Welshman Lee Walker sent shockwaves around the Crucible Theatre with his 10-7 victory over Stephen Lee, the world number five and a beaten semi-finalist last year.

Lee was the fifth top-16 player to be eliminated from the first round of this year's competition in Sheffield.

He joins White, Quinten Hann, Ebdon and Ken Doherty on the list of first-round casualties.

And world number 81 Walker, a 125-1 outsider for this year's World Championship crown, will now meet either David Gray or Ali Carter in the second round.

"Stephen did not play well all day long and I am just delighted to have got through," said Walker, who produced breaks of 50, 58 and 86 to send Lee packing.

"It was a long, drawn out game and it was always going to be difficult if he played liked he is capable of.

"But I am very pleased because, although I was not playing very well, I managed to win the poor frames. It is important you hang on in there and win the scrappy frames. If you don't win them you can be in trouble."

Lee, who at one stage led 3-1, was understandably upset with his own performance, but admitted that has been a familiar story for most of this season.

The Trowbridge potter, who notched up breaks of 48, 77 and 98, said: "It has been a terrible season. I started off all right, but I don't know what has happened.

"Lee plodded on and played some sensible stuff. I just gave him so many chances, I didn't deserve to win."

Walker, believed the fifth frame was the "turning point" in the match, and from then on the Newbridge potter fought back to reel off the next five frames until Lee stopped the onslaught in a scrappy 10th frame which he won 77-44.

However, by then the damage had been done and Walker went 9-6 up before the pair shared the next two frames, the last of which secured the Welshman a place in the next round.

"Stephen wavered a little bit when I pinched a frame back at 3-1 behind and I think that was the turning point in the match," added Walker, who lives in the same town as boxer Joe Calzaghe.

"I have not been here for six years, so the pressure was on, but to beat Stephen was great. I am delighted."