Quarter-Final - Part 1

0:00:35 > 0:00:40A cold one today with snow showers, just in time for the run-up to

0:00:40 > 0:00:47Christmas but in the Barbican centre last night it was very sunny, thanks

0:00:47 > 0:00:52to the stylish 22-year-old player from Thailand, Sunny Akani, who

0:00:52 > 0:00:58almost toppled The Rocket Ronnie O'Sullivan taking him through to a

0:00:58 > 0:01:02final frame decider and afterwards Ronnie said he felt like he had

0:01:02 > 0:01:05robbed him and yet the Rocket scrambled over the line and is in

0:01:05 > 0:01:10the running to lift the trophy for a record equalling sixth time and also

0:01:10 > 0:01:22in the running are these guys in today's quarterfinals.

0:01:37 > 0:01:51# If you're ready.

0:02:00 > 0:02:09# If you're ready.

0:02:15 > 0:02:19Not perhaps the line-up for the quarterfinals we expected?Not at

0:02:19 > 0:02:24all, but we have Mark Joyce in there. He has been in good form this

0:02:24 > 0:02:29season and a vindication of the modern game, Mark Joyce when he beat

0:02:29 > 0:02:34Neil Robertson, and he came back with more and he was so impressive

0:02:34 > 0:02:39and that is the way the game is. I am still on the tour and I see this

0:02:39 > 0:02:48and it is no surprise to me.A lot of big seeds out and I was asked

0:02:48 > 0:02:54last night with his match against Sunny Akani, I was asked who could

0:02:54 > 0:02:59beat him I said perhaps Shaun Murphy but it could have been Sunny Akani.

0:02:59 > 0:03:03It is well-documented. He does seven, eight hours a day on the

0:03:03 > 0:03:08practice table and he does not do that to come and views. He was

0:03:08 > 0:03:14playing Ronnie, a big hero of his, but he had no fear. He charmed the

0:03:14 > 0:03:19Barbican last night, which was great to see.You see the lower ranked

0:03:19 > 0:03:22players coming through on the tour and know how much of a gap there is

0:03:22 > 0:03:29between them and top ranked players, surely the gap is smaller?It

0:03:29 > 0:03:35definitely is. Sunny Akani is ranked 84 and numbers do not mean anything.

0:03:35 > 0:03:41You are either a 64 seed or you are not, so one outside will play one

0:03:41 > 0:03:49inside but anyone can beat anyone and two of the top 16, being in the

0:03:49 > 0:04:00last rounds here is almost unheard of.Coming up this afternoon...

0:04:00 > 0:04:06Ronnie stepping out in his 60s UK quarterfinal in 25 years. Can Martin

0:04:06 > 0:04:10Gould step up against in? The world number 18 meeting Ronnie for the

0:04:10 > 0:04:15first time in a triple crown event today. 13 years since Stephen

0:04:15 > 0:04:21Maguire blazed a trail to this title but he is smouldering again in York.

0:04:21 > 0:04:25Can gentlemen Joe Perry douse his flames? Joe Perry made the Masters

0:04:25 > 0:04:33finals. Another strong run in a snooker major. We are sitting up

0:04:33 > 0:04:38straight today because the gaffer is in the house, Barry Hearn, welcome.

0:04:38 > 0:04:44Did you see Sunny Akani's valiant attempt against Ronnie O'Sullivan?I

0:04:44 > 0:04:49was dropping off to sleep but it was so exciting it kept me up. I came

0:04:49 > 0:04:54back from Vegas yesterday and could not take my eyes off it.I wonder if

0:04:54 > 0:05:00Barry Hawkins, who Sunny Akani thrashed 6-0, he is probably feeling

0:05:00 > 0:05:05better today.Players are selfish and he will look at that and think,

0:05:05 > 0:05:12maybe I was not too bad.It was not just Barry Hawkins, Michael Holt and

0:05:12 > 0:05:17Fergal O'Brien have felt his raff. Hopefully we will see more of him on

0:05:17 > 0:05:22our screens.He charmed everyone. Absolutely superb. More on the

0:05:22 > 0:05:26championship shortly but Barry, you are here also because you have big

0:05:26 > 0:05:32news.I have great news and I am excited about it. Snooker has done

0:05:32 > 0:05:36really well the past few years and we have had a great time

0:05:36 > 0:05:42revitalising the game. We finally agreed a new extension to the BBC

0:05:42 > 0:05:47contract. It has been going for ever and we are part of the fabric of BBC

0:05:47 > 0:05:51Sport and we have announced a new deal to extend the current contract

0:05:51 > 0:05:57by another five years, a minimum of six and a half years to go. One of

0:05:57 > 0:06:02the fastest growing sports in the world, which is in this age of

0:06:02 > 0:06:07linear television, most sports are seeing declining audiences and we

0:06:07 > 0:06:11are bucking the trend. Snooker audiences, especially with great

0:06:11 > 0:06:16events like this, our fabulous. The numbers do not live. The

0:06:16 > 0:06:21relationship between World Snooker And the BBC is a fundamental part of

0:06:21 > 0:06:26our growth plans and it has been the rock we have built the industry

0:06:26 > 0:06:30around and we are happy we will be with you a lot longer. You are in

0:06:30 > 0:06:37the job, I am in a job, the boys get to work, everybody is happy. The

0:06:37 > 0:06:41opportunity created for sports men and women all over the world has

0:06:41 > 0:06:48been strengthened by this relationship and I am delighted to

0:06:48 > 0:06:51be part of it.It has been on the BBC since 1969. This is the triple

0:06:51 > 0:06:59crown events free to air until 2024. Ronnie O'Sullivan will be almost 50

0:06:59 > 0:07:03and Alan and Steve Davis will be looking the same. Why was it

0:07:03 > 0:07:09important to nail this deal?It is a long deal and my feeling is as I get

0:07:09 > 0:07:13older, the legacy of what we are trying to build, to encourage people

0:07:13 > 0:07:18to play snooker, to reward those who are successful and give opportunity

0:07:18 > 0:07:24to people from all around the world, it is not just a British game, it is

0:07:24 > 0:07:30a global sport, but you need the bedrock, the solid foundation and

0:07:30 > 0:07:33what we have done is tie-up long-term deals with chosen

0:07:33 > 0:07:40partners. A ten year deal with CCTV in China. Sport does not get 10-year

0:07:40 > 0:07:45deals and we have it. The BBC who has been there from the beginning,

0:07:45 > 0:07:51and when I got involved it was watching Pot Black on BBC in

0:07:51 > 0:07:58black-and-white. When the Nugget won, the greatest day of my sporting

0:07:58 > 0:08:02life, 18 and a half million. It has created moments we will look back on

0:08:02 > 0:08:09our deathbed and remember and now we have a five-year extension. It is a

0:08:09 > 0:08:13friendship, relationship that has been built on the basis we have both

0:08:13 > 0:08:18delivered what each other's needs. We have delivered ratings, the BBC

0:08:18 > 0:08:22have given us the bedrock of the sport to say to the world these are

0:08:22 > 0:08:28the greatest players in the world, it is free to air and everyone can

0:08:28 > 0:08:33access this free of charge on the BBC and that is where we have built

0:08:33 > 0:08:40our business from. It has expanded around the world and we have seen

0:08:40 > 0:08:45prize money Grove. We are getting 500 million for the World Snooker

0:08:45 > 0:08:50Championships. This does not come by mistake. It is a part of the plan

0:08:50 > 0:08:54and the integral part of the plan is the relationship with the BBC and we

0:08:54 > 0:08:59wanted to make the statement we are here to stay, these are our partners

0:08:59 > 0:09:03and we will build the sport to levels we have not seen before.And

0:09:03 > 0:09:10I have to take the side of the fans sometimes in this argument and that

0:09:10 > 0:09:17is, with the profile, 65 network hours this week for snooker on BBC

0:09:17 > 0:09:21Two, something sticks in the crore of fans, no Mark Selby nominated at

0:09:21 > 0:09:24Sports Personality Of The Year and Ronnie O'Sullivan has never been

0:09:24 > 0:09:31nominated. What is going on and what is your view? It is an independent

0:09:31 > 0:09:37panel, not just a BBC decision. Is it a reflection of the perception of

0:09:37 > 0:09:41snooker Amond sporting audience?I think you have got to sack the

0:09:41 > 0:09:46panel! In any business, if you do not listen, and as a promoter I have

0:09:46 > 0:09:53to listen to my audience. I have to entertain. I cannot just make

0:09:53 > 0:09:57decisions that have no commercial value or do not entertain people.

0:09:57 > 0:10:02This panel, and they are independent, they must be from

0:10:02 > 0:10:07another planet. The fact that a genius like Ronnie O'Sullivan has

0:10:07 > 0:10:11not been nominated means sack the panel. Because they are not

0:10:11 > 0:10:17listening to what the public says. We are seeing TV audiences decline

0:10:17 > 0:10:22in virtually every sport at the moment, other than the snooker. The

0:10:22 > 0:10:26world champion has not been nominated. I am not criticising

0:10:26 > 0:10:31those who have been nominated, they are there on merit, but you have to

0:10:31 > 0:10:36listen. You cannot go off on a tangent and do what maybe is

0:10:36 > 0:10:41politically correct, makes you feel all look good. I know there are a

0:10:41 > 0:10:47lot of deserving cases but you cannot... We do not produce enough

0:10:47 > 0:10:49geniuses in the sporting world to explore a talent like Ronnie

0:10:49 > 0:10:57O'Sullivan. It is stupid beyond belief. It is not the BBC's fault.

0:10:57 > 0:11:03You have three members on a 15 man panel. My advice, we sack the panel

0:11:03 > 0:11:08and start again.You talk about Ronnie O'Sullivan as a personality

0:11:08 > 0:11:12and he is that. He has had a lot to say and the last topic, he has

0:11:12 > 0:11:26talked about numpties. It has been tongue in cheek but it has produced

0:11:26 > 0:11:30what is called as the numpty revolution.You could take the high

0:11:30 > 0:11:35ground and say it is disrespectful but the numpties, which I do not

0:11:35 > 0:11:40believe they are. They have had their final say. We have seen some

0:11:40 > 0:11:45amazing snooker. Sport is about giving opportunity to everybody and

0:11:45 > 0:11:49the only criterion is the ability of the individual. The players have

0:11:49 > 0:11:56spoken. The results are what we see. Two off the top 16 in the

0:11:56 > 0:12:00quarterfinals. This is a great time to be a snooker player and the

0:12:00 > 0:12:04opportunity to change your life is there if you have the ability. What

0:12:04 > 0:12:09we are seeing despite Ronnie's tongue in cheek comments, as Allen

0:12:09 > 0:12:16said earlier, there is no gimmes in this game. They can all play and we

0:12:16 > 0:12:23are seeing it every round of every event.Barry, always a pleasure and

0:12:23 > 0:12:28fascinating to talk. He always has a lot to say, doesn't he? Thank you

0:12:28 > 0:12:34for keeping snooker free to air. Thank you for the airtime. Well, it

0:12:34 > 0:12:40was Sunny Akani who put the frighteners on Ronnie O'Sullivan

0:12:40 > 0:12:44last night and I wonder if he will get a scare from Martin Gould. This

0:12:44 > 0:12:44is

0:12:44 > 0:12:50get a scare from Martin Gould. This is the head-to-head. Ronnie has won

0:12:50 > 0:12:54all previous matches but this is the first time they have met in one of

0:12:54 > 0:12:59the treasured triple crown events. We have two quarterfinals and we are

0:12:59 > 0:13:03looking at Stephen Maguire against Joe Perry. A lot to get our teeth

0:13:03 > 0:13:03into

0:13:03 > 0:13:09Joe Perry. A lot to get our teeth into and it is time for Rob Walker.

0:13:09 > 0:13:12Good afternoon, it is quarterfinal time at the UK Championship and we

0:13:12 > 0:13:17are edging towards the business end of the tournament and we have four

0:13:17 > 0:13:22proven ranking event winners waiting in the wings ready to go toe to toe

0:13:22 > 0:13:25for a place in this year's semifinals.

0:13:25 > 0:13:35CHEERING

0:13:41 > 0:13:46Please welcome first of all, a player making his first appearance

0:13:46 > 0:13:52in a UK quarterfinal in nine years. Here after an excellent victory over

0:13:52 > 0:13:56Mark Allen in the fourth round. The players championship winner a couple

0:13:56 > 0:14:12of years ago. From Cambridge, he is the gentleman, Joe Perry.

0:14:17 > 0:14:21MUSIC: Happy. His opponent, a player who often

0:14:21 > 0:14:31produces his best in the UK Championship. He is always so

0:14:31 > 0:14:35excited, maybe because he knows Santa is coming later in the month.

0:14:35 > 0:14:44He won this one in 2004. He is Stephen V Maverick Maguire.

0:14:51 > 0:14:53-- Stephen Maguire, the Maverick.

0:14:58 > 0:15:01On table one, please welcome a player making his second

0:15:01 > 0:15:07quarterfinal in York in three years, semifinalist at the international

0:15:07 > 0:15:13championship in China last year's German Masters winner, Martin Gould.

0:15:30 > 0:15:38And finally, after 25 years in the sport, he is still snooker's box

0:15:38 > 0:15:45office draw, surviving a spirited performance from Sunny Akani to book

0:15:45 > 0:15:53a 16th UK Championship quarterfinal. The Rocket, Ronnie O'Sullivan.

0:15:53 > 0:16:01MUSIC: Rock 'n' Roll Star by Oasis

0:16:01 > 0:16:09HAZEL IRVINE: Two watchable quarterfinals and we will stick with

0:16:09 > 0:16:13table one but we will catch up with the events on the other table this

0:16:13 > 0:16:16afternoon but if you want to watch that match, it is on the red button

0:16:16 > 0:16:24and both games are available via the BBC Sport website. John Parrott and

0:16:24 > 0:16:28Stephen Hendry are in the box. Stephen Hendry, do you have your

0:16:28 > 0:16:29breath back after

0:16:29 > 0:16:29Stephen Hendry, do you have your breath back after commentating on

0:16:29 > 0:16:37that amazing match last night? COMMENTATOR: What a match. It is

0:16:37 > 0:16:43awhile since I have seen so much drama in an early round of a major

0:16:43 > 0:16:50championship. John, I get the feeling sometimes, when you almost

0:16:50 > 0:16:54went out of the tournament, you should have gone out possibly, you

0:16:54 > 0:16:59tend to play better next day.You can look back on tournaments you win

0:16:59 > 0:17:03and see the first round matches and think I should have gone there, my

0:17:03 > 0:17:09opponent got a kick at the end and I managed to win, and you can get a

0:17:09 > 0:17:14boost from it. I know you expect him to fly today. We were talking before

0:17:14 > 0:17:19we came on air that we thought we would get a big performance today.

0:17:25 > 0:17:32REFEREE: Foul and a miss. I have never seen Ronnie as rattled

0:17:32 > 0:17:42as last night. At some stages, his head was gone. He could not buy a

0:17:42 > 0:17:47positional shot, which, for him, is incredible. Interesting to see if

0:17:47 > 0:17:50Martin Gould, who did not play well yesterday, can put him under

0:17:50 > 0:17:52pressure.

0:18:11 > 0:18:17A change of plan. Did not play on the loose red at the back. He may

0:18:17 > 0:18:23have left a cut in the corner. Bridging is the problem that there

0:18:23 > 0:18:30is a chance. He could play at thin to the other side and the only reds

0:18:30 > 0:18:35you could leave is the one you have taken.

0:18:51 > 0:18:57A nice opening pot. This was awkward. Martin today has nothing to

0:18:57 > 0:18:59lose. Not many expect him to win.

0:19:02 > 0:19:08He is a player who quite enjoys the big occasion. He enjoys playing top

0:19:08 > 0:19:15players.He has beaten all of them, I was going to say, but the one he

0:19:15 > 0:19:23has not beaten is Ronnie O'Sullivan. Almost everybody else you care to

0:19:23 > 0:19:29mention he has beaten at some point in his career. He is game, he loves

0:19:29 > 0:19:35a battle. People get his snooker cue out and play anyone. What I would

0:19:35 > 0:19:39say about yesterday's match, while it was not pretty against Xiao

0:19:39 > 0:19:42Guodong, he produced his best when he needed the most.

0:19:47 > 0:19:49That always does your confidence a bit of good.

0:20:04 > 0:20:09An obvious thing to say, but this is not what you want to do against

0:20:09 > 0:20:12Ronnie O'Sullivan. Leave him right in with an easy opener.

0:20:20 > 0:20:24It looked like he got pre-possessed with the cannon rather than

0:20:24 > 0:20:31concentrating on the priority which of course is always knocking the

0:20:31 > 0:20:32ball in the hole.

0:20:39 > 0:20:46Maybe he will not fly today. I think you missed two blues last night.

