Day 6 World Championship Snooker Extra

Welcome to Snooker Extra from the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield. The

feature match from the Betfair world such a bishop sees England's

Shaun Murphy taking on Graeme Dott. I will leave you in the very

capable hands of the commentary He has not hit many safety shots as

bad as that. That will get the frame moving. Much too thin on this

If you had a preference you would He can play for the black now, of

At that earlier distance it was difficult to judge How the cue ball

would come over the jaws of the pocket. Even when this when he has

to be extra careful, although the red closest to the cue ball now is

available to the corner, so he does not have to do a lot with the cue

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

ball now. This is an excellent He didn't he really get through

that as he would have liked. For those reds in a line he's a little

bit low. That red the cue ball is closest to is making it slightly

Graeme knew, as soon as he played the bad safety, that it could be

costly. The question is, will it cost him the frame? It may well do.

The pink goes on the highest spot available,, which is the yellow.

That won't bother Shaun, with the black available to both corners,

and the blue on its spot. The brown would be the shot to play. It's not

straightforward. Has to catch this Somewhere in that circle would be

good. He has decided to go down to the other side. It is risky to play

for that one. It was his choice but he has certainly made it a lot more

I thought he had just overhit the positional shot but it was the red

Where is the cue ball going? It didn't go in the pocket but he's

not really on a colour. Not one that he would want to risk anyway.

He will be pleased that the safety mistake he made won his last visit

to the table has not cost him the Maybe a little bit fortunate. He

wasn't expecting the yellow to cover the path to this red. He has

hit it, but he may have left it to the left middle pocket. If it is

not straight, he can manoeuvre the cue ball. It must be straight

enough. Having to jack up the cue, as we see. Just couldn't get the

cue ball far enough away from the cushion. This will be a tough black

He could not have hit that much better. Looking for the cue ball to

hit the three reds that were together. But look at the top spin.

It is amazing, the top spin after hitting the black. As you say, he

looked certain to hit those three reds. Then it arced, dear me! Like

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

He's maybe covered the second red over the middle. The one closest to

the middle is too difficult. It was only a containing safety. Don't get

me wrong, this'll be a good shot to get the cue ball back to baulk, but

he has a chance to play the pot on the red and stun round and get the

black. If he'd been tight to the baulk cushion that would not have

been an option. But take nothing away from the pot. We said we would

fancy Graeme Dott to get the upper hand in the tactical exchanges, but

Shaun Murphy has a 33 point lead. That will give him insurance,

What a pot! He has made some mistakes on the safety side but he

has potted some good balls so for in this frame. That was excellent.

I suppose it was unlucky to come on the side cushion but after the red,

you did not fancy him to miss the black. He could not roll it in dead

weight, he had to play it with a bit of pace. He does not have to do

a lot, Shaun Murphy. He is a little bit thinner on the blue than he

would like but the red is available into the same pocket into which he

38 points in front. Red and blue would put him 44 in front with 43

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

There you see it - one snooker But for the snooker, Shaun Murphy

If it gets passed the middle pocket it probably would have been a

And that red going in will probably mean Graeme Dott won't carry on.

The colour will make certain. He has had a few chances in this

frame, Shaun Murphy, and uncharacteristically, we have seen

some very poor safety play from Graeme. This match in two sessions

of eight, and then the final, the 9th, to make it up to 25. -- the

Now, come off the top cushion. Cannon on the pink to nudge it over

the middle. It is all immaterial, of course. Graeme will concede. He

will be a little bit disappointed, Graeme Dott, with some of his

safety, but that is just the start Shaun Murphy once, getting the

first frame under his belt. - Shaun No easy pot to go at - decent break

off. Although Graeme did have a go at that red. He didn't get close to

the jaws. Was in danger of leaving it into one of the corner pockets.

The longer the matches are, the more sessions you play, you are

going to have bad sessions where you do not play as well as you

Sometimes when you get out at 5-3 instead of 6-2, it can make a huge

difference. Because krill was trying to get up and down the table,

numbers will be taken, an easy -- because the cue ball. You see

the pace he missed it at, up and down, leaving Shaun an easy red.

