Day 6 World Championship Snooker Extra

It was a great start from Anthony McGill there. An easy start there.

His career centuries have then great. Anthony McGill is one of his

own assuming snooker players. He just goes about his business very

proficiently indeed. A lovely man and a top-class snooker player. He

really is a fantastic ambassador for our sport. A really quiet guy, a bit

of a silent but deadly assassin type. He is just that good. Yes,

absolutely. The red that is beyond the cue ball, it will go beyond the

packet. Whatever pace he likes really. APPLAUSE He just cut the

wrong red. He needed to catch the one just to the right. He just

missed it. This is very awkward cueing which is easily missed. What

a fabulous shot! Well judged! 15. Yes, he played it well. He's looking

at that pack again. He is going to try and go back into the pink if he

wished. The yellow is there, he has still a few loose reds available.

That has just worked out that street. What an excellent shot. -- a

treat. A couple of shots and a half to save this frame is there for the

taking, already. 21. He almost doesn't feel the shot. Most players

feel the shot with their feathering. Hard to believe that he could have

played that from the blue. Yes, he could have played that 100 times and

would have in very pleased with those reds. You can feel that he

would need to play an excellent safety shot. Marco Fu. Marco Fu is

just such a great play. As we have said before at the start of the

programme. I have just put in two pupils at the only two places that

it would be safe. -- two pupils. Two cue Balls. He just gets those walls

open in a loose positional shot. His position is now trusting to luck.

You cannot forget to pot the red. Probably play with the left-hand

side there. This is very thin. It is not as easy as it looks. A really

been shot. -- A really thin shot. -- a really thin shot. The way that

Marco Fu has played here. You can really say that he will wrap it up

with an excellent shot on his next visit. He has an opportunity to play

cannon on the left of the two. Just to open up the reds. It is a very

well controlled. A very well controlled shot. I think he would

have liked the cue ball controlled shot. I think he would

another few inches. He has a great chance to go for the pink ear. To

really develop the pink cueball. -- pink here. Did black is a difficult

shot. -- the black. If he gets that, it is a frame when. -- frame

winner. It is never easy when you are that far away. Especially when

you are not at the right centre. He is such a good rest player. He's got

the black in the corner pocket. A good chance the Marco Fu to settle

any nerves now. This is to be expected from any players in this

important last 16 match in the World Championship. When you play eight

frames in the last 16 match, Peter, were you one of the players like

myself that would play many sessions in the first few frames. Did you do

that as well? Was it a bonus to you? Is that your philosophy? I think

that is the same intention of the many snooker players. As you know,

with the pressure out there, you need to take one ball and one frame

at a time. As we both know anything and everything can happen on a

snooker table and usually does. Yes, absolutely, especially when you have

Marco Fu playing here. A player of his calibre here. It is expected to

have a little bit of notes. However, he prides himself in this match. --

nerves. Just read and a colour should be enough. -- just a red.

If you watch, you can say that Marco Fu is timing that all just

beautifully. He is really not putting a lot of effort in all of

his shots. He does not hit as hard. Yes, he doesn't hit it hard, there

are times you see him play softly even with the screw shots. He never

really hits the ball too card. -- too hard. It is wonderful to watch,

because we have great control over all of these balls.

52. This is certainly a half red. Especially near the cushion. He

could use it as a practice shot. Wow, what a lovely shot. On the

reverse side there. Especially, for someone who says openly, that they

did not have any cue power, that was certainly a great effort. He is

trained to a whole all of these balls and keep McGill in the chair.

He had his chance, Anthony McGill. He certainly did before. An

excellent frame by Marco Fu. He leads in this first half against

Anthony McGill. A great play by Marco Fu. That was good length with

the cue ball. A good break. We can see the red on the other side of the

table. Yes, he definitely took that well. He has been quite fortunate.

He didn't really have that angle to get the cue ball on the angle near

the yellow for Marco Fu. If he tries to get back to baulk, from this shot

he needs to get this very thin. He needs to be wary of pushing the red

into the right of the far pocket. That was an excellent safety shot.

