Day 12 World Championship Snooker Extra

Hello and welcome to extended highlights of the quarterfinals of

the 27 BetFred World Snooker Championship. John Higgins needed

just two friends to see of Kyren Wilson who was beaten at this stage

by Mark Selby last year. Your commentary team is Peter Ebdon and

John Virgo. John Higgins is breaking off. He

just needs two more frames for a place in the semifinal. No need to

tell you what Kyren Wilson needs to do. He needs a quick start.

If he could win the first four frames, which is not beyond the

realms of possibility, not only will it put him right back in the match,

but it would certainly make John Higgins think a little. Absolutely.

Good morning, John. Good morning, everyone. This really is a huge task

that faces Kyren Wilson this morning. John Higgins is in great

form. Just looking at John Higgins 's pot success it is up at 93%

again. In his marvellous match with Mark Allen it was 94%, so the levels

are high. He missed the red. He caught it much too thick and that is

why he ran into the reds, but no harm done, by the look at it.

He could not have played that any better.

It has been a commanding performance so far by John Higgins in this

match. It is almost like it is resistance of the old guard. Aid to

push an escape with pace, he courted much too thick.

It is amazing how John Higgins has rediscovered himself this season. I

thought he cut it too thin but he just found enough for the pocket and

at the right pace for the red to drop. I thought it was going to stay

there. He will need everything to go his way this morning, will Kyren

Wilson. I know he has a big future in the game and he will have many

years, you would've thought, all things being equal, with him at the

top of the game, but chances, when they come you have got to them. It

is no good thinking, well, I have a long career ahead of me.

The big problem is, no matter how good you are, there is only one

World Championship, every year. Would we be sitting here in 2017,

thinking that Ding Junhui hasn't won a World Championship? It is almost

impossible to comprehend. Another one just caught the draw -- jaw but

dropped. I always do with anyone, when anyone is coming along and they

say, well he is going to be a world champion for certain, I will think

of Jimmy. Well, that time he caught the jaw and it did not go in. He has

not left everything, but it is a little bit debilitating when you

miss one like that. You mentioned Jimmy White in there.

It is such a great testament to Jimmy White 's character and mental

strength because losing in six world finals would have broken most

people, but Jimmy White is not an ordinary person, he is a great

champion in his own right and he has been a great ambassador for snooker.

Unbelievable. The one thing he has got in common with you and I is he

absolutely loves the game and that is why he was so pleased to get the

wild card to stay in the tournament next year. Kyren Wilson and at

two-cushion escape. It does not want to leave a free ball. He may well

have done. It is a free ball. John Higgins will

gladly accept that. He has got a straight brown, while a straight

-ish brown to the middle, and a chance to score.

I have been so impressed with John Higgins so far in this tournament.

He really does look as though he's back to his very best. He times the

ball so well. We have talked before about what a great technique he has.

He is long and smooth. Add all of the professionals on the circuit

there is probably nobody who times the ball better. He stroked the ball

so beautifully that when he is playing well balls reach the pocket

at far less pace, which makes the pockets bigger. This is a really

tough black, though. Right in the heart of the pocket. That is an

excellent shot. Well played. Yes, how many times do we see those

missed? No matter how small the pockets were, that was a beautifully

struck shot. I know we hark back to that match with Mark Allen, Mark

Allen played, apart from the odd bad contact, he didn't do anything

wrong, and yet John Higgins still beat him 13-9. It really was an

incredible match. Mark Allen played so well that he certainly would have

beaten most other players in the tournament where he played. That has

just gone wrong. I thought that little cannon on the road below the

pink would leave him one to the right corner. Anyway, he has the

advantage of a touching ball so an easy path back to the baulk end. I

think when you win a match like that, you have come here and it

proves that you're playing well and it gives you confidence to go on. I

have always said to people that you don't find your form here, you have

got to bring your gaming here and have confidence that you're going to

play well. Not be playing poorly and then thing, oh, I am just going to

spark when the curtain opens, or you walk down those steps. It could be

good and nestle behind a green here. That was a little bit fortunate from

Kyren. The intention is to get the cue ball is tied to the baulk

cushion as you can so he has overhit that slightly.

-- will it reach? Has he left this red on? Well, he has left nothing on

but you have to say that if John Higgins can repeat that line with a

bit more pace it would be the perfect escape.

Very nicely played. Kyren immediately can see there is the

possibility of the plant here. Can he get to it? The distance between

the two reds, risky. Another badly misjudged long pot. He

missed it, ran into the reds. A chance for tyrant. -- Kyren.

