2007 888.com World Championship

MATCH BY MATCH LIVE MATCH NOTES [CLICK ON MATCH FOR LIVE COMMENTARY, NEWS, QUOTES]

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STEVE DAVIS V JOHN PARROTT

Round One - Match 2 (Best of 19 frames)

...You join us LIVE for the first session of the eagerly anticipation clash of the Old Masters - Steve Davis against John Parrott...

And both players get a tumultuous welcome from a packaged Crucible and Davis breaks off to get us underway... First blood to Davis as his safety shot sends a red into a distant pocket and the first shrug of the shoulders from Parrott... and Davis has played safe but taken the chance to spread the reds far and wide... the safety duel between these two will provide a masterclass of strategy and tactics... and there will no doubt be a few laughs along the way despite it being a match both players desperately want to win... Davis has slotted a red and with the reds nicely spread he's got a nice opening chance... he looks purposeful and is playing at a much faster pace than he did a few seasons ago... the break reaches 33 but Davis has lost ideal position.. a tough red next... and it eludes him... so now we'll get a chance to see what sort of form John Parrott has brought to the Crucible... well it's going to be safety until one of these two great players can carve an opening... and the chance falls to Parrott who pots his first red of the match... he's the wrong side of the blue but if he can get back up the table there are lots of reds ready and waiting.... and he's on them and his break reaches 28, Parrott also looks in pretty good form... this has all the makings of a classic encounter... a good black from Parrott, he's just about on the last red and now leads 55-34.. he's got the red, it should be frame one to Parrott... Davis needs snookers but he's not going to get the chance to play for them... Well what a great start to the match, a 90 clearance from the 1991 champion.... Everton 1-0 Orient!

A stunning pot by Davis gets home off and running in frame two... so far the doom mongers who predicted a somewhat dour match will be pleasantly surprised, it appears that both players have taken the decision to attack whenever possible.... Davis is unlucky not to gain position on another red so only an 11 point lead.... now the tactical nous is coming into play as the reds are spread between pink and blue spot, so the first error could be catastrophic... the Davis safety left Parrott in all sorts of trouble and he left Davis a red, but no position for the six times Champion, however Davis holds the upper hand as he can put Parrott back in trouble here... It's Parrott's turn to put Davis in trouble but he's pulled out a remarkable pot red get himself a great chance in this frame... this match has already got the audience fully involved with great safety and potting from both these great stars... and they can both pull some faces too... we will make sure our GCS photographers get some good shots of both players just in case either wants to put an entry into the World Gurning Competition (for those international visitors using Google translation 'gurning' means "pulling faces"!!) Meanwhile Davis has accumulated a break of 39 but been forced to play safe... John Parrott is wearing the logo of John Parrott Sports and you can take a look at their range of sporting goods by clicking on the John Parrott logo at the top of this page... ooh that was close... but Parrott's attempted red stayed out so Davis could close out the frame here... Davis leads by 56 with 67 points left on the table... Parrott's picked out a red but the last four are on or close to cushions so it won't be easy to clear up here... and it wasn't... Davis has nipped in with red and colour and now Parrott needs snookers....

Parrott has got amongst the balls in frame three and this is a nice clean opening, the reds are open and all the colours on their spots... Parrott's rattled along to 40 and dare I say it's all blacks so far... well there won't be a maximum but the break has moved on to 55... Parrott looks full of confidence... he's rifled in a long blue to keep the break going and he only needs one more red... this is great stuff from Parrott, 84 now and a chance of a century... can Parrott get his name onto our Sizzling Snooker Thermometer.... yes he can... brilliant.... 126 clearance by Parrott... Davis looks a little concerned...

Into frame four and Parrott has caught a safety too thick and given Davis a chance, but he's under a bit of pressure now to counteract Parrott's scoring spree... Davis has made 20 but back to safety now.. but how safe is it when Parrott can pick out an improbably red from the pack and pop it into the yellow pocket... The Liverpudlian is back in the balls... Parrott is really attacking this match, he's scattered the pack all over the table and is continuing on his merry way.... the break moves along to 41, he's got a few more open reds yet... the breaks ends at 65 and the frame is still alive... Parrott leads 65-20... Davis gave his shot selection a lot of though there and opted for a snooker behind the brown rather than a pot with no guarantee of position... Davis won the tactical battle and got right back in the frame but missed the last red and now needs a snooker a 43-71 down... but he'll battle on... he's putting Parrott in trouble, but of course Parrott is as equally adept at escaping at Steve is at laying snookers... they're on the brown and Davis trails 48-71, so one good snooker could keep Davis in the frame... it should be frame to Parrott, Davis now needs two snookers on the blue... he's conceded and it's 3-1 to Parrott at the interval...

