PDC World Championship - Match Reports Day 8, Afternoon
Andy Hamilton 4-1 Richie Burnett
(2-3, 3-2, 3-2, 3-2, 3-0)
ANDY HAMILTON defeated Richie Burnett 4-1 to become the first player through to the last 16 of the 2013 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.
The 2012 finalist, though, was pushed all the way by the Welshman, who capitalied on four misses by Hamilton to win the first set by edging into the lead only to miss five darts to double his lead. The proved the turning point as Hamilton levelled and then took the next three sets to progress to the last 16, dropping only four legs in the process.
"My finishing was very good towards the end of the match and that was the key to my win," said Hamilton, who registered four ton-plus checkouts and ten 180s during the contest. "I was disappointed to lose the first set in the way that I did but I didn't let it get me down, and I'm pleased with how I recovered. "I reached the final last year and I would love to go one step further this time around. Not many people are talking about me and I'm regarded as the underdog, but I'm still there fighting and I'm going to be tough to beat."
Hamilton hit a 180 in the opening leg but Burnett took the lead on tops before the Stoke ace levelled in the second by landing double 16. Hamilton, who defeated James Richardson in his opening match, won the third leg against the darts with a confident 14-darter, only for Burnett to take out a 121 checkout on the bullseye to win the fourth. The Welshman held advantage of throw in the deciding leg, but failed to land a big treble with his first six to hand the initiative to his opponent - only for Hamilton to let four chances to win the set slip away as Burnett landed double four with a vital third dart to edge ahead.
Hamilton made a good start to the second set as he won the opening leg with the aid of a maximum, and then took the second against the darts on double top. Hamilton missed one dart at tops to win the set in the next, and Burnett took out 83 in two darts to punish his opponent. Burnett hit double eight to force a deciding leg, but then let five chances to win the set go begging and Hamilton accepted the reprieve by posting double top to level the match.
Hamilton fired in a fifth 180 at the start of the third set, but Burnett hit a second 121 finish of the contest, again finishing on the bullseye, to lead. Hamilton hit back with consecutive 13-darters to take the next two legs but a missed dart at double 16 allowed Burnett to hit double top to set up another deciding leg. The fifth leg proved to be a tense affair before Hamilton broke the deadlock with a 174 to leave 24, which he duly converted by hitting double 12 at the first attempt for another 13-dart finish.
That put Hamilton ahead for the first time in the match and the number eight seed began the fourth set in fine fashion as he recorded a 120 checkout to win the first leg, followed by an accurate attempt at the bullseye, for a 86 finish, in the next. Hamilton slipped up in the next leg as he wasted four opportunities to end the set and Burnett capitalised by taking out 64 in two darts. Burnett hit double top in the fourth leg after Hamilton was off-target with another chance to win the set on tops, but the Stoke ace recovered as he kicked off the fifth with scores of 140 and 180 and won the set in style thanks to a 138 checkout.
Hamilton hit double 16 to break throw at the start of the fifth set and hit the same double in the next, to complete a 108 finish, as he moved a leg away from triumph. Hamilton recorded a tenth a 180 in the third leg and wrapped up the match in clinical fashion with a 110 checkout.
Dave Chisnall 4-1 Daryl Gurney
(3-2, 3-2, 3-2, 2-3, 3-2)
DAVE CHISNALL overcame a fine display from Northern Irish newcomer Daryl Gurney with a 4-1 victory in the last 32 of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.
In a match which saw 21 maximums hit between the two players, Gurney missed chances to win the second and third sets, as Chisnall built a 3-0 lead. Gurney won the fourth set, but a missed dart at double 16 in the fifth proved costly as Chisnall closed out the game to move into the last 16.
"I'm very relieved to get through that match as Daryl played some great darts," said Chisnall, who will now face Simon Whitlock or Colin Osborne for a place in the quarter-finals. "Daryl was scoring so well but he let me in a few times and I managed to take the chances that were on offer to me."
Gurney, who recorded a fine victory over Andy Smith in the first round, started the match brightly with a 13-dart finish before Chisnall hit back to take the second leg in just 11 darts. Gurney edged ahead again thanks to an accurate third dart at double ten before Chisnall took the fourth on tops. The St Helens ace then hit a timely 180 in the fifth leg before going on to win the set with a 15-dart finish to establish an early lead.
Gurney hit a 180 in the process of taking the first leg of the second set before Chisnall posted double ten to level. The Irish Matchplay champion hit back-to-back 180s in the next leg before posting double eight, but one missed dart at double 19 in the fourth allowed Chisnall an opportunity at double top, which he duly took. The fifth leg saw Chisnall hit a fourth maximum, and last year's conqueror of Phil Taylor hit double ten to move two-sets clear.
Gurney broke his opponent's throw at the beginning of the third set and continued the good form in the second leg as he hit scores of 180 and a 145 in an 11-darter. Chisnall took out 72 to win the third leg after Gurney missed a dart at double 16 to win the set, and in the next the 26-year-old from Northern Ireland was guilty of three more wasted opportunities to win the set. Chisnall capitalised on those errors by hitting double top to force a deciding leg for the third successive set, which he won with another successful attempt at tops.
