shaun.lawson Posted April 29, 2011 Author Share Posted April 29, 2011 12-12. Fabulous evening's play. Two fantastic semis both essentially too close to call, marvellously high standard... best World Championship since at least 2002, in my view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWL Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I take it Perrie Mans is out then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilnunb Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 The Dundee Utd fan has a black top on today......is that an away strip? Has he finally taken the hint? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilnunb Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Higgins back to 11-11. Up yours Willie Thorne, who practically creamed himself when it looked like Williams might nick that last frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milky_26 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 looks like no-one wants to win this frame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Williams is all over the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milky_26 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 that was a shocker of a safety shotby williams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilnunb Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 13-11 to Higgins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milky_26 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 and higgins digs out a lead of 13-11 (from 7-9) going into the final session Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Ding vs Trump final session about to start. Should be a cracking afternoons play! Hopefully whoever does win this goes on and wins the final Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Trump might end up with every single entry in the best shot competition. Some of his pots are unreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Trump might end up with every single entry in the best shot competition. Some of his pots are unreal. I hope the Juddernaut takes it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 I take it Perrie Mans is out then The thing is, JWL, if you were a Mans fan, you ought to be a Mark Williams fan. When he first broke through circa 1996 or 1997, he looked for all the world like the second coming of Mans: absolutely incredible single ball potting, but he couldn't control the cue ball or compile really big breaks to save his life. Then, somehow, he sorted all of that out, and became just as good as O'Sullivan or Higgins. I'm still not quite sure how he did: normally, if a player has that big a technical weakness, they can never fully shake it off. 13-11 down, he has it all to do now - but is well capable of doing it, and Higgins-Williams semi-finals at the Crucible always feature many twists and turns. As for Trump: just incredible stuff from him. Earlier in the tournament, I thought he was the new Jimmy White - but he might be even better than that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 trump reminds me of the very early stephen hendry who would take on everything, no matter how outlandish and dangerous, and usually with success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 trump reminds me of the very early stephen hendry who would take on everything, no matter how outlandish and dangerous, and usually with success. I think Trump is slightly too ambitious in his shot selection at times: I can't remember Hendry being like that. But it's a whole lot better to be too ambitious than too cautious: bottle and balls are what win world titles, and Trump seems to have both by the bucketload. On young Hendry: check this video out, Jim: and note especially how quickly he played: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfAvYFI5tiU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 The thing is, JWL, if you were a Mans fan, you ought to be a Mark Williams fan. When he first broke through circa 1996 or 1997, he looked for all the world like the second coming of Mans: absolutely incredible single ball potting, but he couldn't control the cue ball or compile really big breaks to save his life. Then, somehow, he sorted all of that out, and became just as good as O'Sullivan or Higgins. I'm still not quite sure how he did: normally, if a player has that big a technical weakness, they can never fully shake it off. 13-11 down, he has it all to do now - but is well capable of doing it, and Higgins-Williams semi-finals at the Crucible always feature many twists and turns. As for Trump: just incredible stuff from him. Earlier in the tournament, I thought he was the new Jimmy White - but he might be even better than that... Wouldn't be hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 Wouldn't be hard. Pah. And gah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I think Trump is slightly too ambitious in his shot selection at times: I can't remember Hendry being like that. But it's a whole lot better to be too ambitious than too cautious: bottle and balls are what win world titles, and Trump seems to have both by the bucketload. On young Hendry: check this video out, Jim: and note especially how quickly he played: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfAvYFI5tiU i don't think the unbridled 'flair' era lasted very long but i distinctly remember watching him in the very early days and he took on some similar shots to the ones trump does now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 i don't think the unbridled 'flair' era lasted very long but i distinctly remember watching him in the very early days and he took on some similar shots to the ones trump does now. Well, if you say so! I've got the snooker stream on, and the Hearts commentary at the aame time. It's confusing: whenever there's a roar of anger from Rugby Park, I think the Crucible audience must be getting a little too excited... