Day 9

:00:36. > :00:43.Good evening. On Snooker Extra tonight, a second session of a match

:00:44. > :00:47.which features John Higgins and Ricky Ward. There's not much between

:00:48. > :00:53.these guys in so many ways. Only one place in the world rankings

:00:54. > :00:59.separates then, John, 8, Ricky, 9. Three wins each in head-to-head.

:01:00. > :01:17.It's John 5-3 in front as we join John Parrott and Ken Doherty.

:01:18. > :01:24.So, John Higgins breaks off in this second session of this second-round

:01:25. > :01:30.match. A little grimace from that break-off. Not the best break-off

:01:31. > :01:31.he's played this week so far. Left a chance for Ricky Walden. Into the

:01:32. > :01:46.corner pocket. Is didn't touch the jaws of the

:01:47. > :01:58.pocket, this one. Now, half a chance here for John

:01:59. > :01:58.Higgins. He can get on the black here as well.

:01:59. > :02:13.APPLAUSE I'm delighted to be joined in the

:02:14. > :02:19.commentary box, and our MC today, a jack of all trades, John Parrott.

:02:20. > :02:22.Thanks, Ken. Yep an intriguing session coming up. You always know

:02:23. > :02:27.that you're in for a tough examination. When you're playing

:02:28. > :02:30.against John Higgins. Ricky will be looking for a good start this

:02:31. > :02:36.afternoon. Yeah. I didn't see the first session

:02:37. > :02:40.of this match. But speaking with Willie Thorne this morning, who

:02:41. > :02:46.commentated on this first session yesterday, he said both players were

:02:47. > :02:49.in top form. A century from Ricky Walden, a century from John Higgins

:02:50. > :02:54.to finish. But he said it was a high-quality match.

:02:55. > :02:58.Yeah, they played only a few weeks ago, didn't they, in the semifinal,

:02:59. > :03:05.in a tournament in China. It was Ricky that won 6-5 in a thriller.

:03:06. > :03:08.But today's another day. And John Higgins with that Crucible record,

:03:09. > :03:13.well, over a distance of ground, he's a hard man to beat.

:03:14. > :03:17.I know that only too well from playing him over the years. In the

:03:18. > :03:32.Crucible. OK, we all miss pots, but very

:03:33. > :03:40.rarely you see him make the wrong decision.

:03:41. > :03:46.Yeah, you just don't seem to get much when you play him, do you? I

:03:47. > :03:51.mean, a decent shot there. Unlucky. A split didn't work out in his

:03:52. > :03:54.favour. Yeah, when you play him, Ken, you just know every single

:03:55. > :03:59.safety sholt seems to get matched. Misses very few -- shot seems to get

:04:00. > :04:00.matched. Misses very few easy pots. Just an all-round tremendous

:04:01. > :04:10.competitor. You knew when the draw came out, if

:04:11. > :04:12.you got him, you were in for a hard day's work. Absolutely.

:04:13. > :04:25.UMPIRE: Higgins, 24. Just left this cue ball slightly off

:04:26. > :04:29.this top cushion. May present an opportunity for Ricky Walden for a

:04:30. > :04:34.possible red to the right centre. He's just come around this side of

:04:35. > :04:39.the table, just to see if he - where he can leave the cue ball so as not

:04:40. > :04:44.to leave John a pot should this red miss the target.

:04:45. > :04:56.Such a difficult pot. And particularly at that angle, John.

:04:57. > :05:00.Excellent shot. Yeah, obviously you're looking at that shot, you

:05:01. > :05:01.could hardly see any of the pockets. That was absolutely wonderfully

:05:02. > :05:13.cued. Unlike John Higgins to leave the cue

:05:14. > :05:15.ball there. It has to be said, we were talking about how he's

:05:16. > :05:16.difficult to play against. Nevertheless, that was just one

:05:17. > :05:29.really good shot. Now, he's nicely low on this red.

:05:30. > :05:32.So, he's got to put a bit of pace on the cue ball here, try and screw

:05:33. > :05:35.back possibly the blue. Bringing more reds into play. This could

:05:36. > :05:43.really open things up. It has done. An excellent shot from Ricky Walden.

:05:44. > :05:47.We've extolled the virtues of John Higgins' game. Ricky is a really

:05:48. > :05:55.high, quick-scoring player. Very fluent. When he gets going, he can

:05:56. > :05:59.rattle up frames very quickly. Yeah, he's nice to watch, isn't he, when

:06:00. > :06:04.he gets in around - when he starts to score. He's got a lovely touch.

:06:05. > :06:10.He's very fluent, as you say. He's got a nice cue-action.

:06:11. > :06:24.Funnily enough, all his best performances have come overseas in

:06:25. > :06:25.China. Yeah, it can happen, Ken, can't it?

:06:26. > :06:38.APPLAUSE Yeah. Stuart Bingham, after winning

:06:39. > :06:42.the World Championship, hadn't managed to win at home. He managed

:06:43. > :06:44.to win the biggest one. Most of his success has been in China,

:06:45. > :07:04.Australia, and those places. So, it can happen.

:07:05. > :07:10.Yeah, just looking at his record here, he's won three ranking titles.

:07:11. > :07:13.One in Shanghai, which is obviously in China as well. And the

:07:14. > :07:18.International Open in 2014, which, again, in China. Probably likes the

:07:19. > :07:33.Chinese food over there! Semifinalist in the World

:07:34. > :07:38.Championship here a few years ago. Lost to Hawkins in the semifinal.

:07:39. > :07:42.Yeah, and looked like winning that one. He was ahead, until he was

:07:43. > :07:47.pegged back. But it was a fantastic experience for him. You know, at

:07:48. > :07:50.this great venue that we're in, it takes on a whole different persona

:07:51. > :07:54.when it goes down from the two tables to the one. And it was all

:07:55. > :07:58.new for Ricky at the time to play in that situation. I think he enjoyed

:07:59. > :08:00.it. But obviously didn't enjoy the result. But a fantastic experience.

:08:01. > :08:11.APPLAUSE Also became a father for the first

:08:12. > :08:47.time this year, hasn't he? 35. 36. Obviously gonna take the pink

:08:48. > :08:50.now in the centre pocket. And be hampered for the black with the cue

:08:51. > :08:54.ball. Having a little look, hampered for the black with the cue

:08:55. > :08:57.the angle will be like when he just plays - probably just a little soft

:08:58. > :09:00.stunt to go to the other side of the red. There's a couple of options,

:09:01. > :09:17.but not maybe the one he's looked at there.

:09:18. > :09:22.Well, he tried to hold the cue ball, put the red in the same centre

:09:23. > :09:28.pocket. Because of that, just tried to pinch it a little bit. Just

:09:29. > :09:32.trying to hold the white. Probably a little bit more angle on it than he

:09:33. > :09:38.wanted. But he still shouldn't have missed the pink.

:09:39. > :09:45.APPLAUSE That was a surprising miss from John

:09:46. > :09:55.Higgins. We were talking him up earlier, at

:09:56. > :10:00.the beginning of this frame. He doesn't give you much, but, wow, you

:10:01. > :10:09.don't see many of them. Yeah, a bit of a collector's item, that one.

:10:10. > :10:48.I don't know what's going on at the minute, but you've caught it.

:10:49. > :11:00.Hmm. Nice little flick on the green. After the brown pots anyway. Oh, it

:11:01. > :11:06.doesn't. So, testing blue. APPLAUSE

:11:07. > :11:08.And, of course, he just missed a relatively simple red in theile

:11:09. > :11:15.middle pocket. This is much more difficult. A bit of pressure on

:11:16. > :11:22.this. It's not there. And he may have got away with it. John Higgins,

:11:23. > :11:26.1. Well, he's had a right result there. I don't think this red passes

:11:27. > :11:33.the red, does it, to the right centre.

:11:34. > :11:38.Believe it or not, that might be the first blue that John Higgins has

:11:39. > :11:43.missed. That's an incredible statistic.

:11:44. > :11:53.He has been very fortunate. Funny how the psychology works in this

:11:54. > :11:59.game, Ken, doesn't it? He's come out, 5-3 in front. If anything, he

:12:00. > :12:05.looks more nervous. The significance of getting a good start in the

:12:06. > :12:06.second session. But, yeah, very fortunate there to leave the cue

:12:07. > :13:00.ball where he has. Make sure the phone is turned off,

:13:01. > :13:26.please. Well, that was close. But, again,

:13:27. > :13:35.hasn't left anything straightforward for Ricky Walden. OK.

:13:36. > :13:43.He's got that red along the ball cushion into the green pocket. But a

:13:44. > :13:47.bit tricky. Yeah, I think if he was - if he wasn't gonna get a natural

:13:48. > :13:52.angle to cannon the green off the top cushion, you'd play that all

:13:53. > :13:54.day, because it would just be basically shot or nothing. Bring the

:13:55. > :13:58.cue ball down towards the black spot. The one he's looking at now,

:13:59. > :14:00.if that green wasn't where it was, he would be playing that shot all

:14:01. > :14:08.day. May end up taking it anyway. But

:14:09. > :14:17.you've gotta be full-blooded with it.

:14:18. > :14:26.Yeah. And he's missed that, because he's put running side on the red the

:14:27. > :14:29.way he's played. If he had played that plain ball up and down the

:14:30. > :14:33.table. But he's played it with a little bit of running side to avoid

:14:34. > :14:39.the green. Because of that, he's missed the pot.

:14:40. > :15:10.Oh, John Higgins hasn't got his potting boots on at the moment.

:15:11. > :15:28.Can only knock this red, can't he, up to the baulk area and try and

:15:29. > :15:42.leave the cue ball tied to cushion. ..Top

:15:43. > :15:47.A couple of things could have happened then. Could have got a

:15:48. > :15:51.flick off the blue and gone in, hit the blue and gone safe, but it's

:15:52. > :15:56.come back. This is a chance for John Higgins. So, I was with you, Ken, I

:15:57. > :16:01.thought he was just gonna play the cue ball shot and leave is tight on

:16:02. > :16:03.the cushion. Because he's played that shot and not got it, it's a

:16:04. > :16:06.little bit easier for John to cue. Six.

:16:07. > :17:29.APPLAUSE Obviously trying to flick these reds

:17:30. > :17:36.out. Couldn't have got much more out of it.

:17:37. > :17:44.Had to make sure that he hit that hard enough, so it went at least

:17:45. > :17:47.past the green. If he played that softer, the green could have been a

:17:48. > :18:08.blocker, so that's why he had to do it. 12.

:18:09. > :18:15.Mmm. Straightforward to get on either of the two reds that are left

:18:16. > :18:19.at the moment. So, he may just take the blue, chip that in, top cushion,

:18:20. > :18:21.side cushion, come for the red and the baulk. The one that's near the

:18:22. > :18:33.middle pocket isn't really pottable. The one he's on now isn't at all a

:18:34. > :18:37.gimme, but you'd think John may knock that in. What angle would you

:18:38. > :18:42.like for the last red? Just looking at the angle he has now, John, he

:18:43. > :18:46.could possibly take the red into the green pocket. Buff he hasn't had a

:18:47. > :18:50.look at the double-cross, double on that red. Obviously he's gonna come

:18:51. > :18:55.around and have a look at it now. It may be an option. No. Doesn't like

:18:56. > :19:00.it T It's funny, because it absolutely looks perfect, doesn't

:19:01. > :19:02.it, if you were gonna do it. I know it's sometimes tempting if

:19:03. > :19:06.it, if you were gonna do it. I know red was more available than the

:19:07. > :19:07.other one. If he did get that double, the total

:19:08. > :19:09.other one. If he did get that definitely be on. That's an

:19:10. > :19:16.excellent pot. APPLAUSE

:19:17. > :19:21.Particularly with the extension on the end. A nice, clean pot. What

:19:22. > :19:23.sort of an angle has he got on the brown? Can he screw right into the

:19:24. > :19:26.red, bring it off that cushion? It's not there. 22, John Higgins.

:19:27. > :19:59.know if this is in before It's not there. 22, John Higgins.

:20:00. > :20:04.Yeah, a funny It's not there. 22, John Higgins.

:20:05. > :20:07.You live and die It's not there. 22, John Higgins.

:20:08. > :20:09.It looked absolutely perfect on the back double

:20:10. > :20:12.It looked absolutely perfect on the It's amazing. Sometimes you leave

:20:13. > :20:17.that to be the last one, when you've actually come perfect on a shot

:20:18. > :20:20.before. And it's never ideal, is it, when you're sort of cutting it back

:20:21. > :20:27.into the pocket as opposed to if it's dead in line. Listen, I'm never

:20:28. > :20:29.gonna question John Higgins' shot selection, because it's been

:20:30. > :20:36.fantastic for so many years. But just an option. And Ricky

:20:37. > :21:11.fantastic for so many years. But shot. Because it isn't one.

