Higgins comeback sets up close finish

John Higgins breathed fresh life into his hopes of reaching a third 888.com World Championship final after a stirring comeback against Stephen Maguire in Sheffield.

Maguire entered the final session leading 14-10 and requiring just three more frames to clinch a spot in the final for the first time.

But Higgins, the 1998 champion, was on top of his game as his opponent showed the first signs of nerves in the match with the finishing line in sight. He won the opening three frames before a relieved Maguire stopped the rot in the next to lead 15-13 at the interval.

A missed pink into the middle in the opener gave Higgins the chance in the first frame of the session and a 47 clearance proved decisive.

The 'wizard of Wishaw' had the chance of a maximum break and a £157,000 jackpot in the next after potting 13 reds and 12 blacks. But running out of position on the 13th black proved his downfall and, although he potted the ball, Higgins had to settle for a century - the 999th at the Crucible Theatre in 30 years of snooker at the venue.

Runs of 36 and 39 in frame 27 cut Higgins' deficit to one at 14-13 and put him firmly back in contention. But a 42 in the next helped Maguire to keep two frames ahead of his fellow Scot.

Meanwhile, outsider Mark Selby is still challenging strongly for the other place in the final despite a comeback from 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy.

Selby led 11-9 at the interval before Murphy claimed three of the final four frames to level at 12-12 ahead of the final session of the best-of-33 showdown on Saturday evening.