:00:37. > :00:42.Hello and welcome to extended highlights of the quarterfinals of
:00:43. > :00:45.the 27 BetFred World Snooker Championship. John Higgins needed
:00:46. > :00:49.just two friends to see of Kyren Wilson who was beaten at this stage
:00:50. > :00:51.by Mark Selby last year. Your commentary team is Peter Ebdon and
:00:52. > :01:10.John Virgo. John Higgins is breaking off. He
:01:11. > :01:17.just needs two more frames for a place in the semifinal. No need to
:01:18. > :01:24.tell you what Kyren Wilson needs to do. He needs a quick start.
:01:25. > :01:30.If he could win the first four frames, which is not beyond the
:01:31. > :01:35.realms of possibility, not only will it put him right back in the match,
:01:36. > :01:39.but it would certainly make John Higgins think a little. Absolutely.
:01:40. > :01:49.Good morning, John. Good morning, everyone. This really is a huge task
:01:50. > :02:02.that faces Kyren Wilson this morning. John Higgins is in great
:02:03. > :02:06.form. Just looking at John Higgins 's pot success it is up at 93%
:02:07. > :02:18.again. In his marvellous match with Mark Allen it was 94%, so the levels
:02:19. > :02:22.are high. He missed the red. He caught it much too thick and that is
:02:23. > :02:44.why he ran into the reds, but no harm done, by the look at it.
:02:45. > :03:07.He could not have played that any better.
:03:08. > :03:13.It has been a commanding performance so far by John Higgins in this
:03:14. > :03:26.match. It is almost like it is resistance of the old guard. Aid to
:03:27. > :03:36.push an escape with pace, he courted much too thick.
:03:37. > :03:51.It is amazing how John Higgins has rediscovered himself this season. I
:03:52. > :03:55.thought he cut it too thin but he just found enough for the pocket and
:03:56. > :04:01.at the right pace for the red to drop. I thought it was going to stay
:04:02. > :04:13.there. He will need everything to go his way this morning, will Kyren
:04:14. > :04:20.Wilson. I know he has a big future in the game and he will have many
:04:21. > :04:24.years, you would've thought, all things being equal, with him at the
:04:25. > :04:29.top of the game, but chances, when they come you have got to them. It
:04:30. > :04:42.is no good thinking, well, I have a long career ahead of me.
:04:43. > :04:49.The big problem is, no matter how good you are, there is only one
:04:50. > :04:55.World Championship, every year. Would we be sitting here in 2017,
:04:56. > :05:03.thinking that Ding Junhui hasn't won a World Championship? It is almost
:05:04. > :05:10.impossible to comprehend. Another one just caught the draw -- jaw but
:05:11. > :05:13.dropped. I always do with anyone, when anyone is coming along and they
:05:14. > :05:25.say, well he is going to be a world champion for certain, I will think
:05:26. > :05:33.of Jimmy. Well, that time he caught the jaw and it did not go in. He has
:05:34. > :05:34.not left everything, but it is a little bit debilitating when you
:05:35. > :05:48.miss one like that. You mentioned Jimmy White in there.
:05:49. > :05:53.It is such a great testament to Jimmy White 's character and mental
:05:54. > :05:58.strength because losing in six world finals would have broken most
:05:59. > :06:01.people, but Jimmy White is not an ordinary person, he is a great
:06:02. > :06:07.champion in his own right and he has been a great ambassador for snooker.
:06:08. > :06:10.Unbelievable. The one thing he has got in common with you and I is he
:06:11. > :06:13.absolutely loves the game and that is why he was so pleased to get the
:06:14. > :06:19.wild card to stay in the tournament next year. Kyren Wilson and at
:06:20. > :06:22.two-cushion escape. It does not want to leave a free ball. He may well
:06:23. > :06:34.have done. It is a free ball. John Higgins will
:06:35. > :06:37.gladly accept that. He has got a straight brown, while a straight
:06:38. > :07:03.-ish brown to the middle, and a chance to score.
:07:04. > :07:09.I have been so impressed with John Higgins so far in this tournament.
:07:10. > :07:18.He really does look as though he's back to his very best. He times the
:07:19. > :07:28.ball so well. We have talked before about what a great technique he has.
:07:29. > :07:32.He is long and smooth. Add all of the professionals on the circuit
:07:33. > :07:35.there is probably nobody who times the ball better. He stroked the ball
:07:36. > :07:42.so beautifully that when he is playing well balls reach the pocket
:07:43. > :07:48.at far less pace, which makes the pockets bigger. This is a really
:07:49. > :07:57.tough black, though. Right in the heart of the pocket. That is an
:07:58. > :08:02.excellent shot. Well played. Yes, how many times do we see those
:08:03. > :08:09.missed? No matter how small the pockets were, that was a beautifully
:08:10. > :08:18.struck shot. I know we hark back to that match with Mark Allen, Mark
:08:19. > :08:22.Allen played, apart from the odd bad contact, he didn't do anything
:08:23. > :08:29.wrong, and yet John Higgins still beat him 13-9. It really was an
:08:30. > :08:33.incredible match. Mark Allen played so well that he certainly would have
:08:34. > :08:43.beaten most other players in the tournament where he played. That has
:08:44. > :08:46.just gone wrong. I thought that little cannon on the road below the
:08:47. > :08:51.pink would leave him one to the right corner. Anyway, he has the
:08:52. > :08:57.advantage of a touching ball so an easy path back to the baulk end. I
:08:58. > :09:01.think when you win a match like that, you have come here and it
:09:02. > :09:06.proves that you're playing well and it gives you confidence to go on. I
:09:07. > :09:12.have always said to people that you don't find your form here, you have
:09:13. > :09:15.got to bring your gaming here and have confidence that you're going to
:09:16. > :09:22.play well. Not be playing poorly and then thing, oh, I am just going to
:09:23. > :09:32.spark when the curtain opens, or you walk down those steps. It could be
:09:33. > :09:51.good and nestle behind a green here. That was a little bit fortunate from
:09:52. > :09:55.Kyren. The intention is to get the cue ball is tied to the baulk
:09:56. > :10:04.cushion as you can so he has overhit that slightly.
:10:05. > :10:23.-- will it reach? Has he left this red on? Well, he has left nothing on
:10:24. > :10:28.but you have to say that if John Higgins can repeat that line with a
:10:29. > :11:11.bit more pace it would be the perfect escape.
:11:12. > :11:17.Very nicely played. Kyren immediately can see there is the
:11:18. > :11:22.possibility of the plant here. Can he get to it? The distance between
:11:23. > :12:09.the two reds, risky. Another badly misjudged long pot. He
:12:10. > :12:25.missed it, ran into the reds. A chance for tyrant. -- Kyren.