We have not seen too many misjudgements John Higgins like that

in this whole tournament, let alone this match. He he didn't play that

well. It should have been straight on this red, just to run it through

for the black. It is a little bit careless to leave himself off

straight here like this. He may possibly have to screw back for the

blue here but he needs to avoid the end of off the centre if he is

campaigning into the pink. It is OK. He just got a slight angle on the

blue but not the best angle. If it had been straight on that last red

and it will have all looked more easy. But he has cue to that nicely.

It is never easy that McEwing in the jewels pocket. I was a little bit

surprised that he decided to play off the cushion there because if he

had rolled the cue ball through about 2.5 feet he would have had

this red that he is taking on now straight into the right-hand black

pocket and he could've stayed on the black is to get back up for the blue

now. It is a very unexpected mess. Trying to pinch a bit there holding

for the black. If he had been straight at the ready but the fad to

do anything but he is just trying to hold the cue ball. Not the start he

was looking for or he needed in this first frame. OK, it is going to be a

big ask for John Higgins to win the frame of this visit, but he is at

the table. The way he has been playing, you wouldn't put it past

him. This has been a very stern

examination in this match for Kyren Wilson. They don't come much tougher

than John Higgins, but he will learn an awful lot from this match. He

will realise just how tough it is at the top table in World Snooker. John

Higgins, he has found out what it is like to try and compete at the

biggest stage against one of the greatest of all time in top form. He

took that opportunity and he was nicely on the black, just bring

those two reds into play. A 9-point lead and he is still going to need

at least five of these remaining reds. With colours. It is not a

formality. As I say,... He has to be a little bit careful

that he has just bought. He nearly overscrewed it.

This black will put 1032 in front. He will still be looking for a red

colour red after this. He is deciding to play for one of

the awkward words, such was the ankle he had on the black. This is

tight. You would not expect to miss this. When it is tight against the

cushion makes the pot so much easier.

Another perfect position shot there. You see it at 30 -- 40 ahead with 51

remaining, but not for long. This black to go 48 points in front. Just

43 remaining. I said when he came to the table

that it was not an easy run to the line, but once again he doesn't let

you down. He has missed a red but it doesn't matter. No way back to the

table for Kyren Wilson and John Higgins now just one frame away from

a place in the semifinal. 12-5. So, Kyren Wilson gets frame 13 under

way. Sorry, frame 18. He would probably wish it was frame 13. Maybe

missing out -- may be wishing he could play a few more games but his

World Championship hopes are maybe hanging by a thread.

Well worth having a go at. Got nothing to lose really. You have to

go for shots. Go out with a bang rather than a whimper.

I think John Higgins thought that was in for a second.

Taking this red on. Where is the Red Bull going?

He could have done with a bit of luck. It just flicked off the brown.

It just did not catch the pocket. He is playing it in the top corner

pocket. Pace of the side cushion into the cluster. That is what made

the blue admissible. Hang on? With this new run? Is running enough to

block the pocket. It is amazing how it nearly found

its way in that corner pocket, isn't it? At first glance Kyren and has

been very fortunate there. He would most certainly have expected to

leave a red on, having missed the blue and gone into the pack of reds.

John Higgins has left a little tester for him here. The ball is

open. This is why John Higgins is such a

tough match player. He knows that he has got Kyren Wilson under

tremendous pressure here and that Kyren Wilson looking to go for his

shots and perhaps take on shots that maybe he should not. John Higgins

had a choice of long red there and he refused both of them. He played a

good safety shot. He left the tempter for Kyren and he is quite

rightly playing safe. That was a very good safety shot, well played.

John may be looking to leave the cue ball behind the black here. That is

OK. Is there a red that goes in the centre? Did John Higgins

deliberately leave this one for Kyren and to have a go at? We know

how tough they are into the middle. Yes, he may have well left him that

tempter. I remember before your time Ray Reardon used to do that with

Alex Higgins a few times, leave him a tempter. He knew eventually he

could not refuse them. The reason I say that is that it would have been

very easy for John Higgins to play that's a little harder and get the

cue ball behind the black so I feel that he did indeed leave that

tempting pot for Kyren and into the left centre, which was a very tough

pot. Is John thinking of taking this red on? Just waiting. I think

somebody is probably unwell. When they open the doors of the top of

the Sterz it lets in the daylight. I think we have got the thumbs up

from the Security man at the top. I think John is just waiting while

they sort this out. When they take someone out they open the door and

you get the daylight coming through which is obviously very distracting.