They're back out and Parrott has had an early chance but he's only made 23 as he tried to cue over a ball... Well it's all ended in stalemate so we're having a re-rack... back to 0-0... Oh dear, Davis has got his safety all wrong so a chance for Parrott again... But he's lost position and now Davis has picked a plant out and needs to make something of this good chance... he's moved the break along to 40 and he's got plenty of open reds at his mercy still... he's got to 55 but attempted a plant which didn't drop... Parrott is coming back strongly into the frame, he's made 45 and just the colours to go now... he needs them all, the pink is a bit tricky on the side cushion, but not too far from the top pocket... but he's finished straight on the blue, he'll have to take the pink from distance.... good pink and just the black, but he's tight under the cushion... he's got it.... so what could have been 3-2 is now 4-1, a big difference....

Davis has missed a long red by a long way and Parrott has a chance right at the start of frame 6.... no position, but another Davis error has let Parrott straight back to the table... a let off for Davis as Parrott can't gain position, so they'll joust for another opening... Davis gets the opening but no position.... there's a bit of huffing and puffing going on now as safety shots are becoming increasingly difficult.. the reds are spread but finding a way back to baulk is fraught with danger... Davis has Parrott snookered as there's a huge roar from the adjoining tables, as Ian McCulloch moves 9-6 ahead of Graeme Dott with a superb 110... and that snooker has given Davis a chance to get a break going.... but he's mis-cued and only made 23.... it's not been his night so far... Parrott's moved 49-28 ahead but at last he's missed but Davis can't capitalise and they'll fight for a chance at the last red... and it's all going nicely for Parrott, he's snatched this frame from Davis as well to lead 5-1, it could, and maybe should, have been 3-3...

Well Davis has a great opportunity in frame 7, he's still struggling but he's on 24 and has plenty of reds to go for... but he's missed a routine pink to the middle and his problems are piling up now, as his confidence ebbs away, Parrott's continues to grow... and Parrott is right back in the frame, only 13 points behind as he contemplates the last red... which stays out and goes safe... good safety from Parrott and he's got Davis in trouble... he's failed to escape twice and he's gone in-off, disaster is following disaster for Davis tonight...

First blood to Davis in frame eight but after a good red he's got no position on any colour... a HUGE roar has gone up from the adjoining table... Ian McCulloch has defeated the defending champion... Graeme Dott has suffered the infamous Crucible Curse... meanwhile Davis has another chance, can he put a substantial break together this time... this is more like it, a determine look on Davis' face and he's compiled a frame winning break... in facts it's exactly 100....

A bright and breezy 22 from Davis to start frame 9, the last of the night, but he's had to run for cover having lost position... he's got another chance and he's taken it... it's going to be 6-3 overnight, so Davis isn't out of it yet... They return on Sunday afternoon, 1430 BST to complete the match...

Join us on Sunday morning as Peter Ebdon and Nigel Bond finish their match, while Barry Hawkins and Fergal O'Brien start theirs... and to Ejler Hame our GCS ticket competition winner, have a great weekend at the Crucible...

Good afternoon and welcome to a completely packed Crucible.. a wonderful atmosphere as Steve and John resume their match, while we're guaranteed a lot of noise and cheers from the other side of the partition as the most eagerly awaited first round match ever, gets underway... Ronnie O'Sullivan v Ding Junhui... Sheffield looks like China town.. there are 55 million Chinese tuned in to watch live coverage... let's hope the match lives up to all the hype... It shouldn't distract David and Parrott as these two Crucible veterans have experienced everything in their many years at the venue and should be able to maintain their concentration and focus on their own match... Davis especially needs to come out all guns blazing to try and pull back Parrott's 6-3 overnight lead.... We'll be off and running at 1430BST... so get the kettle on and get comfortable for what could be a memorable afternoon's snooker....

