Lakeside World Championship Round One Reports
Posted on January 5th, 2010
Stephen “The Bullet” Bunting shoots down 16th seed Ian White
St Helens sharpshooter Stephen “The Bullet” Bunting shot down Ian White’s title hopes with an emphatic 3-0 whitewash.
Bunting, once tipped as a future world champion, produced his best performance on the Lakeside stage to dismiss the 16th seed White – the third seed to dip out on the opening days play.
“The Bullet” fired in a 30.54 average as he produced a mature performance for his youthful 24 years.
He set the scene in the opening set as he blasted in three 15 dart checkouts, finished on 77, 75 and 76 respectively.
The Cheshire ace took the opening leg of the second set, Bunting replying with a 13-darter, the following two legs exchanged before Bunting clinched the deciding fifth leg for a 2-0 match lead.
Despite White blasting in a 180 in the opening leg of the next set, the St Helens sharpshooter exited in 17 darts and then his second maximum of the match saw him take a 14-darter and move within one leg of victory.
The two players traded tons in the third leg but it was cool Bunting who clinched victory after White missed bull for a match-saving 170 checkout, which ironically would also have been the tournament’s highest finish and put him in line for a £3000 prize.
Top seed Tony wins all-Cheshire clash to book place in second round
Top seed Tony O’Shea survived a spirited display from debutant Robbie Green to win through 3-2 in the opening game of the 2010 championship.
The two Cheshire county team mates served up some tasty darts but it was the experienced O’Shea – runner-up 12 months ago – who held his nerve to edge into the second round with a 28.86 average
It took the man nicknamed Silverback 49 minutes to scramble through against “Kong” Green, in a match in which both players nervously missed doubles.
Forty eight-year-old O’Shea from Stockport held his throw to take the opening set 3-1, despite battling Green firing out two maximums.
In the second set World Masters runner-up Green took the opening leg and then capitalised on O’Shea missing double tops for a 80 finish.
But O’Shea levelled and then produced a brilliant 160 check-out (60,60,double tops) to snatch the second set. Battling Green replied, taking the third set – against the throwing advantage – unchallenged.
The opening four legs of the next set went with the throw and Green throwing first, levelled the match with double 20 in the deciding fifth leg, plunging the match into a deciding fifth set.
The Stockport sharpshooter annexed the opening leg on double 16 and then fired out his third 180 and a 118 finishing checkout to move ominously within a leg of victory.
With the throwing advantage, O’Shea raced down to a double and after missing double 16 planted the winning dart in double eight to start his title assault.
Wiping away sweat from his brow, O’Shea confessed: “I am dead chuffed. I would have been happy to have hit a 19 average and got through. It was a terrific game, Robbie is a mate and we play county darts together and it is always difficult to play against friends on stage.
“After winning the opening set, I then picked up the second with 160 but it is not like me to take out a big finish. Then Robbie kicked in and started to come back but I think experience counted. You cannot buy that experience, I just did not panic.
“I think my wife Gill, who is a darts player, feels the pressure more than me, so I am more than happy to let her do the worrying and hopefully she will have another four matches to worry about this week,” declared the confident top seed.
“Pecker” wraps it up with style
Cumbrian hot shot Brian Woods brushed aside Dutch decorator and ninth seed Joey ten Berge 3-2 to move into the second round.
It was a gutsy display from the man from Egremont who is looking to better his last four placing achieved in 2008.
But he was made to work hard for his 41-minute victory, having to battle back from 2-1 down.
“When I was 2-1 down I thought to myself that I had done nothing wrong and had to put my match head on. I put a little aggression into my game,” said Woods.
“There are no mugs here at Lakeside this week. Although Joey is only 24, he is captain of Holland and a great player. You cannot afford to have a bad game here. The adrenaline just kicked in during the match,” said the Cumbrian.
The man from The Hague battled back from 1-0 down, annexing six of the next seven legs to open a confidence-boosting 2-1 match lead.
Woods, an engineer, then began turning the screw, firing in a maximum to level the match with a fourth set 3-1 success.
In the decider, Woods, sporting his trademark striking Mohican hairstyle, surged into a 2-0 lead and then held his nerve to clinch victory on double 12 and eliminate the first seed from this year’s tournament.
Magical Robert conjures up spellbinding performance to topple eighth seed Norris
Robert “The Magician” Wagner conjured up a spellbinding performance to stun eighth seed Alan Norris into a 3-2 defeat.