He's not settled at the moment, He hit that perfect and deserved to

be on the red. He didn't get the pink full in the face but because

of the quality of the strike he was able to hold the cue ball in the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

This is a little bit trickier than I thought when he played the black

that he had casually played for this red. I'm surprised he missed

it. But that is the second one we have seen slowly rattling the jaws.

Graeme Dott had won in the last frame that did that. Talking about

the cloth being changed. That was a poor shot from Graeme. He is still

on the black. He will refuse inside, after the shot. -- he will be

furious inside. That is a poor, Shaun in the first frame made 40

odd, and then this frame he has made 34, and for me he does not

make enough of his chances and convert them into frame-winning

chances. It is something he has to One thing he is one of the best and

the world at his long potting. is where his cueing action stands

It needs to run on, otherwise he is on nothing. He's certainly not on

the red he played for. He has a chance for this red along the top

cushion but he has missed one easier than this on the last visit,

so you will not be looking forward to playing the sport. This is tough.

What a good pot. He's a real fighter, Graeme Dott, isn't he? He

played that shot, forcing it in, get in there. Shaun Murphy's had

two decent opportunities. He has surely got there to nine points

from them. This is a chance for Graham. -- 39 points. Looking for

the cue ball through the gap of those reds to the right. Hopefully

catch the top red of the two that Looking to play another cannon here

on the red to the left of the four. There was a red that poster the

corner but he would have to play off the cushion. -- that pots to

That was the red you were referring to. This is a good chance now. He's

That black puts him six points behind so used when to need these

five remaining reds, four of them with colours. -- he is going to

He will probably just need that red without the colour. It is a decent

enough chance. It's OK. That ran in nicely. He could have left himself

a nasty angle on the black there. He is asking for the cue ball to be

cleaned, but I don't think he got He's got himself a chance at this

red. A choice of reds. Whichever will give him the best position.

Turns round and apologises. Sean will have to take that on the chin.

Well played. Made it look easy, it was anything but. He will need

colours from these two remaining If this goes right it could be a

He could not have played it any This looks inch perfect on the blue.

Just the yellow needed to put him 27 points in front. Murphy will be

disappointed to have lost this Once you play that shot, if you do

miss, there is not a lot of work for your opponent to do. That was

an excellent break. Graeme Dott Graeme is sometimes a law unto

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

I don't know if he can stay on the black. He has only just squeezed

There are two reds in the pack that will pot. But Sean is one of the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

He did not catch the pink as well That was a good shot. But he is not

Sean Murphy did well to pot that Fred. -- red. I think he has run

out of position. Looking to see it Desperately looking to see if

From our position for all the world it looked as if he had run that too

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

It is all of both factions. -- all Can Sean make this visit count in

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

Hard to see what could go wrong 75 remaining. Red, black, red would

be enough. Playing the pink, he needs the pink and one more red.

Graeme Dott, I'm not certain he will get another chance here. Red

This black should seal it. 74 ahead, 59 remaining. Four snookers

He has certainly been up and down the table. But he has got the job

done in one visit. Sean is quite an open player. He does try to open up

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

Well played, Sean Murphy. This is more like Sean. Winning the frame

in one visit. If he can continue this form then he is a major player

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

Superb from Sean Murphy. Kept his That is a nice safety shot from

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

Dott had to sit through the rest of the last frame, which is what makes

snooker one of the toughest sports in the world. Would you believe it?

He puts his hands up to his eyes. This is where Sean Murphy was right

behind the line and saw that red Can Graeme take advantage and make

him sit there and suffer? Cardinal sin at snooker, trying to pinch the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

To miss the black off the spot, The pink now tied up. Just blue and

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

I think he can cannon the red in He was asking for the cue ball to

be cleaned. He wanted to be straighter on this pink. He has to

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

go a little further away than he He may have to play a cannon, just

to kill the pace of the cue ball. If nothing else. We are nearly at

the end of this fourth frame, an average of 15 minutes a frame. He

wanted to leave himself on the blue to maybe play a cannon. He has got

down quickly to play the green. Two reds, two colours still needed.

