Historic 147 for Carter

7:59am Wednesday 30th April 2008

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SNOOKER'S maximum men will today share the Crucible stage in a bid to reach the 888.com World Championship semi-finals in Sheffield.

Just a day after Ronnie O'Sullivan recorded the seventh 147 in Crucible history, Ali Carter made it number eight in the 15th frame of his quarter-final with Peter Ebdon last night.

Colchester-born Carter, who grew up in Tiptree but now lives in Chelmsford, admitted he was shaking like a leaf' after creating snooker history with the first maximum of his career - the first time two 147s have been scored in the same tournament.

But the 28-year-old from Essex has little time to recover from the excitement as he returns to action today with a 9-7 lead over 2002 champion Ebdon, needing six more for a place in the last four.

On the other side of the screen, O'Sullivan resumes his quarter-final with China's Liang Wenbo locked at 4-4.

Carter will earn half of the £147,000 bonus for a maximum and the £10,000 for the highest break of the tournament, perhaps scuppering O'Sullivan's plans to buy a Bentley convertible.

He joked: "I'm going to buy a Ford Focus convertible, I've been dying to get one!

"It was a real adrenalin rush, especially after seeing Ronnie's. To get the first of my career here is extra special, it's just brilliant.

"I was going for it once I got to 60-odd. I'm really pleased but I've still got a match to win so I had to keep my head in gear and I'm glad I settled in the last frame.

"I was just playing on instinct because I was shaking like a leaf. If the balls are there everyone's going to go for it because of the prize money."