Blast from the past: Mark Williams vs Mark Selby in 2010-11 snooker season - Part one
Mark James Williams and Mark Anthony Selby have gone head-to-head five times during the 2010-11 Snooker Season so far, at the Premier League Snooker 2010, Snooker Championship League 2011
Group One, German Masters 2011, PartyCasino.com Players Tour Championship (PTC) 2011 Grand Final and Snooker Championship League 2011 Winners Group.
PartyCasin.com Premier League Snooker 2010
In the PartyCasin.com Premier League Snooker 2010 group stage, the 36-year-old Welshman, Mark Williams defeated Englishman, Mark Selby 4-2 on September 16 at Plymouth Pavilions. Selby
stole the first two frames 3-101 and 0-85, smashing a sensational century break of 101 in the first and 84 in the second.
The Welsh Potting Machine took control of the game after the second frame and swept the table brilliantly in the next four frames taking all with an excellent potting display he is famous
for. The 2010 Chain Open winner, Williams, cued a fantastic century clearance of 113 in the third frame followed by a sensational 48 break to snatch the fourth frame 67-52.
The pressure was off him as he moved 2-2 level with Selby. A couple of outstanding knocks of 48 in the fifth and 42 in the sixth frame brought him 4-2 up as well as grabbed him a terrific
first of the season victory over Selby.
Snooker Championship League 2011
The next battle between both these stars took place at the Crondon Park Golf Club in Essex, England, on January 3, 2011, in Snooker Championship League 2011 group one matches. The matches
were played on a round-robin basis.
The two-time world champion (2000, 2003) Williams outclassed the 27-years-old Selby 3-1 in their group match. Selby stumbled upon the table stunningly as he pocketed an awesome century
clearance of 135 to grab the first frame 0-135 and also a 0-1 quick lead. The 2008 Welsh Open champion could not extend his one-frame lead as two-time UK Championship winner (1999, 2002), Williams sparked his cue outstandingly and clinched three consecutive
frames hitting decent breaks of 37, 75 and 50 respectively, to snatch the victory easily.
German Masters 2011
Welshman, Mark Williams beat Englishman, Mark Selby 9-7 to claim his 1st German Masters title at Tempodrom, in Berlin, Germany, on February 6, 2011. The German Masters title
was the 18th ranking title for Williams. The tournament was held after 14 years of its dormancy.
The World Number Two took a well deserving victory as he has been on fire from the very first round of the tournament beating Anthony McGill (5-1), Dominic Dale (5-2), Joe Perry (5-1)
and Marco Fu (6-3). The Welshman dominated the game completely in the afternoon session.
Selby, the 2008 Welsh Open champion, grabbed the first frame 0-92 putting in a beautiful 82 break to pick a quick 1-0 lead in the start of the match that shook Williams. Though the Welshman
lost the first frame but he did not lose hope and courage which drove him to win the next frame 84-0, firing an impressive half century break of 56 to level the game 1-1. The two-time world champion continued his spark and gain a 2-1 lead, clicking the 3rd
frame 108-0, hitting an outstanding century break of 108.
The 2010 Masters champion, Selby, sprang back into the match to capitalise. He clinched the 4th frame 1-99 to equalise the score 2-2 followed by the Welshman’s scrappy 5th
frame win 81-0, leading again 3-2. The 27-year-old Englishman potted a beautiful knock of 63 to take the next frame 71-0 and the scores were balanced again at 3-3.
After this kind of a scenario, the former two-time world champion was under stress and he could see the game going to become tough for him. His half-century break of 53 and a stunning
century knock of 105 brought him back into the game again as he grabbed back to back frames 83-42 and 105-0 respectively, and led again in the match 5-3.
In the evening session after the interval, the 35-year-old Welshman extended his lead 6-3 after he won the 9th frame of the best-of-17 frames match 71-46. Selby, 2006 WEPF World
Eight-ball Champion, was nudged down 6-3 before he fought back and took the 10th frame 41-54 to lessen the Welshman’s lead 6-4. On the other hand, Williams was keen and well focused to sustain the lead. He smashed an impressive 96 break in the 11th
frame clinching it 121-0, to firm his grip on the match.
Selby bounced back again into the play and this time he played outstandingly well winning consecutive three frames, 27-70, 7-83 and 45-70, hitting a decent 60 in the 13th frame
to balance the game 7-7. Williams, AKA the Welsh potting machine, was completely outplayed by the Englishman.
After that Selby wanted the balls to be replaced which took a while. He had got back in the game and looked to win the frame but to his misfortune; he missed the black ball off the spot.
That was the chance William needed so he gathered some hope and passion somehow and took the lead 8-7 again clinching the 15th frame 76-49.
The 16th frame proved to be the last of the match as the 2010 China Open champion, Mark Williams, sparked an 82 break in the last frame finally grabbing it 83-0 to claim his
first German Masters title.
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