying,

what a player. Sunny knows the

shots.

What they can see has given himself

to win this second frame. -- what a

chance he has given himself.

Can bring the cue ball back for a

choice of pink or blue.

I think before this match started,

Dennis, most people were thinking

6-0, 6-1. Doesn't look like that at

the moment. I suppose 6-0, 6-1 the

other way!

As we mentioned, beat

Barry Hawkins 6-0.

It makes this match even more

intriguing now.

Doesn't do that routine at every

shot. I don't know what the criteria

was for them to do it. Certainly not

every shot where he does his

pre-shot routine.

He is cueing superbly well.

That was

a very delicate little touch there

to stay on the black.

And we've got a packed audience here

at the Barbican. The crowds have

been fantastic since the television

started on Saturday. They really

have come out in their droves here.

Most of them will not have seen this

young man play before. He got a

terrific reception when he was

introduced. He joined his hands

together, the Thailand tradition to

say hello. That's lovely to see.

Always looked to have a bit too much

angle on the blue to be able to

hold.

He has this red to the left

middle. Looks like he would need a

cushion, use a cushion in that shot

to gain good position. Just gets on

with it.

Terrific shot, it really was. Had to

find the gap and play this at pace.

Missed the red and found the gap

between yellow and brown. Excellent

positional shot.

His highest break in this year's

Betway UK championship was a break

of 79.

There is still a possible 67 on the

table. This medium pot on the red

will secure the second frame.

I keep on waiting for him to hit a

shot badly. The first frame or two

you might play above yourself, but

he looks so calm.

Faced with a tough red. What a start

for this young player from Thailand.

He takes the second frame. 2-0 to

Sunny Akani. HAZEL IRVINE: what a

story. Hector Nunn, all of the great

snooker writers, tweeted the other

day, on the first couple of

impressions, it's difficult not to

like Sunny Akani. Respectful and

calm, but also confident and very

cool.

He has what a lot of players

is imported, a pre-shot routine to

go through that makes every shot the

same. That's what you're trying to

do, really. You don't want to make

every shot different. It's the same

process of getting there. This

pre-shot routine might come even

more important. Line up the cue and

get down. Perhaps the next

generation will all stand up, then

go like that and have a little hair

clip.

That's the fashion,

definitely. We have seen it in other

sports. You mentioned Jason Day in

golf, a definite set routine before

he hits the ball. And somebody like

Marco Fu has always been deliberate

in how he addresses the shot.

You

want to have people who can play

with flair. And when players have

this pre-shot routine it looks more

like you are trying to be like a

machine, a robot. Unfortunately the

games of snooker and golf are

robotic games where you try to

compete all the time. Fortunately,

players off the table have some

personality, but when you play the

shots, for the people who like

watching snooker, they don't like

the players who seem methodical, but

the game lends itself to that.

It is

fascinating and its workings so far.

Back we go.

DENNIS TAYLOR: the break of shot put

the reds next to the black and it

has tied it up. As a potted a ball

for more than 25 minutes. -- hasn't

plotted a ball.

That's not a bad one to start with.

That's not a bad one to start with.

I was watching Sunny when his red

went in the middle. He was shaking

it, disappointed to have left it.

First scoring opportunity for Ronnie

O'Sullivan.

GROANS FROM CROWD

GROANS FROM CROWD

Unexpected miss. He had the perfect

angle on the blue to then try to

bring some more reds into play. The

red catching the right to the jaw.

That was quite an attacking shop.

Just played a safety shot, but

wanted to bring the black into play.

Didn't envisage leaving this red.

If this runs on and he is on the

yellow, knowing Ronnie O'Sullivan,

he would go straight into the bunch

of reds and open the game up as much

as possible here. He caught the pink

first. Can still pot the red near

the right-hand corner. I think he

has a slight angle.

He's got enough angle. He can go to

the same pocket.

The two reds above the pink, stun to

the left one.

Played this to perfection.

Was very

unlucky. As we show you how the reds

ended up. The White went a little

off, but this was a stretch for

Ronnie and he needs a bit of action

on the cue ball. And he's got it.

All of a sudden, a great chance.

It takes a while, but The Rocket has

lifted off.

If you are Sunny Akani, this is what

you expect will happen when Ronnie

gets in. No point dwelling on it.

You are expecting to just look

forward to the next frame. Get ready

to take any chance that comes your

way.

A bit like the 80s and 90s, playing

Steve Davis, you make a mistake, sit

down and get ready for the next

frame. Same thing with Stephen

Hendrie in the 90s. One mistake, and

the number of times you sit out and

just get ready for the next frame.

Certainly doesn't take him long to

win a frame, does it? Already 53

ahead. Not that many more pots away

from getting his first frame on the

board.

Not going to be easy to make the

century break. Playing on to the

difficult red this time. He has had

three so far this year in the UK

Championship. 132 is his highest.

Made 50 centuries last season. He is

some 35 this season. 909 in his

career.

This has just looked inevitable from

almost the first shot. As soon as he

got that pack opened. We knew what

was going to happen.

I don't think Ronnie can believe

that yellow went in.

The 84th century in this year's

Betway UK Championship, coming just

at the right time because the young

player from Thailand asked a big

question of Ronnie O'Sullivan,

winning the two opening frames. This

has been his response. Typical

Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Very entertaining stuff indeed.

Very entertaining stuff indeed.

STUDIO: The 104th century Ronnie has

made in the UK championship, just

one behind the all-time record held

by a certain Stephen Hendry. 124

centuries in 25 years of playing.

Another record in jeopardy. As

indeed are other records held by you

and Stephen Hendry. He's trying to

equal your tally of six UK titles.

He's getting there now.

Who can

judge? Possibly Ronnie's five in the

UK championship in the modern-day

game is stronger than my six in the

80s. The overall standard is higher,

that's my personal opinion and not

everyone agrees. And Ronnie has five

World Championships in a crowded

marketplace. He's just a brilliant

player. A good frame to win. Doesn't

matter how much the other guy may

not be able to get over the line, we

don't know how that will pan out,

but he has put paid to a lot of

great players' chances so far this

tournament, including Barry Hawkins,

Fergal O'Brien, Michael Holt. They

are great scallops. This would be

another one.

We will be going off

the air at eight o'clock. We will be

carrying on behind the red button.

But we will enjoy the last few

minutes of the on air transmission

this evening. It's been a really

interesting start to the match so

far, hasn't it, boys?

far, hasn't it, boys? STEPHEN

HENDRY:

absolutely, Hazel. The

contrast in the two styles has been

very interesting. The one player at

the table, totally natural. The

player sitting down, Sunny Akani,

has obviously been heavily coached

in his technique.

Taking his time here. Three or four

reds available.

Just left it a little awkward.

Having to cut it back now. Nicely

played. A little bit too far to take

on the yellow and into the reds like

he did in the previous frame. Went

on to make a magnificent break. But

he has a couple of loose reds here.

That's a nice want to get on, the

one behind the black.

Fabulous

positional shot there. Made it look

so easy. Deliberately finished low

on this red. It's between the black

and the pack. Choice of playing this

with top spin or screw. I think he

will probably play the screw back.

Easier to control the cue ball, I

feel.

STUDIO: The scores might be heading

to 2-2. A little taster tonight with

quarterfinal places on the line.

Coverage continuing on the website

and behind the red button. Mark

Joyce from Walsall is carried 2-0 up

on Lyu Haotian on the other table.

We will be back with highlights

later. From Steve Davis and myself,

catch you again soon.