:21:12. > :21:17.He's just appearing a little bit tight at the moment

:21:18. > :21:21.cue-action, John, this afternoon. He's, you know, that wasn't

:21:22. > :21:26.particularly cued well. A little bit surprised the way he played this. I

:21:27. > :21:32.thought he might just play with topspin as opposed to trying to hit

:21:33. > :21:37.it with a bit more pace. Yeah. Ricky on the other hand played the shot

:21:38. > :21:43.with topspin. Just makes the shot. A little bit more easier to execute.

:21:44. > :21:48.He's come the wrong side of the blue here.

:21:49. > :21:53.One ball he won't be taking is the green, because obviously that may

:21:54. > :21:55.just spot, go next to the brown. That will stop it. He won't be

:21:56. > :22:12.potting the green, I wouldn't think. Maybe just dropping the blue in and

:22:13. > :22:31.taking on a middle-distant Yellow. If he can punt this and get it on

:22:32. > :22:36.the green, this could be frame ball. Oh!

:22:37. > :22:47.Another chance for John Higgins in this frame. Not totally

:22:48. > :22:52.straightforward. Yellow to green position. Obviously the pot is not a

:22:53. > :22:58.problem. It's just getting that cue ball in a good spot for that green.

:22:59. > :23:04.Oh, he couldn't hit that any better. Cued that beautifully. Yeah, he

:23:05. > :23:10.couldn't have placed it better. Perfect. Ricky would be kicking

:23:11. > :23:17.himself. He's had a couple of bites of the cherry in this frame. Five.

:23:18. > :23:21.Yeah, he was saying earlier that John Higgins doesn't give you much.

:23:22. > :23:28.But he's given Ricky lots of chances in this frame. He hasn't taken them.

:23:29. > :23:53.He hasn't been at his best in this frame, John Higgins. But he's

:23:54. > :23:58.managed to find a way to the winning line in this frame. And in goes the

:23:59. > :24:04.pink. And he won't bother about the black. And John Higgins continues

:24:05. > :24:08.where he left off yesterday. He wins the opening frame and now leads

:24:09. > :24:22.Ricky Walden by six frames to three. APPLAUSE

:24:23. > :24:28.There's' very unusual break-off. Don't see that very often in

:24:29. > :24:32.professional snooker. Usually the one where they play the running side

:24:33. > :24:36.around the angles inside the blue. But there's none of it there. Maybe

:24:37. > :24:45.Ricky is fed up playing that break-off. He thinks he's sticking a

:24:46. > :24:46.red up or something. Mmm. John's covered that on the right-hand side,

:24:47. > :25:01.he will be more than happy. It's pretty tricky down the other

:25:02. > :25:04.side of the table to get safe off this. Of the red that's on the

:25:05. > :25:09.left-hand side cushion as we see the screen is the one that's the

:25:10. > :25:10.problem. If that wasn't there, it would be pretty easy to get back

:25:11. > :25:24.down to the baulk area. The red to the left of the black

:25:25. > :25:30.that's closest to the cushion, may be very thin, could be a shot.

:25:31. > :25:38.I will just put this line in, John, and I'm not sure if he has that

:25:39. > :25:42.line, possibly. Tried to cut that one in. And come around the back of

:25:43. > :25:45.that red, but I think your shot was the right one, Ken.

:25:46. > :25:53.It was certainly a lot better than that one. That was a complete

:25:54. > :25:58.mis-hit. So, evidence in the first frame and a bit that neath player

:25:59. > :26:13.has really -- neither player has really settled down.

:26:14. > :26:22.Just got enough of the cue ball, where he can just drop the blue in.

:26:23. > :26:27.Just coming around to have a look at the red that's in the middle of the

:26:28. > :26:32.bunch of five reds around the pink spot, he's just come around to see,

:26:33. > :26:35.into the bottom left-hand corner pocket. The one below that bunch of

:26:36. > :26:43.five certainly does pot. APPLAUSE

:26:44. > :26:49.Down for the corner pocket and considering being slightly hampered

:26:50. > :26:55.by that red, that was an excellent shot. Good, wasn't it? Yeah. Easy,

:26:56. > :26:59.when you've only got a side or a quarter at the ball. Generally

:27:00. > :27:03.easier to put side on, isn't it? You're just trying to hit the middle

:27:04. > :27:03.of the white and sometimes you can't get to it.

:27:04. > :27:17.APPLAUSE The noise coming from the other

:27:18. > :27:37.table. Just waiting for it to die down.

:27:38. > :27:48.In this great awedum. As he looks back on the Sunday afternoon at the

:27:49. > :27:53.World Championship. Meanwhile, John Higgins has gone about this nicely.

:27:54. > :28:09.And these really are split very well for the sizeable contribution here.

:28:10. > :28:25.He's just gotta try and tidy up these two reds around the black

:28:26. > :28:29.spot. So the black will... Well, he didn't get out with the cue ball

:28:30. > :28:33.high enough. Wanted to be higher on that black so you could just drop

:28:34. > :28:36.the black in and take the red to the right, the black next, but he can't

:28:37. > :28:39.do that now. So, maybe that red right in the middle of the five. You

:28:40. > :28:45.can see from that angle there, it does pot. The funny thing is as

:28:46. > :28:49.well, the set of two reds, like a little corridor down there as well.

:28:50. > :28:53.You can run through the middle of them and you just know you're gonna

:28:54. > :29:00.be on a ball. Funny how they're set up. He's decided to play the screw

:29:01. > :29:04.back and screw out of them instead. Hit that lovely as well, didn't he?

:29:05. > :29:07.Nice little touch, that was. A beautiful, little, deft cannon. He

:29:08. > :29:08.couldn't hit it too hard, because that red would have blocked the

:29:09. > :29:19.pink. He judged it really nicely. Starting to look more like himself

:29:20. > :29:22.now on this frame. Got the cue ball on a string at the moment.

:29:23. > :29:31.APPLAUSE 37.

:29:32. > :29:38.Nothing settles you down quite as much as your opponent, given your

:29:39. > :29:42.chances in missing his. It was important for Ricky to get

:29:43. > :29:44.off to a good start here, in the second session. Particularly with

:29:45. > :29:52.the 2-frame deficit. Can't be giving John Higgins chances

:29:53. > :30:07.like this. 44. 45. Yes. I thought he was struggling

:30:08. > :30:09.to look like the old John Higgins a couple of seasons back, Ken. His

:30:10. > :30:13.long game wasn't particularly good. He was having trouble with cues,

:30:14. > :30:18.messing around with this, that and the other. He looked like he was

:30:19. > :30:22.bereft of any of confidence. He's certainly turned it around. He has

:30:23. > :30:23.become a tournament winner again, having a fabulous season and

:30:24. > :30:41.competing like he always did. Like his good practice partner, Alan

:30:42. > :30:46.McManus. Reached the quarterfinals at 45 years of age. There's some

:30:47. > :30:47.good stuff in the old boys yet. That was well played.

:30:48. > :31:01.APPLAUSE 51. Alan due to meet the winner of

:31:02. > :31:06.this match in the quarterfinals. He was upstairs in the Players' Lounge

:31:07. > :31:10.earlier on. Taking a break from his usual six hours' practice every day.

:31:11. > :31:11.And he probably has a keen eye on the proceedings this afternoon.

:31:12. > :31:20.Between these two. He has been a top, top player, Alan.

:31:21. > :31:42.A great-quality match player. A slight problem with the break

:31:43. > :31:47.here. Because I'm just having a look to see if the two reds are

:31:48. > :31:48.here. Because I'm just having a look Once he pots the red and he's on

:31:49. > :31:50.that side of the blue, just looking to see - well, it can be

:31:51. > :31:52.that side of the blue, just looking That's a little awkward down one

:31:53. > :32:02.side of the table. He's satisfied himself that it is a

:32:03. > :32:03.plant and can be made, so he's gonna drop the blue in and just leave

:32:04. > :32:37.himself the angle to make the plant. The cameraman, I'm sure, will pan

:32:38. > :32:39.around to see if these two were dead set into the carne pocket. They

:32:40. > :32:43.don't look dead set -- set into the carne pocket. They

:32:44. > :32:48.pocket. They don't look dead set. Towards the left-hand side of the

:32:49. > :32:49.pocket, but should be OK. Yeah, he just sort of...

:32:50. > :32:55.APPLAUSE Nice shot.

:32:56. > :33:14.One of those bizarre things, plants. You used to see in the amateur

:33:15. > :33:30.comps, as soon as you saw a plant, forgot to play position off it.

:33:31. > :33:42.Just this pink to put another frame on the board.

:33:43. > :34:10.APPLAUSE Make a nice century. Certainly got a

:34:11. > :34:16.nice angle on the pink here. Just to nudge one of these reds out of the

:34:17. > :34:23.way and into a pottable position. Well, he tried to, but didn't make

:34:24. > :34:26.it. 79. That's amazing, John. He's had 40 centuries already this

:34:27. > :34:26.season. Five in the tournament so far.

:34:27. > :34:38.APPLAUSE Yes, as I mentioned earlier, his

:34:39. > :34:55.game is back in fine fettle. Bottom red pot in the centre pocket

:34:56. > :35:01.here, that would be the shot he takes. Difficult when they're in a

:35:02. > :35:01.blind pocket like this. But not this time.

:35:02. > :35:33.83. John Higgins, 90. Not to be. Didn't

:35:34. > :35:37.make the century. A fantastic break of 90 from John Higgins and he

:35:38. > :36:01.extends his lead. It's now 7-3 to the Scot.

:36:02. > :36:05.Played each other on six occasions previously.

:36:06. > :36:13.And it's been all square. In the latest meeting, as you said, was

:36:14. > :36:24.only last month in China. I tell you what, Ken, that's a

:36:25. > :36:26.pretty good record, John Higgins. 3-3 with him is very good. Lots of

:36:27. > :37:08.players would take that record. A little puff of the cheeks from

:37:09. > :37:18.John there! Didn't even get near a jar, that one.

:37:19. > :37:24.Yes. Interestingly, John only missed one long pot yesterday when he

:37:25. > :37:30.played. He's missed four already now.

:37:31. > :37:35.It wouldn't be too bothered yet, because he's won both of the opening

:37:36. > :37:37.frames, but worth noting. Now, Ricky, come on, you've gotta start

:37:38. > :38:06.scoring. Wonderful lad, is Ricky. Very nice

:38:07. > :38:10.lad. Yeah, loves his football as well. He's been very kind to me this

:38:11. > :38:13.week after what happened midweek on Wednesday with Liverpool. He's a

:38:14. > :38:17.Liverpool fan. Hasn't rubbed it into too much. Unlike some of our

:38:18. > :38:18.directors! LAUGHS

:38:19. > :38:39.APPLAUSE I can't believe you haven't

:38:40. > :38:43.mentioned Manchester United after yesterday's wonderful result. All of

:38:44. > :38:44.a sudden, the commentary box has gone very quiet. It's been a bad

:38:45. > :39:03.week! LAUGHS

:39:04. > :39:10.Ricky's just coming around to have a look, to see if there's this pink

:39:11. > :39:13.pot into the bottom right-hand corner pocket. You can see it's

:39:14. > :39:14.extremely tight. I think it might drop in. This shot will tell the

:39:15. > :39:18.story. Well.

:39:19. > :39:46.APPLAUSE Well. It's not a good sign, John.

:39:47. > :39:51.No. Not like him at all swell. -- as well. Doesn't seem to have settled

:39:52. > :39:52.this afternoon. It knocks your confidence when you miss one of

:39:53. > :40:11.those. And by that much. The pot success in this session - 71

:40:12. > :40:13.for Ricky, 85 for John. Usually generally need to be up in

:40:14. > :40:26.the 90s, really. Funnily enough, Ricky was on the end

:40:27. > :40:32.of one of the most bizarre statistics. Shows how wrong they can

:40:33. > :40:37.prove you. He had 100% pot success rate in the march with Ronnie

:40:38. > :40:44.O'Sullivan in the Masters. Lost 6-0. And O'Sullivan's 98%. Work that one

:40:45. > :40:47.out! I would say the safety Perez wasn't too good. -- safety percent

:40:48. > :41:05.wasn't too good. There are two balls up the top of

:41:06. > :41:10.this pack. Ricky is coming around to have a look. There may be a plant

:41:11. > :41:14.into this corner pocket. Just gone to the left-hand side. Can't make

:41:15. > :41:19.them from the position of the cue ball. But he's gotta be careful. He

:41:20. > :41:20.doesn't want to be knocking a red over this left-hand corner pocket

:41:21. > :41:25.here. That's a nice target, that green and

:41:26. > :41:28.blue. That's a nice target, that green and

:41:29. > :41:43.not getting there. Wow. The red on the

:41:44. > :41:47.cushion is a little built of a problem for John's safety. -- a

:41:48. > :41:52.little bit of a problem for John's safety. One of those balls you could

:41:53. > :41:54.cannon on the way back down to the baulk area. You can either play it

:41:55. > :41:55.thick baulk area. You can either play it

:41:56. > :42:06.which is what he looks like doing. Yeah. The trouble with that is, if

:42:07. > :42:14.you get it too thick, you hit the other one on the way back. So, a

:42:15. > :42:18.very unlikely mistake in the safety department.

