Betfair World Cup of Darts - Saturday Afternoon

HOLDERS England romped into the Last 16 of the Betfair World Cup of Darts with a 5-2 win over Austria on Saturday afternoon, are joined in the knockout stage by big guns Australia, Netherlands and host nation Germany.

The reigning champions, represented by Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis, eliminated the Austrians with a fine display as Taylor hit three 180s in their romp to the top of Group A.

England - who now meet South Africa - are joined in progressing from Group A by Japan, who had been whitewashed by the reigning champions on Friday but saw their win over Austria in the opening fixture prove crucial.

"We're trying to send a message to the other teams and this was a good performance," said Taylor, who averaged 113 on his throw in the game.

"There's a lot of pressure on us because we're representing our country and we're the reigning champions but we're working well together so far. It's a great tournament, very different to the other events where it's only Singles games, and it's exciting to play South Africa tonight."

The Netherlands, the 2010 champions, whitewashed Gibraltar in their second Group E game as they topped Group E to progress alongside Poland, with Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld missing 14 darts at doubles but still progressing with ease to set up a clash with Finland.

"We can still improve but we felt better as a team in this game than we did against Poland," said van Gerwen. "Our scoring was better but the finishing wasn't as good against Gibraltar, so we know we'll have to tighten that up."

Finland progressed from Group F despite last night's loss to Germany, with the host nation enjoying a 5-3 win over the USA to move into the Last 16 unbeaten to the delight of their home crowd in Hamburg.

Last year's beaten finalists Australia were 5-2 winners in their trans-Tasman clash with New Zealand, with Simon Whitlock and Paul Nicholson sharing finishes of 121 and 106 as they topped Group G.

Australia now take on Belgium in the knockout stages, while Croatia joined them in progressing from Group G and will meet Northern Ireland, who defeated Hungary 5-1 on Saturday afternoon.

Wales whitewashed Italy 5-0 to top Group D as Mark Webster and Richie Burnett set up a clash with Canada on Saturday night, with Spain - the 2010 semi-finalists - also progressing in second place.

Spain will now meet Scotland after Gary Anderson and Robert Thornton knocked out Sweden with a 5-2 success to top Group C ahead of the Canadians.

South Africa's Charl Pietersen and Shawn Hogan snatched a 5-4 victory over the Republic of Ireland in their final Group B game to mean that they both progress, with Denmark eliminated.

South Africa's reward is a clash with England, while Ireland will play Japan in their Last 16 encounter.

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Betfair World Cup of Darts
Saturday February 2
Afternoon Session
Seeded Nations v Friday Afternoon Losers
2pm-6pm Local Time (1pm-5pm UK Time)
Northern Ireland 5-1 Hungary (H)
Republic of Ireland 4-5 South Africa (B)
Wales 5-0 Italy (D)
Australia 5-2 New Zealand (G)
Scotland 5-2 Sweden (C)
England 5-2 Austria (A)
Netherlands 5-0 Gibraltar (E)
Germany 5-3 USA (F)
Best of nine legs 501 Doubles

Match Information
Northern Ireland v Hungary
Brendan Dolan & Michael Mansell v Nandor Bezzeg & Zsolt Meszaros
Permutation: Northern Ireland need two legs to Qualify. Hungary must win 5-1 or 5-0 to Qualify.
0-0 - Hungary win the bull and will throw first.
1-0 - Both Brendan Dolan and Michael Mansell miss doubles as Northern Ireland are first to a finish, but Nandor Bezzeg's misses at double top, ten and five allow Dolan back to post double four.
2-0 - Dolan this time lands double 16 at the first time of asking - sealing Northern Ireland's place in the Last 16 alongside Belgium and eliminating Hungary.
2-1 - Bezzeg this time posts double five with his third dart to hit back for Hungary.
3-1 - Mansell finishes 78 to give Northern Ireland a third leg.
4-1 - Mansell lands double four, with his third dart, to move Northern Ireland to the brink of victory.
5-1 - Dolan opens with a 180 and Mansell secures victory on double ten.

Match Stats

Final Group H Table

Republic of Ireland v South Africa
William O'Connor & Connie Finnan v Charl Pietersen & Shawn Hogan
Permutation: Ireland have Qualified. South Africa must win to Qualify at the expense of Denmark.
0-0 - South Africa win the bull and will throw first.
0-1 - William O'Connor misses three darts to win the opening leg for Ireland and Shawn Hogan posts double ten for the opening leg.
0-2 - Double five sees South Africa break and move two legs up.
1-2 - Charl Pietersen wires two darts at tops to move South Africa further clear, and O'Connor returns to land double two for Ireland's opening leg of the game.
1-3 - Pietersen this time lands tops to give South Africa third leg - putting them two legs away from the Last 16!
2-3 - O'Connor takes out 64 in two darts to hit back for Ireland.
3-3 - Connie Finnan misses the bull for a 130 finish, but when Hogan misses three dart at double top and ten, O'Connor posts double ten to level the game.
3-4 - Finnan lands a 180, but misses the bull for a 94 finish for a 12-darter for Ireland, and they can only watch on as Pietersen finishes a superb 116 checkout on tops.
4-4 - Finnan finishes 84 to send the game into a deciding leg.
4-5 - Hogan hits a 180, which Pietersen follows with a 140 before the youngster lands tops for a 15-darter to put South Africa into the Last 16 ahead of Denmark.