Well what a welcome for all four players, an awesome occasion, one of the great Crucible days, the crowd are so excited and so are we! Parrott gets the match restarted and immediately snookers Davis on all the reds... characteristic quality safety from this experienced pair... wow what a great opening red from Parrott he still looks in great potting form... but he's chosen safety over a pot, he's going to try and keep Steve frozen out of the match... thundering applause greets a break of 33 from Ding on the other table... Parrott has Davis in trouble and he's missed the thin edge of the reds... Parrott's elected to play the safety himself and he's got Davis back in a nasty position... the reds are open mainly pushed to one side of the table and Parrott is cutting off all the angles and options for Davis... a dose of the Davis medicine... he's forced Davis into a pot and it's a stunning pot on the red and somehow he's held for the black... well this is very hard, needs precise shots to hold position on the balls, which are covering each other... he's missed a tricky red along the rail... so an opening for Parrott if he pots this red with the rest, which he does.... Parrott is beginning to clear reds, 26 and counting, and the path for colours is opening up... although the black is covered so he has to work off pink or blue... he's missed a red with the rest, but left white near the cushion but he's left a red in the jaws so an easy start for Davis... a roar greets Ronnie winning the first frame... he's only managed to move his score along to 19 and Parrott is back in... Davis really needs this frame to sow some seeds of doubt in Parrott's mind but it's all Parrott so far today... Parrott leads 47-19, there are four reds left and they're trying to find an opening from the safety battle... this is fabulous safety play from both players... each shot is from a very difficult position and each is returning to baulk and putting each other in trouble... there are two great snooker brains trying to outthink each other... Steve wants the balls open and John wants to keep them tight.. it's rather like a rally at tennis at the moment.... now all fur reds and the black are clustered near the black pocket... they need to be careful here... it's Steve's turn to have John thinking his way out of a tricky position... he's down it very well, but there's a chance for Steve to chip a red in and put a lot of distance between the reds and white... the red goes in and he's got a thin green to get back for the reds... he's played that perfectly.... one red left but yellow and brown are on the baulk cushion so some clever positioning will be needed.... a good last red with a lot of left hand side by Steve... now the key shot - black to yellow... well that's end of break he's caught the blue and has no position on the yellow... just two points behind as Davis plays safe... well Parrott has missed the yellow completely so the advantage swings to Davis.... while these two try and out-wit each other Ronnie has galloped into a 2-0 lead... and he hasn't missed a pot he's attempted yet... but Davis has missed the blue and Parrott can win with pink and black... it's 58-58 and Parrott has missed the black... Davis slots home the black and he's right back in the match....

... there's not going to be much laughing and joking this afternoon... this is deadly serious... Davis is sat with his head down deep in concentration while Parrott ponders another hard safety shot... as frame eleven gets going... Davis has forced the error and slotted home a good opening red... Davis goes about his work despite the cheers from Ronnie's match as he fires in a century... Davis has progressed to 28... a good red with the rest and on the pink keeps him going... he's not on a red now unless he can find something in the middle of the pack of reds, only a very risky shot... he's gone for it and got it and is on the pink again... a positive approach here from the Nugget... Davis moves along to 55, two loose reds and five clustered in the bunch... that should be enough for Steve to pull another frame back, 69 ahead, 67 left on... but it's end of break at 69 as he's forced to play safe... but Parrott has caught the top pocket jaws so an easy run out for Steve... it's 6-5...

no sooner does frame twelve start than we're having a re-rack as a red was in the jaws and they could have played into the pack all day to cover it... well they've got the black into the jaws this time and put most of the reds on top of it... so more brain-twisting safety and strategy.... you would think that whoever gets a red here would have a good chance, but it's not clear cut, the reds are near a pocket but covering each other up and the black is in amongst them.... well this safety should be recorded and sold as a coaching aid.. it takes brains and experience to produce this type of play, it is fascinating, rather like a 5-day test match at cricket, definitely not your 20-20 crash bang wallop... or maybe it is as Davis attempts a plant and gets nowhere near it! Now Parrott's managed to pot two reds, it's trick shot time but he's only got the thinnest of cuts on the black if he's to make much here... and it's 4-0 Ronnie... well it wasn't that thin John, he's missed the black completely! Don't you just hate playing out of your own self-imposed snooker... Parrott's done well to get out but the reds are wide open and he's left a sitter to the centre for Davis... he's got the black back on it's spot so he's got a fabulous chance to level the match... the tide is definitely turning here... and Parrott sits in his chair thinking about the black he missed, Steve has grabbed hold of the match since then... 69 already for Davis, the frame is safe and they're level...

