Thursday 16 February 2017

LIVE BLOG: Welsh Open Last 32

Today I am going to be at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff once again, yesterday I was in and out of the arena which made it tough to put a live blog together, but for the Last 32 this afternoon I will certainly have my game face on. There were a lot of shocks yesterday as Murphy, Robertson and O'Sullivan (who was leading 3-0) exited the competition but we won't dwell on that in this live blog. If anybody has any update requests send them in to my Twitter page @CueActionBlog

SECOND LIVE GAME - ALI CARTER VS HOSSEIN VAFEI AYOURI -

Ali Carter pots the first red from range, doesn't land nicely on the blue and misses it into the corner. Had gotten perfect position though and now Hossein has a chance to show his stuff.

Hossein makes 21 before losing position and we're back to some safety play. A loose shot leaves Hossein his second chance but after going into the pack again he loses position and has to play safe but does so with a healthy lead.

The safety wasn't up to standard though and with the reds in open play Carter could easily clear and steal this opening frame.

Carter clears the remaining reds easily enough but stretching on the yellow he under screws it, leaving the green thin and from that he didn't come back across the table enough for the brown. Shortly after Ali attempted a long brown and left it near the corner for Hossein who then followed it with good cuts on blue and pink into the middle 1-0 Hossein

Another good chance for Hossein in frame two with a few reds to go at. He'll be hoping to at least build a big lead if he can't double his lead in one visit... But hang on. He misses a red I expected him to get and hands the chance over to Carter.

Carter lost position and layed a snooker and then followed it with another shortly after following another pot. Hossein is having all manner of problems getting out of it with the final red being directly behind the pink and the cue ball tight behind the brown. He may not play another shot before Hossein requires snookers himself.

The Iranian manages to get out of the snooker before the irreparable damage is done and then lays a couple of snookers himself, the second of which causes an in off from Carter and as the red travels up to baulk, offers the chance he needs to steal the frame. The green was not easy with the rest nearer the side cushion, but the rest was simple enough and he punishes Carter to double his lead. Is there another upset on the cards? 2-0 Hossein

First real good chance in frame three comes for Ali and with reds well placed it's one he should like the look of certainly. Expect him to win the frame at this visit.

A break of 52 should be enough as he plays safe 73 ahead with just 67 left. Two snookers for Hossein or Carter will have a frame back. 2-1 Hossein

Great chance for Hossein in the fourth after a lovely pot in the middle to get going. Into the pack from the blue on 27 gave him a good split and a key mid range followed on 42 when he finished wrong side of the blue and didn't get back down the table anywhere near as far as he hoped. In prime position now and should make it 3-1.

What a wonderful break that was. 136 for Hossein and with it he moves one away from sending another top player home.

WOW. Carter goes for a hit and hope into the full pack of reds from a snooker behind the black. Not sure why at all but has given Hossein a brilliant match winning opportunity.

Still can't believe the final shot from Carter. Hossein finished well though. Seemingly no nerves and he never lost ideal position. A finish of 123 to go with the 136 of the previous frame and another star goes home.

RESULT - HOSSEIN VAFEI AYOURI 4-1 ALI CARTER

LIVE BLOG GAME - ROBIN HULL VS STUART CARRINGTON - 

- That's right folks, I will be live blogging one of my favourite players to watch and someone I support heavily on twitter in Robin Hull as he takes on the heavy scoring Stuart Carrington. I'm expecting some big breaks in this match and I think it will be a close affair between two players who have played well so far this week.

First frame- Carrington in with the first chance after a good long red and a nice brown to follow from close to the cushion.

CHANCE GONE - Carrington unlucky going into the pack on 27 and landing on nothing. Assume he took on the difficult cut back plant but leaves the red over the corner for Hull.

Hull though is forced to play safe on 7 failing to screw back enough for the black fron a mid range red.

Hull gets the next chance after a good long red, but was not quite perfect on the red a couple after and misses, Carrington was left a tester to the middle and having potted it has a great chance to take the opener.

Just as I send that update though he misses but Hull's cannon on two reds below the pink from a thin blue doesn't work out and he plays safe. Bit of a nervy opening.

1-0 Carrington - After some good safety play Stuart forces the error, Hull glancing off a red on the bottom cushion from a snooker and leaving it on. With the other two reds open a good cannon from the black to hold the white made the rest easy enough to take a hard fought opener.

Good chance now for Hull in the second after reds were opened and pushed towards the baulk end. Hull took a cut on one from range playing for the blue and has taken the break nicely into the thirties so far.

Hull misses the black on 46 but is lucky not to leave anything. Carrington makes a mess of the safety to let Hull straight back in but he doesn't land on a colour nicely from the opening red, takes on a mid range yellow and misses. Stuart pots a nice red into the yellow pocket and has his chance to counter. One red awkward on a side cushion but otherwise a good chance.

Carrington only makes 22, making hard work of a few shots and eventually deciding to try and cannon the red off of the cushion from a red, but he misses the cannon doesn't land on a colour and has to play safe.

2-0 Carrington - Stuart wins the safety battle potting the last two reds up near the baulk cushion and clearing the colours with a testing black to finish to double his lead and win a big frame.

