2008 888.com World Championship

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Ladder - QUALIFYING RESULTS  - CRUCIBLE RESULTS  - INFORMATION - MATCH NOTES - PLAYER CUEFACTS

GALLERIES: No. 1 Preliminary Rounds - No. 2 Qualifying Rounds

STEVE DAVIS

v

STUART BINGHAM

Round One - Match 15

(Best of 19 frames)

Monday 21 April 10.00

Monday 21 April 19.00

 

Match Notes

Good morning and welcome to this eagerly awaited "Essex Boys" clash...

Crucible legend, six times champion Steve Davis, up against Stuart Bingham, who has his own happy and not so happy Crucibles memories... few will forget him beating Stephen Hendry, but Bingham would like to forget a missed pink that cost him a maximum...

The introductions are under way, Mark Johnston-Allen is still croaking but I'm sure he'll squeak very well!

Stuart Bingham starts well getting Steve in all sorts of trouble with his safety and that gives Stuart the first scoring opening... and he makes a good 45 before putting Davis back on the baulk cushion... there's a good long red by Steve, an encouraging start... he's not got the pace of the table yet so only 19 at that visit... excellent safety now from both players... Bingham's moved 50-20 ahead and he's matching Steve's safety shot for shot here... three reds left and Bingham's done enough, albeit with a few chances, to take the opener... that looks to have settled Stuart down and he's straight onto a break in the second... only 16 at the first attempt but Steve's left him another chance... he can't turn that into an opening but he's laid Steve in another snooker, this is good tight snooker so far by Bingham.. Davis hasn't found his potting form at all yet and he's given Bingham another chance... well it's catching, Bingham misses his colour... and Davis misses another red, a chapter of misses at the moment as the players haven't settled yet... no mistake this time by Bingham and he's now 59 ahead... the frame is won but Steve's getting a bit of potting practice, mopping up the colours...

Real danger signs for Davis early in this match, Bingham is on a run of 38 in the third... well that was a rather hopeful shot to kiss a red in off another red so a chance for Steve... just 8 points and a sitter on for Bingham who has 54 on the board now but there's still a chance for Steve to get back into the frame, not if he's that far off with his long shots though... and Bingham tidies up the remaining balls and leads 3-0 now... A timely fluke for Steve Davis to start the fourth frame, will that inspire him...

24 points for Steve at that visit and no a safety battle develops... and from that Davis has another chance, he's progressed to 18 now 42-4 ahead and looking more comfortable now... well he did, he's missed and there's still enough left for Bingham to take this frame... Davis now leads 44-29 and there's a safety duel on the brown... Bingham needs a snooker on the blue... he doesn't get it and Davis has won a frame as they go to their interval... Davis looks better on the resumption, he's embarked on a break, and made 45 so far.. the break ends at 57 but the 64 point lead means Bingham needs two snookers... Davis smashes in a red, and the frame is safe now...

Bingham was going nicely on 48 in the next until he left the black sitting over the pocket, he's not left a red on though... and that means we're in a prolonged safety exchange, Davis has found a red, a good black with the rest and he's got a chance to get back into the frame here... only 21 so Davis trails 48-21 with 3 reds left and it's back to the tactical battle again.. Bingham's got the best of it so far, a good snooker there, Davis escapes but it's close to the middle and Bingham only needs the red, which he gets... Bingham makes 28 in frame seven, but gets out of position and misses a green and that left Steve a red, which he missed... Stuart pots a great red and misses an easy black and now Steve is punishing Bingham for that error, he's 46-29 ahead and two reds left... the break reaches 56, he needs the yellow and he's got it... a thumping opening red by Bingham to start frame 8, but he's only made 22 from the visit.. he's got a second chance and this time onto 34 and 56 ahead now.. and he's got a two frame lead again, just one more frame and Steve Davis really needs to win it to trail only 5-4... another good start by Bingham, he's made 35 but there's nothing much on now... there is now as Davis missed a risky plant... Davis needs a snooker now and it's looking like 6-3 to Stuart...