0:20:46 > 0:20:52Certainly in the final frame. Off the spot. Which as I said in

0:20:52 > 0:20:57commentary, the one he missed last night reminded me of Willie

0:20:57 > 0:21:00Thorne's.And that is you getting a text message!

0:21:22 > 0:21:24Neither player has settled down just yet.

0:21:47 > 0:21:51There is huge expectation from everyone for Ronnie O'Sullivan to

0:21:51 > 0:21:55win this UK Championship and probably from himself. He has yet to

0:21:55 > 0:22:00play anyone in the top 16 in the draw, so every match, the pressure

0:22:00 > 0:22:07is on him to play well. Sometimes, it can force you to not be

0:22:07 > 0:22:13concentrating properly. You see the draw and you think, I should win

0:22:13 > 0:22:15this championship. It does not work out like that.

0:22:30 > 0:22:34That was a nice positional shot. He could play into the bunch from this

0:22:34 > 0:22:35blue.

0:22:42 > 0:22:47It is the way he thinks about making breaks that is fabulous. How many

0:22:47 > 0:22:52would have screwed back to leave the gap for the blue and now he has the

0:22:52 > 0:23:00cannon and another chip up for a baulk colour. And what a chance, he

0:23:00 > 0:23:06has opened up the reds. Just by thinking about the shot for the

0:23:06 > 0:23:10screw back to the blue. It is just another level from some of the other

0:23:10 > 0:23:13players when it comes to break building.

0:23:26 > 0:23:30And he's got the quiff back today. He had a flat hairstyle last night.

0:23:36 > 0:23:44He has just come slightly awkward. He would have liked to have been

0:23:44 > 0:23:48straight to run through for the black sews change of plan. Perhaps a

0:23:48 > 0:23:52little stun around the back.

0:24:28 > 0:24:36You were right, John, the expected message from Willie Thorne.I cannot

0:24:36 > 0:24:40repeat what he said. It was not too complimentary will stop I hope you

0:24:40 > 0:24:43are well, pal.

0:24:53 > 0:25:00He decided to put the cue ball into an area... Well, he is OK. He cannot

0:25:00 > 0:25:04stay on the black.

0:25:34 > 0:25:39This break has been made by this shot earlier. What thinking to come

0:25:39 > 0:25:47back and play in the gap for the blue. Fabulous. It was awkward

0:25:47 > 0:25:55start. The balls were in the open but he was slightly off position.

0:25:55 > 0:26:01You might be right comic he may be flying today. -- he might be right,

0:26:01 > 0:26:11he may be flying today.Martin Gould had a half chance but sometimes when

0:26:11 > 0:26:14you are playing Ronnie O'Sullivan, those are the ones you have to take,

0:26:14 > 0:26:19half chances. If you are sitting in the chair waiting for easy chances,

0:26:19 > 0:26:22you might be there a long time.

0:27:20 > 0:27:24Already passed the point, you would think of winning the frame. Just

0:27:24 > 0:27:32making absolutely certain. Very fluent. A surprising miss early on.

0:27:32 > 0:27:37The blue on the spot. I bet he could not believe he would be back at the

0:27:37 > 0:27:40table that quickly. An excellent break.

0:27:46 > 0:27:50Already sending a message to Martin Gould, if you miss, this is what is

0:27:50 > 0:27:52going to happen.

0:27:56 > 0:28:02Normally you would say the reds or in a bad position for right-handed

0:28:02 > 0:28:10player, but it does not apply here. You can drop it in dead weight.

0:28:23 > 0:28:33So much for dead weight. He rolled it in beautifully. What an asset, to

0:28:33 > 0:28:39be able to switch to left-handed and drop it in like that. If he makes a

0:28:39 > 0:28:42century it will be the fifth of this year's championship.

0:28:46 > 0:28:53And in the tournament so far, there has been 85. As you would expect

0:28:53 > 0:28:56with the best players and lovely conditions and the extended run out

0:28:56 > 0:29:03of best of 11s, the boys are certainly knocking in plenty of

0:29:03 > 0:29:18balls. Just this blue for century 908 11 in in his career. -- 911 stop

0:29:18 > 0:29:19there it is.

0:29:23 > 0:29:34The crowd enjoying that.

0:29:36 > 0:29:41He will not take the black, that is enough. Despite missing the blue, he

0:29:41 > 0:29:46makes a century of 107 and takes a 1-0 lead over Martin Gould.

0:29:46 > 0:29:49makes a century of 107 and takes a 1-0 lead over Martin Gould.

0:29:49 > 0:29:55Highly significant because that is his 105th century in this

0:29:55 > 0:29:59championship over the past 25 years, equalling the record held by Stephen

0:29:59 > 0:30:06Hendry, sale he is equalling and indeed going beyond records in his

0:30:06 > 0:30:12career. A gift for Martin

0:30:12 > 0:30:13indeed going beyond records in his career. A gift for Martin.

0:30:13 > 0:30:13indeed going beyond records in his career. A gift for Martin.He

0:30:13 > 0:30:18struggled at time. He had no business playing this red, Martin

0:30:18 > 0:30:24Gould. He wants to settle into the match. That is probably a one intend

0:30:24 > 0:30:29to get back. Do not leave Ronnie Casey setup. We know how quickly he

0:30:29 > 0:30:36gets into his cueing. -- do not leave Ronnie O'Sullivan a setup. He

0:30:36 > 0:30:40played the blue, beautiful angle. Stephen Hendry said he would be into

0:30:40 > 0:30:47the pack. Without hesitating. They split beautifully. The point is not

0:30:47 > 0:30:48to give him encouragement. Martin Gould has got to tighten

0:30:48 > 0:30:52to give him encouragement. Martin Gould has got to tighten up.Is

0:30:52 > 0:30:56Martin potentially to feel the backlash from Ronnie O'Sullivan

0:30:56 > 0:31:01after last night's win.Possibly. Martin Gould plays an aggressive

0:31:01 > 0:31:05game and perhaps that was not the time to do it. But the work-out

0:31:05 > 0:31:09Ronnie got against Sunny Akani, and straight back on the table, means he

0:31:09 > 0:31:10is in stroke.

0:31:15 > 0:31:16Back to the play, and frame two.

0:31:16 > 0:31:24Back to the play, and frame two. COMMENTATOR: Both of those matches,

0:31:24 > 0:31:33Michael Georgiou, and Michael White, Ronnie didn't get anything too

0:31:33 > 0:31:36strenuous in those matches, not playing as good as they are capable

0:31:36 > 0:31:46of.

0:31:48 > 0:31:52Obviously Martin didn't hear Alan. He has obviously decided to come out

0:31:52 > 0:31:58and attack, go for his shots, Martin Gould, and I am not going to see

0:31:58 > 0:32:04that as a bad way of playing. I mean, he could come out and try to

0:32:04 > 0:32:08keep Ronnie it and still get beat 6-0, so what is the right way to

0:32:08 > 0:32:20play? Do you want to go out attacking?The only right way, when

0:32:20 > 0:32:24you play against O'Sullivan, don't miss, simple as that. I don't blame

0:32:24 > 0:32:30him taking on a couple. Certainly with Alan for the first one, that

0:32:30 > 0:32:34middle pocket was always fraught with danger if you didn't knock it

0:32:34 > 0:32:39in so early in the match. Such a test against O'Sullivan. If you play

0:32:39 > 0:32:42good safety, he can match you. If you score well, you can match you.

0:32:42 > 0:32:47The only real solution to it all, you just can't afford to miss. That

0:32:47 > 0:32:51is the level he plays it. When your chance comes, you have to go to

0:32:51 > 0:32:58work, and it is tough to do.

0:33:24 > 0:33:28Already looks more focused, more calm, almost subdued in his manner

0:33:28 > 0:33:34around the table. Last night, his opponent definitely got him at it,

0:33:34 > 0:33:41he was very agitated. A lot of headshaking going on.

0:33:52 > 0:34:00Going into these here?I don't think so.

0:34:00 > 0:34:07But I think definitely do the right of these two reds, the blue, then

0:34:07 > 0:34:15full in the face into the pink. Maybe he feels like going into the

0:34:15 > 0:34:19black. There are a couple of reds below the pink, a couple that look

0:34:19 > 0:34:22they are going towards the corner, Eddie he has already seen those and

0:34:22 > 0:34:25doesn't want to go into the pack from the blue. Definitely going into

0:34:25 > 0:34:33the here. -- perhaps he has already seen those. You always want to go

0:34:33 > 0:34:37into the pack when at least one of those reds can give you a bit of

0:34:37 > 0:34:41insurance. That is the one he is on.Never

0:34:41 > 0:34:44quite understand players, and talking about some professionals,

0:34:44 > 0:34:49who cherry pick out all the reds and don't give themselves any option. If

0:34:49 > 0:34:54you take away the loose reds getaway and open up the pack, and there is a

0:34:54 > 0:35:05lose red available, giving yourself a better chance to make a break. A

0:35:05 > 0:35:09little low on this, probably what he wants just to move a few more reds

0:35:09 > 0:35:17out. It sounded a little heavy, but it is

0:35:17 > 0:35:23OK.

0:35:48 > 0:35:53I see what you mean about his look, Stephen, he is in his office today,

0:35:53 > 0:35:59that's for sure. He looks very focused.

0:36:18 > 0:36:23Now, starting to look inevitable. It will be two centuries out of the

0:36:23 > 0:36:29first two frames.

0:36:35 > 0:36:38If there was not a great deal of pressure on Martin Gould, there is

0:36:38 > 0:36:46now. Already, you know, 2-0 behind, hardly had his hand on the table.

0:36:46 > 0:36:49One poor choice of shot in the middle in the first frame, and

0:36:49 > 0:36:55that's about it. Given that loose red he started his frame with, but

0:36:55 > 0:36:59in no time at all you don't feel you are involved in a match and you are

0:36:59 > 0:37:04too- zero behind.Yes, I suppose the only positive way Martin Gould can

0:37:04 > 0:37:08look at it, this is exactly what you expect Ronnie to do. It is not as if

0:37:08 > 0:37:14it is a shot. Coming to the end, thinking if I let Ronnie in the

0:37:14 > 0:37:17balls, you will clear up. And as you said, when he gets a chance, he has

0:37:17 > 0:37:28to take it.

0:37:31 > 0:37:34You can come up with all the theories you like on how to beat

0:37:34 > 0:37:38Ronnie, but the only solution is you just have to play exceptionally

0:37:38 > 0:37:43well, like Mark Selby did in the final last year, beating him 10-8 in

0:37:43 > 0:37:46an absolute classic. Boy, did Mark Selby play well in

0:37:46 > 0:37:50that match. But that is what you have to do if you're going to beat

0:37:50 > 0:37:56him.A possible 145, will be difficult, with this red, the way

0:37:56 > 0:38:07the last two reds our position. 142 to beat. Michael White, who Ronnie

0:38:07 > 0:38:11beat earlier on in the tournament, holds that record at the moment.

0:38:11 > 0:38:15Yes, on how to beat Ronnie, and other way is to do something

0:38:15 > 0:38:23different. APPLAUSE

0:38:23 > 0:38:31The century comes up. Awesome start. Sunny Akani's shot choice was very

0:38:31 > 0:38:34unorthodox, the shots he was going for an plane, his style of play, and

0:38:34 > 0:38:42I think it knocked Ronnie out of his comfort zone. If Martin is just

0:38:42 > 0:38:46going to take on pots and miss, it will be a very quick afternoon.

0:38:46 > 0:38:56APPLAUSE

0:38:56 > 0:39:07This is tremendous stuff.

0:39:09 > 0:39:15Well, no total clearance... APPLAUSE

0:39:15 > 0:39:22He leads Martin Gould two frames to nil.

0:39:22 > 0:39:26HAZEL IRVINE: Stephen Hendry waves goodbye to another of his records,

0:39:26 > 0:39:30because Benitez, the all-time century maker in this official

0:39:30 > 0:39:34championship is Ronnie O'Sullivan and let's be honest, Steve, Martin

0:39:34 > 0:39:38Gould not making much headway with this all-out attack plan?Everyday

0:39:38 > 0:39:40is a different day from

0:39:40 > 0:39:40this all-out attack plan?Everyday is a different day from Ronnie's

0:39:40 > 0:39:43perspective but Martin Gould would have hoped to get off to better

0:39:43 > 0:39:48start than his last match, where it was a pretty poor standard yesterday

0:39:48 > 0:39:53but as Alan said, half from him, but the half chances Martin Gould will

0:39:53 > 0:39:57get, he has to take, as Stephen mentioned, and if he misses them he

0:39:57 > 0:40:01knows he is dead and buried. Ronnie O'Sullivan looks a different animal

0:40:01 > 0:40:06today.Absolutely, I was going to say. Completely different from last

0:40:06 > 0:40:09May?Absolutely, but as I said at the end of the first frame you just

0:40:09 > 0:40:13can't give him a gift like that, early doors. Make him work for it.

0:40:13 > 0:40:26Don't play a red where you are only going to pot one in ten. Two down,

0:40:26 > 0:40:28they will be feeling terrible and Ronnie has his dander up.It was

0:40:28 > 0:40:30interesting last night because Ronnie did look a little out of

0:40:30 > 0:40:33sorts and uncomfortable out there when an unknown quantity, a younger

0:40:33 > 0:40:35player coming onto the scene, started to cause them problems.

0:40:35 > 0:40:40Someone in a hurry!The situation he found himself in was one of getting

0:40:40 > 0:40:43over the line for the crowd got behind him. Today is different. He

0:40:43 > 0:40:47is playing Martin Gould and he knows what Martin Gould is capable of and

0:40:47 > 0:40:50I don't think Martin Gould scares him much.It is interesting because

0:40:50 > 0:40:53Stephen Hendry made a good point in commentary last night, it is all

0:40:53 > 0:40:58very well clearing up to win silverware, but different pressure

0:40:58 > 0:41:02when you're clearing up to stay in a match against the world number 84, a

0:41:02 > 0:41:08position he is not used to, let's be honest?Yes, I agree with Doctor

0:41:08 > 0:41:12Mackie knows what Martin Gould has got the tools he has, and Martin

0:41:12 > 0:41:17Gould will not handle him, giving gifts like that, as I see -- I agree

0:41:17 > 0:41:21with Stephen, he knows what Martin Gould has got. When he is in this

0:41:21 > 0:41:29mood it is dangerous times.Watch out, Martin. Back we go...

0:41:29 > 0:41:35mood it is dangerous times.Watch out, Martin. Back we go... John JOHN

0:41:35 > 0:41:39PARROTT: All big frames, we know, in this championship, but this one is a

0:41:39 > 0:41:49massive one.

0:42:10 > 0:42:16He has a shot to nothing here, Martin. Wasn't close, certainly

0:42:16 > 0:42:20wasn't with the one he attempted in the last frame. Has to get closer

0:42:20 > 0:42:32than this, and he has it that far too thick. -- hit that far too

0:42:32 > 0:42:37thick.

0:42:41 > 0:42:50APPLAUSE Once again Martin's made a cardinal

0:42:50 > 0:42:57sin there, just not in any trouble, unforced error, got Ronnie straight

0:42:57 > 0:43:04back in again, just far too thick on that attempted red. STEPHEN HENDRY:

0:43:04 > 0:43:05These are the sort of visits

0:43:05 > 0:43:05that attempted red. STEPHEN HENDRY: These are the sort of visits to

0:43:05 > 0:43:10table with Ronnie O'Sullivan. Great to see how he will eventually get

0:43:10 > 0:43:17that back on the spot and carry it on and make the century break. I

0:43:17 > 0:43:22think the record amount for centuries was by one player, Fergal

0:43:22 > 0:43:27brown, last year, definitely made four, possibly five.I think he did.

0:43:27 > 0:43:39I was calling him five-ton Fergal for the rest of the week. It was

0:43:39 > 0:43:54definitely that.You can see Ronnie making three or four.

0:44:08 > 0:44:19Just got

0:44:20 > 0:44:25passed, straight on the blue. He can open some reds up here.

0:44:30 > 0:44:35Pretty much perfect. Maybe an inch to the right would

0:44:35 > 0:44:42have been ideal, but he has to get into this cue ball a bit more, more

0:44:42 > 0:44:53angle on it, make sure and political act towards the blue. -- make sure

0:44:53 > 0:44:59and pull it back towards the blue.

0:45:32 > 0:45:40Would be handy to get the pink, on the black spot, I think, and that is

0:45:40 > 0:45:41taken by that red.

0:45:51 > 0:45:54Can't do too much with this so just a little pull-back off the pink and

0:45:54 > 0:46:03try to read the red in the corner -- leave the red in the corner. Just a

0:46:03 > 0:46:10chip, top pocket. It is all about the judgment now, to

0:46:10 > 0:46:23make sure he is a collar up by

0:46:23 > 0:46:31the blue.I would say 90% of the shots Ronnie O'Sullivan misses, he

0:46:31 > 0:46:41misses them, and it is just a tiny bit of deceleration. It will annoy

0:46:41 > 0:46:48him, that little miss, because he was flying.It might look easy, but

0:46:48 > 0:46:53this is a bit smelly... APPLAUSE

0:46:53 > 0:47:01One of those shots, when you haven't had your hand on the table, easy to

0:47:01 > 0:47:07miss those, and it wasn't particularly close, not settled.