Not the start Hull needed in frame three, after potting the first red he goes into the pack but misses the black and leaves Carrington in for a great scoring chance.

3-0 Carrington - I said it was a good chance and despite a couple of positional shots that nearly landed him in trouble, Carrington looked good and is flying now with a break of 101 to move one away from the Last 16.

First chance again goes to Carrington after a cutback red. Black is safe but the reds are nicely placed. After the ton in the last he'll be looking to win the match.

Carrington certainly took his chance again winning the final frame in one visit and only just missing out again on back to back centuries missing a red along the cushion with the rest. Looked very comfortable and will be a good match between him and Igor tonight.

RESULT- STUART CARRINGTON 4-0 ROBIN HULL

UPDATES: 

Robert Milkins vs Josh Boileau - 

Milkins wins the first with a fluent 74 straight from a missed red near the cushion from his opponent. 1-0 Milkins

Boileau had three or four chances that I saw after Milkins missed an easy green on 52 but still couldn't punish him. 2-0 Milkins

When Milkins is around 2-0 can turn into 4-0 very quickly. So it proved today as he played well and Boileau was never really in the match. With form like this and top guns tumbling it could be a very profitable week for Milkins. 4-0 MILKINS

Mark Allen vs Mei Xiwen -

Didn't see much of the first but Mei looked good when I did see him. No reason he couldn't cause an upset here after how well I saw him play last night against Ebdon. 1-0 Mei

Currently 1-1 here as I pick up extended updates. Scrappy second went to Allen after a few misses from both. Now Mei has missed with a lead of 56 and just three balls from winning the frame. Hasn't left anything though but with all the balls in open play Allen could counter if he gets in.

Mei goes for a long red and pots it along with the one next to it into the pocket next door. However he misses frame ball pink and leaves Allen a chance. He needs blacks with all the remaining reds and after two red-black combos, loses position trying to bring the red from the bottom cushion.

Allen gets another chance at a red with the rest but made tough by having to hold for the black. He misses and leaves it over the corner and Mei Xiwen plays the other red on to it before Allen concedes the frame. 2-1 Mei

Mei Xiwen builds a classic break at the start of frame four, simply picking off the loose reds. However, when he decides to go into the pack on 49 he misses the black and hands Allen a chance he really must take.

He does take it, pulling off a good mid range pot on the third last red, and a tricky pot on the final red. Mei will be kicking himself as Allen levels the match. 2-2

Mei Xiwen in first again in frame five. Picking off the loose reds very skillfully again. But this time he misses the red before he'd have needed to go into the remaining pack of seven - leading by 55.

Mei pots two long reds but in neither circumstance did he land on a colour. Then after an Allen in off he is able to make a third and land on a colour before doing more than enough to secure the frame. 3-2 Mei

An unfortunate finish for Allen here as he attempts a long red, misses and goes in off only for the Red he played to finish in baulk. With reds open Mei Xiwen did the rest. RESULT MEI XIWEN 4-2 MARK ALLEN

Jimmy Robertson Vs Scott Donaldson - Whilst Hull and Carrington takes place on Table 8 I will be able to get a few glances on this game and will put the updates in this section.

Seemed like Jimmy Robertson missed a good chance to take the opener and Donaldson fully punished it. 1-0 Donaldson

2-0 Donaldson Donaldson was all over Jimmy Robertson but on 37 in the third misses the black going into the reds and has offered his opponent a lifeline.

RESULT - Scott Donaldson 4-0 Jimmy Robertson - Donaldson offered Robertson a lifeline in the but his opponent missed far too many in the end. A lovely 84 finishes the job and Scott is into the Last 16.

Zhou Yuelong Vs Ross Muir - The same applies to Muir and Zhou. I should be able to see bits of this game, and it should be a good one with the talented Zhou taking on a player in Muir who thrashed Fu 4-0 yesterday. Updates on this game will be in here. 

1-0 Zhou - after Muir missed chances in the opener Zhou took that one and has a nice chance to take the second comfortably.

Couldn't see as much of this as I hoped but it too was one sided Zhou Yuelong too strong on the day winning 4-1.

Last 32 Draw and Schedule: 

12pm UK Time:

TV Table - Barry Hawkins Vs Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Stream Table - Graeme Dott Vs Lee Walker
Table 3 - Dominic Dale Vs Igor Figueiredo
Table 4 - Mark Davis Vs Fergal O'Brien
Table 5 - Anthony Hamilton Vs Craig Steadman
Table 6 - Zhou Yuelong Vs Ross Muir
Table 7 - Jimmy Robertson Vs Scott Donaldson
Table 8 - Stuart Carrington Vs Robin Hull

1pm UK Time:

TV Table - Judd Trump Vs Jackson Page
Stream Table - Stuart Bingham Vs Ian Burns

Michael White Vs Robbie Williams
Mark Allen Vs Mei Xiwen
Ali Carter Vs Hossein Vafei Ayouri
Robert Milkins Vs Josh Boileau

2,30pm UK Time:

TV Table - Mark Selby Vs Yan Bingtao
Stream Table - Kurt Maflin Vs Mitchell Mann

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