The popular charismatic magic-loving keep fit addict produced one of his best displays at Frimley Green to dump out the highly fancied Norris after an absorbing 44-minute encounter.
“The Magician” produced some spellbinding darts to take the opening set 3-1 despite a maximum and 12-dart third leg from fast-throwing Norris.
The English player made the most of his throwing advantage in the next levelling the match with the same winning margin, despite a maximum from the eighth seed who is based in Scotland.
The tempo of the match increased in the next set as both players hit maximums and Wagner wiring a bull effort for a blockbusting 170 finish before the Norwegian clinched victory in the deciding fifth leg to edge into a 2-1 match lead.
Wagner produced another magical leg to open the fourth set as he blasted out a 112 checkout against the throw to steal a psychological advantage but Norris responded, hitting double tops to level and then holding his throw in the next as he blasted in his fourth maximum of the game.
“Chuck” levelled the match with a brilliant 85 checkout finished on double five to plunge the match into a deciding fifth set.
After taking the opening leg of the next set with the throw, Wagner hit his third 180 and then narrowly missed an eye-catching 144 finish after wiring double 12. Norris pounced to level the set with 72, finished on double 18.
The third leg went to Wagner with the throw, who then blasted in a 171 score en-route to clinching the match with a nail-biting third effort for double one, after Norris fired home another maximum but missed two darts at a match-saving double.
Willy bids “good night” to John Boy
Flying Dutchman Willy van de Wiel toppled 12th seed John Walton with 53-minute 3-2 demolition of the 2001 champion.
The Sheffield player never looked comfortable in the game as he lost the opening set against the throwing advantage.
The 27-year-old Dutchman who lost in the opening round in his debut in the competition last year displayed confidence and a maturity beyond his years as he coasted into the second round.
Carpenter van de Wiel nailed his title intentions on the match, turning the throwing advantage in the opening set to score a surprise 3-1 success.
The man from Rijen then levelled in the second set to force a deciding fifth leg but three missed attempts for double tops proved costly as the 2001 world champ levelled the match with an 80 finish (treble 20, double 10).
And it was a similar tale in the next set as the Dutchman who had taken a 2-0 lead missed double tops twice for a 3-1 set success, the gritty Sheffield sharpshooter displaying steely determination to level the set on double 10. He then held his throw in the fifth leg to open up a 2-1 match lead.
But the 48-year-old Sheffield player looked tense and uncomfortable as van de Wiel defended his throw in the opening leg of the next set and then moved 2-0 in front after John Boy nervously missed 10 doubles to level the set, the Dutchman taking the set 3-0.
Blasting in double tops to open the fifth set against the throw put the Dutch player in the driving seat, stepping up the pressure with a double one, double 17 finish.
Walton annexed the third leg but a superb maximum left the Dutchman with 36, Walton missing double 16 to save the match as van de Wiel returned to clinch victory on double nine and dash the hopes of a second seed.
Big Robbo is buried by “The Count” Ted Hankey
Ted “The Count” Hankey swept into the second round burying Gary Robson 3-0 in a clinical 30-minute performance.
The Telford-based fifth seed showed no mercy as he fired out four 180s and two 13 dart finished to topple the title aspirations of “Big Robbo.”
Afterwards “The Count” admitted: “That was a tough game for me but I felt good up on stage. The first few legs were a bit shaky but I was there to do a job tonight and knew what I had to do.”
Nerves featured strongly in the opening set, won by Hankey but only after he missed an agonising 11 efforts for the doubles. Twice he led in the set, his first maximum of the match paving the way for double five after Big Robbo wired bull for a 122 set-saving checkout in the fourth leg.
The opening four legs of the next set went with the throw, Hankey – who hit 42 180s 12 months ago on his title run – hitting his third of the match in the deciding fifth leg to move into a comfortable 2-0 lead.
Maximum number four followed in the opening leg of the third set, Robson – who has twice reached the last eight in the tournament – levelling but Hankey sweeping back to to take the third on his favourite double tops.
As Robson’s scoring faltered in the fourth leg, Hankey powered in a brace of 140s and with Big Robbo stranded in the 200s, fired in a 66 match-winning checkout, finished on double 20.
“Tornado” Tony storms into second round
Tony “The Tornado” West swept into the second round dumping out seeded Scot Mark Barilli 3-0 in 32 minutes.
