Ladbrokes World Championship Day Five

WINS FOR DUTCH DUO & AUSSIE PAIR IN LADBROKES WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP
 

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN, Simon Whitlock and Vincent van der Voort booked places in the second round of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship on Tuesday night, as Australian newcomer Beau Anderson stunned Colin Lloyd in a sudden-death leg at Alexandra Palace.

Van Gerwen, last year's beaten finalist at Alexandra Palace, dropped only one leg as he swept aside Austrian debutant Zoran Lerchbacher in straight sets.

Lerchbacher, a plumber by trade, had defeated emerging English star Ben Ward 4-1 in their preliminary round tie earlier in the evening, sealing victory with a 138 finish, but was unable to trouble the world number two.

Van Gerwen took the game's first set without reply, and though the Austrian hit double 16 to open the second set, the Dutch ace added a further three legs to double his advantage.

The Premier League champion then finished 137 in taking the third set without reply, as he wrapped up victory in only 24 minutes to set up a second round clash with Kevin McDine on Sunday.

"I got the job done tonight but I'm not happy about my performance," said van Gerwen. "I can do a lot better but it was enough to win the game, and that's important.

"I'm quite happy, and I know Kevin McDine better so I know what I need to do against him. It's good to be back at Alexandra Palace and I had some goosebumps, but it's all about this year for me and I'll be doing as much as I can to win."

Vincent van der Voort, who will be van Gerwen's Best Man at his wedding next August, completed a Dutch double on Tuesday as he defeated PDPA Qualifier Matt Clark in their first round tie.

The pair shared the first two sets before van der Voort came from a leg down to win the third, and he also hit back from behind twice in the fourth set before double ten in the decider saw him seal victory.

"It was a struggle from start to finish but I got the win and now I've got a week to get things right," said van der Voort, who plays Adrian Lewis or Dennis Smith in the second round.

"I'm happy to have a week off now, but I'll be doing whatever I can to put things right because if I play like I did tonight then I'll be going out."

There was also a national double for Australia as both Simon Whitlock and Beau Anderson recorded contrasting victories in their first round games on Tuesday - following up their country's victory.

Whitlock, the 2010 Alexandra Palace runner-up, was a straight sets winner against PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour winner Ross Smith as he dropped only four legs in progressing to a second round tie with Finland's Jarkko Komula.

"It was quite solid in the end," said Whitlock. "The first round is always difficult but that's ten World Championships that I've played in and I've never lost in the first round, so hopefully I can keep that going.

"I was a bit tense at the beginning and I felt a bit uncomfortable, but once I got into the match I felt really comfortable towards the end.

"It's been a great day for Australia; we won the Ashes, and Beau and myself won tonight. I've been staying up watching the cricket and I've enjoyed every minute, but it would be awesome to take the World Championship title back home too.

"It's my dream to win the World Championship title and I'm never going to give up until I win it."

Anderson, meanwhile, stunned former world number one Colin Lloyd in a five-set thriller which went all the way to a sudden-death leg in the deciding set.

Lloyd twice hit back from a set behind to level the game, but was punished for missing his chances to break throw in a tense fifth set, which saw the first ten legs won with the throw before Anderson, with the advantage in a one-leg shoot-out, hit double eight for the biggest win of his career.

The Perth-based ace had seen his younger brother Kyle hit a nine-dart finish in defeat to Ian White on Saturday, but now progresses to play Robert Thornton in the last 32 of the £1 million event.

"It was very nerve-wracking and I'm so happy to get over the winning line," said Anderson, whose only previous televised appearance had come in August's Sydney masters, where he lost to Andy Hamilton.

"There were a couple of times there that I had the lead and I couldn't get that last double to put him away, and in the final leg I was shaking - it's the first time I've felt pressure like that for a long time, but I managed to overcome it.

"Colin played well but I managed to get there in the end, and it's a big step for everyone in Australia. I've waited for a very long time to get to this point, and I'm over the moon to get a win on my first appearance in the World Championship."

