By Dan Warren BBC Sport at the Crucible

Dott ends Higgins fightback

John Higgins has been nowhere near his best in this tournament, but he produced some truly poetic snooker in his match with Graeme Dott.

Chasing a possible 147 in frame 20, Higgins had sunk 11 reds - but although he successfully potted the 11th black, he was out of position on his 12th red.

The hushed Crucible crowd let out a collective groan, as this twist of fortune surely meant end of break.

The wizard of Wishaw was not to be denied, however, conjuring a remarkable - and intentional - shot in which he ricocheted one red off another and into the top corner.

Oh, my clumsy words can do little justice to the impish brilliance of the conceit, and the aplomb with which it was executed.

Then he made a right ricket and fluffed the next black and ruined everything.

Chirpy, smiley, full of beans - these are just some of the words which do not describe first-time quarter-finalist David Gray.

The Surrey potter seemed to have the demeanour of someone who had found a shoe after losing a foot in some kind of yachting accident, despite beating Lee Walker to reach the last eight.

Still, the fact that victory guaranteed him at least an extra �14,000 at the tournament - and a minimum of 4,000 ranking points - means that he was at least smiling inside.

Ironically, in contrast, beaten Lee Walker was chirpy, smiley and full of beans.

"I'm going to lose some weight and go to the gym for a month and a half," he beamed after the match - surely a pledge to wipe the smile off the face of the biggest optimist.

There's nothing like an sporting analogy to brighten up any news conference, and Graeme Dott duly obliged.

After beating John Higgins, Dott likened the game's best players - Hendry, Williams and, indeed, Higgins - to the likes of Man United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

"And which Premiership team would you liken yourself to?" asked one of the assembled journalistic wags.

"Rangers," replied died-in-the-wool 'Gers fan Dott.

"I'd qualify for the Champions League, then get battered in the first round."

Unfortunately, the second bit of the analogy, although fairly amusing, doesn't really work, does it?