He annexed six of the opening seven legs to open up a commanding 2-0 match lead as the shell-shocked 13th seed battled to get back into contention.
The Greenock man’s second 180 of the match in the second leg of the third set paved the way for him to pull back a set.
And then he opened up taking the first leg of the fourth set, West levelling but Barilli again moving ahead after clinching the third leg in 17 darts.
West, who lives in Holland, bounced back with his second 180 of the match to level the set and then held his nerve to clinch victory on double tops after the Scot missed double two and double one to save his title hopes.
For the Scot making his second appearance at Frimley Green it proved to be an unlucky 13th seeding.
West admitted afterwards: “I did not play well. I had trouble with dry hands and started to think about it during the match. Normally I use a paste which tennis and bowls players use to improve their grip. I have not used it for some time and thought I would be okay today but I think because we have had cold weather my hands were really dry. The lack of grip on the barrels meant my darts were slipping.
“I then started to think about it and it affected my game. I’m just glad to get that one over and will make sure I use the cream on my hands before my second round match,” said West.
The 37-year-old confirmed:“I am delighted to be back at Lakeside but I am still not back at my best.”
Second round is ‘one stop beyond’ for Madness fan Fitton
St Helen’s Dave Chisnall hurtled into the second round toppling fourth seed Darryl Fitton 3-1 in a 46-minute high-scoring encounter.
Chisnall’s five 180s and two 13-dart finishes helped to punish the lack-lustre performance of the Fitton – a losing semi finalist 12 months ago.
Stockport-based Fitton had high hopes of a good run in this year’s championship and started confidently, taking the opening set 3-1, despite the St Helens player blasting into the game with a maximum.
Chizzy raced into a 2-0 lead in the next but three missed attempts for double tops cost him the set as Fitton exited on double 10. Chisnall blazed in his fourth 180 as he produced a spectacular match-levelling 102 checkout finished on double eight in the fifth leg.
Twice the St Helens man trailed in the third set but after hitting 180 he wired double 16 for a set-winning 89 finish and then missed a further three doubles before recovering to exit on double four for a surprise 2-1 match lead.
Throwing first tense Fitton missed bull for a blockbusting 164 in the opening leg of the fourth, Chisnall stealing the advantage and following up with double 12 with the throw.
Fitton fired in 140 and 129, Chisnall replying with a ton and two 140s but Dazzler then missed three attempts for a match-saving double tops as Chisnall required just one dart at the same double to despatch the popular Stockport sharpshooter in 13 darts.
The quietly-spoken Chisnall smiling broadly after his win said: “It was very hot up on stage but I just played the board. I am on top of the world. The best part of this game was winning!”
Henderson wins David and Goliath encounter to dump out Mareno
Oil rigger John Henderson slipped into the second round, destroying the dreams of Dutchman Mareno “The Miracle” Michels 3-1.
But the 15th seed from Aberdeen was made to work hard for his victory after the battling slightly –built 25-year-old from the Rotterdam area refused to yield to the giant Scot in the little and large encounter.
Henderson, who reached the second round in his debut back in 2005, is keen for a good run this week and made a confident start scooping the opening set 3-1 and including a 12 dart leg.
But electrician Michels short-circuited his hopes of a 2-0 lead, snatching the deciding fifth leg to level the match.
Double tops gave Henderson the third set but with Michels leading the next 2-1 he missed countless doubles to once again level the match as Henderson, who also overcame “double trouble” levelled.
Setting himself up for victory with his favourite double tops, which he had already missed a remarkable 12 times during the match, Henderson swept in the winning double.
Sweating profusely after his 46-minute clash, “Hendo” declared: “I felt really uncomfortable up there on stage and gave him a few chances.
“Normally, double tops is my favourite double but it wasn’t tonight. I’m just planning to enjoy myself this week and play my real game,” said the Scot.
Cool-hand Waites deals tough hand to Scot Paul
Second seed Scott Waites surged into the second round with a ruthless 3-0 whitewash of Scot Paul Hanvidge.
Poker-loving Waites, the 7-2 second favourite showed no emotion as he clinically despatched the veteran Scot with a barrage of big scores and some precision-finishing.
The Scot struggled with dartitis – the nervous affliction which effectively brought five times world champ Eric Bristow’s run at the top of the sport to an end – which prevents players from releasing their darts cleanly.
The rout took just 24 minutes as Waites annexed six of the opening seven legs to open up a commanding two set lead. He hit a maximum in the first leg and then hit three faultless doubles to win the opening set with the throw.
