Snooker: Balls fall the right way to put Williams in semi-finals

Mark Williams saw his numbers come up at Telford as he reached the semi-finals of the British Open with a 5-1 victory over Ali Carter.

The Welshman got his eyes down and knocked in breaks of 74, 58, 64 and 82 to advance to the last four of a ranking event for the first time since he won the Thailand Masters last March. And Williams, who won the last tournament to be staged in Telford, the 2000 Grand Prix, revealed that much of his leisure time this week has been spent at a nearby bingo hall.

"We've been to the bingo a couple of nights this week because there's so much hanging around in these tournaments," he said. "It's a bit of fun, although my mate cost us £50 when he didn't see the line of numbers."

The laidback world No 2 was beaten 5-2 by Carter in the last 16 of last season's British Open. But Williams is feeling much happier with his game this year after joining forces with his fellow former world champion Terry Griffiths, who has been advising him. "I've been talking to Terry quite a bit and it's made me more confident on the table," Williams said. "When I'm getting the chances I feel like I'll make a big break. A few months ago I was dreading having the balls everywhere because I felt I was going to miss somewhere along the way."

After trailing 3-0, Carter stopped the rot with a break of 89 and had a chance to clear up in the fifth frame, but he lost position on the last red and Williams drilled it in from distance before adding the sixth frame in less than eight minutes.

Ian McCulloch brought John Higgins' title defence to a surprising end with a 5-2 upset of the world No 4. The Preston professional won the last four frames to reach the semi-finals of a ranking event for the first time in his 10-year career.

But the world No 43 claimed he was not surprised and said: "I've been playing so well in practice that it had to come through in a tournament eventually. The key to playing the top players is showing them that you are there to win. If you don't do that then they'll walk all over you."

McCulloch began the match with a break of 78 before Higgins responded with 77 to make it 1-1. Higgins claimed the third but McCulloch won the next with a break of 58. The Scot then struggled, managing a highest break of only 27 in the last four frames.