Already it is night seven of the Premier League and what promises to be a significant night in terms of the hunt for top four places is now upon us as Neil Robertson takes on John Higgins in a repeat of their Grand Prix classic, while Stephen Hendry has a chance to gain a measure of revenge over Shaun Murphy for his Crucible defeat.
Click below for my live updates from the evening. Great to see snooker at the Guild Hall in Preston again incidentally…
John Higgins 4-2 Neil Robertson
69(31,38)-51(39), 41-66(33), 70-28, 73(73)-34(34), 80(63)-28.17-50(49)
F1: In action for the first time since his Grand Prix triumph, Neil Robertson is in already with a well-taken red to the yellow pocket and perfectly on the black, could score heavily already. Neil could be forgiven for a slow start tonight having just made it to the venue in time to start the match, heavy traffic putting his participation in doubt!
Having opened up the reds nicely to leave himself looking a certainty to lead 1-0, Neil misses a simple black off the spot and now we will see how Higgins can respond in this opening frame…only 31 points as an underhit black is left hanging over a pocket. In truth however it was his positional shot which was the poor shot, though it has not cost him the frame as Neil can score just eight. 47-31 to the Australian with three reds remaining…but a very poor safety costs him the frame, 1-0 Higgins.
F2: Neil will be hoping to make up amends for losing a frame that at one point was there for the taking and is in with a good chance early again…but again he has broken down and given John a chance to get back into it…
This is another very scrappy frame as Neil in particular appears to be struggling. Perhaps as commentator Mike Hallett just remarked, Neil’s head is still on the motorway! Nevertheless, he has taken advantage of a strange decision from Higgins not to have the balls replaced following a failed attempt to escape from a snooker by Neil to level the match 1-1.
F3: It is John’s turn to have the first chance but as has been the theme so far tonight, he has only a break of 30 to show for it and now we have a safety duel to see who will earn the next big chance…
He hasn’t secured the frame but 54-13 up with three reds awkwardly placed, John looks well placed to regain the lead…and he does. No breaks over 40 yet, what a contrast to their encounter in Glasgow!
F4: That is more like it from Neil, a terrific opening red from distance to get himself in first…but yet again he has not been able to win the frame in one visit and having broken down on 34, can now only sit and watch as Higgins looks to secure at least a point from tonight…and he does with a fine break of 73, the highest of the night.
F5: And the pattern continues, Neil in with the first chance before a foul on 20 points when stretching over a red gave the chance to Higgins who made no mistake with a break 63 to clinch victory, barring snookers…and 4-1 it is.
F6: The final frame of the evening begins with a re-rack, let’s start again…
It really doesn’t look to be Neil’s night as although a break of 49 has given him a nice cushion in the final frame of the evening, a very poor positional shot from red to black has meant that again he has not been able to win it in one visit.
A very risky cut-back from John on the black however has proved to be his final shot of the night as Neil has got back in to take the frame, but it is Higgins who will be going home the happier with both points from tonight which takes him to the top of the table.
Shaun Murphy 3-3 Stephen Hendry
75(48)-50(50), 75(55)-26, 4-110(42,68), 6-100(96), 54-19, 23-66
F1: An excellent safety from Stephen in the opening frame which leaves Murphy snookered on all colours gives Hendry the first chance, indeed where the reds were a maximum did not look impossible. Unfortunately for Hendry however he began to struggle for position and eventually missed a tricky red on 46 to give Shaun an unexpected lifeline in the frame.
The 2005 world champion though could not take advantage, his counter-attack coming to an end on just 23 following a missed black off the spot which was very similar to that from Neil Robertson in the opening frame of his match and now Hendry has yet another chance this frame…but again he cannot take it and Murphy snatches a frame that he really did not look like taking. 1-0.
F2: First chance again to Stephen in the second frame as Murphy left a red over the right-centre pocket from his break-off, but he can only make 18 having come the wrong side of the blue from a red. Now Murphy is in again following another good long pot and he could score heavily where the balls are placed…
Shaun looks to be cueing very, very nicely at the moment, 35 and counting…he breaks down on 55 but with 3 reds remaining he has a useful advantage now…well Hendry had his chances but for the second time tonight, a missed shot when playing with a lot of side has cost him and it is 2-0 to Shaun Murphy…
F3: Better from Stephen in frame three as although he needed a couple of chances to seal it, breaks of 42 and then 68 have got him off the mark at 1-2.
F4: Not for the first time tonight, an excellent safety shot from Stephen has left Shaun in all sorts of trouble. Murphy fouls but can Stephen take the frame in one visit?
He can, a beautiful break of 96 brings him level at 2-2 and now we have a real match on with two frames to play…
F5: Twenty minutes after his last pot, Shaun Murphy knocks in a terrific long red to get the first chance in frame five. Can he retake the lead in one visit? No is the answer, though having broken down on 20 he has played a good safety to leave Hendry in all sorts of trouble…
Very tactical frame now, both have spurned several chances and at 28-19 to Murphy with a number of awkward reds, this could go on for a while.
A brilliant shot from Murphy however, having been put back in by Hendry following a foul looks to have given him the advantage…and Murphy indeed takes the frame to move 3-2 up with one to play…
F6: A shocking break-off from Murphy which saw him hit the blue has given Hendry a chance but an unfortunate kick on a red to the right-centre has let Shaun off the hook. Stephen did manage to get in again but he could only extend his lead to 29-0 before missing a tricky red to a corner pocket to leave things in the balance once more…
Another brilliant pot from Stephen, he really does deserve a point from tonight’s contest but he is making hard work of it…and he breaks down on 23, missing a very difficult black to the left-centre. 52-1 ahead with four reds on the table, can Stephen secure his third draw in a row? After a missed red from Murphy played left-handed following an excellent snooker from the seven-world champion, he can.
A strange match that could have gone either, the draw is probably a fair result, though from 2-0 down I would imagine that Stephen will be the happier of the two. A win against Marco Fu in his final match should see him through, while Murphy has work to do…