Recap - Barry Hawkins v Mark Selby: Frame-by-frame
Published 20/01/2017 at 13:20 GMT
Look back at our live frame-by-frame coverage as Barry Hawkins beat Mark Selby to claim a spot in the semi-finals of the Masters.
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Selby 3-6 Hawkins
Hawkins wraps it up, beating the world number one 6-3. It wasn't vintage stuff, but if Hawkins can see off Selby in this form then he'll fancy his chances against anybody.
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Selby 3-5 Hawkins (49-60)
The jaws strike again as Selby's brown richochets back out. It looks safe... and it is. (Bear with me while I start chewing down that hat...)
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Selby 3-5 Hawkins (38-60)
OH MY WORD... Hawksy, what have you done? Lined up perfectly off the pink to roll in that rogue red down the cushion, he instead catches the jaw and leaves Selby with a gimme. If this isn't a clearance coming from Mark then I'll eat my proverbial hat.
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Selby 3-5 Hawkins (38-37)
Here we go... Hawkins has opened up the reds, but there's still that pesky solitary red on the cushion that might stop him building up an unassailable lead.
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Selby 3-5 Hawkins (38-12)
Hawkins sets himself him nicely for a clearance, but catches the jaws with a gettable red and Selby picks out a tasty safety. That rogue red is still tucked on the cushion though...
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Selby 3-5 Hawkins (38-0)
Selby rolls off a 38 break and looks set to pull it back to 4-5... only to take the pink and black out of the reckoning with some sloppy cue-ball work. His rescue attempt at a snooker isn't the best either... is this Hawkins' chance to seal it?
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Selby 3-5 Hawkins
And Selby can't find a decent safety, leaving another long red - the kind Hawkins has handled all match - and he makes no mistake! He gets rid of the green, then another red, a black, and needs one more red ... AND IT'S THERE! Selby needs three in a row to save himself; it could not look less likely.
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Selby 3-4 Hawkins (0-49)
Hawkins has to stretch on the rest - he should've used the extension - and doesn't get into the pot, sending the red down but finishing on nowt. "Schoolboy error," chides Ken, but he responds well enough, getting the white into the middle of the top cushion with no pot on.
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Selby 3-4 Hawkins (0-37)
But what was that break from Selby all about? He'd just stolen a key frame - all three of his frames today have been steals, and he fails to get the white behind the yellow. Nonsense.
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Selby 3-4 Hawkins (0-22)
A poor break from Selby leaves Hawkins a chance, and he takes it with alacrity, smashing home a difficult long red. A blue follows it, he's back at the business-end of the table, and already this is a chance. There are five loose reds and no colours blocked.
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Selby 3-4 Hawkins
And there it is! That was an excellent break, even if the balls were nicely spread, and for the first time this afternoon, Selby looked tuned-in.
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Selby 2-4 Hawkins (54-21)
Selby is quickly into the lead, and for the first time in a while looks properly focused. Though I may be imagining it, I'm not surprised - he must have known he was done for, except that now he isn't, shortly to be within one despite playing like a clown all afternoon. Red-colour-red required.
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Selby 2-4 Hawkins (0-21)
And Selby can't solve it, leaving the white ball short and allowing Hawkins a straightforward enough red. He disappears it right enough, sends a blue down as well, then a red and a pink. But the pink is replaced on the brown spot,and with the black blocked by a red, it'll be blues - or will it? A lovely shot allows for the removal of the offending sphere, and this should be the frame ... but he misses that black!
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Selby 2-4 Hawkins (0-1)
Selby attacks a red off Barry's break and misses - just. Which means that he's left it, and in it duly goes. But there's nothing on, so after a period of introspection,cue ball is sent close to the yellow pocket, and just behind the yellow. Selby responds well, sort of - the white is tight on the cushion, but there's a red close to the bottom-left that is pottable. Hawkins, though, prefers to play safe - of course he does, but also, why wouldn't he? - and leaves a head-scratcher.
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Selby 2-4 Hawkins
A run of 47 is enough for the frame, and Selby needs to find something. He had no business losing that frame in that manner, and other than his innate markselbiness, there is nothing to suggest he can pull this one out.
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Selby 2-3 Hawkins (0-74)
But Selby misses with the rest into the green pocket! He's back in shtuck! Barry is to the table, and rapidly extends his lead, a red rolled with the rest along the botto bottom cushion a highlight. 60 points to the good, he sets about methodically tidying; he is the least left-handed left-hander I've ever seen. And he's as good as 4-2-up.
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Selby 2-3 Hawkins (0-37)
Hawkins removes the loose reds as is his wont, and it's big shot time: blue into the pack, avoiding the loose one at the top to crump the rump (sorry). He can't pull it off, punishment for his careful style - a different player would've dug into things sooner. So, he plays a ropey safety instead and sits down knowing that was a chance to make more than 37.
