BOYO FROM NOWHERE!

Welsh wizard Williams' epic black-ball win inspired by crooner Tom Jones

- BY SHANE MacDERMOTT

MARK WILLIAMS revealed he was inspired by Tom Jones after he held his nerve to pip old rival John Higgins on the final black in a Crucible classic.

It was a quarter-final billed as a heavyweight clash between two Class of 92 all-time greats and it certainly lived up to the hype.

Three-time winner Williams, who turned 50 last month, left Higgins feeling blue with a dramatic 13-12 decider epic.

Herculean Higgins, a four-time Crucible champion, hauled himself from 12-8 behind to force a fitting final-frame shoot-out, but rattled a match-ball blue as Welsh wizard Williams became the oldest Crucible semi-finalist for 40 years after late compatriot Ray Reardon - who was 52.

Asked how he held himself together, sixth seed Williams quipped: “Balls of steel.”