RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD came from 3-1 down to defeat Andy Hamilton in a thriller at the PartyPoker.net European Championship, while World Champion Adrian Lewis and James Wade both progressed safely into the second round in Dusseldorf.
Van Barneveld produced a superb performance in winning five of the final six legs against Hamilton, hitting six 180s in the match and ending the game with a 101.98 average.
Hamilton had opened the game with a 146 checkout and continued the form which had seen him reach the World Matchplay semi-finals last week, but was edged out as the Dutchman moved into the last 16.
"I'm very pleased," said van Barneveld. "I struggled in the first couple of legs and at 3-1 down I knew I had to fight back, and I think I played really well.
"Andy was fantastic in the World Matchplay and we always have great battles when we play, and this was another. It was a great game to be involved in."
World Champion Lewis, the 2008 European Championship runner-up, made a solid start to his challenge at the Maritim Hotel with a 6-4 defeat of Vincent van der Voort.
The number two seed hit finishes of 128 and 106 in moving 4-1 up, and although he missed 22 darts at a double during the game held on to secure the victory.
"My scoring was good but I missed too many doubles," said Lewis. "I got the job done but I know I've got to improve."
Lewis now takes on St Helens' Dave Chisnall, who overcame some nervous doubles to come from 2-0 down to defeat Jelle Klaasen 6-4.
World number three James Wade, last week's World Matchplay runner-up, opened with a 6-1 defeat of Sweden's Magnus Caris, and now plays Blackpool's Ronnie Baxter, who impressed in a 6-4 win over Michael van Gerwen.
Both players averaged over 101 and van Gerwen hit a 135 finish, but Baxter proved too strong to move into the last 16.
Number seven seed Wes Newton swept aside Andy Smith 6-2, hitting a 167 finish, and will now take on Belgium's Kim Huybrechts, who enjoyed a dream televised debut by defeating Antonio Alcinas 6-2.
Huybrechts hit four 180s and averaged 99.25, as well as finishing six from 11 attempts at a double as he overcame the Spaniard.
"It was a brilliant debut for me," said Huybrechts. "I wanted to play well but it was great for me, and if I can play this kind of game over the weekend I hope I can surprise a few people."
Mark Walsh set up a second round clash with van Barneveld with a deciding-leg victory against last year's runner-up Wayne Jones, who missed three darts to win the game in the tenth leg before the Hertfordshire ace took the win with a 14-dart leg.
The second round will be played across two sessions on Saturday, with reigning champion Phil Taylor in action against Mervyn King during the afternoon.
Simon Whitlock faces Colin Lloyd in the opening second round game, while Terry Jenkins meets Paul Nicholson and Gary Anderson plays Peter Wright.
PartyPoker.net European Championship
Friday July 29
First Round
Wayne Jones 5-6 Mark Walsh
Jelle Klaasen 4-6 Dave Chisnall
Ronnie Baxter 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Antonio Alcinas
James Wade 6-1 Magnus Caris
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Vincent van der Voort
Wes Newton 6-2 Andy Smith
Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 Andy Hamilton
All games the best of 11 legs
WAYNE JONES v MARK WALSH
1-0 - Walsh misses double top for a 105 finish and Walsh checks out double 18.
1-1 - Walsh kicks off with a maximum and breaks back with a two-dart 64 finish.
1-2 - Jones lands a 180 of his own, but Walsh again takes out 64 on double top.
2-2 - Jones levels the match with double top.
2-3 - Walsh lifts his average to almost 105 with a fine 11-darter, which includes a 180 and double top.
3-3 - Jones levels once more on double eight.
3-4 - Jones clips the wire of double 18 for a 116 finish, and Walsh follows an earlier 180 with double top to hold throw.
4-4 - Jones misses the bull for a 121 finish but Walsh's attempt at tops lands just below the bed and the Wolverhampton man returns on double eight.
5-4 - Jones secures a crucial break of throw on double 16 to lead.
5-5 - The 2010 runner-up posts a 180, but misses three darts at double 16 for the match and Walsh takes out a pressure 106 on double 16.
5-6 - Walsh is first to a double, leaving 40 after 12 darts before returning to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, hitting double top for a 14-darter.
Match Stats
|
Wayne Jones |
5-6 |
Mark Walsh |
|
17 |
100+ |
20 |
|
8 |
140+ |
6 |
|
2 |
180 |
3 |
|
32.23 |
Ave1 |
33.14 |
|
96.69 |
Ave3 |
99.41 |
|
76 |
High Finish |
106 |
|
2 |
Legs Against Throw |
2 |
|
5/12 - 42% |
Checkouts |
6/9 - 67% |
JELLE KLAASEN v DAVE CHISNALL
1-0 - Chisnall misses five darts for the opening leg and Klaasen breaks throw immediately.