Into frame thirteen, Davis is talking to himself in his chair with a gritty look on his face and hardly surprising as he's come back from 6-1 down to level the match... you might think Davis was now favourite to win, but Parrott will have plenty to say about that... but the first chance has fallen to Davis and he does look very assured now... he needed to pot the red and push the black on but it's gone a bit to far and he'll have to play safe... Davis is annoyed with that... just 19 points and he'll have to work for another opening... well maybe Steve's eyesight is deluding him... he's attempted a red to the centre that just didn't go.... a risky safety shot from Steve as he leaves the black teetering on the edge of a pocket but it's safe... Parrott is trying to find a pot from anywhere and an attempted plant has left a red on for Davis... that's safely in the pocket and he can add to his 20 point lead... the reds are scattered all over the table and unaccountably Davis has missed a dolly red, he is furious with himself... Now the chance falls to Parrott and he's got a great chance to stop the Davis juggernaut now... Parrott's rattled along to 31 to take the lead but he's played poor position now although he's still got a red to fire at... key shot now to get position off a colour onto the last red... Parrott leads 47-28... safely done and he's 26 up on the green... he's stopped the rot and regain the lead at the interval... they're off for a 15 minute break...

They're back at the table into frame fourteen... it's the run to the line now, which of these great stars of the game will emerge victorious and who will slink back to the BBC studio? A great cheer has gone up as Ding eventually wins a frame and does it in style with a century... the 90th of his short career and the 19th this season... the early safety exchanges are sending reds everywhere as both players keep the white on the cushion behind the black spot... it could be help yourself to whoever gets in here... Parrott has got the white back to the baulk cushion so the reds could start being worked back up the table again... These two will really know they've been in a match, the brain work involved in safety of this class is very tiring... Davis is thinking about a really tough red along the rail, this could be make or break... and it's wobbled and stayed out.... and he's left it... now can Parrott weave his way round the table to pick off these open reds... it looks like a practice set up, but this is the Crucible.. a tad harder! Parrott's moved along to 34 as he methodically works his way round the table... there are four reds clustered round the blue at the moment... These two have met 23 times before in major tournaments and Davis leads the match wins 15-8, they've also drawn twice in the Matchroom Premier League... but this certainly can't be a draw... The break reaches 59 and Parrott looks good for an 8-6 lead, another twist in this match... the red is safely in the centre pocket, no way back for Davis here...

Now Davis is back under pressure, he needs this frame so as not to go 9-6 down, but he's potted a red, missed his colour and handed the table to John Parrott... these reds are quite nicely set and the colours are all pottable as well, it's a good chance for Parrott... both players are under massive pressure now and Parrott is picking his way very carefully through this break which has reached 48... he's up to 62 with 75 still on... he's got a red but lost position so 63 ahead and 67 still available... he should put a colour safe now but he tried for a long pink and all the ball are still in the open... Davis is trying to pick out a good safety shot and you could hear a pin drop this side of the partition as you can feel the tension... he couldn't find one and tried a hard pot which stays out, the advantage swings back to Parrott who's slotted home the frame ball red... well Davis will have to win the four remaining frames to win this match now... Davis is battling on... he's taken 22 points and is going to lay the snooker on the last red, which he has, tight up behind the brown... it's not over yet... Parrott negotiates that and Davis fails to lay a snooker this time... but now he's got one and it's not easy to hit... Parrott leads 67-25... Parrott has failed to escape so Davis is back in it, 34 down with 35 on... a wonderful shot from Parrott as he snookers Davis now... and what a fabulous reply by Davis.. he's hit the red and got a snooker back but the red is close to the pocket... and Parrott's chipped it in out of the snooker - frame over...

