17.1.13

DAY FIVE PREVIEW

NEIL ROBERTSON v MARK ALLEN
Robertson could easily be out but staged a great rearguard action to come from 5-3 down to edge Ding Junhui on the opening afternoon.

The Aussie, a big match player if ever there was one, showed plenty of grit to steal Sunday’s headlines but Allen’s performance suggests he can make this a classic.

Allen was relieved to have won his first match in a BBC tournament in 13 months when he beat Mark Davis 6-2. He played well, too, starting with 136 in the first frame and has been relaxed around the venue ever since.

It’s one apiece in the Masters between them and it’s hard to see either running away with it. I tipped Allen for the title so had better stick with him.

PREDICTION: Allen 6-4


JOHN HIGGINS v SHAUN MURPHY
Of the players left, Higgins is the real dangerman. He once again proved his supreme matchplay skills by shrugging off losing two black balls frames he should have won against Ali Carter to beat him 6-3.

Murphy repelled a late rally from Ricky Walden. Afterwards he admitted he was having a few problems closing matches out.

Murphy has a good record against Higgins but will need to start well tonight. Otherwise, Higgins has to be favourite.

PREDICTION: Higgins 6-3 

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is what is great about the Masters: every single one of these QF matches would be a worthy final. At least one world champion in every match, and all but one of the players has reached a world final, and he's the one Hendon is tipping to win lol.

Anonymous said...

Dave - you are at Ally Pally - question for you - if Ally Pally were to host a flat 128 snooker tournament, how many tables could you get in the part of the hall not in use? Assume a bank of seats down one side.

At least ten?

Anonymous said...

the noise from the practise table is really pissing me off.

one table set up, audience quiet and all you hear is players battering balls in the back of the pockets on the practise table.

shocking!!

JAMIE O'REILLY said...

Hi David. it should be a greay line-up today. First, today, I would like to send my thoughts to our friend and BBC commentator, Willie Thorne, and his family.

Malcolm Thorne's brother, sadly passed away, two years ago, to the day, today. He passed away, on 17-1-2011. Today, is 17-1-2013.

I guess this is thereason for Willie Thorne being absent from the BBC Masters commentary box, this wekk.

R.I.P. MALCOLM THORNE.

Dave H said...

There's room for a lot of tables

j said...

Regarding my previous post, David, Am I correct that this is the reason for Willie thorn's absence, this week, from the BBC Mastrs commentary box?

Clive S said...

Jamie, I think it's more a case that the Beeb have 6 commentators already in a one table set up. Willie missed the Masters lsat year and was offered the Welsh as a sop - might well be the case next month too...

JAMIE O'REILLY said...

Hi David. What a great standard to today's first match. obertson .V. Allen.

Frame 1 - Robertson in with 66. Allen has a chance. He does not make the most of it. 1-0 to robertson.

Frame 2 - A 39 break from Allen, levels the match. 1-1.

Frame 3 - Robertson makes 73, to go 2-1 ahead.

Frame 4 - Allen superseeds his 136, with a superb 138 total clearance. It's 2-all, at the mid session interval.

Frame 5 - A 72 from Allen, is instromenal in giving him the lead, for the first time in the match, at 3-2.

Frame 6 - Robertson levels at 3-all., with a great 111 break.

Frame 7 - Scappy in areas. Robertson prevails in it, to go 4-3 up.

Frame 8 - Allen makes 68. Robertson battles for the snooker he needs. He does not get it. 4-4.

Frame 9 - Robertson makes another superb century. Grat quality. 101 thistime, puts Robertson one up with two to play, at 5-4.

Frame 10 - Allen is in first with 60. Robertson has a chance, that he can not fully exploit. From there, Allen does the needful, to level, at 5-all. Decider time.

Frame 11 - Allen is in first, makes only 6. Allen plays a great snooker behind the yellow. A red is over a pocket. Robertson pots it, out of the snooker, contols it superbly, to be on a colour. Robertson makes another fantastic century break, 105 this time, off that, to win that match 6-5, and be the first man into the Semi-Final. A superb match. There did not deserve to be a loser, in my view. Roberton wins, 6-5. What a match. it deserved a decider, did not desrve a loser, in my view. Well done to both players.Robertson wins, 6-5. What a match. Fantastic. I can not wait for tonight's John Higgins .V. Shaun Murphy match. It should be a great one.

Anonymous said...

Robertson v Allen - just finished - now thats what I call entertainment

:)

JAMIE O'REILLY said...

Yes Clive I remember. Thanks for that Clive Everton, is also much missed from the Beeb commentary box in my view.