:12:26. > :12:31.We have not seen too many misjudgements John Higgins like that
:12:32. > :12:42.in this whole tournament, let alone this match. He he didn't play that
:12:43. > :12:51.well. It should have been straight on this red, just to run it through
:12:52. > :12:57.for the black. It is a little bit careless to leave himself off
:12:58. > :13:01.straight here like this. He may possibly have to screw back for the
:13:02. > :13:11.blue here but he needs to avoid the end of off the centre if he is
:13:12. > :13:17.campaigning into the pink. It is OK. He just got a slight angle on the
:13:18. > :13:24.blue but not the best angle. If it had been straight on that last red
:13:25. > :13:33.and it will have all looked more easy. But he has cue to that nicely.
:13:34. > :13:44.It is never easy that McEwing in the jewels pocket. I was a little bit
:13:45. > :13:48.surprised that he decided to play off the cushion there because if he
:13:49. > :13:51.had rolled the cue ball through about 2.5 feet he would have had
:13:52. > :13:55.this red that he is taking on now straight into the right-hand black
:13:56. > :14:06.pocket and he could've stayed on the black is to get back up for the blue
:14:07. > :14:11.now. It is a very unexpected mess. Trying to pinch a bit there holding
:14:12. > :14:15.for the black. If he had been straight at the ready but the fad to
:14:16. > :14:19.do anything but he is just trying to hold the cue ball. Not the start he
:14:20. > :14:30.was looking for or he needed in this first frame. OK, it is going to be a
:14:31. > :14:36.big ask for John Higgins to win the frame of this visit, but he is at
:14:37. > :14:37.the table. The way he has been playing, you wouldn't put it past
:14:38. > :14:51.him. This has been a very stern
:14:52. > :14:57.examination in this match for Kyren Wilson. They don't come much tougher
:14:58. > :15:02.than John Higgins, but he will learn an awful lot from this match. He
:15:03. > :15:17.will realise just how tough it is at the top table in World Snooker. John
:15:18. > :15:20.Higgins, he has found out what it is like to try and compete at the
:15:21. > :15:32.biggest stage against one of the greatest of all time in top form. He
:15:33. > :15:38.took that opportunity and he was nicely on the black, just bring
:15:39. > :15:41.those two reds into play. A 9-point lead and he is still going to need
:15:42. > :15:46.at least five of these remaining reds. With colours. It is not a
:15:47. > :16:46.formality. As I say,... He has to be a little bit careful
:16:47. > :17:04.that he has just bought. He nearly overscrewed it.
:17:05. > :17:10.This black will put 1032 in front. He will still be looking for a red
:17:11. > :17:26.colour red after this. He is deciding to play for one of
:17:27. > :17:33.the awkward words, such was the ankle he had on the black. This is
:17:34. > :17:39.tight. You would not expect to miss this. When it is tight against the
:17:40. > :18:02.cushion makes the pot so much easier.
:18:03. > :18:12.Another perfect position shot there. You see it at 30 -- 40 ahead with 51
:18:13. > :18:15.remaining, but not for long. This black to go 48 points in front. Just
:18:16. > :18:57.43 remaining. I said when he came to the table
:18:58. > :19:06.that it was not an easy run to the line, but once again he doesn't let
:19:07. > :19:09.you down. He has missed a red but it doesn't matter. No way back to the
:19:10. > :19:12.table for Kyren Wilson and John Higgins now just one frame away from
:19:13. > :19:45.a place in the semifinal. 12-5. So, Kyren Wilson gets frame 13 under
:19:46. > :20:01.way. Sorry, frame 18. He would probably wish it was frame 13. Maybe
:20:02. > :20:04.missing out -- may be wishing he could play a few more games but his
:20:05. > :20:48.World Championship hopes are maybe hanging by a thread.
:20:49. > :21:02.Well worth having a go at. Got nothing to lose really. You have to
:21:03. > :21:14.go for shots. Go out with a bang rather than a whimper.
:21:15. > :21:30.I think John Higgins thought that was in for a second.
:21:31. > :21:50.Taking this red on. Where is the Red Bull going?
:21:51. > :21:54.He could have done with a bit of luck. It just flicked off the brown.
:21:55. > :23:48.It just did not catch the pocket. He is playing it in the top corner
:23:49. > :23:54.pocket. Pace of the side cushion into the cluster. That is what made
:23:55. > :24:00.the blue admissible. Hang on? With this new run? Is running enough to
:24:01. > :24:16.block the pocket. It is amazing how it nearly found
:24:17. > :24:25.its way in that corner pocket, isn't it? At first glance Kyren and has
:24:26. > :24:30.been very fortunate there. He would most certainly have expected to
:24:31. > :24:41.leave a red on, having missed the blue and gone into the pack of reds.
:24:42. > :24:46.John Higgins has left a little tester for him here. The ball is
:24:47. > :25:42.open. This is why John Higgins is such a
:25:43. > :25:46.tough match player. He knows that he has got Kyren Wilson under
:25:47. > :25:51.tremendous pressure here and that Kyren Wilson looking to go for his
:25:52. > :25:54.shots and perhaps take on shots that maybe he should not. John Higgins
:25:55. > :26:02.had a choice of long red there and he refused both of them. He played a
:26:03. > :26:11.good safety shot. He left the tempter for Kyren and he is quite
:26:12. > :26:45.rightly playing safe. That was a very good safety shot, well played.
:26:46. > :26:57.John may be looking to leave the cue ball behind the black here. That is
:26:58. > :27:06.OK. Is there a red that goes in the centre? Did John Higgins
:27:07. > :27:18.deliberately leave this one for Kyren and to have a go at? We know
:27:19. > :27:25.how tough they are into the middle. Yes, he may have well left him that
:27:26. > :27:30.tempter. I remember before your time Ray Reardon used to do that with
:27:31. > :27:40.Alex Higgins a few times, leave him a tempter. He knew eventually he
:27:41. > :27:43.could not refuse them. The reason I say that is that it would have been
:27:44. > :27:47.very easy for John Higgins to play that's a little harder and get the
:27:48. > :27:55.cue ball behind the black so I feel that he did indeed leave that
:27:56. > :28:04.tempting pot for Kyren and into the left centre, which was a very tough
:28:05. > :28:16.pot. Is John thinking of taking this red on? Just waiting. I think
:28:17. > :28:19.somebody is probably unwell. When they open the doors of the top of
:28:20. > :28:52.the Sterz it lets in the daylight. I think we have got the thumbs up
:28:53. > :28:56.from the Security man at the top. I think John is just waiting while
:28:57. > :29:01.they sort this out. When they take someone out they open the door and
:29:02. > :29:13.you get the daylight coming through which is obviously very distracting.
:29:14. > :29:26.While he waits for this, John Higgins has certainly proved that it
:29:27. > :29:32.is not young man's game, Peter, this year. Certainly not when you are as
:29:33. > :29:36.good as John Higgins. Gives you hope for the future. Absolutely. John may
:29:37. > :29:41.be able to play this into the yellow pocket as a shot to nothing. I
:29:42. > :29:44.thought he could take it into the yellow pockets and screw back onto
:29:45. > :29:51.the black cushion under the road went and he will be on the blue, but
:29:52. > :29:59.he played excellent safety shot. Kyren Wilson does have a tough red
:30:00. > :30:08.into the right centre here. It is there.
