Hot Dott doubles his lead
Graeme Dott maintained his flying form by hitting a 146 to double his semi-final lead over Mark Selby to four frames at 10-6.
Last Updated: 30/04/10 6:56pm
Graeme Dott maintained his flying form in his Betfred.com World Championship semi-final with Mark Selby, hitting a 146 as he doubled his lead to four frames at 10-6.
Scotsman Dott started the second session 5-3 in front, and he repeated that score in the next eight frames to hold a 10-6 advantage over Masters champion Selby.
Dott has been reborn as a snooker player since the darkest days of his depression, which followed several episodes of strife in his private life.
And by reaching the semi-finals in Sheffield he guaranteed himself not only a top-16 ranking but another shot at world title glory. The 2004 runner-up secured a first Crucible crown in 2006, beating Peter Ebdon, and on the evidence of the first two sessions against Selby he is playing well enough to win again.
By drifting to 48th in the provisional world rankings in late 2008, Dott was moving close to disappearing into snooker oblivion, but his motivation has returned and the form he has shown over the past fortnight has amazed every observer.
Near maximum
Dott's masterful effort in the 13th frame, when he took an early pink before following every other red with the black, moved him 8-5 in front.
Until this World Championship the event had never seen a 146, although there have been nine 147s, but Northern Ireland's Mark Allen made one in his second-round match against Mark Davis to create history.
Unless there is a maximum, Allen and Dott will be sharing the £10,000 top break prize.
Selby lost the opening frame despite having a break of 54 before fighting back in the next with a run of 63 after an earlier 66 from Dott looked to have made him favourite.
Selby closed the gap to 6-5 but then Dott took over the heavy scoring, making an 84 break to restore his two-frame advantage before gunning in his 146.
The next frame was less memorable, Selby taking a low-scoring one but Dott battled back from 52 behind to win the penultimate of the session with a break of 66, and then capped his afternoon with 86 to develop his healthy lead.