The first round continues on Wednesday, with two-time champin Adrian Lewis beginning his bid for an Alexandra Palace hat-trick as he faces Dennis Smith.

World Youth Champion Michael Smith will meet either Japan's Morihiro Hashimoto or Singapore's Paul Lim, while number 11 seed Justin Pipe plays Arron Monk and Andy Smith takes on Steve Brown.

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WATCH LIVE
Coverage of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship will be live through the following broadcasters
Sky Sports HD - UK & Ireland, plus Semi-Finals & Final in 3D!
RTL7 - Netherlands
Sport1 - Germany
OSN - Middle East
Fox Sports - Australia
Sky New Zealand
Fox Sports - Italy
Sport1 - Hungary, Czech Republic & Slovakia
PLUS every session is live through LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers (outside of UK, Ireland & Holland), with highlights available for all subscribers worldwide on a 24-hour delay.

LIVE SCORES
If you can't watch the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship, follow the latest scores at the PDC Live Scores Website - http://live.dartsdata.com

EVENT PROGRAMME
The Ladbrokes World Darts Championship programme is available from the official PDC Merchandise Stand in the Fans Village at Alexandra Palace, costing £5.
The programme will also be available to purchase online through the official PDC Merchandise website - www.burghleydarts.com .
In addition in a new development for the 2014 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship, fans can buy an online copy of the programme - click here to buy & read online .

Ladbrokes World Darts Championship
Tuesday December 17
Colin Lloyd 2-3 Beau Anderson
Zoran Lerchbacher 4-1 Ben Ward (P)
Vincent van der Voort 3-1 Matt Clark
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Zoran Lerchbacher
Simon Whitlock 3-0 Ross Smith

Preliminary Round (P) - Best of Seven Legs
First Round - Best of Five Sets

MATCH INFORMATION
BEAU ANDERSON 3-2 COLIN LLOYD
(3-2, 2-3, 3-0, 2-3, 6-5)
BEAU ANDERSON claimed a fantastic debut victory at the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with an epic 3-2 win over two-time major champion Colin Lloyd.

“I’m very relieved to get through that after missing four darts to win it,” said a delighted Anderson, who will now play world number nine, Robert Thornton in the next round.

“I led the match twice but Colin came back both times and I thought my chance may have gone. But I kept holding throw in the decider and I’m thrilled with this result.”

Anderson led the match twice only for Lloyd, a semi-finalist in this competition back in 2002, to hit back on both occasions to force a deciding set.

The final set saw Anderson miss four chances to defeat Lloyd before the 30-year-old Australian won the match on double eight in a sudden-death shoot-out.

Lloyd went 2-1 up in the first set, but three missed darts to take a 1-0 lead went begging and Anderson took a deciding-leg to lead.

Anderson took the opening two legs of the second set before the former world number one hit back to claim the next three and level the game.

Anderson won the third set comfortably to regain the lead, only for Lloyd to win the fourth, which he took by completing an excellent 110 finish on the bullseye.

The final set proved to be a tense affair, with Anderson missing three chances to close out the game in the eighth leg and one more in the tenth, before crossing the finishing line in a sudden-death shoot-out.

Match Information
First Set
0-1 - Anderson starts impressively with a 180 before holding throw on double eight.
1-1 - Lloyd levels on double ten after the Oceanic Masters winner missed a dart at bullseye to break.
2-1 - Both players miss one dart at the bullseye to win the leg before Lloyd hits double ten for a second leg running to break.
2-2 - Lloyd kicks off with a 180, only for Anderson to reply with one of his own, and though the Colchester ace leaves 40 after  darts, three chances to win the leg go begging and the Australian steps in to take out 76 in two darts.
2-3 - Anderson hits double top with a pressure third dart to claim the set, with his opponent waiting on a two-darter.