:30:09. > :30:20.It was always on the top jaw, but the pace was perfect.
:30:21. > :30:26.Yes, it does give me hope that there might be a bit of snooker left in
:30:27. > :30:31.for me, to be perfectly honest. What brought that home to me more than
:30:32. > :30:34.anything was being part of the 40th anniversary celebration, it was
:30:35. > :30:38.special to be part of that as a former world champion, I thought it
:30:39. > :30:42.is time for me to rededicate myself to snooker. I have had other
:30:43. > :30:47.interests in the last two or three year, but you only get out of this
:30:48. > :31:03.game what you put into it. You do and it goes so quickly. Time flies.
:31:04. > :31:09.40 years. And coming here. Yes, you are a long time retired, as
:31:10. > :31:14.they say. Speaking of which were you surprised
:31:15. > :31:20.at Stephen Hendry retiring at such a young age? I was, to be perfectly
:31:21. > :31:25.honest with you. I think the thing is with Steven he
:31:26. > :31:29.was such a competitive animal. He wanted to win, when he dropped a few
:31:30. > :31:34.notch, didn't feel as though he could get it back, changed cues a
:31:35. > :31:38.few times and I suppose if you are a born winner, you don't want to be
:31:39. > :32:02.remembered as that. Kyren Wilson keeps leaving himself
:32:03. > :32:07.difficult pots into the middle pockets. He is not guaranteed to be
:32:08. > :32:11.on a red unless he plays it with pace for the red into the right
:32:12. > :32:14.corner. This makes this black missable. You can hardly see any
:32:15. > :32:24.middle pocket at all there. This time it is a bit low. Not the
:32:25. > :32:28.type of pot he would have gone for, but under the circumstances you
:32:29. > :32:36.would rather go out with a bang than a whimper.
:32:37. > :32:44.He's... Given John Higgins a chance, and John Higgins comes to the table,
:32:45. > :32:51.he was only 24 points behind. So Kyren may be fearing the worse. I
:32:52. > :32:57.think he would get another shot. How far behind he will be... Depend
:32:58. > :33:01.what John Higgins makes of this opportunity, but, although I said in
:33:02. > :33:06.the last frame, it is going to be very difficult for John Higgins to
:33:07. > :33:11.win the frame at this visit, you wouldn't put anything past him. I
:33:12. > :33:17.did add that caveat. I am just wondering if John Higgins might try
:33:18. > :33:21.to get the black back in to play. No real need to do that, of course,
:33:22. > :33:26.because he has the blue and pink to work with, if he had taken the red
:33:27. > :33:29.into the green pocket he could have got behind the black to get the
:33:30. > :33:39.black back on the spot. Choosing to play for the pink.
:33:40. > :33:43.Make no mistake about it, John Higgins will be giving it everything
:33:44. > :34:09.he's got. Got, to win this frame, and match in this visit.
:34:10. > :34:15.Up for the blue. Judge the pace nicely. I'm not certain about the
:34:16. > :34:18.availability of those two reds that are together, immediately to the
:34:19. > :34:24.left of the pin, they might not be available. Certainly one of the reds
:34:25. > :34:28.of the two near the left-hand side cushion would go, you would have
:34:29. > :34:34.thought, he may have to play for one of those here. He may have the angle
:34:35. > :34:41.to drop behind them into the middle. He did. And that's a much better
:34:42. > :34:50.choice. And once of course he pots one of
:34:51. > :34:57.these reds, he makes the other one more available.
:34:58. > :35:03.Bit short on the blue, so he is looking at the pink here. I don't
:35:04. > :35:09.think if he has the potle angle to cannon into those two reds. He has,
:35:10. > :35:17.I think. He's perfect. He has to get through cue ball here,
:35:18. > :35:21.just cannon into the two reds. Well, that surprised me. Well,
:35:22. > :35:34.obviously, the top one goes to the left middle.
:35:35. > :35:38.It didn't look as though it did. Mmm.
:35:39. > :35:50.I think he could hit enough of it, Peter, don't you? Yes, I think he
:35:51. > :35:52.could. That was an uncharacteristic mistake
:35:53. > :35:59.from John Higgins, especially with the winning line in sight.
:36:00. > :36:03.It was an uncompromising looking situation, when he came to the
:36:04. > :36:07.table. Table. You wouldn't have fancied him to clear up, after a
:36:08. > :36:09.That was an uncharacteristic mistake from John Higgins, especially with
:36:10. > :36:11.the winning line in sight. It was an uncompromising looking
:36:12. > :36:13.situation, when he came to the table. You wouldn't have fancied him
:36:14. > :36:16.to clear up, after a few shots you thought "Maybe this is going to be
:36:17. > :36:18.on." Another chance for Kyren Wilson to get another frame on the board
:36:19. > :36:26.here. And when you're playing from this
:36:27. > :36:29.situation, you're playing for one thing. No thought of winning the
:36:30. > :36:43.match, you're playing for pride. May well leave himself the angle on
:36:44. > :36:49.this next red into the centre, to play with top-spin, off the baulk
:36:50. > :36:52.cushion and bring the red on the side cushion into play. Could be
:36:53. > :36:59.pushing the red over the middle pocket and should be on the blue. If
:37:00. > :37:30.it comes off. He may not have the angle.
:37:31. > :37:37.He has this red now, to the corner. Thinking back about frames that have
:37:38. > :37:40.gone against Kyren, I remember one frame in the fist session, yesterday
:37:41. > :37:44.morning, when he had a black similar to this, just to pot it and be on
:37:45. > :37:48.the yellow to clear up to win. Strangely enough I was just thinking
:37:49. > :37:54.about the black that he missed with the rest. Very surprising miss, it
:37:55. > :38:17.was, and very costly as it turned out.
:38:18. > :38:35.Canonise, and this red will go past the pink. Yeah, good shot.
:38:36. > :38:44.Quick glance at the score board, 22 points, the lead. He still needs
:38:45. > :38:48.this blue and the remaining red. He couldn't have struck this any
:38:49. > :38:54.better. What a beautiful positional shot that was. Cracker.
:38:55. > :38:57.Quick glance at the score board, 22 points, the lead. He still needs
:38:58. > :38:58.this blue and the remaining red. He couldn't have struck this any
:38:59. > :39:06.better. What a beautiful positional oh, the vital frame ball, how many
:39:07. > :39:26.times do we see it missed! And John Higgins, as he watch that
:39:27. > :39:34.miss again, circumstances, anything is going to be missed by the young
:39:35. > :39:39.man. But, that was a pity. John Higgins, if he pots this red,
:39:40. > :39:48.gets position on a colour, this could be frame and match winning
:39:49. > :39:57.opportunity. Good kiss on the brown.
:39:58. > :39:59.Is Not really. 26 points behind.
