2009 Lakeside World Championship Day 1
Posted on January 6th, 2009
Debutant Krysztof Ratajski pole-axed by “Mad Max”
Eighth seed Edwin Max survived a spell of double trouble to topple Polish debutant Krysztof Ratajski 3-2 and move into the second round.
But the man from the Hague was made to work hard for his 50-minute victory by the exciting newcomer to the world stage.
The Pole marched on to the stage to the “Mission Impossible” theme music but it was Max who was finding difficulty as the East European twice led the first set.
Ironically, the opening four legs of the first set went against the throwing advantage before Max captured the set on double eight – remarkably the five games fought out at breakneck speed of just 10 minutes.
Ratajski who celebrated his 32nd birthday on New Year’s Day stormed through the second set 3-1 including a couple of maximums as the Dutchman missed doubles.
The third set went with the throw, Max missing double 18 for a set-winning 106 checkout in the deciding fifth leg but then returning to hit the double with his third dart and open up a 2-1 match lead.
The opening four legs of the fourth set went with the throwing advantage as the Dutchman again missed doubles.
The Pole missed double 16 for a 112 match-saving checkout but poor scoring from Max allowed Ratajski the luxury of a further three darts at double 16, levelling, to take the match into a nail-biting fifth set.
Max exited on double five to take the opening leg after Ratajski nervously missed five doubles to steal the initiative and the Dutchman held his nerve to take the next against the throw, clinching victory on double nine.
While it is Max who will move into the last 16, the slim Polish newcomer to world championship made himself numerous friends in the Lakeside arena and can look forward to a bright future on the oche.
Salmon swept away by fifth seed Fitton
Stockport sharpshooter Darryl Fitton surged into the second round sweeping aside Welshman Mark Salmon 3-0.
The former undertaker buried the hopes of the man from Glamorgan in 36 minutes never really hitting to form in the first round encounter.
Fitton took the psychological advantage in the opening set whitewashing the Welshman against the throwing advantage including a show-stopping 120 checkout.
Salmon, aged 45, who competed at Lakeside 10 years ago and lost in the opening round was keen to emulate the man who had inspired him to take up darts as a 16-year-old – the late Leighton Rees.
The Welsh international actually comes from Ynysybwl, the village where Rees first cut his teeth on the oche at the local workingmen’s club.
But the slow-throwing Glamorgan player found Dazzler too hot to handle.
Building on his first set success, Fitton stormed through the second set unchallenged throwing in a maximum en-route.
The rout continued into the next set as Fitton overcame double trouble to open up a 2-0 lead, Salmon missing double 16 for a match-saving 101 in the next before the fifth seed booked his place in the second round on double tops.
Afterward Fitton said: “I felt for Mark. I know what a good player he is and was expecting a really tough game. I have lost three times in the first round so I know how Mark feels.
“I’m looking forward to my next match against last year’s runner up Simon Whitlock. He is a fantastic player but I know that I can beat him,” said Dazzler.
O’Shea turns in master class to dump out Swede Larsson
Veteran Stockport sharpshooter Tony O’Shea moved predictably into the second round, sweeping aside Swedish debutant Daniel Larsson.
After a nervous opening set O’Shea, the ninth seed settled into the groove, needing just 30 minutes to book his place in the second round.
Despite power-house scoring the Cheshire player struggled to find the doubles in the opening set, scrambling home 3-1 with double 16.
The Scandinavian who started playing the sport as an 11-year-old, was keen to emulate the former feat of fellow countryman Stefan Lord who reached the semi finals of the world championship back in 1982.
But in the second set the difference in class of the two players was clear to see as O’Shea bullied the slow-throwing Swede, blasting out a 12-dart leg including a maximum en-route to his second set 3-0 success.
The 47-year-old Cheshire player and grandfather of four, sensed victory was close, scorching to the opening leg of the third set and then repelling the determined Swede to take the second. Larsson fired out a consolation 180 and nicked the third leg on double one.
