Snooker: Snooker: Joe Perry and Ali Carter are heading for a thrilling climax to their 888.com World Championship semi-final this evening after being locked at 12-12 after the third session of the best of 33 showdown at the Crucible Theatre.
The battle to face odds-on favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final is still in the balance after Perry recovered from a 9-7 overnight deficit.
A completely out of touch Carter managed to amass just 24 points during his mini whitewash before the mid-session interval as a see-saw clash took another turn in fortunes.
But he responded by winning three of the final four games and a late finish is on the cards between two journeymen players bidding to reach their first world final.
Almost inevitably there is a sense of anti-climax after the superb display by O'Sullivan in demolishing Stephen Hendry 17-6.
But Carter and Perry have also scored heavily when amongst the balls and there have been 18 breaks of more than 50 during the 24 frames.
A run of 36 to the final black was sufficient to seal the opening frame for Perry whose only final appearance during his professional career was in the 2001 European Open in Malta.
Carter, who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2003 but now has the illness under control, saw Perry draw level in the next with a run of 57.
And a 58 break in frame 19 put the 33-year-old back in front.
Carter's lack of form was highlighted in the final frame before the interval when he missed a pink off its spot by several inches and a scrappy spell of snooker ended with a run of 24 to the yellow by Perry which established a two frame advantage.
The 28-year-old stopped the rot when the players returned to the arena with a break of 68. But Perry responded with an 82 in the next after Carter misjudged a safety shot.
Perry was favourite to open up a 13-10 advantage when leading 55-10 but missed the frame ball and Carter took advantage of his reprieve with a superb final red into the green pocket and a clearance.
A run of 68 in frame 24 brought Carter level and in the happier frame of mind after his lack of form earlier in the session.
Awaiting the winner in the final is O'Sullivan who had the bonus of a day off to recharge his batteries after triumphing with a session to spare against Hendry.
Hendry believes that either Carter or Perry will come off second best if 'the Rocket' produces a similar standard of play in the best of 35 frame final on Sunday and Monday.
He said: "It was outstanding snooker. I thought he played fantastically. It was the best I've ever played against. He is the best player in the world now by a country mile."
Former world champion Cliff Thorburn believes the best is still to come from O'Sullivan and that he can beat Hendry's title record.
He said: "We haven't seen the best of Ronnie yet and I can see him beating the record. The sky is the limit for him. It is ridiculous how good he is.
"He has made three maximums at the Crucible and I reckon he could go onto to make 10 or 12 at this venue. He is so different to anything I have seen.
"But Hendry is the best ever. I would put Ronnie somewhere in between Hendry and Steve Davis at the moment."