Nigel Bond's Three Outstanding Performances at the 2019 UK Championship

That's not going to reach, is it? He's got it safe, the double kiss up. Wow. Chad seems to think he can cut this in. Oh. If he hits the knuckle, he could angle him. Do you know, I think he snookered him. I think he has snookered him. Quiet down, please. Thank you. He's still having to swerve it a little bit, I think. Had to swerve it. I think he played it, but not with a great deal of conviction. Just a little more pace and he would have brought that into play. It's not easy to play an aggressive safety shot off this one. You see, playing it, he's bound to leave the red in the middle of the table because he's playing it thin, or leaving it in the open anyway. Judd, too many of those. He just hasn't thought about the other one. Just push it back up the table. Is he having a go at it? Oh, that is wonderful. What a shot. Well, I think Judd nodded his head in acknowledgement of that fabulous putt there because he knew the safety was going to be tough and decided, let's have a go. And look at this shot, if he slips right at the back. A fraction of giving himself a great opportunity to win the match. Chance of getting the snooker. Oh, he's played this nicely. Played it well. Good shot. Nigel Bond, 14. Pardon the miss. Nigel Bond, 14. Oh, he can get through to the red. Oh, it's a free ball. Oh, that's a bonus. Take the black. Black ball. Extra red. I think the green is going to be such a key ball in this frame. Anxious moments for the reigning world champion and world number one. This is such an important shot. Although he's playing it with a little bit of bottom by the look of it. There's no way he can get to the green from this position here. Don't know if he can stop the white dead and play the snooker rather than the putt. No, he's played the putt, but... 17. He's given him a couple of extra points, but there's never any chance of getting on to the green. It's a pretty good cue ball. Nigel Bond, 17. Well, the chance is there, Nigel. It's not an easy one. There's an unbelievable amount of pressure on this next shot. Where's the green going to finish? Is he going to be lucky? The answer is no. No. He's just going to play the snooker by the looks of things. He's always going to leave it playing it that way. I don't really understand why he went that way in the end. No, he hasn't got a good angle on the brown to... take it on and get on the blue, he felt. So he's put him back in again. That needs to pull up a little bit. Choosing to go up and down, he's pulled out a gem. Not quite got the snooker. Good shot nonetheless. Hope to get in behind black. Keeps getting a good cue ball. You've got to try and keep the object ball safe also. Doesn't want to knock... the black... safe. Has he got away with it? I think the black's coming to his rescue here. Maybe there's a gap through though. Oh, there is. There is. Settle down, please. Thank you. Pops the blue, he's 13 in front with 13 on the table. Judd's dreams hanging by a thread. Oh, not this time. Why did he play it? He's got to just top it through. That's easy sitting here, mind you. I know, it's just... And the shot that he's left here, as we show you. Just pulling it, just a little quick one in. But this needs some cueing to pop this and get round for the pink. That's a great effort, but it's not going to be far enough. Five. Well, look at the shot that Nigel's faced with. White almost tight in the cushion. Pink near the side cushion. He's got to take the pot on. And steady himself. It's a tough one, Alan, isn't it? Yeah, the one thing I would say though, don't play it with an awful lot of pace. He's got a good chance of getting away with it if he plays it at a gentle pace. If he misses it. Three points behind. Has to make sure he gets the pink safe, and that ain't it. All right, it's going to be tough, but will Nigel be tempted? Not the sort of shot you want to really be taking on. The reason is, you're probably going to leave it. Should you miss it. Can't get the cue ball safe, really. Yeah, I don't blame him for not taking it on. That's a good shot, actually. Comfortable, but there's danger attached to it. Every shot Judd plays, there's danger. Goes for the pot. Needs to get some pace in it if he misses it and get it away from the pocket. Nigel Bond has just bought himself this chance. That was clever, the last shot he played. Well, there's lots of oohs and ahhs from the crowd there. This