2007 888.com World Championship

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JOHN PARROTT

v

SHAUN MURPHY

Round Two - Match 22

(Best of 25 frames, 3 sessions)

Thursday 26 April - 14.00

Friday 27 April - 10.00

Friday 27 April - 19.00

Match Notes - LIVE information as it happens.....  Good afternoon, welcome back to sunny Sheffield as John Parrott and Shaun Murphy get the first of the second round matches under way... The second round is best of 25 frames, which they play over three sessions of play, they play the first eight frames this afternoon... there is much more time to settle into matches now and it's not unusual to see one player win a streak of frames and then the other respond... in just a few minutes time we'll start to see how this match is going to evolve.... well here we go, the players have been greeted in customary enthusiastic fashion by the audience, although maybe Shaun Murphy just shaded it on the 'clapometer', but he is the local lad now, living just down the road in Wiston...

On the other table this afternoon we have John Higgins and Michael Holt completing their first round match... John and Shaun can settle any early nerves here with a few safety shots and they're sending reds up the table and playing from the top cushion, so there could be a nice opening for one of them in a minute or two... First blood to John Parrott as Murphy's safety leaves a pot on... he's potted three hard balls and missed the easy one... an assured start by Shaun Murphy as his first break moves along to 41... he's got a couple of reds left at the top of the table and three down in the baulk area... the break ends at 55 as a long red goes astray... there are 5 reds left so Parrott can still win the frame... good safety from both players and now all five reds are in the baulk area... great pot from Murphy which should have clinched the frame but he's gone in-off, very unlucky... the score reads 55-13... can Parrott get back into the frame... As these two Englishmen go head to head we have the result from another all-English clash this morning... Fifteen year old Mitchell Mann from Birmingham beat Gloucester's Jack Lisowski in the final of this year's Junior Pot Black... Mann joins a prestigious list of former winners, including a certain John Parrott, who won't want to be reminded of the brown suit he wore as a Junior! Parrott's pulled back to 55-26 but he's left the red on for Murphy and now Parrott needs snookers... he's 32 behind on the yellow but he'll play on here... Parrot's taken the yellow so 30 down on the green... four points for Parrott and just one snooker needed now... Murphy gets the green so again Parrott needs two snookers... the scores is 61-32... at last Murphy pots the brown so it's 1-0...

...Encouraging signs for Murphy as Parrott misses a red and leaves his opponent a good chance in frame two... and Murphy is already serving notice what will happen if John gives him chances... he's rattled up 52 already... and he's end the break at 65 and that's enough for 2-0...

...a thumping long red gets Murphy straight into the balls in frame three... but there's the first unforced error from Murphy, now Parrott needs to punish him and get a toe-hold in the match... well now they've both missed easy balls, a visit apiece and Parrott has another chance... but he's made nothing of that, Murphy leads 57-24 with two reds left... and this safety exchange should determine the outcome of the frame...

... this is the last frame before their first interval... John Parrott would dearly love to win it, things haven't gone his way so far... and they're not going well this frame as Murphy's on a break 51 and now he's moved on to 63 and it looks like 4-0 now... but it is early days in a best of 25, so there's time for Parrott to regroup and come out fighting after the interval... but first Murphy completes a century, exactly 100...

... Back come the players and Parrott has got a chance, not much of a chance unless he can get pink and black into play... he can't... and he's missed a red... so only 8 points and immediately Murphy thumps in a long red but he's not got position either... There's quite a little safety struggle going on here... Murphy has taken over a minute on one shot selection... the reds are getting pushed up towards the black cushion... Parrott's clipped a very thin red in, he's got a chance now if he can dislodge the clump of reds... Parrott leads 39-19 but Murphy's got him snookered and he hit the black first attempt... another miss and back it goes again... and again... he's hit it this time and got it safe... and now Parrott's fluked a red, that will cheer him up... he lead 39-34, three reds left and he's snookered Murphy behind the yellow... Murphy's hit the black as well and Parrott offers both their cues to the audience to try... Shaun hits it at the second attempt... but he's left a red on for Parrott... he still needs both these reds... he's got them and puts his first frame on the board....

... As you may see John Parrott Sports is a GCS advertising partner and we're pleased to announce another exclusive competition coming very soon... You will be able to win a cue signed by 1991 World Champion John Parrott... meanwhile our Terry Griffiths Matchroom competition has closed and the winner, drawn by Wayne Griffiths down at the Matchroom, is Christopher Coumbe from Plymouth in South West England...