While he waits for this, John Higgins has certainly proved that it

is not young man's game, Peter, this year. Certainly not when you are as

good as John Higgins. Gives you hope for the future. Absolutely. John may

be able to play this into the yellow pocket as a shot to nothing. I

thought he could take it into the yellow pockets and screw back onto

the black cushion under the road went and he will be on the blue, but

he played excellent safety shot. Kyren Wilson does have a tough red

into the right centre here. It is there.

It was always on the top jaw, but the pace was perfect.

Yes, it does give me hope that there might be a bit of snooker left in

for me, to be perfectly honest. What brought that home to me more than

anything was being part of the 40th anniversary celebration, it was

special to be part of that as a former world champion, I thought it

is time for me to rededicate myself to snooker. I have had other

interests in the last two or three year, but you only get out of this

game what you put into it. You do and it goes so quickly. Time flies.

40 years. And coming here. Yes, you are a long time retired, as

they say. Speaking of which were you surprised

at Stephen Hendry retiring at such a young age? I was, to be perfectly

honest with you. I think the thing is with Steven he

was such a competitive animal. He wanted to win, when he dropped a few

notch, didn't feel as though he could get it back, changed cues a

few times and I suppose if you are a born winner, you don't want to be

remembered as that. Kyren Wilson keeps leaving himself

difficult pots into the middle pockets. He is not guaranteed to be

on a red unless he plays it with pace for the red into the right

corner. This makes this black missable. You can hardly see any

middle pocket at all there. This time it is a bit low. Not the

type of pot he would have gone for, but under the circumstances you

would rather go out with a bang than a whimper.

He's... Given John Higgins a chance, and John Higgins comes to the table,

he was only 24 points behind. So Kyren may be fearing the worse. I

think he would get another shot. How far behind he will be... Depend

what John Higgins makes of this opportunity, but, although I said in

the last frame, it is going to be very difficult for John Higgins to

win the frame at this visit, you wouldn't put anything past him. I

did add that caveat. I am just wondering if John Higgins might try

to get the black back in to play. No real need to do that, of course,

because he has the blue and pink to work with, if he had taken the red

into the green pocket he could have got behind the black to get the

black back on the spot. Choosing to play for the pink.

Make no mistake about it, John Higgins will be giving it everything

he's got. Got, to win this frame, and match in this visit.

Up for the blue. Judge the pace nicely. I'm not certain about the

availability of those two reds that are together, immediately to the

left of the pin, they might not be available. Certainly one of the reds

of the two near the left-hand side cushion would go, you would have

thought, he may have to play for one of those here. He may have the angle

to drop behind them into the middle. He did. And that's a much better

choice. And once of course he pots one of

these reds, he makes the other one more available.

Bit short on the blue, so he is looking at the pink here. I don't

think if he has the potle angle to cannon into those two reds. He has,

I think. He's perfect. He has to get through cue ball here,

just cannon into the two reds. Well, that surprised me. Well,

obviously, the top one goes to the left middle.

It didn't look as though it did. Mmm.

I think he could hit enough of it, Peter, don't you? Yes, I think he

could. That was an uncharacteristic mistake

from John Higgins, especially with the winning line in sight.

It was an uncompromising looking situation, when he came to the

table. Table. You wouldn't have fancied him to clear up, after a

That was an uncharacteristic mistake from John Higgins, especially with

the winning line in sight. It was an uncompromising looking

situation, when he came to the table. You wouldn't have fancied him

to clear up, after a few shots you thought "Maybe this is going to be

on." Another chance for Kyren Wilson to get another frame on the board

here. And when you're playing from this

situation, you're playing for one thing. No thought of winning the

match, you're playing for pride. May well leave himself the angle on

this next red into the centre, to play with top-spin, off the baulk

cushion and bring the red on the side cushion into play. Could be

pushing the red over the middle pocket and should be on the blue. If

it comes off. He may not have the angle.

He has this red now, to the corner. Thinking back about frames that have

gone against Kyren, I remember one frame in the fist session, yesterday

morning, when he had a black similar to this, just to pot it and be on

the yellow to clear up to win. Strangely enough I was just thinking

about the black that he missed with the rest. Very surprising miss, it

was, and very costly as it turned out.

Canonise, and this red will go past the pink. Yeah, good shot.

Quick glance at the score board, 22 points, the lead. He still needs

this blue and the remaining red. He couldn't have struck this any

better. What a beautiful positional shot that was. Cracker.

Quick glance at the score board, 22 points, the lead. He still needs

this blue and the remaining red. He couldn't have struck this any

better. What a beautiful positional oh, the vital frame ball, how many

times do we see it missed! And John Higgins, as he watch that

miss again, circumstances, anything is going to be missed by the young

man. But, that was a pity. John Higgins, if he pots this red,

gets position on a colour, this could be frame and match winning

opportunity. Good kiss on the brown.

