Issue 50 (December 16, 2016)

Friday 16 December 2016

Darts Weekly

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Safely through â—Š Gary Anderson whitewashes Mark Frost 3-0 to get bid for a third world title up and running Report & analysis pages 2-7

Exclusive Sun on return to Ally Pally stage Pages 8-9

Duzza keeping future plans under wraps Page 14

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Friday 16 December 2016 Darts Weekly

Anderson: It’s going to take something special to beat Michael van Gerwen this year First hurdle: Gary Anderson (right) whitewashed Mark Frost (bottom right)

Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER Gary Anderson Mark Frost

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Tougher tests will lie ahead for Gary Anderson over the next few weeks as he bids to become only the third man in darts history to win three consecutive world titles.

And he knows it.

While it has been Anderson who has lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy the last two years, Michael van Gerwen is still the red-hot favourite to win his second world title on January 2 next year.

The Green Machine is the outright number one on the PDC Order of Merit and has won an incredible 25 tournaments on the circuit this year, and 43 in the last two years.

Anderson knows he is in for a fight this year if he wants to keep

hold of that ‘reigning world champion’ moniker.

“All these boys now can play the game,” the Scot said, after beating Mark Frost 3-0 in his first round game last night.

“It’s very hard. We’ve been here,

“Michael says he’s got no pressure, course he has. He’s expecting to win” we’ve done it but it’s like starting at the bottom again.

“It’s terrible going on stage in the first round, but once you get on stage you feel all right.

“Michael says he’s got no pressure, course he has.

“He’s expecting to win. I’ve done my job, I’ve got at least two backto-back. It’s going to take him at least two years to do that.

stores.ebay.co.uk/Mojo-DARTS

“I’m happy with what I’ve done.

If Michael was to win it this year he’s been fantastic, you can’t knock the lad.

“His ability and skill on that dartboard is second to none.

“It’s going to take something special to beat him.”

Anderson began his world title defence last year with a straight sets win in the first round, and the reigning world champion avoided another potential banana skin against PDPA Qualifier Frost, who was determined to enjoy every second of his debut on the Alexandra Palace stage.

Handily nicknamed ‘Frosty the Throwman’, Frost has been a regular on the PDC circuit for the last decade, but aside from a nailbiting 11-9 defeat to Raymond van Barneveld in the World Matchplay in 2008, has had very little taste of the big stages in darts.

With Anderson yet to be firing on all cylinders, Frost was handed chances at the doubles in both of the opening two legs, but could not

Darts Weekly Friday 16 December 2016

3 LAWRENCE LUSTIG/PDC

FOLLOW THE ACTION WITH DARTS WEEKLY OUR WRITERS Alex Moss, Christopher Kempf, Richard Edwards, Dave South and Dave McNally will be bringing you the latest from the Alexandra Palace throughout the tournament, including match reports, interviews and expert analysis

IN THE MAGAZINE Our weekly magazine will once again be FREE for darts fans to read online from anywhere around the world. Make sure you log on to darts-weekly.com each Friday to read the latest issue, or join our growing subscribers list and get the magazine emailed to you for FREE. Simply send us an email to dartsweekly@gmail.com convert his chances, as the second seed went on to wrap up the first set 3-0.

Averaging just 79 in the first set, Anderson went through the gears in the next set, with a set average of 112.7 helping him complete another whitewash set.

Frost avoided a whitewash in legs after the break, hitting the bullseye for a 73 checkout and celebrated with the crowd.

The underdog then took the third leg on tops, even gesturing to the crowd to make more noise before hitting the target, as an unlikely comeback began to build some momentum.

But Anderson killed off any hope with a 91 checkout for a 14 darter in the fourth leg, before checking out on tops to complete a straight sets victory.

Anderson returns next Friday for his second round tie against John Henderson or Andrew Gilding.

Gary Anderson (96.16): 100+ 11; 140+ 9; 180 5; Checkout % 37.5%; HC 116.