Second Set
0-1 - Anderson cashes on more errors from his opponent with a two-dart 72 finish after Lloyd missed eight darts at doubles.
0-2 - The Australian hits double nine to win a third leg in a row after Lloyd is off-target on the bullseye for a 161 checkout.
1-2 - Lloyd hits double 16 to complete a 15-dart finish and hit back.
2-2 - The 2005 World Matchplay champion hits double top at the first attempt to force a deciding leg.
3-2 - Lloyd continues his resurgence as he hits a maximum and follows that with an accurate attempt on double ten to take the set and level the match.

Third Set
0-1 - Anderson takes out a 60 finish to make a good start to the third set.
0-2 - The Australian breaks Lloyd's throw on double top after his opponent wasted two chances to level.
0-3 - Anderson takes control of the leg thanks to a third 180 and goes on to hit double four to leave Lloyd in trouble.

Fourth Set
1-0 - Lloyd converts an excellent 112 finish on double 16, with his opponent waiting on 56.
1-1 - Anderson levels on double four after missing three previous attempts to claim the leg.
2-1 - Anderson hits another maximum but fails to build on that and Lloyd takes out 82 in two darts to edge ahead once again.
3-1 - Lloyd lands the bullseye to complete a 110 checkout and send the match into a deciding set.

Fifth Set
0-1 - Nervy starts to fifth set see Lloyd miss two chances at doubles after Anderson had missed four chances of his own, before the Aussie returns to hit double five to hold throw.
1-1 - Lloyd levels thanks to an accurate attempt at double top.
1-2 - Lloyd hits a 180 to take control of the leg, but five missed darts at doubles prove expensive as Anderson finds the double 16 bed to move a leg away from victory.
2-2 - The Essex thrower hits a 180 for a second successive leg before landing double 12 to force a tie-break, with Anderson waiting on tops for the match.
2-3 - Lloyd is guilty of three missed darts at double 12 and Anderson converts a 72 finish, on the bullseye, to edge ahead in the set for a third time.
3-3 - The 24th seed holds his nerve to hit double five with a pressure third dart.
3-4 - Anderson hits double ten with his third dart to leave Lloyd trailing once again.
4-4 - Lloyd takes out a brilliant 105 finish after Anderson missed two darts at double 18 and one at double nine to win the match.
4-5 - Anderson is off-target with two attempts at double top, but a missed dart at the bullseye from Lloyd allows him to return and  hit double ten.
5-5 - The Aussie just misses the bullseye - his fourth dart for the match - and Lloyd hits tops to send the game to a sudden-death leg.
5-6 - Anderson hits the centre of the bullseye to throw first in the game's deciding leg, and he makes that advantage count as he produces the more consistent scoring of the two before landing double eight to confirm a fabulous win.

Match Stats

ZORAN LERCHBACHER 4-1 BEN WARD
AUSTRIA’S Zoran Lerchbacher enjoyed an excellent 4-1 victory over Ben Ward in their preliminary round meeting at the 2014 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship to secure a first round clash against Michael van Gerwen.

Ward missed six chances to win the opening leg, which Lerbacher managed to steal on double top before the two-time winner on the 2013 PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour hit double eight to level.

Lerbacher hit double ten to regain the lead, before moving a leg away from victory thanks to an accurate third dart at double ten, after Ward missed two chances at double 19.

The Austrian qualifier secured the win in the next leg thanks to a superb 138 checkout to end the 25-year-old’s hopes.

Match Information
1-0 - Ward produces consistent scoring to leave 40 after 12 darts  but six missed shots at doubles allow Lerchbacher to steal the leg on double top.
1-1 - The Austrian qualifier misses double eight for a 136 checkout and Ward levels by hitting the same double.
2-1 - Lerchbacher regains the lead on double ten after Ward failed to hit double five for a 130 checkout.
3-1 - Ward misses two attempts at double 19 and Lerchbacher hits double ten with his third dart to move further ahead.
4-1 - The Austrian wins the match in style with a fabulous 138 checkout to set up a first round tie against world number two Michael van Gerwen.