0:47:33 > 0:47:45Just played that of little cannon, the option of two reds. Just need a

0:47:45 > 0:47:48little bit of attention, these. There have been one or two of these

0:47:48 > 0:47:59shots missed, along the top cushion.

0:48:13 > 0:48:20They'd like to Mr two reds immediately above the pink, screw

0:48:20 > 0:48:26into the right-hand side of this bunch. And he did exactly that. The

0:48:26 > 0:48:34cue ball arc misses the two, and the ball keeps living to the left. --

0:48:34 > 0:48:41they'd like to miss the two reds immediately

0:48:45 > 0:48:50above the pink.

0:49:01 > 0:49:08Red at the top of that cluster of three is obviously available. Why he

0:49:08 > 0:49:15has played that. And you can be sure he will be trying to win the frame

0:49:15 > 0:49:20on this visit and keep Martin even more cold than he already is. Hasn't

0:49:20 > 0:49:25had his hand on the table with a decent chance yet. Can't really get

0:49:25 > 0:49:30into this particular match this afternoon, so keep him away from the

0:49:30 > 0:49:36table and it'll help. Mm. But that might have gone wrong.Yeah, hit the

0:49:36 > 0:49:43wrong red first. Play the cannon into the two reds that are touching,

0:49:43 > 0:49:50leaving one to the right middle.

0:50:08 > 0:50:17Ronnie O'Sullivan, 26. APPLAUSE

0:50:17 > 0:50:23Nice time, just half an hour. It is great when he plays, isn't it? --

0:50:23 > 0:50:33the match time. One positional shot going all right, Martin has a squeak

0:50:33 > 0:50:39in this frame if he can get in -- one positional shot going awry.

0:50:39 > 0:50:46Under pressure, 2-0 down.Yes, safety, not a recipe for winning

0:50:46 > 0:50:51this match.

0:50:58 > 0:51:02Yes, he missed it, but not the worst result. The side cushion as well, so

0:51:02 > 0:51:06when you are 54 points behind you want all the balls in the middle of

0:51:06 > 0:51:11the table for potential counter clearance, but I suppose at the

0:51:11 > 0:51:23moment all Martin needs is to just knock in some balls, get involved.

0:51:23 > 0:51:35Pretty close to this, the pace kept it out. Unfortunately for him. Just

0:51:35 > 0:51:46have to be careful here not to get the red over the left corner pocket.

0:52:19 > 0:52:29He just keeps tempting, just not quite there, not quite in this

0:52:29 > 0:52:35afternoon at the moment, just can't quite get involved.

0:52:48 > 0:52:52Going to cue these well, off the side cushion. Easy to put a bit of

0:52:52 > 0:53:01side on. Not Mr O'Sullivan cueing that.Yes, lovely town, ball hitting

0:53:01 > 0:53:09the middle of the back of the pocket. Normally a sign of supreme

0:53:09 > 0:53:19cueing and timing, when the ball it's the middle.

0:53:19 > 0:53:24-- hits the middle.

0:53:24 > 0:53:33So red, to win this third frame. I'm thinking Martin Gould's club, John,

0:53:33 > 0:53:43it is

0:53:50 > 0:53:54nicknamed, and he will have to be to win this.Depressing frame, can't

0:53:54 > 0:54:00get his hand on the table. First two frames, being left half chances, but

0:54:00 > 0:54:03unfortunately the level you play at, you have to make some of those half

0:54:03 > 0:54:07chances, and they haven't gone in for him, and in the blink of an IKEA

0:54:07 > 0:54:26's 3- down. -- in the blink of an eye he is 3-0 down.Well, no century

0:54:26 > 0:54:35break this time. Martin Gould, I was going to say you don't expect him to

0:54:35 > 0:54:38come back to the table. He obviously wants to pot something. Hasn't

0:54:38 > 0:54:42scored a point in this frame, just wants to get his hand on the table,

0:54:42 > 0:54:48pot a few balls. And I admit the way the reds are, I wouldn't be

0:54:48 > 0:54:56bothering. OK, if they were open, fine.

0:55:19 > 0:55:25Martin Gould, eight.Well, normally you come to the table to get your

0:55:25 > 0:55:30arm moving, but as I was saying I don't see the point, with that last

0:55:30 > 0:55:34shot.

0:55:40 > 0:55:47Yeah, decided against it. APPLAUSE

0:55:47 > 0:55:55He still wins the frame easily, 3-0.

0:56:57 > 0:57:00John JOHN PARROTT: Ronnie O'Sullivan, flying this afternoon,

0:57:00 > 0:57:07and as you rightly said, Stephen, you expected it to be happening.

0:57:07 > 0:57:16And for Martin Gould, this is one enormous frame. If he goes 4-0 down

0:57:16 > 0:57:24going into the interval there is no way back. Got to score in this frame

0:57:24 > 0:57:32somehow.

0:57:49 > 0:57:52Oh, at the moment it is a massive struggle. Every shot he has taken is

0:57:52 > 0:57:56well away, and that was just far too thick, and because it is Victor cue

0:57:56 > 0:58:03ball can't get up the table. -- because it is thick, the cue ball.

0:58:03 > 0:58:09He is definitely feeling it.

0:58:48 > 0:59:00That is an excellent shot. Very good safety. Not quite trapped Ronnie,

0:59:00 > 0:59:14the red to the rate of the blue. He can play half and back into the area

0:59:14 > 0:59:19right of the blue. This is an interesting part of the frame coming

0:59:19 > 0:59:27up. Is he going to take this shot again? It is not natural to get

0:59:27 > 0:59:30down, and if you take this on, and he has not had a good success rate

0:59:30 > 0:59:34so far today, he will get very lucky if he doesn't clatter into

0:59:34 > 0:59:40something. So if you're taking this on, Martin, it has to go in.

0:59:40 > 0:59:50APPLAUSE

0:59:51 > 0:59:54STEPHEN HENDRY:Nobody could accuse Martin Gould of being negative

0:59:54 > 0:59:59today, there is no doubt about that. Fabulous pot. He is going to need

0:59:59 > 1:00:07another one here. Blue to far right corner, the red to the left of it.

1:00:07 > 1:00:11But he is potting himself under the cosh, in this situation when you are

1:00:11 > 1:00:19a 3-0 down, do you go for it? Big decision.

1:00:19 > 1:00:25Why hit it so hard?I think he was under so much pressure.

1:00:51 > 1:01:01Just trying to work out if he can play the cannon. Just trying to get

1:01:01 > 1:01:11the black out, and that is class. Absolutely wonderful touch. To have

1:01:11 > 1:01:17the side, hit the cushion and flick the red out.That is the shot of the

1:01:17 > 1:01:23week, so far, for me, that one. Very few if any of the professionals in

1:01:23 > 1:01:31the game could have played that. Just the touch. Phenomenal.

1:01:42 > 1:01:48The way he played it, most people would think, that was an easy shot.

1:01:48 > 1:01:53To get through the cue ball enough to get the work on. The only thing

1:01:53 > 1:01:59is, as he made a positional mistake? And followed it up with that.

1:01:59 > 1:02:02Incredible. You do not see that often.

1:02:05 > 1:02:15He just overscrewed it.To be fair, those were the kinds of shots he was

1:02:15 > 1:02:17playing last night. Today, it is very unusual.

1:02:29 > 1:02:36He is taking his time, because he wants to play down the baulk area.

1:02:36 > 1:02:40If he cannot guarantee hiding the two reds on the right. He has played

1:02:40 > 1:02:43a safety, cleverly, to move them.

1:02:51 > 1:02:56It was a shame he did not go on to make a century because the opening

1:02:56 > 1:03:01red was wonderful. Playing the cannon. Fabulous shot.

1:03:14 > 1:03:18That is the best shot of the match from Martin Gould. Excellent. The

1:03:18 > 1:03:25last red was good. That one is better. Excellent cueing. Now,

1:03:25 > 1:03:31Martin, you have got to score. If you want any involvement in the

1:03:31 > 1:03:36match today, these are the chances you have to score points from. Not

1:03:36 > 1:03:43straightforward, but you have got to knock them in.

1:04:11 > 1:04:16It was nicely played that he ran an inch too far.This is a horrible

1:04:16 > 1:04:28shot. Can he land on anything playing it plain ball? If he could

1:04:28 > 1:04:32drop in the blue dead weight and play on the red, it might be OK.

1:04:43 > 1:04:46Watch this reaction, an electric shock from the table. It does

1:04:46 > 1:04:47happen.

1:05:01 > 1:05:13It was always a problem. Just too much of an angle on that blue.

1:05:13 > 1:05:17Ronnie is inspecting the back. I am not sure if he is trying to make a

1:05:17 > 1:05:24plant. If he considers it to be on, he will take it. He does not like

1:05:24 > 1:05:26the look of it, so it is a safety.

1:05:36 > 1:05:44Playing it this way, you have a chance to clip a red over the

1:05:44 > 1:05:47corner, which is why he has thought about it.

1:05:55 > 1:06:04While it is far from easy, it is a chance, particular whether blue is.

1:06:25 > 1:06:26A mistake.

1:06:40 > 1:06:47I think the red is too straight to play the red and go into the bunch.

1:06:47 > 1:06:52I do not think he has the angle. It will basically be getting the cue

1:06:52 > 1:06:57ball out. Well, he did have the angle. I did not think he did. It

1:06:57 > 1:07:09looks straight. Is he on a pink? He is looking at the potting angle, so

1:07:09 > 1:07:10it is on.

1:07:32 > 1:07:44What a great pot with the check side. To land on a red after that is

1:07:44 > 1:07:48a great shot. He could not be entirely sure where he would finish.

1:07:48 > 1:07:52But, oh.

1:07:57 > 1:08:08This is what the championship tables are like. If you catch the near jaw,

1:08:08 > 1:08:13they do not go in. A couple of chances have gone begging.

1:08:37 > 1:08:48It was a good try, and he played it in a way he thinks the red is not

1:08:48 > 1:08:56cuttable. Ronnie is having a look at it. If it clips in, it was not so

1:08:56 > 1:08:57clever.

1:09:29 > 1:09:35No damage done, really. I suppose the only bad thing is he will

1:09:35 > 1:09:36probably get put back in.

1:10:21 > 1:10:25Ronnie has looked at the potting angle. Trying to get the cue ball to

1:10:25 > 1:10:27somewhere where it is now.

1:10:31 > 1:10:49What a pot.That is just madness. What a pot will -- what a pot. That

1:10:49 > 1:10:58is ridiculous.This may be a big pocket with the red there. He will

1:10:58 > 1:11:10be taking this black on. Massive pocket.I cannot blame Martin Gould.

1:11:10 > 1:11:15What has happened to him is daylight robbery. The pot in the middle

1:11:15 > 1:11:17pocket, that is obscene.

1:11:23 > 1:11:261 million miles the best shot of the match.

1:11:33 > 1:11:39I still prefer the little cannon for the black.You can have that one. I

1:11:39 > 1:11:41will have that.

1:11:47 > 1:11:52The difference is my shot will get him to 4-0.

1:12:12 > 1:12:21Has that gone wrong? Judging by the body language the first red goes to

1:12:21 > 1:12:24the middle.

1:12:38 > 1:12:45That was missable. You can see what Ronnie thinks about it. Furious.

1:12:45 > 1:12:53Always on the right-hand jaw. What a chance for Martin Gould. 3-0 down,

1:12:53 > 1:13:0027 points down, it is anything but easy, no matter where the reds are.

1:13:04 > 1:13:07He needs all the character and believe he has to win this frame

1:13:07 > 1:13:08from this visit.

1:13:27 > 1:13:33Going back to the point you made about the shots you prefer. He will

1:13:33 > 1:13:41not get to 4-0 on it at the moment but he has played two of the best

1:13:41 > 1:13:45shots I have seen all week and at the moment he could be losing this

1:13:45 > 1:13:50frame.Martin has to think, how much will this irritate my opponent if I

1:13:50 > 1:13:51cleared up?

1:14:13 > 1:14:17Ronnie's temperament is so good it will probably not stop him from

1:14:17 > 1:14:23winning this match. But it will mildly irritate him. Enough to put a

1:14:23 > 1:14:25little doubt in his mind.

1:14:36 > 1:14:40Already in this break, Martin's cue ball has not been great. You should

1:14:40 > 1:14:45not have to take this so early. But it was a good pot. He has redeemed

1:14:45 > 1:14:53himself. It is one of those breaks, if you make it, you are back in the

1:14:53 > 1:14:59match, but if you do not take it, you will sit in the chair, after the

1:14:59 > 1:15:04interval, 4-0 down, absolutely kicking yourself. So it is a big

1:15:04 > 1:15:07contribution at the moment in the context of the match.

1:15:18 > 1:15:23For all the world it looks like the red up towards the baulk area will

1:15:23 > 1:15:26be the important ball in the area because he should not have any

1:15:26 > 1:15:28problem with the next three.

1:15:49 > 1:15:58He has to be careful. Not to snooker himself. That is why he played it

1:15:58 > 1:16:05lower. Could have run behind the red the cue ball is closest to, so well

1:16:05 > 1:16:06played.

1:16:24 > 1:16:30Under the circumstances, so far this is a good effort. He had to take the

1:16:30 > 1:16:39mid range red up into the middle pocket when he lost position.Which

1:16:39 > 1:16:44would you play for? If he plays to the left middle there is an argument

1:16:44 > 1:16:49to come off the baulk cushion, right-hand side and try to play a

1:16:49 > 1:16:52cannon on the red and if you missed the cannon, you will still be on

1:16:52 > 1:16:57something.

1:17:05 > 1:17:09He has an opportunity to play the red to the same pocket.

1:17:22 > 1:17:31I have to be honest, I did not like him playing the blue. It is harder

1:17:31 > 1:17:36to get in behind that with control whereas you can do it off the brown

1:17:36 > 1:17:43and green more easily.The path the cue ball went it was ideal to screw

1:17:43 > 1:17:45for the red to the same pocket.

1:17:53 > 1:18:05That was very tricky. I think he has decided to go for everything when he

1:18:05 > 1:18:09gets the chance, which is understandable.I think that shot

1:18:09 > 1:18:14shows you. He had a simple safety. There is pressure on this.

1:18:22 > 1:18:28And the good news for Ronnie, he has a snooker. The almost does not seem

1:18:28 > 1:18:33fair when you are that good to get a run of the balls.

1:18:38 > 1:18:46As ever with snooker is, no matter the difficulty, not hitting them...

1:18:46 > 1:18:52Martin is looking to see if he can swerve around the black and hit the

1:18:52 > 1:18:58red from behind. He is going side cushion and try to hit the red off

1:18:58 > 1:19:00the two cushions instead.

1:19:08 > 1:19:10Yes, that is as good as he can do.

1:19:44 > 1:19:57He is not fully snookered. He is having a good run.

1:20:16 > 1:20:22He has a nice target in the baulk area, of the green and the brown.

1:20:28 > 1:20:46He played the think -- think clip. Going back to last night's match,

1:20:46 > 1:20:55Sunny Akani potted the blue when potting the green. When he needed a

1:20:55 > 1:21:02snooker, Ronnie could have gone in-off off the pink. Sometimes, your

1:21:02 > 1:21:09name is on the trophy.The last couple of shots he has played he has

1:21:09 > 1:21:15had some lovely little rubs. He had a very good hit to get out of a

1:21:15 > 1:21:18snooker he was in and he will need another one.

1:21:23 > 1:21:35Brilliant shot. He has left pot on but that was great. A little bit

1:21:35 > 1:21:40unlucky for the cue ball to travel so far away from the cushion.

1:21:55 > 1:22:02It has gone awkward enough to keep him honest with this shot.

1:22:06 > 1:22:08He did not play it.

1:22:11 > 1:22:19If he gets the snooker, it is because he has played a good shot.

1:22:19 > 1:22:27Which he has. Excellent. Not snooker, but what do you do with

1:22:27 > 1:22:28that?

1:22:32 > 1:22:39If you hit it thick, it is danger.

1:22:47 > 1:22:54Well, that is a fabulous shot. He has done ever so well.A great

1:22:54 > 1:23:02effort. But, unfortunately, the last role on the cue ball has just come

1:23:02 > 1:23:13out and given Ronnie a chance to snick the red in.

1:23:17 > 1:23:30How do you like them apples? Unbelievable. Nowhere near the pot

1:23:30 > 1:23:36by his own standards. Once again, Martin Gould is in all sorts of

1:23:36 > 1:23:45bother.He could play it as a shot to nothing. You have no idea where

1:23:45 > 1:23:48the red will end up when you go for a pot.