Mark Frost (73.74): 100+ 10; 140+ 6; 180 0; Checkout % 25%; HC 73.

x it started off bad tonight this is it this is the w cthis is what we want t play for palying on th firs tnight I don’t like it it shorrible being first out of the tournament scrpe through now onto the next one all the boys have stll got their first game to play so its nice to get the first one over hendos another classy player and sos Andrew john hends a very underes dart player hes oen of the biggest 180 hitter swhn he getsgoing hes a lovely guy checkout on double 16.

ON OUR WEBSITE Check out our website for the latest results, order of play, reports from each session, as well as reaction from the players and the thoughts of our group of writers

BETTING TIPS Dave South will be posting on the website his top tips each day during the tournament, so if you fancy a flutter be sure to have a look at his recommended bets ahead of the day’s play

PREDICTION LEAGUE

Caught cold: Mark Frost won just two legs on his debut at the William Hill World Darts Championship last night

During the tournament we will be running our prediction league on Twitter. It is FREE to enter and all you have to do is reply to our pinned tweet each day with your predictions. The winner of the prediction league will win a set of darts from our friends at A180 Darts!

OUR WRITERS

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Friday 16 December 2016 Darts Weekly

Gutsy Smith battles back to beat Evans Mixed fortunes: Michael Smith (right) came from behind to beat Ricky Evans (far right) last night

Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER

3 in five set thriller

Michael Smith Ricky Evans

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They say the Premier League can either make or break you as a player. Still only 26 years of age, it may be too soon to tell whether Michael Smith’s debut season in the competition earlier this year has done the latter.

The indications heading into this year’s William Hill World Darts Championship were not good for the former PDC Unicorn World Youth champion though.

A 6-5 win against Ted Evetts in the first round of Players Championship 17, on September 30, has been followed by nine consecutive ranking event defeats.

Early exits in the World Grand Prix, European Championship, World Series of Darts Finals and the Players Championship Finals meant Smith had won just one game on TV in the last nine months.

It was Smith’s run to the quarterfinals of last year’s World Championship which made him a shoe in for the Premier League this year, and on his first appearance on the Alexandra Palace stage since that heart-breaking 5-4 defeat to Raymond van Barneveld, Bully Boy was determined to make amends for a disappointing year.

In a repeat of the 2013 World Youth final, Smith took on Ricky Evans, who in his previous two visits to the Ally Pally had knocked out seeds in the first round.

Staring down the barrel of another first round exit, Smith dug in and reeled off six legs on the spin to come from 2-1 down in sets to win 3-2, and pick up a much needed taste of success on the big stage.

“It’s massive,” Smith said. “I

don’t think I’ve won a game in four months, off TV and on TV. “It’s been hard work, it’s been gruelling. I’ve been fighting the demons, doing everything.

“I’m just glad I finally showed it’s still there. It is still in the tank, I can still play darts.

“I know it’s gone missing for six months, but if I can play out this year and come into the New Year then this year can be forgotten.

“Ricky come out with everything today, even in that first leg with the 120 checkout.

“I showed I can still fight. There’s been a couple of tournaments, like against Stephen Bunting in the European Championship.

“I’ve been fighting the demons and I’m glad I finally showed I can still play darts” “I was behind in that game, fought back and missed darts to win that match, lost it.

“That was with a new set of darts.

Two weeks ago I went back to my old set and got my confidence back in practice, and I’m just glad it paid off tonight.”

Leading 2-1 in sets and 1-0 in legs, Evans looked to be adding another name to his list of first round scalps at the World Championship.

But Smith fought back, with a 143 checkout giving him a 2-1 lead in the set.

After winning the next leg to force a deciding set, Smith claimed the next three legs, which included a 94 checkout on the bull, to take the fifth set in straight legs.

Michael Smith (96.78): 100+ 28; 140+ 13; 180 7; Checkout % 34.29%; HC 143.

Ricky Evans (93.20): 100+ 24; 140+ 15; 180 3. Checkout % 34.78%; HC 120.

