Doherty knocked out at the Crucible

Ken Doherty kissed goodbye to the Betfred.com World Championship as Mark Selby charged through to the second round.

After failing to qualify 12 months ago, Doherty was so thrilled to clinch his place in the draw this time that he entered the arena yesterday and planted a kiss on the theatre floor.

The 40-year-old Dubliner, who was champion at the Crucible in 1997, was more restrained as his match against Selby resumed this afternoon.

He had business to set about after allowing Selby to open up a 6-3 lead in their opening session, but overturning that deficit proved a challenge Doherty could not rise to.

He won just one further frame, the 12th, as Selby showed why he is a serious title contender, taking his chances when they came along.

Selby had a chance of a 147 maximum break in the final frame, but missed the 11th black after reaching 81.

Selby, from Leicester, landed the Masters title at Wembley in January but in the ranking events he has underperformed this season and is provisionally ranked only 12th for 2010/11.

That position does not start to explain his talent, and there was good reason why he began his latest Crucible mission as the third favourite, behind Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins, the latter his conqueror in a thrilling Sheffield quarter-final last year.

The 26-year-old began positively today, taking a first frame which always looked likely to be important thanks to a couple of solid scoring visits.

A break of 82 made it 8-3, and although Doherty pinched one back the Dubliner was being overwhelmed.

Doherty was first in with 37 in the next frame but missed a black off its spot and 80 from Selby was severe punishment.

The maximum was out of reach, so Selby missed a possible £157,000 jackpot, but he goes on to take on Stephen Hendry or Zhang Anda in the last 16.

Selby rued his failure to finish off with a maximum, but that was his only regret.

He said: 'The money's great if you get it but I was thinking about the history and being on the roll of honour, knowing that you've made a 147 at the Crucible.

'It would have been a massive achievement.'

Selby made five centuries - a Crucible match record - against Higgins last year, but still bowed out in a deciding frame.

This year he believes he can land the trophy, even though he may have to face world champions in every round.

The match against Doherty could be followed by clashes with Hendry, O'Sullivan or Mark Williams in the quarter-finals, Peter Ebdon or Graeme Dott in the semi-finals, and Higgins, Shaun Murphy or even Steve Davis in the final.

'I thought it was quite an easy draw really!' Selby joked.

'It's going to be a tough game whoever I play next round and if I win that round it's going to be a tough one in the next one.

'If I was to ask 150 people, not everyone's going to say I'm going to win the World Championship, but as long as in myself I believe I can win the World Championship that's the biggest thing.

'If I play my own game and play to my capability then I know I've got every chance.'

Doherty backed Selby's title credentials, saying: 'He looks like a guy who's really on top form and it's always hard to play against someone like that.

'Every time you make even a smallest miscalculation you're punished by him clearing up and winning the frame.

'After he beat O'Sullivan in the Masters final, over the longer distance this guy has got everything.

'He's a great character, he's got good bottle, he scores very heavily, and he's got a great all-round safety game.

'He could be the next John Higgins. He's that tough to beat.'