:42:19. > :42:35.An chance for Ricky, OK, pink and black are tied up. But there's a

:42:36. > :42:38.chance of this initial red, try and get the blue back on the spot. He

:42:39. > :42:43.really needs this blue back on its own spot. He's got a chance to try

:42:44. > :42:47.and get it here, if he can, if he's got an angle. Or maybe the angle is

:42:48. > :42:51.a little bit too straight for that red.

:42:52. > :42:55.I'm with you, though, Ken. You've gotta get that blue down there as

:42:56. > :42:59.quickly as possible. It might be worth a chance, if you can get on

:43:00. > :43:02.the blue and come down the side cushion and try and play into the

:43:03. > :43:06.pink and black and try and get some in play. Because it would be worth a

:43:07. > :43:10.shot at it. Yeah, if he can somehow get on this

:43:11. > :43:15.red that's close to the yellow, rather than come back up the table.

:43:16. > :43:25.It's just gonna be so hard to score. Oh, that was a nice little nudge,

:43:26. > :43:30.wasn't it? It's a help. But we're back to the same thing again, aren't

:43:31. > :43:31.we? He just needs to get that blue into play as soon as possible. If he

:43:32. > :43:42.can. Four. I think he really needs to try and

:43:43. > :43:47.get on that red that's close to the yellow, because if he can do that,

:43:48. > :43:51.he can get on to the blue then. He can drop the yellow in, take the red

:43:52. > :43:58.into a black pocket, or try and take the red into the middle. He's got

:43:59. > :44:01.plenty of options. Well, just taking it into the yellow pocket and he's

:44:02. > :44:06.absolutely perfect now. APPLAUSE

:44:07. > :44:10.Couldn't have come nicer. I think - I'm saying, yes, it looks like he

:44:11. > :44:13.can just run this through. As long as he doesn't cannon the yellow.

:44:14. > :44:17.He's actually looking to leave the angle the other way. He's gonna

:44:18. > :44:20.leave it and stun it in and play the blue. In a perfect world, I would

:44:21. > :44:25.like to drop it in and be lower, pot the blue and come down and try and

:44:26. > :44:29.get pink and black in play. Well, he's doing that now. First he looked

:44:30. > :44:33.like he was gonna play the stun shot. This is worth taking a chance

:44:34. > :44:36.on here rment pot the blue, side cushion, come down and try and

:44:37. > :44:40.scatter a few balls. But hopefully get pink and black in play, because

:44:41. > :44:44.you won't win the frame without them. Well, he's got the angle, as

:44:45. > :44:49.you said, just before the middle pocket. Try and pot the blue. And a

:44:50. > :44:54.lot of right-hand side. And hard as you can here, really.

:44:55. > :45:24.Still, pink and black are not possible.

:45:25. > :45:40.A good pot, that. He couldn't really get into his position there. Just

:45:41. > :45:42.had to make sure he got the pot, which was difficult enough in

:45:43. > :45:47.itself. Couldn't do anything with the cue ball.

:45:48. > :45:54.And just rolling behind these balls are really difficult, just to get

:45:55. > :45:58.them dead weight. On these superfine cloths, the balls are so reactive

:45:59. > :46:01.that just dropping in behind the ball collar is just difficult to do.

:46:02. > :46:04.Maybe he is taking it head on. Attacking shot, this.

:46:05. > :46:09.Well played. APPLAUSE

:46:10. > :46:15.Positive shot, Ken. Yeah. He needs to get something going. A good idea

:46:16. > :46:39.to take the brown up. He's certainly having to work hard

:46:40. > :46:51.for this Graham. -- for this break. APPLAUSE

:46:52. > :46:57.23. Now, what's your angle like? He would love to be just above the blue

:46:58. > :47:01.here. Could have done a touch more, play cannon into the reds and get

:47:02. > :47:03.that pink and black in play. I don't think he's come quite far enough for

:47:04. > :47:12.that. Yeah. He's a bit straight and across

:47:13. > :47:16.that red. That's on the left-hand side cushion. That red is in the way

:47:17. > :47:20.to try and come off that cushion and go into the black, pink and the

:47:21. > :47:25.reds. So, he might just have to just track the loose red and try and get

:47:26. > :47:37.top side of the blue once more. 29.

:47:38. > :48:06.Did well to get into those there. A difficult shot, that was. But he

:48:07. > :48:23.hasn't really got much. 35 break from Ricky, but it's a very

:48:24. > :48:27.good #35rks that's for sure. Did as well as e -- 35. That's for sure.

:48:28. > :48:32.Did as well as he could then. Absolutely. He's got one red save as

:48:33. > :48:37.a bit of insurance. He doesn't want to come off a red and bring the

:48:38. > :48:43.black and pink into play. He would love to get another red safe. But he

:48:44. > :48:49.can't from this safety shot. So, take your medicine. Get a good cue

:48:50. > :48:55.ball and wait for your next chance. Put himself in a good position, in

:48:56. > :48:58.this frame. John Higgins uneasily having a look

:48:59. > :49:03.at the red on the right-hand side cushion. Possibly take that off.

:49:04. > :49:08.That's a safe red. Wants that back in the open. Just wondering, Ken, if

:49:09. > :49:15.he plays a little thick, he might split the reds up near the pink. I

:49:16. > :49:18.know it's dangerous. Mmm. That's more dangerous, though, sticking it

:49:19. > :49:20.right over. How's the cue ball? Oh. APPLAUSE

:49:21. > :49:50.That's a result. Having a look. If he left of the cue

:49:51. > :49:56.ball down in the jaws of this right-hand corner pocket, what would

:49:57. > :50:01.he be leaving? But the red left a black. He's gotta try and maybe

:50:02. > :50:02.disturb this red away from the corner pocket. And he's playing the

:50:03. > :50:15.safety shot. Tried to flick it away and missed it

:50:16. > :50:19.and now he's left a chance for John Higgins. It was a decent effort but

:50:20. > :50:23.he was in a lot of trouble there. Yeah, John had a good run of the

:50:24. > :50:26.ball, that cannon. Sometimes there's not much you can do about it. He

:50:27. > :50:31.certainly didn't play the safety shot the way he got it. But now he's

:50:32. > :50:37.got an opportunity because of it. APPLAUSE

:50:38. > :50:42.And look at this already. Half ball on the blue and straight into the

:50:43. > :50:46.pink, black and the two reds. And although he's 47 behind, if this

:50:47. > :50:50.goes in, I think it will be a good chance. Just needs a good one of the

:50:51. > :50:57.balls off this cannon here. Yeah, just put a line up there. He could

:50:58. > :50:58.split everything into the play here. Oh, just didn't hit it hard enough

:50:59. > :51:14.and didn't get a full-ball contact. Six. Really wanted full ball.

:51:15. > :51:20.Contact on that first red. Doesn't want to leave touching ball here.

:51:21. > :51:24.Higgins, six. Yes, he's unlucky with the split there. This is looking

:51:25. > :51:28.like a dangerous table for Ricky. He's got a 42-point lead, which is

:51:29. > :51:32.great. But, really, there's not a safe ball on the table. Once a

:51:33. > :51:37.couple of safety shots have taken place, these two reds might not be

:51:38. > :51:41.here for a while. The problem is there's a bit of tip-tap going on,

:51:42. > :51:45.because there's a red in the other corner. Touch and ball. Well, John

:51:46. > :51:49.Higgins not entertaining sticking the red up into the baulk and trying

:51:50. > :51:54.to cover that red over the corner pocket.

:51:55. > :51:57.Looks like touch and ball. Looks like the red rocked back on to

:51:58. > :52:10.the... Yeah. On to the cue ball. What would you do here, John? It's a

:52:11. > :52:16.hell of a situation, Ken, isn't it? I was just gonna throw the same

:52:17. > :52:19.question to you. If you're Ricky, you're not two-bobbed, because

:52:20. > :52:22.you're -- you're not too bothered, because you're 42 points ahead.

:52:23. > :52:26.Because that red is on the right-hand side of the table and you

:52:27. > :52:31.can't really move it, the only thing that's open to John, really, is just

:52:32. > :52:34.to keep playing the tactical safety. Unless he decides there's something

:52:35. > :52:43.he wants to have a go at. Mmm. This is interesting.

:52:44. > :52:52.Played it with an element of safety, didn't he? Yeah. He knew he'd have

:52:53. > :52:56.the cover from the pink. But as I mentioned earlier, Ken, this is a

:52:57. > :53:00.very dangerous frame. This is rife for a counterclearance if you're not

:53:01. > :53:04.careful. Because three or four shots ago, the frame was looking all tied

:53:05. > :53:06.off. And it's not now. Every ball is pottable. So, the next red is

:53:07. > :53:25.crucial. Just looking - it's a bit dangerous,

:53:26. > :53:31.but you could try and slip off that red just before the middle pocket,

:53:32. > :53:34.try and get it up behind the green. The red may come off the side

:53:35. > :53:39.cushion, may block the path of the red that's over the corner pocket.

:53:40. > :53:44.He's got a lead, he's loathe to play that shot. He's thinking, "Why

:53:45. > :53:49.should I play it? I'm in front." And John Higgins is hoping he plays it

:53:50. > :53:59.and makes a mess of it. His feather in his nest, as they say, John.

:54:00. > :54:04.John Higgins is teasing Ricky Walden here, almost to say, "Listen, I'm

:54:05. > :54:12.trying to force you into playing this shot." But Ricky is having none

:54:13. > :54:15.of it. And John's almost used the scoreboard - because he's 7-3 ahead,

:54:16. > :54:20.he's thinking, "I'm not in any hurry. I'm in front." Ricky is in

:54:21. > :54:24.front in the frame and he doesn't want it, so it's an impasse at the

:54:25. > :54:30.moment and there's not much you can do. He's forcing Ricky. The referee

:54:31. > :54:33.will give them a few shots each, because you can't keep playing this

:54:34. > :54:38.particular type of shot. So, Ricky, he's sort of forcing Ricky. There's

:54:39. > :54:43.a bit of psychology going on here. He's sort of forcing Ricky in to

:54:44. > :54:46.say, "Well, you've got the lead. You're gonna have to make the

:54:47. > :54:53.initial shot to break up this sequence."

:54:54. > :55:01.Interesting, that one. Now, if John Higgins could get thin off this and

:55:02. > :55:02.not contact the middle pocket, the bump in the middle, he may

:55:03. > :55:07.not contact the middle pocket, the behind the yellow. You've got

:55:08. > :55:08.yellow, blue and the red that's above the

:55:09. > :55:10.yellow, blue and the red that's blockers here. If he can

:55:11. > :55:12.yellow, blue and the red that's nice and thin, he

:55:13. > :55:22.yellow, blue and the red that's advantage in the safety exchange.

:55:23. > :55:29.Well, he's completely And that is a stinker! Oh! He hasn't

:55:30. > :55:33.mis-hit it. He's absolutely butchered it. Now, does the black

:55:34. > :55:42.pot? That's a funny one. Goes to the butchered it. Now, does the black

:55:43. > :55:43.expense to tap it in, got himself the opportunity once and just made a

:55:44. > :56:00.mess of the shot. Well, that is an unbelievable shot.

:56:01. > :56:04.Honestly, anything that can happen, happened in that shot. The only

:56:05. > :56:37.thing that didn't happen is the lamp shade didn't move.

:56:38. > :56:44.Well, if you don't win the frame from here now, Ricky, you will be

:56:45. > :56:59.kicking yourself. 42-point lead. Reds in the open. Every chance.

:57:00. > :57:07.He's played that so casually. I can't believe he's left the cue ball

:57:08. > :57:12.there. That is possibly the worst shot you will see Ricky Walden play

:57:13. > :57:16.in this year's World Championship. Boy, he can't go for the blue here,

:57:17. > :57:20.I don't think. I think he's gotta play a safety shot after that. I

:57:21. > :57:26.mean, what...? The thing is that you've got to err on the side of

:57:27. > :57:30.going up the table. If you're not on the blue, you don't have a colour.