1:24:02 > 1:24:12It looks like he will come off two cushions. It is a difficult hit.

1:24:12 > 1:24:17Also you will be promoting the red to the middle or a corner. You will

1:24:17 > 1:24:26do well to hit this and get out of it without leaving a pot.REFEREE:

1:24:26 > 1:24:29Foul and a miss. .

1:24:33 > 1:24:38The only good thing is it is not a free ball.

1:24:42 > 1:24:48And the reds in the middle of the table, it is harder to get safe if

1:24:48 > 1:24:51you hit it.

1:25:14 > 1:25:22APPLAUSE Another excellent shot.

1:25:22 > 1:25:26He has been in all sorts of bother and two hits that and not leave it

1:25:26 > 1:25:36up is excellent. -- to hit it. I am not sure how he is managing to do

1:25:36 > 1:25:38it, but he is still in the frame.

1:25:55 > 1:26:05Another fabulous safety shot.

1:26:06 > 1:26:12He has had a run at the end of the frame but that was not a run, it was

1:26:12 > 1:26:19a superb shot. A little bit of run inside to help the cue ball. I will

1:26:19 > 1:26:23not believe it if Martin Gould wins this frame. He has been in so much

1:26:23 > 1:26:26trouble, how could he possibly win it?

1:26:31 > 1:26:41Again. And a tap on the table from Ronnie O'Sullivan. He knows how

1:26:41 > 1:26:45great that shot was. Great escapes.

1:26:50 > 1:26:59The last two have been brilliant. I would not begrudge him luck to get

1:26:59 > 1:27:08the snooker back. The problem here, two cushions, hit the red from

1:27:08 > 1:27:15behind, you do not want to hit the yellow with the red. Just try to

1:27:15 > 1:27:18avoid a cannon on the yellow.

1:27:26 > 1:27:28This is just unbelievable, this frame.

1:27:33 > 1:27:37I told you, he cannot win this frame, it is impossible.

1:27:45 > 1:27:51Every credit to Martin Gould. He has given the shots full attention. He

1:27:51 > 1:27:58could be excused for headshaking. No, he is battling. Ten minutes

1:27:58 > 1:28:04since a ball was potted. Fascinating.

1:28:19 > 1:28:22Absolutely brilliant again. He will settle for about.

1:28:34 > 1:28:36Not straight forward on the safety here.

1:28:52 > 1:29:00Not unless you are a genius. What a shot bat is. Absolutely superb. Yes,

1:29:00 > 1:29:05it was on, but boy, did you have to hit it well.

1:29:11 > 1:29:16He is giving us the full repertoire today, Ronald.

1:29:31 > 1:29:36If he gets this day, I will say he will win the frame, Martin Gould. --

1:29:36 > 1:29:43if he gets it safe. He has done.

1:29:49 > 1:29:52Ronnie has thrown everything at him.

1:29:58 > 1:30:06This might be one of the best ends to a frame I have seen. What has

1:30:06 > 1:30:11happened is incredible. The standard. OK, a little bit of luck,

1:30:11 > 1:30:17but to keep getting out of them and leaving them safe, I have not seen a

1:30:17 > 1:30:21frame like it. You see it happening once or twice but this is seven,

1:30:21 > 1:30:29eight, nine times. 20 shots since a pot. Incredible.

1:30:49 > 1:30:52Well, another excellent shot, but the way it has been going in this

1:30:52 > 1:31:01frame kiss Martin, you can guarantee there is a gap. -- in this frame for

1:31:01 > 1:31:14Martin. Shaking his head, and I don't blame you!

1:31:31 > 1:31:36Just made it, and it is another great shot, another great safety

1:31:36 > 1:31:41shot. ...By Martin is surprised. He has come to the table thinking,

1:31:41 > 1:31:45maybe it is not -- I don't know why Martin is surprised. An excellent

1:31:45 > 1:31:56shot from Ronnie.

1:31:59 > 1:32:09Got to be a little careful with this if he hits it. Oh. I wasn't thinking

1:32:09 > 1:32:14that side of it. I suppose that's about as good as he could have got

1:32:14 > 1:32:19out of it, once it has hit that side, and lots of pressure on pot,

1:32:19 > 1:32:25particularly when you haven't been playing any for quite well,

1:32:25 > 1:32:28approaching 15 minutes since pot, so this is a test of your cue action.

1:32:28 > 1:32:3220 minutes since the last one actually, so good luck with this

1:32:32 > 1:32:38one. APPLAUSE

1:32:38 > 1:32:47A great pot.Ideal, on a colour. Pink, you would say, left-handed, on

1:32:47 > 1:32:56the angles. The blue into the green pocket, a couple of options. As you

1:32:56 > 1:33:03say, John, after that amount of time, to still plot that ball --

1:33:03 > 1:33:07still pot the ball is very good, still focused.Yes, you could see

1:33:07 > 1:33:11when he was going about that, he was loving the tactical battle, how to

1:33:11 > 1:33:16get the smokers, and I think he was absolutely engrossed in it. Why

1:33:16 > 1:33:20shouldn't he be? It is the UK championship, but nevertheless he

1:33:20 > 1:33:23was loving every part of that and that was a fascinating part of the

1:33:23 > 1:33:30frame.

1:33:42 > 1:33:48Lovely shot left-handed, lovely touch, and I had to look before, as

1:33:48 > 1:33:52I say, Stephen, I looked at Martin Gould sitting in his chair, and I

1:33:52 > 1:33:55feel for him because this never looked like a frame he was going to

1:33:55 > 1:34:00win. The way the run of the balls went, and also the way Ronnie's

1:34:00 > 1:34:07safety has been. It just looked like 4-0 Jimmy.Yes, you had that chance

1:34:07 > 1:34:14earlier on in the frame, Martin Gould, one of the balls, possibly

1:34:14 > 1:34:17made an error, went for the blue rather than the ball colour, in

1:34:17 > 1:34:33clearing up. In the end it all counts for nothing. Just the pink.

1:34:33 > 1:34:47APPLAUSE Convincing. Leeds Martin Gould 4-0.

1:34:47 > 1:34:53HAZEL IRVINE: And we have seen the best of indeed both Ronnie's

1:34:53 > 1:34:57attacking and defensive game, defending about game. The

1:34:57 > 1:35:00possibility of outgunning Ronnie O'Sullivan? It is just not going to

1:35:00 > 1:35:04happen here and there was a good example of him trying to do that in

1:35:04 > 1:35:05that frame.

1:35:05 > 1:35:06example of him trying to do that in that frame.Martin Gould has been

1:35:06 > 1:35:09attacking but that is no good if you're throwing yourself of my edge

1:35:09 > 1:35:13of a cliff. This shot is one in 20. Trying to

1:35:13 > 1:35:14of a cliff. This shot is one in 20. Trying to pot, keep the breaks

1:35:14 > 1:35:19going, trying to win a frame, but that is like desperation, and the

1:35:19 > 1:35:22problem is if you miss you will probably leave Ronnie O'Sullivan

1:35:22 > 1:35:25with the tactical advantage, so from that perspective I think it was the

1:35:25 > 1:35:29wrong shot, but then a little later on Ronnie O'Sullivan has a chance,

1:35:29 > 1:35:34doesn't the?I think with that shot Martin Gould could still be out

1:35:34 > 1:35:43there trying to pot it right now and he still wouldn't have made it. I

1:35:43 > 1:35:46don't know why he played it. He has cue ball near red, the initiative

1:35:46 > 1:35:48for the safety battle, straight shot.However Ronnie O'Sullivan has

1:35:48 > 1:35:56one red left, very gettable, but he plays a defensive shot in a

1:35:56 > 1:36:00situation when you think you would attack from in front, and the shot

1:36:00 > 1:36:03selection and how to keep the pressure on your opponent, and

1:36:03 > 1:36:09Martin Gould's decision to go for at that red in the middle pocket, at

1:36:09 > 1:36:14professional level, is indefensible, unless he thinks he can get away

1:36:14 > 1:36:18with it safe somehow.We spoke about that aggression level he has come

1:36:18 > 1:36:21out with, going for things, but do you have to be judicious about

1:36:21 > 1:36:25implementing a game plan when you go out there?There is a

1:36:25 > 1:36:26implementing a game plan when you go out there?There is a fine line,

1:36:26 > 1:36:30yes, between recklessness and just taking on your shots. You can't play

1:36:30 > 1:36:34shots that don't go. I just don't think that red went in the middle,

1:36:34 > 1:36:37but going back to the first frame, and we sure that after the first

1:36:37 > 1:36:42frame, the red he took on, and the other red he took on on the opposite

1:36:42 > 1:36:46middle, this game doesn't forgive you. It is as if the balls have a

1:36:46 > 1:36:53memory at times. If you play the wrong shot it is as if they know and

1:36:53 > 1:36:55say, look, fellow, you will be sitting down this afternoon. Martin

1:36:55 > 1:36:59Gould has not set out his stall to compete with Ronnie O'Sullivan. I

1:36:59 > 1:37:03think he has made a dressing room decision to go out and go for

1:37:03 > 1:37:06anything he sees, but you have to think on your feet out there. You

1:37:06 > 1:37:09make your decision at the table, not in the dressing room.

1:37:09 > 1:37:19It is close to Christmas and he has been gifting Ronnie, he hasput, a

1:37:19 > 1:37:23lot of the shots. I like it! Well, it might be a late birthday present,

1:37:23 > 1:37:27it was his birthday a couple of days ago. We will be back to that game

1:37:27 > 1:37:30after the interval, but let me bring you up to date and up to speed with

1:37:30 > 1:37:34the other quarterfinal this afternoon. This one features two

1:37:34 > 1:37:39fellows who have been around a lot in this game. A couple of true

1:37:39 > 1:37:42snooker star works, former world number two Stephen Maguire, former

1:37:42 > 1:37:54winner of this, and another proven Trophy winner in Joe Perry, who made

1:37:54 > 1:37:57the Masters final this year, still playing strong stagger into his 40s.

1:37:57 > 1:37:59Given their respective experience and think it is a bit surprising

1:37:59 > 1:38:01Maguire has such a dominant record. Eight wins to one and the

1:38:01 > 1:38:04significant events, and taking in all the other ones, Maguire has 14

1:38:04 > 1:38:08wins to Joe's two, although Perry won perhaps the biggest one they

1:38:08 > 1:38:12have played so far, a Crucible final in 2008 which went down to a

1:38:12 > 1:38:21decider. This is what these guys make of this contest today...

1:38:21 > 1:38:25First part of the season, I was still practising but not hard

1:38:25 > 1:38:28enough, and I wasn't getting the results. Smoker is tough with always

1:38:28 > 1:38:31travelling all over the place, winning a game here and there, and

1:38:31 > 1:38:36you don't get any confidence from just a match in the qualifiers, but

1:38:36 > 1:38:39I just felt the last few tournaments, I have been practising

1:38:39 > 1:38:43a little harder, moving around, playing a few other players I

1:38:43 > 1:38:47haven't played before, travelling about a bit, getting out of my club,

1:38:47 > 1:38:50and it seems to have made a difference, got me a little sharper

1:38:50 > 1:38:53coming into the tournaments, and even though I haven't gone deep or

1:38:53 > 1:38:59anything, I feel my game is slowly coming back.

1:38:59 > 1:39:04My best? Adult doll. I think it is for everybody else to say, but I

1:39:04 > 1:39:07feel a lot better this week -- I don't know, I think it is for

1:39:07 > 1:39:13everybody else. I feel a lot better this week that I have done. Latvia,

1:39:13 > 1:39:17the start of the season, it felt good. Then everything just went and

1:39:17 > 1:39:22I lost, whatever, just lost everything, but I start to feel good

1:39:22 > 1:39:29at this tournament. Feel as if I am hitting the ball pretty good.

1:39:29 > 1:39:35Yes, another game to look forward to. Former winner, one of the best

1:39:35 > 1:39:37out there, also looks like he's coming into some good form. For him

1:39:37 > 1:39:41he has been out of the winner's circle for some time and he is the

1:39:41 > 1:39:46sort of player you expect to be there competing, winning trophies,

1:39:46 > 1:39:50season in, the snout, but I have watched him. He is playing good. I

1:39:50 > 1:39:53am sure he will fancy it because his record against me as very positive

1:39:53 > 1:39:56in his favour but it is another game and we haven't played for a little

1:39:56 > 1:40:00while. I am in good form, so I will need to get my best to get a win or

1:40:00 > 1:40:06compete but I am looking forward to it.

1:40:06 > 1:40:10HAZEL IRVINE: Indeed, Joe, we looking forward to it as well.

1:40:10 > 1:40:14Giving you a feel for this in the first frame. Maguire's named

1:40:14 > 1:40:17quarterfinal at the UK championship and he really enjoys this one. He

1:40:17 > 1:40:22has work to do in the opening frame, 55-12 behind, and we have a couple

1:40:22 > 1:40:29of former world champions commentating for your...

1:40:29 > 1:40:33commentating for you...

1:40:56 > 1:41:03COMMENTATOR: I can't believe that. That the cue ball went in. I'm sure

1:41:03 > 1:41:07Stephen Maguire thought it was frame over, now all of a sudden there is

1:41:07 > 1:41:12chance.

1:41:24 > 1:41:27APPLAUSE

1:41:36 > 1:41:40I wonder how much of an important role that Green will play in this

1:41:40 > 1:41:51frame now. Joe Perry refused to take the pink

1:41:51 > 1:41:55into centre pocket, played the safety of the krhin, may be his only

1:41:55 > 1:42:07hope of staying in this frame. -- played the safety on the green.

1:42:07 > 1:42:20This red and the other two shouldn't be a problem.

1:42:23 > 1:42:29Doesn't want the cue ball going too far. Just travelled a little further

1:42:29 > 1:42:40than he would have liked.

1:42:55 > 1:43:02That was a much better shot than it looked. The cue raised in the error.

1:43:02 > 1:43:10So easy to put unintentional side on, especially when you're playing

1:43:10 > 1:43:22with power. That's OK.

1:43:22 > 1:43:28If he chooses to, Stephen may be able to leave himself an angle on

1:43:28 > 1:43:38this last red, to move the green. foal he hasn't got -- but he hasn't

1:43:38 > 1:43:49got that angle now. if he plays the cannon on the brown, it is a

1:43:49 > 1:43:57delicate cannon that could go wrong. maybe try to push the brown towards

1:43:57 > 1:44:07the yellow pocket. played nicely.

1:44:15 > 1:44:24Yes, so he only has one more chance. He needs a good angle after potting

1:44:24 > 1:44:29this yellow, to get on the girl again.

1:44:29 > 1:44:35Now he has had a quick look. As soon as he potted the yellow he was

1:44:35 > 1:44:39looking at that angle on the cue ball, and it looks like he has a

1:44:39 > 1:44:46perfect angle. He has to hit the green of the right

1:44:46 > 1:44:49side, the inside of the green, to try to knock it towards the middle.

1:44:49 > 1:44:53If he hits it on the outside, the cue ball will go dangerously close

1:44:53 > 1:44:59to the middle pocket.

1:45:06 > 1:45:11He has been quite aggressive already, Peter, but I really can't

1:45:11 > 1:45:16see him taking on the screen, but you never know with Stephen Maguire.

1:45:16 > 1:45:23-- taking on this green. The other straight up and down with the green,

1:45:23 > 1:45:27sizing it up.He has already looked at it, hasn't he? That is a really

1:45:27 > 1:45:45tough shot. Can't take this on, surely.Foul. Stephen Maguire, 33,

1:45:45 > 1:45:58Joe Perry 34.If he has left a free ball, it could be game over.

1:45:58 > 1:46:04Well, I'm not quite sure. Has the referee looked at it? Oh, no, it's

1:46:04 > 1:46:06not. From this angle in the commentary box is looks pretty

1:46:06 > 1:46:15close, but I'm not even sure... Bull-mac, not from that angle, it's

1:46:15 > 1:46:25not a free ball.

1:46:27 > 1:46:31-- No, not from that angle, it's not a free ball.

1:46:41 > 1:46:51APPLAUSE

1:47:07 > 1:47:11If the cue ball is a couple of inches away from the side cushion

1:47:11 > 1:47:15you would expect Joe Perry to pot it, but it looks very straight, and

1:47:15 > 1:47:22it is so hard, the cue as well. It's a difficult shot.Yes, even in

1:47:22 > 1:47:25practice you would probably miss this at least format, five times out

1:47:25 > 1:47:36of ten. It requires incredible cueing.

1:47:36 > 1:47:41Well, he could be in a bit of trouble, if something comes to the

1:47:41 > 1:47:46table.

1:48:08 > 1:48:15Stephen will be disappointed with that.

1:48:38 > 1:48:42Poor safety shot from Joe Perry there.

1:48:42 > 1:48:48Fortunate to get away with that, under the circumstances.

