:00:32. > :00:41.Hello. A return for the mack was the music chosen for Alan McManus for
:00:42. > :00:48.his walk into the Crucible. He's been quite a return for the sole
:00:49. > :00:53.surviving Scot. He beat Higginson in the first round. He is wanting a
:00:54. > :01:04.quarter-final place for the first time in nine years. He is playing a
:01:05. > :01:11.fell yoe veteran. He beat Allan to the title of oldest player in
:01:12. > :01:24.Sheffield this year. It could be a match of old school type quality.
:01:25. > :01:41.A close one to call. McManus is just favourite. I have Hendry. Who would
:01:42. > :01:49.you fan fancies? Six times? Seven. I missed one. It's a match to look
:01:50. > :01:54.forward to. Neither of the players would have expected to make it into
:01:55. > :02:05.pt second round. That's experience for you.
:02:06. > :02:16.A first shot fluke, that's unusual. Kifg the brown. Just to stun up
:02:17. > :02:31.directly for the red to the left of the punch.
:02:32. > :02:41.Took the aggressive route and a few more reds out. I am not sure whether
:02:42. > :02:49.it will pass. He's OK on the red. Tough to get on the black. They may
:02:50. > :02:56.have to screw back and try to get on the black, the pink in the middle if
:02:57. > :03:02.it moves, he's playing with top stin, know. It was always going to
:03:03. > :03:12.be tough. In fairness, better in than out with the safety shot
:03:13. > :03:20.I any everyone expects us to have a tactical battle. Both players
:03:21. > :03:39.renowned for their safety play. I was really impressed by his long
:03:40. > :03:46.game, McManus. A part of your game that starts to surf as you get
:03:47. > :03:57.older. He was very impressive against Higgins.
:03:58. > :04:08.Of course, the pressure on both of these players, what an opportunity
:04:09. > :04:14.for get to the quarter finals. A few years sings they have been at this
:04:15. > :04:22.stage of tournaments. McManus leads the head to head. 15 matches to 8.
:04:23. > :05:13.In all those matches u only two going to the last frame.
:05:14. > :05:21.LEAR Cue ball back to baulk. Every time you play that shot, youer on
:05:22. > :05:40.the side of missing. It was a Steven said, it's not so
:05:41. > :05:47.bad being 12 points away when you play this kind of shot. That could
:05:48. > :05:55.cost you a lot more points that he is likely to get away. I err on the
:05:56. > :05:58.thin side. He doesn't want to go up the brown and leave a free ball,
:05:59. > :06:43.though. So that's 12 points he has given
:06:44. > :06:50.away. Once again, no too bothered about giving another 8 points away,
:06:51. > :07:00.in necessary. He'll keep going at this, until he gets it right.
:07:01. > :07:09.There it is. He got it right. That's why it's important to err on the
:07:10. > :07:58.thin side. He's only 20 points behind. A nice
:07:59. > :08:02.easy red opener. I don't think he will play for the blaks. He might
:08:03. > :08:29.swing it around. R I commentators's curse. Was saying
:08:30. > :08:33.how good his long game was. That missed by a long way. Perhaps not
:08:34. > :09:40.settled yet. These two will be well experienced
:09:41. > :09:50.Crucible players. They won't even bother about that.
:09:51. > :10:04.A decent long pot. This match will be I would imagine, very tactical.
:10:05. > :10:12.It will come down to who can score the heaviest. Which will decide it.
:10:13. > :10:20.The black is out of commission. The brown is just off the spot. So,
:10:21. > :11:54.having seen a few of these frames. A bit more like it. A looks like a
:11:55. > :12:03.favrable kiss. McManus is now in with a chance to go straight to the
:12:04. > :12:08.pink. It would be very unlucky to not push to both sides.
:12:09. > :12:17.A first glance, there doesn't look like the possibility of the red
:12:18. > :12:27.being knocked in. The white will go close to the corn pocket, like that.
:12:28. > :12:38.As Stephen mentioned, any side, that he could play on, that side of the
:12:39. > :12:48.pimpg. It wouldn't have gone in, and it would have stread them far and
:12:49. > :12:57.wide. Kn has had a look at it. He's gck to flick off the one next to the
:12:58. > :13:07.pink. You see the three reds that he's looking at.
:13:08. > :13:16.APPLAUSE I have to be honest, for me, that's
:13:17. > :13:23.a fluke. The way that whiets have finished as well. He did come around
:13:24. > :13:31.and have a look at it. To land in the black, he didn't plan that. So a
:13:32. > :13:43.tricky little black Not as easy as it looks. You see why.
:13:44. > :13:55.He was only half a pocket. He knows he sloov potted. A big chance for
:13:56. > :14:31.McManus to get back into the round. Winning a frame at this visit won't
:14:32. > :14:38.be easy. In regards yellow to green. He can get back into the frame.