:57:31. > :57:34.Black is in a slightly awkward position where it is. Pink is not

:57:35. > :57:38.possible. Just a poor shot. And he's doing his best to lose this frame,

:57:39. > :57:46.or at least give John Higgins a chance of winning it. Well, will he

:57:47. > :57:52.take this blue on? I mean, the way his head is at the moment, I mean, I

:57:53. > :57:55.wouldn't advise it. No. I would be putting the baulk safe. The way it's

:57:56. > :57:59.gone, he's missed a few shots, missed a couple of chances. You can

:58:00. > :58:02.throw the frame here by getting reckless with the blue.ise know the

:58:03. > :58:11.game is played more attacking than it was, but the way this game has

:58:12. > :58:15.gone, you've got a 43-point lead. Stick a ball colour safe. At least

:58:16. > :58:20.give you an insurance policy. Yeah, I'm with you. He could try and take

:58:21. > :58:24.the blue into the centre pocket, but, for our money, it looks like

:58:25. > :58:27.the cue ball will be careering into the brown. He could try and take it

:58:28. > :58:34.up into the yellow pocket, but... Well, a big shot. I don't fancy him

:58:35. > :58:38.for this, to be honest. Not after the shot he's just played. But well

:58:39. > :58:41.done, Ricky Walden! That took a lot of courage.

:58:42. > :58:46.APPLAUSE Great shot. You're dead right, Ken.

:58:47. > :58:50.That was the word - courage. Because I didn't fancy him for it. I was

:58:51. > :58:53.like you there, I thought, "No. That's too big a shot, with what's

:58:54. > :58:59.gonna on before." That was brilliant. That was his best shot of

:59:00. > :59:04.the session so far. And that's a confidence-builder. It

:59:05. > :59:07.really is. It's one of those shots that's that much pressure on it

:59:08. > :59:10.could go one way or the other. You miss it, you feel terrible because

:59:11. > :59:12.you didn't get position. When you knock it in, it gives you great

:59:13. > :59:20.belief. A brilliant pot, that was. Want to pot this red, just to make

:59:21. > :59:27.sure. Well, that's for security. First

:59:28. > :59:54.frame for Ricky Walden. He would be so relieved, won't he,

:59:55. > :59:58.as well? Had a few chances at it. To finish up possibly playing the worst

:59:59. > :59:59.shot that he's played this week to play possibly the best shot straight

:00:00. > :00:30.after. Seems to be cueing a little better

:00:31. > :00:37.now. Obviously well over the line in this frame. Can relax a little bit.

:00:38. > :00:44.But a good idea to clear up here. If he can. Not quite. Not quite hard

:00:45. > :00:45.enough with the cue ball there. He's gonna pot the green, either right

:00:46. > :00:58.around the table or check side. No position there, but he won't be

:00:59. > :01:01.too worried about that. A little trick shot. 30. Didn't quite get it.

:01:02. > :01:07.John Higgins concedes. APPLAUSE

:01:08. > :01:10.And Ricky Walden will be breathing a sigh of relief. Wins his first frame

:01:11. > :01:16.this afternoon and trails by four frames to seven.

:01:17. > :01:22.Last frame before the mid-session interval. Ricky Walden breaks off.

:01:23. > :01:28.Let's see if he breaks off like he did in the previous opportunity.

:01:29. > :01:33.He's done that. Come on the outside of the blue but he hasn't played it

:01:34. > :01:38.very well. It's only a good break. It's only a good break. If you don't

:01:39. > :01:42.stick a red. And unfortunately for him, that's exactly what he's done.

:01:43. > :01:47.There's obviously something he's not happy with, playing the quensal

:01:48. > :01:50.break. Maybe the side and the cushion -- quensal break. Maybe the

:01:51. > :02:03.side and the cushions break a bit. I've seen that before, where the

:02:04. > :02:09.players say the cushions are sliding so much, they decided to try other

:02:10. > :02:13.break-offs. Maybe Ricky thinks, he's not quite getting it right. I

:02:14. > :02:18.haven't seen anyone come up with an alternative that's better yet. No.

:02:19. > :02:22.The only problem with that break-off is you're not injecting enough pace

:02:23. > :02:26.off the cue ball for when the red comes out from both corners of the

:02:27. > :02:29.pyramid. There's not enough pace on it, so the red doesn't come back out

:02:30. > :02:33.of the pack. It always stays out there T that's what I would always

:02:34. > :02:36.be afraid of. Yeah, that's right. Now, screw back and try and bring a

:02:37. > :02:46.few reds into play. Oh. Didn't want that. Full ball on the pink. He was

:02:47. > :02:48.looking for just on an angle there. Great screw back. Just see. Just got

:02:49. > :03:14.the pink too. Well, actually hit that one too

:03:15. > :03:19.good. Hit it really well. Loads of work on the white. And too much.

:03:20. > :03:36.A funny little shot he's left with here. These are ones you have to be

:03:37. > :03:40.careful with. The amount of times people have lost frames off things

:03:41. > :03:48.like this. You've just gotta try and drop into the correct red here. He's

:03:49. > :03:57.just gotta be careful. Well, he's hit the wrong red. It's OK, though.

:03:58. > :04:04.But you're right - they can take them for granted, those little

:04:05. > :04:07.shots, just off one cushion. Sometimes it slides and there's a

:04:08. > :04:13.red popping out. But on this occasion, he's OK.

:04:14. > :04:20.John is just checking to see whether the bottom - there's three reds in a

:04:21. > :04:24.little triangle there. He's just looking to see if that's actually a

:04:25. > :04:29.plant into the right corner pocket. Because he's loathe to play a safety

:04:30. > :04:34.shot down the table and leave that. No. He's just playing up here.

:04:35. > :04:36.Sacrificing the cue ball down in the baulk area just to make sure that

:04:37. > :04:47.plant wasn't available for Ricky. To find himself in the green pocket

:04:48. > :05:42.here, or somewhere close to the pocket, with the pink as a blocker

:05:43. > :06:45.Both players, last couple of shots, struggling to get the cue ball back

:06:46. > :06:49.down to the ball cushion. And because of that, leaving tempters.

:06:50. > :06:53.But the problem here is pink is knocked up the table and the black

:06:54. > :06:56.isn't possible. Unless you can get back for a blue or a ball colour,

:06:57. > :07:02.it's tricky. Lovely cueing. Lovely cueing.

:07:03. > :08:02.Not what you could call a good chance, this. It's very tricky, and

:08:03. > :08:04.veng poor contact with that screw back there -- and, of course, poor

:08:05. > :08:12.contact with that screw back there. John is just the wrong side.

:08:13. > :08:15.Black tied up down there and pink up the table. Make it very difficult to

:08:16. > :08:24.score a sizeable contribution in this frame.

:08:25. > :08:37.Nine. In fact, that might be the end of break now.

:08:38. > :08:44.Just looking, plenty of distance between those two balls. Yeah. And

:08:45. > :08:46.should he miss it, that red could come back up into the middle of the

:08:47. > :08:52.table. Oh, great shot.

:08:53. > :08:58.APPLAUSE Fantastic shot. A wonderful angle on

:08:59. > :09:06.the blue as well. What a shot that was. Fabulous.

:09:07. > :09:14.That amount of distance between those two balls, and to play perfect

:09:15. > :09:17.position, brilliant shot. Now, can he somehow get through a

:09:18. > :09:52.gap here to bring the black into play? Didn't fire on this occasion.

:09:53. > :10:39.Wasn't a great angle on this red now.

:10:40. > :10:51.22. That's a little Brucy, isn't it? Chipping one over the corner is a

:10:52. > :10:54.big help. Just the wrong side of the blue slightly. He's doing well to

:10:55. > :10:58.keep this break going. It's been fabulous. I mentioned it was always

:10:59. > :10:59.looking like it was gonna be difficult in this frame, but he's

:11:00. > :11:24.doing well so far. 27. Seemed to be getting the cue ball

:11:25. > :11:29.cleaned every other shot. Obviously not happy with the chalk or

:11:30. > :11:35.something. That's three times in this break already.

:11:36. > :11:43.One good pot required here on the blue. Plain ball. Top cushion, side

:11:44. > :11:44.cushion. Just got to guard against snookering himself behind that loose

:11:45. > :11:50.red on the right-hand side. And missing the blue. John Higgins, 28.

:11:51. > :12:02.It was a very tough break, that. A little bit more difficult than it

:12:03. > :12:06.looks on the screen. Nice thin contact required for that one. And

:12:07. > :12:09.because that red on the other side could have been a problem, it

:12:10. > :12:31.sometimes makes the pot more difficult.

:12:32. > :12:40.APPLAUSE That was a good shot from Ricky.

:12:41. > :12:45.Funny frame, this. Just one of those awkward ones where the balls have

:12:46. > :13:13.just gone difficult to score from. Well, he's having a look at the

:13:14. > :13:17.blue. He potted a tremendous blue on the last frame. This is just as

:13:18. > :13:19.difficult. He's got to hold it as well for the two reds in the left

:13:20. > :13:25.corner. Oh, fabulous. APPLAUSE

:13:26. > :13:30.Just that blue in that last frame has given him that bit of confidence

:13:31. > :13:34.now. That was a magnificent pot. And he just stroked it in. Didn't try to

:13:35. > :13:38.force it, just trusted his cue-action. Government an option

:13:39. > :13:44.here to try and get the black in play. It's -- got an option here to

:13:45. > :13:47.try and get the black in play. You might develop the black into play,

:13:48. > :13:51.but if you don't, at least you try and get up on the blue.

:13:52. > :13:53.APPLAUSE He tried it. Didn't quite get into

:13:54. > :14:04.it. One of those he needed a thicker

:14:05. > :14:08.contact on the black there to open it upment but the black now pots.

:14:09. > :14:15.The trouble is, can he get another red after taking the blue? A big

:14:16. > :14:20.shot. He's potted a couple of great blues in the last frame or so, but

:14:21. > :14:25.asking a lot of things to pot that one and screw back. Yeah. I think it

:14:26. > :14:27.might be an idea to bring the pink back up into the middle of the table

:14:28. > :15:35.and try and get a good cue ball. He's gotta be a little careful with

:15:36. > :15:40.this shot. The problem playing off this around the angles, but you've

:15:41. > :15:46.gotta try and avoid cannon on red and pink on the way back. And also

:15:47. > :15:51.you don't want to chip a red towards the other corner. He may be taking

:15:52. > :15:55.the thin one next to the pink. Don't hit the blue. Hmm. At least he

:15:56. > :17:12.got the red safe. Hmm. A little dangerous, this,

:17:13. > :17:18.because that target behind the yellow is pretty big. And John

:17:19. > :17:24.Higgins will be jumping all over this, trying to get in there.

:17:25. > :17:26.APPLAUSE as he got the cue ball where he want

:17:27. > :17:50.it is? You betcha. Ricky is playing the red that's next

:17:51. > :17:54.to the black thin, side cushion, top cushion, back to baulk. Yep. Good

:17:55. > :17:55.shot. Very good shot. Excellent shot.

:17:56. > :18:06.APPLAUSE APPLAUSE

:18:07. > :18:39.I think he may be just on and off on this red. Just to pot it. Come up

:18:40. > :19:09.the same line as John Higgins' last attempt.

:19:10. > :19:20.Looks good. Excellent shot. APPLAUSE

:19:21. > :19:28.Left him perfect on the blue in the centre. Pots this beautifully. But

:19:29. > :19:35.if this cue ball would have cannoned the green full baulk, it would have

:19:36. > :19:39.been nice. I would be surprised if he doesn't take this brown on into

:19:40. > :19:43.the left strxt it's a natural angle to take it down towards -- centre.

:19:44. > :19:48.It's a natural angle to take it down towards that.

:19:49. > :19:57.Looks like it's behind the green. Green ball.

:19:58. > :20:09.John Higgins, one. OK. Maybe he just wants to keep the pressure on. He's

:20:10. > :20:14.played that in the way, and he's trying to stop Ricky getting to the

:20:15. > :20:17.red that's on the top cushion. Purposely left the cue ball in a

:20:18. > :20:24.space behind the green, which is blocking it off to drop on the loose

:20:25. > :20:31.red. I can't see a way he can get to that, really. It's forcing him more

:20:32. > :20:37.or less to try and play for another red. And, of course, they're all

:20:38. > :20:45.really pottable, those three. Tough position here, Ken.

:20:46. > :20:54.Yeah. Extremely tough. I'm going to try and see if I can find a way for

:20:55. > :20:55.Ricky Walden to get this safe. I'm not quite sure whether it's there.

:20:56. > :21:10.He must have a way out of there! I just happened to look at the line

:21:11. > :21:16.there. I will just put a line up there. Some sort of par between the

:21:17. > :21:22.blue and the pink. Ricky was having a look at that earlier. I'm not

:21:23. > :21:25.quite sure if he can get enough. Enough of the cushion on the

:21:26. > :21:29.right-hand side to just nestle on to that. I just wonder if he's gonna

:21:30. > :21:33.play the screw into the cushion, hit the red and try and screw back.