Just building up a head of steam, Sean. Looking confident. If you

keep giving him chances, Sean thrives on being a front runner.

have never known a top player who does not like being in front. A

lesser player, they get in front He could make another century here.

This is a nice shot and always a crowd pleaser. Played it

Sean really very quick around the table. Graeme Dott had some

comments to make about the slow pace of Peter Ebdon. That just went

He needs this more difficult pink for back-to-back centuries. In it

goes. The 15th of this championship. And the 4th for Shaun Murphy.

Absolutely superb. Now he is really firing. Graeme Dott with a job on

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

There is the chance of a pot. If you go for it you have to trust to

luck would the cue ball is going to finish. You have to make certain

that you pot the red. He found a gap. That may have come as a bit of

a surprise, but he will take it. He If he could get on this raid close

to the black spot. Then he could pot that. And get the black into

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

play. But he is well short of that A little bit thinner on the balloon

then he would have liked. -- the He has played a cannon. He will

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

He made a 128 in frame two, a 133 in frame 3. Will we see two SEP- --

will we see three centuries in succession? I said he was not

winning enough frames in one visit. He must have hurt you. -- heard you.

This is tricky. He has got more of He may choose to play a cannon on

the red directly above the black. He's going to have to play it with

I don't know if the red above the black pots to the right corner. If

it does, it is the one he wants to Now, he is going to have to go up

for the blue, possibly stun across for the pink to the left middle.

But there is war margin of error, playing for the blue. -- more

margin. As long hours he gets to the right side of the blue, but

he's just short of pace. He potted it thick, consequently didn't get

enough pace on the cue ball. You see it coming off the right half of

the pocket, with the cue ball It was enough to cause him to miss.

Graeme Dott, after an easy opening red, as we watch that Bruno again,

needs to score here. -- watch He is just about on the pink.

Obviously feels he has lots straight enough on the pink. -- he

A little bit tricky, this. It is not happening for Graham at the

moment. That was made well difficult for the fact that he was

sitting out for 24 minutes without potting a ball. He's not getting

through the ball to be. Not yet, Shaun Murphy will risk playing the

sort screw for the black. He's having to use the rest but he is

The only problem is, when you're using the rest, to get there top-

spin and inject but follow-through on the cue ball is a little bit

more difficult. He has a 44. Black lead. -- a 44 point lead. They will

always fine you out, those, particularly when they are straight

Missed the pot, but we need to see what the cue ball finished. He did

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

not play it with a lot of He has run across the face of the

rid but it would be to be a good shot to pot this red with the pace

Well played. Those last five reds are in the open. That is a great

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

Oh, to be able to play left handed Lots of noise from the other side

of the wall. He has to hold his concentration. One of the problems

with the two table situation. All part of being a top snooker player.

Looks like they've come to the interval on that table. So there is

a buzz among the audience. He has got to stay focused. The brown will

be the problem, not so much potting it, but the blue is at the other

end of the table, so it is not a straightforward frame winning

opportunity, by any means. He may He has to be careful he does not

put so much concentration into potting the black that the

positional side of the short can suffer. -- the shot. He slightly

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

over it that. The big obstacle d He's got a bounce there. It seemed

to fly off the side cushion. It did come off pretty quick. I don't

think he has got the angle to get close to the brown, which he needed

to do, because the brown is a difficult ball anyway. One point

lead. He needs green, brown, blue and pink. It is annoying when that

happens through no fault of viewers, it puts you out of position. -- of

yours. He gave it all he possibly could with the extension. That was

as close to the brown as he was ever going to get. You would not

put that much effort into getting position, and then police if. --

play safe. Maybe he was concerned there if he potted the green he

would leave himself with the pink. This frame is wide open, and Shaun

Murphy has the chance to get the initiative in this vital safety

exchange. Would you believe it? It wouldn't have gone in, without the

The cue ball looks close to the cushion to stun or screw back for

the pink. He's leaving himself quite a thin cut on this pink.

