Doherty can only sit and watch

JOHN HIGGINS last night guaranteed the first all Scottish UK Championship final after a 9-3 victory over former Preston runner up Ken Doherty.

World number two Higgins now meets Stephen Hendry, the defending champion, or Alan McManus in tomorrow's best of 19 final to decide the destination of the trophy and a cheque for £70,000.

But Higgins admitted that he never believed he would be one win away from the greatest triumph of his four year professional career. "When I was 6-0 behind to Tony Drago not for a million years did I think I'd get so far.

"It really is a great surprise to me," added the 21 year old Scot who defeated Doherty to win the inaugural German Open title last December.

"But I played the best snooker of my season so far in that first session this afternoon and to be 6-2 up - was a great boost.

"It wasn't pretty to watch this evening but I'm not complaining too much because it's a big thrill to get through to such an important final."

Higgins lost 9-1 to Hendry in last year's semi final and grinned last night: "That result now is all forgotten."

"I am going to practise for a couple of hours tomorrow and then sit down to watch Stephen and Alan scrap it out. It should be a cracking match."Whenever they have played in the past their matches have been of a very high standard and I don't see it being any different," added Higgins, now guaranteed £37,000 to go with the £35,000 he gained in Thailand earlier this month for helping Scotland lift the World Cup.

Doherty was also on the receiving end on that occasion though he shrugged off suggestions that Higgins has the Indian sign over him.

"It's just that every time we play John always seems to produce his best form," said the disappointed world number seven.

"I guess it was a bad day at the office," added Doherty who produced his highest break of 52 in both frame six and 10.

In contrast, Higgins compiled a superb 135 total clearance in the seventh frame and while it was five points short of overtaking Hendry's 140 for the high televised break prize it did write another statistic in the record books.

His terrific ton was the 50th century of the Championship beating the previous best for a ranking tournament of 49 established at Preston three years ago.

In addition Higgins, who had been 6-0 down to Drago in round three before winning 9-8 on the final black, compiled runs of 46, 67, 84, 80 and 43.