:40:00. > :40:39.27 remaining. Mmm. Well, decided to go for it.
:40:40. > :40:44.He's left it. That's the thing about John Higgins,
:40:45. > :40:52.he's one away and he's still having a word with himself, when he misses
:40:53. > :40:56.at show. He will get another chance now so
:40:57. > :41:21.Kyren Wilson fair play to him, he is not lying down here.
:41:22. > :41:26.Well, it didn't matter about the blue and John Higgins stays in his
:41:27. > :41:33.seat. And nods to the concession. So Kyren
:41:34. > :41:35.Wilson, as I say, hanging by a thread, now six behind again, 12-6
:41:36. > :41:52.John Higgins. Just got to hang in there, take one
:41:53. > :41:59.frame at a time. That's all you can do. That is all you can do, John.
:42:00. > :42:06.So so, John Higgins breaks off, frame 19.
:42:07. > :42:09.Leading by 12 frames to six. Just needing one more frame.
:42:10. > :42:29.For a place in the semifinal. Again.
:42:30. > :42:36.Well, if you're going to miss those you err on the side of too thin. You
:42:37. > :42:42.have to set yourself little #2k3w0e8s. He is is only playing for
:42:43. > :42:47.pride at the moment, Kyren. Tried to take this match beyond the
:42:48. > :43:00.mid-session interval. That would be one goal. Unlike onto play safe and
:43:01. > :43:08.catch the blue. Not left a pot on, but... Easy safety for Kyren.
:43:09. > :43:15.Good chance to get the cue ball behind the yellow here, swinging
:43:16. > :43:19.round the angles. Not really hit that hard enough. Cue ball needed to
:43:20. > :43:25.be a little bit deeper into the cushion as well, which means he
:43:26. > :43:40.needed a slightly thicker contact on the red that he played.
:43:41. > :43:58.That's a little short from John Higgins.
:43:59. > :44:10.Kyren taking this on. He is, that's an excellent pot, well played.
:44:11. > :44:19.He has a little flick on the green there. As you say, excellent pot,
:44:20. > :44:24.and found a path. Just flicked the green. But would with the blue not
:44:25. > :44:32.being on its spot, he's taking it on. And played it well, oh, that's
:44:33. > :44:39.OK. It looks like the cue ball was going to run up the table and a red,
:44:40. > :44:40.hang on, top there. Stop there and he's perfect on the
:44:41. > :46:41.red. What a am shame. I know what he's
:46:42. > :46:46.feeling. Easy black off the spot. Could have left a little bit of a
:46:47. > :46:53.legacy even if he lost this match by making the highest break of the
:46:54. > :46:59.tournament. He had a chance there. He will be feeling bad enough as it
:47:00. > :47:05.is, the way this match has turned now, missing the black like that...
:47:06. > :47:12.He will want a hole to swallow you up in.
:47:13. > :47:17.This has been a baptism of fire, hasn't it, John, but Kyren Wilson
:47:18. > :47:22.will be back, and he will be back stronger, made the quarterfinals
:47:23. > :47:28.last year, losing to the eventual champion, world number one Mark
:47:29. > :47:30.Selby. He has had another really stiff and stern examination here.
:47:31. > :47:35.From the four, time world champion, John
:47:36. > :47:38.Higgins, one of the greatest match players we have ever seen, in top
:47:39. > :47:44.form. Kyren will be very very disappointed with the way he has
:47:45. > :47:52.played in this match. As I say, it will be tremendous experience for
:47:53. > :47:55.him. It is hard to think of that when you're out there, watching your
:47:56. > :48:00.opponent pot the balls that will take him past the winning line. But
:48:01. > :48:05.you have to take positives out of everything.
:48:06. > :48:10.If we could all do that in life, then, sometimes when things are not
:48:11. > :48:12.going too well, you have to remember that hopefully they can turn. And
:48:13. > :48:38.will turn. To be perfectly honest it is our
:48:39. > :48:42.defeats and disappoints in life around the strength we game from
:48:43. > :48:50.that experience, that ultimately shapes us into becoming the people
:48:51. > :48:56.that we were meant to be. Yes. But he gets another chance, an
:48:57. > :49:10.unexpected one. Unexpected miss from John Higgins.
:49:11. > :49:14.You can see, he wasn't happy with that.
:49:15. > :49:18.I wonder ho how many of those John Higgins misses in a season s John?
:49:19. > :49:24.Well, he will probably be losing a bit of focus. He thinks the match is
:49:25. > :49:35.won, and you wouldn't disagree with him. You still from the to pot the
:49:36. > :49:41.balls. Played this nicely. Stunning down,
:49:42. > :49:54.so he can now play for the black. Wants to get the black on its spot.
:49:55. > :50:11.This black will put him 22 points in front.
:50:12. > :50:19.So threads, just above the black, if he can get the majority of them.
:50:20. > :50:31.These reds. He will have another frame on the score board.
:50:32. > :50:34.Niesmt It seems to be the middle pockets that are catching both
:50:35. > :50:39.players out this morning. What a chance he has missed.
:50:40. > :50:47.And that could be his last one. It is hard to think positive when
:50:48. > :50:52.you're in situations like this. John Higgins after those couple of missed
:50:53. > :50:58.opportunities, that pink at the last visit, he missed into the middle.
:50:59. > :51:00.He will He will be wanting to put it right now, and seal this match at
:51:01. > :51:05.this visit. Just got the right angle on the
:51:06. > :51:59.blue. Perfect on the blue once again.
:52:00. > :52:05.Ten points behind now. These four reds. Four blacks. Yellow
:52:06. > :52:18.and green. For place in the semifinal.
:52:19. > :52:23.I am just sitting here, thinking, John, how many very good young
:52:24. > :52:30.players come into the game, and have come into the game down the years,
:52:31. > :52:36.and just makes me realise and appreciate how special the top
:52:37. > :52:39.players like Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark William, John Higgins, Stephen
:52:40. > :52:43.Hendry, Steve Davis have been down the year, the outstanding champion,
:52:44. > :52:51.they do it year in, year out. And it is so difficult to fulfil
:52:52. > :52:55.your potential at the highest level. V every respect to these great
:52:56. > :52:59.champions. Sometimes, John, it is difficult to
:53:00. > :53:06.handle winning, isn't it. It certainly is, and the trappings that
:53:07. > :53:08.go with it, but, I think longevity in any sport is what makes great
:53:09. > :53:30.champions. He has to get a good positional shot
:53:31. > :53:40.on this red. Doesn't want the kiss. Couldn't
:53:41. > :53:44.avoid running into the red, so... He has a 12 point lead. I mean it will
:53:45. > :54:02.cut. Can he control the cue ball? Just struggle its way in. And he's
:54:03. > :54:04.just about on the brown, the pinks gone near the baulk cushion but he
:54:05. > :54:54.doesn't need the pink. 22 points the lead. 22 points
:54:55. > :55:07.remaining, so the brown for a place in the semifinal.