Where is this blue going? It is very close. But it is not going to

run. That was a little bit adventurous, that pot and the blue.

So, Graeme Dott needs the pink but there will be no heroics, he just

least to roll it in, a quick glance at the scoreboard tells him, just

the pink for the frame, and it's there, it was a frame that could

have gone either way in the end, but thankfully for Graeme Dott and

his supporters, it went his way, and reduces the deficit to just 3-2

After leading 3-1, he will be disappointed if he does not into

day without a lead. -- end today. Just a reminder, there are eight

frames played in the first session. A little bit then, but the yellow

Another attacking safety shot from Shaun. That is a bonus. When

players play safe, they are trying to get the cue ball tight to the

baulk cushion. The fact that he came off the baulk cushion and

nestled behind the brown, that means he overhit it, so a bit

That was careless, wasn't it? He was so desperate to get the cue

ball back to the baulk end, but he should have realised it was going

to kiss the pink. We have all done it at one time or another but it

I think it's a classic example of what you were saying, there is

nothing smooth about him at the moment. There is a little bit of

tension in the arm, and the fact that he is not feeling that

He purposely try to play one red in-off the other, there. I think he

tried to pot the first red clean but completely mishit it. That is a

let-off for Graeme. Graeme should take that was at its. Shaun has had

two centuries and he is only the- two behind. That is one of the

strengths of Graeme, even though he's not playing well, you know

that every time he comes to the table he will give it absolutely

An opportunity to play for the I think that was the wrong choice

of shot, there. You just wonder where the pink can go, when it is

If you don't feel confident, you tend to bail out of shorts and take

the easy option. -- shots. At the moment, anything that is half

difficult, he is not getting it. Maybe you should have played for

the black, as you intimated. Potting the pink wasn't an

advantage, it just tied the pink up. You can't be biting, you know,

We commentate on a lot of matches and this is the first real season

but I have of a scene a match where so many chances keep appearing,

time after time. -- I have never seen the match. Every time a player

comes to the table he seems to have an opportunity to win the frame.

There has not been a lot of safety play. I think Shaun Murphy causes

that because of the way he plays. It creates an open game. He missed

an easier brown than this in the He has put that right in the heart

of the pocket. That was an excellent shot, and good position

There is only one loose red and he will be looking for an angle to try

to cannon into the cluster. He could go for the green, or the

yellow, with the rest, to play for It beats to run on by about one

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

foot, to be on the red nicely. -- That was well played. Nice

connection on the red. He hasn't got the cue ball close enough to

the baulk cushion to make the safety shot too difficult for Shaun

Murphy. There is a possibility of a 5 ball plant into the left corner.

But he has had a look from the left-hand side of the table and it

is obviously not on. There was a Has he left a pottable red on?

Looking at the possibility of a He's just going to play safe off

Watch the black, watch the black! As he was playing that I was

looking and I was thinking, this could kiss off another red, here.

And I think it does flick off another red. If you have a close

I was told by one of my old coaches, Frank Callan, to look at the back

before playing a safety shot. -- look at the pack. If there wasn't a

pot on, though, I wasn't interested. You have to give people a chance,

Stephen, you can't keep potting all the balls. You have to have one

week this! -- weakness. Has he covered the red near the corner? I

doubt it. He has covered that one. There was a rig to the left corner

-- there is will lead to the left He has got a problem if he tries to

get back to baulk, covering this red to the right corner pocket.