:14:39. > :14:51.Just a bit of mental math. He can put himself well in front. That's
:14:52. > :14:59.rid includes. He can't believe it and nor can we. It's happening so
:15:00. > :15:06.much this week. The cue ball comes off the cushion twice as fast as it
:15:07. > :15:08.goes on. It's really annoying. It makes the players look silly
:15:09. > :15:30.sometimes. That was justd a poor shot. It
:15:31. > :15:33.unsettles you a little bit. The worst thing a player can do is start
:15:34. > :16:29.playing for a big bounce. Trying to rest on the one on the
:16:30. > :16:38.back cushion, behind the black. That's excellent. He may have left a
:16:39. > :16:45.pot on, but he would be pretty pleased with that. He's ten points
:16:46. > :16:49.behind, if he has a angle on the red, it might be worth a risk. If
:16:50. > :17:03.not, he'll play safe. Tome Ken Doherty has a big
:17:04. > :17:57.advantage. He won't need the yellow and green.
:17:58. > :18:49.Little bit surprised he didn't play it thin, at least now he has a very
:18:50. > :18:52.easy chance to get behind the green. Play the shot harder and he can't
:18:53. > :19:34.get behind the green. Can just about bend it without too
:19:35. > :19:41.many problems, he may be able to get in throw direct. He can play for the
:19:42. > :19:48.black, if he wants to. It bounced off the cushion perfectly. Strange
:19:49. > :19:53.how we get the bonss this time. A ride hand side of the black. Halfway
:19:54. > :20:00.don't know from where they normally play, off the cushion. That's come
:20:01. > :20:13.of slow. Look how slow it's come off.
:20:14. > :20:24.Both these players have not settled at all. They both raels td a great
:20:25. > :20:26.chance to get to the nex stage, both players are missing at the moment.
:20:27. > :21:02.It will improve. Has Ken got any angle on the red, to
:21:03. > :21:12.get out for the black, if not, he'll be forced to play for the one on the
:21:13. > :21:19.left centre. He has some angle. Just, you always want to aim far
:21:20. > :21:27.knuckle on the shots. He has a chance off the far knuckle. So to
:21:28. > :21:37.the right-hand side of the pocket, as he looks at it.
:21:38. > :21:41.A good shot. APPLAUSE
:21:42. > :21:56.. I don't think he can hold for the red to the same pocket.
:21:57. > :22:09.Ten in front, so he has the problem of yellow to green. He has to clinch
:22:10. > :22:15.the frame at this visit. Or if he's straight to the, he can do a direct
:22:16. > :22:23.screw back. The simplest way of getting there. I just had a look at
:22:24. > :22:35.the potting angle. He could play, yellow, yellow, not a bad choice if
:22:36. > :22:53.you can reach it. That's the way hiz decided to play, yellow, yellow.
:22:54. > :23:36.R He's gone too far. I don't think he needs a crew back, and
:23:37. > :23:47.APPLAUSE In trouble with the safety shot. Not
:23:48. > :23:53.quite enough room. Ken is 13 in front. He need freen in play and the
:23:54. > :23:56.brown, for Ken, that is. It will be a brown ball game. Whoever gets on
:23:57. > :25:22.it nicely. Well, needed check side, he didn't
:25:23. > :25:31.get any on it. He couldn't get close enough to the green. Green to brown
:25:32. > :25:37.is virtually impossible unless he can pray for it in the middle.
:25:38. > :25:49.Always very tough. If he has just stroked it, you have a chance, but
:25:50. > :25:56.playing at this kind of pace, it's very tough. When you're under
:25:57. > :26:01.pressure, you right arm is not feeling great. Most players prefer
:26:02. > :26:07.to play with a bit of pace. You have to think it's the first frame to Ken
:26:08. > :26:14.Doherty. Alan McManus has not settled at all in the match.
:26:15. > :26:28.He won't be impressed with that shot, Ken Doherty. He's left
:26:29. > :26:33.himself, a tricky blue. He might concentrate on getting a good white.
:26:34. > :26:35.He's left it tricky. Leaving the white on the side cushion, just in
:26:36. > :26:58.case, been so poor on the blue. Ken Doherty eventually gets over the
:26:59. > :28:54.line. Barring snookers he will take the opening frame.
:28:55. > :29:05.The fluke no good to McManus. A bit of the pretracted frame. Ken Doherty
:29:06. > :29:26.leads 1-0. In that break of shot, all wrong.