:21:34. > :21:42.Well, we can actually see it. He's gonna play a screw back. A

:21:43. > :21:44.magnificent shot. Wow. It's a great shot anyway, isn't it? What a

:21:45. > :21:51.cracking shot that was. APPLAUSE

:21:52. > :21:55.Absolutely brilliant, that was. The way he was cueing that, I thought he

:21:56. > :21:56.was gonna play a screw back into the baulk area. But that was fabulous.

:21:57. > :22:41.Very thin. Lots of running side. Excellent. Really good pot. And

:22:42. > :22:46.considering he was in all sorts of trouble two shots ago, he's done

:22:47. > :22:54.very well to be in this position. Brilliant, that was.

:22:55. > :23:01.Obviously the one red that's near the top cushion is going to be a big

:23:02. > :23:04.problem. And more so of a problem because the black is not on its

:23:05. > :23:09.spot. It's one of those ones if you can get behind it and drop it in and

:23:10. > :23:17.get on the black, it's OK. But it's a bit more difficult when there's no

:23:18. > :23:20.black on the spot. Yeah, and he hasn't hit that last

:23:21. > :23:22.red the best. Would have liked to have been a little bit closer to

:23:23. > :23:49.this red. There's a chance. He just needs to

:23:50. > :23:52.be between the black spot and a cushion. He needs a little bounce

:23:53. > :24:00.off this top cushion and as close to the red as possible. There's a nice

:24:01. > :24:06.angle and he's got it. He doesn't have to do too much. I mean, he can

:24:07. > :24:08.drop this in. He will be on the pink, but also... The yellow is

:24:09. > :24:26.there waiting for him. Well played, so far. But this is a

:24:27. > :24:35.big pink. Because if you knock it in, you're a

:24:36. > :24:39.massive favourite for the frame. Oh. I bet you when that cue ball was

:24:40. > :24:48.running towards the blue, his heart stopped for a second.

:24:49. > :24:53.Yeah. The only problem, just have a look at this. He just kissed the

:24:54. > :24:56.blue, but the blue was nice and open and near that middle pocket. And now

:24:57. > :25:06.just maybe a little bit more trickier to get. From blue to pink.

:25:07. > :25:11.And particularly now that he's a little bit slow with the cue ball

:25:12. > :25:14.there. Wanted to come up another six or eight inches to be almost dead

:25:15. > :25:21.straight on this green. He's got a bit more work to do.

:25:22. > :25:30.33. Now the problem is because the blue has been knocked down the table

:25:31. > :25:35.a few more inches, just makes it a bit more difficult now. Brown to

:25:36. > :25:38.blue is OK. But from blue to pink is gonna be a problem.

:25:39. > :25:45.37. Well, he put a nice little bit of left-hand side, so he's OK.

:25:46. > :25:51.Couldn't have played that much better, could he? Beautiful shot,

:25:52. > :25:56.that was. Nothing but perfect. And he's done very well here, Ricky

:25:57. > :26:01.Walden. It was 5-3, now it's 7-3. He was looking in big trouble. I said

:26:02. > :26:04.if he could win the next two of the session, he will have done himself a

:26:05. > :26:09.favour. That's exactly what he's done. Great long red. Manages to win

:26:10. > :26:11.the frame with a break of 48. But he trails John Higgins by seven frames

:26:12. > :27:57.to five. Again decided just to come off two

:27:58. > :28:06.cushions with the safety shot. Ricky Walden. As opposed to trying to

:28:07. > :28:08.swing it around off four cushions. Back to straightforward shot. OK,

:28:09. > :28:20.slightly hampered by the green. Just makes the pot that little bit

:28:21. > :28:26.more tricky, doesn't it, Ken, when you can't cue like that? Yeah, when

:28:27. > :28:30.you don't have the sort of quarter ball, aren't you? Sort of just takes

:28:31. > :28:36.your attraction away - your attention, away, I should say, from

:28:37. > :28:40.the potting angle. Because of that, far too thick. But quite fortunate,

:28:41. > :28:42.really, not to stick one of those two reds up that are sticking up on

:28:43. > :29:01.the right-hand side. A disappointing safety shot from

:29:02. > :29:05.Ricky Walden. He's just not getting that cue ball tight on the baulk

:29:06. > :29:08.cushion. He's giving John a few chances in similar shots. No

:29:09. > :29:23.pressure on him. He's bound to get one of these.

:29:24. > :29:46.I'm surprised the way he played that. He played too confidently.

:29:47. > :30:17.Yeah, just slightly off-angle with the blue. Six. Another good pot

:30:18. > :30:22.required. Plain ball. On to at the time black.

:30:23. > :30:29.So, still not perfect just to get Plain ball. On to at the time black.

:30:30. > :30:35.ideal position at the start of this break. Three reds up to the left of

:30:36. > :30:40.the black. The middle one definitely pots in the opposite black pocket.

:30:41. > :30:43.To what he's gonna knock this one into. But can you get position

:30:44. > :31:02.there? And slightly hampered? There's a couple of reds available

:31:03. > :31:07.into the left centre. He doesn't want to make a cannon here. He's

:31:08. > :31:11.gonna play one of those. Yeah, I think if he was cueing it, it would

:31:12. > :31:14.have been a little easier there. He would have been playing for that the

:31:15. > :31:19.other way. This is a much tougher pot here into the middle. OK, the

:31:20. > :31:22.object ball and cue ball are fairly close, so you would think there

:31:23. > :31:31.would be an easy pot. But these middles need respect.

:31:32. > :31:42.Just that brush off the reds was -- has just curtailed his position

:31:43. > :32:00.slightly. Can he dig enough into the cue ball

:32:01. > :32:08.to - well, he's gonna go inside brown and green here.

:32:09. > :32:16.It's not good. 20.

:32:17. > :32:26.It will take a good pot to keep this break going. Down the side cushion

:32:27. > :32:34.here - far from easy. Quite easily catch the jaws with these.

:32:35. > :32:44.No great surprise. That was a tough shot. We just get used to seeing

:32:45. > :32:49.people of this level knocking those in. Trust me, they're difficult. The

:32:50. > :33:47.good news is I don't think he's left anything.

:33:48. > :33:52.As ever with the safety shots, the players are loathe to play thick

:33:53. > :33:56.contacts on these, because you can promote a red towards a corner. So,

:33:57. > :34:00.all the time they're trying to guard against this. Actually, a little

:34:01. > :34:05.shot to nothing here at the bottom of the pack if John wants to take

:34:06. > :34:06.the loose red. Had a go at it but, of course, the main priority there

:34:07. > :34:18.was safety of the cue ball. And I think he's blocked off a path

:34:19. > :34:20.down the left-hand side. A tap of the table suggests he has, from

:34:21. > :34:25.Ricky there. Appreciation of that good shot. This is what he's got

:34:26. > :34:43.left. Yeah, I don't think he can hit the red behind the pink.

:34:44. > :34:48.Really, he's almost gotta take the paint off the red down the

:34:49. > :34:56.right-hand side to try and avoid the in-off. Gotta be so precise with

:34:57. > :34:59.this shot. Well, there's the cue - there's the red ball. Oh. Wow. A bit

:35:00. > :35:10.unlucky. Yes. That's the point we were making

:35:11. > :35:13.before, that always worry about knocking a red ball towards another

:35:14. > :35:18.corner. It's happened there. Interesting to see what shot he will

:35:19. > :35:22.play here, Ken, because sometimes he can play a banana shot, a bit hard

:35:23. > :35:27.and topspin. He's just decided to play the dead weighter, just to tap

:35:28. > :35:28.it in. He's hit that really well. Looked like nothing, that, but took

:35:29. > :36:05.control. Well, the cannon onto the red that's

:36:06. > :36:08.immediately above the black here, that screw cannon in, just leave

:36:09. > :36:13.yourself on the red. Well, he's shaking his head a little bit there,

:36:14. > :36:17.John. I just wonder if he's come up far enough. Hasn't probably come out

:36:18. > :36:25.off that last red. Kept the cue ball a bit too low there. And we can try

:36:26. > :36:31.and make a little cannon on that red. Maybe that other red just below

:36:32. > :36:37.that doesn't pot into the bottom right-hand corner pocket. So, yeah,

:36:38. > :36:41.he's just not high enough with this cue ball here to dig into the four

:36:42. > :36:51.reds and try and hold for the red into the bottom corner pocket.

:36:52. > :36:57.Yeah, because of that, he's had to try and leave himself a long red in

:36:58. > :37:00.the gap between the blue and the pink spot, for that red on the

:37:01. > :37:04.right-hand side. So, he's had to leave himself this one as the only

:37:05. > :37:09.available opportunity. So, that simple little shot that he

:37:10. > :37:10.had, with the last red near the top cushion, because that's gone wrong,

:37:11. > :37:33.this is what he's got left. 17. Good pot. Mmm. What's the angle

:37:34. > :37:39.like on the green? Can he get into the pack? Or is

:37:40. > :37:51.there one available? We'll soon find out.

:37:52. > :37:58.Oh, well, that's a wonderful shot. APPLAUSE

:37:59. > :38:10.20. A great pot. And also a nice connection on those reds, just above

:38:11. > :38:37.the black. At least three reds into play.

:38:38. > :38:46.Nicely judged. Just trying to leave the black slightly higher than the

:38:47. > :38:49.cue ball, and that's exactly how it's worked out so it's a natural

:38:50. > :38:52.angle to go back towards the reds. Finishes straight or the other way

:38:53. > :39:05.around, sometimes it's much more difficult. But this is nice.

:39:06. > :39:13.Not straight enough to get back on the black, so back possibly on the

:39:14. > :39:21.pink or blue he can try and get on. 29. Interesting choice there, Ken.

:39:22. > :39:27.As well, he's got one red he can play on the back. And he's also got

:39:28. > :39:31.a lovely angle to get into the pack. It depends how the players see it.

:39:32. > :39:36.Probably drop it in, loose red and then get into the pack off the back.

:39:37. > :39:39.The way the pack looks off the back of it, coming in off the black

:39:40. > :39:53.probably looks a better option. But we'll see.

:39:54. > :40:02.Yep. That's the way he's gone about it. 34. Just needs to leave himself

:40:03. > :40:06.a nice little half ball angle on this black. Because the way the

:40:07. > :40:11.cluster is, and if he can get in the gap here, these should open up

:40:12. > :40:12.really nicely. So, he's trying to get right in the middle of that gap

:40:13. > :40:28.and split them up. He didn't get into the middle. He

:40:29. > :40:29.hit the side of them. And because of that, it's gone wrong.

:40:30. > :40:37.APPLAUSE 42.

:40:38. > :40:44.It's not often you might criticise John Higgins on his choice of shots.

:40:45. > :40:47.On reflection, maybe going back to that blue, he could have gone back

:40:48. > :40:51.into the pack and maybe opened up the reds from there? Yeah, he had an

:40:52. > :40:53.option. I just think when he got on the black

:40:54. > :40:56.option. I just think when he got on quite leave the right angle to get

:40:57. > :41:02.in the middle of that pack. It's a shot, you know, you can go either

:41:03. > :41:05.white, blue or black, but really the object was to get into that pack

:41:06. > :41:38.with plenty of pace. Still, it didn't happen.

:41:39. > :42:01.He would have got away with it just for that little kiss on the red, at

:42:02. > :42:19.the bottom of the pack. Worth a go as well, because the only

:42:20. > :42:20.one you could possibly leave, and you would be unlucky to leave this.

:42:21. > :42:30.No. Not easy. Close together, blind

:42:31. > :42:38.pockets. But it was worthwhile having a go.

:42:39. > :44:02.I don't think the three reds below the pink are pot, so so, he

:44:03. > :44:08.may..... Just try and get on the loose one. And then try and split

:44:09. > :44:13.them with possibly the black after this red. Yeah, he's had a couple of

:44:14. > :44:17.goes in this frame already, Ken. Just guesting half ball on the

:44:18. > :44:20.black. Both of them have ended up a little bit low. Because of that, he

:44:21. > :44:26.hasn't been able to get into the pack how he wanted. But he's fine

:44:27. > :44:31.now. A good pot on the black and one good cannon.

:44:32. > :44:43.APPLAUSE Well... A little awkward. The reds

:44:44. > :44:44.in the bottom right-hand corner pocket, he's gonna be having to use

:44:45. > :44:53.a spider. Yes. And, of course, he's not over

:44:54. > :44:57.the line yet in this frame. Needs a couple of reds and a couple of

:44:58. > :45:02.colours to make sure of that. Can't do anything with these, really. Just

:45:03. > :45:08.got to drop them in. Or plain ball them, anyway. Easy to bounce the cue

:45:09. > :45:11.ball in and put side on these. So, just don't get overambitious. Good

:45:12. > :45:18.shot. Played well. Nicely played, wasn't it?