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Well, if you say so! I've got the snooker stream on, and the Hearts commentary at the aame time. It's confusing: whenever there's a roar of anger from Rugby Park, I think the Crucible audience must be getting a little too excited... I've got the snooker on the laptop on soccer saturday on the telly. Nearly forgot Hearts were playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Well, if you say so! I've got the snooker stream on, and the Hearts commentary at the aame time. It's confusing: whenever there's a roar of anger from Rugby Park, I think the Crucible audience must be getting a little too excited... i used to think that would be a great thing to have in snooker, a football-like audience with two sets of fans roaring, cheering, booing and singing at each other. steve davis versus alex higgins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 i used to think that would be a great thing to have in snooker, a football-like audience with two sets of fans roaring, cheering, booing and singing at each other. steve davis versus alex higgins. Especially at the Masters, where the crowd resembled a bunch of yobs much of the time! Check this out: specifically, the end of it. Higgins v Griffiths at Wembley in 1987: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkMCs-NeLp8 A video which suggests that drunken chavs are not some recent thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWL Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 The thing is, JWL, if you were a Mans fan, you ought to be a Mark Williams fan. When he first broke through circa 1996 or 1997, he looked for all the world like the second coming of Mans: absolutely incredible single ball potting, but he couldn't control the cue ball or compile really big breaks to save his life. Then, somehow, he sorted all of that out, and became just as good as O'Sullivan or Higgins. I'm still not quite sure how he did: normally, if a player has that big a technical weakness, they can never fully shake it off. 13-11 down, he has it all to do now - but is well capable of doing it, and Higgins-Williams semi-finals at the Crucible always feature many twists and turns. As for Trump: just incredible stuff from him. Earlier in the tournament, I thought he was the new Jimmy White - but he might be even better than that... I actually quite like Mark Williams. I don't really think he cares whether he wins or loses, he just loves playing the game. I cannot quite remember Perrie Mans playing at the crucible but wasn't he the player that was absolutely awful when using the rest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Especially at the Masters, where the crowd resembled a bunch of yobs much of the time! Check this out: specifically, the end of it. Higgins v Griffiths at Wembley in 1987: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkMCs-NeLp8 A video which suggests that drunken chavs are not some recent thing... tremendous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 I actually quite like Mark Williams. I don't really think he cares whether he wins or loses, he just loves playing the game. I cannot quite remember Perrie Mans playing at the crucible but wasn't he the player that was absolutely awful when using the rest? I like him too. I'm not sure if he genuinely loves the game, though: I think he plays for the money - and like Chris Eubank in boxing, has always been honest about that, uncomfortably so at times. What I love about him is - and I mean this in the nicest possible way - I swear, there is nothing going on in his mind much of the time. He just plays on instinct, and puts setbacks behind him pretty much immediately. Mans is famous for winning the 1978 Masters despite not making a break over 50. Like Williams, he was incredibly good at winning scrappy frames. I think you're thinking of Patsy Fagan, who developed the worst case of the yips ever seen in snooker: when using the rest, he just couldn't push his cue through at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 these two are something else. some brilliant snooker being played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 What a superb 4 frames of snooker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 these two are something else. some brilliant snooker being played. Unbaleevable tekkers from Ding to clear up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Unbaleevable tekkers from Ding to clear up there. one of the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 Unbaleevable tekkers from Ding to clear up there. What a break. What a match. What a Championship. It's sensational stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 great wee piece about tony knowles there. ex-pro snooker player, hairdresser, publican, property developer. now going to enter the snooker Q-school to get back into the pro ranks at the age of 55. good man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 great wee piece about tony knowles there. ex-pro snooker player, hairdresser, publican, property developer. now going to enter the snooker Q-school to get back into the pro ranks at the age of 55. good man. He's got bloody no chance though - especially given he says he's hardly practised! Knowles should have reached the 1983 World Final, but lost to Cliff Thorburn from two up with three to play - and exposes in the Sun about his penchant for three in the bed romps rather put the skids on the rest of his career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 He's got bloody no chance though - especially given he says he's hardly practised! Knowles should have reached the 1983 World Final, but lost to Cliff Thorburn from two up with three to play - and exposes in the Sun about his penchant for three in the bed romps rather put the skids on the rest of his career. like i said, good man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 like i said, good man. Last time I saw him play on telly was in 1992, at the Crucible against defending Champion John Parrott. Parrott was snookered, played, missed, and this was the first year of the new miss rule. So Len Ganley replaced the cue ball - in the wrong position - and Parrott only went and potted the red and cleared up! Poor old Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Last time I saw him play on telly was in 1992, at the Crucible against defending Champion John Parrott. Parrott was snookered, played, missed, and this was the first year of the new miss rule. So Len Ganley replaced the cue ball - in the wrong position - and Parrott only went and potted the red and cleared up! Poor old Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 What was Ding doing at 14-12 down? Praying? Meditating? Because his last three frames have been out of this world. Yet the scary thing is, if his level drops at all, he'll probably lose! Outstanding stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 What was Ding doing at 14-12 down? Praying? Meditating? Because his last three frames have been out of this world. Yet the scary thing is, if his level drops at all, he'll probably lose! Outstanding stuff. ding deserves this now but if trump can recover from this then he deserves to win the whole thing. this will be superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Some frame for Trump to steal there. 