UK Snooker Championship Bets Day Eight: Outsider Higgins must rate value to win another classic

Snooker / Paul Krishnamurty / 12 December 2009 /

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Higgins is the value against O'Sullivan

"Higgins is always value in these contests. He always starts outsider, yet for my money Higgins is the best around when at his peak. His safety excellence is unrivalled, and that tends to mean he gets the best of the breakbuilding opportunities."

The world champ and world no. 1 are evenly matched - so why is one trading at [2.54] and the other ? Paul Krishnamurty explains

No disrespect to the rest, but Saturday's second semi-final between Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins would make for the most appropriate final of this prestigious event. The reigning world champion versus the world no.1. The two players at the top of the game with the longest rivalry - a rivalry that has never been one-sided. It is impossible to pick holes in the form of either, not least their resounding quarter-final victories.

Throughout the past 15 years, these two have been virtually inseparable and I've repeatedly taken the same line, one which I see no reason to abandon. In short, Higgins is always value in these contests. He always starts outsider, yet for my money Higgins is the best around when at his peak. His safety excellence is unrivalled, and that tends to mean he gets the best of the breakbuilding opportunities. Granted, in this respect Ronnie is more lethal, but there isn't much in it.

This season they've already met twice in ranking events, registering one win each. Of greater relevance, however, may be their recent record against one another in important matches over the longer distances. Higgins has won the last three; in the 2007 World Championship quarter-finals, plus the finals of the 2006 Masters and 2005 Grand Prix. He must rate good value at [2.54].

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