Yesterday at Ally Pally Tweets of the day

Omg Ricky Evans just threw a 180 in 2.16 seconds lol so boring #whdarts World snooker champion Mark Selby, often criticised for being slow around the table, jokes about the speed of Ricky Evans at the oche well done @OfficialKP180 with the opening win, playing in his 23rd World Darts Championship… only 5 men have ever played in more! #WHDarts MC, referee and spotter Richard Ashdown

Darts Weekly Friday 16 December 2016

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xxx xx

Stats of the day

Picture of the day

2.16

2.16

Ricky Evans took just 2.16 seconds to hit a 180 in the third leg of the third set during his first round defeat against Michael Smith (Sky Sports)

Ricky Evans took just 2.16 seconds to hit a 180 in the third leg of the third set during his first round defeat against Michael Smith (Sky Sports)

34.

34.39 Mick McGowan’s improvement in three-dart average compared from sets one to two in his defeat against Jamie Lewis. After averaging 68.19 in the first set he averaged 102.58 in the second (Burton DeWitt)

39 Darts fans flock to the Alexandra Palace in fancy dress for the opening night of the tournament

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Friday 16 December 2016 Darts Weekly

Painter makes most of his reprieve to book his place in the second round at Ally Pally Opening day delight: Kevin Painter knocked out 29th seed Jamie Caven last night

Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER Jamie Caven Kevin Painter

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From the 64-player field which competed in the last PDC World Championship held at the Circus Tavern in 2007, only nine players will be in action at the Alexandra Palace this month for its latest staging 10 years later.

That number could very well have been eight had Kevin Painter, a former finalist in 2004, not been handed a reprieve when Kyle Anderson withdrew from the tournament due to visa problems.

It meant Painter did not have to try and scrap his way through the PDPA Qualifier for one of four places up for grabs, but instead went straight into the field via the last spot on the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

Now down to 46th on the PDC Order of Merit, it has been a tough couple of years for the Artist, who only five years ago was celebrating with his maiden TV title, the Players Championship Finals at the end of 2011.

Painter is a big stage player, he thrives on it. The problem in the last few years though has been getting up there in the first place.

Few would have predicted quite a slump in form for the 49-year-old after he reached the quarter-finals in both the UK Open and World Grand Prix in 2014, but that is what has happened.

That’s why his victory over Jamie Caven in the opening game of the William Hill World Darts Championship last night meant so much to him.

“It’s a great win for me on paper,” Painter reflected. “It wasn’t a fantastic performance.

“It was all about getting over the

line for me. Obviously Jamie’s a tricky customer, I know him very well.

“I know what he’s capable of but it was just about getting the win.

“I’m a little bit disappointed with the way I played, but under the circumstances when it’s one set all and you’re 2-0 down to come through with the win, I’m very pleased with that.”

The opening night nerves were clear to see up on the Alexandra Palace stage, as two players desperate to get back into form faced off in the tournament’s curtain raiser.

Caven missed the big 20 to give himself two darts at tops, but was handed an early lifeline when Painter missed that double for a 72 checkout.

Back came Jabba to hit tops to give him the first leg on throw, before Painter responded with three legs on the spin to take the first set against the darts.

Plagued by both missed doubles and bounce outs, Caven then produced his own winning spell of legs, coming from a leg down in the second set to level the match up at one set apiece.

And with a 2-0 lead in the third set, it looked like the 29th seed was on course to end his eight match losing run in ranking events.

But back came Painter again with a run of six legs to claim the victory, which included a 14 darter to break the Caven throw in the deciding leg of the third set.

The Artist then saved his best for last, hitting the bullseye for a 124 checkout to clinch the fourth set in straight legs and set up a possible second round clash with 16-time world champion Phil Taylor.

Jamie Caven (81.51): 100+ 17; 140+ 9; 180 0; Checkout % 27.27%; HC 60.

Kevin Painter (85.13): 100+ 16; 140+ 7; 180 4; Checkout % 35.71%; HC 124.

“x

Rasta delighted to end his World Championship duck at last Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER Jamie Lewis Mick McGowan

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Jamie Lewis ended his wait for a first win on the Alexandra Palace stage at the fifth attempt, beating Mick McGowan 3-2 in the first round last night.