Is Not really. 26 points behind.

27 remaining. Mmm. Well, decided to go for it.

He's left it. That's the thing about John Higgins,

he's one away and he's still having a word with himself, when he misses

at show. He will get another chance now so

Kyren Wilson fair play to him, he is not lying down here.

Well, it didn't matter about the blue and John Higgins stays in his

seat. And nods to the concession. So Kyren

Wilson, as I say, hanging by a thread, now six behind again, 12-6

John Higgins. Just got to hang in there, take one

frame at a time. That's all you can do. That is all you can do, John.

So so, John Higgins breaks off, frame 19.

Leading by 12 frames to six. Just needing one more frame.

For a place in the semifinal. Again.

Well, if you're going to miss those you err on the side of too thin. You

have to set yourself little #2k3w0e8s. He is is only playing for

pride at the moment, Kyren. Tried to take this match beyond the

mid-session interval. That would be one goal. Unlike onto play safe and

catch the blue. Not left a pot on, but... Easy safety for Kyren.

Good chance to get the cue ball behind the yellow here, swinging

round the angles. Not really hit that hard enough. Cue ball needed to

be a little bit deeper into the cushion as well, which means he

needed a slightly thicker contact on the red that he played.

That's a little short from John Higgins.

Kyren taking this on. He is, that's an excellent pot, well played.

He has a little flick on the green there. As you say, excellent pot,

and found a path. Just flicked the green. But would with the blue not

being on its spot, he's taking it on. And played it well, oh, that's

OK. It looks like the cue ball was going to run up the table and a red,

hang on, top there. Stop there and he's perfect on the

red. What a am shame. I know what he's

feeling. Easy black off the spot. Could have left a little bit of a

legacy even if he lost this match by making the highest break of the

tournament. He had a chance there. He will be feeling bad enough as it

is, the way this match has turned now, missing the black like that...

He will want a hole to swallow you up in.

This has been a baptism of fire, hasn't it, John, but Kyren Wilson

will be back, and he will be back stronger, made the quarterfinals

last year, losing to the eventual champion, world number one Mark

Selby. He has had another really stiff and stern examination here.

From the four, time world champion, John

Higgins, one of the greatest match players we have ever seen, in top

form. Kyren will be very very disappointed with the way he has

played in this match. As I say, it will be tremendous experience for

him. It is hard to think of that when you're out there, watching your

opponent pot the balls that will take him past the winning line. But

you have to take positives out of everything.

If we could all do that in life, then, sometimes when things are not

going too well, you have to remember that hopefully they can turn. And

will turn. To be perfectly honest it is our

defeats and disappoints in life around the strength we game from

that experience, that ultimately shapes us into becoming the people

that we were meant to be. Yes. But he gets another chance, an

unexpected one. Unexpected miss from John Higgins.

You can see, he wasn't happy with that.

I wonder ho how many of those John Higgins misses in a season s John?

Well, he will probably be losing a bit of focus. He thinks the match is

won, and you wouldn't disagree with him. You still from the to pot the

balls. Played this nicely. Stunning down,

so he can now play for the black. Wants to get the black on its spot.

This black will put him 22 points in front.

So threads, just above the black, if he can get the majority of them.

These reds. He will have another frame on the score board.

Niesmt It seems to be the middle pockets that are catching both

players out this morning. What a chance he has missed.

And that could be his last one. It is hard to think positive when

you're in situations like this. John Higgins after those couple of missed

opportunities, that pink at the last visit, he missed into the middle.

He will He will be wanting to put it right now, and seal this match at

this visit. Just got the right angle on the

blue. Perfect on the blue once again.

Ten points behind now. These four reds. Four blacks. Yellow

and green. For place in the semifinal.

I am just sitting here, thinking, John, how many very good young

players come into the game, and have come into the game down the years,

and just makes me realise and appreciate how special the top

players like Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark William, John Higgins, Stephen

Hendry, Steve Davis have been down the year, the outstanding champion,

they do it year in, year out. And it is so difficult to fulfil

your potential at the highest level. V every respect to these great

champions. Sometimes, John, it is difficult to

handle winning, isn't it. It certainly is, and the trappings that

go with it, but, I think longevity in any sport is what makes great

champions. He has to get a good positional shot

on this red. Doesn't want the kiss. Couldn't

avoid running into the red, so... He has a 12 point lead. I mean it will

cut. Can he control the cue ball? Just struggle its way in. And he's

just about on the brown, the pinks gone near the baulk cushion but he

doesn't need the pink. 22 points the lead. 22 points

remaining, so the brown for a place in the semifinal.