O’Shea missed a match-winning double 12 in the next, the cool Swede nipping in to snatch double tops and take the set to a deciding fifth leg.
Larsson’s response was only delaying the inevitable as O’Shea overcame two missed doubles to clinch the match-winning double four after Larsson missed bull for a dramatic game-saving 124 finish.
Afterwards O’Shea declared: “The first round is always the hardest game so I am pleased to get through. Daniel is a great player and did not play at his best.
“I had a few wayward darts for doubles – or I would have not lost a leg.
“I have been playing well since May and feel confident that I can go all the way this week,” added O’Shea.
Angling enthusiast Hughes nets second round place
Fishing enthusiast Robert Hughes netted a place in the second round, twice battling from behind to topple 16th seed Aussie Eddy Sims 3-2.
Sims the towering 37-year-old from Geelong in Victoria became the first seed to fall, crashing in the 73 minute encounter after being punished by the precision finishing of the man from Pembrokeshire.
After the two earlier exciting tussles on stage this clash proved to be a gritty encounter with both players having similar slow and deliberate throwing styles.
The first set went the full distance, Sims taking the honours and defending the throwing advantage.
Forty two-year-old Hughes from Milford Haven stepped up a gear in the next, hitting a maximum as he levelled the match.
Sims, a prolific winner of tournaments in the southern hemisphere twice led in the third set but then missed an agonising eight doubles for a 2-1 match lead, Hughes exiting on double three with his seventh finishing attempt.
The Aussie missed a further five set winning doubles in the fourth leg before scrambling home on double one to move 2-1 ahead.
Angler Hughes pounced in the fourth set, despite a maximum from Sims to open a 2-0 lead after blasting in a bull finish and held his nerve to hook double tops with his first dart.
The red-shirted Welshman scooped his fourth successive leg to open up the deciding fifth set, Sims powerless to repel the relentless Pembrokeshire sharpshooter. But battling Sims stole the next on double 16 after the Welshman missed double 16, double eight and then hit double 16 to burst his score.
Hughes annexed the third against the throwing advantage on double tops with his first dart and then held his nerve to clinch victory on double 16 and coast into the second round.
Needless to say Hughes was delighted at his debut performance on the Frimley Green stage.
He said: “I really enjoyed that match, in fact it was fantastic and I know I have another chance to go back and play on the Lakeside stage.
“I can play much better and hope I can bring my true form to the stage for my second round match with Gary (Anderson).”
Magical performance from Wizard of Oz
Aussie bricklayer Simon Whitlock laid the foundations for a serious title assault, toppling Scot debutant Mark Barilli 3-2.
It was a spellbinding performance from the Wizard of Oz who fully justified his 12th seeding to coast into the second round.
It took the 39-year-old Queenslander just 23 minutes to demolish the hopes of the Greenock player.
The opening leg went the full five leg distance as the two players tested each other out before the cool Aussie edged into the match lead.
Precision finishing steered him unchallenged to the second set and a comfortable 2-0 match lead.
And it was a similar story in the next as the Aussie plundered the 60 segment and again proved decisive on the double to sweep through the set unchallenged to demolish the Scot’s hopes 3-0.
Whitlock believes that he could take the title this year.
He said: “I’m pretty happy with that performance. I think Mark might have been a bit scared, because it is pretty scary up there on stage at Lakeside for the first time.
“I feel a lot more confident this year after finishing runner up last year but hope this week to go one better. I learn every time I go up on stage – Lakeside is definitely the place to be.”
Dreamboy’s title hopes still alive
Top seed Gary Anderson scrambled into the second round of the championship, defying a battling performance from Norwegian Robert Wagner to win through 3-2.
It was gutsy performance from both players with Anderson breathing a huge sigh of relief after overcoming his first round jinx, which had previously seen him lose in the opener on five occasions.
The 37- minute match featured 10×180s – eight from the high-scoring Scot, who reached the last four in the competition in 2003.
