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World Snooker Championship
The annual World Snooker Championships at the Crucible, one of the great b=British sporting events, starts at 10 on Friday morning.
There's close to on-stop coverage on both BBC & Eurosport. Both channels cover it reasonably well, though the BBC has no ad breaks of course.
Play commences at 10am daily, & it runs until Sunday August 16th.
Comments
Day 1 schedule. (First round matches are best of 19).
10am
Judd Trump v Tom Ford
Stuart Bingham Ashley Carty
2:30pm
Ding Junhui v Mark King
7pm
Judd Trump v Tom Ford
Mark Williams v Alan McManus
Favs have been doing really well since covid.
Was reading he had a couple of reservations about playing etc.
Enjoy his play and a bit of his theatrics. Half of the stuff is very dry and boring now though.
Anthony Hamilton pulled out yesterday, but unless it's just happened, Ronnie is still playing AFAIK.
Normally want Ronnie to win this one. I want Trump to win this time for his BBC comments.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/53580678
Ronnie still a class act but cannot see him winning another world crown. Selby seems all over the place these days, so I'll tip Robertson to win his second title. Outsiders (ish) Murphy & Wilson.
Spectators, which were due to be allowed at the Crucible in limited numbers, will no longer be allowed from tomorrow.
So it looks like Anthony Hamilton withdrew for nothing, he could have taken his place, if I understand it all correctly.
Alan has become one of the best snooker commentators, (not much to beat, to be fair, though Hendry & Joe Johnson are both excellent), while Old Man Williams just goes on & on. He's a keen poker player too, used to play at the Swansea & Cardiff Grosvenors regularly. Top bloke, & the coolest guy on the planet, as he pads around the table in his baggy suit & Hush Puppies.
Look out for him doing his weird "under the body" shot.
The so-called older players have been going well the past few years. Younger ones haven't taken over yet.
Judd Trump from what I understand should have won more by this stage of his career. He was behind to Tom Ford in the 1st round and maybe in a bit of bother. Away to check to see if he got through.....
10am
Stuart Bingham v Ashley Carty (Bingham currently 5-4 ahead)
David Gilbert v Kurt Maflin
2:30pm
John Higgins v Matthew Stevens
Ding Junhui v Mark King (Ding currently 5-4 ahead)
7pm
Mark Williams v Alan McManu (Williams currently 4-5 behind)
With Trump not playing today, hopefully we will be spared one of the many cliches some of the woeful commentators repeated endlessly yesterday.
If you are offered the Under/Over on how many times they trotted out "the Crucible curse" lump on the Overs.
Snooker is played between the ears as well as on the baize & not having the oooh's & ahhh's of a crowd will help the underdogs massively I feel.
Anyway, Eurosport has got Jimmy in the studio. They get my vote.
Anyone mention Mark Allen yet?
Had Mark Allen @ 14/1 e/w. I think that is slightly overpriced. He has got a World Title in him and this could just be his year to do it.
Also had a couple pennies e/w on Kurt Maflin @ 66/1. I was impressed by his break building in his 1st match. He has also been practicing with Jimmy White during lock down, which will certainly help his game. Tough opponent in John Higgins next, but it will do his confidence a world of good if he manages to beat him. I also think this is the type of player who will now feel less pressure due to there being no Crucible crowd.
Not liking the clapping machine TBH.