:29:27. > :29:35.The cue ball is supposed to come between the blue and the pink. So
:29:36. > :29:44.this is very similar to the break off shot, a same kind of shot. Tlie
:29:45. > :29:47.cushions. That that is, for a player as renowned for his safety play,
:29:48. > :30:33.that's a shocker. You can see it by Ken 's face. He
:30:34. > :30:38.was expecting the first kiss to be okayed. But he was not expecting the
:30:39. > :30:58.second key is to take him into the raids. He is not the tallest.
:30:59. > :31:21.Green ball. Unless he is playing off three cushions he can't let it go
:31:22. > :31:28.this way. Told you. He could not get it off that angle. The bounce off
:31:29. > :31:42.the caution obviously widens it a little bit. -- cushion. Can you
:31:43. > :32:04.believe he is not putting that here again? He can play from wet the cue
:32:05. > :32:11.ball is now. -- where the cue ball. I suppose he is trying to go to
:32:12. > :32:38.something here. Let's see if he gets it. He wants an angle of this red.
:32:39. > :33:03.Closest to the left-hand corner. Into the left of centre.
:33:04. > :33:20.One. Nothing fancy required with the cue ball here. He wants to make sure
:33:21. > :33:37.he just leaves a little bit of angle with the red, to try and get the
:33:38. > :33:46.right side of the blue. Clearly didn't settle in the opening frame.
:33:47. > :33:50.He has got an excellent chance of getting 30, 40 points on the board
:33:51. > :34:26.without doing anything too strenuous, as it were. 12.
:34:27. > :35:52.For a second he had thought that he had overcut out. But he is still
:35:53. > :37:47.okayed on this round. 28. 29. He could have spread these reds a
:37:48. > :37:51.little bit further. He needed a couple of kisses to get to the
:37:52. > :38:00.topside of the table today, and he done very well. He knew exactly the
:38:01. > :38:18.path the ball was going take, and cannoned those two are reds. -- to
:38:19. > :38:26.other reds. I think Alan was the higher scorer, consistently in his
:38:27. > :38:36.match against John Higgins. That was a little bit careless, he will
:38:37. > :38:53.straighten the blue. He needs a bit more distance. It just puts that
:38:54. > :39:50.little bit of extra pressure on the pot.
:39:51. > :40:01.You would think he hit on this left nicely. It is always nice at the
:40:02. > :40:26.start of a match to be winning, it settles you down.
:40:27. > :40:37.Another lead 76, he can start to play this with a lot of confidence.
:40:38. > :40:54.His opponent cannot possibly come back. He has levelled the match, at
:40:55. > :41:02.one all. This will certainly be a close match, going from the first
:41:03. > :41:08.two frames. There will be eight frames in this session. 8-8 -9 is
:41:09. > :41:13.the way they normally play them. They mentioned in the first frame,
:41:14. > :41:27.if you are going to have a bad session, make sure it is no worse
:41:28. > :41:33.than 5-3. This match was billed as a battle of the master tacticians. But
:41:34. > :41:53.if anything, planned play has been the weakest part today. Six inches,
:41:54. > :41:59.he will be on the black. He did not time that very well. He hit the ball
:42:00. > :43:13.wrong, went through it. Getting the red into the right
:43:14. > :43:26.corner, it is the right path. He does not want to miss a thing. He
:43:27. > :44:13.missed it, but he still managed to catch the pack.
:44:14. > :44:23.It isn't enough to put it, we have no idea where the white is going to
:44:24. > :44:35.end up. -- it is enough to pot it. It has to go in. This angle on the
:44:36. > :45:01.green will go in. It is perfect to take a red into the same pocket.
:45:02. > :45:10.That did not have anything to do with the cue ball, just rolled in.
:45:11. > :45:13.He did not make the same break, of 76 in the previous round, he still
:45:14. > :45:47.looks the most settled of the two. It is hard to say what kind of angle
:45:48. > :45:52.cannon has here. -- Ken has here. The red is to the right, the black
:45:53. > :46:00.spot will come there for that finish, low. He will stay on the
:46:01. > :46:20.black in the right corner. , that is what he is looking at now.
:46:21. > :46:35.Stand-off the cushion for the black. He does not want to get off the cue
:46:36. > :46:41.ball March. -- much. He will not be able to get the black out of that
:46:42. > :47:02.corner, he will be disappointed with that shot. That was nowhere near the
:47:03. > :47:03.standard you expect from Ken. At the very least, he should be tight on
:47:04. > :47:36.that caution. -- cushion. They should have never been on Mt.