:55:08. > :55:16.In goes the blue, no way back for young Kyren Wilson. He held John
:55:17. > :55:20.Higgins early on in the match, then he had tip problem and John Higgins
:55:21. > :55:25.turned it on, as he has done most of this tournament. Kyren Wilson, he'll
:55:26. > :55:30.be back, he has too much talent not to be, but John Higgins, marvellous
:55:31. > :55:37.performance, produced it again in this one, with a pot success of 92%
:55:38. > :55:43.and he is through to his eighth World Championship, semifinal. Wins
:55:44. > :55:48.by 13 frames to six. So well done John Higgins defending
:55:49. > :55:52.champion Mark Selby led Marco Fu 6-2 after the first session, he took the
:55:53. > :55:58.next three frame, to make it 9-2. He needs just four to book his place in
:55:59. > :56:04.the semifinals, commentary this time from Stephen Hendry and Willie
:56:05. > :56:07.Thorne. So the auditorium, Mark Selby breaks
:56:08. > :56:11.off in frame 12. He has won the first three of the
:56:12. > :56:15.morning session, can he make it a clean sweep for the second time? He
:56:16. > :57:32.won the first four, yesterday morning's session.
:57:33. > :57:45.Whenever you miss, you seem to leave one up for your opponent.
:57:46. > :57:59.Almost identical to the first frame. The black is tight on the cushion.
:58:00. > :58:05.Somehow Mark Selby did it in the first frame, can he do it again? He
:58:06. > :58:36.needs that cue ball to stop. He's on nothing. He is just on this red.
:58:37. > :58:39.Ifrgets wonder if he will risk playing for the black? It's the
:58:40. > :58:54.right shot. Black is just slightly off the
:58:55. > :58:58.cushion, which just makes it a bit trickier, especially because he will
:58:59. > :59:08.be playing it with a bit of pace, to bring the cue ball out.
:59:09. > :59:13.Never in doubt. Play to finish high on the black
:59:14. > :59:20.here so he can go into the bunch and leave himself possibly a red to left
:59:21. > :59:25.hand corner. It is, it was very close to the
:59:26. > :59:28.cushion, he played it in off the far jaw, if these two reds weren't
:59:29. > :59:33.covered he would play in the bunch. I don't know if he can be worried if
:59:34. > :59:37.he sticks on the bunch or nothing. I think he has to play at those two. I
:59:38. > :59:41.think he has played for the angle, from that red. He is very good at
:59:42. > :59:44.this shot. Normally the cue ball moves over to
:59:45. > :59:48.the left-hand side of the take, if you are paying at the top and the
:59:49. > :59:53.right-hand side. He is not playing it, I don't think. He is playing for
:59:54. > :59:58.the, as you say, Willy, he was worried about being on nothing,
:59:59. > :00:02.definitely gone into the bunch, from the next shot, because you want to
:00:03. > :00:13.split the reds open when there is one loose red.
:00:14. > :00:17.Lots of left-hand side on on the cue ball to keep low on the black. Of
:00:18. > :00:20.course the pack is not great but he is not worried about sticking on
:00:21. > :00:24.them this time, because as Stephen said he has left that loose red. It
:00:25. > :00:29.was a flat backpack, couldn't get any reaction from it, but that is
:00:30. > :01:02.the art of break-building, that is what you have to do.
:01:03. > :01:08.This looked to be a good split but just caught that first red slightly
:01:09. > :01:19.thinner. I think he the get through to the wed red.
:01:20. > :01:22.-- red. If he gets top out of blue, this is an excellent chance to win
:01:23. > :01:26.another frame. Is You have to feel sorry for Marco
:01:27. > :01:30.Fu, OK this morning's session he missed a couple of easy balls but
:01:31. > :01:34.every time he missed he has left one on. Some days it goes like that, he
:01:35. > :01:41.plays a bad safety shot, he sticks one on.
:01:42. > :01:51.He has been unfortunate. He has been outplayed but he hasn't had the best
:01:52. > :02:01.of the run. He hasn't started a game in this tournament well enough. The
:02:02. > :02:08.first match he was 7-1 down. I think you went 4-0 down in his
:02:09. > :02:13.second-round match. He has done it again here. He just can't afford to
:02:14. > :02:18.keep doing that, giving yourself too much to do, especially against world
:02:19. > :02:28.number one, that is never going to work. For whatever reason, he has
:02:29. > :02:34.just not been sharp enough at the start of matches this week. It has
:02:35. > :02:39.been an awful long season and Marco Fu has had a very good season. A lot
:02:40. > :02:42.of the pundits were saying that he would be one of their favourites
:02:43. > :02:49.coming into this tournament and he was mine as well and yours as well,
:02:50. > :02:55.I know, I do don't know if he has got tired or he has gone to the
:02:56. > :02:56.world too often but he doesn't look at the same kind of a player in the
:02:57. > :03:10.last two rounds. Amazingly enough Mark Selby, as I
:03:11. > :03:15.have mentioned before, has only made one century so far in this year 's
:03:16. > :03:18.championship. Obviously if he went on to win there would be a lot more
:03:19. > :03:21.to come of this is an excellent chance to make a century, a very big
:03:22. > :03:51.one. 73. He would have been happy with a
:03:52. > :03:55.3-1 mini-session, but to win all four, against someone in Marco 's
:03:56. > :04:01.class, he will be absolutely delighted. Three blues, two pinks,
:04:02. > :05:06.six blacks so far. This looks very much like the 56th
:05:07. > :05:15.century of this World Championship. Very good. The cannon on the road.
:05:16. > :05:24.It looks like it will be a total clearance. I think it is six a
:05:25. > :05:30.record, so the players left in the tournament will have to go some to
:05:31. > :05:34.make another 30 or so centuries to beat that record. After today there
:05:35. > :05:48.are only four players left so it will be close. 105.
:05:49. > :05:55.It has been a very professional performance this morning so far for
:05:56. > :06:02.Mark Selby. He stamped his authority early on in the first frame with a
:06:03. > :06:10.magnificent break. He is finishing off the four frames of this
:06:11. > :06:15.immaculate century. I can't find a reason for him not winning this
:06:16. > :06:18.match session early now. Marco Fu is going to have to do something pretty
:06:19. > :06:21.special in the next four frames after the interval. I cannot see it
:06:22. > :06:55.though. An awesome display in the first four
:06:56. > :07:09.frames from the defending champion. He now leads Marco Fu 10-2. Frame
:07:10. > :07:12.13, Marco Fu to break. Marco Fu quite simply his task is to get this
:07:13. > :07:18.match into the third session to do that he will have to win at least
:07:19. > :07:55.two of these remaining frames. That is not a good start.
:07:56. > :08:01.Something that may make Marco Pozner task a little bit easier is the fact
:08:02. > :08:04.that Mark Selby will now be putting pressure on himself to finish this
:08:05. > :09:05.match session early. Well, it was magnificent cueing.