In goes the blue, no way back for young Kyren Wilson. He held John

Higgins early on in the match, then he had tip problem and John Higgins

turned it on, as he has done most of this tournament. Kyren Wilson, he'll

be back, he has too much talent not to be, but John Higgins, marvellous

performance, produced it again in this one, with a pot success of 92%

and he is through to his eighth World Championship, semifinal. Wins

by 13 frames to six. So well done John Higgins defending

champion Mark Selby led Marco Fu 6-2 after the first session, he took the

next three frame, to make it 9-2. He needs just four to book his place in

the semifinals, commentary this time from Stephen Hendry and Willie

Thorne. So the auditorium, Mark Selby breaks

off in frame 12. He has won the first three of the

morning session, can he make it a clean sweep for the second time? He

won the first four, yesterday morning's session.

Whenever you miss, you seem to leave one up for your opponent.

Almost identical to the first frame. The black is tight on the cushion.

Somehow Mark Selby did it in the first frame, can he do it again? He

needs that cue ball to stop. He's on nothing. He is just on this red.

Ifrgets wonder if he will risk playing for the black? It's the

right shot. Black is just slightly off the

cushion, which just makes it a bit trickier, especially because he will

be playing it with a bit of pace, to bring the cue ball out.

Never in doubt. Play to finish high on the black

here so he can go into the bunch and leave himself possibly a red to left

hand corner. It is, it was very close to the

cushion, he played it in off the far jaw, if these two reds weren't

covered he would play in the bunch. I don't know if he can be worried if

he sticks on the bunch or nothing. I think he has to play at those two. I

think he has played for the angle, from that red. He is very good at

this shot. Normally the cue ball moves over to

the left-hand side of the take, if you are paying at the top and the

right-hand side. He is not playing it, I don't think. He is playing for

the, as you say, Willy, he was worried about being on nothing,

definitely gone into the bunch, from the next shot, because you want to

split the reds open when there is one loose red.

Lots of left-hand side on on the cue ball to keep low on the black. Of

course the pack is not great but he is not worried about sticking on

them this time, because as Stephen said he has left that loose red. It

was a flat backpack, couldn't get any reaction from it, but that is

the art of break-building, that is what you have to do.

This looked to be a good split but just caught that first red slightly

thinner. I think he the get through to the wed red.

-- red. If he gets top out of blue, this is an excellent chance to win

another frame. Is You have to feel sorry for Marco

Fu, OK this morning's session he missed a couple of easy balls but

every time he missed he has left one on. Some days it goes like that, he

plays a bad safety shot, he sticks one on.

He has been unfortunate. He has been outplayed but he hasn't had the best

of the run. He hasn't started a game in this tournament well enough. The

first match he was 7-1 down. I think you went 4-0 down in his

second-round match. He has done it again here. He just can't afford to

keep doing that, giving yourself too much to do, especially against world

number one, that is never going to work. For whatever reason, he has

just not been sharp enough at the start of matches this week. It has

been an awful long season and Marco Fu has had a very good season. A lot

of the pundits were saying that he would be one of their favourites

coming into this tournament and he was mine as well and yours as well,

I know, I do don't know if he has got tired or he has gone to the

world too often but he doesn't look at the same kind of a player in the

last two rounds. Amazingly enough Mark Selby, as I

have mentioned before, has only made one century so far in this year 's

championship. Obviously if he went on to win there would be a lot more

to come of this is an excellent chance to make a century, a very big

one. 73. He would have been happy with a

3-1 mini-session, but to win all four, against someone in Marco 's

class, he will be absolutely delighted. Three blues, two pinks,

six blacks so far. This looks very much like the 56th

century of this World Championship. Very good. The cannon on the road.

It looks like it will be a total clearance. I think it is six a

record, so the players left in the tournament will have to go some to

make another 30 or so centuries to beat that record. After today there

are only four players left so it will be close. 105.

It has been a very professional performance this morning so far for

Mark Selby. He stamped his authority early on in the first frame with a

magnificent break. He is finishing off the four frames of this

immaculate century. I can't find a reason for him not winning this

match session early now. Marco Fu is going to have to do something pretty

special in the next four frames after the interval. I cannot see it

though. An awesome display in the first four

frames from the defending champion. He now leads Marco Fu 10-2. Frame

13, Marco Fu to break. Marco Fu quite simply his task is to get this

match into the third session to do that he will have to win at least

two of these remaining frames. That is not a good start.

Something that may make Marco Pozner task a little bit easier is the fact

that Mark Selby will now be putting pressure on himself to finish this

match session early. Well, it was magnificent cueing.