a tight safety battle to start frame sixteen.... it's opening up the reds and an error could be crucial... Parrott's made an error, a chance for Davis... maybe his last chance to stay in the match... he's made 24, opened the pack, but they could have opened a bit nicer for him... but he's potted a good red to keep going... the break ends at 56 as he's over run the black but he's got as 60 point lead.. wow a cracker from Parrott, he wants to win the match here if he can but he's not on an easy colour... there's 67 left on and Parrott trails by 59 so he can play safe here if he wants, but he's had a go at the yellow, missed it in the middle and fluked it in the corner... how's your luck eh!! Parrott tries to will the white to chip a red off the cushion... he wouldn't win Come Dancing with that "twirl"! but more importantly he's still at the table... well he's only 34 behind now and 43 still on... is the winning line approaching... if he achieves it this would be a remarkable clearance from where the reds where and in the context of the match... he's on the last red, needs the rest to take it into the green pocket.... he's wobbled it in... and the green goes into the centre, just the six colours now between Parrott and round two - and he's missed the yellow.... Davis leads 60-36 on the yellow... and Ronnie has taken an 8-1 lead over Ding after their first session.... Steve's got the yellow but snookered himself on the green, but he's got out of it... but not safe as Parrott fires it in, he's on the brown... but he needs a snooker now Davis has taken the yellow, he's 23 behind.... and the frame goes to Davis 9-7 and they'll have the whole arena to themselves for the rest of the match, it will be some atmosphere....

Davis goes in off the break in frame 16 but no damage done... Davis nails Parrott to the baulk cushion and John is giving this some serious thought.... He's left Davis an opening... there's a red covering the black, Davis would like that out of the way... he's carefully threading his way through the reds with precise positional play... just 13 on the board so far... the black has had to go up on the brown spot so Davis is having to work his way up and down off baulk colours for a while but he's moved along to 36... and he made life too difficult for himself he's missed a red now, but at least the white is back down in baulk.... better still Parrott is snookered and he's missed the reds.... and again... Davis leads 48-4 a good lead... and another miss by Parrott... nervous moments now but he's got it this time and a good result... Parrott raises his hand to the audience who cheer loudly... Davis has caught the middle knuckle with his safety, a bit careless and Parrott has rifled in a red... he's only made 8 but he's put the white deep into baulk... a vintage red by Davis but he's not got a colour so guess what comes next - a tight snooker.... and a fabulous escape by Parrott leaving the white tight on the red so no pot on for Davis... Steve's broken the safety deadlock, he's 56 ahead, one more red should be good enough for another frame... there goes the red, he's 69 ahead with 59 on...

Great applause for both players as we move into frame eighteen... extra applause from a section of the audience, each wearing a letter of Steve Davis' name.. but I feel a bit sorry for the guy on the end of the row wearing an exclamation mark ! Of course if Davis loses they could shuffle themselves into "Iv sad Steve" or "Viva Steed"! They could be sad because Steve has let Parrott in for the first chance in the frame... Parrott's missed the blue to corner and back comes Davis again... Parrott has only made 15 points from his two visits to the table... it's always the frame you need for the match that is the hardest to win... there's work to do here with six reds round the pink and the other three on or near cushions.... he's opened the reds off the black, the break moves to 31 and if he can keep position off a baulk colour then it could be a frame-winner and how close this match could be now... and it is close as both players have accumulated the same number of points so far in the match... Davis edges ahead now as another red disappears... a Davis break is like precision engineering, he has close control of the cue ball and he wants to leave himself with an easy pot every shot now to minimise the pressure... he's up to 46 now... he's looking good now although there are two reds on side cushions, he's on 61 with a 46 point lead... and the frame ball red goes down... 62 ahead with 43 on, we're going to have a decider... vintage stuff from Davis, a chance of a century now... it takes a truly great champion to produce form like this but the pink stays out so 96 from Davis....