... Quite a long safety exchange to start frame six... Parrott's got the better of that and he's got a chance... so far so good as Parrott moves along to 34.... and this is now Parrott's first fifty plus break in the match and a good time to get it.... and he's won the frame now... two frames on the spin, he's right into the match now...

... there's a useful 34 points for Parrott to start frame seven... but just a safety shot now... a brief stoppage as both players collapse laughing... yet another mobile phone goes off, but the villain engages in a conversation and Murphy declares !it sounds like my mum"!... well his mum will be ringing him if he missed balls like that... Murphy's gone off the boil for a minute and Parrott is back to the table... he's 56 ahead now, five reds left, black and colour would give him another frame, and a good come back now by Parrott...

... this is the last frame of the session coming up and how dearly John Parrott would like to win it to complete this excellent recovery... Murphy left one long red sticking out after he missed one and Parrott's stroked that it very nicely, he's got his tail up at the moment... but that's gone wrong, he's kissed a red and snookered himself on all the colours... and missed the yellow and left a free ball... just about everything in one shot... Murphy's taking the brown... shame this isn't at the start of the frame because we could have witnessed a unique 155... well Murphy's broken down anyway and let John back for another chance... he's just a point behind now... the split on the reds has gone wrong so Parrott will have to play safe now... or maybe he'll take a tricky red to centre... no. he's run for cover... now they've both rattled the corner pocket with reds, but both stayed out... and both have got fairly safe... can Parrott snick a red in off another one... no... and he's left a red for Murphy... now can Murphy get a lead on the board.... he certainly can and he's going to lead 5-3 overnight... unless Parrott can get snookers... he's 41 behind on the last red... he's fluked the red, that doesn't help his cause... two snookers now... and now he's fluked a snooker... Murphy's missed it so just one snooker needed now by Parrott... but he's missed now so back to two snookers and a free ball, that's all over now .... this match resumes at 10.00 BST on Friday morning... Join us tonight for the conclusion of Ali Carter v Andy Hicks and the start of the second round match between Ian McCulloch and Anthony Hamilton...

...Good morning to our visitors from all over the globe... welcome back to this match, which is delicately poised after yesterday's opening session, when Shaun Murphy stormed away to lead 4-0, but John Parrott battled back to win the next three frames... why not take the opportunity of saying hello by signing our GUEST BOOK...  Shaun gets the first ball of the day but now here's an early chance for John to settle in to his day's work... only 9 points and the black goes awry, so back comes Murphy... he's progressed to 23 but over on the other table Joe Swail has raced to 72 and he's eyeing up a maximum... Nothing substantial from either player so far this morning as they get their cue arms moving... and Parrott has here, he's opened up a 54-23 lead with two reds left... Joe's maximum attempt turned into a 146 attempt but faltered at 104... the break moves to 34, he's 32 ahead now, just one red left, so a colour here will put Shaun in trouble... the break ends at 40 and he's forced to play safe on the last red, he's got a 38 point lead... Murphy is striving to get a snooker on the last red, he hasn't managed it yet... you can examine the updated rankings lists after the last 32... the PROVISIONAL and ONE YEAR rankings make very interesting reading and go a long way to explaining the added pressure some players are under... Parrott's got the last red and takes the opening frame of the day... a good start for the Evertonian...

...Parrott is scowling at the black which has hung right in the jaws but not dropped... so just one point for him at the start of frame ten... the black is covering the pocket making safety easier but we could have a stalemate here soon... maybe not Murphy has dropped a good red into the middle bag... but only 14 for Murphy who doesn't seem settled yet this morning... now can John Parrott complete his come back in this match... Congratulations to Peter Bertens from Holland who has won our competition in conjunction with CueSport magazine... meanwhile Parrott has broken down on 23 and back comes Murphy... neither player thoroughly in the groove yet this morning... Murphy looks better now, he's moved along to 29 and has a 43-23 lead on the last red... a good 40 break, but he's missed the yellow... but he's got a 32 point lead so Parrott needs a snooker... a stunning long yellow from Murphy puts the frame on his side of the scoreboard...