:47:37. > :48:11.-- been on that. I think there is a bunch to be right which go to the
:48:12. > :48:20.left centre. That was virtually the same shot as the green he missed a
:48:21. > :48:28.few moments ago. He does not appear to have an angle on anything that
:48:29. > :48:38.will nicely pot. He may play an offspinner with pace. It is hard to
:48:39. > :48:45.generate pace of the angle he had. Now that has gone directly into the
:48:46. > :50:14.reds. You have got to be a little bit
:50:15. > :50:24.careful that you don't push the red write over to the left-hand side. It
:50:25. > :50:51.is a big target now, to get behind the brown. That is one way to get
:50:52. > :51:04.back to the back cushion. He raised his eyebrows there. A bit pacey. Got
:51:05. > :51:30.second prize, it got him behind the blue.
:51:31. > :51:42.It seems that the first frame, where Alan was trying to keep it heat it
:51:43. > :52:37.thin. -- hit it thin. It is an excellent chance for Alan
:52:38. > :52:52.now, to take this third frame. I feel a lot more comfortable with the
:52:53. > :52:54.ball is now. -- balls. You can play the cannon, but I do not think it is
:52:55. > :54:09.needed, at this point in time. Every straight in the black is just
:54:10. > :54:17.a matter of falling through. The reds in the middle of that five will
:54:18. > :54:27.pop into the opposite corner. He will hopefully pick them off one at
:54:28. > :54:47.a time. It was an aggressive break, but a very very good break. You see,
:54:48. > :54:57.just flicked that bread. -- red. Those two reds will go into the
:54:58. > :56:17.bright corner now. There is a trace of the right hand side around that
:56:18. > :57:00.cannon. The latest 60. The frame over now. He does not look solid any
:57:01. > :58:00.more. He was quite solid in the first frame. Trying to get the
:58:01. > :58:03.yellow into the green pocket. He could not generate the pace playing
:58:04. > :58:14.that way, but he has gone pretty well. Going over the round three
:58:15. > :58:29.cushions. It is an excellent break so far. A good pot on the yellow as
:58:30. > :58:45.well. A chance now of the century. -- of century. Another solid pot.
:58:46. > :58:49.This will be a touch on the left-hand side, just to square up
:58:50. > :58:58.the angle for the blue into the green pocket. Playing at a decent
:58:59. > :59:14.pace as well, this break. It has not been slow. 21 Crucible centuries in
:59:15. > :59:26.virlly a week's play. A bit low. We played, McManus. . The 27th century
:59:27. > :59:37.in The Crucible. An excellent break. He has made... He now takes a 2-1
:59:38. > :59:46.Inchts kicks off in the fourth frame. He needs to get his scoring
:59:47. > :59:53.boots on. We say that many, many times. You can't win the match in
:59:54. > :59:59.the first session, but you can certainly lose it. Very, very early
:00:00. > :00:11.days. Hen won't even be thinking of that. What was the worst session you
:00:12. > :00:19.had here? Did I ever lost 7-1 to somebody? Possible, I lost a session
:00:20. > :00:27.quite hvly. You play, so many matches. If you win the sessions,
:00:28. > :00:32.you win the match Is that how you thought... Definitely, the first
:00:33. > :00:40.session you try to win that. For the rest of the match, your opponent is
:00:41. > :00:49.playing catch up. My target was to win it 6-2. As you play here more
:00:50. > :00:55.often, you become more experienced and you realise you can't play your
:00:56. > :01:03.best every session, it's about himming the damage. Again, a safety.
:01:04. > :01:23.Not being placed correctly. REFEREE: Foul and a miss.
:01:24. > :01:34.Because the red is on, if he misses it, he needs to get it right. You
:01:35. > :02:15.don't need that pressure on the shoulders.
:02:16. > :02:27.A chance of the long red. You don't have to do anything for the cue
:02:28. > :02:32.call. The only red that he will leave, the shots had a most
:02:33. > :02:44.professionalses practice a lot and expect toe get. There's a pure sign,
:02:45. > :02:49.he's not cueing well at the moment. That never threatened the jaws. A
:02:50. > :02:55.difficult pot, but you would expect to catch the jaws on that shot.
:02:56. > :03:00.Didn't have anything toe do with the kau ball. Ta gives confidence in
:03:01. > :03:07.your opponent, when you start missing balls like that. Trying to
:03:08. > :03:15.get the white. On the cushion, behind where his head is now. So
:03:16. > :03:23.he's covering red with the yellow. Needs to travel a bit. That's not
:03:24. > :03:42.hard enough. A very poor safety for somebody like Alan McManus.
:03:43. > :03:53.APPLAUSE that is going oto feel better. That
:03:54. > :04:00.was a good pot. If he missed that, he would loov Alan in. A nice angle
:04:01. > :04:03.on the black. I think the top wup of these two will pot to the right
:04:04. > :04:21.corner. The red at the bottom of the bunch,
:04:22. > :04:25.I don't nof if it's available. He would be opening the pack up, after
:04:26. > :04:49.this red and black. He will be flicking to the red. I
:04:50. > :05:20.think it does hot. We have another camera angle in the commentary box.