1:48:48 > 1:48:53Stephen's got a good opportunity to take the cue ball around the ankles

1:48:53 > 1:48:59here, with lots of right-hand side, played snooker the black.

1:48:59 > 1:49:13He could also play it thin as well, but it looks like he's electing to

1:49:13 > 1:49:20play the snooker behind the brown.

1:49:27 > 1:49:34Yes, just a little bit short of pace. Really wanted to have a full

1:49:34 > 1:49:40ball smoker there, and he's left Joe on the green, but I don't think

1:49:40 > 1:49:47you'll be taking it on. Just a little concerning, the green off the

1:49:47 > 1:49:53top cushion backs, and be careful of the double kiss, and has to play

1:49:53 > 1:49:59that shot now.

1:50:19 > 1:50:29Taking this on, deep screw. What a shot! That was fantastic cueing.

1:50:29 > 1:50:41APPLAUSE Grapeshot, wasn't it? Fantastic --

1:50:41 > 1:50:44great shot. It is OK when you are dropping these browns, but playing

1:50:44 > 1:50:54with a little bit of pace and they could go for the blue. Just about...

1:50:54 > 1:51:01It is OK. The wrong side of the blue, but leaving the cue ball in

1:51:01 > 1:51:13the middle of the table, or he can go round the angles.

1:51:18 > 1:51:22Has he got the pace of the cue ball, and angle to get back on the black?

1:51:22 > 1:51:32Looks OK.

1:51:36 > 1:51:45The cue ball needs to slow down a little bit. Black for the frame, and

1:51:45 > 1:51:54what a steal this would be for Stephen Maguire. Ah, what a

1:51:54 > 1:51:58fantastic clearance from Stephen Maguire. He was 54 points behind in

1:51:58 > 1:52:02that frame, and he eventually wins it on the black, and Stephen Maguire

1:52:02 > 1:52:07pinches the first frame and leaves Joe

1:52:07 > 1:52:10pinches the first frame and leaves Joe Perry 1-0. Hazel Irvine grand

1:52:10 > 1:52:14larceny! Terrific start from Stephen Maguire. He was a runner-up to

1:52:14 > 1:52:17Ronnie O'Sullivan a couple of years back in Telfer, and a winner of this

1:52:17 > 1:52:23event. Now it is frame two and Joe Perry

1:52:23 > 1:52:25event. Now it is frame two and Joe Perry ahead, but he will not be

1:52:25 > 1:52:28wanting his feet whipped from him now.

1:52:28 > 1:52:35COMMENTATOR: Not only has he Mr red, he has taken the black. -- not only

1:52:35 > 1:52:52has he missed the red. Can't believe he missed that red, Peter. Played it

1:52:52 > 1:52:57so hard.Amazing, the things that go through your mind sometimes when

1:52:57 > 1:53:03you're sitting in that chair, thinking, I can't believe I have put

1:53:03 > 1:53:09black into play, but he will be bitterly disappointed to have

1:53:09 > 1:53:21missed. An unexpected miss, that's for sure.

1:53:24 > 1:53:27It has been noticeable in these first couple of frames how both

1:53:27 > 1:53:30players have struggled with the pace at the table to the extent they both

1:53:30 > 1:53:34finished on the wrong side of the blue a few locations, and both

1:53:34 > 1:53:44finished straight. Having to hit the ball quite hard to move the white

1:53:44 > 1:53:51around.

1:53:58 > 1:54:02Finish low on this blue, after potting the brown. You always feel

1:54:02 > 1:54:05when you are clearing up the colours, that is the shot, the

1:54:05 > 1:54:09crucial one. A nice angle on the blue.

1:54:09 > 1:54:15APPLAUSE And this is for another steel, a

1:54:15 > 1:54:25frame that he shouldn't have won.

1:54:25 > 1:54:26And this is for another steal, a

1:54:26 > 1:54:31frame that he shouldn't have won.

1:54:40 > 1:54:46So it is Stephen Maguire that takes their two frame lead, leading 2-0.

1:54:46 > 1:54:49So it is Stephen Maguire that takes their two frame lead, leading 2-0.

1:54:49 > 1:54:52HAZEL IRVINE: That one continues on the red button and we will probably

1:54:52 > 1:54:55return to it later in the afternoon but that match has seen a dominant

1:54:55 > 1:55:02start for Stephen be an end rather larcenous circumstances, as I say,

1:55:02 > 1:55:06but it is Ronnie O'Sullivan who has been absolutely flying today. 4-0

1:55:06 > 1:55:11lead over Martin Gould, former German Masters winner of course, and

1:55:11 > 1:55:15the all-out attack has not worked so far kiss Martin. Let's get back to

1:55:15 > 1:55:19it to see whether Ronnie will wrap it up in quickfire fashion, or

1:55:19 > 1:55:25whether Martin has something to say. Back to John and Stephen.

1:55:25 > 1:55:26STEPHEN

1:55:26 > 1:55:30Back to John and Stephen. STEPHEN HENDRY:The cue ball close

1:55:30 > 1:55:42to the green to try to get a nice contact... John JOHN PARROTT:You

1:55:42 > 1:55:44tried all-out attack and he is 4-0 down.

1:55:44 > 1:55:58What does he do now, Stephen?If it is possible for him to go through

1:55:58 > 1:56:02the second session without missing a single pot, it is the only chance

1:56:02 > 1:56:11he's got. Ronnie O'Sullivan is one of the best

1:56:11 > 1:56:17front runners, probably the best, in the game.

1:56:17 > 1:56:23This is tricky, this red, that he is trying to clip here, because he has

1:56:23 > 1:56:28to swerve round the blue. He has played it superbly well. That was an

1:56:28 > 1:56:31excellent shot, swerved it just enough to get round the blue.

1:56:31 > 1:56:38Superb. When he is in this focused mood he

1:56:38 > 1:56:42is in this afternoon, Ronnie, every shot is like a challenge. It is not

1:56:42 > 1:56:46like a problem. It is just like a challenge, to see how well he can

1:56:46 > 1:56:50play the shot.

1:56:54 > 1:57:01Yes, it is funny when players, you know, Alan was saying, in the

1:57:01 > 1:57:04dressing room, they think, I'm going to go for all-out attack, but

1:57:04 > 1:57:08snooker is not like that. You have to play the balls the way they are.

1:57:08 > 1:57:12If the game opens up and it is all open and you can attack, that's

1:57:12 > 1:57:15fine, but the right shot is always the right shot, no matter how you

1:57:15 > 1:57:21play it. He has certainly played a few very strange ones today. I agree

1:57:21 > 1:57:25with the boys talking about the red in the middle pocket that Martin

1:57:25 > 1:57:28tried to clip in, when he didn't get on it, that was never really the

1:57:28 > 1:57:37right shot. Desperation, wasn't it?

1:57:37 > 1:57:40Disappointment as well, sometimes, when you know you have a chance like

1:57:40 > 1:57:44that played such a poor positional shot like he did off the blue, you

1:57:44 > 1:57:54just try and force it. You can see Ronnie's miles ahead in

1:57:54 > 1:57:59the points scored today. Of course pot success as well, apart 94%,

1:57:59 > 1:58:10which is excellent. -- up at 94%. Ronnie's in the position in this

1:58:10 > 1:58:14match that he doesn't need to take any risks. He doesn't anyway

1:58:14 > 1:58:17generally. He always plays the right shot, just forces the mistakes out

1:58:17 > 1:58:24of his opponent, but it is Martin now who has to take on these risky

1:58:24 > 1:58:32long pots. APPLAUSE

1:58:32 > 1:58:44Obviously when you need at kiss, you never get one. OK, the cue ball

1:58:44 > 1:58:47shouldn't even have been going near the pack of reds, to be fair. I

1:58:47 > 1:58:51don't think that is what he was playing, but still unfortunate not

1:58:51 > 1:59:02to be on anything. He didn't seem to get any Czech side

1:59:02 > 1:59:09on that cue ball, so it avoided the cannon and a bunch of reds.I think

1:59:09 > 1:59:14it was a case of the red, and I don't blame him- he is 4-0 down, but

1:59:14 > 1:59:26you need a bit of check if you are going to avoid the pack. You just

1:59:26 > 1:59:31need a good length of cue ball here, off the back, a bit of right-hand

1:59:31 > 1:59:49side. Mm. That is not great, unless he gets an angle. Oh, he nearly did.

1:59:49 > 1:59:55A poor shot, really. But it still takes a bit of cueing, this one, but

1:59:55 > 2:00:01you would expect him to knock it in. Yes, and he will be trusting what a

2:00:01 > 2:00:09little bit with position. When you are going into the reds...

2:00:17 > 2:00:29How is the luck?Body language suggests no. The blue is tricky,

2:00:29 > 2:00:34bridging over the red. Nothing to do with the cue ball, make sure of the

2:00:34 > 2:00:44pot. It is

2:00:45 > 2:00:49missable.This is tricky with the bridging over.

2:01:01 > 2:01:06In the end, he was a long way off. It was not easy.

2:01:11 > 2:01:21When he misses, he misses thin. So, Martin, what can you do with this

2:01:21 > 2:01:23chance?

2:01:33 > 2:01:37All he can do is to keep potting.

2:03:29 > 2:03:40Trying to play for police red. -- the loose red. Not totally

2:03:40 > 2:03:49straightforward for him. The pink is only available in the top left-hand

2:03:49 > 2:03:55pocket and the opposite middle. Not a lot of options for Martin.

2:04:30 > 2:04:36Not the best shot on the pink to leave himself this angle. He could

2:04:36 > 2:04:39have done with screwing back a little bit more.

2:04:55 > 2:05:03That was a decent shot. The angle he had on the red.

2:05:30 > 2:05:34He is starting to find it more difficult to keep in perfect

2:05:34 > 2:05:44position. He is running out of loose reds. This is tricky. He cannot

2:05:44 > 2:05:49avoid cannons on the other reds.

2:06:06 > 2:06:09He can stun the cue ball across.

2:06:19 > 2:06:30Yes, nice shot. Controlled it nicely. And now he has played that,

2:06:30 > 2:06:35he can play this red into the corner and hold the cue ball fair and he

2:06:35 > 2:06:42has a chance to cannon into the pink and five reds. I do not think there

2:06:42 > 2:06:47is anything available so a nice clean pot on the red. And you can

2:06:47 > 2:06:50come down and hopefully get a cannon.

2:07:00 > 2:07:04It is not the easiest bunch to hit because there is distance between

2:07:04 > 2:07:07the pink and the red.

2:07:11 > 2:07:19If he is to go into the pink, he must hit it full ball. He has played

2:07:19 > 2:07:24a controlled cannon. Cut the red on the left.

2:07:34 > 2:07:42He hit it too full in the face.A decent effort. It have to be

2:07:42 > 2:07:47extremely accurate. It was almost one of those with the cue ball dying

2:07:47 > 2:07:54on its last breath to get the cannon. All he can do is play safe.

2:07:54 > 2:08:00Up somewhere near the green.

2:08:05 > 2:08:08APPLAUSE

2:08:17 > 2:08:24It was a decent break. He would have loved to do it in one

2:08:24 > 2:08:33visit. He has put a red towards the corner. All the time he will be

2:08:33 > 2:08:37thinking about a counter clearance, if it is coming from Ronnie, and

2:08:37 > 2:08:42making it difficult by potting the reds close to the cushion.

2:08:49 > 2:08:55Very dangerous situation for Martin. OK, he has 46 points in front, but

2:08:55 > 2:09:00Ronnie is capable of clearing up and four of the six reds are in open

2:09:00 > 2:09:08play. He does not want to make any more mistakes and that was a good

2:09:08 > 2:09:09shot.

2:09:34 > 2:09:39He is looking at the two reds. He might be able to take least one off

2:09:39 > 2:09:45the cushion. He had to avoid that. That was on the cards. What a

2:09:45 > 2:09:46result.

2:09:52 > 2:09:57He is playing well and getting a good run of the ball. Once he got

2:09:57 > 2:10:02the double-kiss, it looks like it was trouble.

2:10:08 > 2:10:09Playing the thick contact.

2:10:15 > 2:10:19It is a tough combination to play against. Ronnie O'Sullivan playing

2:10:19 > 2:10:23well and getting the run of the balls into the bargain.

2:10:30 > 2:10:37Still very much anyone's frame. If Ronnie gets in with the chance, he

2:10:37 > 2:10:41almost goes favourite, the way the reds are.

2:10:58 > 2:11:01There will be club snooker players all over the country going, are you

2:11:01 > 2:11:07mad, I would love to have a 46 point lead. But not with Ronnie sitting in

2:11:07 > 2:11:15the chair. One mistake, it could all be gone. Just the red on the

2:11:15 > 2:11:21left-hand side, but as you mentioned, that is not a problem

2:11:21 > 2:11:24when you are good with the left-hand, as well.

2:11:55 > 2:12:00I am wondering whether the one on the left he could have pushed up and

2:12:00 > 2:12:04down and left the cue ball tight here and left the reds in the open

2:12:04 > 2:12:07but he does not fancy because he thinks he will leave one in the

2:12:07 > 2:12:17middle. He will wait for another opportunity.Martin Gould has had a

2:12:17 > 2:12:22policy of going for everything you could see this afternoon, but it

2:12:22 > 2:12:25changes now, because he knows it could cost him the frame.

2:12:45 > 2:12:52If he were behind he would have taken the red on but now he has gone

2:12:52 > 2:13:00into protect the lead mode.

2:13:04 > 2:13:09He would love to get this red from the side cushion. You can see him

2:13:09 > 2:13:11thinking about it all the time.

2:13:18 > 2:13:23Not quite how he played it. If he sits on the blue, I will never

2:13:23 > 2:13:30believe it. I will never believe it. Well, Martin Gould, you do not want

2:13:30 > 2:13:33to be backing any horses over the weekend because that is

2:13:33 > 2:13:43unbelievable. A total mis-hit come up and down the table and the one

2:13:43 > 2:13:46spot that is a nightmare. He has had some today.

2:13:52 > 2:13:56You see, total mis-hit, too much on the cue ball and we saw it

2:13:56 > 2:14:01immediately and we both went over, no. I am sure Martin thought worse

2:14:01 > 2:14:02than that.

2:14:06 > 2:14:11Even though Martin Gould is 46 points ahead, who is favourite to

2:14:11 > 2:14:20win the frame? It is pretty close. And to add insult to injury, what

2:14:20 > 2:14:32shot can he play? It looks like a hit and hope. Give it a smack, hope

2:14:32 > 2:14:37you hit something and then end up safe.

2:14:43 > 2:14:48You have two lads in the studio who know how to get out of snooker 's,

2:14:48 > 2:14:55but I am sure they would be struggling here. -- snookers. And

2:14:55 > 2:14:57there we go.

2:15:08 > 2:15:14Well, he will be absolutely delighted with that.

2:15:19 > 2:15:24He actually tried to play the pot, which was very clever. He was in

2:15:24 > 2:15:28that much trouble he thought, I might as well have a go at it. He

2:15:28 > 2:15:35almost got it, but well done him to get the cue ball there.He has

2:15:35 > 2:15:40forced Ronnie into taking the pot on. Cannot see a safety shot this

2:15:40 > 2:15:45time. I cannot tell you how tough this is.

2:15:50 > 2:15:57Oh, dear.

2:16:06 > 2:16:16No, that is scary. What a pot that was. Some things have happened in

2:16:16 > 2:16:21this match today, Martin Gould, all you can do is laugh about it.

2:16:25 > 2:16:30Yes, it is more of those days. Your opponent is playing brilliantly

2:16:30 > 2:16:35well, striking the ball great, having a good run of the balls and

2:16:35 > 2:16:39some pots today have been three of the best shots I have seen all week

2:16:39 > 2:16:47and that was another one, cueing off the top cushion.Fair to say they

2:16:47 > 2:16:55are easier when you are 4-0 ahead than behind.But that is a tough

2:16:55 > 2:17:02shot. Goodness me.

2:17:21 > 2:17:24Play the pink after this next red.

2:17:36 > 2:17:41Straightaway leaving a wide-angle so he can stun up just before the

2:17:41 > 2:17:49middle pocket and probably play on the yellow. Trying to make it as

2:17:49 > 2:17:54easy as possible and as close as you can. If anything, just a little bit

2:17:54 > 2:18:02too firm. He could have done with it pulling up more.I think he played

2:18:02 > 2:18:05for green.

2:18:10 > 2:18:16Just using the one cushion. This is not a certainty. All of these pots

2:18:16 > 2:18:25are easier if you are scoring in the match but he knows this is a big

2:18:25 > 2:18:43frame to win, to go 5-0. When he fluked the snooker there was a new

2:18:43 > 2:18:52favourite in the frame.

