World Matchplay - Match Reports 2. Day
WADE MAKES STRONG START IN BETFAIR WORLD MATCHPLAY AS RIVALS TAKE COMEBACK WINS
James Wade began his challenge to win a second Betfair World Matchplay title with a clinical win over Richie Burnett on Sunday night, as Steve Beaton, Mark Walsh and Michael van Gerwen all came from behind to take first round wins in Blackpool on Sunday night.2007 champion Wade looked in confident mood as he defeated Welshman Burnett 10-6 at the Winter Gardens, finishing ten of 18 attempts at a double during the contest. Wade led 3-0 and 8-1 before Burnett rallied to threaten a fightback, but the world number three proved too deadly on double top as he progressed to a second round clash with Mark
Walsh had to show his battling qualities as he fought back from 6-3 and 7-4 down against Colin Osborne before taking a 10-8 win to progress to the second round for the seventh time. A night of fightbacks also saw Beaton and van Gerwen hit back to set up a second round clash following their wins over Kevin Painter and Simon Whitlock respectively.
Beaton trailed 2-0 and 3-1 against Painter, but won five successive legs to turn the game in his favour, and even though the number 11 seed fired in a 160 checkout it was not enough to save his hopes.
Van Gerwen, meanwhile, knocked out number six seed Simon Whitlock with a thrilling performance, winning five successive legs to come from 6-5 down to take a 10-6 triumph - hitting finishes of 110, 104 and 99 in that run.
Mark Walsh 10:8 Colin Osborne
Mark Walsh fought back to edge through to the second round of the Betfair World Matchplay with a 10-8 defeat of Colin Osborne at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.Osborne looked set to kick-start his bid to push back towards the world's top 16 when he took a 6-3 lead - only to see Walsh hit back to level at seven-all.
Although Osborne moved 8-7 up, he missed a crucial dart in the next and Walsh levelled before taking the next two to progress into the last 16.
Osborne kicked off the match well, finishing tops for a 14-darter in the opening leg and hitting the same bed to double his advantage before Walsh got himself off the mark in the third with a 12-darter. Osborne then missed four darts to win leg four to allow the Grand Slam of Darts semi-finalist to level with a 78 finish, only for the Derby man to take the next two and move 4-2 up, punishing misses from his opponent in the next two legs. Double four from Walsh won him the ninth, but Osborne finished 96 and tops - following his first 180 of the game - to move 6-3 up and take charge.
He had a chance to move four legs clear at the second interval, but missed two darts as Walsh hit back, before double top saw the Hertfordshire man pull back to 6-5 behind. Osborne landed a 180 and tops to win his seventh leg, but Walsh hit back strongly to level by posting double 16 and then following a 180 with a fine 126 checkout. Double 16 saw Osborne edge back in front at 8-7, but a miss at the same bed in the next leg proved costly as Walsh turned the game in his favour, and he then landed double 14 to lead for the first time at 9-8. Walsh then hit his sixth maximum of the contest, and landed double top to complete the comeback and move into the second round for the seventh time in eight years.
"I missed doubles early on and Colin took advantage, and I was always chasing the game until it was eight-all," said Walsh. "I normally get to the second round, which I have done six times before, but this year hopefully I can break that hoodoo."
Steve Beaton 10:6 Kevin Painter
Steve Beaton recovered from a slow start to defeat Kevin Painter 10-6 and move into the second round of the Betfair World Matchplay.The former World Champion was punished for missed doubles early in the contest as Painter took an early 3-1 lead - only to win five successive legs to turn the game in his favour before completing the win.
Painter made an ideal start, hitting a 180 and double 18 to break throw in the opening leg before doubling his lead on double four. Beaton punished two misses from Painter to win the third, only for the roles to be reversed as the Daventry ace hit double eight to move 3-1 up. Beaton, though, took out tops to take the fifth leg and landed the bullseye to complete a 78 finish in the next, before a pair of double eight checkouts and double 16 saw him move 6-3 up by winning five straight legs.
