snooker

John Higgins overcame illness to book his place in today's Shanghai Masters semi-finals, writes Neil Goulding.

However, compatriot Graeme Dott bowed out after a losing a dramatic final-frame decider to Judd Trump.

Four-time world champion Higgins clinched a battling 5-3 quarter-final victory against Englishman Ali Carter even though he's been struck down with flu.

"I woke up this morning and couldn't stop sneezing," revealed Higgins. "During the match it was very hard to focus, there were times when my eyes were watering so much I was seeing double.

"I'd be down on the shot and my nose was running so much that I thought I'd have to get up again. It definitely had an effect on me. There's not much I can do now except drink some Chinese tea and hope I feel better for the semi-finals."

Breaks of 103, 69, 57 and 60 helped Higgins power 4-1 before last season's World Championship runner-up Carter hit back with runs of 41 and 43 to reduce his arrears.

But world No.4 Higgins pocketed a break of 42 to reach his first ranking semi-final since May 2011.

"I started well and felt in control and I could have won 5-1, but I let it slip and after that the match changed and Ali got stronger," admitted Higgins, who faces former world champion Shaun Murphy in their best-of-13 frame semi-final. "I was struggling to capitalise on chances and in the end I needed two or three to win the last frame, which is not great. I'm feeling stronger with every match. My safety was good and I knew it would have to be. Ali is a top-eight player, only he knows how much he has been struggling with his health. He got to the world final and it looks like he's on his way back.

"The fans have been great here and I'm delighted to be through to the semi-finals and the one table set-up."

Larkhall's Dott fought back from 4-1 down to force a decider thanks to breaks of 42, 40, 60 and 108 but the Scot's comeback was cut short as Trump clinched victory with a break of 101, having earlier compiled runs of 73, 63 and 52.

Welshman Mark Williams and Trump will contest the other semi-final.

curling

World silver medallist Tom Brewster suffered another surprise defeat at the Oslo Cup yesterday, writes Lorin McDougall.

The Aberdeen skip was already under pressure after losing his second Pool B match on Thursday night, and he failed to return to winning ways against Germany's Andreas Lang.

Brewster trailed 3-1 at the halfway point and faced a near-impossible task when Lang scored 3 at the fifth end. The Scots narrowed the gap to 6-4 before conceding the match, leaving Brewster with just one win out of three.

He must now beat Swede Oskar Eriksson in this morning's last group match to stand any chance of making the quarter-finals.

cycling

Belgian media have claimed that Mark Cavendish is set to join Omega Pharma QuickStep for next season, writes Colin Renton.

The Manxman, who will defend his world road race title in the Netherlands today, is leaving Team Sky to seek a squad that will support his ambitions for stage wins in major races, an objective that is at odds with Sky's support of riders such as Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.

The 27-year-old is believed to have reached a verbal agreement with Omega team chief Patrick Lefevre, who has the support of Omega's financial backer Zdenek Bakala, a Czech businessman.

If the deal proceeds, Cavendish will become a colleague of Scot Andy Fenn.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Rasch will join his fellow Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen at Team Sky next season after the British outfit yesterday confirmed his signing. The 36-year-old brings vast experience acquired during a career in which he has contested five Grand Tours, and carve a niche as specialist in Classic races.

motor sport

Gordon Shedden believes Honda could have virtually gift-wrapped the BTCC title by now if series bosses hadn't 'artificially' advantaged poorer cars, writes Kenneth Stephen.

The Fifer goes into today's round at Rockingham trailing Honda team-mate Matt Neal by 10 points but still very much in the hunt for the drivers' championship.

Nevertheless, Honda have failed to take a podium in the second half of the campaign. Shedden believes rule changes to give others more boost have weakened the series leaders significantly but he is hopeful he and Neal can defy the odds to take a step closer to the title.

"It's all a bit of a lottery now," said the Dalgety Bay driver. "If it was a level playing field, we'd be fine but the rule-makers have artificially brought people into the game and, in the last two races, we have been nowhere near winning. The reason for this is that we do not have the boost everyone else has. We're surviving because of our experience, because we have the best car and the best team. We have dealt with everything thrown at us but we have to try and maximise wherever we can."

Shinty

Newtonmore manager Norman MacArthur hopes to bow out a champion today with the Eilan side on the verge of securing the Premier League championship, writes Kenneth Stephen.

MacArthur is retiring after today's match against Glenurquhart and wants the league trophy to be with him at the leaving party.

Newtonmore need only a point to make certain of the title but may win it anyway as their goal difference over challengers Kyles is superior by 13 goals. However, MacArthur wants to snuff out Kyles' chances once and for all and collect his third league title in a row.

"This is a cup final for us and we don't want to wait. We want to go up there, win it and be presented with the trophy," he said. "As for myself, I am not thinking too much about what happens after the game. I've had a great time. The players and the club have been brilliant."