Very, well played! Here is Marco Fu. What an ex- --

excellent view. He is coming off two cushions. He doesn't want this red

to slip by. He has landed it perfectly. This is a really half

red, along the cushion. However, the angle is there. If he pots it he can

move the red a wave from the black and get it in the same pocket. --

away. This is really tough. It is very missable.

He chose not to play the gap, he was very precise. He played for the gap.

He needs to be incredibly precise further positional play there. --

for the. It is a tough one if Marco Fu chooses to play that. It doesn't

look like the black will knock to red over. -- the. Straight into the

right pocket. If he thinks he can play through. It is stuff because he

needs to hit the red into the cushion and over the pocket thin.

needs to hit the red into the tough shot. He tried to hit the

cushion. However, he had a lot more room than he anticipated there. I

think, Anthony McGill will not him is seeing this pot. So, can Anthony

McGill settle his early match nerves. A great opportunity there.

He would have liked to have been a little bit closer to the cushion to

played the shot. He has decided to go for the blue. He has played that

really well. There are a few loose reds, but he will take the

opportunity to play the cannon into the pink. Especially, to play the

reds. He will be a little bit thinner on the blue than what he

would have liked. I am not sure what his angle is there. Some of the reds

are in the corner pocket. That keeps grew in the yellow. -- deep screw.

He has played that very, very well. He has cued it nicely. 11. That was

a very nice He has cued it nicely. 11. That was

Anthony McGill. It was very well worked out. He used it to play the

cue. Yes, the red is knocked away from the red. He formed a

cue. Yes, the red is knocked away past the other red. Both would have

been past the other red. Both would have

He would have been unfortunate in a past the other red. Both would have

way there. He still has many options.

That is why, sometimes it is better to go into the balls when you get

the opportunity. You never know if you are going to get a better

opportunity. However, the blue was better than he would have liked. He

chose not to do that. Unfortunately, that is in the break. Hindsight is a

wonderful thing isn't it can? -- can -- Ken. Yes, he would have been very

disappointed. A great shot from Marco Fu. It affects Anthony McGill.

His strokes the red from the left-hand side of the table. From

the bottom left-hand side pocket. Fairy interesting to see Anthony

McGill on the shot there. He has a very strong eyesight. It is an

excellent take a shot. -- taker. That was an excellent return from

Marco Fu. He was quite unfortunate to catch the returnable. -- return

ball. This is a possibility for Bourdy. --

Stephen -- Marco Fu. Happy he has not left a pot. The only uses the

side when he really has two. We know how difficult it is to use on these

superfine clots, especially with power. In this instance, he would

have needed a lot of right-hand side which would have been a curable to

the left, which is never easy to judge. That is another very good

shot from Anthony McGill. Perfect. Certainly, winning the safety battle

at the moment. APPLAUSE. He set himself up here. He

has played, as Peter said, a few excellent safety shots. He has

eventually forced an error. Can he capitalise?

You are no stranger to playing excellent safety shots yourself,

can, are you? It is a right to play good safety shots but you have to

take the chances once you get in. You and not going to get a better

chance than this. It is important for Anthony McGill to send a

message, a very strong message to Marco Fu. If it takes a chance he is

going to take it and put Marco and pressure. He needs to take full

advantage of this. He would like to get the black open. He may have an

opportunity here. He is going to try here but he has got a horrible kick

on the curable. That is a very unlucky. Wanted to get on to the

black. And free up but, look at that. OK, still on the pink but,

apart from the pink, he will have to play a really good shot to get on

the red. I know he was very unlucky to get a kick that but he seemed to

be striking quite low on the cue ball, he almost decelerated. He will

strive to be very precise to get onto the black. Yes, this is a tough

pink. Especially when you play it at that pace. He has had a major

result. These middle pockets are so tough, especially when you are

playing with pace and especially with that sort of angle. We have

seen that so many times already in this championship. Sometimes the

ball looks like it is going into the middle but it can spin account with

the pace. -- back out. He has been very fortunate, you see the red

blocking. He has to be very careful to cause he does not want to leave

Anthony McGill a shot. He needs that green to cover it. Has he done that?