:45:19. > :45:26.36 points already in the lead. So, black will be 43. Just one more red

:45:27. > :45:29.after this and Ricky Walden will be needing snookers. But I can't see

:45:30. > :45:36.him going back to the table from this position.

:45:37. > :45:46.Yes. Slowly but surely John Higgins is just getting the stronghold in

:45:47. > :45:49.this match. 21. Hasn't been his absolute best, but you can't be like

:45:50. > :45:53.that in every session at the Crucible. But what you can be is an

:45:54. > :45:59.exceptional match player, which is what he is. And even when he's not

:46:00. > :46:11.with his A-game, he's incredibly difficult to beaxt -- beat.

:46:12. > :46:19.There's an art to winning, and John Higgins cracked it a long time ago.

:46:20. > :46:37.29. APPLAUSE

:46:38. > :46:55.John Higgins, 35, and a frame. Ricky Walden says, "That's enough."

:46:56. > :47:13.Higgins leads eight frames to five. It's Ricky Walden who breaks off.

:47:14. > :47:17.Let's see if he can make this break-off a bit better. He's been

:47:18. > :47:19.playing it plain ball, which he has been doing most of the game. And

:47:20. > :48:08.he's got a good cue ball this time. Well, that's not the best shot John

:48:09. > :48:10.Higgins ever played. This red definitely pots into this corner

:48:11. > :48:17.pocket and just wondering whether he's got the angle to pot this. And

:48:18. > :48:19.try and get out the other side of the black to have the black in this

:48:20. > :48:34.bottom left-hand corner pocket. Well, he's just dropping it in and

:48:35. > :48:35.playing it into the same pocket. It's OK. One.

:48:36. > :48:42.APPLAUSE Yep. About as good as he could do.

:48:43. > :48:45.But that was a good pot. He needs another one. This is very fine on

:48:46. > :48:51.this black. They look easy. Trust me, they're

:48:52. > :49:04.not. Yeah, I'm thinking when that black

:49:05. > :49:07.goes past the red it's gonna be very close, Ken, isn't it? It looks like

:49:08. > :49:09.there's a lot of room from behind the pocket, but you can always make

:49:10. > :49:23.it look like that. Yeah, and that's why he's missed the

:49:24. > :49:27.black. He left this red to the left centre.

:49:28. > :49:32.Trying to guard against getting too close to that red and hitting it.

:49:33. > :49:41.And because of that, he put the black on the bottom.

:49:42. > :49:52.A possible attempt at a double or the red into the yellow pocket is an

:49:53. > :50:07.option. I wouldn't be leaving the cue ball

:50:08. > :50:10.there. I would like to be taking this double on and bringing the cue

:50:11. > :50:27.ball back to the middle of the top cushion.

:50:28. > :50:33.He's exceptionally close to this, John Higgins. I'm just wondering

:50:34. > :50:37.whether he can raise the butt of the cue and actually pot this. He looked

:50:38. > :50:38.on aghast that he left the cue ball there. But it's a possibility. Oh.

:50:39. > :50:47.LAUGHS That is a very good shot.

:50:48. > :50:55.APPLAUSE That really is a very good shot. He

:50:56. > :51:00.had two goes like that. He had a fresher... If it was in golf, that

:51:01. > :51:17.would have been a foul! Eight. Just wondering, has he left

:51:18. > :51:21.the touching ball? That was the red he potted. That was a much better

:51:22. > :51:25.shot than it looked. That was all he could do, drop it in with that pace.

:51:26. > :51:28.Anyway, I think John is satisfied that this red goes.

:51:29. > :51:41.Mmm. He would love that pink to have stopped a little shorter, because it

:51:42. > :51:56.would have been just a drop-in. I don't think that cuts anymore.

:51:57. > :52:12.Nine. John Higgins. Not there. And because it wasn't as close as it

:52:13. > :52:17.shoufen, he hasn't covered the pocket -- should have been, he

:52:18. > :52:19.hasn't covered the pocket either. He didn't get any part of that shot

:52:20. > :52:35.correct there. Well, I don't know... I mean, that

:52:36. > :52:41.looked like it was an easy shot for Ricky.

:52:42. > :53:03.It must have gone. He wouldn't have taken the shot on.

:53:04. > :53:11.So, to say I mentioned it - I mean, it looked like there's massive

:53:12. > :53:12.amounts of pocket to go in there. And he's just hit it straight into

:53:13. > :53:29.the black. He missed a shot before that looked

:53:30. > :53:32.like a sitter. And that was very difficult and he's floated it

:53:33. > :53:37.straight in. Great shot, that one. Very good shot, this. You can see

:53:38. > :53:49.not a lot of pocket to aim at there. But well played. Yeah. Nice opener.

:53:50. > :53:56.It might suit Ricky if this pink, when he pots it, won't respot on its

:53:57. > :54:01.own spot. It will go on the black spot. But I'm just wondering where

:54:02. > :54:04.his next red is gonna come from. Maybe the red that's on the baulk

:54:05. > :54:11.cushion into the green pocket. Needs a good angle. He's got it.

:54:12. > :54:18.Tricky. I think with a bit of pace, you can miss these. Gotta be so

:54:19. > :54:29.careful with them. Nice shot. Interesting the way he

:54:30. > :54:32.played that as well, Ken. A little screw. A lot of people would be

:54:33. > :54:36.playing the plain ball and dropping it in. He actually screwed that in,

:54:37. > :54:39.which was a very brave way of playing it, and obviously a

:54:40. > :54:40.confident way. He likes that shot. And where he's finished here is

:54:41. > :54:49.perfect. You'd have to be very unlucky not to

:54:50. > :54:52.land on one there. APPLAUSE

:54:53. > :54:56.So, despite the fact he missed that earlier chance where he hit the

:54:57. > :55:04.black with the red, he's now got the best chance of the frame so far.

:55:05. > :55:08.Yeah, and I think when he pots this red and pink, I think the pink will

:55:09. > :55:12.pot into this bottom right-hand corner pocket as well. So, it's not

:55:13. > :55:17.too bad. It's not gonna be tied up, the pink. Because with the black

:55:18. > :55:22.spot, with the pink was tied up, wouldn't be a frame-winning

:55:23. > :55:26.opportunity. But now I'm sure the pink, when it spots, will pot into

:55:27. > :55:28.this right-hand corner pocket. Ricky's just come around to have a

:55:29. > :55:54.look. 20. 21. Just slightly hampered with his

:55:55. > :56:02.cueing, if he's taking the pink there. Because he will be bridging

:56:03. > :56:05.over the black. Got a little bit of a problem. Because ordinarily he

:56:06. > :56:08.would like to play the pink, a little cannon, move the red that's

:56:09. > :56:13.above it. But, of course, he snookered himself on the other one.

:56:14. > :56:17.So might have to play a little run-through here and try and move

:56:18. > :56:24.both the reds out of the way. That's why he played it the way he did.

:56:25. > :56:33.Just having a look - the pink pots into the left-hand corner pocket as

:56:34. > :57:05.well. When he pots this pink, he will just

:57:06. > :57:07.try and get on to red just to the right of the pink and that will free

:57:08. > :57:33.up another red. Below the pink. 34. Just gone a little bit too far

:57:34. > :57:34.with the cue ball there. He wanted tighter control. He's gonna have to

:57:35. > :57:43.use the rest. He's played that nicely. Very, very

:57:44. > :57:49.nicely, indeed. APPLAUSE

:57:50. > :57:53.Yeah, he played it. He leaves himself options of either pink or

:57:54. > :57:57.black, the way that worked out. And because he was so good on the pink,

:57:58. > :58:00.no need to play anything else. So, he's taken these very well, Ricky.

:58:01. > :58:04.He knows the importance of this frame. Lose it and go four frames

:58:05. > :58:05.behind against somebody of John Higgins's capabilities and you are

:58:06. > :58:21.in big trouble. 42. Hmm. Just ran a little bit too

:58:22. > :58:27.far with the cue ball. He's got the black into the left strxt gotta --

:58:28. > :58:33.centre. Gotta be careful here. Foul. Oh. 42. Well, would you

:58:34. > :58:43.believe it? John Higgins. Would you believe it?

:58:44. > :58:50.He's just - the referee has just confirmed he's just touched a cuff.

:58:51. > :58:57.The cuff, on the pink. Wow. You don't see that very often,

:58:58. > :59:00.do you? See if we can have a look at this. Yeah, there you see it. It's

:59:01. > :59:10.touched it, pink, a couple of times. APPLAUSE

:59:11. > :59:14.One. I tell you what, Ken, the match player that he is and the

:59:15. > :59:17.experienced campaigner he is, John Higgins will be thinking, "If I can

:59:18. > :59:26.clear up from here, this is gonna be a major body blow."

:59:27. > :59:33.I've played him in far too many matches to know exactly what he

:59:34. > :59:39.would be thinking. Four. Try and get a nice angle on the pink here, while

:59:40. > :59:41.potting this red. There's one safe red and that's the one tied to the

:59:42. > :59:54.right-hand side cushion. Five. Gone too far just to knock it out

:59:55. > :59:59.from this shot. A chance to get behind the loose red.

:00:00. > :00:05.You can see the determination in John's face. Honestly, he is just

:00:06. > :00:08.absolutely desperate to try and win this frame with this contribution.

:00:09. > :00:14.It's gonna be difficult, as you say, Ken. I mean, reds near the side

:00:15. > :00:19.cushion are awkward. But he knows that Ricky Walden will be sitting in

:00:20. > :00:20.his chair and he will be absolutely squirming. Because he was in there

:00:21. > :00:35.amongst the balls. Oh. Wow. 12. Oh. And he's come an

:00:36. > :00:40.absolutely perfect angle off the pink to move the red on the side

:00:41. > :00:45.cushion. This one wiped his feet. Yeah. Thought he missed it for one

:00:46. > :00:47.minute. Knock three times and need a password!

:00:48. > :00:51.LAUGHS But as you said, he's got a perfect

:00:52. > :00:58.angle. He's gotta try and get the black on the spot.

:00:59. > :01:04.Well, he had a chance there to move the red off the side cushion with

:01:05. > :01:09.the pink, but once he drops this red in, it will be a natural angle to

:01:10. > :01:11.come off the black with a loose red. This really could be a hugely

:01:12. > :01:27.pivotal frame in this match. Yeah, if he can get somewhere inside

:01:28. > :01:34.the circle, he's gotta have that type of angle on the black, so he

:01:35. > :01:41.can knock out that last red. Oh! Well, a couple of reds. Avoid

:01:42. > :01:45.defeat. But they've gone in. And this frame, Ken, is all about this

:01:46. > :01:50.cannon. I mean, this one again, like the other one, just about got there,

:01:51. > :01:54.gravity took over. Can he pot the black and get the cannon? He doesn't

:01:55. > :01:56.want to hit it too hard. Just wants to knock this red over the right

:01:57. > :02:10.centre. Nice pace. Oh! Not there. Now, he played a back cross double

:02:11. > :02:13.and one of the area frames and missed it -- one of the earlier

:02:14. > :02:17.frames and missed it. Will he try it again? I don't think the angle is

:02:18. > :02:20.there this time. It may be more prudent to play a good, telling

:02:21. > :02:28.safety shot. All about the player's choice here.

:02:29. > :02:35.APPLAUSE He played a safety shot but not very

:02:36. > :02:38.well, Ken. Got himself back in the frame. But he's left Ricky Walden a

:02:39. > :03:08.chance at this, I think. Well, to be fair to Ricky, he got a

:03:09. > :03:16.kick on that red. And that's unlucky. Yep, nothing you can do

:03:17. > :03:22.about that. That's just bad luck. Just come off completely the wrong

:03:23. > :03:26.angle. He knew it as soon as it was done and hit the contact with the

:03:27. > :03:33.object ball. He knew that red was hit badly, through no fault of his

:03:34. > :03:37.own. He might not have done it in one, Ken, but this clearance, but

:03:38. > :03:38.John Higgins has got a wonderful chance to complete the body blow in

:03:39. > :03:51.this frame. Yeah, only a couple of moments ago

:03:52. > :03:56.that Ricky was in amongst the balls and felled a pink with the cuff of

:03:57. > :03:59.his short. And it looked like he was going to go on and win that frame

:04:00. > :04:08.from that position. What a turnaround. And of course, John wins

:04:09. > :04:16.this frame, goes to 9 on the skooshed and that's 2 bites of the

:04:17. > :04:19.-- on the scoreboard and that's 2 bites at the cherry to make

:04:20. > :04:34.Yeah, how much of a detrimental effect will this have on Ricky

:04:35. > :04:52.Walden? He won't be in a good place, that's for sure. Be hard to come

:04:53. > :05:11.It's a great steal from John Higgins. And Ricky Walden looked

:05:12. > :05:17.like taking the frame. That fell on the pink cost him. But John Higgins

:05:18. > :05:18.like taking the frame. That fell on was ready to pounce and extends his

:05:19. > :05:32.lead now to 9 frames to 5. John Higgins who breaks off. Leading

:05:33. > :05:36.by 9 frames to 5. Stole the last frame from Ricky Walden. Two frames

:05:37. > :05:37.left in this second session and Ricky Walden will be desperate to

:05:38. > :05:50.win both of them. Good pot. Look to try to salvage

:05:51. > :07:08.something from this session. A little bit fed from John there.