Anonymous said...

When is the Stephen Lee case being dealt with?

Anonymous said...

Re Willie Thorne - I believe previous posts are correct, he only commentates for the BBC when there are 2 tables to cover.

Whether that is the right choice is perhaps open to debate.

JAMIE O'REILLY said...

Hi David. What a standard to tonights second Quarter-Final. Higgins .V. Murphy.

Frame 1 - Both have chances. Murphy makes a good 85 break, to lead, 1-0.

Frame 2 - Again both have chances. Higgins makes 53, in the end, to level. 1-1.

Frame 3 - Again both have chances. Murphy refuses a brown, to win the frame. He plays a bad safety. Higgins clears from brown, upto the black. Higgins leads, 2-1.

Frame 4 - Again. both have chances. Master tactictian, Higgins perevails, in another safety battle, to win the frame, and lead, 3-1, at the mid-session interval.

Frame 5 - Higgins makes 69. Murphy plays on for the snooker he needs. He does not get it. Higgins wins the frame. He is now, 4-1 up. Murphy is in trouble.

Frame 6 - Murphy makes a good 70 break, to win the frame. 4-2, to Higgins.

Frame 7 - both players have chances, again. Murphy wins a tense frame, on the black. Higgins leads, but, it is now 4-3.

Frame 8 - Murphy pots a great red, plays safe. Higgins replies. Murphy makes a gret 77 break, to win the frame. It is now4-4. Amazing

Frmes 9 - Higgins is in, makes a 61 break. He loses position. He plays safe and flukes a snooker. Murphy escapes, but leaves a red on. From there, Higgins did the needful, to win the frame, and lead, 5-4. Higgins is one up with two to play.

Frame 10- Murphy is in attacking Mode. Higgins leaves murphy a long red. He gets it, He makes 24. He plays safe. Higgins, from there pots a long red, not making the most of it. Higgins misses a long red, lucky to cover it. After a safety exchange, which Higgins wins, by potting a tough red, to a centre pocker, Higgins makes 31. He misses a red, consentrationg on a cannon. Murphy, from there, makes 37, to win the frame. it's 5-all. Another decider to come. Fantastic.

Frame 11 - Murphy breaks off. Higgins plays safe., as does Murphy. He leaves Higgins a chance, He misses and leaves Murphy a chance. He misses. From there, Higgins pots a great long red, nearly going in-off, but not quite. Higgins makes 51. e over-hits his last positional shot, of the break. He misses a tough blue. Murphy has a chance. He pots a great long red. He makes a gutsy, frame and match winning. 66 break, from this with difficult and key shots in it, like a tough red, along a cushion. Murphy wins a superb match, 6-5, He is the second man, who is through to the Semi-Final. This sets up a mouth-watering Semi-Final clash, between Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson.

A superb day's play, in my view.



Anonymous said...

Thorne isn't the one who should be put out to grass. It should be that idiot Virgo. Absolutely shit commentator "where's the cue ball going"? BORING!!!! Pretends to excite the situation. Should stick to being the back end of a horse in a panto. Wish I was the front end. I'd let him know nasally what I think of him!

JAMIE O'REILLY said...

Hi David. To follow on from my previous post, I can not wait for more, later, as is now, today, As it's now the early hours of Friday morning.

Cracking play yesterday, (Thursday).

Anonymous said...

Jamie perhaps you should start your own blog!

Anonymous said...

Totally agree with the comments regarding Clive Everton.
Snooker coverage, regardless of broadcaster, is poorer for his absence.
Unparalleled knowledge coupled with the gift of knowing when to interject and when to simply allow the drama to unfold without interruption are qualities that, rightly, set him
apart from the rest.
The BBC in particular with their preference for all things razzmatazz and their insistence of utilising former players would do well to acknowledge Clive's contribution to the game.
Graeme.

Anonymous said...

Clive did mention Eddie Charlton a lot (and also used to mention Stephen Lee's weight a lot when commentating on him) but Clive was from a generation of commentators who sought to describe what was happening (i.e. speak when there was something to say) rather than talking constantly even if that filling the 'dead air' with golf anecdotes / talking about musicians from the 50s / mistakenly identifying random members of the audience as former professionals.

If the BBC was being vicious it could trim its commentary team to about 4 (one of whom would be WT)(since they never offer two tables on red button they should soon be able to do that).

Anonymous said...

12.46...I hear ya !

Like thinking a random member of the crowd was Patsy Fagan. Classic !

Too many talk a lot but say nothing.

Clive, on the other hand, is different class !