15-15. Tense stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Trump on the verge of winning. 16-15 up now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 He's done it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 astonishing snooker player. i hope he wins it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Gutted for Ding and my bet , but Trump deserved to win that match. Hopefully he can reproduce that form in the final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_Mywords Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 What a breath of fresh air Trump is to the game of Snooker. Brilliant player. Snooker needs more players like him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 astonishing snooker player. i hope he wins it. And Jim, you're right. He bloody is the new Hendry. Absolutely spellbinding match, which will hurt Ding terribly - and may well prove the launch pad for a genuine star of British sport for many years to come. Terrific contrast in the final too: the new prodigy of the game against an established multiple winner of this tournament. Youth v experience - and on the evidence of all we've seen, experience is in serious trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 The ten best semi-finals in Crucible history (in reverse order): 10. Ronnie O'Sullivan 14-16 Peter Ebdon, 1996 9. Peter Ebdon 17-16 Marco Fu, 2006 8. Ronnie O'Sullivan 13-17 Stephen Hendry, 2002 7. Matthew Stevens 16-17 Peter Ebdon, 2002 6. Jimmy White 16-14 Kirk Stevens, 1984 5. Steve Davis 14-16 Jimmy White, 1990 4. Paul Hunter 16-17 Ken Doherty, 2003 3. Ding Junhui 15-17 Judd Trump, 2011 2. Stephen Hendry 17-13 Ronnie O'Sullivan, 1999 1. Alex Higgins 16-15 Jimmy White, 1982 And judging by the way Higgins-Williams has resumed, the above list will probably be in immediate need of revision later tonight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Marsh Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Anyone hear what exactly the guy in the crowd shouted at Higgins? He got ejected but I presume it was a jibe about the NOTW scandal. Was funny how Virgo and Taylor pretended it never happened and talked over the scene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 Anyone hear what exactly the guy in the crowd shouted at Higgins? He got ejected but I presume it was a jibe about the NOTW scandal. Was funny how Virgo and Taylor pretended it never happened and talked over the scene. Yes! But it was incredible that Higgins handled it so well, and went on to make a century. Over the years, most players would've been completely destabilised by such an incident (Higgins still could be if he thinks about it during the interval, but I doubt it) - but he's rock solid, and his response ever since his return has been magnificent. I heard the moron shout that Higgins was a "disgrace": couldn't make anything out beyond that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDonald Jardine Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Anyone hear what exactly the guy in the crowd shouted at Higgins? He got ejected but I presume it was a jibe about the NOTW scandal. Was funny how Virgo and Taylor pretended it never happened and talked over the scene. Sounded like something along the lines of "you're a disgrace". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Marsh Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Yes! But it was incredible that Higgins handled it so well, and went on to make a century. Over the years, most players would've been completely destabilised by such an incident (Higgins still could be if he thinks about it during the interval, but I doubt it) - but he's rock solid, and his response ever since his return has been magnificent. I heard the moron shout that Higgins was a "disgrace": couldn't make anything out beyond that. The guy that shouted that out is really just stating a fact to be honest. I am not sure what I think of Higgins anymore. Used to really like the guy dispite him being a tim but just cant look at him in the same way now. I know the scandal was from that gutter rag but it looked pretty clear he was willing to chuck the odd frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 The guy that shouted that out is really just stating a fact to be honest. I am not sure what I think of Higgins anymore. Used to really like the guy dispite him being a tim but just cant look at him in the same way now. I know the scandal was from that gutter rag but it looked pretty clear he was willing to chuck the odd frame. No he's not. The only "disgrace" was Higgins' manager, who at no point ever told his player what he was discussing. He's been banned for life, and rightly so. The only mistake Higgins made was not to immediately report what had happened to the authorities. An independent tribunal believed Higgins' explanation, and so do I. He is an extremely wealthy man who hardly needs any extra cash, and has always demonstrated total respect for the sport, and its history: he's the last person who'd ever do what he was accused of. Meanwhile, the News of the World were asked by snooker's governing body to hand over all their tapes unedited. They said they'd only do if Higgins promised not to sue them. Draw your own conclusions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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