http://www.premierleaguesnooker.com//ne ... inning.htmWilliams fights back to make winning Premier League return - 16/09/2010
MARK Williams fought back from 2-0 down to win on his return to the PartyCasino.com Premier League Snooker competition after a five-year absence.
Two-time World Champion Williams was playing his first match in the prestigious tournament since May 2005 after suffering a slump in form that saw him fall to 47th in the world rankings.
However, a victory in April's China Open saw him back in the Premier League and he took full advantage as he beat Masters Champion Mark Selby 4-2 at a packed Plymouth Pavilions.
Mark Williams made a winning return to the competition
"I can't remember the last time I played in front of this many people," said 35-year-old Williams. "The more people watching, the more you enjoy it and you play better. Apart from two or three ranking tournaments, the Premier League is the best event in snooker.
"Selby started off really well, knocked in a century and I thought I would be three or 4-0 down within 45 minutes.
"That's how good a player he is - I was two down before I had a shot but that's what happens. I then got my chances and started making some good breaks."
Both players were making their return to the tournament as Selby had not played in the 2009 event despite reaching the final in 2008.
In the opener, a long red stayed out from Selby but Williams had only potted two balls before Selby was back at the table and this time a score of 101 won him the frame but also earnt a £1,000 bonus for a century break.
Williams made a loose safety in the opening phase of the second and was again punished as within 20 minutes he was 2-0 down. Selby's run of 84 clinched the second, although a missed green ended his hopes of back-to-back centuries.
A large crowd at Plymouth Pavilions were being treated to a fantastic night's entertainment and Williams finally got a chance in the third. He took it and did so in style as he rattled off a break of 113 but still trailed 2-1.
Selby made 22 at the start of the fourth but had no luck when going into the pack and subsequently missed a red into the centre pocket. Williams had a chance for the frame but failed with a shot on a spotted yellow after scoring 48. But it did not matter as Selby twice missed frame-winning pots on the pink as Williams pulled it back for 2-2.
Williams continued his revival in the fifth frame as efforts of 35 and 47 moved him in front for the first time in the match.
The Welshman continued the recovery by winning a tough sixth frame, which included a lengthy safety battle. But a loose effort on a red from Selby gave Williams the chance and he took it to claim the two points.
Mark Williams 4-2 Mark Selby
Williams' scores first
3-101 (Selby 101), 0-85 (Selby 84), 113-0 (Williams 113), 67-52 (Williams 48), 82-0 (Williams 35, 47), 65-3 (Williams 42)
http://www.premierleaguesnooker.com//ne ... _after.htmO'Sullivan and Ding share points after drama in the last - 16/09/2010
RONNIE O'SULLIVAN is still looking for his first victory in the 2010 PartyCasino.com Premier League Snooker competition.
O'Sullivan drew his first match 3-3 against Marco Fu and had a similar result with Ding Junhui here at the Plymouth Pavilions. However, O'Sullivan was left rueing a miss on the pink with only two balls left on the table in the last that would have gave him the victory.
"I should've potted the pink but I missed it and you don't deserve to win if you miss balls like that," said a disappointed O'Sullivan.
Ding came into this match desperately needing a win after falling to a 5-1 loss against reigning Premier League champion Shaun Murphy in the first week of the competition in Southampton.
O'Sullivan was also aiming to claim his first victory of the 2010 tournament after drawing 3-3 with Marco Fu in his opener.
Ding made a flawless century of 122 to take the first but the second frame was a bit scrappy and lasted more than 20 minutes.
Despite a number of fine safeties from both players, the pair struggled on their potting before O'Sullivan eventually edged towards a 1-1 scoreline.
O'Sullivan, who won the competition for five successive seasons before losing to Murphy in last year's final, looked back to his best in the next with a masterful break of 119 to go 2-1 in front.
But Ding was not giving up and he pulled it back to 2-2 with a break of 89, although he would have been disappointed to not have gone on to make a century break and claim the £1,000 bonus.
O'Sullivan ensured he would avoid defeat in Plymouth when he won the fifth rack. It was a superb break of 67, where O'Sullivan seemed to find himself and then recover from difficult positions from every shot, that took the Englishman into a 3-2 lead.
Both players had chances in the sixth but in the end Ding edged the frame to claim a crucial point. O'Sullivan missed a pink into the centre and that looked to give Ding the frame but he then failed to sink a tricky long blue. But there was another twist as O'Sullivan missed the pink and with it lying in a tempting position, Ding did not even have to pot it.
DING JUNHUI 3-3 RONNIE O'SULLIVAN (best of 6)
Ding's scores first
128-8 (Ding 122), 33-71, 0-119 (O'Sullivan 119), 95-0 (Ding 89), 7-67 (O'Sullivan 67), 53-44
and here are the pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8 ... 5b07726d72Don't be mistaken... Ronnie is smiling but he was very annoyed with himself and the way he played. He made that plain backstage
Mark Williams was great and had the full support of the crowd!