Snooker: Higgins crashes out to qualifier

The qualifier Mark Selby caused the first shock of the World Championship by beating 1998 winner John Higgins 10-4 at the Crucible in Sheffield last night.

Selby's 6-3 lead was reduced to 6-4 when Higgins won the opening frame last night but the 22-year-old made breaks of 123 and 58, before Higgins missed a yellow in the 13th to gift Selby the frame. A 14th-frame break of 110 assured Selby of a famous victory.

Another former world champion, the six-times winner Steve Davis, safely reached round two last night with a 10-4 victory over fellow Englishman Andy Hicks.

John Parrott made what could be his World Championship farewell as a player, losing 10-3 to Graeme Dott of Scotland.

Stephen Lee, the world No 11, held off a determined challenge from fellow Englishman Allister Carter to secure his place in the second round. Carter battled back from 6-2 down to edge ahead 8-7, but Lee claimed the next two frames before securing a 10-8 victory with a 71 break.