Mark Selby vs Yan Bingtao | Group Final Highlights | 2021 Cazoo Champion of Champions

Well, this looks like 1-0 to Jan Bingtouw. He really showed his mettle at that Masters. I mean, it's one thing to win it, but the way he won it. 3-6-5s against Neil Robertson, Steve McGuire and Stuart Bingham, then a 10-8 over John Higgins in the final. Robertson matches the one I really remember, because in the decider there he had a useful lead and he put five colours on the cushions. Just completely put the frame to bed. Well, he's gone in off, but he's too far in front, I think. Even Mark Selby's not going to chase this one. So, Jan Bingtouw, who's only had an hour to get ready for this match after beating Sean Murphy, has won the opening frame against Mark Selby. Well, Bingtouw needs an extra snooker, so that was clever. Of course, in was better than over the pocket. Black's available now, all right. Well, try and do that again, Dave. Well, he's played a very positive shot. He's been unlucky to knock the black in, of course he has, and he's conceded the frame. It was a good 68, nonetheless, from Mark Selby. So, this match, all square, it could be really close this all night. It's one each. He had to play on it in the middle, so the next shot was a big one. 39. Mark Selby, 39. He expected him to get it, but it felt like not quite the last piece of the jigsaw, but certainly everything else would have been on from there on. There is a part of him in the back of your mind thinking, this is the shot which probably wins me the frame, and in this case, might lose him the frame. He doesn't seem to mind about the reputation of his opponents, because he's building a reputation of his own. 29. He's becoming harder and harder to beat, that's for sure. 34. 40. Selby had his chance, but it's Sean Bingtouw. 47 on the frame for young Bingtouw. And Bingtouw, he goes back in front here. One frame to come before the mid-session interval. Young leads Selby 2-1. They've been knocking them in off this break-off. Of course, it's not an easy shot by any means, but at this level, players do knock them in. That's superb. And again, I can understand why the likes of Mark Williams have adopted a break-off shot to just drop into the bunch, because you're not going to leave one for Erfan at all. As I say, Selby got in off his break-off in frame 2 and in frame 4, so if Yan has got anything to think about, he's doing something about that, because you just can't afford to give away chances in the outset. This is frame ball. This is proper punishment, isn't it? Very quick kill. Just nine minutes to get to the snooker's required stage. Sets him up very nicely for the second half of the night. Yeah. Fine match play, all round. You invariably find that the ball stay in pretty orthodox positions when you get players who play this way. A match that could go very deep. I wouldn't really like to pick the winner from what I've seen. So he stepped in, first chance he got, and made 78, and Mark Selby has levelled up. And as I said right at the start, we always thought this was likely to be a close match. That's how it's bearing out right now. They go to the interval, all square, Mark Selby and Yan being level at 2-2. One. That is horrible. Brutal fluke. If you're Mark Selby, sat in your chair, look at what's been left on. If he gets a colour without red, it'll be enough to put him into snooker's required. 68. Just this red to mathematically win the frame. But as we know with Mark Selby, you want to put at least the black with this red and possibly another red just to stop Mark Selby coming back to the table. 69. That could elongate the frame by a good 10-15 minutes. Yes, against most players the equation is frame ball plus one or two. Against Selby it's probably frame ball plus three. Mm. 76. Four snookers required. Matching ball. I think Mark Selby, because there's five reds left, or the Broners, may come back to the table. May not. Here he feels. Yan Vingtouw. 76 and a frame. Yes, it was a borderline decision for Selby. I wouldn't have been surprised if Steven said either way. As it is, direct from a fluke, Yan Vingtouw makes his highest break of the match and leads. 67 on, so this is frame ball. 12. He could stand there all night and try and repeat that shot and not do it. That white went into the middle pocket at a ridiculously acute angle. Look at this. 12. One of the more extraordinary in-offs you'll ever see. He'll be doing well to keep it safe this time because he's been snookered back by his opponent. Frame considered. Calmer. Yan Vingtouw. Yan Vingtouw won't come off into that much later. Selby left the last red unmissable to the same target. Yan Vingtouw was delayed, but he does lead. 4-2. 1. He's so resolute, Selby. He displayed that this afternoon in coming back from 3-1 down to beat Dave Gilbert 4-3. 114. 119. 125. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. 133. Selby's second total clearance of the day. But it's not total domination. Far from it. Despite that, Yan Vingtouw still leads. 4-3. Good for a choice of both of these reds. Frame ball. 16. I'll repeat what I said this afternoon, Stephen. He has that tendency to wear opponents down with efficiency. And of course the clearance from here would be the highest break of the tournament. 115. So we've talked about Robertson getting to 800 centuries this week. Selby getting to 700. Yan Vingtouw at the age of 21 already on 113. 118. With bags of time on his side. 122. These last two century breaks from both players have been immaculate. They really have absolute clinics in cue ball control. 133. This game is devilishly difficult. 114. That was a tremendous response. Yan 5-3 ahead. Went for a similar red to this. Frame 7. Not playing it with a pace. It's difficult when you roll them slow. But as I keep saying, when you can middle that cue ball, those shots become so much easier. Beautiful shot. Snooker's in a very healthy position. The one thing we needed was a young superstar. We've got one in Yan Vingtouw. 60. Of course it means the ITV curse for Mark Selby continues. He will have to wait until at least the World Grand Prix in December to put that to rights and capture a title in front of our cameras. Tonight though, he's not lost. Yan has won. That's the narrative. 78. Frame under match. Kicks frames to three. He's into the semi-finals of the Kazoo Champion of Champions.