Murray channels Highland spirit to reach final

Britain's Andy Murray kept his head and moved one step closer to the ultimate prize as he beat Marin Cilic to reach the Australian Open final yesterday.

The Scot overcame a slow start to get past the towering Croat 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-2 and set up an opportunity to end Britain's 74-year-wait for a men's grand slam champion.

The fifth seed will now meet the winner of today's second semi-final between world number one Roger Federer and 2008 finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, of France.

It will be the second grand slam final for the 22-year-old, who was beaten by Federer in the 2008 US Open final.

"He (Cilic) showed incredible guts... he made it so tough for me and fought right till the end," Murray said in a courtside interview.

"We're going to have more great matches in the future."

Murray had not dropped a set but the 14th seeded Croat ended that streak at the first attempt after breaking twice.

The Briton appeared dazed in the second set, seemingly unable to break serve before producing an amazing display of speed and court craft to break in the fifth game. Murray let out an almighty yelp, reminiscent of a Highlands battle cry, and then sealed the crucial break that he held to seal the set.

The match continued to be dominated from the baseline as both players hammered away in the third set. Murray, however, immediately set about quickening the pace in an effort to exploit Cilic's fatigue from previous exertions, and he broke again which allowed him to take the set.

The fight appeared to disappear from Cilic early in the fourth set when a double fault gave Murray a break in the third game. While Cilic then managed to hold serve he was only delaying the inevitable, highlighted when Murray ran down a shot and hit an angled return from the tramlines that did not even go over the net but still landed in for a 30-15 lead in the final game.

He then sealed the victory when Cilic's service return sailed over the baseline.

If Murray wins Sunday's final he will become the first Briton to claim a grand slam title since Fred Perry won the US Open in 1936.