Big guns on collision course in semi-finals

Shropshire snooker fans are braced for a 'super Saturday' as Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins face a clash of the titans at Telford's International Centre.

As Stephen Maguire and Ding Junhui were today battling for a place in Sunday's UK Championship final, attention was already turning to tomorrow's battle between the sport's two two performers.

The pair have opened up clear daylight between themselves and the chasing pack in the provisional world rankings, with Higgins currently on course to end the season in top spot.

Both made routine progress from yesterday's semi-final, O'Sullivan defeating Mark Selby 9-3 with Higgins conceding one less frame in seeing off Liang Wenbo.

And O'Sullivan is braced for an epic tussle with Higgins after placing the Scot amongst the top three legends in the game's history.

"I think we've been blessed in snooker with certain players that play the game the way it should be played," said O'Sullivan.

"My first choice would be Stephen Hendry. He was the most fearsome and attacking competitor there has ever been.

"John is a different type of player. He is more of an all-round match-player.

"We have been blessed with Hendry, John and (Steve) Davis as the three fluent all-round great players."

While O'Sullivan has won snooker's second biggest tournament for times, Higgins is bidding to complete a hat-trick.

"I would love to win another UK," Higgins said. "I know how tough it is to win tournaments like this.

"But, looking at the semi-finalists, you can make a case for any final and it would be top class. The cream has definitely risen to the top in this tournament."