Painter finished 70 to stop that run, and after Beaton won his seventh leg the McCoy's Premier League Darts star finished 160 to cut the gap to 7-5. The next two were shared before Beaton took a crucial 15th leg by taking out 72 to move a leg away from the win at 9-6, and he hit a 174 to edge in front in the next before sealing the victory on double 16.
"I'm really pleased with that performance but I made it hard for myself early on," said Beaton. "It's hard not to get frustrated with yourself, and I've gone into the first break 3-2 down but you have to forget that and hit him hard. "I'd have been happy with five-all at the next break, so to go in 6-4 up was a bonus and I took my chances. Kev was geared up for it and the game could have gone the other way if I'd missed a few more doubles, so I'm pleased to come out on top."
James Wade 10:5 Richie Burnett
James Wade began his challenge for a second Betfair World Matchplay title with a 10-5 win over spirited Richie Burnett at the Winter Gardens on Sunday.
The number three seed, who won the 2007 World Matchplay in a run of reaching the final four times in the last six years, made a confident start to this year's event in Blackpool with the triumph.
The left-hander won the game's first three legs to make a fine start, hitting double top twice and double ten, and he moved 4-1 up at the first break when the pair traded double six finishes. Wade also won the next four legs - again proving deadly on double top and ten - to move into an 8-1 cushion and edge towards victory. Burnett finished double seven in the tenth leg to begin his fightback, and hit a 180 in a superb 11-darter to win a third leg of the game.
Wade, though, traded maximums with the Welshman in the next before completing a 12-darter to move 9-3 up and to the brink of victory. Burnett matched Wade's 180 in the next before finishing double 16 to keep the game alive, and added a 76 finish to win a fifth leg, but he was unable to continue the comeback as Wade took out 83 on tops to set up a second round date with Mark Walsh on Wednesday.
"Richie's been playing well recently so I was nervous going into the game, and I know I can improve but it's great to get through," said Wade. "Richie threw a little bit back at me but I got there in the end - I actually got more nervous as the game went on, and I haven't quite got the confidence I had a few years ago, but I'm practising hard and hopefully it will come back within time."
Michael van Gerwen 10:6 Simon Whitlock
Michael van Gerwen reeled off five successive legs to come from behind and celebrate his return to the Betfair World Matchplay stage with a 10-6 defeat of Simon Whitlock.
The young Dutchman last played in the World Matchplay in 2009, but moved through to the second round for the third time with an exciting display in a high-quality clash with Whitlock.
The Australian - a quarter-finalist last year - played his part by coming from 3-0 down to lead 5-4 and 6-5, but was unable to stop van Gerwen's late charge as the 23-year-old finished 110, 99 and 104 in successive legs as he swept to victory. Van Gerwen now plays Steve Beaton in Wednesday's second round.
The Dutchman made an electric start, hitting a 174 in taking the opening leg in 14 darts, before adding double 12 in the second and tops in the third to lead 3-0. He also missed darts to win the next two as Whitlock, aided by scores of 180 and 168 in the fourth, firstly got off the mark on double 18 and then won the fifth leg on tops. Double four from van Gerwen edged him into a 4-2 lead, but Whitlock replied strongly with a 13-darter, featuring another 180, before punishing a miss at tops from the Dutchman to level. Van Gerwen hit scores of 177 and 174 to leave 32 in the ninth leg, only to see Whitlock power home a 116 finish to lead for the first time at 5-4.
Three misses from the Australian allowed van Gerwen to level, but Whitlock regained the advantage with a fine 12-darter, hitting a 180 and finishing 82 on tops to move 6-5 up. Van Gerwen levelled on tops and took command of the game with a stunning burst, finishing 110 on double 18 to regain the lead, taking out a 99 combination on double ten and 104 on double 16 to move to the brink of victory, which he sealed with a 14-dart leg on tops.
"It was a very difficult game for me but I played very well and I'm happy with that," said van Gerwen. "I've been practising hard for the last few weeks and been playing well for a few months, so I'm happy it came out on stage. "It was a big moment for me. It's three years since I played here and it's a great venue and a great crowd, and I played a good game so I'm very happy with that. "I'm looking forward to Wednesday and I hope I can bring my good game again. I like to play fast players and I think it will be a good game against Steve."