Welcome back for the conclusion of this match... Can Steve Davis find his form and claw his way back into the match... First blood to Davis, he needs to score heavily when he gets a chance tonight... he doesn't and the chance goes to Bingham and he breaks down so it returns to Davis who has made 15 so far at this visit... he's had to play safe now leading 25-21, there are 6 reds left, two by the middle pocket, we might even have a re-rack if they don't stop tip tapping into the pack soon... and it is a re-rack... we'll start again in this frame... Bingham is moving ahead in the re-started frame... a long way ahead as he makes 67 to take the frame... Steve starts nicely with 25 in the next but a careless miss gives the table over to Stuart... but he misses the black while bridging over the pack... wow that is a very bright shirt Stuart's got on tonight - where is my brightness control, looks like it's straight out of Dominic's wardrobe! some fun and games as Davis fouls and moves nearly every ball and Brendan has to get them all replaced, a brilliant thin cut by Davis, 32 behind now on the last red, he's still in the frame... well that's the second time today an attempted black has leaped off the table... so now Davis needs snookers, 34 behind on the yellow, that is unlucky for Davis and the lead grows to 8-3 for Bingham.. as this match slips away from Davis, the thought occurs that this could be the last time we see the legend in action on the table at the Crucible... he'll be out of the Top 16 next season, needing to win at least one qualifying match to get back to the Crucible... 40 on the board for Davis but again he's let Stuart back to the table... Bingham pulls back to 40-31 but breaks down, another chance for Steve.. the last red goes down and Davis pulls a frame back... he's going well in the next, a run of 32 and a very good safety to follow... and that earns him the chance to get back and clear up the frame.. so 8-5 at the final interval, this match is by no means over yet... a massive roar of support for Davis as he returns, the Crucible faithful are really getting behind their man, in the absence of Jimmy White that is!. Davis is picking up his game now and he's on a break of 37 here but position from black to red goes awry ... well he's cut a thin red in so he still controls the table.. and on to 75, his best break of the match and another frame slips from Bingham's grasp...

Davis is beginning to buzz in this match, he still trails but at the moment he looks the stronger players, the pressure is mounting on Stuart at the moment and he's sat out nearly three frames now... 28 for Davis, and safe... Bingham gets a chance at last... he misses a simple black on 31 and Davis will try and punish him now... and he has, frame to Davis, just one behind now and he looks favourite at the moment... Davis has progressed steadily to 43 in the next, he will need to split the pack soon... there's the split and there is the 5th consecutive break over 50 for Davis... unless you're Stuart Bingham, this is a pleasure to watch now... Davis is livid to lose position, but just look at that pin point shot, he's put Bingham tight behind the brown close to the cushion, vintage Davis.. a miss from Stuart.... this is suddenly like turning the clock back more than twenty years and the crowd are loving it...  Davis smacks in the red he needs to level the match and by the roar you would think Jimmy White or Alex Higgins were playing!

There's a rare miss by Davis tonight and Bingham has a chance, and he's split the pack nicely, good chance now... somehow he's lost position on 25... Davis leads 40-25 and now there'll be some tense safety to create the next chance... Bingham breaks the deadlock after some brilliant safety, forced into a thin clip red, he's got it and now has created a scoring chance... he's made 29 and played safe on the last red with a 14 point lead... Bingham's got the red, but he's not well on the yellow, so the lead is 19 now and the yellow is safe... Davis snookers Bingham and from the leave he gets a good yellow but a tough green now... he's got it and he's on the brown, Davis needs all the colours and they're on for him... mmm, an inch or two too far on the pink.. he'll have to go round the table... how's your luck, good pot, goes round the table and in off in the green pocket, now Bingham needs the pink off its spot but opts for safety... Davis gets a snooker on the pink... good escape... Bingham now snooker Davis... brilliant shot by Davis to escape the snooker and control the white in behind the black, another snooker for Bingham to hit... he does... another great shot by Davis, a little clip on the pink, it's near the middle pocket but Bingham can't see it and he's put it over the corner.. a tough black for Davis to play, no he's rattled it and it's over the pocket, 9-8 to Bingham...

what a frame... Bingham launches at a long red, misses it and Davis opens his account with a rest shot... he's missed a red on 14... a red for Bingham but there's no colour on, Davis gets a good red but there's nothing on yet, the pack is tight, just one open red.. Bingham's working hard here and he's built up a 41-15 lead and now he's getting into decent position, needs to split the last four reds off the blue, he does and this is now a great chance to win the match... he's the wrong side of the blue now, problems to get on the last three reds... he's got one and now he's clinched the match barring snookers, a great break of 59... the lead is 49 with only 35 on...

Bingham gets the red and it's all over...

FRAME SCORES

1. 20-69(45)

2. 41-71(39)

3. 19-108(38,54)

4. 54-34

5. 87(57)-0

6. 21-59

7. 66(58)-33

8. 0-80(58)

9. 4-59

FRAME SCORES

10. 11-76(67)

11. 33-69

12. 105(65)-31

13. 100(68)-4

14. 81(81)-0

15. 84(51)-31

16. 91(67)-0

17. 60-72.

18. 15-65(59)

19. .

FRAME SCORES

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

QUOTES

WINNER

.

QUOTES