He's taking this on. He's just looking for position. That was a

bit adventurous. To say the least. Although Graeme has not played well

could you mac, Shaun Murphy still cannot afford to take liberties. --

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

He must have known straight away that he had hit it wrong. This is

where a top player like Sean Murphy should really push on. I was

talking earlier about good front runners. Some take their foot off

the pedal. I think Sean possibly has in the last frame or so. He has

played a few reckless shots. One a low percentage success shot. And

one he played in this that gave Graeme the chance. Which he spurned

by missing the black. But you I think today Graeme Dott has not

been playing well. It is about damage limitation. Even 5-3 down

would be a good result for him, the way he has played. And the way Sean

Still only one frame in it. Although I would be surprised if

Sean did not win the frame of this visit. There is a red available

already. Just below the pink. Pot the black and one more red and

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

This red to go 46 ahead. With just That means Graeme Dott will not be

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

A frame that could have gone either That was an excellent shot under

the circumstances. Oh, Graeme. He finished perfectly, got the cannon.

He missed a black, cannot believe it. And in all honesty, neither can

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

I. That is the fourth black he has Not happy the way the cue ball ran

through there. He does not have to play the black, he could play the

pink. It depends on what angle he That was a good shot. Got the

cannon beautifully. He has played aggressively. You could never

accuse him of playing the wrong shots when he is in the balls. He

Not quite certain whether pink is It is amazing how many jobs it

takes you to get back into perfect position. -- shots. Now he is back

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

in perfect position with the frame One more red and a black would

leave Graeme Dott needing a snooker. We said when you miss a black off

the spot you are asking for trouble. And it has cost him this frame, no

Now the final frame of the session has become huge for Graeme. He has

left himself an uphill battle. will be at least two frames behind

going into the second session. And Can we say 100? Unlucky! He wanted

that badly but it did not go in. One more frame to play in this

That shows how poorly Graeme is thinking. The lack of focus he has

got. The things that can go on in your mind, it is scary sometimes.

Many people have said, like every major sporting venue, when you are

playing well it is great. When you're struggling it is the hardest

place in the world. And that is a terrific opening red from Sean. He

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

Just coming up to the two hour mark. We have had an eight minute frame!

The average shot time for both players is really could. -- good.

21 for Graeme, struggling, is pretty quick. He does not hang

He may have a chance here. He could run round the back of the black. He

has overdone it. Stunning it round off two cushions is always going to

be hard. I think that was a touch of adrenalin. He wants this last

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

frame badly. It is not the best He is now looking at something on

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

Caught that much too thin. But nothing left that will invite

Graeme to play the pot. If Sean was to get in and make another 40

points, that would see him over the He hit that badly. That

encapsulates his form this afternoon. Just not getting through

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds

He has missed a couple of these records today. -- reds. No problem

He has not played that well. A little bit of side I think to get

position on that read just below the black. The fact that the pink

did not go into the middle of the He has a 54 point lead. But still

83 remaining. This frame is not I do not think he is too happy with

the way things have gone. He just wants out, he has had enough this

Just looking to see if the outside red will go to the corner. I think

he just concentrated on the safety. And a good one it is. Going near

the middle but will be covered by the green. That gives Sean a slight

problem. He needs to be careful not to leave the reds. He is coming

back to the baulk end. He needs to get into the left hand side of the

Surely he can cut the one in the middle? He has got to get this or

he loses the frame. Good shot. He has given himself a chance. He

has hit that too hard. He has run too far for the black. He should

just count to ten here and play safe. Just an air of desperation

here. The frustration is taking this blue on. It was not the right

shot to play. Some of the shots he has missed, that blue. I think you

are right, he wants out of there now. He will come out in that

second session and he could be a completely different player. But

this session, when you consider that he was helped to win the

second frame by a fluke, the score Sean Murphy has had two centuries

but there have been chances for both players. That has done the job.

He has not changed his pattern of play. He intended to come out I

think and be aggressive and put the pressure on Graeme Dott and it has

It is the best of 25 frames so all is not lost. But Graeme Dott will

have to play an awful lot better in Well below did not going but there

will be an handshake. Disappointment for Graeme Dott. He

is disappointed and he shows it. But Shaun Murphy will be delighted.

He has won six of the first eight frames and he runs out after the