There's the handshake and off we go a thrilling final frame decider... Steve has got in with a good red, scattered the pack off the blue and then missed an easy red... he is seething... Now what can Parrott do, he's been sat down watching Davis for most of the last two frames... Parrott's moved on to 23.... he's still going at 37... this is looking very dangerous for Davis now... if Parrott can hold his nerve for a couple more shots he'll be into the next round... but the break ends at 52, there's still hope for Davis... Parrott's found another red... well Davis still has a chance... only one point for Parrott and he's left the red right in the pocket off the black... 5 reds left.... it's the last throw of the dice for Davis... can he pull this one out of the fire.. Parrott is standing grimacing... a very hard red for Steve here, down the rail into a blind pocket... oh that's a wonderful pot... and another red down the rail with the rest, Davis is laughing and counting the scoreboard, he's 19 points behind on the last red... the only shot he has is a double on the red... very risky at this stage... he's missed it but sent the red up to baulk... so 25 the difference and still all to play for... Davis is going to try and clip the red into the yellow pocket... disaster the red stays out but the white goes in.... 23 the lead for Parrott and just red and grown or better for Parrott to win... but he's not great on a colour, he'll have to take green to be 27 up with 27 left.... you could cut the tension with a knife... it's so exciting now... great yellow by Parrott, it's desperately unlucky for Davis unless he can get a snooker.... it's one four point snooker to tie... Davis is giving this a lot of thought... well that's it now... the green is down and Parrott can look forward to playing Shaun Murphy or Judd Trump and it's back to the BBC studio for Steve.... a great match...

FRAME SCORES

1. 34-90(90)

2. 60(39)-12

3. 1-126(126c)

4. 48-75

5. 59(55)-72(72)

6. 29-63(44)

7. 33-72

8. 111(100)-4

9. 81-13

WINNER

FRAME SCORES

10. 65-58

11. 70(69)-0

12. 77(70)-15

13. 28-79(79)

14. 0-(80)80

15. 31-88(64)

16. 66(56)-39(36)

17. 89(36)-12

18. 96(96)-15

19. 34-81(52)

QUOTES

JOHN PARROTT

"It was some game."

"He's such a fantastic competitor, Steve's matchplay is of the highest quality and he can tangle you in knots at times."

" He wants to beat me and I want to beat him."

"I personally thought I hit the ball better than he did. His match-play and his safety – he just doesn’t waste a shot. The worst thing is, if you make a mistake like I did on the yellow, he jumps all over you. You can see why Steve still gets to semi-finals."

"This victory is very good for me. The nice thing is I’ve got a bit of form back. We both got a bit twitchy at the end, but we’ve got a combined age of 91 – I think we’re both entitled to be a bit twitchy! It wasn’t difficult playing him – he wants to beat me and I want to beat him but we’ll both be back in the studio tomorrow, I’ll be doing my proper job. I know he’ll be pretty sore because he was close to winning the match. "

"There was very little banter between us before the match – to be honest we were both avoiding the press. We were quite happy for the press to focus on the O’Sullivan–Ding match and quite rightly so. To be in the last 16 at the Crucible is great – I haven’t been there for a while. The difference between us and today's good players is the good players score heavily all the time. Ronnie’s score against Ding was fantastic. He must be playing out of his brains."

"Thankfully from 6-6 to 9-6, I played pretty well, but it was good to get over the winning in the end. It’s the first time I’ve come here with any form. For the last seven years I’ve been scrapping about and of course it’s the worst place in the world to come and play like that. When I lost 10-3 to Dotty last year, I could have beaten him 10-3 but I just wasn’t scoring. "

STEVE DAVIS

"It was close, but I'm a bit flat after losing."

"I pulled myself out of a hole at 6-1 down and then again at 9-6, but I still lost. I thought John played very well."

"It was a tough first-round match but I was excited as well. Your recovery rate gets better as you get older, I'm more philosophical these days when I lose because I just play for the enjoyment."

"It was always going to be tough. Even though it’s the biggest tournament of the year it’s still only two sessions of snooker. I thought John played very well. I haven’t seen him play much this year."

It was a very exciting match, but obviously very disappointing. I had got myself back into the game by reaching 9-9 then I missed a red. There was the last red in the last frame, I tried to double it and stay on the black, missed it then went in-off."

"I mentally recover a lot quicker – I get my sense of humour back quicker. But it’s disappointing to go out in the first round in any tournament especially the World Championship because you don’t feel part of the tournament. What I play for now is the enjoyment, and you don’t enjoy it when you have to sit around watching the rest of the tournament unfold."

"John’s in a good situation. He’s got a good draw and from his position he’s got nothing to lose which is a very important part of playing the game. My only problem about coming up against John is that he had more nothing to lose than me if that’s possible! I enjoyed the match even though I lost."