:07:09. > :07:13.Knew as soon as he hit it, had to put the side on it and just, never

:07:14. > :07:18.too hard. Chance for Ricky in the centre.

:07:19. > :07:28.Cued nicely. APPLAUSE

:07:29. > :07:29.What he wouldn't give for two quick frames, scoring heavily and getting

:07:30. > :07:46.out of there, 9-7 down. Looks pretty determined at the

:07:47. > :08:04.moment, stepping up a bit, increase the tempo. See the average shot time

:08:05. > :08:09.from both players, don't think that John Higgins would be quicker than

:08:10. > :08:14.Ricky, really, not that John is slow, but Ricky gently buzzes around

:08:15. > :08:23.the table, doesn't he? He walks at a faster pace around the table.

:08:24. > :08:31.Tends to walk a lot more than John Higgins around the table. That is

:08:32. > :08:37.where the time is being eaten up. Yeah, played off for a red slightly

:08:38. > :08:42.higher up. If he can leave himself a little cannon there, just needs to

:08:43. > :08:48.cannon into the 2 reds to the right of the black. Just up on the right

:08:49. > :08:53.of those, that would be perfect. Leaving reds on the same pocket as

:08:54. > :09:00.this black. Yep, that's fine. Or is it? He's just had a look there, I

:09:01. > :09:06.thought he would've playing on the bottom one. And they are tight,

:09:07. > :09:15.aren't they? If he has a look around from the pocket itself, I think that

:09:16. > :09:20.red does pot. Not too confident. He has to play a nice little cannon on

:09:21. > :09:39.the black here, bounce it off the top cushion. Not too hard.

:09:40. > :09:46.That red that is at the bottom of the main cluster on the right is the

:09:47. > :09:48.only one he can knock in from here. He can't hold the cue ball for the

:09:49. > :10:29.others. Yeah, this is the time to go into

:10:30. > :10:35.the pot. If you skew into the pack here, plenty of backspin, open the

:10:36. > :10:40.reds up and you should be on the one that's just above the black. He went

:10:41. > :10:46.the other side instead, but it will go. He stunned it. And that's how he

:10:47. > :10:47.lost the cue ball to the left. He stunned it but still in very good

:10:48. > :11:05.position. Shouldn't take too much time, this

:11:06. > :11:14.frame, the way he's going. The balls have been nice. Still four very

:11:15. > :11:19.pottable reds. He's got a 47-point lead. He was kicking himself after

:11:20. > :11:22.the last frame, when he fouled the pink with his cuff. He would be

:11:23. > :11:30.really kicking himself if he doesn't win the frame from here. Just to

:11:31. > :11:43.stay on the black, he's got an angle on the red, and now he's straight on

:11:44. > :12:11.Straight in the centre of the pockets. It's always a nice sound

:12:12. > :12:13.when it hits the leather at the back of the pocket, makes you feel good.

:12:14. > :12:33.Can't remember! . . Just come a little bit off

:12:34. > :12:39.straight on that plaque. So now he's had to force that in. And this is a

:12:40. > :12:50.much trickier pot. These can be missed.

:12:51. > :13:01.Good pot, that. Very good pot. Just got to drop this in and loose red on

:13:02. > :13:03.the right-hand side. Just the angle on the blue is slightly wrong, as

:13:04. > :13:20.you can see there. So drop it in. 67 ahead. With 67 on. So this red,

:13:21. > :13:42.Ricky, knock it in. Should be 9-six. -- 9-6.

:13:43. > :13:50.A great response, considering the way he lost the last frame.

:13:51. > :13:56.Test of very good temperament. Must have been sitting in the chair, sick

:13:57. > :14:02.as anything, leaving the last frame. You wouldn't know it here.

:14:03. > :14:28.He won't wurt 2 much -- he it's still John Higgins who leads by 9

:14:29. > :14:52.frames to six. Best of 25, second round match. Just

:14:53. > :14:58.thinking with that break he plays, Ken, maybe he played John Higgins a

:14:59. > :15:02.few times, and every time he breaks off, he leaves John the red. And

:15:03. > :15:07.maybe he got fed up of it and thought I will play another break

:15:08. > :15:14.instead. Can happen like that. You get some opponents who are

:15:15. > :15:19.particularly adept at the long shots, one side of the table rather

:15:20. > :15:20.than the other. Maybe Ricky has previous and said I won't be doing

:15:21. > :17:04.that again. That green being where it is, has

:17:05. > :17:08.become slightly better for the cue ball to be behind, because it's gone

:17:09. > :17:12.close tore the baulk cushion. The yellow and green area will be where

:17:13. > :17:18.Ricky is trying to leave the cue ball, hence the thicker contact.

:17:19. > :17:27.Yeah, nearly got him. Because he hasn't, John can see this red

:17:28. > :17:28.Yeah, nearly got him. Because he near the top left-hand pocket or

:17:29. > :17:39.close to it. A big shot, though. Might be able to swing it out, Ken.

:17:40. > :17:42.Yeah, there's a gap between the red that's just on the black spot, and a

:17:43. > :17:52.couple of reds above there. Yeah, nicely played.

:17:53. > :17:58.APPLAUSE Doesn't want to be straight on this

:17:59. > :18:01.brown. Just a slight angle on it. That's unlucky. He doesn't want to

:18:02. > :18:10.be hampered like that, cueing wise. Put up a possible escape for Ricky

:18:11. > :18:48.Walden here. Yeah, a little bit wide. So get

:18:49. > :19:09.close tore the blue. He did well not to leaf that red he

:19:10. > :19:16.finished close to, because he was so far away there. Expect them to get a

:19:17. > :19:22.lot closer with this one, now he's had a look at it.

:19:23. > :19:28.Looks a bit better, a bit harder though.

:19:29. > :19:33.APPLAUSE Yeah, just the pace, the direction

:19:34. > :19:40.was OK, but just the pace was a little bit too hard and let's left

:19:41. > :19:44.this red again. To give John a shot to nothing here, doesn't he? He'll

:19:45. > :19:51.be definitely taking it on. A little bit of screw, go up and play for the

:19:52. > :19:52.brown if he wants. John having a look before hand. Can you see him

:19:53. > :20:31.taking this one on. Can he knock anything onto it, Ken?

:20:32. > :20:36.From first glance, the only red he can knock on is the one that's right

:20:37. > :20:40.on the black spot, almost. Looks such a fine cut, this. May be not

:20:41. > :20:52.attempting it. What a surprise, he didn't attempt

:20:53. > :20:56.it. Well, he's OK. I say he's OK, but there's a possibility of the red

:20:57. > :21:02.just to the right of the black, that will pot and the red that's only the

:21:03. > :21:07.corner pocket, it does make the pocket a lot bigger, doesn't it?

:21:08. > :21:11.It's what we call a big hole, isn't it? Simple as that. Very difficult

:21:12. > :21:24.to see him not potting this. You think this is a big hole, and

:21:25. > :21:30.you flush straight in without hitting the other red. The funny

:21:31. > :21:34.thing is, Ken, I don't know whether you can see it, but the black is

:21:35. > :21:39.actually a good shot, because there's a big pocket. If the red, if

:21:40. > :21:44.it was a big pocket for the red, it's certainly a big one for the

:21:45. > :21:50.black. A good shout. The blue is a possibility as well. He could go off

:21:51. > :21:56.2 cushions ask try to bring the pink into play. If the black, there's a

:21:57. > :22:01.red just below the black, and if it was passing there, it a big pocket.

:22:02. > :22:09.You wouldn't fancy John Higgins missing the black. Yep, it's on.

:22:10. > :22:19.Well, I'm absolutely stunned. He didn't even look at it! No. , still

:22:20. > :22:21.a good shot, don't get me wrong. He's still in trouble, but there was

:22:22. > :22:28.a great chance to score there. He's got to be very careful here,

:22:29. > :23:19.Ricky Walden. John was tapping the table if he

:23:20. > :23:26.can. Surely there's enough round there to pot the red on.

:23:27. > :23:34.A chance behind the yellow or blue though. In fact, that was such a

:23:35. > :23:40.good shot that Ricky played, it stopped at nearly every shot. The

:23:41. > :23:43.best that John could do was that. The only thing he had to play,

:23:44. > :23:57.couldn't have put that any better. Our first look, Ricky may be forced

:23:58. > :24:03.to take into the red. The red to the left of the black, it's the

:24:04. > :24:07.right-hand side as we look at the screen, from our commentary

:24:08. > :24:14.position, the red to the left of the black and below it, may be the only

:24:15. > :24:20.shot he's got. As we mentioned, it's a big pocket, but what else can

:24:21. > :24:32.Well, if this rolls off... It was nearly good. A funny situation,

:24:33. > :24:50.this, the red being over the corner pocket.

:24:51. > :24:57.Trying to brush down the table there because it may have gone over a few

:24:58. > :24:59.finger marks. He is trying to land the cue ball right on this red here.

:25:00. > :25:11.Again, this could roll off. APPLAUSE

:25:12. > :25:39.Oh, that was brilliant! What a touch that was! Absolutely brilliant!

:25:40. > :25:51.Yeah, definitely cat and mouse at the moment. The

:25:52. > :25:59.Just wondering will Ricky opportunity to try and chip that

:26:00. > :26:11.red. Down towards this corner pocket. And try to get back

:26:12. > :26:27.Just trying to come off the red that he's closest to, the right-hand

:26:28. > :26:29.side. And try to block the red that's over the corner pocket with

:26:30. > :26:50.yellow and blue. Doesn't like it. Not bad at all. Clearly good from

:26:51. > :26:56.there. Yeah, it wassite a clever shot there, a shot to nothing. A cue

:26:57. > :27:02.ball in an area that is pretty tricky for John. If you get John

:27:03. > :27:14.Higgins to tap the table after a safety shot, it's a good one.

:27:15. > :27:35.There's a safety shot down the right-hand side side of the table

:27:36. > :27:39.here, the red on the right. He can play off 2 cushions but just about

:27:40. > :27:44.get past the pink. Good cueing needed for this though. It's pretty

:27:45. > :27:57.fine. And that's what happens when it's pretty fine. How is your luck,

:27:58. > :28:04.Ricky? Not very good. He made a mistake there.

:28:05. > :28:11.Yeah, what is worse for him, he knocked the pink into a pottable

:28:12. > :28:21.Didn't want that. Wicked kiss on the into play.

:28:22. > :28:29.Didn't want that. Wicked kiss on the red.

:28:30. > :28:34.Didn't want that. Wicked kiss on the the green? Looks like he can. A bit

:28:35. > :28:39.of contact on the cushion just between the green and the corner

:28:40. > :29:24.pocket, by the look of it. Yes, he can get past it.

:29:25. > :29:33.The red just to the left of the pink pot to this corner pocket... Maybe

:29:34. > :29:36.his choice, although he overscrewed that. Still OK.

:29:37. > :29:41.APPLAUSE Not too bad. The one below is as

:29:42. > :29:48.well. He is playing on a choice of reds there. Just woirpding if the

:29:49. > :29:53.pinks goes in the -- just wondering if the pink goes into the middle

:29:54. > :29:59.pocket, it's a pretty good shot he played there.

:30:00. > :30:04.Yep, not that one, obviously, the other corner pocket, the centre

:30:05. > :30:15.pocket, I should say. He's going back up. Yeah, it

:30:16. > :30:17.obviously goes in the corner as well. A couple of pockets available

:30:18. > :30:40.for it. Negotiating these very well so far.

:30:41. > :30:46.It wasn't easy when he came to the table. The opening red was fine, but

:30:47. > :30:55.the rest... Positional shots he's had to play here, to negotiate so

:30:56. > :30:59.far, has been top-class. He drops this in, will have enough pace on

:31:00. > :31:06.the cue ball just to come back out for the pink.

:31:07. > :31:14.He's some match player, this boy, he really is. I have seen sessions of

:31:15. > :31:21.snooker where he's played and not missed. It hasn't been like that

:31:22. > :31:29.today. He still played good, don't get me wrong, but not on this A-game

:31:30. > :31:30.today. But what a player he is. So hard to beat even when he's not at

:31:31. > :31:57.his best. Try to stun this red in and have the

:31:58. > :32:05.pink on the left centre. All the time he's... Building up a nice

:32:06. > :32:14.little lead and reds are disappearing fast.