... a careless start by Parrott in frame eleven, he's missed a routine black off its spot and he's gifted the chance to Murphy.... but Murphy has totally mis judged that attempted red and also scattered reds far and wide in the process... Parrott isn't punished... and he's responded with 46 to give Murphy more to think about... Murphy can still win this frame, he's got 26 points on the board and is on the last red... ooh disaster... he's potted the black but clipped the pink and left a very long yellow and he's 24 points behind... the yellow proves no problem and it looks plain sailing now for him... this is a big blow to John Parrott, and worse for him Murphy has found his form in that frame with a superb 61 clearance...

... Into frame twelve now, the last before the interval... Murphy is looking very assured now and Parrott is fretting a bit as he breaks down on 17 and lets Shaun in... well there's reprieve for Parrott, Murphy breaks down at 25 and Parrott can take this frame and reduce the deficit... he's not happy, he's lost position on the black and will have to take a long blue to make further progress... it sails in though and he's 20 points ahead now... three more reds on the table... he's cleared them and won the frame now... his cup of tea will taste a lot nicer now and this is his best break of the match so far... 71...

... the players restart after their little break, there are four more frames in this morning session... We have a treat in store this afternoon when the second round match between Mark Allen and Matthew Stevens match starts out and Ian McCulloch and Anthony Hamilton resume for their second session...  John Parrott gets the first chance and he needs it, he doesn't want this two frame gap to open any wider... he's under hit a red, cueing over the pack and it hasn't reached the pocket, so the break ends at 23... and of course he's left the easiest start for Shaun... well another let off for John as Shaun only makes 16... this gives great encouragement to Parrott about his chances in this match... he's opened a 41 point lead now and he's got four more open reds waiting for him... he should win the frame here... the frame is in the bag and it's another fifty plus break in this entertaining match... and John is only one behind...

... a long red has eluded Shaun Murphy's cue as we move on to frame fourteen... nothing on for John so a safety shot and Murphy's missed that long red attempt by quite a margin... and this time he's left something on... and John's made 42 but he's let a black slip past the pocket, there's nothing particularly easy for Shaun to get started... but he's found a good red however he's not landed on a baulk colour very nicely... he's saved by the black which is waiting in the jaws, so he can launch a counter-offensive here... he's got a kick there and is faced with a nasty red now with white on the side rail... that's a good recovery, he's got the hard pot and the position back on the black... this is a routine opening now for Murphy, a great chance to regain his two frame lead... he's slipped out of position, but that 48 gives him a 6 point lead and they'll resume battle with 2 reds left... this frame is up for grabs now... Murphy has Parrott snookered and he's narrowly missed the red twice... a bit of banter as Alan Chamberlain has the job of replacing the balls... third time lucky for Parrott... and Murphy has laid another excellent snooker... Parrott has extricated himself from that and the safety continues... ah but Murphy has missed the last red, half a chance for Parrott but the colours are all over the place now... the yellow is easy, brown is on one side rail and blue is close to another... Parrott's gone in off the yellow while trying to clip the brown out... unlucky... advantage Murphy... he leads 61-49 and he will have the problem of the brown... he's tried to move it and only nudged it another inch up the cushion... so this frame will hinge on the safety battle on the brown... Shaun only needs the brown while Parrott needs them all... the brown disappears Murphy and John needs a snooker now... looks like 8-6... even more so now it's Murphy who's got a snooker on the blue... Parrott's negotiated that shot okay but he's left it for Murphy... it is 8-6...

... here's an early chance for John Parrott, Murphy has drifted the red towards the corner pocket but not into it... he's looked very good in patches in this match but is still showing the odd frailty, which will encourage Parrott, who's now got a kick and lost all position... so only 9 points for him and that is so annoying for the players, it's nothing they've done wrong, just divine intervention... well Parrott has another chance, a red with the rest, he's potted every shot he's attempted with the rest so far in this match... he's made 38 there but he can't keep position as the reds are awkward so he's played safe, very safe... strange shot from Murphy attempting to double the red out of a snooker and he's stuck it over the middle for John... he's not clinched the frame and Shaun is trying to retrieve it.. he still trails 64-38 and he's not got nicely on the yellow... Parrott is still 24 ahead on the green and he's laid a fiendish snooker behind the black... good escape... Parrott's left the green on but knocked the brown safe...  well it's ooh's and aah's all round the arena... John very nearly left the brown on... well it is pottable but it's a very thin snick to the green pocket... and it doesn't drop, but Shaun played it as a shot to nothing... can Parrott put away this frame ball brown... no, but he's got the good safety now... Shaun's turn to nearly fluke it and a little tricky snick to centre, down it goes, Parrott pulls a frame back again...

