Ireland's Ken Doherty, last year's beaten finalist, established a commanding 8-1 overnight lead in his first-round match against Steve James in the world snooker championship in Sheffield yesterday.

A break of 137 was scant consolation for Englishman James, who was a semi-finalist in 1991.

In other action, England's Anthony Hamilton became the first seeded player to go out of the tournament, losing a marathon battle with Scotland's Chris Small.

Leading 57-45 in the deciding frame, Hamilton missed the blue and Small potted the remaining three balls to edge through 10-9 in a game which lasted nearly seven-and-a-half hours.

Tony Drago of Malta also made it through to the second round, completing a 10-4 win over British Open champion Fergal O'Brien.

Earlier in the day, Nigel Bond completed a 10-6 win over Welsh qualifier Dominic Dale. Leading 8-1 overnight, Bond required just two frames to reach the second round.

But Dale did not give up without a fight, winning five out of six frames with breaks of 69, 66 and 122 before Bond secured victory.

Bond, the runner-up four years ago, now faces the winner of the match between Doherty and James.

Elsewhere, former champion John Parrott of England led Northern Ireland's Terry Murphy 6-5.

Drago launched a stinging attack on under fire snooker chiefs despite his victory.

Drago defeated the jaded Irishman 10-4 to keep alive his hopes of retaining a place in the top 16 elite next season.

But the emotional Maltese professional said he is ready to boycott next season's overseas tournaments after troubled trips to Thailand and China last month.

Drago described the tournament hotel in Bangkok as "like a prison" and went on to add: "Whoever is organising these trips is doing a bad job.

"They don't consider our health or that we could be home sick. Instead of trying to save a few quid they should put us up in a decent hotel like they used to.

"I have had enough. Even if it means losing money and ranking points I will not be playing in these long distance overseas events.

"I don't like flying and I am thinking about losing even before I have left Heathrow.

"Going to Thailand and China probably cost me my place in the top 16 and I won't be going again.

"As I said whoever is doing this job is doing it poorly."

Drago's complaints comes at a time when the game's governing body are planning to take a ranking event to India next season.

Already some of the game's top stars are planning to boycott the trip including world champion John Higgins, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Nigel Oldfield, operations executive for the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, says: "We are considering a number of overseas options, including India."

Ironically, Drago's native Malta is also in the frame as a location for a tournament after staging ranking events in 1996 and 1997.

Drago resumed yesterday with a 7-2 overnight lead and never looked in danger of squandering his advantage.

Down to 20 on the provisional rankings Drago needs an extended run at the Crucible Theatre to stand any chance of retaining his place.

"There are probably 30 players who are all capable of playing in the top 16," said the current world number 10.

"And I will consider myself as a top 16 player until I'm 90 and walking with crutches. But I'm trying not to think about the top 16 otherwise I will never win another frame."

O'Brien admitted he'd left his best form in the British Open final against Anthony Hamilton last Sunday.

"I felt very tired and this match came a couple of days too soon. I just didn't have time to prepare as I would have wanted."

Chris Small piled on the agony for Nottingham rival Anthony Hamilton in Sheffield last night when he denied last Sunday's British Open runner-up a place in round two.

Small held himself together under immense pressure to win a deciding frame by potting the last three colours.

Sinking the black brought to an end a game that started on Saturday afternoon and was twice halted as the duo failed to complete their scheduled frames on time.

"I was shaking like a leaf at the end and could hardly hold the cue," said the 25-year-old Scot.

Victory for Small, provisionally ranked 19th, improves his chances of breaking into the top 16 for the first time in his seven-year professional career.

And it increases the pressure on Jimmy White, one of his chief rivals and still to play his first-round game.

"I thought I'd have to win two or three matches here if I was to get in the top 16," he said.

"So that's one of them out of the way," added Small, back at Sheffield for the first time since 1992.