World Snooker Championship: Ali Carter beats Jack Lisowski in first round at the Crucible

Carter lowers Lisowski colours

Two-time Crucible runner-up Ali Carter kicked off this year's campaign with a professional 10-6 defeat of Jack Lisowski to set up a second-round meeting with Zhou Yuelong.

Carter had to the qualify for the Crucible this year following a largely frustrating season - in contrast to Lisowski's consistent campaign - but the 39-year-old made his experience count, dominating the second session and putting himself within a single frame of victory when winning the first four frames of the afternoon.

Carter had resumed with a slender 5-4 lead, having seen his 5-2 advantage reduced as Lisowski won the final two frames of Wednesday night's evening session, but he cut a determined figure upon the resumption and needed that resilience when missing match ball with the rest in frame 14.

Lisowski made no mistake from distance to keep his hopes alive and then briefly threatened a comeback when producing a sublime total clearance of 124 in frame 15, leaving the score at 9-6.

Carter was in no mood to let his advantage slip, however, and controlled the following frame, wrapping up proceedings with more solid match play to book his place in round two.

Robertson and Murphy battle for supremacy

Neil Robertson leads Shaun Murphy 5-3 following a high-class opening session of their second-round clash, one which featured three consecutive century breaks.

Robertson, one of the form men of the season, began in typically fluent style and had soon raced into a 3-0 leads thanks to breaks of 106 and 79.

Murphy finally got a foothold in the match when winning frame four but was left to rue breaking down on 53 in the following frame, Robertson stepping in ruthlessly with a break of 57 to extend his lead to 4-1.

Murphy responded with a wonderful break of 109 in the following frame but Robertson hit straight back with a run of 127 of his own.

Crucially, Murphy reduced his arrears to 5-3 at the end of the session thanks to another fine century, the third in as many frames, which could have been so much better had he managed to pot the 15th and final red having taken the previous 14 with blacks and looked well set to complete a 147 maximum break.

Wilson eases into second round

Kyren Wilson concluded the first round proceedings with a comfortable 10-4 victory over Crucible debutant Scott Donaldson.

The world number eight, a semi-finalist in Sheffield 12 months ago, held a 6-2 advantage heading into Thursday evening and was rarely troubled as he booked a meeting with Barry Hawkins.

Wilson told World Snooker: "That was a potential banana skin avoided. I think that's the best way to sum it up.

"I was on a bit of a hiding to nothing playing Scott, who is a debutant.

"I would just like to say I think he handled himself very well, was very professional and I'm sure he will be back here again for many years to come. For me, I'm very pleased to get the win."

Selby behind after first session

Three-time champion Mark Selby finds himself trailing world number 32 Gary Wilson 5-3.

Breaks of 55, 68 and 100 put Wilson into the ascendancy at 3-1 and held his nerve to keep his two-frame lead intact overnight after Selby had narrowed the deficit.

Wilson owed his advantage to a stunning pot on the green, hovering the rest above the blue yet somehow still finding the pocket.

Thursday's World Championship scores

• Ali Carter 10-6 Jack Lisowski
• Shaun Murphy 3-5 Neil Robertson

Evening session

• Kyren Wilson 10-4 Scott Donaldson *
• Mark Selby 3-5 Gary Wilson

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