Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price suffered shock defeats in the opening round of the World Matchplay in Blackpool.
(13) Nathan Aspinall 5-10 Mervyn King
Mervyn King opened the tournament with a stunning victory over World Matchplay debutant Nathan Aspinall.
One of the rising stars in the game, 28-year-old Aspinall was favourite to beat the Norfolk thrower - 25 years his senior, but the UK Open champion and newly crown US Darts Master missed 14 of 19 darts at double.
13th seed Aspinall fired in four 180s to King's seven, and despite leading his average at 102.96 to 100.55, King's 10 successful darts out of 16 at double saw him over the line.
Two ton + checkouts rocked Aspinall, including a 160 to lead 6-5.
King had already won four of the opening five legs including a 104 checkout and a 12-darter.
The Stockport man soon hit back with a 127 at the start of four legs on the spin to level the match.
2009 semi-finalist King hit the 160 checkout and didn't allow Aspinall another leg, completing the job with an 11-dart leg.
(7) Gerwyn Price 12-13 Stephen Bunting
Stephen Bunting won in a sudden-death leg at the Winter Gardens against Gerwyn Price.
It's only the second time in the tournament's history that a match has been decided by a single leg.
The Welshman missed a match dart while leading 9-8, missing double 10 for a 140 finish.
The former Lakeside world champion forced the additional legs by winning that one, before missing four match darts of his own at 12-11 up.
Price kicked off the sudden death leg with a 180, but Bunting kept in touch with three scores of 100+.
The Iceman missed another match dart at the bull for an 87 checkout, only for the Bullet to checkout 79 in three darts to raise the roof.
Grand Slam champion Price had led 4-1 and 8-6, but the crowd were urging Bunting on against the pantomime villain of darts, and the St Helens man pulled it back to 9-8.
From 9-9 to 12-12 it all went with throw before Bunting pinned double 11 with Price waiting on 25.
(4) Gary Anderson 10-6 Danny Noppert
Gary Anderson started his title defence with a win over debutant Danny Noppert, but the Flying Scotsman was far from his best.
The two-time world champion has struggled for form since his full return after a persistent back injury, and his doubles were particularly sub-par in his win over the Dutchman.
Anderon checked out 135 to go 6-1 up, and then 111 for 7-3, before Noppert rallied to get back to 8-6, before a 160 from Anderson put him one leg away.
Noppert's average of 87.77 and six out of 19 darts at double weren't enough to complete a memorable comeback against one of the best in the world.
He can take pride from the fact that he got back into the game, reducing the deficit to 7-6 after losing six of the first seven legs of the match.
Anderson averaged 93.75 and hit four 180s, but he'll know that 19 missed darts at double isn't title winning form.
(2) Rob Cross 10-3 Chris Dobey
Rob Cross cruised into round two with a commanding victory over debutant Chris Dobey.
Former world champion Voltage hit back-to-back 180s to threaten the perfect leg, eventually finishing it in 13 for a 6-3 lead over Hollywood.
Five 180s and an average of 100.6 was enough for the Hastings thrower to progress, hitting 10 of 18 darts at double, including a 130 to seal the match.
Dobey hit the match high finish of 145 to go to 6-1, averaging 91.34.
Format
First Round - Best of 19 legs
Second Round - Best of 21 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 31 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 33 legs
Final - Best of 35 legs
The World Matchplay is played in a legs format.
Each game must be won by two clear legs, with up to a maximum of five additional legs being played before the sixth additional leg is sudden-death.
For example, should a First Round game (best of 19 legs) reach 12-12, then the 25th leg would be the final and deciding leg.
Sunday Order of Play
Afternoon Session
(15) Darren Webster (ENG) v Krzysztof Ratajski (POL)
(12) Dave Chisnall (ENG) v Max Hopp (GER)
(10) Ian White (ENG) v Joe Cullen (ENG)
(5) Michael Smith (ENG) v Jamie Hughes (ENG)
Evening Session
(8) James Wade (ENG) v Jeffrey de Zwaan (NED)
(9) Mensur Suljovic (AUT) v Jermaine Wattimena (NED)
(1) Michael van Gerwen (NED) v Steve Beaton (ENG)
(16) Adrian Lewis (ENG) v Glen Durrant (ENG)
Draw
Section One
(1) Michael van Gerwen (NED) v Steve Beaton (ENG)
 |
| Photo from sportinglife.com |
Mervyn King opened the tournament with a stunning victory over World Matchplay debutant Nathan Aspinall.
One of the rising stars in the game, 28-year-old Aspinall was favourite to beat the Norfolk thrower - 25 years his senior, but the UK Open champion and newly crown US Darts Master missed 14 of 19 darts at double.
13th seed Aspinall fired in four 180s to King's seven, and despite leading his average at 102.96 to 100.55, King's 10 successful darts out of 16 at double saw him over the line.
Two ton + checkouts rocked Aspinall, including a 160 to lead 6-5.