A flurry of 140s followed in the next which he completed unchallenged once again in just six minutes. Uncharacteristic missed doubles gifted the opening leg of the third set to Hanvidge on double one but Waites swept back to take the next against the throwing advantage.
And then the Halifax carpenter turned the screw adding the next with double 10. The Scot pounced after Waites missed two double tops for the match to exit on 74 and take the set to a deciding fifth leg.
Waites said afterwards: “I was pleased with my performance but feel a bit for Paul. I didn’t realise that he was suffering from dartitis.
“I started well and then eased off a bit. My darts are going really well and I am playing well at the minute. I am looking for the title this week but will take each game at a time,” said the confident Waites.
Atkins “The Assassin” gunned down by local boy Carter
Local boy Paul Carter produced the latest fairytale success story as he gunned down Martin “The Assassin” Atkins 3-1.
Spurred on by the partisan Lakeside crowd and members of his family, he fought back from losing the opening set to dash the hopes of the 10th seed from Horsforth in an enthralling 41-minute clash.
Remarkably Carter had packed away his darts five years ago after donating a kidney to his ill sister.
Clawing his way back, the New Forest thrower succeeded in qualifying for the world championship.
Remarkably he is one of two players in this week’s field who live in the village of Bransgore, which boasts a population of just 5000.
It was always going to be an uphill struggle for the 35-year-old Hampshire player but he rose to the challenge, battling back from losing the opening set to level and then move 2-1 in front.
He lost the opening leg of the fourth set, levelled and then moved 2-1 ahead, Atkins snatching the fourth leg after Carter missed double eight for a match-winning 64 finish.
Atkins missed further doubles in the next leg as Carter swept home 65 finished on 25 and double tops to win through.
Delighted Carter declared: “I can’t believe it. I am very emotional and so excited. Martin battered me a bit in the first set although I played okay.
“When I walked out on to the stage, I was high-fiving everyone because I wanted to enjoy myself. I knew it might be my only chance to play in the world championship and I wanted to enjoy myself.
“I will have to go into work tomorrow because I want to have Wednesday off when I play my second round game. I can’t afford to have two days off because I will use up my holiday and not be able to go on the circuit.
Carter works for a small manufacturing company in Totton and actually made the darts he plays with.
Martin of the “Prins”ipality slays seeded Dave
Championship debutant Dave Prins became the seventh seed to crash out in an opening two day of shocks at Frimley Green.
The 41-year-old from Peterlee in County Durham was thrashed 3-0 by experienced Welsh left-handed veteran Martin Phillips.
Dolgellau-based Phillips who made his tournament debut back in 1991 and reached the last eight 12 months later is Wales’ only representative in the championship.
He won through to the second round and a clash with Paul Carter – the conqueror of 10th seed Martin Atkins – with a breathtaking 106 checkout.
Phillips, the skipper of Wales and his country’s most capped player, produced a clinical performance notching a maximum and three 140s as he annexed the opening set unchallenged.
He followed up taking the next 3-1 and then fired in a 12-darter as he clinched the third set in the deciding fifth set.
Martin McCloskey outfoxes 11th seed West to win through to last 16
Republic of Ireland’s Martin McCloskey marched into the last 16, dumping out 11th seed Steve West 3-2 in 46 minutes
The emerald isle player’s never-say-die attitude saw him twice battle back to take the match into a deciding fifth set.
The experienced West blasted in two maximums as he annexed the first set in a speedy seven minutes, leaving the Republic of Ireland skipper a little shell-shocked.
Trailing in the opening leg of the next set West coolly despatched 138, finished on double nine and then followed up with two 60s and double tops to move into a menacing 2-0 lead.
But the red haired and bearded McCloskey, who is nicknamed “The Fox” and lives in County Donegal swept back to level with a 102 checkout finished on double 16, holding his nerve to clinch the set on double three.
The pencil-thin tall Irish player snatched the initiative in the next, taking the opening leg against the throw and taking the next but West roared back taking three successive legs, clinching the set on 65 finished on double tops.
With the throwing advantage, McCloskey raced through the fourth set unchallenged – despite West’s third maximum – to take the game into a fifth set.
Defying the odds the County Donegal player took the opening leg against the throw and then nipped in with double eight, West defending his throw in the next.