is not hard enough. Nigel. Huge shot for Nigel Bond here. Oh, he's close again. Even if he pots it, the black's going to be a pressure pot. I think he's going for the middle. No, he's overcut it. Leave the white tight in the cushion. Take the double on. No, he's kept it tight. And it's a pretty good one. Headed the wrong side. He wanted to hit the pink on the other side. Sends it up towards the black. Another possible chance. Puff of the cheeks. Can he pull it off? Nigel Bond knocks it in. Chance for Gary to get behind the black. Just got past. Important last few rolls of the cue ball there. Looks that Nigel has a big problem here. This is a tough escape. First time. And those points add up. Just a minor adjustment. Expecting to hit it this time. A good hook. The most important thing. He's not left it. He'll be delighted with that outcome. Okay, Gary can keep the heat on. Don't tell me he's got it behind the pink. Oh my goodness, what a shot that is! Well, get out of that. Not a bad effort. Foul on the miss. Gary Wilson, five. Now this is the scenario you were talking about, Steve. He's got to hit it this time, otherwise he'll need a snooker. And this is where the miss rule is very, very cruel. Good try, but not good enough. He now needs snookers. Once he missed the brown. But he did have a chance with the brown. So he can't really complain. No, as I say, when you get a frame this drawn out, both players have had chances. Maybe Nigel could count himself unlucky that Gary Wilson got two debatably lucky snookers. Forty-fifth minute before we're into, since the last ball was potted. And the clock, still ticking. Hmm. I don't like the idea of potting the blue and playing the snooker on the pink, but I don't see what option he's got. He could keep it out. See, that black's in a pretty good position for snookers. So one snooker not beyond the realms of possibility. The pink, to all intents and purposes, is not a ball you can snooker behind now. Lovely bit of right-hand side. Can it sneak past the black like Gary's did earlier? Not quite enough pace to hit the black anyway. Nigel may have to pot the blue now. Doesn't want to. Now the one thing when you're playing the pink and black, and I always think you get one chance, but he's not going to get a snooker here, so you've got to get the pink safe. I'll tell you what, I said no chance for getting the snook! Back, back, back! What a shot! Did you see that, Winston? That was an incredible shot from Nigel Bond. And not only did he get the screw back on, but he kept the pink in the bottom half of the table. From out of nowhere, he's given himself a sniff in this one. If Gary Wilson's going long-sided on this, he's got more chance than going to the right-hand side cushion. Where's the cue ball going? Wow! Would you believe it? What a twist! Can Nigel Bond hold himself together for two shots for an amazing turnaround? Who'd have thought it? Who would have thought it? He was never going to be able to get close to black. He's going to have to use the rest. Put this black through a frame, which looked as though it'd gone. Might just be the fillet that Nigel Bond needs. It's there! It took him 67 minutes to resolve it, but Nigel Bond gets a frame on the board. And will he be relieved? He'll be upset. 1-0. Can he cue this smooth? Where's the red going? Where's the red ball going? Oh, would you believe it? Because as many times it runs the other way. What a chance now. And what a turn up this would be. This is amazing. He wouldn't have been feeling great. What an amazing turnaround. Yeah, there's no way back to the table now for Gary Olsen. How have you lost this? I don't know. He'll learn a lesson from this. Great run to the semi-final of the World Championship last year. Looked certain to be in the quarter-final of this UK Championship. But not now. Nigel Bond has dug himself out of a hole. As maybe his nemesis James would have been proud of. 51. Amazing. Struggled to win the last frame. And now his highest. Second highest break. And that should be enough. Gary Olsen's looking but 76 points behind with just 43 left. Eighth frame. And surely it'll be a handshake now. There is. So Nigel Bond from an unbelievable position struggling to pot a ball. Highest break, 25. Gary Olsen was running away with it. Now he's running back home because Nigel Bond is still in the tournament. Somehow he's managed to pull himself together and he beats Gary Olsen. Another shock. Six-five.