2008 World Snooker Championship Final: Session 4 Liveblog

Pundits Steve Davis and John Parrott again made to look silly...

A more grandiose entrance for the players in the Final session, as they get to walk down the steps into the Theatre, rather than from behind as they usually do.

A streaker!

He's hidden under the table!

The commentators giving a commentary about the streaker.

The streaker was roundly booed, the players shake hands, and we're finally underway. A good job we didn't have the female referee in this final...

Carter pots the first red of the final session.

O'Sullivan snookered behind the brown then for his shot. Carter needs to win the first 6 or 7 frames if he's to even have half a chance tonight.

A perfect escape nestling on the pack of reds, but then he's left it touching the red, so O'Sullivan could find himself playing the same shot again in a moment.

Carter just short of the yellow and green, and O'Sullivan can play a good safety.

He catches the green and yellow on the baulk line though, and Carter has a red on.

Carter opened the reds with his safety shot, but left it short of the baulk line.

A perfect shot from O'Sullivan, thin off the reds with lots of left hand side, and Carter is snookered behind the yellow on all reds.

I was just in China on business and I finally had an opportunity to check out O'Sullivan and the sport in general. Very interesting.

The commentators are Dennis Taylor and Willie Thorne, and they are showing Dickie Bird on the screen, who is a big snooker fan, and one of the best cricket umpires in the world until he retired. He did the draw for the First Round. Dave Helmeth, a poker player also in the audience.

Carter played an Eddie Charlton-esque hit and hope, but left O'Sullivan in.

Artist Damien Hurst at The Crucible too, he's been at all sessions of the Final. Meanwhile, O'Sullivan is in perfect position.

O'Sullivan with a great long pink, hampered on it by a red, and he's in good position once again.

The break passes 50, he looks well in control at the moment.

Already 68 ahead with 67 remaining.

But he missed the red, Carter only needs one snooker to be able to win again.

Carter's trying to get three or four reds and blacks, and then leave the snooker he needs. There are a lot of colours clustered together in baulk, so he still has a chance.

Carter's attempt to snooker O'Sullivan just fails, he left a gap between two colours.

However, O'Sullivan left him tight behind the black, and snookered on the red.

Carter missed the red, and conceded, and now it's 17-8. One away from being Champion.

I am reminded of 2004. O'Sullivan beat Hendry 17-4 in the Semi that year, and went on to lead 16-8 going into the final session and win 18-8 against Graeme Dott. Dott came through a tough Semi the day before and struggled in the Final. This year, O'Sullivan beat Hendry 17-6 in the Semi Final, and it was 16-8 going into the final session against Carter, who came through a tough Semi 17-15 on Saturday night. Could well be 18-8 again.

O'Sullivan is imperious to the end. He potted the opening red.

The camera focuses on O'Sullivan's family, his daughter Lily and son Ronnie.

Only three reds sank, and already the black spot is clear.

O'Sullivan would love to finish with a century, it would be his 51st of the season.

However, he made a mess of his positional shot, and he'll have to run away to baulk.

If Murray Walker was a snooker commentator: And he's out of position! He's out of position! RONNIE O'SULLIVAN IS OUT OF POSITION! He'll play safe to baulk and he sits down in his seat... You can see the disappointment on his face... END OF BREAK for Ronnie O'Sullivan (etc. for half an hour).

Carter's return safety hit the yellow.

Better safety from O'Sullivan. Duncan Preston also in the audience tonight, a renowned actor (apparently).

A containing safety was all that Carter could play.

O'Sullivan is concentrating as much at 17-8 as he would be at 17-17.

After all that thought, his safety was a little lacklustre.

A closeup of the trophy, dating back to 1927.

O'Sullivan was in trouble, but played an impeccable thin safety, leaving the cueball tight on the baulk cushion.

However, Carter found a plant in the pack of reds, and he has a chance to pot some balls.

Carter was betwicksed and between, but did okay.

Carter played a dangerous cannon on the pink, and instead of getting a full ball cannon, he got a half ball one, as a result, he left it awkward.

Carter missed the blue, and O'Sullivan looks like clinching the title.

O'Sullivan benefiting from his ambidextrous ability in this break.

The blue is over the hole...

He's about to be World Champion for a third time.

Carter concedes, and Ronnie O'Sullivan is World Champion for the third time.

Final score is 18-8 to O'Sullivan, only the 8th player since the tournament started in 1927 to win the title on more than two occasions.

Interviewing the finalists...

O'Sullivan will win £250,000 for the title, and also £78,500 for the 147. Carter takes the same prize for his 147, but less money for finishing as runner-up. O'Sullivan gets over £300,000, Carter over £200,000.

O'Sullivan is the oldest winner of the World Championship (at 32 years of age) for 22 years, since Joe Johnson in 1986.

O'Sullivan's children gurgling in the background.

O'Sullivan considering a break from the game, but everybody in the audience wants him to carry on.

As World and UK Champion, aswell as being World #1, he may be considering time away from the game.

Three burly gentlemen come in to award the cheques.

Applause for Carter as he receives his prize.

1,000 people on their feet cheering for O'Sullivan as he lifts the trophy for a third time.

He poses with the trophy for the pictures.

His kids are off down the table again.

SNOOKER ROCKS!