10.10.09

THE MORE CONSIDERED VIEW

I thought John Higgins v Mark Selby at the Crucible was the best match of 2009 so far but the finish of Higgins’s defeat to Neil Robertson today was so dramatic that it may just shade it.

Robertson was confident and attacking from the off. He played his own game throughout and took the match to Higgins.

And the world champion responded in trademark fashion, making a steely clearance from 5-3 down and then drawing level.

This was a contest of an exceptionally high standard. Higgins went to the interval with 100% pot success, having not missed a single ball.

Robertson went on to make three centuries, taking his career tally to 98.

The decider could have gone either way. Robertson played the double and left a horrid cut for Higgins with the cue ball tight on the top cushion.

I wasn’t surprised that Higgins conceded when he left it in the jaws. He'd fought hard but, ultimately, in vain and it would almost be an insult to make Robertson pot it.

Well done to both and congratulations to Robertson.

All things considered that must be the best win of his career.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I assume John Higgins could have been heavily fined for his last frame concession under the former guidelines laid down by the WSA?
With the black ball teetering over the pocket.
A fine for the respected world champion the perfect conclusion to a brilliant match.

Anonymous said...

id imagine he will be warned like players are for their first "early concession" of a frame.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic and extremely entertaining match..unlucky John. Actually that 100% stat was not correct. In one of the early frames, John tried to cut an impossible black down the cushion and missed it...(did not hit the black)...

Anonymous said...

also

its great to see that those who think the sport is nothing without ronnie will be on here saying they are sorry for having their eyes painted on their face for the last decade.

matches like this show the game isnt about one person, no matter how popular he is with crowd attendance.

he isnt snooker. snooker is snooker.

great match. good to see two great sportsmen who are examples of gentlemen making it such.

well done both!!

Anonymous said...

Just FYI and coming from a referee having refereed for World Snooker as well:

The concession rule has been altered to the extent that common sense should now be applied. This particularly goes for when a ball to effectively win a frame or match is left over a pocket.

I therefore seriously doubt that John will (in hindsight) be warned/fined for this concession. In my view it would be both unprofessional and silly to do so.

Yet stranger things have happened...

Anonymous said...

he should be warned, as per the rules, but then he wouldnt be able to do it again in that match as it was the final frame, so no harm done

the poster who suggested it is only upset because ron got his knuckles wrapped (again) for persistently breaking rules...IMHO

jamie brannon said...

It was a classic, but I think for anyone to say it was the greatest of all time, is getting carried away with the recency of it. I cant see how it was better than O'Sullivan v Higgins in 2006 Masters final. However this match showed to me like the tournament did that Neil Robertson can be World Champion I didn't think that a few years ago.

Anonymous said...

it was better than that match as it had a gentleman of the game, MBE, true ambassador for the sport and not Ronnie.

imho