The 30th seed had gone out at the first hurdle in his previous four appearances in the William Hill World Darts Championship, losing out in the preliminary round in 2013, and then bowing out in the first round in each of the last three

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Chino targeting more games on the big stage next year Richard Edwards ASIAN DARTS CORRESPONDENT

beyond Masumi Chino hopes his debut in

years, but brought an end to that unwanted run with a hard-fought win over Ireland’s McGowan.

“I feel good,” Lewis said. “I started off really well but Mick started coming back.

“If I play as good as I know I can then I know I can beat anybody but you never really know how you’re going to play.

“I’ve never won a game here so I was really pleased to get through it.

“I did start panicking a bit but I got the job done in the end.”

McGowan, who qualified for the tournament after winning the Tom Kirby Memorial Trophy in October, looked out of sorts averaging in the 60s during a first set which Lewis won 3-0.

But the Irishman came back fighting after the break, coming from a leg down to win the second set 3-1, aided by a clean 90 checkout in the second leg.

The back and forth script continued to develop in the next set, with Lewis taking it in straight

legs to move to within a set of his first victory at a World Championship.

McGowan responded again though, and as the first four legs in the fourth set all went with throw, the Irishman held his nerve to check out 95 in the decider to force a final set.

But after the first two legs of the deciding set were shared, Lewis powered to victory with back-toback legs, the last of those a 108 checkout on double 16.

Jamie Lewis (91.08): 100+ 24; 140+ 10; 180 5; Checkout % 50%; HC 108.

Mick McGowan (87.01): 100+ 23; 140+ 9; 180 3; Checkout % 36.84%; HC 95.

First win: Jamie Lewis

the William Hill World Darts Championship tomorrow will be the first of many appearances on the Alexandra Palace stage.

The Japanese thrower takes on Malaysia’s Tengku Shah in an allAsian clash in the preliminary round this weekend, with the winner going on to face Benito van de Pas in the first round.

Chino has experience on the big stage, having played both Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen in the last two World Series events held in Japan.

In this year’s tournament, held in Tokyo, Chino won the most legs out of all his fellow Japanese qualifiers, taking three legs in a 63 defeat to world number one van Gerwen in the first round.

Chino is now hoping to make more appearances on TV next year as he looks to establish himself as the best player in Japan.

“My darts activity field is mainly in Japan,” he said. “Firstly, I would like to give a tremendous boost to the Japanese darts market.

“I would also like to participate in as many darts tournaments in the world as I can.”

Chino, who goes by the nickname of ‘Sabre’, flew over to the UK yesterday ahead of making his World Championship debut this weekend.

After coming through the Japanese qualifier in early November, beating Yuya Akutsu 64 in the final, Chino has upped his practice with steel tip darts in preparation for taking on Shah.

“I frequently play soft tip darts more than steel tip darts. “I have practiced steel tip darts more than usual for this event,” he said.

Thanks to Yoshiyuki Kagaya for helping translate this interview

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Friday 16 December 2016 Darts Weekly

Cult hero Sun set to make his eagerly-anticipated return to the Alexandra Palace stage Richard Edwards ASIAN DARTS CORRESPONDENT

Cult hero: Qiang Sun joins in with the crowd at last year’s PDC World Championship

Qiang Sun will make his eagerlyanticipated return to the Alexandra Palace stage when he makes his second appearance in the William Hill World Darts Championship on Monday.

The Chinese thrower was one of the unlikely heroes of last year’s tournament, embracing the Ally Pally crowd during his 2-0 defeat to Mick McGowan in the preliminary round on his debut.

Sun came through a 32-player field in the China Qualifier in October to secure another taste of the big stage.

With this year seeing the launch of the Shanghai Darts Masters in the PDC’s World Series, Sun explains how darts is growing in his home nation.

“In China, there are many dart players,” he said. “Also, there are more tournaments being held around China in the last few years.

“It’s a good phenomenon with a message of hope in developing darts in China.

“Right now, soft tip darts is relatively more popular in China because of its strong recreational effects.

“However, tournaments for steel tip darts are much less than there are for soft tip darts.

