STEPHEN LEE and Dominic Dale have their work cut out at Sheffield today, if they are to repeat their Embassy World Championship first round heroics.
Lee, who accounted for 1995 world finalist Nigel Bond 10-8 in the last 32, at least starts on level terms, at 4-4 with James Wattana.
But Dale, who saw Tony Drago snatch defeat from the jaws of victory last Thursday to complete a 10-9 upset, trails John Higgins 6-2. The winner then plays Ken Doherty.
World number two Higgins, the only player to compile three centuries in his round one game, looked in good nick again.
Since cue doctor Lawrie Annandale also employed at the Crucible its one of the games lead ing officials, sliced a third of an inch of his cue during his match with Graham Horne, Higgins has never looked back.
The first of his three scheduled sessions with world number 88 Dale lasted only 100 minutes and was liberally sprinkled with decisive breaks.
Dale knocked in runs of 79 and 49 to help him to his only two successes, while Higgins had back to back breaks of 85, 91, 77 and 78, plus two other visits of 40 or more.
Higgins needs seven of the remaining, 17 frames and is on course to finish off with a session to spare.