It is a very good effort. This is a really tough pot into the

middle. It is more difficult than it looks on your screen, I promise you

and that is a really good shot. Well played.

APPLAUSE. They really are nervy sort of shots. They are horrible. You can

easily make a mistake, then all the car. And he played that perfectly.

-- then or thick. He needs to be precise in the next positional shot.

I am not quite sure he can hold the black into the right corner pocket.

He looks like he wants to come back round the back of the black full

pink or blue. -- for. I think he has played it well. He just has a flick

on the blue but I think he still has a bit of an angle. Can see the blue

line. There it is. Green Wall. -- ball. How is this for

a positional shot. How Green Wall. -- ball. How is this for

positional shot! It is very unlucky. Lots and lots of right-hand

side. It looked for a second it was going to be perfect. This is a

tricky little shot he has left himself.

He needs to give this his full attention because he will probably

have to play this with a bit of pace. Oh, this is really tough,

Kieran. Well played, that is an excellent shot. That is a very, very

good cueing. Easy get unwanted side on these. He

good cueing. Easy get unwanted side beautifully. Not straightforward,

the way the balls are. Lots of cute power, Anthony McGill.

Another very good shot. This is a little tester well played. Another

very, very good shot. Now, can he flick the red above the black, away

from these two reds. ? May be looking to push the red towards the

middle. Yes, I think he may be looking at the red directly above

the black and the other two reds. He's going to have to try and split

the three of them. That is what he tried to do. He just tried to flick

off the red into the other to bring them into play but it has gone

wrong. It was a very good effort. He played the shot Yu said. He wanted a

little connection to the top rate and it would have opened. A healthy

56 point league but... Nothing is safe.

The reason big target, of course, behind the brown and yellow. A

chance to play a good safety shot here and put a red into the cushion.

He has put two on the cushion, very well played full of

APPLAUSE. --. APPLAUSE. Very good safety shot. You

can see the red just behind the black. But not much of it.

(CROWD GROANS). Now, as he left this red?

Yes, good shot. APPLAUSE. Excellent pot. 57 ahead,

59 remaining. Just the black. 15. Extreme. We have seen some

excellent safety from Anthony McGill to create these chances because it

did not look particularly settled in the first couple of frames but

high-quality safety creates chances against any opponent in the world.

Absolutely. A handful of really good safety shots forced an error from

his opponent on a couple of occasions. He will be delighted to

get his first frame on the board. You never really settle until you

get that first frame on the board, is the saying and how true. I think

it is going to be a really close match this, I really do. It has

quality in store, I think. From both players, in this match. It is going

to be very fluid, high-scoring. You can see all different departments of

the game played at a high standard. 43. McGill, when he gets going, he

plays very quickly, very fluently. He does not take too much time to

play shots. Hit the ball with plenty of authority. -- hits.

52. It is a nice little positional shot for the pink into the centre.

58. APPLAUSE. Anthony McGill gets his

first frame on the ball. It is 1-1.. (CROWD GROANS).

Well... He has left a read here. There is room around the black, of

course. Probably be going up full of blue. -- for a blue. Well! I do not

know what happened there but it looks like almost at mishit. He has

hit the top cushion stop that would certainly and nerve him a little.

The way he missed it, when the Kibble came off the cushion, it was

just a complete mishit. Misalignment. Most unusual.

This is a really tricky red into the middle, now. And that is an example

of what you mentioned in the previous frame, where how tight the

middle pockets are and from the commentary box that looks as if it

is going in that it just touches the knuckle and that is how small these

middle pockets are. Very tough.. He could try to get the cue ball

open to the corner pocket where the yellow is. Doesn't seem to be

blocking the red if he did do that. The only problem about playing the

shot, if he does not get a block on the brown, he has left Marco Fu a

long read. Well... He has got the locker. He has played that pretty

well but it was a bit dangerous for a safety shot. The pace he played at

it, he could well easily have left a red over the right centre. So that

was fraught with danger. He has left the spread down the bottom

right-hand pocket. (CROWD GROANS). Wow! What a shot. That is a

fantastic cueing. What a shot that is!