:05:21. > :05:28.O he's on the red to the left corner. Slowly turning into a decent
:05:29. > :05:58.chance. Looking to see where he wants to
:05:59. > :06:31.leave the cue ball. Careful not to overscrew it. Well played.
:06:32. > :06:45.Debate -- didn't generate enough top spin. He's playing the safety.
:06:46. > :06:53.He'll be very disappointed with that. Whatever could go wrong haz
:06:54. > :07:07.gone wrong there. I think this is the last red that he
:07:08. > :07:21.expected after playing that safety shot.
:07:22. > :07:31.Playing to the bunch here. There's a red, obviously to the left of the
:07:32. > :07:38.table, to the left corner, but you may have the natural angle to follow
:07:39. > :07:44.off the side cushion. He might take a gamble. It's bound to be on
:07:45. > :08:09.something. Possibly bring the pink into play.
:08:10. > :08:16.Didn't take your true self on. Playing the aggressive shot. Trying
:08:17. > :08:26.to get the pink into play. He's only missed it by the fraction. He's
:08:27. > :08:32.pushed tw reds into play. He's got too much angle on the red. Two reds
:08:33. > :08:38.to the right of the black. Make a cannon to the left of it to the
:08:39. > :08:41.black for the left corner. May have too much angle to play for that
:08:42. > :08:45.shot. Find the gap and avoid the middle
:08:46. > :08:54.pocket. I think cannon into pink is the
:08:55. > :09:22.order of the day here. He did play it, got into the cue
:09:23. > :09:28.ball too much. Still in position. Have to keep going back up to the
:09:29. > :09:32.blue. He has po rely on the getting to the blue. It makes it so much
:09:33. > :10:03.harder. Getting into the frame, with a
:10:04. > :10:07.chance of winning it. He wont do that without the pitching or wlack
:10:08. > :10:13.into pray. He may have to work on the blue. As Stephen mentioned, it's
:10:14. > :10:22.so hard, get the top side of the blue all the time. Playing to the
:10:23. > :10:45.pink this time. Missed it last time, could get it this.
:10:46. > :10:59.Bet his heart was in his mouth there. Not too sure he can get out
:11:00. > :12:29.here. Played it well. That's as good a shot he has played in
:12:30. > :12:37.2-1 visit victories. 44 and counting here. He would be a match for
:12:38. > :12:57.anything, the way he's playing at the moment.
:12:58. > :13:05.Just decided whether to run through and kisses the red in the middle of
:13:06. > :13:08.the other red. It's perfect. Well played, good shot.
:13:09. > :13:29.APPLAUSE Yeah, if had goes on, to win this
:13:30. > :13:37.frame, at this visit, kern has a bit to think about. As you say, you can
:13:38. > :13:48.lose a match in the first session if you lose it 7-1.
:13:49. > :13:57.Ten minutes into the practice table. Just a fraction, he's going to leave
:13:58. > :14:04.the red, more difficult than he would like. He can't get to the
:14:05. > :14:13.black. He has to finish in between pink and black spot, hoping to get a
:14:14. > :14:20.good enough angle. He needs the white to pull up. Well done. Didn't
:14:21. > :14:35.think he would get the left-hand pocket, but he has. The lead is 28,
:14:36. > :14:35.this frame ball. Very, very good indeed.
:14:36. > :15:06.APPLAUSE Once again, the pace to perfection.
:15:07. > :15:15.He knows he can go to the dressing room if the red drops in. If it
:15:16. > :15:28.doesn't, Ken might carry on. Well this has been flawless, to be fair.
:15:29. > :15:32.No chance of the century now. This would be 71. Only 98 available. What
:15:33. > :15:55.a shame. A trick shot required. 69, 107, and this break of 71. It's
:15:56. > :16:17.taking him, first into the lead. Ken Doherty with plenty to think about.
:16:18. > :16:27.He doesn't want to miss this thiks and take the other red of the
:16:28. > :16:55.cushion. He did miss it thick but he managed to avoid the red.
:16:56. > :17:06.Once again, once you have missed the red, you expect to leave it on, buzz
:17:07. > :17:41.it's gone too far for a cut in the middle.
:17:42. > :18:10.Good safety. It's key toe cover the red, which he has done.
:18:11. > :18:19.Always very tough when you're playing that slow, there's finger
:18:20. > :18:23.marks on the table that can make the cue roll off. All pretty true down
:18:24. > :18:33.there. He plays the cue ball twice across.