2-0 - Chisnall hits back-to-back 180s to leave 48 after nine darts - but misses seven darts for the leg and Klaasen eventually claws back to hit double eight.
2-1 - Chisnall lands his first double, finishing 116 on double top.
2-2 - Chisnall levels the match with double top.
2-3 - The St Helens ace takes the lead with double top.
2-4 - Chisnall wins a fourth successive leg, hitting a 177 before replying to a Klaasen 180 with double 16.
2-5 - Klaasen posts a 180 but Chisnall lands double top for a fifth leg in a row as he edges towards victory.
3-5 - Klaasen lands double 11 to keep the match alive.
4-5 - Klaasen wins another leg, hitting double ten.
4-6 - Chisnall finally secures victory, finishing 87 in two darts.
Match Stats
|
Jelle Klaasen |
4-6 |
Dave Chisnall |
|
10 |
100+ |
12 |
|
6 |
140+ |
7 |
|
2 |
180 |
2 |
|
29.73 |
Ave1 |
32.30 |
|
89.19 |
Ave3 |
96.91 |
|
41 |
High Finish |
116 |
|
2 |
Legs Against Throw |
3 |
|
4/9 - 44% |
Checkouts |
6/19 - 32% |
RONNIE BAXTER v MICHAEL VAN GERWEN
1-0 - Baxter opens the game with a 180 and wins the leg in 14 darts.
2-0 - Baxter breaks on double eight to double his lead.
2-1 - Baxter misses two darts at double 16 to win a third successive leg, and van Gerwen brilliantly replies with a 135 finish of 25, treble 20 and bull.
3-1 - Baxter wins his third leg by landing double eight.
3-2 - Baxter lands a 180 but van Gerwen takes the leg to cut the gap.
3-3 - Another 180 puts Baxter to a finish first but he misses five darts at a double, and van Gerwen lands double five to level.
4-3 - Baxter wins his first leg in three to edge back ahead.
5-3 - van Gerwen opens with a 180 and leaves himself on a finish but can only watch as Baxter takes out 101 on double 16.
5-4 - Baxter opens with a 180 against the throw, but van Gerwen takes the leg to stay in the game.
6-4 - Baxter wins the game on double 16, as both players finish the match with averages above 101.
Match Stats
|
Ronnie Baxter |
6-4 |
Michael van Gerwen |
|
13 |
100+ |
10 |
|
9 |
140+ |
11 |
|
4 |
180 |
1 |
|
34.06 |
Ave1 |
33.70 |
|
102.17 |
Ave3 |
101.09 |
|
101 |
High Finish |
135 |
|
2 |
Legs Against Throw |
1 |
|
6/22 - 27% |
Checkouts |
4/5 - 80% |
KIM HUYBRECHTS v ANTONIO ALCINAS
1-0 - Alcinas misses three darts at a double and Huybrechts capitalises on double top.
2-0 - Huybrechts doubles his lead on double 16.
2-1 - The players trade 180s and Alcinas finishes 121 on double 14 to get off the mark.
3-1 - Huybrects lands another 180 and double 16.
3-2 - Alcinas lands back-to-back 180s and finishes double 16 for a 12-darter.
4-2 - Huybrechts hits his third 180 of the game, and double eight sees him win his fourth leg.
5-2 - The Belgian debutant hits another 180 and punishes a missed double top from Alcinas to hit the same bed and edge towards victory.
6-2 - Huybrechts completes a dream TV debut, initially missing the bull for a 170 finish but returning to hit double 16 - ending the game with a 99 average and 55 percent checkout ratio.
Match Stats
|
Kim Huybrechts |
6-2 |
Antonio Alcinas |
|
7 |
100+ |
10 |
|
5 |
140+ |
5 |
|
4 |
180 |
3 |
|
33.08 |
Ave1 |
32.06 |
|
99.25 |
Ave3 |
96.19 |
|
79 |
High Finish |
121 |
|
2 |
Legs Against Throw |
0 |
|
6/11 - 55% |
Checkouts |
2/7 - 29% |
JAMES WADE v MAGNUS CARIS
1-0 - Wade opens his account on double ten.
1-1 - Caris misses two darts at a double but when Wade fails to finish with three darts at double eight the Swede returns to hit double ten.
2-1 - Wade picks up his second leg of the game.
3-1 - Wade hits a 180 but is given a reprieve for his own missed doubles when Caris fails to finish, and the left-hander returns to post double top.
4-1 - Wade posts another maximum and hits double ten to win his fourth leg.