When the cue ball goes up the table and it looks like it might go tight

on the condition but it just catches the jaw on the middle pocket and now

he is perfect. He made a frame-winning break in the

first frame of this session and in the fourth frame of this session,

132, and there is a good chance here that there are still three loose

reds available so he doesn't have to go into the pack just yet. He will

play one more red and then he will go into the bunch because either of

those reds, the one at the bottom of the bunch to the right corner, it

makes a good shape to the pack to screw the ball into. He will leave

himself low on the black here. He may have to play for the loose red

out here. Jini is just another inch of the cue ball. He wants to screw

the cue ball through that red, through the joint between the red

and the pack. Now he is leaving himself one of

your flat backpacks, Willie. Absolutely. O'Sullivan and Selby

play this shot better than any of the other players at the minute. Of

the outside reds with half ball and stun not screw. Just magnificent. If

you don't play those with stun you get nowhere and you just end up

finishing behind the black spot. You have to play with stun. He had

exactly the outside red. If you hit the full board with the stand then

you have a chance of putting one in the middle, never in the corner but

always in the middle. Another chance to win the frame at one visit.

59. He doesn't have to go into the bunch at all now because the bottom

red pots and then the other two to the right-hand corner so no need to

play a kiss now. 66. XT seven. I am surprised there has not been a break

above 140 in this tournament yet. If Mark Selby goes with all his

remaining reds and blacks then he will get 41. The century looks

assured, but how many will it be. Yes, this has looked inevitable ever

since he got that bump in the middle pocket after potting the initial

long red. To finish nicely on the blue. It has never looked in doubt.

Racing towards the winning line. He is pretty straight on this black.

Just looking at the two reds, I am not sure if they are available in

the corner pocket which is why he is leaving it to the yellow pocket.

This is the first missable shot in this break so far. It touched the

sides. He is going to be tough to beat in this tournament.

97. 57th century of the tournament coming up. It was never in doubt.

So, is this going to be too total clearance is back-to-back for Mark

Selby? Or Marco Fu did was break off. This would set a decent target.

139. I am sure that will not be enough to get the high break prize,

but you never know. 114. This was the initial red you were talking

about, if he doesn't get the bump it was a hard shot on the blue. Yes, it

was very fortunate. An excellent pot. He is just having a lovely time

out there today. Everything is coming now easily.

One to six. -- 126. He has left himself a bit to do here. He has to

be careful he doesn't miscue here. He has hit it too well so it looks

as though he is going to have a tricky black to middle. 132. So this

black for the highest break of the tournament so far. Is it there?

Brilliant. Two total clearance is back-to-back for the world champion.

Magnificent 139, the highest break of the tournament so far, and it

takes him into an 11-2 lead. Settle down please! Frame 14. Mark Selby to

break. You have to think, do you really want to come back tonight for

one more frame and put your seat back on and get ready. It is a

horrible position to being a match. Still getting a bit of encouragement

from this audience, they want the match to go on a bit longer. Well,

good shot. A great shot. It just pulled up a little bit short to be

able to go into the pack but there is one loose red.

Marco has found a little bit more cue power. He has lengthened his cue

action in the last few months but you will need all of that cue power

to open these roads. It is low enough on the black. The three reds

closest to the black, the middle one he wants to it here. That is what he

has done. A great shot. This was the red that Stephen was talking about.

Oh, no. OK, he can consider himself a little bit unlucky actually

because he played the split into the pack absolutely perfectly and I

don't know if he had to put a little bit of cider that to help the pot,

it looked quite tight. Yes, I think he just had to squeeze the cue ball

a little bit to get the potting angle. Marco Fu had an excellent

shot to spit the reds open but it looks like Mark Selby is going to be

the one to reap the benefits. You would not bet against three

centuries in a row here. Although Mark Selby has already won the World

Championship twice and played some great snooker, I honestly think he

is playing better now than he has during the two previous attempts at

winning the World Championship. He looks in total control of his game,

his emotions. His demeanour around the table looks frightening.

24. He has not gone far enough to stay on the black. 25.

31. I think you mentioned earlier on that only one thing missing from

this match and that was century breaks. Well, I have to say it looks

as though it will be three in a row now. Oh, he has had a very heavy

contact there, but he is OK. The ankle he has on the right, he

needs to play quite firm to bounce it on and off the collision because

the natural anglers to roll tin. The white is going very close to

right-hand side. That is probably why he is playing screw shot to the

blue again, he doesn't fancy getting into the black nicely. He might wish

he had have done now because it will have to go for a ball between the

yellow and brown. A bit behind the two conditions to be on the choice

of red. He positions the ball so sweet it is

almost a pleasure to watch at the moment. Yes, I think when he won the

World Championship last year this side of the game wasn't there, in

thing. He won it by just being a ferocious competitor but this

scoring, not missing a ball, together with this competitiveness,

is going to take a special performance to beat him. 50. He was

shaking his head there because he did not get that straight on this

thread. 51. Once again that is passing between the brown and the

yellow. A lot of screw on the left-hand side this time. Once again

a similar avenue to the shot when he played it out of the baulk of

before. The choice of the reds. That is perfect.