Thank you. He has angle on the black. He does not have to go into

the pack of breads but, if he does go into them, he has the red over

the right centre. That is why he is just contemplating. If he goes with

a lot of pace... If nothing comes out from the pack, a pupil could end

up back on the middle of the table and still be on the red in the

centre. It is certainly worth bringing it into play but if it does

not... Nothing wrong with that either.

Just tried to dodge one out. Not quite sure if he is on this red into

the right centre. Just about. -- nudge. It is a very good shot. That

was a lot more difficult than look, over the black. A little bit of

side. So easy to miss these shots. Middle pockets are very small. That

was very good from Marco. Played a good shot there. Developed

more reds. Just needs to be careful with his cue ball control and with

his waistcoat. The referees watching the seeding is very closely, there.

-- proceedings. And this is where Marco Fu is so strong, in amongst

the balls. One of the great builders of all time. Already.

I have noticed recently that Marco is really concentrating on keeping a

lot more steel than he used to. He is really trying to keep his chin on

the cue. It has been very noticeable in the last few months and, of

course, that will lead to greater consistency. Not an easy thing to do

under pressure though. No. He works with Griffiths, his coach and

mental. We have seen them on the practice table together.

He is reluctant to take the red over the right centre because he wanted

to keep it there for some insurance but he does not have any other

choice. APPLAUSE. Just wondering... He has a

good angle on the blue, will he go on the pack of reds will choose to

go on the loose one? A couple of ways you can play these. Into the

reds, which is what he decided to do and that is very cleverly played

because he knew he would be opening up the reds that and the cue ball

would be flicking off to the right and leaving himself a red into the

opposite middle pocket. Very cleverly played. He has slightly

lost the white little bit and would have liked to have been a bit closer

to these red but it was very well thought out. Oh, that is very good.

Heart of the pocket, very, very good. Very easy just to come across

of those and for the red just to catch the near knuckle. That was

very well played. Oh, he has lost the shoe ball, here, can. -- cue

ball. This is partly because he overcard

is the yellow. Off the right-hand jaw and that is why the cue ball

travelled an extra foot. 18 inches more than he wanted it to so, a

mistake there from Marco Fu, when in prime position. He would be bitterly

disappointed with that. He cannot believe it. There may be a gap

between the pink and green. He could possibly land between those four

balls. There is always a gap, as JB says. I'm not quite sure, it says

there is no gap when you look from the other side... It is amazing. I

think that is wrong! When you look down from the backhand of the table

you could almost see... Have a look at that. There was a definite gap

through their, I'm sure. APPLAUSE.

The problem with this shot is he may have to play to miss the blue and

that could push the cue ball into the pink. He looks short on this.

Fail and miss. That was interesting, I do not think I have seen that

before a visually it looks like there is a gap. It is unusual, that.

The Hawkeye indicated there was no way you could get through that.

I do not think that is right. APPLAUSE. That is about right. There

is definitely a gap there will stop APPLAUSE. I think cue ball was

slightly more to the right, as we look at it. Yes, yes slightly more

to serve right and behind. The durable needs to go to your left

just a touch. -- that cue ball. I do not think it makes that much

difference because he's coming off the side cushion anyway. Is it OK?

It slowed up again. All these points are gathering up for Marco Fu. Now

the gap could be really important. He would have to be warned if he

could see the red through the gap. I am not quite sure whether the

referee but down and had a look whether he had ball contact.

Obviously not. I do not think that cue ball was there originally.

This time! Well done stop APPLAUSE. He has left it touching

the ball and that is not going to helpful of Marco could be putting

the cue ball back there. He is going to get the cue ball behind that pink

and green again. He has underhit that a bit but it was such a big

target. What would you have done their best Mac safety. 62 point

lead. If you put the yellow save... It is almost back in the same place.