Match Stats

VINCENT VAN DER VOORT 3-1 MATT CLARK
(3-0, 1-3, 3-1, 3-2)
VINCENT VAN DER VOORT progressed to the last 32 stage of the 2014 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with a 3-1 win over Matt Clark at Alexandra Palace on Tuesday evening.

Van der Voort, a quarter-finalist at this tournament three years ago, made a fast start to the match as he won the first set without reply, which featured a 131 checkout in the opening leg.

However, Clark - returning to Alexandra Palace as a PDPA Qualifier after a four-year absence - hit back to take the second set and level the match.

Van der Voort took a 2-1 lead in the third set and capitalised on missed doubles from the PDPA Qualifier in the fourth leg to win the set with a 70 finish and regain the lead.

The Dutchman found himself 2-1 down in set four, but recaptured his scoring power at the right time to power through the next two legs and progress to the last 32.

Match Information
First Set
1-0 - van der Voort starts brilliantly as he hits double 16 for a fabulous 131 checkout.
2-0 - The Dutch ace hits double one to break Clark's throw at the first attempt.
3-0 - van der Voort continues his excellent start as takes out 82 in two darts to wrap up the opening set.

Second Set
0-1 - van der Voort misses four chances to keep the winning run of legs going and Clark hits double five to get off the mark.
1-1 - The former UK Open finalist levels thanks to an accurate attempt at double four.
1-2 - Clark fails with five attempts at doubles to regain the lead, but van der Voort is unable to capitalise and Clark returns to hit double ten.
1-3 - Clark breaks his opponent's throw for the first time in the match to level the game at one set apiece.

Third Set
0-1 - van der Voort hits the first 180 of the game, only for Clark to reply with one of his own to leave 81. The Dutchman is unable to take out a 103 finish and the qualifier from Radcliffe hits double 13 to polish off 81 for a 12-darter.
1-1 - van der Voort levels on double 16 to complete a 13-dart finish.
2-1 - The 30th seed hits double eight to edge ahead.
3-1 - Clark wastes three shots at doubles to force a deciding leg and van der Voort steps in to convert a 70 finish in two darts to move ahead for a second time.

Fourth Set
0-1 - Clark misses two attempts at double 16, but van der Voort is unable to set up a shot a double and Clark returns to hold throw on the same double.
1-1 - van der Voort hits double 18 to level the set.
1-2 - Clark produces a solid leg to leave 40 after 15 darts, and goes on to hit double top at the first attempt.
2-2 - van der Voort hits a maximum to leave double four, which he hits with an accurate first dart.
3-2 - The Dutch star managed to produce some big scores to leave 91 after nine darts, and though he initially missed two attempts at double top for the game, he lands double ten to close out the game.

Match Stats

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN 3-0 ZORAN LERCHBACHER
(3-0, 3-1, 3-0)
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN dropped just one leg to Austria’s Zoran Lerchbacher to win their first round encounter with ease at the 2014 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.

The Dutch sensation never found top gear during the contest but did more than enough to enjoy a comfortable evening, and will return on Sunday to face Kevin McDine for a place in the last 16.

“I didn’t play great tonight, but the first round is about winning, not producing incredible performances and ton-plus averages,” said the Dutch number one.

"Last year's tournament was incredible for me, it was just disappointing to fall at the final hurdle. Walking out onto stage tonight brought some very special memories back for me."

Van Gerwen - who produced some fabulous moments in his run to the final 12 months ago, including an incredible nine-darter in his semi-final clash against James Wade - won the opening set by a 3-0 margin.

The Austrian qualifier, who saw off English youngster Ben Ward to reach this stage, won the first leg of the second set on double 16 before van Gerwen produced a run of three straight legs to establish a two-set lead.

The winner of the Players Championship Finals earlier this month then strolled through the third set by three legs to nil, which featured an effortless 137 checkout, as he swept into the second round.