:09:06. > :09:08.When the cue ball goes up the table and it looks like it might go tight
:09:09. > :09:10.on the condition but it just catches the jaw on the middle pocket and now
:09:11. > :10:04.he is perfect. He made a frame-winning break in the
:10:05. > :10:09.first frame of this session and in the fourth frame of this session,
:10:10. > :10:12.132, and there is a good chance here that there are still three loose
:10:13. > :10:22.reds available so he doesn't have to go into the pack just yet. He will
:10:23. > :10:25.play one more red and then he will go into the bunch because either of
:10:26. > :10:33.those reds, the one at the bottom of the bunch to the right corner, it
:10:34. > :10:41.makes a good shape to the pack to screw the ball into. He will leave
:10:42. > :10:45.himself low on the black here. He may have to play for the loose red
:10:46. > :10:50.out here. Jini is just another inch of the cue ball. He wants to screw
:10:51. > :10:51.the cue ball through that red, through the joint between the red
:10:52. > :11:09.and the pack. Now he is leaving himself one of
:11:10. > :11:12.your flat backpacks, Willie. Absolutely. O'Sullivan and Selby
:11:13. > :11:18.play this shot better than any of the other players at the minute. Of
:11:19. > :11:28.the outside reds with half ball and stun not screw. Just magnificent. If
:11:29. > :11:32.you don't play those with stun you get nowhere and you just end up
:11:33. > :11:37.finishing behind the black spot. You have to play with stun. He had
:11:38. > :11:40.exactly the outside red. If you hit the full board with the stand then
:11:41. > :11:43.you have a chance of putting one in the middle, never in the corner but
:11:44. > :12:30.always in the middle. Another chance to win the frame at one visit.
:12:31. > :13:39.59. He doesn't have to go into the bunch at all now because the bottom
:13:40. > :14:03.red pots and then the other two to the right-hand corner so no need to
:14:04. > :14:08.play a kiss now. 66. XT seven. I am surprised there has not been a break
:14:09. > :14:14.above 140 in this tournament yet. If Mark Selby goes with all his
:14:15. > :14:24.remaining reds and blacks then he will get 41. The century looks
:14:25. > :14:28.assured, but how many will it be. Yes, this has looked inevitable ever
:14:29. > :14:31.since he got that bump in the middle pocket after potting the initial
:14:32. > :14:42.long red. To finish nicely on the blue. It has never looked in doubt.
:14:43. > :15:02.Racing towards the winning line. He is pretty straight on this black.
:15:03. > :15:05.Just looking at the two reds, I am not sure if they are available in
:15:06. > :15:12.the corner pocket which is why he is leaving it to the yellow pocket.
:15:13. > :15:27.This is the first missable shot in this break so far. It touched the
:15:28. > :15:38.sides. He is going to be tough to beat in this tournament.
:15:39. > :16:15.97. 57th century of the tournament coming up. It was never in doubt.
:16:16. > :16:26.So, is this going to be too total clearance is back-to-back for Mark
:16:27. > :16:36.Selby? Or Marco Fu did was break off. This would set a decent target.
:16:37. > :16:46.139. I am sure that will not be enough to get the high break prize,
:16:47. > :16:50.but you never know. 114. This was the initial red you were talking
:16:51. > :16:56.about, if he doesn't get the bump it was a hard shot on the blue. Yes, it
:16:57. > :17:10.was very fortunate. An excellent pot. He is just having a lovely time
:17:11. > :17:28.out there today. Everything is coming now easily.
:17:29. > :17:39.One to six. -- 126. He has left himself a bit to do here. He has to
:17:40. > :18:01.be careful he doesn't miscue here. He has hit it too well so it looks
:18:02. > :18:15.as though he is going to have a tricky black to middle. 132. So this
:18:16. > :18:25.black for the highest break of the tournament so far. Is it there?
:18:26. > :18:31.Brilliant. Two total clearance is back-to-back for the world champion.
:18:32. > :18:41.Magnificent 139, the highest break of the tournament so far, and it
:18:42. > :18:46.takes him into an 11-2 lead. Settle down please! Frame 14. Mark Selby to
:18:47. > :18:49.break. You have to think, do you really want to come back tonight for
:18:50. > :18:51.one more frame and put your seat back on and get ready. It is a
:18:52. > :19:07.horrible position to being a match. Still getting a bit of encouragement
:19:08. > :19:24.from this audience, they want the match to go on a bit longer. Well,
:19:25. > :19:27.good shot. A great shot. It just pulled up a little bit short to be
:19:28. > :19:40.able to go into the pack but there is one loose red.
:19:41. > :19:47.Marco has found a little bit more cue power. He has lengthened his cue
:19:48. > :19:56.action in the last few months but you will need all of that cue power
:19:57. > :20:00.to open these roads. It is low enough on the black. The three reds
:20:01. > :20:12.closest to the black, the middle one he wants to it here. That is what he
:20:13. > :20:22.has done. A great shot. This was the red that Stephen was talking about.
:20:23. > :20:26.Oh, no. OK, he can consider himself a little bit unlucky actually
:20:27. > :20:29.because he played the split into the pack absolutely perfectly and I
:20:30. > :20:36.don't know if he had to put a little bit of cider that to help the pot,
:20:37. > :20:39.it looked quite tight. Yes, I think he just had to squeeze the cue ball
:20:40. > :20:50.a little bit to get the potting angle. Marco Fu had an excellent
:20:51. > :20:52.shot to spit the reds open but it looks like Mark Selby is going to be
:20:53. > :21:08.the one to reap the benefits. You would not bet against three
:21:09. > :21:11.centuries in a row here. Although Mark Selby has already won the World
:21:12. > :21:15.Championship twice and played some great snooker, I honestly think he
:21:16. > :21:21.is playing better now than he has during the two previous attempts at
:21:22. > :21:28.winning the World Championship. He looks in total control of his game,
:21:29. > :22:14.his emotions. His demeanour around the table looks frightening.
:22:15. > :22:48.24. He has not gone far enough to stay on the black. 25.
:22:49. > :22:54.31. I think you mentioned earlier on that only one thing missing from
:22:55. > :23:01.this match and that was century breaks. Well, I have to say it looks
:23:02. > :23:08.as though it will be three in a row now. Oh, he has had a very heavy
:23:09. > :23:35.contact there, but he is OK. The ankle he has on the right, he
:23:36. > :23:39.needs to play quite firm to bounce it on and off the collision because
:23:40. > :23:45.the natural anglers to roll tin. The white is going very close to
:23:46. > :23:48.right-hand side. That is probably why he is playing screw shot to the
:23:49. > :23:56.blue again, he doesn't fancy getting into the black nicely. He might wish
:23:57. > :24:02.he had have done now because it will have to go for a ball between the
:24:03. > :24:04.yellow and brown. A bit behind the two conditions to be on the choice
:24:05. > :24:19.of red. He positions the ball so sweet it is
:24:20. > :24:30.almost a pleasure to watch at the moment. Yes, I think when he won the
:24:31. > :24:35.World Championship last year this side of the game wasn't there, in
:24:36. > :24:42.thing. He won it by just being a ferocious competitor but this
:24:43. > :24:49.scoring, not missing a ball, together with this competitiveness,
:24:50. > :25:04.is going to take a special performance to beat him. 50. He was
:25:05. > :25:14.shaking his head there because he did not get that straight on this
:25:15. > :25:18.thread. 51. Once again that is passing between the brown and the
:25:19. > :25:21.yellow. A lot of screw on the left-hand side this time. Once again
:25:22. > :25:24.a similar avenue to the shot when he played it out of the baulk of
:25:25. > :25:38.before. The choice of the reds. That is perfect.