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Selby 2-3 Hawkins (0-0)
"Big frame - so was the last one, but so's this." Funny that, Jayvee. Hawkins will know that people now expect Selby to turn on the afterburners, whatever afterburners are, and he makes an early error with his safety, leaving a red to the green pocket from down the bottom end. There's a long way for it to travel, but the white is close, so you'd expect Selby to deal - he expects himself to deal - but he misses!
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Selby 2-3 Hawkins
A loose shot on the blue means a tricky pink, but there's no one you'd back harder to handle it than Selby, and handle it he does. Hawkins needs to forget about that unfortunate pack-split, before it messes with his mind.
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Selby 1-3 Hawkins (46-62)
Selby is too straight on a blue to get back down for the last red - which is stuck to the black. So he muscles home the brown instead - beautifully - pots the red and the key shot is now coming up, pink to yellow. He plays it well, and you can't see him missing now.
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Selby 1-3 Hawkins (18-62)
Hawkins' safety isn't all that and Selby steels himself to deal with a long red. What a pot that was; not just in the skill, though it was considerable, but in the testicles, because miss and that's 1-4. So, he's back in business at the business end, and you'd back him to close the gap now. He's 44 behind with 59 remaining.
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Selby 1-3 Hawkins (0-62)
Still reds with blacks for Hawkins, but he's too straight on the one which he intended to take him into the pack. So he stuns it in, and has to take a long one to the yellow pocket - no maximum here - but he glides it home beautifully, then takes another red, a blue, and is unlucky to be on nowt when he comes back down into the pack. Still, 62 is a useful lead.
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Selby 1-3 Hawkins (0-24)
A poor safety from Hawkins leaves Selby a red into the middle - but he misses! And leaves one! Hawkins says thank you very much - figuratively speaking - and works his way down to the black.
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So, Mark Selby, what do you have? We know exactly what you've got, and also that you're not reading this - actually, how do they cope without their phones for so long? - but anyway. Selby didn't look at his ease at any point of that session, and if that doesn't change, there'll be no Selbyslam.
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Well, what about that? Hawkins hasn't even played that well, yet leads handily, while Selby looks unusually nervous. He's got some thinking to do in the break.
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Selby 1-3 Hawkins
Unfathomable miss from Hawkins, and there are 67 points on the table, the lead being 63. But Selby is faced with a difficult red, in the middle portion of the table and the white in the green area - he's looking for the bottom-right - but he misses, and that'll be that. Hawkins is very quickly up, and down they all go!
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Selby 1-2 Hawkins (0-56)
Hawkins cannons the pack and gets on nothing, but his lead is still a handy one - there are 91 points still on the table. First, though, Selby needs to negotiate a safety shot - or does he? There's a red about halfway down the rail that he clatters towards the bottom-left, misses by plenty, and when it rattles the jaws of the green pocket but stays out, Hawkins has an easy starter and is in prime position to take the frame! All the more so when adds blue, red, blue!
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Selby 1-2 Hawkins (0-38)
Hawkins is into this now, first in in frame four - after which we shall enjoy the midsession. And it would be huge if he could go into it 3-1 to the good, putting himself in position to bully the bully. And, 25 ahead, he plays a lovely red, bringing the white back through a little gap so that he might address the pink. Down that goes, but its spot is occupied, so it goes right at the bottom of the pack; unhelpful, but blue and black are still available.
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Selby 1-2 Hawkins
The Hawk splits the reds, downs one then misses the black along the rail - and Selby stays where he is,
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Selby 1-1 Hawkins (16-49)
Hawkins picks off the loose reds like Hawkins picking off the loose reds, accompanying them with pinks. There are two difficult reds, touching the black on opposite sides, but provided the pinks continue, we'll be at the snookers required stage by the time they need addressing.
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Selby 1-1 Hawkins (16-11)
But Selby quickly runs out of position, so, out of frustration, attempts a long blue into the top-right, missing by plenty. he may regret such capriciousness, because Barry is in and there's a fair few points available before anything tricky needs doing.
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Selby 1-1 Hawkins (11-0)
Perhaps I'm being uncharitable - Selby's winning clearance was a nice one. And he's soon ahead in the third, taking a red then ramming home a blue to go into the pack. It doesn't turn out that well, even though he played the shot beautifully - but there's enough to be going on with.
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Selby 1-1 Hawkins
Yellow, green and brown required ... easily dismissed. Hawkins does not look happy, nor should he.
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Selby 0-1 Hawkins (43-34)
Sark Melby rarely allows errors of that ilk to go unpunished, and he's quickly in front. But then he tries to cannon a red, misses, and leaves a trickier blue than necessary - but down it goes.
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Selby 0-1 Hawkins (0-35)
But then Hawkins runs out of position, eschewing a pink to play safe. Selby escapes well, a two-cushioner with pace, and what a response! Hawkins lines him up at the top of the table, and again the escape is superb, but then he flicks the blue which ruins everything. But then, after a red, Barry misses the black off its spot - dearie me.