:18:34. > :18:41.He can't get into between yellow and brown. That's where thez played once
:18:42. > :18:47.across and this looks pretty good. Has he fluked it? His first of the
:18:48. > :18:51.day. Certainly since the first frame, when he fluked the first shot
:18:52. > :19:14.he played. Now, 22 points in front. He could do
:19:15. > :19:20.with hitting a first shot. He doesn't want to give too many points
:19:21. > :19:47.way way. Not more than four, if you can help it.
:19:48. > :19:54.That's four points away. REFEREE: Foul and a miss. Ken
:19:55. > :20:15.Doherty, four. Try number two coming up. This is
:20:16. > :20:18.where I mentioned the points difference. Could do with it at this
:20:19. > :20:32.time. REFEREE: Foul and a miss. Ken
:20:33. > :20:39.Doherty, four. I mean, looking at the angle that he's trying to come
:20:40. > :20:45.off. He could miss this another couple of times at least. Ken could
:20:46. > :20:53.be in front next time he comes to the table.
:20:54. > :21:12.Seeing the way that it's sliding off the cushion...
:21:13. > :21:15.REFEREE: Foul and a miss. He can play to the loose red, but he
:21:16. > :21:37.doesn't want to do that. I don't know what's happened. He has
:21:38. > :21:44.the ball marker on the yellow. It's touching. Why he would do that, I
:21:45. > :21:51.don't know. Maybe it's touching the yellow and he feels it's the only
:21:52. > :21:53.way he can get it to touch again. To stop the ylow moving. This is try
:21:54. > :22:00.number four. So he's flaid for the loose one this
:22:01. > :22:23.time, hit it poorly. Yeah, you see him lining up where he
:22:24. > :22:33.wants the cue ball, screw in into the two reds. He overdone it, to use
:22:34. > :23:01.the black. He's on the pink with an angle.
:23:02. > :23:12.This is not easy to get safe now. Always he would love the cue ball to
:23:13. > :23:18.go up and in between the blue, the way he's going to hit the second
:23:19. > :23:27.red, he would do well to get it away from the pocket. He's flaucked it
:23:28. > :24:36.away, I think. He's gone safe, so not too bad.
:24:37. > :24:56.Red to the left centre. Not easy to get the colour nicely, unless he
:24:57. > :25:02.plays it dead weight. Which he hasn't done.
:25:03. > :25:13.For the brown, he's still on the brown. The brown is the most obvious
:25:14. > :25:20.angle to get on the red, almost a natural of two cushions. Take it on.
:25:21. > :25:36.I suggest not. Neighbour he can, Alan's turn to get
:25:37. > :25:44.a few points off the snooker. McManus gave points away. How many
:25:45. > :25:53.times can Ken hit it. More room to get around the back of the blue.
:25:54. > :25:57.He'll do very well not to come left-hand side of the red. He wants
:25:58. > :26:17.to hit right-hand side of it. A chance. McManus is leading by fours
:26:18. > :26:25.poins. . A 40-minute frame. A good pot. A half ball pink, if not, he
:26:26. > :26:30.has to take the green. That may be a big pocket. I the don't know if he
:26:31. > :26:36.can screw back. Having a little look at where the green is now. He
:26:37. > :26:44.doesn't have the angle oten pink to do that. He doesn't want to end up
:26:45. > :26:52.straight on the yellow, you have to get back on the green, and the green
:26:53. > :26:59.is respoted. A guaranteed finish nicely on the yelow.
:27:00. > :27:20.In the end, not sure what pocket he played for the yellow.
:27:21. > :27:29.R Need the cue ball to be tight on the brown, to cut off the escape on
:27:30. > :27:37.the baulk cushion. He can, there's every chance he can get a snooker
:27:38. > :27:44.back. Right where the yellow is, and snooker him on the green. Didn't cut
:27:45. > :27:59.it off. Always been lucky there. How is the blue not gone?? -- gone in?
:28:00. > :28:07.Quen still showing he has a sense of hummure. He is anything but laughing
:28:08. > :28:34.inside. He plays off one cushion. In comet
:28:35. > :28:45.the white in behind the black. Is it too thin, too thin to get both. It
:28:46. > :28:52.was wort taking the risk. APPLAUSE
:28:53. > :29:18.Now, has he got it? Looks like it from here.
:29:19. > :29:46.Alan has had a big slice of luck. He has played it twice across. It's not
:29:47. > :29:53.available. White in behind green and pink. A glance at the scoreboard
:29:54. > :30:00.tells that he's ten in front. A bit of value in taking it on. You have
:30:01. > :30:15.to take it somewhere, even to the left centre.
:30:16. > :30:23.Well, thought he would take it on in the baulk pocket. He had a chance of
:30:24. > :30:37.getting it away, should he miss it. Amazing enough, his highest break is
:30:38. > :30:46.only 24. This clearance would give him the frame. The highest break of
:30:47. > :30:54.the match so far would be 25, if it happens. Right in the jaws of the
:30:55. > :31:00.pocket. He's not guaranteed to pot these. Iep always surprised. I think
:31:01. > :31:03.it gives you more time to think about the pressure of the situation.