“The most influential event would be the China Qualifier for the PDC World Championship.

“The PDC China Qualifier has expanded in the form of regional tournaments, and as a result covers a large regional span in China.”

Sun is currently scheduled to fly back to China next Wednesday, but that could be cancelled if he could pull off what would be classed as two big upsets on Monday night.

First up for Sun is the newly crowned Unicorn World Youth champion Corey Cadby, who many

are tipping to have a big run in his debut year at Alexandra Palace.

Should he get past Cadby, Sun would then take on 28th seed Joe Cullen, who has reached two TV quarter-finals this year, but in six previous appearances has failed to get past the last 64 of the World Championship.

For Sun, though, his main ambition is to once again embrace the experience of playing in what is now regarded as the biggest tournament in darts.

“I’ve played darts since 1998,” he said. “It has been 18 years and darts has enriched my life a lot.

“For my happiest memories, I would say it was darts that brought me to my wife. She’s a darts fan as

“I would love to keep playing and enjoy the moments when playing darts” well.

“I just want to take a good rest before the big event, so I’ve got nothing special planned to prepare for it.

“Besides playing darts, I love spending time with my pets. I have two dogs at home.”

Known in China as ‘Da Xian’, which means ‘the Crane’ in English, Sun hopes to have many more opportunities to play on the big stage, but admits there are several contenders coming through the ranks in his country.

“Yuanjun Liu and Xiaochen Zong, who I’ve come into company with this year, are both great dart players in China,” he said.

“For the expectation in 2017, I would love to keep playing darts and enjoy the moments when playing darts. I wish I could come to Ally Pally again next year.”

Koltsov planning to go to Q-School after latest trip to play at Ally Pally Richard Edwards ASIAN DARTS CORRESPONDENT Boris Koltsov has plans to go to Qualifying School next year after his latest appearance in the William Hill World Darts Championship next week.

The 28-year-old Russian returns to the Alexandra Palace after a year absence when he takes on Croatia’s Dragutin Horvat in the preliminary round on Tuesday.

Koltsov’s debut in the PDC’s World Championship saw him push 2004 runner-up Kevin Painter in a 3-1 defeat in the first round, with the winner of Tuesday’s tie then set to face another former finalist in Simon

Darts Weekly Friday 16 December 2016

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY LOCKUP DAVE @LockupTipster

Beaton and Petersen to go at least four sets at Ally Pally this evening Dave South DARTS WRITER

year with World Youth triumph

Whitlock later on that evening.

“I won the qualifier in Russia,” Koltsov said. “80 people played in the tournament and there were players from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Mongolia.

“In Russia the darts is evolving very quickly. Ice hockey and soccer is also popular.

“We have a lot of tournaments where you play strong players.

“There is 12 to 15 tournaments like this per year and many others which are more basic.”

Away from darts, Koltsov’s expertise is in computers, where he works as an expert for a company, but next year he is hoping to take a step forward with the arrows.

“I’ve been playing darts since 2011,” he said.

“The best event I’ve had was finishing third place in the WDF Europe Cup singles in Romania.

“In 2017 I want to play on the PDC European Tour. I’m going to go into Q-School as well.”

Koltsov has performed well on the Russian-based EADC ProTour

this year, winning two events and finishing runner-up in another.

In October, Koltsov booked a return to the Alexandra Palace after beating last year’s Russian qualifier Alexander Oreshkin and then Odkhuu Khuundaganai to win the EADC Qualifier.

“It’s only practice now for me as there are no more tournaments now in Russia,” he said.

“In Russia steel tip darts is more popular, but sometimes we go out and play soft tip.

“I’ll practice for two to three hours a day and on the weekends three to four hours a day.”

Coming back: Boris Koltsov

The beginning of the preliminary round kicks off tonight with Jerry Hendriks taking on Warren Parry, in what should be a close encounter.

The Dutchman Hendriks is 4/5, with Parry at 11/10. With the best of three sets format it will be a cagey affair.

But with little time to get started I think Hendriks could edge the Kiwi out here.

Parry is no stranger to this stage though and holding throw will be a big factor here.

