Jimmy White. Picture by Monique Limbos

JIMMY WHITE’S return to the Crucible Theatre will have to wait for at least another year after he let a huge lead slip before losing his second World Championship qualifier to Matthew Selt.

The popular six-times finalist has not played at the home of snooker since losing to David Gray in the first round of the World Championship in 2006.

But the Whirlwind looked on course to reach the final qualifying round for this year’s event after taking a 7-2 lead going into the evening’s session.

However a night of promise for White and his supporters failed to live up to expectation as Selt hit back winning eight of the next nine frames to clinch a 10-8 win.

The day also proved one to forget for six-times winner Steve Davis whose chances of a Crucible comeback were put to the sword by in-form Kurt Maflin who clinched a massive 10-1 win.

Kurt Maflin. Picture by Monique Limbos

Gary Wilson, who just a fortnight ago was on route to reaching the China Open final, also missed out on a debut appearance at the Crucible after he fell to a 10-7 defeat to China’s Li Hang.

Also suffering a surprise exit was this season’s Welsh Open finalist Ben Woollaston who lost 10-6 to Finland’s Robin Hull.

Former World Championship semi-finalist Joe Swail dramatically came back from 9-6 down to defeat Welshman Dominic Dale who last year was just one frame away from reaching the semi-finals of the World Championship.

Adam Duffy, who is not listed on the main tour following his relegation from the main tour last season, could still make a surprise appearance in the TV stages of the World Championship after beating Sam Baird 10-7.

Earlier in the qualifying process, Indian Open winner Michael White fell to a surprising 10-5  loss to Craig Steadman and World Grand Prix semi-finalist Martin Gould was another big casualty losing to amateur Duffy

Ten-times World Ladies champion Reanne Evans produced one of her best displays of her career but it proved not enough as she fell to an agonising 10-8 defeat to former world champion Ken Doherty..

Tuesday and Wednesday will see 32 players battle it out to secure a place in the last 32 of the World Championship in the final round of qualifiers.

World Championship 2015 – Final Qualifying Round

Craig STEADMAN vs Jamie BURNETT
Mark KING vs Anthony McGILL
Adam DUFFY vs Jamie JONES
Mitchell MANN vs Alan McMANUS
Ryan DAY vs Jak JONES
Li HANG vs Stuart CARRINGTON
Robin HULL vs Igor FIGUIEREDO
Yu DELU vs Graeme DOTT
Mark DAVIS vs Ken DOHERTY
Matthew STEVENS vs Joe SWAIL
Fergal O’BRIEN vs Kurt MAFLIN
Zhang ANDA vs Liang WENBO
Xiao GUODONG vs Jimmy ROBERTSON
Robbie WILLIAMS vs Michael HOLT
Matthew SELT vs Tom FORD
Andrew HIGGINSON vs Robert MILKINS