56. 42 points in front. He possibly need three reds, depending on what

colours he takes, to get the frame safe and go one for victory. 57.

Even then he was slightly disappointed. He lost the cue ball a

little bit. As we said, you hit the new near jaw

and a dozen going. He will be very annoyed, Mark Selby, that he hasn't

won the frame there. -- you hit the near jaw and it doesn't go in.

Marco, what have you got left in the tank, to try and make frame-winning

break? He has actually got a horrible contact on the black there

which hasn't the cue ball wide. If it is not hard enough playing Mark

Selby in this form, so, with no run of the balls Marco Fu.

Another good shot. Everything is difficult at this stage. Just

keeping your focus and concentration is difficult.

If the scores were a little closer you would think that Marco Fu was an

absolute certain to win this frame now but the frame of mind he is in I

am not sure he will clear the, but he should do. Amazingly enough, this

is his highest break so far this morning. The first time he has gone

past the 30 but Mark Selby has been scoring so heavily.

Oh, he got a bad bounce there. That cue ball has come off at least a

foot server with the pace that it went on to the condition. -- it has

gone at least one foot further than it should have done given the pace

of the cushion. That wasn't his fault. He has still got a little bit

of work to do. That is too hard, isn't it? He has got second prize.

He didn't play for it in the middle. 43.

Very well done, Marco Fu, that took a lot of courage. He has been sat

down for most of the morning session. It has taken a lot of

heart. A magnificent break of 57. 506I should say. Marco Fu has got a

foothold in this match now. He has won a frame and he closes to 11-3.

Thank you, frame 15. Marco Fu to break. Well, Marco Fu breaks off.

You will be feeling a bit better. He is not out of the woods yet. You can

still lose this match this morning. He needs to win one of the remaining

two frames to avoid that. An excellent pace of cue ball. Just

one person clapped in the audience there. He realised what a good

safety shot it was. Well done, young man, I'm glad you understand the

game. A sarcastic reply. I think we will see him play a more

aggressive safety here, a thicker contact on the bunch.

Open them up. He is aiming with the left-hand side.

You have to be so careful, this is the pack on the way back.

-- misses the pack on the way back. This is is a bit pacy, but luckily,

there's no opening red. The way it is lose on the side, there is no

path to baulk. He is looking to see if he can get through the cluster of

reds. The first gap is on the two reds, a massive wide gap but the

next gap is good so he is playing the safety shot, the one just before

the black. That will bring the black into play.

Marco Fu is obviously concerned, he can't put Mark Selby in any trouble

with the green being off its spot. He can only get the cue ball down

the right-hand side of the table. Which obviously means the there is

no snookering ball there. As he covered this red over the

pocket? Quite clearly, the yellow is in the way.

Will play this with a lot of top-spin. Side cushion, back

cushion, back up the table. The plan was for the cue ball to hit

the side cushion first, but put the red in the cushion as he looked at

it. This is a tough black.

Well, brilliant. It is easier when you have an eight

frame lead but that is still excellent cueing.

Three or four shots to go, about eight reds on this back cushion, the

black was there as well, all of a sudden after this black he should

get the red that is stopping the black potting in the corner.

This is a strange game! He doesn't really want to lose the black on to

the brown spot, he wants it to spot. Those reds on the back cushion is

going to finish low every time in the black, because he doesn't want

to to stand-off the cushion. 40 points ahead now, so he's going

to be able to win this frame without doing anything about those awkward

reds. You can see the determination in

Mark Selby's face, he was so disappointed to lose the last frame

when he made a break of 57. If he wins this frame he has a

chance of closing the match out, before tonight's final session.

He knows this is a great chance, now, to lead 12-3.

He obviously played for the pink in the corner.

But he felt he had a heavy contact. Got the pace out of the cue ball.

There you saw the bounce. So one frame left. This session. One

frame needed by Mark Selby. What will power, what desire has Marco Fu

got left, to bring this match to a final session tonight?

It goes without saying that Marco has not been at the races. The way

Mark man has gone about it is so clinical. Clinical. He is playing

one of the best players and cueing like a dream.

Four, maybe five cushions. That'll do it.