2:18:58 > 2:19:03I fear for you in this frame, Martin. You have not done a lot

2:19:03 > 2:19:10wrong, OK, position went wrong at the start of it, but that piece of

2:19:10 > 2:19:15fortune Ronnie had with the mis-hit on the safety shot was one of the

2:19:15 > 2:19:22most outrageous fluked snookers I have seen. But this break has been

2:19:22 > 2:19:27made because of O'Sullivan's magnificence of the cushion.

2:19:39 > 2:19:45He went a little bit far with the cue ball and this is Martin's only

2:19:45 > 2:19:56hope, but you would not expect him to miss this. And in it goes. There

2:19:56 > 2:20:02was an inevitability about that clearance. Martin Gould led by 46

2:20:02 > 2:20:05points but outrageous fortune for Ronnie and a brilliant red in the

2:20:05 > 2:20:07middle. HAZEL

2:20:07 > 2:20:10Ronnie and a brilliant red in the middle. HAZEL IRVINE: But you make

2:20:10 > 2:20:14your own luck and you have been talking about at the beginning of

2:20:14 > 2:20:20the match. A shot Martin Gould took on and the vortex spiralled

2:20:20 > 2:20:22downwards. When you look back on this was it

2:20:22 > 2:20:26downwards. When you look back on this was it the key shot?It is a

2:20:26 > 2:20:33sliding doors moment. It is a low percentage shot. Who knows what

2:20:33 > 2:20:38would have happened had he chosen to play a safety. It is not guaranteed

2:20:38 > 2:20:39Ronnie is going

2:20:39 > 2:20:42play a safety. It is not guaranteed Ronnie is going to play well.It is

2:20:42 > 2:20:48a big moment in the match and I thought it at the time, do not

2:20:48 > 2:20:53encourage O'Sullivan. Keep him as safe as you can. I know it is not

2:20:53 > 2:21:02easy but do not gift chances for no reason. For me it is false bravado.

2:21:02 > 2:21:07By Martin Gould. He has not competed today. And the last frame when

2:21:07 > 2:21:14Ronnie lands on the blue, almost the balls tell you, that is what you get

2:21:14 > 2:21:18for not applying yourself early the match. It might be harsh but it is

2:21:18 > 2:21:23the way the game treats you.If John Higgins is watching, he understand.

2:21:23 > 2:21:28It is not what happens afterwards.

2:21:28 > 2:21:29Higgins is watching, he understand. It is not what happens afterwards.

2:21:29 > 2:21:34You do not know when luck comes but you sometimes can make things happen

2:21:34 > 2:21:38by playing the right shot at the right time and if Martin Gould can

2:21:38 > 2:21:43analyse that and look at that shot and say, perhaps that was wrong. If

2:21:43 > 2:21:48he has someone in his corner to say, think about that, was it the right

2:21:48 > 2:21:56shot? OK, if you do... We do not think it was the right shot.HAZEL

2:21:56 > 2:22:00IRVINE: He certainly has a lot to do and he is looking at an exit in the

2:22:00 > 2:22:09UK Championship. JOHN PARROTT: Interesting from the boys, as ever.

2:22:09 > 2:22:15It is funny, this game. The balls do seem to have a memory, as was said

2:22:15 > 2:22:19earlier. You do something wrong, and the amount of times it has happened

2:22:19 > 2:22:24in matches you should have won. You play the wrong shot, and the rest of

2:22:24 > 2:22:30the match, it does not forgive you.

2:22:34 > 2:22:46Probably covered by the blue! Yes. He has played brilliant tactical

2:22:46 > 2:22:49shots today, Ronnie.

2:23:07 > 2:23:15Well, hello. Of course, he will not be on anything, you know that! Yes,

2:23:15 > 2:23:24granite on the cushion. Good luck rolling up to it.Does he take the

2:23:24 > 2:23:34brown into the right middle? 5-0, trying to lay the snooker.It is a

2:23:34 > 2:23:43hard shot to play. These cloths are fine.

2:23:47 > 2:24:00That is about as good as he can do. Good shot.

2:24:00 > 2:24:07Ronnie is looking at three cushions, maybe four.

2:24:23 > 2:24:27Did not get a wide enough angle.

2:24:35 > 2:24:41He may be tempted by the red to the far left corner. No, he gets it put

2:24:41 > 2:24:44back.

2:25:02 > 2:25:16It is all about the slide off the third cushion. Would have been, a

2:25:16 > 2:25:17touch harder.

2:25:25 > 2:25:30He has the angle worked out but it is the third cushion.

2:25:50 > 2:25:58REFEREE: Foul and a miss. He is very close. Just a tiny bit

2:25:58 > 2:26:06more pace. With the angle he is hitting it, when you put on more

2:26:06 > 2:26:10pace, sometimes, be third cushion, it slides more. A tiny bit of

2:26:10 > 2:26:12readjustment.

2:26:20 > 2:26:32APPLAUSE Yes. Good shot. He knew he would not

2:26:32 > 2:26:36get much of an advantage if Ronnie hit that correctly but he got 12

2:26:36 > 2:26:40points for nothing, which could come in handy.

2:27:24 > 2:27:31Well, he definitely will take this red on. The left side of the

2:27:31 > 2:27:33cluster, it looks like a natural angle.

2:27:48 > 2:27:55He will be disappointed with that. He should have been stopping the cue

2:27:55 > 2:28:01ball well short of the baulk line. But he was trying so hard to make

2:28:01 > 2:28:07the pot, the positional side, the pot, will go wrong.Either that, or

2:28:07 > 2:28:12play it firmer, go in and out, because, at the end of the day, you

2:28:12 > 2:28:14are 5-0 down.

2:28:17 > 2:28:23Anyway, it was not to be.

2:28:29 > 2:28:38It needs to be a similar shot. Three cushions, possibly a fourth.

2:28:44 > 2:28:48Yes, I think he knows it by now.

2:28:54 > 2:28:59I have thoroughly enjoyed watching this today. Starting off the match

2:28:59 > 2:29:04with two glorious centuries. There have been brilliant individual pots

2:29:04 > 2:29:12and some fantastic tactical play. He has looked fully up for every

2:29:12 > 2:29:14department today in this match.

2:29:24 > 2:29:31It was a good cue ball. But he might be tempted to pot this. Far from

2:29:31 > 2:29:41easy, of course. He could play thin and plate a natural safety shot but

2:29:41 > 2:29:44he is going for the pot.

2:29:54 > 2:30:02Wasn't much chance of him flicking the blue, the way it has been going.

2:30:02 > 2:30:17Snookered him on that one.Going to have to be the red, the plant to the

2:30:17 > 2:30:25red over the corner pocket.He has got that as a pot. Don't know which

2:30:25 > 2:30:32one he was looking at. He has also got a thin clip off the side of the

2:30:32 > 2:30:43park and use the yellow and blue in the bowl end. It is whether he says,

2:30:43 > 2:30:47I am 5-0 behind, I might as well have a go. Or whether he plays the

2:30:47 > 2:30:49safety.

2:31:08 > 2:31:15Didn't get it, but he played it in a way that was quite clever. Good

2:31:15 > 2:31:22angles and good cue ball.

2:32:16 > 2:32:22He has had a go at a couple, this is another one to the right middle.

2:32:22 > 2:32:31Just wondering whether he can play across double with a bit of safety

2:32:31 > 2:32:36involved. He has a choice. Across the face of it, and up and down.

2:32:36 > 2:32:49Good pot. Excellent.Played it confidently. He would have let

2:32:49 > 2:32:55Ronnie in, should he have missed that.He is at the point of no

2:32:55 > 2:32:58return, Martin. Everything that is a half chance, he is going to go for

2:32:58 > 2:33:01it.

2:33:25 > 2:33:32Playing this red because it doesn't look like the black is possible.

2:33:32 > 2:33:39Could have done with a bit more on the cue ball but that is a nice,

2:33:39 > 2:33:44clean pot. You cannot always judge where the cue ball is going to go.

2:33:44 > 2:33:49Thankfully he missed the double-kiss with the black.

2:34:18 > 2:34:26Nice little chance. Storm the pink in, red in the middle and then the

2:34:26 > 2:34:32black. Probably pot to the top right-hand pocket. With it being

2:34:32 > 2:34:36next to the reds, he could bring a few more into play. Just coming to

2:34:36 > 2:34:43have a look to see if the black goes. Which it does. Pot this, come

2:34:43 > 2:34:50down and try and get a bit low on this. Stun the black in and move a

2:34:50 > 2:34:56couple of the reds out. Perfect.

2:35:01 > 2:35:10Little bit careful with the cannon. This is a big shot. The only thing

2:35:10 > 2:35:18that can go wrong is not landing on one here.

2:35:26 > 2:35:31Looking at his body language... From that, it looks like it doesn't take

2:35:31 > 2:35:37a lot. Just a little touch of left-hand side, I think he will be

2:35:37 > 2:35:49able to pot that.I think he is going to have to take it. If he

2:35:49 > 2:35:54plays the one he is looking at, bridging over. All sorts of cannons

2:35:54 > 2:36:01can happen. It is awkward. I am sure Paul Collier is going to love this

2:36:01 > 2:36:10one, cleaning the white. I don't think I would be doing that. I would

2:36:10 > 2:36:17say, I will clean it after this shot.

2:36:36 > 2:36:49Got to play it a bit to get the cue ball on and off the cushion.It is

2:36:49 > 2:36:55one of those shots. You have played the cannon and you think, I am bound

2:36:55 > 2:36:59to be on one. You don't want any shot that has any degree of

2:36:59 > 2:37:09difficulty. But I didn't think it was going to be that hard.

2:37:39 > 2:37:47You can't see how Martin can go wrong here now.All credit to him,

2:37:47 > 2:37:53he has been on the end of it today. Ronnie has played great, tactically

2:37:53 > 2:37:58very astute and all departments have been in full flow. He is hanging in

2:37:58 > 2:38:04there, he is 5-0 down, it can't be easy, but this is a good effort.

2:38:17 > 2:38:22Knowing Martin, he will be determined to make a century break

2:38:22 > 2:38:27here, just to show this crowd at the Barbican, he can actually play the

2:38:27 > 2:38:41game. They all know he can, but he has been up against it today.

2:39:05 > 2:39:18He has got a frame on the board. He has avoided the dreaded whitewash.

2:39:18 > 2:39:27Probably just delaying the inevitable, but... He will try and

2:39:27 > 2:39:34clear the table and that will be a positive to take from today.

2:40:24 > 2:40:36Taking these superbly well, Martin Gould. Very good response. 5-0, very

2:40:36 > 2:40:43easy to just throw the towel in. Martin is still in there, still

2:40:43 > 2:40:52punching. You don't win a major event if you don't have something

2:40:52 > 2:41:00about you. He won the Masters in 2016. All the boys know he is a good

2:41:00 > 2:41:08competitor.It shows pride in his performance, trying so hard to make

2:41:08 > 2:41:16this century break. Good shots. Little bit straight on the black.

2:41:16 > 2:41:28Screw back with lots of right-hand side. Here is a question, have you

2:41:28 > 2:41:33ever won a match from 5-0 down in the best of 11? Not that you are

2:41:33 > 2:41:45ever 5-0 down, of course!I won the Best of nine from 4-0. The wasn't

2:41:45 > 2:41:52the best of 11 when I was playing. It was the best of 17 by then.I was

2:41:52 > 2:41:57thinking about the Masters, maybe? I knew I shouldn't have asked the

2:41:57 > 2:42:01question.

2:42:12 > 2:42:18Well played, Martin Gould. There is the century. The Barbican audience

2:42:18 > 2:42:25appreciating it. Excellent. The blue doesn't go in, but he won't be too

2:42:25 > 2:42:31bothered. Fantastic response, 5-0 down, makes a century break. But it

2:42:31 > 2:42:36is Ronnie O'Sullivan who leads 5-1. HAZEL

2:42:36 > 2:42:38is Ronnie O'Sullivan who leads 5-1. HAZEL IRVINE: bat has been very

2:42:38 > 2:42:43enjoyable and having spent a bit of time knocking Martin for some of the

2:42:43 > 2:42:47decision-making process earlier on, he has shown he can still pot them

2:42:47 > 2:42:59when it matters?It is common when a player reaches the point of no

2:42:59 > 2:43:04return, the Bugle is blown and he starts swinging his arm and a few

2:43:04 > 2:43:10start going in.He didn't have a great game yesterday, but he didn't

2:43:10 > 2:43:13dropped his head or throw the towel in. We know he loves the game of

2:43:13 > 2:43:18snooker. Even though he has been knocked out of the World

2:43:18 > 2:43:22Championship, we have seen him at the Winter Garden. He won't be

2:43:22 > 2:43:28saying it is all terrible, he plays every game of snooker, 5-0 down

2:43:28 > 2:43:33against Ronnie O'Sullivan, OK. Next frame, go for it. That is why Martin

2:43:33 > 2:43:42Gould is knocking on the doors of the top 16.Yesterday he breaks 69

2:43:42 > 2:43:48and 64 and he has plenty of bottle and belief?He does, but like

2:43:48 > 2:43:52football, you have to earn the right to play well. You have got to do

2:43:52 > 2:43:57that early doors by competing. You just don't give gifts. Doing what he

2:43:57 > 2:44:03did early in the match, he almost lost the right to compete by giving

2:44:03 > 2:44:08Ronnie the lead. Not giving Ronnie believed, he is talented enough, but

2:44:08 > 2:44:15he didn't compete and you cannot do that against O'Sullivan.Is this a

2:44:15 > 2:44:19consolation prize, that century?It looks to be, but you never know with

2:44:19 > 2:44:26a game of snooker. You expect Ronnie to make some frame-winning

2:44:26 > 2:44:32contribution and it would be all over. Ronnie would be into the

2:44:32 > 2:44:38semifinals I think without having played anybody in the top 16?Yes,

2:44:38 > 2:44:44Martin is 18 in the world and such as being the extraordinary nature of

2:44:44 > 2:44:47this championship, we were saying earlier with Barry Hearn, there is

2:44:47 > 2:44:51only Ronnie and Shaun Murphy from the top 16 players left in the

2:44:51 > 2:44:57tournament.If Ronnie will go on to win this match, regardless of who

2:44:57 > 2:45:01wins between Joe Perry and Stephen Maguire, none of them are in the top

2:45:01 > 2:45:0716.It is strange. It is, but Stephen and Joe are all but and they

2:45:07 > 2:45:10have been on the circuit for a long time so we will be going back to

2:45:10 > 2:45:15that one in a while, but meanwhile, can Ronnie finish this off?

2:45:21 > 2:45:25COMMENTATOR: that is what Ronnie will be looking to do, get it over

2:45:25 > 2:45:29as soon as possible. That is a mistake.Paul Martin go straight

2:45:29 > 2:45:40into the bunch of this red. Has got the angle.It is a lovely pack. It

2:45:40 > 2:45:47will keep the white, that pack.That is what he is thinking.

2:45:49 > 2:46:02Oh dear. That is what he played, but the cue almost came out of his

2:46:02 > 2:46:18hands, it was that bad.That wasn't anything like he can do.That was a

2:46:18 > 2:46:21universal snooker player's action for saying, you have cued around the

2:46:21 > 2:46:27corner.

2:46:40 > 2:46:46Strange.It was almost as if he played that without making his mind

2:46:46 > 2:46:55up. He was down on the shot, I think the cogs in his brain was still

2:46:55 > 2:47:09working when he was playing that one.Normally, so strong, closing a

2:47:09 > 2:47:12match out.

2:47:17 > 2:47:26He gets a sniff of a chance to win the match, normally that's enough.

2:47:26 > 2:47:33Not ideal angle on the blue to go into the pink. Might be playing for

2:47:33 > 2:47:39this red left of the pink.He can hit that red and screw as hard as he

2:47:39 > 2:47:45likes because the black is available over on the other corner. Unless red

2:47:45 > 2:47:51came out and covered the pocket, he is bound to be on that.He has lost

2:47:51 > 2:47:56the cue ball. That was clumsy from Ronnie O'Sullivan. He knows it. You

2:47:56 > 2:48:02can see the frustration.He will kick himself over that. Just leave

2:48:02 > 2:48:10the cue ball high, open them up and then the black is there. That will

2:48:10 > 2:48:16annoy him.

2:48:25 > 2:48:30Excellent safety shot, but this was very unlike Ronnie O'Sullivan to

2:48:30 > 2:48:34lose control of the cue ball like that.

2:49:17 > 2:49:19APPLAUSE

2:49:22 > 2:49:28Same shot again for Martin. Off a couple of cushions and drop into the

2:49:28 > 2:49:42pack. Slightly different this time. Ronnie can play off the side with a

2:49:42 > 2:49:48little bit of running side into the baulk area.

2:49:59 > 2:50:04Just checking up there is no available plants amongst the

2:50:04 > 2:50:11cluster. This is a shot that has become much changed over the years.

2:50:11 > 2:50:17It is a shot players like to hit very thin now. Not to open the pack

2:50:17 > 2:50:24up. He gave up the fact he couldn't get a good white. Just to maintain

2:50:24 > 2:50:30the cluster.