Despite double trouble in the opening leg of the match Anderson defended his throw, the Norwegian sweeping back to level and the Scot hitting a maximum to take a 2-1 lead.
Wagner replied with a maximum in the fourth and then missed double 16, Anderson blasting in two 180s and wiring the bull for a set-winning 170 checkout. Wagner coolly levelled with his third dart for double eight and then clinched the set on double 10 against the throw.
Somerset-based Anderson took the opening leg of the second set against the throw on double 12 and then punished the Norwegian lack-lustre display to take the set unchallenged.
A spellbinding display of darts saw The Magician Wagner open a 2-0 third set lead including a 12-darter, Anderson sneaking the third leg on double four but the Scandinavian held his throw to hit a set-winning 56 checkout, finished on double 18 to take a 2-1 match lead.
Back-to-back 180s paved the way for a superlative 11-dart finish for the Scot to blaze into the opening set of the fourth, against the throwing advantage. He held his throw in the next and then followed up his sixth maximum with double 16 at third attempt to level the match.
Spurred on by his exhibition partner Gary Robson – the sixth seed – Anderson exited on double 16 to take first blood in the opening leg of the fifth, adding the next with double tops. He took the next against the throw and then for the second time he hit back-to-back maximums, which set him up for victory on double four.
Delighted Anderson said: “I was up at 7am this morning but when I got up on stage I was shaking like a leaf. It does not help that I have lost in the first round on five occasions. My darts were dropping at the beginning of the match but that was because I had the shakes.”
Gulliver – the giant of women’s world darts – moves into last four
Top seed and seven times winner Trina Gulliver stormed into the semi finals of the Lakeside women’s world championship, sweeping aside Lancashire’s Lisa Ashton 2-0.
There were glimpses of vintage Gulliver as she fired out a flurry of maximums and 140s in her 16-minute rout, dropping just a single leg.
Gulliver keen to avenge the disappointment of the loss of her title after a seven year unbeaten run 12 months ago, signalled her intentions with a maximum in the opening leg.
Spurred on by her mother and sister she stormed into a 2-0 opening set lead but missed three doubles for the set.
She hit her second maximum in the fourth leg overcoming five missed doubles to move into a 1-0 match lead.
She opened the first leg of the second set with her third 180 and then hit double 20 with her first dart – against the throw to move ominously into a 2-0 set lead.
After hitting a 140 she was always in command in the next leg and captured victory with a show-stopping 125 checkout finished on her favourite double tops.
“It’s been a difficult and stressful year, I have lost my father and also been involved with a house move.
“But I was pleased with my performance tonight because I knew Lisa would give me a tough game. She has had a great year and is not an easy opponent.
“I have practised hard for the tournament because it means so much to me. I did not play at my best tonight but the opening game is always difficult and I know I will get better during the week,” said the seven times world champ.
Holland’s Karin Krappen cooks up 2-1 win over catering manager Anne Kirk
Holland’s fourth seed Karin Krappen cooked up a 2-1 success to dump catering manager Anne Kirk out of the women’s championship.
It took her 38 minutes to book her passage into the last four.
Veteran Kirk from Scotland drew first blood, winning the opening leg of the match but Krappen from the coastal town of Vlissingen in the north of Holland, clinched the set on double 10.
Kirk, who has been playing darts for three decades and is a former winner of the World Masters displayed gritty determination to annex the opening leg of the second set.
Krappen, nicknamed The Dolphin, swept back with a volley of big scores setting her up for a 17-dart checkout to level the set.
Kirk annexed the third leg with the throwing advantage and then hit double eight after Krappen missed double 20 for a showstopping 116 finish to take the match into a deciding third set.
Kirk missed three doubles to lead as Krappen blasted out two double eights, the Scot levelling on double six after both players had missed further doubles.
Krappen hit double tops with her second dart to move ominously 2-1 ahead and then overcame six missed doubles to win through on double 10.
Tags: Lakeside World Professional, Results, Review
Filed under BDO-WDF, Lakeside World Professional |