Match Information
First Set
1-0 - The world number two hits scores of 145 and 140 before landing double nine to make a good start.
2-0 - van Gerwen breaks his opponent's throw at the first time of asking in a leg which featured a 180 from the Dutch superstar.
3-0 - An accurate shot at double top gives van Gerwen the opening set of the game.

Second Set
0-1 - Lerchbacher hits his fifth 140 of the game to leave double 16, which he takes out at the first attempt to get a leg on the board.
1-1 - van Gerwen levels courtesy of a two-dart 70 finish, completed on double eight.
2-1 - The 24-year-old hits a second 180 to leave 68, which he takes out on double 16.
3-1 - van Gerwen starts the leg with a 180 but fails with six chances to seal the set. However, Lerchbacher is unable to set up a shot at a double and the number two seed hits double two to take command of the match.

Third Set
1-0 - Both players miss one dart at double top before van Gerwen claims the leg by hitting double ten.
2-0 - van Gerwen turns on the style as he hits treble 20, treble 19, double ten to casually take out a 137 checkout.
3-0 - van Gerwen is off-target with one dart at tops, but Lerchbacher fails with three chances of his own to win the leg and the Dutchman hits double nine to confirm victory.

Match Stats

SIMON WHITLOCK 3-0 ROSS SMITH
(3-1, 3-2, 3-1)
SIMON WHITLOCK eased into the second round of the 2014 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with a straight sets victory over Ross Smith.

The world number four, a runner-up in this event back in 2010, will now face Finland’s Jarkko Komula in the second round of the tournament on Sunday afternoon.

"I produced a good solid display tonight and to end with a 97 average in my first game feels good considering the fact I was feeling a few nerves ahead of the game," said the number four seed.

"I've yet to lose a first round game in ten World Championship appearances and I'm very proud of that record. I would just love to all the way and win this great title."

Whitlock's win saw him become the second Australian to win at Alexandra Palace on Tuesday night, following Beau Anderson's great display against Colin Lloyd.

"It's been a great day for Australian sport," added Whitlock. "The cricket team have won back the Ashes and myself and Beau have both won - defeating English opposition in the process!"

Whitlock started the game confidently with an excellent 13-darter, before going on to take the first set by a 3-1 margin, recording his second 13-dart finish of the game in the process.

The second set proved to be a tighter affair as Smith hit a clinical 107 finish in the fourth leg to force a decider before Whitlock took the set with the aid of a timely 180, to double his cushion.

The former European Champion took out a 90 finish to start the third set well before the debutant replied with a fine 104 checkout.

Whitlock hit his fifth 180 in the process of taking the third leg, and closed out the game in next thanks to an accurate attempt on double top.

Match Information
First Set
1-0 - Whitlock starts confidently with an excellent 13-darter, which features a 180.
1-1 - Smith hits back to win the second leg against the darts on double eight.
2-1 - Smith fails to hit the winning double with six attempts and Whitlock steals the leg on double eight.
3-1 - Whitlock registers his second 13-dart finish of the game as he hits double 16 to draw first blood.

Second Set
1-0 - Whitlock makes a positive start to the second set as he takes out a two-dart 64 finish.
1-1 - The Australian number one hits a second 180, but a missed dart at double ten allows Smith in to take out 51 on double 16.
2-1 - Whitlock regains the lead by landing double 18 for a two-dart 66 finish.
2-2 - Smith hits a 180 and follows that with an excellent 107 checkout.
3-2 - Whitlock hits a timely maximum and takes the set in style with a 120 finish to give Smith an uphill task.

Third Set
1-0 - Whitlock takes out a 90 finish courtesy of landing a bullseye, double top combination to break thow.
1-1 - Smith posts a second 180 before converting a 104 finish after Whitlock misses one dart at tops.
2-1 - Whitlock hits his fifth maximum before landing double four with an accurate third dart to get a leg away from victory.
3-1 - Smith is unable to hit double top for a 79 finish and the Aussie steps up to hit the same double to end the game.

Match Stats