... now this is the last frame of the session, can John Parrott dig even deeper and level up this match at 8-8 or will Shaun open his two frame buffer again... the early safety has opened the reds, the black goes in one corner pocket, the pink is tied up... who will get the chance... some superb safety from both players... John Parrott is putting Shaun in all sorts of difficulties and he is responding very well to keep things tight... well Parrott's found a red from that leave... he's goes to tuck up tight behind the green now and wait for a better chance... this is like tennis at the moment, Shaun puts white on the top cushion, John returns it to baulk cushion...  this could go on for a while here as black and pink are tied up so there's not much value in potting a red... the reds are getting nudged to one side of the table now and the black has trickled onto the top cushion... it's getting very tense here now... Murphy can only lay on the top cushion again... maybe a red on for Murphy now but he may not take it on... no he opts for safety again... there's a plant on for Parrott and he's on the brown... he's picked out 22 points so far and he's got the black back on its spot as well... a good chance now to win at this visit and level the match... he's got 50 points on the board now, still work to be done though... and John's done this brilliantly, a real gutsy performance from the 1991 Champion... the break goes to 66, the frame is safe and he's all square in the match... excellent... can he finish in style with a century... this is vintage Parrott... and there's the ton... a 123 clearance...  they return tonight at 19.00 BST... don't miss it...

.. well then here we go, the final frames of this match, a possible nine frames tonight, or as many as it takes for one player to reach the magic mark of 13 frames.... It promises to be an enthralling evening's snooker, if the first 16 frames are anything to go by... You can win a cue signed by John Parrott in our new exclusive competition... so check the John Parrott Sports site for your answers and get those emails rolling in to us... Some cagey early safety shots, both players keen not to make a silly error, and to settle back into the electric Crucible atmosphere... Murphy's cracked an extremely good red into the centre pocket and he's on the blue... he's developed this into a reasonable chance now, he's moved on to 36, he might need to give the pack another nudge but most reds look in potting positions now... Murphy is going along very nicely here, up to 55 and there's no reason why he shouldn't close out the frame at this visit... just one red and black needed to put Parrott out of the frame... the break reaches 70, only 67 on now... an excellent break and a great start to this final session... this all came from Murphy's good safety which put Parrott in trouble at the start of the frame... just remains to be seen whether he can add to our Snooker Sizzler... and he has... this is superb, the third century of the match so far... he can make 131 but can't beat the high break... and there it is, a wonderful total clearance of 131...

... Murphy's safety pings off the top cushion and leaves a red for Parrott, he's got a kick and the black is too hard to contemplate, so just a safety shot... wow that's a stunning red from Murphy full length of the table, he's right on top of his game already tonight, danger signs for John Parrott, who's done nothing wrong so far, but has sat down for the whole of the first frame and he could sit down for a while here too... this time Murphy will have to work off the pack of reds as there are two reds on the side rail and another two down the baulk end...  well he is fallible, only 35 at that visit... John Parrott has got very close with a long red, but it hasn't dropped for him and Murphy can pounce here... he's 59 ahead now, one more red to seal the frame... he's got that and this is ruthless stuff from Murphy so far... and he's opened a two frame gap at a crucial time in the match...