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Selby 0-1 Hawkins (0-34)
Hawkins cues across one aiming for a red into the bottom-left, leaving a red for Selby - albeit with the white on the cushion. He'll be on a colour if it goes down, though, and it does - but WHERE'S THE CUE BALL GOING! Into the middle is the answer, and what a great chance for Bazza to go two ahead! Off he goes...
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Selby 0-1 Hawkins (0-23)
Hawkins downs another red but finishes on nowt, so we're back to safety.
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Selby 0-1 Hawkins (0-22)
Hawkins will be flying after grinding the grinder in that opener, and he's first on the board in the next, a good red giving him perfect position on the blue. But he goes into the pack earlier than necessary and it doesn't work out, so with 22 on the board, has to play safe.
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Selby 0-1 Hawkins
I don't think I've seen many lower-scoring frames than this; many worse frames than this. Hawkins misses the blue again when he really ought not to have done - but then knocks it in - and finally, after 42 minutes, there's one on the board.
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (27-48)
Hawkins has a go at the brown, misses it by plenty, then thinks it's rebounding into the middle so sets off around the table only for it to bounce out. So Selby pots it, then tries a snooker and gets nowhere near.
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (23-48)
You really don't want to get into a safety exchange with Mark Selby, but that's where Barry Hawkins is - and what a pot he produces! A long one on the green, knocking it in off that black - the kind of swap places - and Selby is left nodding and shaking because he didn't think it went! And now he needs snookers! The brown isn't available, so off we go again - the pink is at one end, the black at the other, and the blue in the middle, so Selby has possibilities.
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (23-45)
Some chasing around of the green, which ends up close to the bottom-right pocket, which is already covered by the black. So Hawkins sends it up the table, and now Selby has to cue over the black, with the white only just in front of it. He gets a decent connection, and more safety ensues.
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (23-45)
But Selby can't take advantage, taking the last red before missing a green. So Hawkins helps himself to the yellow and lays a snooker - but what an escape from Selby, popping out from behind the brown, clipping the green, and bringing the pink into play too.
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (22-43)
Mistake by Barry, giving a black too much - but he responds with a delightful double, giving Selby a taste of his own medicine. But then he misses a black with the rest! This really is scrappy stuff, and all the more exciting for it.
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (22-34)
Hawkins takes some easy points, then dispatches a not-so-simple plant into the middle. Down goes the blue, but the kiss he was after to disturb a cushioned red was too thin, so a good next pot required ... and it's there!
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (22-4)
Selby leaves a red into the centre - a tough pot, but one you'd expect to go. It does not, clipping the near jaw. So Selby knocks in a longish red, but goes in-off! Huge chance for Hawkins!
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (22-0)
Dear, dear. Selby rolls in a blue and comes back into baulk for a red - all he has to do is avoid a kiss on the brown, so he kisses the brown, which forces him to nuzzle in behind the aforementioned red. Hawkins then plays a excellent safety, off the side cushion, into the top and behind the green.
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (16-0)
Hawkins tries a long red into the bottom-left ad properly commits - he thinks it's in, but it wobbles in the jaw, and because he's over-screwed it, Selby has an easy pot to get going. That will probably be that - all the more so now he's down for the blue.
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (4-0)
Nice shot from Hawkins, forcing a red towards the middle as a shot to nothing and bringing the white back to the bottom cushion. Selby spends a while in contemplation, then sort of tries a pot into the middle, leaving the cue ball in baulk with nothing obvious - it's between the green spot and pocket, with most of the reds on the other side, between middle and top.
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (4-0)
A safety exchange, rolling into and away from the cluster, off the bottom cushion. Consequently, the reds a spread all over the show, so when someone gets in, there's a chance for a low but frame-clinching break.
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Selby 0-0 Hawkins (4-0)
Hawkins leaves a red loitering around the vicinity of the bottom-left, so Selby has a shy and misses; so first chance to Hawkins. He looks to roll a different one into the middle - the angle is relatively tight, but it's one you'd for sure expect to go down. It does not, so Selby sends it to into the opposite pocket, helps himself to a yellow, a red with the rest - and he'll be on the black - except he gets a kick and has to play safe!
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Basher Hawk to break...
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And here comes the Jester. Can anyone think of anything else that rhymes with Leicester. No, not me sir.
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Here comes "The Hawk", Barry Hawkins. How do they think of these things?!
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So far, Barry Hawkins - along with Marco Fu - have been the best players this week. But the truth is, it makes little difference. Every player can beat every other player, and it takes very little to get on a roll. Consider Mark Allen, who belted the great John Higgins in Round 1, only to then be belted himself.
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Someone - I forget who - was saying we need another top-16 invitational tournament. I'd be into that!
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I suppose it's possible that human society has created something better than afternoon frames, but if it has - and it's a big IF - then I sure as shot to nothing don't know what it is. So, in not too long at all we'll be treated to Mark Selby and Barry Hawkins. It's not a bad old life.
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