He couldn't see it. He has to use the right-hand side to bend the cue

ball. That is why he couldn't play a proper positional shot.

The pockets seem like buckets at the moment to Mark Selby, to pot it at

that pace, at that angle. This for the century.

Is it there? It is. Brilliant.

There was five reds, tight on the top cushion when he started this

break. Chance of making the first 140 plus break in this World

Championship now. Possible 143.

Incredible. The last few shots to keep this

break going have been incredible. I don't think I can remember a session

where there's been total clearances in an eight frame session. That just

shows hit the far jaw they will go in comfortably. Hit the near jaw,

that will miss. I have known Mark since he was 12,

and obviously seen him play thousands of frames. I don't think I

have seen him play better. He is in a great place at moment. The game is

just seeming so easy. He has finishing a bit straight on this

green though, he will have to play for the brown and one of the middle

pockets. What a shot this will be.

Oh. He has potted a black in the middle,

1,000mph, then a brown mesh. Kyren Wilson made the highest break last

year of 143. This will equal that. Does he have to go in off baulk once

more? Magnificent, one of the best century

breaks I have seen. Highest break of the Championship so far. 143 by Mark

Selby. He needs the last frame of this session, to win the match.

The referee called the final frame of this session. Could it be the

final frame of this match? That is the equation if Mark Selby wins it.

Breaking off. In what he hopes will bes the last time in this match.

Played the double there, which has left Marco Fu with half a chance

that passes the blue. I wouldn't begrudge Marco Fu making

a sizeable break from here, he needs an angle on the blue or the yellow

to go into the bunch. Perfect angle on the blue, come on,

Marco, dig deep. You don't deserve, having had such a great season to

lose with a session to spare. OK, Marco is on the red but he needs

the spider. He has to virtually stop it dead to leave himself a black.

Could have been a lot easier than this, he played the kiss on the red

perfectly. Yes, that was a great shot.

Into the bunch. But I don't think if it goes to the right corner does he

have to take the cue ball from black to same pocket?

Well done. He has lost the cue ball slightly he almost had to guess the

potting angle there. No. Oh, well, they don't often go, I

think it was sheer pace. I thought he missed this.

I am surprised that went in off the near knuckle.

Mark Selby is sat in his chair with a little smile to himself. He

thought Marco Fu had missed that. He thought he was going to have a

chance to win this match. That wasn't the cleanest of pots.

Because he almost missed it he has lost the cue ball again.

You can tell he is feeling it out there, Marco. You could tell he was

struggling, count owe. -- couldn't owe.

-- you. He has taken a battering in this

match. Could this be the final visit to the

table in this match? Doesn't really want to play the

cannon but it could be the only way to slow the cue ball down. He has

played through the gap. Play red to the mid, then pink. Then

there is a red at the left of the bunch that goes to the right corner.

It is looking only news now for Marco Fu.

Totally focussed. Now he has a chance to have a rest

this evening. The message he has sent out to the

rest of the field, with this performance.

Had two sessions against one of the best players in the world, looks

like he is going to win them 6-2 and 7-1.

And there is still enough points for a century.

He has already had three, could he possibly have four?

This crowd have witnessed lots of wonderful sessions is of snooker, I

am sure a lot of these people have been here many, many times.

But I am sure should Selby go on to win, they will give him the applause

he deserves, after being playing flawless in this session.

Slightly underhit that, will have to go for the blue.

93 -- 97% of the pots successful great recovery, top side of the

blue. He is going to need one of the

awkward reds, if he is to win the frame at this visit.

Efrgets perfect on the pink. To drop in on the red, to the right corner.

Oh, has he got that close? He has not potted the pink in the centre

pocket. I don't expect him to miss this at all, but he wasn't planning

having this angle on the red. It's safely there. You know you are

going to play on the one table at The Crucible. It is is a great

feeling. What a shame, I wonder whether Marco

Fu will carry on. He is carrying on but barring snookers, Mark Selby has

been so clinical and he is in the semifinal.

Yes, you can see Mark Selby, he knows it's job done.

Especially now, What a tremendous performance from Mark Selby. A

standing ovation from this packed Kruis crowd, they have probably

never seen anything like that, almost flawless a snooker from the

current world champion, he is going to be so hard to beat. Many

condolences to few few by the way. He played his part but Mark Selby

goes into the semifinal at 13-3. So we are done to the one table set up.

We have reached the semifinal and we will be back at 1.00 on BBC Two for

more coverage from The Crucible. Until then, bye for now.

I've had enough of this! A man's dead!

No need to shout. I'm sorry.

and I'm ordering a justice burger for two.