Martin Adams produced a terrific second half performance to turn around a classic quarter-final clash with Ted Hankey at the Lakeside World Championship in Frimley Green last night.
Trailing 3-1 at the interval, the England captain regrouped and reeled off four consecutive sets to run out a 5-3 winner and book a meeting with emerging Australian talent Simon Whitlock in the last four tomorrow.
Sixth seed Adams was never out of the match even though 2000 champion Hankey had the better of it early on, all the first three sets going against the throw until 'The Count' then held to extend his lead.
But the short break galvanised 'Wolfie' as his opponent failed to reproduce his earlier excellence when they returned to the stage, and after getting ahead, he clinched victory with a double 19.
Earlier, Whitlock had maintained his impressive debut at the championship by reaching the semi-finals with a 5-1 victory over Dutch giant-killer Andre Brantjes.
The 35-year-old bricklayer, nicknamed 'The Wizard', has dropped just one set in each of his three victories so far and is emerging as a credible contender to emulate compatriot Tony David, who won the title in 2002.
This success was all the more meritorious as Brantjes, also making his first appearance in the Frimley Green event, had ousted his experienced countryman Co Stompe and third seed Mervyn King.