Match Stats

Final Group B Table

Wales v Italy
Mark Webster & Richie Burnett v Daniele Petri & Matteo Dal Monte
Permutation: Wales need two legs to Qualify. Italy must win to Qualify - but 5-4 win goes to Average Comparison.
0-0 - Wales win the bull and will throw first.
1-0 - Richie Burnett hits double four to give Wales the opening leg.
2-0 - Burnett finishes 52 on double ten for the second leg.
3-0 - Webster pins double 18 to move Wales clear.
4-0 - Webster misses double 18 for a 115 finish, but Matteo Dal Monte cannot land double 16 for a 111 checkout for Italy and Burnett posts double four.
5-0 - Burnett posts double ten to seal victory for Wales.

Match Stats

Final Group D Table

Australia v New Zealand
Simon Whitlock & Paul Nicholson v Phil Hazel & Craig Caldwell
Permutation: Australia have Qualified. New Zealand must win to Qualify at the expense of Croatia.
0-0 - New Zealand win the bull and will throw first - after performing the Haka on stage!
1-0 - Paul Nicholson finishes 65 on tops to open the game for Australia with a 15-darter.
2-0 - Simon Whitlock takes out 67 in two darts to double Australia's lead.
2-1 - Craig Caldwell finishes double 13 to get New Zealand off the mark.
3-1 - New Zealand miss the bull to level, and Nicholson finishes tops to put Australia two legs clear.
3-2 - Both Nicholson and Whitlock miss doubles, and Phil Hazel steps in to land double top with his third dart at the bed to hit back for the Kiwis.
4-2 - Whitlock finishes 121 with a brilliant bullseye, treble 13, double 16 combination.
5-2 - Nicholson takes out 106 on double 16 to seal Australia's win as they progress from Group G alongside Croatia.

Match Stats

Final Group G Table

Scotland v Sweden
Gary Anderson & Robert Thornton v Magnus Caris & Par Riihonen
Permutation: Scotland need three legs to Qualify. Sweden must win to Qualify.
0-0 - Scotland win the bull and will throw first.
1-0 - Gary Anderson wins a scrappy opening leg on double three.
1-1 - Magnus Caris posts double 16 to get Sweden off the mark.
2-1 - Robert Thornton lands tops to win Scotland the third leg.
3-1 - Scotland break throw for the first time as Anderson takes out 64 on double four to ensure their Last 16 place.
3-2 - Caris takes out a superb 147 checkout to hit back for Sweden.
4-2 - Thornton moves Scotland to the brink of victory with a brilliant 119 finish, ending on the bullseye.
5-2 - Thornton takes out 80 on double ten to seal Scotland's win.

Match Stats

Final Group C Table

England v Austria
Phil Taylor & Adrian Lewis v Mensur Suljovic & Maik Langendorf
Permutation: England have Qualified. Austria must win to Qualify at the expense of Japan.
0-0 - England win the bull and will throw first.
1-0 - Phil Taylor finishes double eight as England open with a 13-darter.
2-0 - Taylor opens the second leg with a 180 and posts double six to give England a second successive 13-dart finish an a two-leg lead.
2-1 - Mensur Suljovic misses two darts at tops, but when Adrian Lewis fails to land the bull for a 130 finish, Maik Langendorf gets Austria off the mark on double ten.
3-1 - Taylor opens with a 180, throws another maximum in his second visit and finishes tops to complete a 13-darter for England.
4-1 - Lewis lands double 16 with his third dart, as England move a leg away from victory.
4-2 - Suljovic posts a 177, and Langendorf wins Austria a second leg by posting double six.
5-2 - Lewis seals victory for England by landing double ten, as England post an impressive 94.78 average.

Match Stats

Final Group A Table

Netherlands v Gibraltar
Michael van Gerwen & Raymond van Barneveld v Dyson Parody & Dylan Duo
Permutation: Netherlands need three legs to Qualify. Gibraltar must win 5-2 or better to Qualify.
0-0 - Netherlands win the bull and will throw first.
1-0 - Michael van Gerwen misses double seven for a 122 finish, but Raymond van Barneveld hits the bed to open the game for the Netherlands.
2-0 - van Barneveld pins double eight to break throw.
3-0 - Another double eight finish from van Barneveld puts Holland three legs up.
4-0 - van Gerwen hits a 180 but both Dutchmen miss doubles - only for Dylan Duo to miss two darts at double 16 and allow van Gerwen in to hit double one.
5-0 - van Gerwen misses two darts at double 18, but van Barneveld returns to finish double nine to seal a quick-fire win and eliminate Gibraltar.

Match Stats

Final Group E Table

Germany v USA
Jyhan Artut & Andree Welge v Darin Young & Larry Butler
Permutation: Germany need three legs to Qualify. USA must win to Qualify.
0-0 - America win the bull and will throw first.
0-1 - Larry Butler posts tops to give the United States the lead.
0-2 - Double nine sees the Americans move two legs up, with a 145 from Darin Young setting up his partner.
1-2 - Young posts a 140 to leave tops, but Butler is unable to close out a third successive leg and Andree Welge posts double ten to get Germany off the mark.
2-2 - Butler misses double 16 for a 143 finish, and Jyhan Artut hits tops to level the game.
2-3 - Welge misses tops for a 78 finish, and Young takes out 60 on double top.
3-3 - Artut hits a 180 and Welge takes out 81 on tops to win a third leg for Germany - ensuring that they will qualify for the Last 16.
4-3 - USA are first to a double, but Young misses double 12 and Butler misses three darts at a double as Welge steps in to finish double 18 and put Germany ahead.
5-3 - Artut takes out 101 on double 16 to seal victory for Germany, knocking out the Americans as Finland also progress from Group F.

Match Stats

Final Group F Table

Last 16 Order of Play
Saturday (8pm local time)
Northern Ireland v Croatia
Republic of Ireland v Japan
Wales v Canada
Australia v Belgium
Scotland v Spain
England v South Africa
Netherlands v Finland
Germany v Poland
Best of nine legs 501 Doubles