:31:04. > :31:20.Get on with it, and clear them. Brown safely in. When the object
:31:21. > :31:27.ball is so far in the jaws of the pocket, like the blue is, it's
:31:28. > :31:33.really difficult to getti deal position. By no means, favourite to
:31:34. > :32:07.win the frame at this visit yet. It has finished pretty well. This
:32:08. > :32:12.pink in the middle takes the cue ball onto the cushion. Would you
:32:13. > :32:17.want to play the black down the cushion at this stage? Not happy
:32:18. > :32:30.with his bridge hand either, is he. The key thing is to thaick sure the
:32:31. > :32:40.pink, whichever way you want to play it, make sure the pink...
:32:41. > :32:48.APPLAUSE Needed the black. Ken Doherty hoos
:32:49. > :32:52.won the frame. He now trails by four frames to two.
:32:53. > :33:01.My apologies for the people watching. I made a mistake, thinking
:33:02. > :33:21.that he needed the black to win the previous frame.
:33:22. > :33:33.In the end, a decent clearance. Wasn't straight forward. Would give
:33:34. > :33:39.him a bit of the lift. A possibility that he might get taken off before
:33:40. > :33:47.the eight frames. Depends be on how long it takes. The evening session
:33:48. > :33:54.at 7 o'clock. They need to start the next game before 20 past. That's not
:33:55. > :34:34.a good start for being a quick frame.
:34:35. > :34:41.It's a good line. APPLAUSE
:34:42. > :36:01.The sort of safety shot that we expect from Alan McManus.
:36:02. > :36:13.Well, similar to the other frames, apart from the middle three frames,
:36:14. > :36:16.they were played in a very attacking fashion from McManus, but he's gone
:36:17. > :36:29.safe again. Ken doesn't want to change the
:36:30. > :36:36.pattern of the game very welt. He's not keying very well. Ken, unless he
:36:37. > :36:43.can guarantee getting a ball of colour... Decided to bring the black
:36:44. > :36:48.into play. That should quicken things up a little bit. Very nearly
:36:49. > :37:17.an excellent safety. Playing that long shot with an
:37:18. > :37:38.element of safety. Ken, just looking to see where he
:37:39. > :37:45.wants to put the cue ball. Sometimes you think "Where would Alan not want
:37:46. > :37:54.to play from? " That's where you put it.
:37:55. > :38:04.Love to find a way to get on the red, the two reds together. Only
:38:05. > :38:22.thep will it become a good opportunity to score a few points.
:38:23. > :38:30.Ken was playing confidently. Get onto the red that Stephen has
:38:31. > :38:45.mentioned. Me might decide to crew for the blue or even the black.
:38:46. > :38:53.Thinking about screwing back to leave the blue in the yellow pocket.
:38:54. > :39:00.That's asking a bit, the way that he's played today, so foor. That's
:39:01. > :39:03.what he's done. Now, can he screw back enough to get on to the reds on
:39:04. > :39:20.either side of the black spot? He's got the black, he's trying to
:39:21. > :39:23.get on that. No quite on the black nicely, but he can swerve around the
:39:24. > :39:37.pack. Well, he's tried to move the two
:39:38. > :39:44.reds out of the black spot, there. But now, maybe wishing that he took
:39:45. > :39:50.the blue op. A straight blue to screw back. Perhaps didn't think he
:39:51. > :39:57.was confident enough in his cue action to play that 1409. Look at
:39:58. > :40:40.where the black has gone. The last colour I would be playing.
:40:41. > :41:09.Just not happening. Just not hafg. -- happening. Refused to try to get
:41:10. > :41:17.on the pink. Took his eye of the shot and misses of missed the pot.
:41:18. > :41:27.It's a horrible feeling. Just cannot see the balls. It's like using a new
:41:28. > :41:34.kau. Can't get going at call. No better place to play snooker when
:41:35. > :41:56.you're playing well, but when you're struggling, it's hard out there.
:41:57. > :42:11.That's an excellent safety shot. If he can get out of this, he would
:42:12. > :42:19.think it's his birthday. Not guaranteed to get to the last round
:42:20. > :43:15.of the session. Just not been at the races so far.
:43:16. > :43:25.Ref foul -- REFEREE: Foul.
:43:26. > :43:32.Well, it may be slight frus fraigs from Alan on that shot. Not like a
:43:33. > :43:59.shot that he would normally play. So often that happens when you're
:44:00. > :44:11.struggling, you never seem to land fliesly on a colour. The green looks
:44:12. > :44:43.the obvious, the ease yistd. -- easiest.