Hitting a ton and 135 scores McCloskey was first to the double but missed three double 20s for the match, West then squandered efforts on double two and double one, before the grateful Republic of Ireland skipper slammed home the winning double tops.
Gritty Garry topples sixth seed Ross
Gritty Yorkshireman Garry Thompson inflicted a surprise 3-2 defeat on Scot Ross Montgomery, the tournament’s sixth seed.
The Glaswegian – the ninth seed to fall in a week of shocks at the championship – was punished for constantly missing doubles and failing to match the Silsden man’s superior scoring in the 56-minute gripper.
The Scot struggled to settle in the opening set and missed doubles allowing the Silsden engineer – nicknamed the Cougar – to pounce for a 3-0 success.
He then moved up a gear edging into a 2-0 lead but faltered in the third leg after he missed a further three doubles as Thompson added the next with the throw.
Ross was given a further fright by the West Yorkshire player as he hit two single 20s and wired a set-winning bull finish, the Scot replying by hitting double 16 with his first dart to level the game but his shaking hand suggested that he was ill at ease on the Lakeside stage.
He remained vulnerable as he failed to hit the big scores, Thompson, a 100-1 outsider at the start of the week, sweeping to the third set 3-0.
The fourth set went to a deciding fifth leg, Ross scrambling to double 16 and then blazing into the next set with a show-stopping 125 checkout completed on double tops, against the throw.
But passive Thompson bounced back to level, Ross pinching the third after both missed doubles. Racing into a commanding lead in the next, Ross missed a further six doubles letting in the laid back Thompson to push the match into a tie-breaker.
Thompson chose the moment to fire in his first maximum of the game and despite missing six match-winning doubles he scrambled through on double eight to wreck the Scotsman’s title-hopes.
Daryl Gurney “in the pink” after toppling local boy Scott Mitchell
Hopes of a double tops success for the small village of Bransgore in Hampshire were thwarted by Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney who despatched 14th seed Scott Mitchell in a thrilling five set tie-breaker.
Mitchell, sporting a natty pink and black shirt emblazoned with Scotty dog motifs endeared himself to the capacity Lakeside crowd but always faced an uphill task against the Northern Ireland international.
Last night (Sunday)Paul Carter, who remarkably lives in the same village (population 5000) as Mitchell pulled off a surprise victory to gun down 10th seed Martin “The Assassin” Atkins.
Mitchell had hoped to emulate his neighbour’s success but he quickly found himself 2-0 down in sets.
But then the Hampshire landscape garden started sewing the seeds of a comeback, twice battling back to level in the third set after hitting a maximum, clinching the deciding fifth leg with double tops.
Three maximums and an 81 checkout steered him to the fourth set to level the match.
He fired in another 180 to blaze into the deciding set, following up with a 101 finished on double tops, Gurney annexing the third leg and then adding the next to take the match into a tense tie-break.
The plumber from Northern Ireland missed four doubles before grabbing the fifth leg on double 10, hitting a 180 in the next and holding his nerve to fire in double seven to edge into the last 16.
Wolfie crushes Aussie debutant Fleet in 28-minute blitz
Former champ Martin Adams cruised into the second round dismantling Aussie steelworker Tony Fleet in a speedy 28 minutes without dropping a leg.
Adams, the 2007 title winner booked his second round spot without dropping a leg as the Canberra man suffered an embarrassing debut on the Lakeside stage, producing a disappointing 21.78 average
Although he has dominated the darts scene in the southern hemisphere during the past 12 months – including victories in the Pacific Masters and the Australian Grand Masters – he failed to reproduce that form in his debut appearance.
It was a humiliating opening leg for Fleety as he dropped darts on the floor and despite throwing 27 darts still required 155.
Adams was also affected and failed to hammer home the advantage, requiring more than25 darts to claim the first leg.
The England skipper then settled into the scoring groove completing a first round rout.
Despite missing some doubles in the second he sailed through 3-0 including a 13 darter and then blasted in a 177 and a maximum to take the next set 3-0, which he completed on double 10.
Afterwards triumphant Adams admitted: “That first leg was a totally new experience for me, I just wondered what was going on. I have never seen nerves affect anyone like this before.
“I think the emotion that you go through when you walk up on stage here hit him like a brick wall. You have to learn quickly how to deal with this pressure. He is such a nice fella but I just had to ignore what was going on and play darts.
Bitterly disappointed Fleet declared : “I have waited 20 years to get here and I have embarrassed myself.”
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