27.3.13

MEET THE ROBERTSONS

It may have gone unnoticed as it wasn’t on TV but what a fine performance from Jimmy Robertson on Monday, making three centuries to win his match in the wildcard round, including a 142 total clearance, his highest break as a professional.

His reward is a meeting with his namesake, Neil Robertson who has been solidly consistent this season without winning a major title.

Jimmy played at the Crucible two years ago and was a bag of nerves. However, he goes into today’s match knowing he is playing well.

Mark Williams has won three ranking titles in China but came to Beijing well aware that his form and very future are being openly questioned.

Now 38, Williams is not in the first flush of youth and, being naturally self deprecating, is forever talking down his chances but he is far from finished in my view.

That said, he faces a potential embarrassment at the hands of a 15 year-old, Lu Haotian, who wasn’t even born by the time MJW won his first three ranking titles.

Lu was a quarter-finalist at the International Championship earlier this season and is dangerous. Williams is on a bit of a hiding to nothing: if he wins people will say he should have done, if he loses it will be a huge confidence sapper.

Robert Milkins at one point threw his cue on the floor yesterday in a display of petulance his opponent, John Higgins, later called ‘pathetic.’

It was certainly bad manners but Milkins later apologised. Players shouldn’t behave like that but they are human and humans make mistakes when their emotions are running high.

Nothing in modern life seems to pass without a running commentary of disapproval from people who have obviously never done anything wrong. Milkins may be fined for ungentlemanly conduct but more worrying for Higgins is his own form, which is wildly inconsistent.

The 116 he made was one of the best breaks I’ve seen all year. Much of the rest of his performance was patchy.

I’m not going to bore on about Jack Lisowski again, except to say that his performance in beating Judd Trump yesterday was sensational: the best of his career.

This was a wonderfully entertaining match, and without entertainment snooker wouldn’t be a professional sport at anything like the level it is.

It was kind of like a Jimmy White-Kirk Stevens match of old: exciting young talents making the game look ridiculously easy.

Of course, we all know that it isn’t.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have seen Jimmy White launch his cue across the table while playing in the Premier League and also saw JW petulantly shash balls from the table at the World Champs, conceding a frame early.
No fine for either as there is clearly a difference between the adoration of White and the condemnation of Rob Milkings.
I am not surprised though as people are biased.

Anonymous said...

im a bit worried listening to mike hallets heavy breathing

Anonymous said...

Yes remember Jimmy v Matthew Stevens in the Worlds around 10 years ago - final frame of the session and Jimmy missed a black of it's spot from memory and then struck the white off the table in frustration. Jimmy later apologised of course but there was no fine. I'm sure Jimmy would have been fined under the new Hearn regime and rightly so as Milkins will be no doubt. This is not the norm for Milkins, 99% of the time a true professional.

Seeing Hallett during the Premier League doing his pre match and after match analysis, he's ballooned so much in weight.

Anonymous said...

Re 8.29

He didn't "slash balls from the table", he just brushed them away with his cue (as players often do to concede frames) but did it too forcefully. No balls went off the table.

And no, I'm not a Jimmy fan.

Anonymous said...

Why are Eurosport showing Selby when no snooker fan wants to watch him. Are they trying to get people to watch the cycling on ES1?

Anonymous said...

11.39 - From my post (10.50) Jimmy did strike a ball off the table in frustration after missing a basic shot v Stevens. Think it was 2002. He sincerely apologised afterwards for his actions and no action was taken.

Anonymous said...

Jimmy White has apologised for his moment of madness at the World Championship in Sheffield.

The usually unflappable White lost his cool at the end of the first session of his second round match with Matthew Stevens.

The 39-year-old missed a black off the spot and then struck the cue-ball again, sending it into the black, which flew off the table.


I don't know why he had to concede the frame
Steve Davis

"I would like to apologise for the way I reacted," White said in a statement.

"It was caused by sheer frustration and was completely out of character.

"I wish to apologise to Matthew, all my fans and the viewers on BBC television."

After the incident White turned to shake Stevens' hand to signal the end of the frame, despite being only 13 points behind with three reds still on the table.

That left the Londoner trailing 6-2 going into the interval.

Anonymous said...

Name ?
Mike Smith

Specialised subject ?
The bleedin' obvious

Anonymous said...

11.40 - Don't be a burk! - there's nothing wrong with Selby's play. Ok he's not as fluent as others to watch but it's not about how quick, it's about how many. Very few score as well as him and have as good as all round game as Selby. You don't become a world number 1, UK champion and a multiple Masters and world ranking winner by not creating a vast amount of fans.

Anonymous said...

The continued dominance of British players when the going gets tough is actually quite astounding.

15 of the last 16 left in Beijing are British, the 16th being Australian.

jamie brannon said...

To be fair, Selby was very watchable today, making three centuries, including a 140, and played at a good pace.

Haven't seen the Milkins incident, but people seem to be getting carried away. This matters a huge amount to these players, it is good to see some emotion coming out negative or positive.

That said, I guess it is poor etiquette, but don't think we need to get a knickers in a twist over it.

Anonymous said...

Sadly I await the day when the tantrums of players like, Minkins, White and perhaps Holt result in a ball flying off a table and someone being killed in the front rows, probably at the Crucible Theatre.
All joking aside this could happen along with a thrown cue impailing a referee or camera person.
It's not only football that seems to have a viral resentment towards innocent bystanders, mark my words, it'll happen.

Anonymous said...

Hello all, Cuetip here:

I have two match selections for tomorrow's China Open and both have had a fully comprehensive study. The price in brackets shows our true 100% book price.

Thur 28 Mar

06.30 Mark Davis (10/11) to beat Jack Lisowski (11/10) - VC go 11/8 about Davis. We advise a 9% stake of your betting bank.

11.30 Stuart Bingham (8/15) to beat Rob Milkins (15/8) - Sporting Bet & Paddypower go 8/13 about Bingham. We advise a 5% stake of your betting bank.

CUETIP

Anonymous said...

so much for your tips (re Lisowski)

Anonymous said...

Ronnie for a 5th World Title at Sheffield.I advise 100% of your betting bank ;-)

JAMIE O'REILLY said...

Hi David. A great day's play yesterday, 27-3-2013. in my view.

Hawkins did well, to laead Ding, 4-0, before winning, 5-3.

Walden did well, to beat Doherty, 5-2.

Mark Davis did well, to beat Poomjaeng, 5-3.

Williams played well, to beat Lu Haotian, 5-2.

Selby played superbly, to beat King, 5-1. This included three century breaks from Selby. One of these, in frame three was a 140, within the final ball, of a 147 maximum. He missed the final black. Ken Doherty, is not on his own. Yes, I go back to that 2000 Masters final, against Matthew Stevens. Doherty has made one, in professional competition since though. Great play from Selby today.

Neil Robertson played great, to beat his namesake, Jimmy Robertson, 5-0.

Mark Allen played well, to beat Anthony McGill, 5-1.

Stuart Bingham played well, to beat Liang Wenbo, 5-3.

I could not wait for more, the following day, 28-3-2013.