LAUGHTER. It is incredible. You see, he is not gaining much of an

advantage by getting behind the pink and green. Now he does not have a

touch and all. If he would have put safety on the yellow, he have had

some insurance. Interestingly, Marco new where the gap was. -- he knew.

Yes, Marco will be wishing he put a safe now.

Hard to believe that the cue ball is not touching one of those to reds.

There is a gap there, all right. Well, needless to say that is not

the way that Anthony McGill played that shot. I think

the way that Anthony McGill played reasonably fortunate. Even if this

red goes into the left-hand lack pocket. As we look towards baulk it

is not easy here. He is not straight enough to get that black into the

is not easy here. He is not straight red pocket. Currently, he has a

is not easy here. He is not straight point lead. He must concentrate on

getting in the red. The reason he doesn't like it, if he doesn't have

getting in the red. The reason he any aspirations to get that pot, he

must use our loss of power. Otherwise, this pot could be

missable. That is why he decided against taking it on. Well, that's

does surprise me. He could have left the cue ball naturally where the red

was and played a colour save. Quite a big target here between the green

and pink. Quite a few myths judgements by Marco Fu. I just

wonder if these will come back to haunt him. -- misjudgements. If he

gets one chance went the reds are out in the open, there is no reason

he cannot clear the table. It was half a dozen shots or so, when you

suggested putting a baulk colour safe. It just depends how you see it

at the time. It is not a straightforward shot. There is a big

target between the green and pink, if he chooses to attempt that. It is

not bad. Even though we have got to see the cue ball travel little but

further. Marco Fu would love to see a red or two goes safe on to a

cushion now. If the opportunity arises he would love to get a baulk

safe, rather. That is not a bad flick. However, he has not got the

cue ball on the right cushion, but he has a red relatively safe on the

right-hand side cushion. Possible shot for nothing for Anthony McGill.

APPLAUSE Well, that is one way to pot it. Wow what a timely flick for

Anthony McGill. -- timely fluke. After the green is potted it will go

into the pink spot. I'm just wondering if he played this well

enough. Has he played it well enough? No, I don't think he hasn't.

He is on the middle red of those three and left it on the green. I

just wonder if that mistake of not potting that yellow safe earlier.

Will it come back to haunt Anthony McGill? At this level, 62 point

leave with your opponent, particularly nothing is safe. --

lead. APPLAUSE Marco Fu is sitting in his

seat at the moment, thinking that the only thing that can save him

from going one behind in this match is that red on the side cushion. I

think someone who is right-handed, who gets their cue ball anywhere

behind it, you just can't see it missing. He is behind that red now.

He may want to leave the tough first red for last. -- toughest. 34. 35.

Yes, he would like a cue ball there. I am not sure if he has the right

angle. He has run slightly too that with the cue ball. Yes, straight to

that black. He needs a lot of power. He has decided to take the more

difficult green for position. Well, that wiped his feet. Especially on

this red. The only thing left in his advantage, without finishing so

short here is that he can play this for the black. He doesn't have to

put a lot of pace in the pot which gives it a lot of chance. Something

like that! OK! APPLAUSE I bet he users are lot of top spin

on the right-hand side to get that cue ball closer together. This has

gone closer to meddle. -- to meddle. 46. 16 behind, the table. This

requires our lot of great cueing. Excellent shot! Wow, what a shot! He

is just there are cueing it now. Don't go behind the pink. Don't go

behind the pink! Who put the pink there?

