Doherty has work cut out to reach last 16

KEN DOHERTY, the 1997 champion, has his work cut out tonight to reach the last 16 in the £1.682m. Embassy World Snooker Championship. The Irish star resumes with a 5-4 lead over confident qualifier Shaun Murphy but could easily have found himself in arrears.

Doherty felt the force of another young gun last weekend when losing 6-5 to Mark Selby in the Scottish Open after being 4-1 and 5-4 up.

On this occasion he allowed the 20-year-old from Irthlingborough just one point in the first two frames, replying with breaks of 51 and 57.