...a safety error by Parrott there, he's hit the blue and Murphy's spotted a red which rapidly disappears... the split doesn't work for Murphy, he's made 21 but he'll have to play safe here... and perfect length, tight on the baulk cushion... a brilliant long red by Parrott, that will give him encouragement.... although he hasn't got position and tucks the white behind the green... a handy sequence of kisses help Murphy get back to baulk, but Parrott has the bit between his teeth and he's slotted home another good opening red and belted the black into the green pocket, he's got his first chance of the night... there's a huge slice of luck for him, missed the red only to see it run back across the cushion and into the other corner... that should really spur him on now... well he's made 35, did he get a big bounce off the cushion or misjudge his position, either way he's got to play safe... a rare safety error by Murphy, easy red for Parrott... but he's been very careless, he's not on the black... he has to take it on the chin and run away to baulk and bide his time... Parrott's played another careless safety, Murphy can take a red on... he's missed it, how relieved is John Parrott... now he can and should get a frame-winning lead here... he's got to get one red away from the pink and the last two off the cushion, so it's not plain sailing yet... good shot to free pink and red... this is the key shot now, pot pink and split the two reds... he's missed the pink but also missed the reds... he's got a 30 point lead with 43 still to play for... Parrott's hit the red too thick and left it on to centre, pink waits in the jaws, so can Murphy get the last red into play... he's got hampered cueing over the blue and it's a very dangerous red down the rail and extremely hard, but the safety is no gimme either... half a chance for Parrott from Murphy's safety, the red stays out, it's not on for Murphy so now a crucial safety battle to determine this frame... Parrott rifles it home, he's 24 in front, if this brown goes in he'll win the frame, but it hasn't.... Murphy can win with the six colours... it looks plain-sailing, but nothing is simple at this stage of the match... he's got them, that is a body blow to John Parrott...

...Murphy catches his safety too thin as we move into the twentieth frame of the match... Parrott cracks in the opening red, he's just about on the brown... well he's so unlucky, a death or glory brown to split the reds and he's skinned past them and sent the black up to the baulk end instead... no he has to play safe, nothing on for him... it's a frustrating game... Parrott's left white mid-table off his safety, that's far too easy for Murphy, he's only got one loose red, the pack will have to be split after this red... he doesn't and so another safety tussle beckons... and Murphy wins that encounter and he's in amongst the balls now... a let off for Parrott, he trails by 29 points but can wipe out the deficit here... you feel now he has to take this frame to have any chance in the match now... the yellow could cause him a problem as it's gone over by the brown... and the last red is in the middle of the top cushion... but he's missed the penultimate red... so the score reads 35-27 in Murphy's favour, the red isn't on for Shaun... 4 more points for Murphy as Parrott swerves but misses contact with the red... and he's missed it again... back it goes again... the points are piling up 43-27 to Shaun now... he's hit it but there's a pot on for Murphy... he's 21 up, just red and high colour and it'll be 12-8... Murphy has missed the yellow, there's hope yet for Parrott... he trails 54-27... he's still got pot brown to black to tie... he's not on the blue, so safety... it's very tense... Murphy can only see a thin edge of the blue but he's got it safe... that is a stunning pot on the blue by Murphy and he's 12-8 up at the interval... he punches the air in delight... that one meant a lot to him...

...the players return to the arena... could this be the last frame or can John Parrott extend this enjoyable match longer... there's little point Parrott playing defensively now and he's gone all out for that long red and potted it... he's wobbled the black but also covered the pocket for the next red... so Murphy calmly rolls a tough red right up into the yellow pocket, splits the reds off the black, but the white has gone back to the baulk end... so just a safety shot for now...another pile-driver from Parrott flies into the pocket... but he can't get good position on another red and he opts for caution over risk... a safety error from Parrott, the reds have gone a bit awkward from the safety shots... Murphy's found one, he's got a couple of open reds, then he'll have to work some off the cushions... he can't keep that going but he leads 45-14 but Parrott leaves another red on... Murphy's not far short of the winning line now and will be the first man into the quarter finals, where he'll play the winner of Matthew Stevens v Mark Allen... and that would be another entertaining match, maybe a repeat of the 2005 final... the end is in sight now, it's been a very brave performance by John Parrott by that's no solace to him as his Crucible campaign comes to an end for another year... Shaun Murphy marches further along our Road To Victory... Parrott throws in the towel... literally across the table.. Murphy acclaims the crowd and throws his chalk to a lucky spectator... join us on the other table for Stephen Maguire v Joe Swail....

FRAME SCORES

1. 65(56)-32

2. 66(65)-1

3. 108(41)-24

4. 100(100)-0

5. 34-84(38)

6. 5-75(74)

7. 4-83(34,49)

8. 75(46)-37

FRAME SCORES

9. 23-62(40)

10. 57(40)-23

11. 61(61)-58(46)

12. 25-88(71)

13. 16-91(68)

14. 81(48)-49(42)

15. 43-73(38)

16. 0-124(123)

FRAME SCORES

17. 131(131)-0

18. 95(35,60)-1

19. 55-52(35)

20. 65-36

21. 72(31,27)-14

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QUOTES

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