:44:44. > :44:50.Quite a clever shot, forcing the red off the cushion. But unfortunately,
:44:51. > :44:57.the white is next year the cushion, and this the last red in baulk is
:44:58. > :45:04.tough to get on. I can't see him going nicely. He would be faced with
:45:05. > :45:24.a tough pot. The angle is not on to do that. Roll of the green.
:45:25. > :45:35.Practically his best shot of the game. Could not have placed the cue
:45:36. > :45:44.ball any better with his hand. Oh, dear.
:45:45. > :45:54.It's so hard to understand. Whether the occasion is getting to Ken. He
:45:55. > :46:02.has been here many times before. He's losing. Not in his head. Cannot
:46:03. > :46:09.understand why he's playing so bad, and nor can we. A big chance of both
:46:10. > :46:12.these two players to get to a quarter-final for the first time in
:46:13. > :47:53.a number of years. A little bit to do with the cue ball
:47:54. > :48:01.here. Doesn't necessarily have to play for that one. He's played that
:48:02. > :48:04.nicely. He came to the table some 27 points behind. He has toe work hard
:48:05. > :49:32.to get back into the frame. Well, on Ken's form, that was a
:49:33. > :49:39.decent pot. Can he string... The remaining shots that he needs? To
:49:40. > :49:46.clinch in frame? And to be only one frame behind. It would be an amazing
:49:47. > :49:51.result, the way that he's played. A chance to be 4-4.
:49:52. > :50:08.On the other hand, Alan wont be happy at all. By far the stronger
:50:09. > :50:21.looking player of the day. Expected to be in a formable lead. --
:50:22. > :51:37.formidable. He's got in heart, hasn't he? It
:51:38. > :51:41.would be his highest break of the match so far. There's a slight
:51:42. > :51:48.chance he's going to win three frames. Need one more. That would be
:51:49. > :51:57.the case. Yeah, I watt thinking the same thing. You have to admire his
:51:58. > :52:03.battling qualities. To remain in a positive and focused, although, as
:52:04. > :52:10.we say that, he's missed the red that he needs to clinch the frame.
:52:11. > :52:12.But he's still battling away out there.
:52:13. > :52:23.Very tough for Alan to get the clearance from here. He can
:52:24. > :52:31.certainly get maybe two or three reds and pinks.
:52:32. > :52:53.Perfect to drop on the one on the cushion. Then we can screw back.
:52:54. > :52:59.Not quite right on this. I don't think he's going to entertain the
:53:00. > :53:55.pot on the cushion. Well, it's borked out OK. But the
:53:56. > :54:01.last thing he wanted to do was to bring the black into play. McManus
:54:02. > :54:12.has to hit it and get it safe. If he does, he's back in the frame.
:54:13. > :54:31.It's the last thing that Ken wanted to do, have the black in play.
:54:32. > :54:42.Green ball along with black cushion, I don't think that Ken is thinking
:54:43. > :55:21.of that on. He can play with more of the safety aspect to it.
:55:22. > :55:28.APPLAUSE. Really very struck. In anything, too
:55:29. > :55:32.well. He would have loved to be on the blue or the pink, even the black
:55:33. > :56:06.would have been niece. -- nice. That's an amazing flick. We would be
:56:07. > :56:12.going nowhere, with the way it was tracking. Did you play almost a
:56:13. > :56:21.kisses to the blue, in your own mind? Yes, I suppose that's a shot
:56:22. > :56:25.on. If you miss the cannon, you land nowhere on the black, you'll be
:56:26. > :56:44.behind. That's what we talked about. The
:56:45. > :56:51.shot was obviously wanting to go by the blue, the fact that he has
:56:52. > :57:03.kissed it, it's a perfect angle, if he is see the black. A big shot. If
:57:04. > :57:05.he misses it, he needs smoockers. Perhaps the biggest shot of the
:57:06. > :57:36.match so far. So far. APPLAUSE
:57:37. > :57:43.and the luck of the time, they may have a chance of playing the final
:57:44. > :57:51.frame. So Ken Doherty has done a miracle. He trails 4-3. They are
:57:52. > :58:00.taking them off. That's the end of the session. Ken Doherty weeb
:58:01. > :58:04.absolutely delighted. A full day of snooker stretches before the
:58:05. > :58:12.veterans. They will return at 10 am m and then this will have to come
:58:13. > :58:20.back in the evening. A place in the quarter tienls beckons for one of
:58:21. > :58:29.them. But also, the conclusion of the defending champion's real tusle
:58:30. > :58:36.against Joe Perry. The first of 13 will be going through. So much to
:58:37. > :58:39.look forward to. In the minority, good night.