King had already won four of the opening five legs including a 104 checkout and a 12-darter.
The Stockport man soon hit back with a 127 at the start of four legs on the spin to level the match.
2009 semi-finalist King hit the 160 checkout and didn't allow Aspinall another leg, completing the job with an 11-dart leg.
 |
| Photo from sportinglife.com |
Stephen Bunting won in a sudden-death leg at the Winter Gardens against Gerwyn Price.
It's only the second time in the tournament's history that a match has been decided by a single leg.
The Welshman missed a match dart while leading 9-8, missing double 10 for a 140 finish.
The former Lakeside world champion forced the additional legs by winning that one, before missing four match darts of his own at 12-11 up.
Price kicked off the sudden death leg with a 180, but Bunting kept in touch with three scores of 100+.
The Iceman missed another match dart at the bull for an 87 checkout, only for the Bullet to checkout 79 in three darts to raise the roof.
Grand Slam champion Price had led 4-1 and 8-6, but the crowd were urging Bunting on against the pantomime villain of darts, and the St Helens man pulled it back to 9-8.
From 9-9 to 12-12 it all went with throw before Bunting pinned double 11 with Price waiting on 25.
(4) Gary Anderson 10-6 Danny Noppert
Gary Anderson started his title defence with a win over debutant Danny Noppert, but the Flying Scotsman was far from his best.
The two-time world champion has struggled for form since his full return after a persistent back injury, and his doubles were particularly sub-par in his win over the Dutchman.
Anderon checked out 135 to go 6-1 up, and then 111 for 7-3, before Noppert rallied to get back to 8-6, before a 160 from Anderson put him one leg away.
Noppert's average of 87.77 and six out of 19 darts at double weren't enough to complete a memorable comeback against one of the best in the world.
He can take pride from the fact that he got back into the game, reducing the deficit to 7-6 after losing six of the first seven legs of the match.
Anderson averaged 93.75 and hit four 180s, but he'll know that 19 missed darts at double isn't title winning form.
(2) Rob Cross 10-3 Chris Dobey
Rob Cross cruised into round two with a commanding victory over debutant Chris Dobey.
Former world champion Voltage hit back-to-back 180s to threaten the perfect leg, eventually finishing it in 13 for a 6-3 lead over Hollywood.
Five 180s and an average of 100.6 was enough for the Hastings thrower to progress, hitting 10 of 18 darts at double, including a 130 to seal the match.
Dobey hit the match high finish of 145 to go to 6-1, averaging 91.34.
Format
First Round - Best of 19 legs
Second Round - Best of 21 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 31 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 33 legs
Final - Best of 35 legs
The World Matchplay is played in a legs format.
Each game must be won by two clear legs, with up to a maximum of five additional legs being played before the sixth additional leg is sudden-death.
For example, should a First Round game (best of 19 legs) reach 12-12, then the 25th leg would be the final and deciding leg.
Sunday Order of Play
Afternoon Session
(15) Darren Webster (ENG) v Krzysztof Ratajski (POL)
(12) Dave Chisnall (ENG) v Max Hopp (GER)
(10) Ian White (ENG) v Joe Cullen (ENG)
(5) Michael Smith (ENG) v Jamie Hughes (ENG)
Evening Session
(8) James Wade (ENG) v Jeffrey de Zwaan (NED)
(9) Mensur Suljovic (AUT) v Jermaine Wattimena (NED)
(1) Michael van Gerwen (NED) v Steve Beaton (ENG)
(16) Adrian Lewis (ENG) v Glen Durrant (ENG)
Draw
Section One
(1) Michael van Gerwen (NED) v Steve Beaton (ENG)
(16) Adrian Lewis (ENG) v Glen Durrant (ENG)
(8) James Wade (ENG) v Jeffrey de Zwaan (NED)
(9) Mensur Suljovic (AUT) v Jermaine Wattimena (NED)
=
v
v
Section Two
=
v
v
Section Two
(5) Michael Smith (ENG) v Jamie Hughes (ENG)
(12) Dave Chisnall (ENG) v Max Hopp (GER)
(4) Gary Anderson (SCO) 10-6 Danny Noppert (NED)
=
v
(2) Gary Anderson (SCO) v Mervyn King (ENG)
Section Three
(2) Rob Cross (ENG) 10-3 Chris Dobey (ENG)
(15) Darren Webster (ENG) v Krzysztof Ratajski (POL)
(10) Ian White (ENG) v Joe Cullen (ENG)
=
(2) Rob Cross (ENG) v
Stephen Bunting (ENG) v
Section Four
=
(2) Rob Cross (ENG) v
Stephen Bunting (ENG) v
Section Four
(6) Peter Wright (SCO) v Vincent van der Voort (NED)
(11) Simon Whitlock (AUS) v John Henderson (SCO)
(3) Daryl Gurney (NIR) v Ricky Evans (ENG)
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