The St Helens ace hit double top for a third leg on the spin to make a winning start to the fourth set before Gurney won the second with the aid of back-to-back maximums. Gurney took out 68 to claim the third leg but Chisnall moved a leg away from victory as he took the fourth with a clinical 107 finish. The fifth leg saw Gurney miss one dart at the bullseye, but Chisnall was unable to convert 112 and the Northern Irishman returned to hit double eight.
Gurney won the first leg of the fifth set against the darts on double 16, and hit the same bed to win the next after both players had kicked off with 180s. Chisnall converted a two-dart 72 finish to win the third leg and took the fourth with a 64 checkout, completed on double top after Gurney missed a dart at double 16 to wrap up the set. Gurney hit a 180 in the fifth leg, but Chisnall completed a 13-dart finish to win the match and end Gurney's brave challenge.
After the match, the Northern Irish newcomer admitted: "It's disappointing to miss the opportunities I had to win those sets and make a real game of it. I put that down to a lack of experience on big stages such as this. "I'm intending to play the Qualifying School in January, so hopefully I can gain a Tour Card and give myself the chance to play in more competitions like this."
Gary Anderson 4-3 John Bowles
(3-2, 0-3, 3-1, 2-3, 2-3, 3-2, 6-4)
GARY ANDERSON survived a major scare before defeating Widnes' John Bowles in the final set tie-breaker to reach the third round of the 2013 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.
The Scot led the match 2-1 but fell 3-2 down to the highly impressive qualifier, who won the fourth and fifth sets in a deciding leg to take command. Anderson edged the sixth set before taking the decider 6-4, after Bowles missed three separate opportunities at double top to secure a famous victory.
"I don't know how I've managed to win that match," said a relieved Anderson, who hit a total of 19 maximums during the match. "John was so tough to play and he really should have sent me on my way home, but he gave me the chance and I somehow managed to do it. "I know I scored well and hit 19 180s, but I wish I could hit my doubles with more regularity so it would stop me becoming involved in these epic matches!"
Anderson started the match superbly with a 142 checkout, before Bowles levelled by taking out 74 to win the second leg. The third leg saw Anderson miss two darts at double eight, and Bowles punished those errors by landing double 18. Anderson hit a 180 in the fourth leg and took out a 118 finish before taking the decider with a 14-dart finish to win the set.
Both players hit maximums at the start of the second set before Bowles won the opening leg on tops, after Anderson had missed a host of opportunities to win it for himself. Bowles hit double ten to complete a 78 finish and won the set on the same double, in the next leg, to square the game at one apiece.
Bowles continued his good run at the start of the third set as he landed double 12 to win a fourth leg in a row before Anderson converted a 14-darter to take the second. The third leg saw Bowles miss a dart at the bullseye, and Anderson capitalised as he hit the bull to take out a 124 finish. The Scot, who defeated Finland's Jani Haavisto in the first round, hit double six to win the set and move 2-1 up before taking the opening leg of the fourth set with the aid of his sixth 180 of the game. Bowles held throw to win the second leg before Anderson edged ahead by landing double five, and scores of 180, 140 and 165 pushed Anderson cleared in the fourth. However, Anderson let seven chances to win the set slip away and Bowles made Anderson pay as he hit double five to edge the leg before posting double top in the deciding leg to leave the match finely balanced at two-all.
The fifth set began with both players hitting 180s before Bowles added another maximum to win the opening leg in just 12 darts. Bowles, who defeated Jamie Caven in five sets in the opening round, won the second leg on double 18 before Anderson needed just two darts to convert a 98 finish to win the third. Anderson hit a fabulous 11-darter to win the fourth leg and in the fifth the number four seed left 64 after 12-darts, only for the former rugby league player to take out a superb 120 finish to lead the game for the first time.
Anderson held throw at the start of the sixth set before Bowles levelled up by taking the second leg on double eight, with Anderson waiting on 40. Anderson hit a 116 finish to win the third leg but Bowles landed double 12 to take the fourth, after jhis opponent missed the same double for a 141 checkout. The deciding leg saw Anderson kick-off with back-to-back 180s to ignite hopes of a nine-darter, adding a seventh treble 20 before his attempt at treble 19 fell below the target. Anderson went on to win the leg in 11 darts to force a deciding set, which began with Bowles holding throw, after both players landed 180s.
Bowles won the second on double 18 to move a leg away from victory, as he capitalised on five missed darts at doubles from his opponent. The Widnes man then missed one dart at tops to win the match, and Anderson hit the same bed to keep his hopes alive. Anderson missed three chances to win the fourth leg, but Bowles was unable to take a second opportunity to win the match and Anderson held his nerve to hit double four. Bowles managed to hit double top to win the fifth leg but - for a third time - could not land the same double to win the match in the next, and Anderson hit double five to stay in the game. Bowles won the seventh leg on double ten after Anderson missed one chance at the same double, before the Scot held throw to win the eighth and increase the tension. Anderson fired in a 19th 180 at the start of the next leg and won it just 12 darts to break his opponent's throw and move a leg away from victory. The former Premier League champion then closed out an enthralling contest as he hit double four with his third dart to secure a narrow win.
A dejected Bowles said: "I'm really gutted to lose as I worked so hard to get the opportunity to win. "Gary played really well in the early stages to lead 2-1, but I'm never beaten and I fought hard to get back into the match. Unfortunately, I didn't take the chances to win, and Gary responded to the pressure situation at the end better than I did".
Pictures with kind permission from Lawrence Lustig, PDC