Unbelievable the things that can happen. He is only placing it, just

after the brown. That is not too bad. I don't think that brown

passes. That is an another slice of good fortune for him there. Yes,

this time the pink has not hindered his progress, but rather, come to

his rescue. That is a good safety shot for Marco Fu. A good kiss on

the blue. If Anthony McGill can see this brown, he definitely cannot see

a lot of it. It is very tight. This is quite 8/2 pot for Marco Fu. --

quite a tough pot for Marco Fu. Just a two to win this absorbing frame,

that could have gone all of the way. He will build up his game and be

quite delighted with that. This is Marco Fu.

quite delighted with that. This is going to have a look and will need

two snookers. He has looked at it and says that it is not enough. He

has left it. Marco Fu almost lost the frame, that he takes it a 3-1

lead. APPLAUSE I must admit, after 12

frames in our opening match and 96% pot success red I was beginning to

wonder whether Marco Fu was indeed human. Obviously, he is with the few

mistakes that he has mated a cueing nowhere near as well. That is a very

aggressive shot from Anthony McGill. At first Glantz, I would say that he

is not even looking straightforward here. -- at first lands. -- at first

Marco Fu. -- at first glance. It has a lot of

top spin that. He has overcut it. It looks a lot flatter than it does on

TV screens. I think, Anthony McGill will be very disappointed there.

Normally if you miss those, you miss them quite thick. Maybe, he was just

overcompensating. So, having potted that fabulous black and splitting up

the reds Marco Fu now has the opportunity to make a significant

contribution. Well, you say that, but at the

moment he doesn't look very, very confident the way he is standing

after this last match. Especially in that first frame. He doesn't look as

self assured as he did before. Not as much as he was. This could be

down to those few misses that he had. There were those chances where

you expected him to score a whole lot more, but he hasn't. And there

are, is another example of it. His confidence is absolutely shut. If

Anthony McGill can get his game in order here, he could really get

himself back into the match. Honestly, I cannot believe what I am

watching, Ken. Yes, it just shows you what can happen in sport from

one day to the next. You can play so well on one day and then you are

just not with that on the other. It is just the way it goes. That was

nicely played. A screw shot on the left-hand side. He will check the

cue ball off the left-hand side cushion. He is in a good position

now Anthony McGill. However, he really needs to make this count.

This is because Marco Fu will not keep missing his opportunities. The

red goes closer to the pink. Anthony McGill has a nice angle to slip past

the red or he may choose to play at cannon. He may want to follow

through and split past the red. -- slip past. 90. There is a noticeable

change in pace from Anthony McGill here. He is striding purposefully

around the table here. He is trying to get the pace up and get himself

some confidence. His positional play needs to be very

precise here. He could probably play the cannon to

the left-hand side of the four reds on the left-hand side. If he drifted

past the cannon and gone on to the left-hand side pocket. This is very

thin. He has played it well. That is a nice cannon on the red. It

was in good position on the green to the middle. Just a few balls into

that middle pocket, today. It was very straightforward for Anthony

McGill. This will put him 51 points ahead with another 51 remaining.

That was some acknowledgement from the crowd. It was a frame ball. He

is not having to do too much to get in on this opportunity, Marco Fu is

wanting the green in the right-hand corner pocket. For him, it can be

quite unnerving. Well Marco Fu come back to the

table? He has to do his mathematics? He has done his

mathematics and he has said it is not enough. It is still Marco Fu who

leads three frames to two. I think normally, Marco Fu will be

quite pleased, but the way he has been struggling over the last few

frames. I think if he gets out of the session and has lead he will be

quite relieved. Especially, with the way he has played. I cannot believe

the way he has gone. If they start to share these next couple of

frames. He is just struggling technically at the moment. I am sure

he will be back in the practice round with his coach and friend,

Griffiths, son of Kerry of course. There will be back tomorrow. I'm not

sure of their schedule. I know that Marco Fu is an avid practice and he

will be practising as soon as this match finishes. It was a lovely shot

for Marco Fu here. I think, Marco Fu realises he needs to stay absolutely

still and that is vital. Moving around leads to inconsistency. You

cannot get complete consistency every time if you lift the ball. Did

you see the way he lifted the ball there? If you time and really well

and keep your eye on the ball he is not managing to do that under

pressure at the moment. He is trying his best to keep still there.

He is very disappointed not to have made more from this visit. I know

that isn't the best safety shot in the world either, from Marco Fu.

I can only assume, that that was an attempt on the pot. Yes, I think you

are right. I think it was. That was very well controlled from

Anthony McGill there. He took the more aggressive option.

