Snooker: Doherty discovers reserves of steel in face of adversity

Ken Doherty, Sheffield's new brand of steel, entered the final session of a gripping World Championship final here on level terms at 12-12 last night after another incredible comeback.

At one stage on Sunday he trailed Mark Williams 10-2 in the best-of-35 contest. He started yesterday six frames in arrears at 11-5. After winning seven of the eight frames in the afternoon session, he sat down to dinner pondering that history was within his grasp.

The biggest deficit that any eventual champion had taken into the final day's play was four frames, or a score of 6-10 down. It was from that position that Stephen Hendry recovered to beat Jimmy White 18-14 in 1992. Williams, the champion here three years ago, also recovered from the same overnight scoreline to take his title 18-16 against Matthew Stevens.

Doherty, the 1997 winner, had already proved his grit in the face of adversity, even before yesterday. He edged his first-round match against Shaun Murphy 10-9 and came back from 2-7 down to beat Graeme Dott 13-12 in the second round. His semi-final win over Paul Hunter, completed on Saturday evening, was astonishing. He came from 9-15 and then 14-16 down to win 17-16.

Undoubtedly the rigours of the final session of that match took their toll. Doherty's main priority, trailing 11-5 at the close of play on Sunday, had been a good night's sleep. It must have been some bed.

He returned here at 3pm yesterday and won the first six frames of the afternoon. Icy resolve, essential for nipping in and building small but significant breaks, was just part of it. When the balls allowed – and only when, this was not the stage for risk-taking – his potting was measured, pinpoint and unrelentingly accurate.

Williams, who had been confidence personified when easing to his huge lead on Sunday, increasingly showed cracks in his composure. He missed pots, his safety was far from safe, he dithered on his options. The defining ingredient to his game, his composure, seemed shot.

In the match's 17th frame, yesterday's first, he missed a black from the spot to allow Doherty in for a 52 break and 11-6. The 18th frame was the afternoon in microcosm. Williams hit a break of 28, ran out of options and played safe. Doherty, ever deft, picked off a long red from the pack, scored nine, then retreated to safety. Williams, sensing he needed to rattle the sniper, broke the pack but left nothing obvious.

Doherty, eagle-eyed and laser-sharp, sank a long red, scored 12 and retreated. Williams missed a long red. Doherty stole in for a break of 26 and then took the white into hiding. Williams missed. Doherty came back for 15, leaving Williams needing more points than available. This was genuine snooker.

The 19th frame saw Doherty confidently scatter the pack and then make an accomplished break of 128, his first century of the final and the tournament's 50th. The turning point in the next frame, another cat-and-mouse affair, turned on Williams missing a straightforward pink. Doherty capitalised for 11-9.

The mid-session interval saw no change in mindset. Doherty emerged to take the next two lengthy frames. Parity arrived for the first time in the final at 11-11 after Williams sank his chances by sinking the blue when trying for the green. In the next frame it was Doherty who erred, going in-off at a crucial stage, allowing Williams in for a frame-winning 23 that must have felt like a ton. 12-11.

Doherty responded with a magnificent, clinical, round-the-table clearance of 115. As he headed for his food at 12-12, whispers of "Houdini" echoed around the Crucible.