:32:15. > :32:21.Yeah, this would've been fabulous, cue ball control has been xempl hear

:32:22. > :32:23.on the break. But leaving the perfect angle to keep the break

:32:24. > :32:38.going. Every time he pots one red it will

:32:39. > :33:46.clear a path for another one. Nice little full ball cannon on the

:33:47. > :34:12.red. He has to be careful here - just

:34:13. > :34:15.going to try and hold for the pink into the opposite right-hand corner.

:34:16. > :34:21.Just to negotiate a little cannon off the red, to the right of this

:34:22. > :34:26.one. He didn't fancy it. He thought it might have been a bit too

:34:27. > :34:45.delicate and that's why he's gone for the yellow. Still OK.

:34:46. > :34:52.Coming around to see the 2 reds, left of the pink in the bottom

:34:53. > :34:58.right-hand corner pocket. I don't think they do. He may have to,

:34:59. > :35:00.doesn't have to get too close to the red here, may have to leave a

:35:01. > :35:24.possible rest shot. Well, maybe the bottom one of those

:35:25. > :35:28.2 reds does pot in the bottom right-hand corner pocket. I'm not

:35:29. > :35:37.quite sure whether he's hit the cue ball far enough down.

:35:38. > :35:54.Oh, no. Wasn't very confident with that one. Put in a bit of a quick

:35:55. > :36:04.one. But still... There was a good consideration. -- contribution.

:36:05. > :36:12.Yeah, certainly a tough break to make. A nice 51-point lead. Will be

:36:13. > :36:17.very tough for Ricky to score here, even if they gets the initial red.

:36:18. > :36:50.-- if he gets the initial red. John will be taking this on the go

:36:51. > :36:55.to obviously avoid the pink if they plays this with top spin and comes

:36:56. > :37:00.back. Doesn't want to cannon that in case he misses it. And because he's

:37:01. > :37:06.played it the way he has, he missed the red by quite a way. Look at

:37:07. > :37:11.where the cue ball is. That was always going to be the case. He

:37:12. > :37:17.didn't miss it by white a way, but look where the cue ball it. Is. --

:37:18. > :37:28.cue ball Ricky's contemplating his next shot

:37:29. > :37:52.and you do a lot of that, playing John.

:37:53. > :38:02.Good sholt that, Ricky. Did -- shot that, Ricky. Did well to get out of

:38:03. > :38:05.that. And he's brought the pink back into play. Which he'll definitely

:38:06. > :38:14.need, should he get another chance in this frame.

:38:15. > :39:19.Excellent again from John. No shot wasted.

:39:20. > :39:26.Too good an opportunity for John to waste. Blue and yellow close

:39:27. > :39:34.together. Safety play is far too good to miss that opportunity. Ricky

:39:35. > :39:42.- he is in more than a spot of bother here. Already 51 points

:39:43. > :39:46.behind in this frame. Too loose reds and if John gets those and colours,

:39:47. > :39:56.well, he's more or less over the line. Just having a look to see if

:39:57. > :39:59.he can play a 2-cushion escape ask clip off it, Ricky. Not easy,

:40:00. > :40:20.whatever he chooses here. Yep, that's what he's trying.

:40:21. > :40:28.Doesn't want to leave a free ball behind the brown though. Nearly did.

:40:29. > :40:53.Obviously, Colin Humphries just needs to move the ball back. There

:40:54. > :40:58.you go, he's onto it, Colin, no problem at all. Just checking the

:40:59. > :41:03.monitor. Not massively important, but you like it back where it was.

:41:04. > :41:09.This is where it was beforehand. And this is where it is now. That is

:41:10. > :41:12.pretty much perfect where the brown is. Not massively important part off

:41:13. > :41:21.aspect of this shot. LAUGHTER

:41:22. > :41:24.Mr Particular, Colin Humphries. Happy with the cue

:41:25. > :41:30.LAUGHTER OK, thank you. Everybody is happen.

:41:31. > :41:41.Here we go. Take 2. Goodness me. What a great shot he's

:41:42. > :42:02.played there. That's unlucky, isn't it? Very

:42:03. > :42:05.unlucky and the problem not only with... He left the possible cut on

:42:06. > :42:20.this red. John Higgins, missed it. Where has

:42:21. > :42:47.the cue ball gone here? Only on-Virgo can say that

:42:48. > :42:52.popularly. "Where has the cue ball gone?" You haven't been in too many

:42:53. > :43:41.pantomimes, Ken. Good safety from Ricky, this.

:43:42. > :44:06.Excellent. APPLAUSE

:44:07. > :44:47.Good cue ball, from John, that. Now into the longest frame of the

:44:48. > :44:54.match so far. Over half an hour already. And still plenty of meat on

:44:55. > :45:06.this bone. Could go on for a little bit longer.

:45:07. > :45:10.Quite brilliant for John Higgins, how far he missed a few of these

:45:11. > :45:18.long pots. Just wondering here whether Ricky is

:45:19. > :45:26.going to play the attacking safety here. Play off this red, knock them

:45:27. > :45:30.all out, and try and get the cue ball bur jihad and hope you don't

:45:31. > :45:38.stick -- buried and hope you don't stick a red. You're behind in the

:45:39. > :45:44.frame and you need some points. Well, it's a decent cue ball, but

:45:45. > :45:48.the red over the corner, what's the angle like? Mmm, nearly dead

:45:49. > :45:58.straight. A bit of pressure on it. APPLAUSE

:45:59. > :46:20.Excellent cueing from John Higgins. He's just come off the table a

:46:21. > :46:28.little bit too far for that pink. A fine cut in the centre, he's going

:46:29. > :46:37.to take it on. But it's tricky. It's worth having a go at, though, isn't

:46:38. > :46:42.it? If he pots it, he is 66 ahead. Yeah, good shot. And gets it nicely.

:46:43. > :46:46.A kiss on the black as well. It's frame over. Should have to write

:46:47. > :46:56.away for a kiss like that. What a beauty that was. In fairness, Ken,s

:46:57. > :47:04.he's gn in charge in this frame, all the way through it. His matchplay

:47:05. > :47:05.has come to the forefront yet again. He always looked like winning the

:47:06. > :47:30.frame. And Ricky shakes hands with the

:47:31. > :47:33.referee, and once again, the master tactician that is John Higgins wins

:47:34. > :47:43.that session and he leads by 10 frames to six. Yes, 10-6 to the 4

:47:44. > :47:49.times world champion John Higgins. He and Ricky Walden will return to

:47:50. > :47:53.scrap it out on Monday evening. An intriguing situation in the other

:47:54. > :47:56.afternoon match, between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Barry Hawkins.

:47:57. > :48:01.Hawkins has had his nose in front the entire way in this match,

:48:02. > :48:06.leading 5-3 after that first session, and going into the last

:48:07. > :48:10.frame of their second, 8 frames to 7 in front. A huge frame in the

:48:11. > :48:16.overall context of the match, this one.

:48:17. > :48:23.He is looking at the green as a possible target with his safety.

:48:24. > :48:32.A little bit too thick. And that's why he caught the brown full in the

:48:33. > :48:54.face. But the first look, no harm done.

:48:55. > :49:03.Purposely running that red into the pink. You never know what the pink

:49:04. > :49:08.might run into and bring something up. There's a red over the corner,

:49:09. > :49:13.but looking at Ronnie's body language, I think thank red doesn't

:49:14. > :49:20.near the baulk line has covered the path to it. He had a result there.

:49:21. > :49:25.When he first played it, he thought he left the red. Can that welcome

:49:26. > :49:38.Barry intent on trying to move that back

:49:39. > :49:42.Barry intent on trying to move that red away from the corner. He decided

:49:43. > :49:49.to play the red into the blue. Strange choice! If he's turn to have

:49:50. > :49:54.a bit of a luck! And Ronnie said something to Barry.

:49:55. > :49:54.a bit of a luck! And Ronnie said opponent, but I think he just said

:49:55. > :50:32.something. Caused them both to have Oh! Not like Ronnie. Mis-hit that

:50:33. > :50:37.completely. He is coming round to have a look at what he's left. That

:50:38. > :50:44.tells you, he left a red that Barry can drop in. You would think... He

:50:45. > :50:50.would play for the blue here. He's looking at the table to go up to the

:50:51. > :50:54.baulk end and just drop this in. Surely, it looks like a big pocket

:50:55. > :51:01.to me. Well, he made it a big pocket. But playing at that pace,

:51:02. > :51:10.all right, you think he's bound to be on the pink, but he played it.

:51:11. > :51:15.Possibly missable. Yeah, going to be cannoning in on the red near the

:51:16. > :51:20.right-hand corner pocket. At first glance, you thought he was going to

:51:21. > :51:27.play for the blue. In the end, it's turned out lovely. The baul wriggles

:51:28. > :51:38.in. And now he got the pink back in the spot. Could be a decent

:51:39. > :51:46.opportunity. SMIT could be a decent opportunity. Pretty reliable so far.

:51:47. > :52:04.A lot of pressure on him now. He would be decided to -- delighted

:52:05. > :52:13.Yeah, there is Ronnie at 97%, but Barry not far behind - 96%. Just

:52:14. > :52:27.landed a bit awkward. You don't expect him to miss this

:52:28. > :52:29.red in the middle, but he doesn't want a heavy contact. Got to drop it

:52:30. > :52:44.in dead weight. OK, liked to have been a bit

:52:45. > :52:50.straighter, but being left-handed, more comfortable.

:52:51. > :52:57.Think the blue is available, the right corner.

:52:58. > :53:12.Should like to get that back in its own spot.

:53:13. > :53:17.Just go to concentrate, 100%. No careless shots. And he certainly

:53:18. > :53:20.picked up his pace for this visit, hasn't he, Barry?

:53:21. > :53:39.APPLAUSE There's the target. 68 points. When

:53:40. > :53:47.he gets to that, Ronnie will need a snooker.

:53:48. > :53:49.Yes, he has looked confident around the table. Hasn't looked tentative

:53:50. > :54:22.at all. Well that shot tells me the blue

:54:23. > :54:28.doesn't go to the right corner. He overhit that by almost a foot. Was

:54:29. > :54:32.surprised he played it like that. The easiest way is to come off the

:54:33. > :54:41.top cushion and play for the pink in the middle.

:54:42. > :55:10.And you know, Stephen, the last time he played on the pink, I said, I was

:55:11. > :55:15.gonna say hundreds of lucky he didn't -- he was lucky he didn't

:55:16. > :55:23.catch the red full in the face. This time he has done, and completely out

:55:24. > :55:30.of position. Yeah, it was careless. A poor shot. He knows it. 54 points

:55:31. > :55:46.in front. But still 75 remaining. Hiel he'll have to put a colour

:55:47. > :56:06.safe. Easier said than done here. Yeah, he'll be disappointed he

:56:07. > :56:10.didn't win the frame at that visit. OK, still favourite, but you know

:56:11. > :56:16.how quickly these frames can turn around. Now you see it, Barry

:56:17. > :56:26.Hawkins, 54 ahead, 75 left on the table. O and a not a bad safety shot

:56:27. > :56:34.from Ronnie. That one will surely cost him this frame. Two in a row!

:56:35. > :56:40.Yeah, maybe just a sign of the pressure starting to get to Ronnie.

:56:41. > :56:49.Unusual error from him in the safety department. He plays every shot with

:56:50. > :56:58.lots of side on it. If you don't cue it properly. It beaten the easiest

:56:59. > :56:59.of returns to baulk, in all fairness, but we expect so much from

:57:00. > :57:13.Ronnie. And it looks now... As though Barry

:57:14. > :57:17.Hawkins has started this very important second session, as we

:57:18. > :57:21.said, moving day. Well nothing's moved really, in regards to the

:57:22. > :57:26.scoreline. He is still two in front but #450e8 be over the moon with

:57:27. > :57:31.that, going -- but he'll be over the moon with that, going into in final

:57:32. > :57:39.session, tomorrow evening. Yeah, he stood up to everything that Ronnie

:57:40. > :57:45.has thrown at him this afternoon. To everything that Ronnie has thrown at

:57:46. > :57:46.him this afternoon. Yes, high quality snooker from two high

:57:47. > :58:00.quality players. APPLAUSE

:58:01. > :58:04.Nice little cannon. Can he pot the red along

:58:05. > :58:11.Now, they are tough! But Ronnie will shake his hand and say well played.

:58:12. > :58:20.Well, we've got everything to look forward to. Barry Hawkins will be

:58:21. > :58:26.very pleased. And he will take a 2-frame advantage in that important

:58:27. > :58:31.third one. Can't wait for that. So Hawkins 9-7 in front, and he takes

:58:32. > :58:35.the 2-frame cushion into the decider. Hawkins trying to beat the

:58:36. > :58:41.Rocket for the first time in 14 years. A lot to look forward to on

:58:42. > :58:43.Monday evening. Until then, sleep well. Bye-bye.