2:50:58 > 2:51:04Only really the one you can leave, you would think. Definitely worth

2:51:04 > 2:51:14having a go at this. Where the black is, with it being so close to the

2:51:14 > 2:51:19pocket, if he can knock the red in, where every finish round there, you

2:51:19 > 2:51:24can split the pack up. But he is refusing it. Interesting!

2:51:31 > 2:51:34Maybe he thinks it didn't go. Sometimes you get a different view

2:51:34 > 2:51:51than the player. He has a new game plan, John!Now he is 5-1 down, he

2:51:51 > 2:51:55has decided not to go for anything. He has played a very good safety

2:51:55 > 2:52:03shot, but he was definitely on that red.

2:52:13 > 2:52:19I think the red closest to the right corner will cut in.If it did and he

2:52:19 > 2:52:23can play it with pace, he could go into the pack and remain on the

2:52:23 > 2:52:28black. It is a tough shot, but that pack could go.

2:52:41 > 2:52:47He was right not to hit it too hard, but he needed a trace of left-hand

2:52:47 > 2:52:53side on the cue ball just to make sure that didn't happen.He did hit

2:52:53 > 2:53:00the red above that one, didn't he? If he missed the red above, he would

2:53:00 > 2:53:05be guaranteed to be on it. Not only is he in a load of trouble and has

2:53:05 > 2:53:12to play a colour, he has red over the left-hand pocket as well. He has

2:53:12 > 2:53:16done pretty well today, Martin Gould, to get out of a lot of

2:53:16 > 2:53:20trouble. Certainly with the snooker is. But this has got to be very good

2:53:20 > 2:53:26to get out of this.

2:53:47 > 2:53:55That was an excellent shot. He is still potting the effort in, Martin

2:53:55 > 2:54:00Gould. Excellent temperament.

2:54:19 > 2:54:24May be a little bit of a delay. Somebody in the audience has taken a

2:54:24 > 2:54:41turn for the worst. So there might just be a little hiatus here.

2:55:07 > 2:55:11Somebody being attended to. Plenty of people helping. So all good at

2:55:11 > 2:55:17the moment.

2:55:27 > 2:55:31HAZEL IRVINE: we will hang fire until attention has given to the

2:55:31 > 2:55:39member of the audience. Stephen said he would have been proud of the shot

2:55:39 > 2:55:44that Martin played early on, it was an angle special.I don't know about

2:55:44 > 2:55:50that. He was unlucky, potted a good red, cut back and we were wondering

2:55:50 > 2:55:55if he would get onto the black. He was unlucky. Unfortunately, he's

2:55:55 > 2:56:00leaving bits too late.The showcasing of the skills is all very

2:56:00 > 2:56:06well, but is the match, for you, done and dusted at this point?It

2:56:06 > 2:56:11is, but we have seen things come back. Apparently the man to my right

2:56:11 > 2:56:18was 5-0 behind in the UK championship and one 6-5, it is not

2:56:18 > 2:56:21impossible but suffer against Ronnie O'Sullivan.You wear, was that in

2:56:21 > 2:56:31the garage?No, it was in the arena last year.Barry Hawkins was 5-0 up

2:56:31 > 2:56:35and was overtaken by Nigel Bond. So it can be done. It is rather rare

2:56:35 > 2:56:43these days, isn't it?From Martin Gould's perspective, the only way

2:56:43 > 2:56:47back in is to keep your head up. If you start to believe you are getting

2:56:47 > 2:56:53unlucky and they haven't gone right, ridiculous things have gone wrong in

2:56:53 > 2:56:58some of the frames. The only way you could possibly get back is to still

2:56:58 > 2:57:03be optimistic. That is his great strength in the game. Just repeating

2:57:03 > 2:57:09what we said before, he absolutely loves snooker, you can tell. He is

2:57:09 > 2:57:13hanging around, when he is not playing, he is hanging around,

2:57:13 > 2:57:18watching, talking to the fans. Great character and the type of person we

2:57:18 > 2:57:23need on the circuit, but from this level, it is a tough ask.When he

2:57:23 > 2:57:28started to appear at the Crucible, such was his enthusiasm, he would be

2:57:28 > 2:57:33knocked out but he would stay for the whole two weeks.He has done

2:57:33 > 2:57:39that a few times, yes.We sometimes don't really see what happens behind

2:57:39 > 2:57:44the scene is, how much effort the players put into the game. Sometimes

2:57:44 > 2:57:49you don't want to talk to the fans, they get on with their own game but

2:57:49 > 2:57:53others are pretty decent.It is worth talking about Ronnie's

2:57:53 > 2:57:58longevity. Martin is trying to get through to only his second semifinal

2:57:58 > 2:58:03at the UK championship, but Ronnie is on the cusp of a tense semifinal

2:58:03 > 2:58:10in 25 years. His record is extraordinary.When you consider the

2:58:10 > 2:58:14first 15 years of Ronnie's career, he probably didn't apply himself the

2:58:14 > 2:58:23way he does these days. If he had all the stuff going on from the

2:58:23 > 2:58:28early days, it is scary to think what he would have won.It is just

2:58:28 > 2:58:32over a decade ago, we remember Ronnie walking out on the Crucible

2:58:32 > 2:58:39quarterfinal against Stephen Hendry, 4-2 down. He was all over the place

2:58:39 > 2:58:45with his game, but to have this period of stability and consistency

2:58:45 > 2:58:48in his game and he professes he is not interested in the records.

2:58:48 > 2:58:54Surely that has got to be his driving ambition?He is now 42 years

2:58:54 > 2:58:59of age, but he seems to be getting better. In his physical game hitting

2:58:59 > 2:59:04the ball, the most amazing part, the last five years, his long game is

2:59:04 > 2:59:10probably better than it was when he was a teenager. I don't know what

2:59:10 > 2:59:14the magic formula is. But it has been impressive.Ronnie O'Sullivan

2:59:14 > 2:59:22keeps himself in good shape by running. There are John Higgins and

2:59:22 > 2:59:36Mark Wellings in their 40s playing good snooker. -- Mark Williams.Play

2:59:36 > 2:59:40is about to resume and I'm happy to say we are back under way in this

2:59:40 > 2:59:41frame, seven.

2:59:48 > 2:59:51COMMENTATOR: Thank you, we just hope the person who was taken out is all

2:59:51 > 2:59:55well and good.

3:00:00 > 3:00:03Martin found a way through there.

3:00:12 > 3:00:20I'm just wondering whether he can do this properly. It's a good test of

3:00:20 > 3:00:33your cueing. Always a worry when there is a ball he could catch. That

3:00:33 > 3:00:40could have stuck its nose out and been easy, but it's gone right

3:00:40 > 3:00:47behind the black.

3:01:09 > 3:01:15APPLAUSE

3:01:25 > 3:01:33This is very tight.To get through this thread and onto the black, it

3:01:33 > 3:01:40doesn't look on. No, it's not on. This has to be hit good. What a

3:01:40 > 3:01:49shot. What a shot. I know he's going to leave this red to the right

3:01:49 > 3:01:55corner but that contact on the road was brilliant. -- on the red was

3:01:55 > 3:02:04brilliant.Yes, he has made the best of a tough job there. He has got the

3:02:04 > 3:02:08cue ball nearly glued to the bottom cushion and it just makes the shot

3:02:08 > 3:02:15harder than it could have been. If that cue ball was not on the top

3:02:15 > 3:02:19cushion, Martin gets down and rolls it straight in. You would expect him

3:02:19 > 3:02:25to knock it in but it is not a gimme.

3:02:30 > 3:02:37Surely he is on the black this time? Well, that tells me already he is

3:02:37 > 3:02:47not.

3:02:48 > 3:02:54In practice, you'd have a go at bending this. It's just how he

3:02:54 > 3:03:09feels. He might try one cushion up behind the brown. I think he may be

3:03:09 > 3:03:17tempted at the swerve, you know.I think the shot behind the brown is a

3:03:17 > 3:03:21really good shot. I think that's the one he will play. If you can come

3:03:21 > 3:03:27behind it, if you do hit the brown at the right pace, you can snooker

3:03:27 > 3:03:30him back. It's just whether he thinks he can play that one or it's

3:03:30 > 3:03:46a green. He's gone for the green.A miss. Martin Gould, one, Ronnie

3:03:46 > 3:03:53O'Sullivan, four.I am pretty sure that shot you called and was on, to

3:03:53 > 3:04:01go in behind the brown.Yes, I can only assume he didn't play it

3:04:01 > 3:04:09because he didn't think he'd get a snooker close to the right corner.

3:04:20 > 3:04:26He is looking because he is loath to put it back in. A professional

3:04:26 > 3:04:30player probably wouldn't be missing the green again second go, so he

3:04:30 > 3:04:34doesn't think there's any great benefit to sticking him back into

3:04:34 > 3:04:41that. -- in two back.

3:04:46 > 3:04:52He doesn't like this shot.

3:05:33 > 3:05:40It's not a bad chance, this. Read to the left of the black and the one

3:05:40 > 3:05:46above that, obviously readily available. The right-hand side isn't

3:05:46 > 3:05:55too difficult either, so a big area to play in position elite.

3:06:03 > 3:06:09This is a good chance.

3:06:17 > 3:06:22I thought he might have played for the black to left corner. If he puts

3:06:22 > 3:06:32the pink -- if you pots the pink and it goes on its own spot... If it

3:06:32 > 3:06:46goes on the black spot, it's OK, but it complicates things a little bit.

3:06:56 > 3:07:03APPLAUSE

3:07:27 > 3:07:38I think he's OK. At first, I thought he had stuck on that. But he's fine.

3:07:38 > 3:07:42It's all after the event, of course, but the way he is playing now and

3:07:42 > 3:07:50the quality of his matchplay, you wonder what would have happened if

3:07:50 > 3:07:54he had played like this from the start, because his matchplay has

3:07:54 > 3:07:59been very, very good the last couple of frames. It's what we are used to

3:07:59 > 3:08:09seeing from him.Yes, you could possibly say that now he has 5-0

3:08:09 > 3:08:14behind, he has relaxed. When you can't win the match, sometimes it is

3:08:14 > 3:08:23easier than a normal game. The shackles off. It would be

3:08:23 > 3:08:30interesting if he was to win another couple of frames how his game would

3:08:30 > 3:08:35evolve.

3:08:47 > 3:08:53He didn't play that last read particularly well. And because of

3:08:53 > 3:09:00that, he has had to take this one in the centre, so a little more to do

3:09:00 > 3:09:14with the cue ball. He has decided to play the pot and run-through.

3:09:45 > 3:09:51He will be taking be outside red of these two, slightly hampered in the

3:09:51 > 3:09:59cueing. Shouldn't miss it. There is not too much to do with the white.

3:10:43 > 3:10:59So, this red and another colour and he would need a snooker.Yes, that

3:10:59 > 3:11:03is an excellent effort. Very good. Just make sure you concentrate for

3:11:03 > 3:11:09the next two shots. Not just this one, that gets you over the line,

3:11:09 > 3:11:16but the one after as well. Once you get over the line, you can relax a

3:11:16 > 3:11:20little, miss one, and all of a sudden you have 15 minutes of

3:11:20 > 3:11:24snooker is when you don't need them.

3:11:53 > 3:11:57Yes, I nod off the head from Ronnie O'Sullivan. A 61 break from Martin

3:11:57 > 3:12:07Gould. Reduces his deficit and it is now five frames to two macro.

3:12:07 > 3:12:14Stephen, in that match last night, it could all have been so different.

3:12:14 > 3:12:20The match last night, certainly in the final frame, it was very

3:12:20 > 3:12:24exciting but there was one instance when I was watching on my iPad and

3:12:24 > 3:12:30he had this plant and he didn't know what to play, did he?Yes, we talk

3:12:30 > 3:12:34about the squeeze plant, when the two balls are touching and you play

3:12:34 > 3:12:38the opposite side and you normally would and he is aiming as he looks

3:12:38 > 3:12:43at it on the right-hand side of the red.You look at it and for all the

3:12:43 > 3:12:47world you would think it is the side he's going to hit. But it is a

3:12:47 > 3:12:54reverse plant, isn't it? It was amazing that somebody, OK, he is

3:12:54 > 3:12:58young and inexperienced, but surely he knows what a reverse plant is? It

3:12:58 > 3:13:03is never going in repeated that there.There was a bit of space

3:13:03 > 3:13:06between the two beds and I think it confused him. Whether it was the

3:13:06 > 3:13:10pressure of the situation but if that had gone in, we could be

3:13:10 > 3:13:17looking at a different match today. Very unusual for a top-class

3:13:17 > 3:13:22professional not to know that what he will look back at that match and

3:13:22 > 3:13:27work on it, because it was such an important part of the match and of

3:13:27 > 3:13:36course warning went on to win. He did, and Sony had a couple of

3:13:36 > 3:13:40chances to win but he stumbled and suddenly Bonnie was back in the

3:13:40 > 3:13:47match. There were a couple of twists and turns, went there?There really

3:13:47 > 3:13:52were. There was the green with the rest, he chipped the blue in. Back

3:13:52 > 3:13:57to that plant, if you think about a normal plant, when the ball is two

3:13:57 > 3:14:03or three inches apart, you know which way to manipulate it. When

3:14:03 > 3:14:09they are touching, it's the reverse. So at what point is the space where

3:14:09 > 3:14:14you can't do anything with it? That was the case there. That's the first

3:14:14 > 3:14:20time I have seen that. I think it's about four or five millimetres apart

3:14:20 > 3:14:25then it doesn't matter where you hit the first red. It wasn't that easy

3:14:25 > 3:14:31to judge what would happen now.No, but the moment he got down on it, I

3:14:31 > 3:14:34think everybody was screaming, don't do it, don't do it, because we all

3:14:34 > 3:14:39knew what was going to happen do the ball. Perhaps the only thing you

3:14:39 > 3:14:43could say is that if he plays a lot in Thailand where the air is quite

3:14:43 > 3:14:48humid, perhaps he is used do other things happening, because you do

3:14:48 > 3:14:53know from playing plants that if you have something that stops the

3:14:53 > 3:15:02friction in between the balls, they acted differently. Have I said

3:15:02 > 3:15:08something funny?You lost me at hello, Steve. Let's get back to the

3:15:08 > 3:15:15match. Thanks for that. Left field or what?

3:15:15 > 3:15:24Always God and explanation, hasn't he, Steve? -- always got an

3:15:24 > 3:15:34explanation, hasn't he, Steve? Meanwhile, Ronnie O'Sullivan has got

3:15:34 > 3:15:40to get some... OK, he has been outplayed the last couple of frames

3:15:40 > 3:15:44but he has got to get this match over with. The last thing he wants

3:15:44 > 3:15:51to do is get to 5-3, 5-4, let it become a real pressure situation

3:15:51 > 3:15:57again like last night.Yes, you can't say he has made any great

3:15:57 > 3:16:02mistakes in the last two frames. I think Martin has played two great

3:16:02 > 3:16:06frames of snooker, I really do. It goes back to what I said earlier. If

3:16:06 > 3:16:10he had played the same way in the opening session, this match would

3:16:10 > 3:16:14have been closer. But it is water under the bridge. You have got to

3:16:14 > 3:16:19get on with what is in front of you.

3:17:45 > 3:17:52Maybe it is Ronnie's tend to take a more risky shot on? He obviously

3:17:52 > 3:17:56wasn't expecting the cannon but he missed the shot by so far, that is

3:17:56 > 3:18:09what happened. A slight eagerness to get this match over and done with.

3:18:09 > 3:18:14Yes, he has got a choice of shots on this red but he will play the clip.

3:18:14 > 3:18:22You have got to put it, Martin. Didn't see that one coming.

3:18:43 > 3:18:47APPLAUSE

3:18:51 > 3:19:02Beautifully cued.

3:19:17 > 3:19:25Well.I must admit, I don't think I would be playing the yellow that, I

3:19:25 > 3:19:33think I would play the brown, because you could move left to right

3:19:33 > 3:19:37middle or to the far corner. It's not often I don't agree with shots

3:19:37 > 3:19:42Ronnie O'Sullivan plays but it looked be harder one to control the

3:19:42 > 3:19:49cue ball. Look where it has ended up.

