Carter's 'pure Adrenaline Rush' Takes Him to a Maximum

Allister Carter, the only member of the top 16 never to reach a world-ranking final, made a 147 maximum, his first in competition, in establishing a 9-7 lead over Peter Ebdon going into the final session of their quarter-final of the world championship here in Sheffield this morning, and thereby claims a half share of the £157,000 which was standing to Ronnie O'Sullivan's account after his maximum on Tuesday.

"It was a pure adrenaline rush," said Carter. "To get the first in my career here is extra special. It's just brilliant. Once I got to 64 I knew I'd got a great chance but I still had a match to win and I had to keep my head in gear. I was just playing on instincts because I was shaking like a leaf."

It was a remarkable evening. Ebdon, the 2002 champion, hardly potted a long ball all night but made breaks of 143, 84 and 113 - itself a 147 attempt which foundered on its 15th black - as he three times leveled from a frame behind. Carter, who had runs of 55, 79 and 81 before his maximum, putting him 8-7 ahead, perpetrated a couple of dreadful short-range errors, one on a straight pink on the verge of his 9-7 lead, but this time Ebdon could not respond.

Stephen Hendry was disappointed to see his maximum attempt fail on 112 as he led Ryan Day, the new Wales No1, 7-1 at lunch but pressed on in the evening to the 11-5 lead which leaves him needing only two of this afternoon's nine frames to qualify for the semi-finals.

Liang Wenbo, the first player from mainland China to reach the last eight, ran through his first two frames against O'Sullivan with breaks of 80, 48 and 49. O'Sullivan concluded the next three with 109, 58 and 71 respectively but the 21-year-old Chinese regained the lead with 104 and 89 before O'Sullivan's 64 enables him to resume at 4-4 this morning.

Stephen Maguire fell 4-0 behind to Joe Perry but recovered strongly to level at 4-4 at the close.