Premier League: The "prodigal" son, Mark Williams is back

The man of the moment - Mark Williams

The Plymouth Pavilions were full! People from all around the country came to see their favorite players rocking around the snooker table. And they were in for a very special treat! :) All the cameras were set on the ceremony master who was making a short review about what happened two weeks ago and presenting the players and good old Willie Thorne was making his own prediction for last night show and praising the snooker players. But you know what Elvis said: "A little less conversation a little more action please"...so let’s get the party started, ok? :))


The first match of the night was the one between the two "Mark’s" - Mark "The Jester from Leicester" Selby and Mark “The Welsh Potting Machine" Williams. Williams was visibly excited about last night match and who can blame the guy? His last presence in the Premier League was 5 years ago! He had a big smile on his face and you could see how thrilled he was to play again in this wonderful and special event. "I can't remember the last time I played in front of this many people. The more people watching, the more you enjoy it and you play better", said Mark.
Selby had a very modest speech (as always) with his dark voice, sending the same message of happiness to be back after an year absence.

Mark Selby attaks the black ball

The two "Mark’s" are shaking hands, the ref Paul Collier is flipping the coin and the match starts. First frame and the first century break for Selby, who hits 101 break and opens the score in his favor with a "heavy" pocket (£1,000 for that beautiful break). The second frame, Selby is on fire and he almost hits another century break, but an unexpected miss makes him stop at 85. Still, the shoreline is in his favor (2-0). The third frame is off and the Leicester boy seems to be on top, but he misses a red so Williams has the opportunity to "sniff" the table. And he "sniffed" it pretty well :)), for he hit an amazing 113 break and won his first frame.
The tension was rising, for the next frame was going to be either the one were Selby will take the lead, either a draw. If you picked the second version, then you are right! A very tight frame (67-52), but Williams successes in reducing the gap.


The fifth frame, kept Selby in his leather seat, for the Welsh was potting like only a potting machine can, hitting in breaks of 35 and 47 and taking the lead (82-0).

Guarding the game - Paul Collier

So, the last frame...what’s going to be? We will have a winner, or we will have a draw? We definitely have a winner, in the person of Mark Williams who ended the last frame 65-3 in his favor, and by doing so he won the match 4-2! What a marvelous victory! What a comeback! From 0-2 to 4-2! Amazing! And it seems like even the winner was amazed by the final result, as he declared:” Selby started off really well, knocked in a century and I thought I would be three or 4-0 down within 45 minutes."
A beautiful match, although one of the "Mark’s" lost. Still, I’m pretty sure that our beloved Mark "The Shark" will fight better in the next round. :)


The second match of the day, marked the battle between the guy from the West - Ronnie O`Sullivan and the guy from the East - Ding Junhui. I was telling you, the other day, that Ding wasn’t as his best in the early stage of the Premier League, being defeated by the current champion Shaun Murphy 5-1. Well, this time things were a little bit different, for Ding was in a pretty good shape. Of course that "The Rocket" was also at his best and like a bonus he was in a more cheerful disposition. :P

O`Sullivan on top...of the situation :P

The match starts and Ding is taking the lead (1-0) hitting an amazing 122 break! What a start for the little Chinese! :) But Ronnie fights back to win the next frame. And Ronnie wouldn’t be Ronnie if he weren’t to hit a century break too, right? So, he did; in the third frame he made a119 break, a break that could have been higher, if he wouldn’t have missed the blue.


Ding is feeling pretty good after winning the first frame, so he decides to go for another century break, in the forth frame. But he hits too brutally the black and the ball (being obviously upset by such awful treatment :P) refuses to go into the pocket. Final break for Ding : 89. Still enough to win him the frame.
The last two frames were won by Ronnie and Ding in that exact order, although Ronnie really had a huge chance to win the last frame. Ding was leading 52-29, when he missed a red; so Ronnie came to the table, potted the red, but missed the pink. Ding’s turn - he potted the red but missed the blue. And again, Ronnie was at the table - he potted the yellow, the brown, the green, the blue and when all of us thought he’ll be the winner, he missed the pink. For the second time. What a shame! What a shame!
So, the match ended on a draw (3-3), this being the second draw for Ronnie, who really needs to get back there and win a match!

Ding Junhui

Drawing the line, it was a great night for snooker. High quality and very entertaining! SkySports even put together a little (maybe too little) something for Alex Higgins. But what was really emotional, what that after presenting that short video the whole crowd started applauding the one and only, the "People’s Champion", Alex "Hurricane" Higgins. That was a very touching moment! :)


So this is it for Plymouth, but in two weeks the Premier League caravan will reach Preston for another smashing snooker show. 
Yesterday night was definitely Mark Williams` night! This "prodigal" son of snooker  :)) made his comeback into the Premier League with a wonderful victory! :)