It’s World Snooker Championship time again and the BBC goes into overdrive with saturation coverage on BBC2 for the next two weeks.
I know that the game of colourful balls has its detractors, but I can honestly say that it is a totally different proposition live to how it comes across on TV.
As a former student in Sheffield, I took the chance to watch some of the live snooker at The Crucible, back in 1991 and 1992, the era before Ronnie O’Sullivan and when the likes of John Parrott and Steve Davis were still in their prime.
Being in the theatre, watching them play in front of you was quite a novel experience. It was nowhere as quiet as you think it is – there were constant coughs, splutters and muttering and the referees spent a lot of time quietening down the audience.
I’ve also spent a few hours with a cue in hand trying to pot those pesky balls and, believe me, those guys make it look darned easy and it’s not!
Anyway, I’m going to be enjoying the coverage and the skill that it entails over the next couple of weeks.