He played it really well. He is looking for a little bit of luck. It

shouldn't be too much of a problem here. Well, he has taken the very

aggressive black with pace. He is trying to open up the balls. This is

a very good opportunity for Anthony McGill to regain his composure in

this match. He has got an angle on the blue and

it looks to be pretty straight. If he could just edge away a few

inches, he could get the red away back from the pink. Well, I am quite

surprised he has played it he could have dropped it in the cushion. He

tried to go in on a red and go into the pink. It looks as if he is on

the black with the rest. It is a very, very difficult shot.

Again, another opportunity missed. He started off pretty well.

After that it has been pretty lacklustre from both players. I

think that Marco Fu has played nowhere near as well as in the first

match has put Anthony McGill off a bit. It has dragged him down.

Sometimes when your partner is playing that, unless you are taking

advantage of it, you -- it can become contagious. Mishit coming

into both players game. They will be delighted to see the backhand of

this session. I remember the excellent Scottish professional

player, Marcus Campbell, what a good player he is. Arab heathens saying,

give me the guy that played well last match. -- I remember him

saying. It is hard to follow up in the second game. It is rare that

happens. That is an incredible statistic...

McGill has scored two points more than Marco Fu but he is two frames

behind. Quite incredible that. This is really difficult cueing here

for Anthony McGill. It is easy where the EU are bridging over a ball and

dig down into the white to get some unintentional side on.. It takes the

cue ball off the intended path. It is a really good shot. That is not

so good. Great degree of difficulty. A bit thinner than he intended. But

it was really, really difficult. Not too much side on that. Too much

left-hand side and that is not of very good safety shot at all from

Marco. It has handed the very good safety shot at all from

to Anthony McGill. very good safety shot at all from

struggling, really feeling it out there, Marco. But Anthony is not

punishing him. I think, can, it is a case that they dragged each other

down in this match so far. -- Ken. (CROWD GROANS).

I sure if Murphy is watching this game at home, he is probably

thinking, he did not play like this against him. An opportunity for

Anthony McGill to swing the cue ball around, back off the blue.

Quite a long, long way away. Quite fortunate as he comes around to see

if he has the cover. He get the cover and then puts his hand up to

apologise. LAUGHTER. We can promise you that one of these players will

win this match to reach the quarter-final but, at the moment, we

no idea which one it will be. APPLAUSE. One. Very good shot and

tight under the side cushion. APPLAUSE.

16. 17. This has been quite a tough session for both players so far.

Anthony McGill just needs this red to leave Marco snooker.. So we are

going to fall-3, to Marco Fu and, given the way both players have

struggled this afternoon, the final frame... The next frame, rather, is

really important. Anthony McGill breaks in these final

frame of the session. He would be delighted if he could still maintain

his two frame advantage, Marco Fu. These guys are back for the second

session tomorrow morning and I presumed to finish tomorrow evening.

Still lifting on the shot, Marco. I'm not suggesting it is an easy

thing to do, to state absolutely dead still under pressure, it is a

difficult thing to do but for me, Marco times the ball so much better

when he is keeping still. Not as much movement there from Anthony

McGill. Steve Davis made that point yesterday for all young aspiring

players, to keep still on the shot and not to move until the ball has

actually reached the pocket. Yes. It is a good exercise just to keep your

head still and, of course, your body still, until you get into that

groove and becomes more natural. Just thinking of the top players,

probably nobody better than John Higgins. John Davies used to be

incredibly still. Great old photographs of Steve Davis and his

father, Bill, who recently passed photographs of Steve Davis and his

away at the used to put a cue, on keep it there to stop Steve 's head

from a moving. It is quite an interesting wait to do it. It

certainly worked. Lovely man, Bill, loved the snooker.