3:20:11 > 3:20:18Just one minute, they are just going to move the lady out, that's all.I

3:20:18 > 3:20:23think there will be a pause in play for a second with a couple of

3:20:23 > 3:20:32medical emergencies taking place. Yes, a serious situation here at the

3:20:32 > 3:20:38Barbican. The ambulance crew just tending to the lady who has taken

3:20:38 > 3:20:42ill. It's obviously a distressing time for that lady and her family

3:20:42 > 3:20:46but it's a difficult thing to cope with as a player when this is

3:20:46 > 3:20:52happening as well, I would imagine? It is, but you are fully aware of

3:20:52 > 3:20:56what is happening so it is not something that you would consider

3:20:56 > 3:21:00would break your concentration. You just say, oh, fair enough, wait for

3:21:00 > 3:21:05it to happen, get on with the game. In terms of what is happening within

3:21:05 > 3:21:10this game so far, it is Martin Gould who has found some form.Yes, and we

3:21:10 > 3:21:15have said a few times, it's a shame he has not played like this from the

3:21:15 > 3:21:19first whistle today, so to speak. Ronnie has started playing some

3:21:19 > 3:21:26funny shots there, as Stephen mentioned. If he wins the next

3:21:26 > 3:21:31couple of frames, things could get really tasty.Indeed. OK, we are

3:21:31 > 3:21:34back into this.

3:21:39 > 3:21:47Quite a tricky positional shot here. That is about as good as he could do

3:21:47 > 3:21:57and it isn't bad. He's actually got a nice angle here just to screw this

3:21:57 > 3:22:03in, take the black and of course the red to the left of black is clear,

3:22:03 > 3:22:06so it's not a bad start.

3:22:19 > 3:22:23Yes, these matches are all about momentum and at the moment, it is

3:22:23 > 3:22:31Martin Gould's that has got it.So, the next three shots he has got,

3:22:31 > 3:22:36looking at back on the cue ball with the black comedy red that's

3:22:36 > 3:22:41available, a half ball on the black and then a cannon up into the pack

3:22:41 > 3:22:46would be ideal. He wants to get the bottom right of the seven behind the

3:22:46 > 3:22:57pink, he wants to hit that virtually full and then get into the pack.

3:23:10 > 3:23:15There it is. He's got to play this with plenty of pace here, straight

3:23:15 > 3:23:26into that read, -- straight into that red, open them up, you would be

3:23:26 > 3:23:30unlucky not to get them out from there, but he has got to play this

3:23:30 > 3:23:37with plenty of He is about half and it's too far to play with pace from

3:23:37 > 3:23:45the bottom. He couldn't play it with extreme pace because the cue ball

3:23:45 > 3:23:54goes out to the left first but he couldn't have played it's better. It

3:23:54 > 3:24:00finished low on the black. He's got a huge target to go out again. He is

3:24:00 > 3:24:07playing for the lease rates now. Yes, I am with you that. If he goes

3:24:07 > 3:24:12through and goes half ball, lucky to go into the centre. That's the shot

3:24:12 > 3:24:16you would happen playing.

3:24:24 > 3:24:29He has hit that one too well. A lot of action in the cue ball. Have got

3:24:29 > 3:24:37to hit this into the far corner. Nothing to do with the cue ball.

3:24:37 > 3:24:48Well done. At least two reds available to left corner, so just a

3:24:48 > 3:24:53matter of stunning off the cushion.

3:24:56 > 3:25:06This match is getting, well, as Alan said, tasty.

3:25:12 > 3:25:15Yes, you used the word momentum, it can change. Sometimes you are

3:25:15 > 3:25:21sitting in your chair and you can't get a decent chance, you try to

3:25:21 > 3:25:25force it a bit and all of a sudden your opponent has the cue ball and

3:25:25 > 3:25:29there's very little you can do about it. Mind you, Martin went to be very

3:25:29 > 3:25:33happy with that shot. He would have wanted it higher up the table for

3:25:33 > 3:25:39the bottom right.Yes, finishing low is worse because there is no pink or

3:25:39 > 3:25:42blue to play for.

3:25:46 > 3:25:59There is now. Well played.Good shot but he could have done with the red

3:25:59 > 3:26:03that's gone up into the baulk area with outgoing tide to the cushion.

3:26:03 > 3:26:10If it had stayed in a more pottable area, it would have been better. If

3:26:10 > 3:26:15it had bounced off the cushion, it would have been nicer. He doesn't

3:26:15 > 3:26:19want to be straight on this.

3:26:31 > 3:26:36He's got to give this shot his absolute attention, full

3:26:36 > 3:26:41concentration. Plenty of reds left for Ronnie to try to counter attack

3:26:41 > 3:26:49and still the frames. -- steal the brain.

3:27:00 > 3:27:12Yes, good shot, that. Pot the brown and come round the angles for the

3:27:12 > 3:27:20left-hand side. Yes, hit that lovely. He really did hit that nice.

3:27:20 > 3:27:27He is hitting every shot well now. Hitting that cue ball with a lot of

3:27:27 > 3:27:34authority now.Of course, you made the point earlier that he not really

3:27:34 > 3:27:38thinking he has a chance of winning this match yet, so he is hitting it

3:27:38 > 3:27:43well with a lot of freedom. The winning post is not within Martin's

3:27:43 > 3:27:48site at the moment. It's just about trying to make the score respectable

3:27:48 > 3:27:53and winning each frame on its merits. As it gets a bit closer,

3:27:53 > 3:28:01that might change a touch, but at the moment, he is doing very well.

3:28:01 > 3:28:08I'm not sure where the next red is coming from. Is he going to stun to

3:28:08 > 3:28:16the corner? Yes. Well, he has eight choice of two reds.

3:28:20 > 3:28:27So, whichever red he plays, that is the one he needs. Then Ronnie

3:28:27 > 3:28:36O'Sullivan would need a snooker again. Well, we mentioned already,

3:28:36 > 3:28:40just make sure you pop this black and another red and stop your

3:28:40 > 3:28:49opponent coming back to the table. Yes, it's sort of a natural

3:28:49 > 3:28:53inclination. You sort of breathe a sigh of relief when you get past the

3:28:53 > 3:28:59winning post in the frame, or you think you have. You watch it year

3:28:59 > 3:29:02in, year out, and people end up giving themselves aggravation for

3:29:02 > 3:29:11the next 20 minutes because they didn't give it more concentration.

3:29:11 > 3:29:16Oh, he has missed it. It will be interesting to see whether Ronnie

3:29:16 > 3:29:21comes back to the table. That is conceded. He just wants to get on

3:29:21 > 3:29:26with it. Martin Gould wins another frame. He still trails 5-3, but he

3:29:26 > 3:29:31is back in this match.

3:30:24 > 3:30:30I seem to remember quarterfinal here couple of years ago where Martin

3:30:30 > 3:30:35Gould was 5-1 up on David Grace and then lost. He has been on the other

3:30:35 > 3:30:42end of this. Every frame on the board is a frame towards

3:30:42 > 3:30:45respectability. At what point do you think, I have a chance here?

3:30:45 > 3:30:50respectability. At what point do you think, I have a chance here?He is

3:30:50 > 3:30:54still in playing mode, let's see what happens, but if he wins this,

3:30:54 > 3:31:00he will be thinking, maybe I can win this. But he is not there just yet.

3:31:00 > 3:31:05No, when you are in that situation, you are either embarrassed and you

3:31:05 > 3:31:10run out of the Barbican in a heap. Or you do a bit of fighting, which

3:31:10 > 3:31:17he has done and you get to play the game of snooker. It is great to see,

3:31:17 > 3:31:22showing a bit of character, not in a condescending way, but we know how

3:31:22 > 3:31:28good Martin Gould can play. It'll be interesting see what happens.Frame

3:31:28 > 3:31:30nine.

3:31:43 > 3:31:46COMMENTATOR: There might be just glimmer is of hope he can turn this

3:31:46 > 3:31:56match around. 5-4, is totally different to 53 macro. He might

3:31:56 > 3:32:04start thinking, I have a shout at this. -- 5-3.I think he will be

3:32:04 > 3:32:07starting to believe now he has a chance.

3:32:21 > 3:32:25We all know it just takes one decent opportunity and Ronnie Sullivan

3:32:25 > 3:32:30could wrap this up very quickly.

3:32:34 > 3:32:40It's not a nice feeling when you have been 5-0 and you think the

3:32:40 > 3:32:43afternoon is virtually done and dusted and then all of the sudden,

3:32:43 > 3:32:55you have got to get back to work, as it were.That was a very attacking

3:32:55 > 3:33:02and positive safety shot. It may provide dividends for Ronnie

3:33:02 > 3:33:08O'Sullivan. It has gone over the corner. Is Ronnie getting static

3:33:08 > 3:33:19again? Very positive shot. He's going to put his hand near the

3:33:19 > 3:33:25table. There we are.

3:33:33 > 3:33:40The tricky part, he can't knock red answer the other won over the corner

3:33:40 > 3:33:50to try and pot it. May be forced into taking a pot on. Is it this one

3:33:50 > 3:33:55into the corner, into the left corner? It looks like it. It could

3:33:55 > 3:33:59be all or nothing. APPLAUSE

3:34:06 > 3:34:12That is a brilliant pot. So unlucky to stick the red by the black. What

3:34:12 > 3:34:25a pot this is.Fantastic pot, it really was.If we thought there was

3:34:25 > 3:34:29pressure on the last one, good luck with this. The only thing we are

3:34:29 > 3:34:33looking at is the pink in the middle. He had a red right at the

3:34:33 > 3:34:39start of the match today, tricky into the centre pocket. Now he has

3:34:39 > 3:34:43got this. You either knock this in and they are all yours, or it could

3:34:43 > 3:34:54be the end of the match.The pink was almost, if not more difficult

3:34:54 > 3:34:59than the red. The way he played it, he screwed over, move the red away

3:34:59 > 3:35:04from the black, red over the corner pocket. Ronnie can just drop this in

3:35:04 > 3:35:11and the black is available.

3:35:19 > 3:35:22Ronnie, walking round the table looking at the situation. Steeling

3:35:22 > 3:35:29himself for what he hopes is his last effort. Needs to get over the

3:35:29 > 3:35:31line in this match.

3:35:38 > 3:35:44It has got nothing to do with the cue ball, just keep potting balls.

3:35:44 > 3:35:48As long as he keeps potting the black, he will always be on

3:35:48 > 3:35:54something, you would think. The blue is there as well.Slight change of

3:35:54 > 3:36:00plan, just flicked off the red. He played to miss the reds completely.

3:36:00 > 3:36:10He has so many options with so many red is available. What a chance.

3:36:39 > 3:36:44Finished on a lovely angle. Played a lovely run through because the black

3:36:44 > 3:36:50is only available into the top, right-hand pocket.The two reds

3:36:50 > 3:36:57together, I presume one of them is available. He has played for it. The

3:36:57 > 3:37:00bottom one definitely goes.

3:37:06 > 3:37:17You would have to say, this match looks all over. It is only

3:37:17 > 3:37:21carelessness, possibly a kick, something like that, that could stop

3:37:21 > 3:37:26Ronnie winning the match at this visit.

3:37:38 > 3:37:42To be fair, since going 5-0, this is the best chance he has had, the way

3:37:42 > 3:37:47Martin has play?Absolutely, he hasn't done a lot wrong, his

3:37:47 > 3:37:56opponent has taken his chances. Players get pegged back, someone is

3:37:56 > 3:38:07on a run. Then their chance comes and they make the most of it.

3:38:45 > 3:38:50From 5-0, to 5-3, starting to feel a bit edgy, it is exactly the chance

3:38:50 > 3:38:57you want. It is like a practice routine, the way the reds have been.

3:39:13 > 3:39:20Match time approaching two and three quarters hours. One of those frames

3:39:20 > 3:39:27had a brilliant ending, 20 minutes of the best tactical and safety play

3:39:27 > 3:39:35you will ever see. How Martin Gould kept getting out of them and playing

3:39:35 > 3:39:39safe, was incredible. He has played all right today, but when you looks

3:39:39 > 3:39:43back at the first session, he will ask whether he went about it the

3:39:43 > 3:39:50right way at the start the match. Before the match started, did he

3:39:50 > 3:39:56have the belief he could win? We have seen in these last few frames,

3:39:56 > 3:40:03it looked like he did.I am going to go back to it, but he was absolutely

3:40:03 > 3:40:08cursed not to land on the black. The red he knocked in at the beginning

3:40:08 > 3:40:15of this frame, was one of the best you will see.

3:40:15 > 3:40:23APPLAUSE Round of applause, the audience

3:40:23 > 3:40:30recognising that has got Ronnie, over the winning line. 71 ahead, 59

3:40:30 > 3:40:40remaining. Will want to knock this one in, just to make sure. The balls

3:40:40 > 3:40:46were in the open, but you have still got to knock them in. And under the

3:40:46 > 3:40:50circumstances, an excellent break. He mentioned earlier, one of the

3:40:50 > 3:40:55best are getting over the winning line. He has taken these

3:40:55 > 3:41:06beautifully. All departments have been pretty good. Tactically and

3:41:06 > 3:41:15scoring. This could be his third century of the match. Had a century

3:41:15 > 3:41:20from Martin Gould as well, so the standard has been very high. Has

3:41:20 > 3:41:30been an excellent match to watch. He is finishing in style.

3:41:36 > 3:41:40This will be a good one.

3:41:45 > 3:41:52It's not there. But what a wonderful break from Ronnie O'Sullivan, a

3:41:52 > 3:42:00break of 94 and Martin Gould comes to shake his hand. He played his

3:42:00 > 3:42:06Park this afternoon. It was a wonderful semifinal.

3:42:06 > 3:42:08HAZEL

3:42:08 > 3:42:13wonderful semifinal. HAZEL IRVINE: overall, how do you

3:42:13 > 3:42:16think he will reflect on that performance today?I think he will

3:42:16 > 3:42:21be pleased. It is good that for him, Martin Gould came back at him and

3:42:21 > 3:42:28gave him a challenge. It will toughen him up for what is to come

3:42:28 > 3:42:31tomorrow.Martin will be disappointed how he started the

3:42:31 > 3:42:38match?It is whether he agrees with us in the studio, but he will

3:42:38 > 3:42:41consider himself unlucky on a number of occasions, especially the last

3:42:41 > 3:42:46one when he was forced to play the tough pink. He showed some guts out

3:42:46 > 3:42:51there in the end but would probably feel he let Ronnie off to a good

3:42:51 > 3:42:56start, it would always be an uphill struggle.He was chasing his tail

3:42:56 > 3:43:02from 5-0 behind and Ronnie coming in now. Congratulations. You told me

3:43:02 > 3:43:06last night, you felt he needed to improve in order to try to win this

3:43:06 > 3:43:15title. How much of an improvement was that?Much more, I think my

3:43:15 > 3:43:20attitude was a bit more spot on. Just trying to play one ball at the

3:43:20 > 3:43:25time, I am not playing well enough to think too far ahead. Just had to

3:43:25 > 3:43:30go back to basics and build some momentum. It is tough for me,

3:43:30 > 3:43:34playing the game like that. Sometimes you have got to do it. We

3:43:34 > 3:43:39were talking in the studio about the number of gifts that Martin gave you

3:43:39 > 3:43:46early on, were you surprised back? He came out so aggressively.Nothing

3:43:46 > 3:43:50surprises me at these matches and tournaments, you have do turn up and

3:43:50 > 3:43:53play and hope your numbers come up. Another day you could have parted

3:43:53 > 3:44:03them.In the studio, we analysed the shot selections and Martin took it

3:44:03 > 3:44:07to you immediately, played some aggressive shots. That is how we

3:44:07 > 3:44:11read it in the studio. If they come off, it is great, but they didn't.

3:44:11 > 3:44:20It seemed you have got some help to start with?It wasn't really risky

3:44:20 > 3:44:26shots, I didn't think so.When he was 5-3, is 5-4 the point you would

3:44:26 > 3:44:35start thinking...I was thinking that our 5-0. No point in lying, you

3:44:35 > 3:44:41have all sat here and won matches, I am not playing fantastic, but I am

3:44:41 > 3:44:46competing and trying my hardest. If something clicks, great, I will have

3:44:46 > 3:44:55to be scraped off the table if not. We were talking about your match

3:44:55 > 3:45:00last night and everybody in the Barbican Centre were charmed by the

3:45:00 > 3:45:06way he played, with a smile on his face. When you see somebody like

3:45:06 > 3:45:10that coming through, it was a difficult situation, how much could

3:45:10 > 3:45:15you appreciate the situation he found himself in last night?I was

3:45:15 > 3:45:22the same 24 years ago playing Steve. Now I am there. You have been at it

3:45:22 > 3:45:27a long time, so when you are new to the game, you don't have anything to

3:45:27 > 3:45:32lose. It is great. He is a fantastic guy, fantastic for the sport and he

3:45:32 > 3:45:38played a great match.Stephen mentioned last night, you are

3:45:38 > 3:45:42clearing up this day in a match against the world number 84, is it a

3:45:42 > 3:45:47different feeling to when you are clearing up to win a piece of

3:45:47 > 3:45:54silverware and how much more nerve-racking is that?I just go out

3:45:54 > 3:45:57there and play your match. At the start of the season you want to get

3:45:57 > 3:46:04a couple of results. Because I have done that, I am in match mode now

3:46:04 > 3:46:10and one match built into the next and the more you win, the less