:25:39. > :25:45.56. 42 points in front. He possibly need three reds, depending on what
:25:46. > :26:05.colours he takes, to get the frame safe and go one for victory. 57.
:26:06. > :26:06.Even then he was slightly disappointed. He lost the cue ball a
:26:07. > :26:26.little bit. As we said, you hit the new near jaw
:26:27. > :26:34.and a dozen going. He will be very annoyed, Mark Selby, that he hasn't
:26:35. > :26:45.won the frame there. -- you hit the near jaw and it doesn't go in.
:26:46. > :26:49.Marco, what have you got left in the tank, to try and make frame-winning
:26:50. > :26:56.break? He has actually got a horrible contact on the black there
:26:57. > :27:01.which hasn't the cue ball wide. If it is not hard enough playing Mark
:27:02. > :27:21.Selby in this form, so, with no run of the balls Marco Fu.
:27:22. > :27:46.Another good shot. Everything is difficult at this stage. Just
:27:47. > :28:00.keeping your focus and concentration is difficult.
:28:01. > :28:17.If the scores were a little closer you would think that Marco Fu was an
:28:18. > :28:21.absolute certain to win this frame now but the frame of mind he is in I
:28:22. > :28:31.am not sure he will clear the, but he should do. Amazingly enough, this
:28:32. > :28:37.is his highest break so far this morning. The first time he has gone
:28:38. > :28:50.past the 30 but Mark Selby has been scoring so heavily.
:28:51. > :28:59.Oh, he got a bad bounce there. That cue ball has come off at least a
:29:00. > :29:04.foot server with the pace that it went on to the condition. -- it has
:29:05. > :29:12.gone at least one foot further than it should have done given the pace
:29:13. > :29:24.of the cushion. That wasn't his fault. He has still got a little bit
:29:25. > :29:34.of work to do. That is too hard, isn't it? He has got second prize.
:29:35. > :29:45.He didn't play for it in the middle. 43.
:29:46. > :29:51.Very well done, Marco Fu, that took a lot of courage. He has been sat
:29:52. > :29:57.down for most of the morning session. It has taken a lot of
:29:58. > :30:01.heart. A magnificent break of 57. 506I should say. Marco Fu has got a
:30:02. > :30:08.foothold in this match now. He has won a frame and he closes to 11-3.
:30:09. > :30:21.Thank you, frame 15. Marco Fu to break. Well, Marco Fu breaks off.
:30:22. > :30:27.You will be feeling a bit better. He is not out of the woods yet. You can
:30:28. > :30:30.still lose this match this morning. He needs to win one of the remaining
:30:31. > :31:17.two frames to avoid that. An excellent pace of cue ball. Just
:31:18. > :31:21.one person clapped in the audience there. He realised what a good
:31:22. > :31:22.safety shot it was. Well done, young man, I'm glad you understand the
:31:23. > :31:49.game. A sarcastic reply. I think we will see him play a more
:31:50. > :31:57.aggressive safety here, a thicker contact on the bunch.
:31:58. > :32:05.Open them up. He is aiming with the left-hand side.
:32:06. > :32:21.You have to be so careful, this is the pack on the way back.
:32:22. > :33:22.-- misses the pack on the way back. This is is a bit pacy, but luckily,
:33:23. > :33:25.there's no opening red. The way it is lose on the side, there is no
:33:26. > :33:30.path to baulk. He is looking to see if he can get through the cluster of
:33:31. > :33:34.reds. The first gap is on the two reds, a massive wide gap but the
:33:35. > :33:38.next gap is good so he is playing the safety shot, the one just before
:33:39. > :34:05.the black. That will bring the black into play.
:34:06. > :34:11.Marco Fu is obviously concerned, he can't put Mark Selby in any trouble
:34:12. > :34:14.with the green being off its spot. He can only get the cue ball down
:34:15. > :34:16.the right-hand side of the table. Which obviously means the there is
:34:17. > :34:45.no snookering ball there. As he covered this red over the
:34:46. > :35:10.pocket? Quite clearly, the yellow is in the way.
:35:11. > :35:17.Will play this with a lot of top-spin. Side cushion, back
:35:18. > :35:35.cushion, back up the table. The plan was for the cue ball to hit
:35:36. > :35:42.the side cushion first, but put the red in the cushion as he looked at
:35:43. > :35:56.it. This is a tough black.
:35:57. > :36:09.Well, brilliant. It is easier when you have an eight
:36:10. > :36:23.frame lead but that is still excellent cueing.
:36:24. > :36:31.Three or four shots to go, about eight reds on this back cushion, the
:36:32. > :36:36.black was there as well, all of a sudden after this black he should
:36:37. > :36:44.get the red that is stopping the black potting in the corner.
:36:45. > :36:46.This is a strange game! He doesn't really want to lose the black on to
:36:47. > :38:04.the brown spot, he wants it to spot. Those reds on the back cushion is
:38:05. > :38:06.going to finish low every time in the black, because he doesn't want
:38:07. > :38:29.to to stand-off the cushion. 40 points ahead now, so he's going
:38:30. > :38:30.to be able to win this frame without doing anything about those awkward
:38:31. > :38:44.reds. You can see the determination in
:38:45. > :38:52.Mark Selby's face, he was so disappointed to lose the last frame
:38:53. > :38:56.when he made a break of 57. If he wins this frame he has a
:38:57. > :39:03.chance of closing the match out, before tonight's final session.
:39:04. > :40:05.He knows this is a great chance, now, to lead 12-3.
:40:06. > :40:13.He obviously played for the pink in the corner.
:40:14. > :40:16.But he felt he had a heavy contact. Got the pace out of the cue ball.
:40:17. > :41:40.There you saw the bounce. So one frame left. This session. One
:41:41. > :41:45.frame needed by Mark Selby. What will power, what desire has Marco Fu
:41:46. > :42:07.got left, to bring this match to a final session tonight?
:42:08. > :42:17.It goes without saying that Marco has not been at the races. The way
:42:18. > :42:27.Mark man has gone about it is so clinical. Clinical. He is playing
:42:28. > :42:38.one of the best players and cueing like a dream.
:42:39. > :43:03.Four, maybe five cushions. That'll do it.
