Betfred World Matchplay Darts, Day Three - Wright wins again, Brown and Whitlock edge thrillers

As round one of the World Matchplay in Blackpool came to a close, Keegan Brown, Simon Whitlock, Daryl Gurney and Peter Wright all progressed.

(14) Jonny Clayton 8-10 Keegan Brown
Keegan Brown earned only his second ever Blackpool win as he was the latest person to send a seed packing.
In his third appearance at the Matchplay, the Needle made for 100+ checkouts hitting 10 of 16 darts at double against Jonny Clayton

Photo from Racing Post

The Isle of Wight thrower levelled the scores at 1-1 with a 148 finish after the Ferret had taken the lead with a 101 checkout.
A 134 from Brown levelled again at 4-4, in a match that the pair were never separated by more than one leg until leg 12 when the Welshman broke with a 14-darter.
Brown broke straight back and held, courtesy of a 127 checkout on the bullseye.
At 8-8 it was finely poised, before Brown fired in a 109 finish to break Clayton's through before holding to see out the match.

(11) Simon Whitlock 10-8 John Henderson
John Henderson's wait for a Blackpool win will extend to nine years, as he fell at the first hurdle once again.
Simon Whitlock defied the Highlander's superior average to reach the second round, while the Scot was hoping that the presence of his mum Margaret would have helped him home - she was in the crowd for only the second time in her son's career, the first being the thrilling Premier League draw with Michael van Gerwen in Aberdeen earlier this year.
Henderson averaged 101.33, some six points more than the Wizard,  and had a checkout success rate of nearly 50%.
The Aussie hit a 112 checkout to go 5-3 up, before Henderson won the next three legs.
Whitlock then took the momentum, winning the next four with a match high checkout of 124.
Henderson clung on with checkouts of 97 and 81, but three missed darts at double in the 18th leg gave Whitlock the chance to seal it.

(3) Daryl Gurney 10-7 Ricky Evans
Daryl Gurney overcame some earely nerves to see off Ricky Evans, who was making his Winter Garden debut.
The Northern Irishman fired in nine maximums as he begins his hunt for a third televised major title, averaging 96.34 which could have been higher but for some sloppy finishing.
Super Chin twice bust when he lead 18-251 in the fourth leg which he somehow let slip and Rapid levelled up.
The Players' Champion powered into a 7-3 lead, then a 116 checkout at the end of a 12 darter put him two legs away.
The Kettering thrower piled the pressure on his opponent with an 85 checkout in a run of three legs on the spin, before Gurney regained composure and hit double six with the last dart in hand.

Back-to-back maximums for the 2017 semi-finalist followed in the 17th leg, which he finished in 15 darts to underline his credentials in Blackpool.

(6) Peter Wright 10-5 Vincent van der Voort
Peter Wright's rich vein of form continued onto the big stage as he saw of Vincent van der Voort.
Having won the World Cup last month, the German Darts Masters and back-to-baco Players Championship wins last week, Snakebite is now in a run of 19 wins in a row.

Photo from sportinglife.com

His average has been 100+ in 10 of those matches, including his Blackpool opener with 102.24 - the highest of the first round winners.
The 2017 UK Open winner found himself 2-0 down before the highest checkout of the tournament so far got him up and running, pinning a 164.
The Dutchman held on at 6-5 before the Scot found a new gear and went on to win the next four to get him over the line.
The penultimate leg he won with an 11-darter, hitting six 180s in the match and hitting 10 of 21 darts at double, while his Dutch opponent missed 11 of his despite averaging a strong 97.4

Tuesday Order of Play

(5) Michael Smith (ENG) v Max Hopp (GER)

(8) James Wade (ENG) v (9) Mensur Suljovic (AUT)

(4) Gary Anderson (SCO) v Mervyn King (ENG)

(1) Michael van Gerwen (NED) v Glen Durrant (ENG)

Draw
Section One

(1) Michael van Gerwen (NED) v Glen Durrant (ENG)
(8) James Wade (ENG) v (9) Mensur Suljovic (AUT)

(5) Michael Smith (ENG) v Max Hopp (GER)
(4) Gary Anderson (SCO) v Mervyn King (ENG)
=
v
v

Section Two

(2) Rob Cross (ENG) v Krzysztof Ratajski (POL)
Stephen Bunting (ENG) v (10) Ian White (ENG)

(6) Peter Wright (SCO) v (11) Simon Whitlock (AUS)
(3) Daryl Gurney (NIR) v Keegan Brown (ENG)
=
v
v

Day One Results and Report
Day Two Results and Report

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