SNOOKER star Joe Perry faces the biggest match of his career when he plays Ali Carter this weekend for a place in the final of the World Championships. The winner will face either Ronnie O Sullivan or Stephen Hendry. Chatteris-based Perry is through to t

SNOOKER star Joe Perry faces the biggest match of his career when he plays Ali Carter this weekend for a place in the final of the World Championships.

The winner will face either Ronnie O'Sullivan or Stephen Hendry.

Chatteris-based Perry is through to the last four on snooker's biggest stage for the first time, and in a semi-final no one could have predicted.

Carter claimed a 147 maximum break in his quarter-final win over Peter Ebdon.

Perry has appeared in the European Open final and two UK semis, but nothing to compare to this match, which will be played over 33 frames.

The 33-year-old beat world No. 10 Stephen Maguire 13-12 in a titanic quarter-final clash.

Maguire was hotly tipped to win the tournament.

The Scot played outstanding snooker in his first two matches, easily seeing off Anthony Hamilton and Neil Robertson.

He had arguably been the player of the season going into Sheffield, the only one to win two ranking titles having landed the Honghe Industrial China Open and Northern Ireland Trophy.

But Perry held his nerve to come through a tense evening session on Wednesday.

The session involved a see-saw battle with 50-plus breaks in all but two of the frames and the lead changing hands frequently.

With nothing separating the players, the match went to a decider and Perry started with a break of 33.

Maguire then missed two chances and Perry sealed the win with a 54 break.