:43:04. > :43:10.He couldn't see it. He has to use the right-hand side to bend the cue
:43:11. > :43:21.ball. That is why he couldn't play a proper positional shot.
:43:22. > :43:25.The pockets seem like buckets at the moment to Mark Selby, to pot it at
:43:26. > :43:53.that pace, at that angle. This for the century.
:43:54. > :44:01.Is it there? It is. Brilliant.
:44:02. > :44:05.There was five reds, tight on the top cushion when he started this
:44:06. > :44:09.break. Chance of making the first 140 plus break in this World
:44:10. > :44:20.Championship now. Possible 143.
:44:21. > :44:24.Incredible. The last few shots to keep this
:44:25. > :44:30.break going have been incredible. I don't think I can remember a session
:44:31. > :44:38.where there's been total clearances in an eight frame session. That just
:44:39. > :44:48.shows hit the far jaw they will go in comfortably. Hit the near jaw,
:44:49. > :44:51.that will miss. I have known Mark since he was 12,
:44:52. > :45:00.and obviously seen him play thousands of frames. I don't think I
:45:01. > :45:04.have seen him play better. He is in a great place at moment. The game is
:45:05. > :45:08.just seeming so easy. He has finishing a bit straight on this
:45:09. > :45:12.green though, he will have to play for the brown and one of the middle
:45:13. > :45:35.pockets. What a shot this will be.
:45:36. > :45:43.Oh. He has potted a black in the middle,
:45:44. > :45:48.1,000mph, then a brown mesh. Kyren Wilson made the highest break last
:45:49. > :45:51.year of 143. This will equal that. Does he have to go in off baulk once
:45:52. > :46:23.more? Magnificent, one of the best century
:46:24. > :46:27.breaks I have seen. Highest break of the Championship so far. 143 by Mark
:46:28. > :46:40.Selby. He needs the last frame of this session, to win the match.
:46:41. > :46:46.The referee called the final frame of this session. Could it be the
:46:47. > :46:52.final frame of this match? That is the equation if Mark Selby wins it.
:46:53. > :47:51.Breaking off. In what he hopes will bes the last time in this match.
:47:52. > :47:54.Played the double there, which has left Marco Fu with half a chance
:47:55. > :48:34.that passes the blue. I wouldn't begrudge Marco Fu making
:48:35. > :48:41.a sizeable break from here, he needs an angle on the blue or the yellow
:48:42. > :48:50.to go into the bunch. Perfect angle on the blue, come on,
:48:51. > :48:51.Marco, dig deep. You don't deserve, having had such a great season to
:48:52. > :49:32.lose with a session to spare. OK, Marco is on the red but he needs
:49:33. > :49:36.the spider. He has to virtually stop it dead to leave himself a black.
:49:37. > :49:40.Could have been a lot easier than this, he played the kiss on the red
:49:41. > :49:46.perfectly. Yes, that was a great shot.
:49:47. > :49:50.Into the bunch. But I don't think if it goes to the right corner does he
:49:51. > :50:01.have to take the cue ball from black to same pocket?
:50:02. > :50:06.Well done. He has lost the cue ball slightly he almost had to guess the
:50:07. > :50:32.potting angle there. No. Oh, well, they don't often go, I
:50:33. > :50:41.think it was sheer pace. I thought he missed this.
:50:42. > :50:49.I am surprised that went in off the near knuckle.
:50:50. > :50:53.Mark Selby is sat in his chair with a little smile to himself. He
:50:54. > :50:56.thought Marco Fu had missed that. He thought he was going to have a
:50:57. > :51:00.chance to win this match. That wasn't the cleanest of pots.
:51:01. > :51:10.Because he almost missed it he has lost the cue ball again.
:51:11. > :51:15.You can tell he is feeling it out there, Marco. You could tell he was
:51:16. > :51:27.struggling, count owe. -- couldn't owe.
:51:28. > :51:28.-- you. He has taken a battering in this
:51:29. > :51:47.match. Could this be the final visit to the
:51:48. > :52:06.table in this match? Doesn't really want to play the
:52:07. > :52:08.cannon but it could be the only way to slow the cue ball down. He has
:52:09. > :52:29.played through the gap. Play red to the mid, then pink. Then
:52:30. > :52:40.there is a red at the left of the bunch that goes to the right corner.
:52:41. > :52:53.It is looking only news now for Marco Fu.
:52:54. > :52:58.Totally focussed. Now he has a chance to have a rest
:52:59. > :53:46.this evening. The message he has sent out to the
:53:47. > :53:54.rest of the field, with this performance.
:53:55. > :53:58.Had two sessions against one of the best players in the world, looks
:53:59. > :54:08.like he is going to win them 6-2 and 7-1.
:54:09. > :54:12.And there is still enough points for a century.
:54:13. > :54:45.He has already had three, could he possibly have four?
:54:46. > :54:50.This crowd have witnessed lots of wonderful sessions is of snooker, I
:54:51. > :54:57.am sure a lot of these people have been here many, many times.
:54:58. > :55:03.But I am sure should Selby go on to win, they will give him the applause
:55:04. > :55:11.he deserves, after being playing flawless in this session.
:55:12. > :55:20.Slightly underhit that, will have to go for the blue.
:55:21. > :55:31.93 -- 97% of the pots successful great recovery, top side of the
:55:32. > :56:05.blue. He is going to need one of the
:56:06. > :56:38.awkward reds, if he is to win the frame at this visit.
:56:39. > :56:49.Efrgets perfect on the pink. To drop in on the red, to the right corner.
:56:50. > :56:53.Oh, has he got that close? He has not potted the pink in the centre
:56:54. > :56:55.pocket. I don't expect him to miss this at all, but he wasn't planning
:56:56. > :57:13.having this angle on the red. It's safely there. You know you are
:57:14. > :57:15.going to play on the one table at The Crucible. It is is a great
:57:16. > :57:32.feeling. What a shame, I wonder whether Marco
:57:33. > :57:35.Fu will carry on. He is carrying on but barring snookers, Mark Selby has
:57:36. > :57:42.been so clinical and he is in the semifinal.
:57:43. > :57:54.Yes, you can see Mark Selby, he knows it's job done.
:57:55. > :57:59.Especially now, What a tremendous performance from Mark Selby. A
:58:00. > :58:02.standing ovation from this packed Kruis crowd, they have probably
:58:03. > :58:05.never seen anything like that, almost flawless a snooker from the
:58:06. > :58:09.current world champion, he is going to be so hard to beat. Many
:58:10. > :58:17.condolences to few few by the way. He played his part but Mark Selby
:58:18. > :58:22.goes into the semifinal at 13-3. So we are done to the one table set up.
:58:23. > :58:28.We have reached the semifinal and we will be back at 1.00 on BBC Two for
:58:29. > :58:58.more coverage from The Crucible. Until then, bye for now.
:58:59. > :59:03.I've had enough of this! A man's dead!
:59:04. > :59:06.No need to shout. I'm sorry.
:59:07. > :59:10.and I'm ordering a justice burger for two.