Sadly missed. This is one of those situations

where either player would like... Safety at their and they have to

keep it down behind the black. What you do not want to do is hit

the black. He has left an opportunity now, Marco -- for

Marco, in the centre. Just looking through Marco's Crucible record and

it is highly surprising to find that Marco has had 1/4-final... And that

is a fantastic pot, fantastic. 1/4-final in one semi-final only, in

all the years he has been here. You would never have said that for a

player as good as him. Second-round matches. I think the closest he came

is a semi-final against you stop again, as you mentioned earlier, it

is when he uses power. Just watch it. Body movement again. Really

struggling with power today and I feel he crept into bad habits again

this afternoon. Lifting on the shot, under pressure.

Played almost perfect snooker in his first round match. Did precious

little wrong. Hardly missed the ball. Scored really well. His safety

was excellent. His temple around the table was wonderful. He was keeping

it really steal on the shot. -- tempo. And so far in this match, he

has looked a shadow of the player we saw in the first round, here.

That is the beauty of the long matches, isn't it, Ken? You can have

a word with your coach and it is always important to always have

someone in your corner who is watching what is going on out there.

Absolutely. Either that or you just take it all out of him. -- out on

him. That was a good recovery. I was just sitting down all the time so I

did not ink that was the case. Taking all the loose reds. I wonder

if he got the opportunity to get that black back on the spot...

It looks like he's just going to concentrate on the blue. After a few

shots tried to get the pink into play. Plenty of loose reds, he is

building up a lead all the time. 53. He has kept it, as you can see,

eight Blues and one brown. Moving ever closer to that winning margin.

Just this and one more red. Can you believe it! Can you believe he could

miss a yellow like that! Wow. What a chance and what a chance for Marco

Fu now. What can he do? Well, he has gone through the gap on

the way down and at least the reds. How close was to clip the reds?

Pretty close. Marco Fu, six. That is not a bad

safety shot from Marco. He would be very disappointed with that

contribution. A huge frame these, the difference

between 5-3 and 4-4. Well, can you believe that? Marco Fu, four. Quite

fortunate not to leave a free ball of their. Especially with the yellow

very close to the yellow pocket. APPLAUSE. But that four point is

very valuable. He would have needed at least three reds and three pinks

and all the colours. Now he has a little bit of leeway. (CROWD

GROANS). Is it in one but not quite that

then. Now than... Now, of course, the referee will

have to warn Anthony McGill. He will have to hit the red this time. If he

does not the red this time, he will forfeit the frame.

Can't possibly play the same shot, surely.

Changes is shot selection. Does not want to miscue. Well... That wasn't

very good, at all. Marco with an excellent chance, now,

to clear, to finish the succession leading 5-3. And considering the way

he struggled technically, this afternoon, I think he would be

relieved rather than pleased. I think that is putting it mildly,

Peter, this would be a great still from Marco Fu. He is just checking

the scores that he has a lot of points to play with. He is only 32

behind with lots of points left on the table. That is a poor shot.

Again, quite a lot of movement. It has been a very noticeable this

afternoon that when a Marco has been a very noticeable this

through the ball the same and not getting the same reaction from the

cue ball. A lot of movement on the shot, you can see.

Just the pace helped that drop in. For a minute it looked like it was

going a bit wide. APPLAUSE. It was of the poor shot

that he played previously that put him under pressure. Any more pace on

that blue and it would not have gone into the pocket.

21 behind. 27 on the table. APPLAUSE. He was a little bit low on

the yellow. A bit further away than it would have liked on the green

now. That is pretty good. Now, the

difficulty is from brown to blue but there will be a bit of difficulty

from pink to black. Does not want to be too straight on this blue. He is

OK. Now, pink to black. Anthony McGill's only chance.

APPLAUSE. (CHEERING). A black for a 5-3 lead and what a good clearance

this would be. Oh, excellent black with the rest from Marco Fu and he

would be a relieved Marco Fu, he did not play at his best. But it will

give him confidence for the next session. STUDIO: A great start from

Marco Fu. There are other possible to further sessions, both of them

tomorrow - 10am and seven p.m.. We will be on parade bright and early

and we hope you will be also. In the meantime, sleep well.

Since the Earth affords no joy to me...