5-1 - The players trade 180s, but Caris misses the bull and two darts at double eight before Wade lands double 12 to move a leg away from the win.
6-1 - Wade completes a comprehensive victory with a 116 finish to set up a second round clash with Ronnie Baxter.
Match Stats
|
James Wade |
6-1 |
Magnus Caris |
|
14 |
100+ |
9 |
|
1 |
140+ |
3 |
|
4 |
180 |
1 |
|
30.69 |
Ave1 |
26.62 |
|
92.08 |
Ave3 |
79.85 |
|
116 |
High Finish |
4 |
|
2 |
Legs Against Throw |
0 |
|
6/16 - 38% |
Checkouts |
1/13 - 8% |
ADRIAN LEWIS v VINCEINT VAN DER VOORT
1-0 - Lewis misses four darts at double top, but a slow opening from van der Voort allows him to land double ten.
1-1 - van der Voort levels by hitting double 16.
2-1 - Lewis finishes double 16 for a 106 finish.
3-1 - Lewis picks up the first break of throw on double nine.
4-1 - Lewis finishes 128 on double ten to move three legs clear.
4-2 - Lewis hits a 180 but misses the bull and two darts at double eight to allow van der Voort back in.
5-2 - Lewis opens with a 180 and lands double eight to move a leg away from the win.
5-3 - The World Champion is first to a finish but fails to leave a double when needing 90 and van der Voort posts double top to stay in the game.
5-4 - Lewis opens with scores of 174 and 140, but misses eight darts for the match as van der Voort replies with a 180 and eventually hits double four to stay alive.
6-4 - Lewis finally secures the victory by hitting double top.
Match Stats
|
Adrian Lewis |
6-4 |
Vincent van der Voort |
|
16 |
100+ |
10 |
|
9 |
140+ |
4 |
|
2 |
180 |
1 |
|
29.96 |
Ave1 |
26.60 |
|
89.89 |
Ave3 |
79.80 |
|
128,105 |
High Finish |
58 |
|
2 |
Legs Against Throw |
1 |
|
6/28 - 21% |
Checkouts |
4/11 - 36% |
WES NEWTON v ANDY SMITH
1-0 - Newton kicks off the match with a 180 and wins the opening leg.
2-0 - Newton doubles his lead with a superb 167 to break throw.
3-0 - Smith misses double top for a 160 checkout and three darts at double ten, and Newton pins double 16 for a 70 finish.
4-0 - Newton breaks again by hitting double 16 for a 13-darter.
4-1 - Smith lands a 180 and hits double ten to get off the mark.
4-2 - Another double ten finish sees Smith break back.
5-2 - Newton misses the bull for a 170 checkout but returns to land double eight.
6-2 - Newton secures victory another double eight finish.
Match Stats
|
Wes Newton |
6-2 |
Andy Smith |
|
11 |
100+ |
14 |
|
7 |
140+ |
3 |
|
1 |
180 |
1 |
|
32.95 |
Ave1 |
29.50 |
|
98.85 |
Ave3 |
88.51 |
|
167 |
High Finish |
20 |
|
3 |
Legs Against Throw |
1 |
|
6/8 - 75% |
Checkouts |
2/11 - 18% |
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD v ANDY HAMILTON
0-1 - Hamilton makes a brilliant start with a 146 checkout.
1-1 - The pair trade 180s before van Barneveld levels on double top.
1-2 - Hamilton lands a 180 and steps in after the Dutchman misses double 18 and nine to hit tops to break for a second time.
1-3 - Hamilton holds throw with double top for an 80 finish.
2-3 - Hamilton posts a 180 but van Barneveld replies with back-to-back maximums before sealing a 12-darter on the bull.
3-3 - van Barneveld hits double eight for a 14-dart leg, with Hamilton waiting on 16.
4-3 - The Dutchman lands a fourth 180 of the game before hitting the front for the first time.
4-4 - Hamilton levels on double 16, despite another 180 from van Barneveld.
5-4 - van Barneveld lands double ten to move a leg away from victory.
6-4 - The Dutchman hits a sixth 180 before punishing a miss at double top from Hamilton by posting double ten for the win.
Match Stats
|
Raymond van Barneveld |
6-4 |
Andy Hamilton |
|
7 |
100+ |
12 |
|
8 |
140+ |
6 |
|
6 |
180 |
3 |
|
33.99 |
Ave1 |
31.65 |
|
101.98 |
Ave3 |
94.96 |
|
81 |
High Finish |
146 |
|
3 |
Legs Against Throw |
2 |
|
6/13 - 46% |
Checkouts |
4/7 - 57% |
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