Gerwyn Price was not convincing the last time we watched him in the Players Championship Finals a few weeks ago, and he takes on fellow Welshman Jonny Clayton in the first round.

Price at just 1/2 is short and for a good reason. Price’s progression over the last two years has led him to generating a good reputation, but I cannot back Price with any confidence in this one.

Steve Beaton is just 4/6 to beat Devon Petersen in what should be another close encounter on day two of the tournament.

Beaton enjoyed a great run at the World Matchplay this year and showed he can still put on a show.

With his silky smooth action versus Petersen who can often pull off a performance on the big stage, it could go some distance.

If I was to place a bet on this, over 16.5 legs is well covered at 8/11 with Betfred and would need at least four sets to be played.

One of which would need to go five legs and the other four to at least four legs.

The treble for the evening for a short price accumulator (Price, Beaton and Hendriks) pays 4.35 at Marathonbet for those interested.

Prices correct at time of publication

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Friday 16 December 2016 Darts Weekly

Moston staying focused ahead playing in the JDC final at the Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER Jim Moston admits he is both confident and nervous ahead of playing on the Alexandra Palace stage for the first time this weekend.

The Stoke-on-Trent teenager may not be in the 72-player field for the main event, the William Hill World Darts Championship, but he will get to experience the big stage when he takes on Dutch youngster Maikel Verberk in the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) Grand Final tomorrow night.

Josh Richardson was the winner last year, with either Moston or Verberk set to succeed the reigning BDO World Youth champion.

“I’m quite confident about it, as well as nervous,” Moston said.

“I’m playing quite well at the moment, so hopefully that will be enough to win.

“I’m just focused on the game at the minute, not the crowd or anything like that, or the money, I’m just trying to focus on the game.

“I’ve played on stages but none quite the size of this one. I’ve only ever seen it on TV. “I’ve never been to Ally Pally to watch the darts. I’ve been to the Manchester Arena to watch the Premier League the last couple of years and it’s staggering the crowd, how loud they are.

“It gives you goosebumps, so I don’t know what it’s going to be like at the other end of the stage trying to throw darts!”

Moston has enjoyed a successful year in what will be his last full year playing on the JDC circuit.

In September, the 17-year-old took home £2,000 after winning the Junior European Championship, beating another hot prospect, Holland’s Justin van Tergouw 5-4 in the final.

The early rounds of the JDC year’s six event winners were

Grand Final saw the year’s six event winners joined by qualifiers from the JDC Order of Merit and JDC Academy Order of Merit.

Moston came through the field and in the semi-finals beat Tyler Radlett to reach the final, with

“I’m just trying to focus on the game, not the crowd or the money” Verberk overcoming Adam Howard to set up a first ever meeting between the two players.

“I know him quite well actually,” Moston said. “I’ve met him a few times in the past few months playing in JDC tournaments. I

knew of him before I met him. He’s quite big in Holland.

“I’ve seen him on the TV a few times so I was aware of him, but I’ve never played him before, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens.”

Moston’s burgeoning career has seen him be taken under the wing of former World Championship finalist and Premier League star Andy Hamilton, who is helping the youngster’s progress in the sport.

“I’ve known Andy for about two years,” Moston said. “My parents own a pub and he came in once or twice and he did a charity exhibition in the pub.

“I met him and got talking to him and we arranged a little practice as a bit of fun and it’s turned into

Darts Weekly Friday 16 December 2016

of Ally Pally

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YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND

CONTRIBUTED

GAME OF THE WEEKEND Terry Jenkins v Josh Payne This clash sees two players at opposite ends of their careers meet on the Alexandra Palace stage.

While Terry Jenkins recently announced his semi-retirement from the sport, Josh Payne, at just 23 years of age has a bright future ahead of him. Payne has enjoyed his best year on the PDC circuit so far in 2016, beating James Wade to win a Players Championship event in May, before making his World Matchplay debut during the summer. Payne edged a decider against Jenkins when the two players last met in a floor event in October, but crucially this will be the youngster’s first taste of the Alexandra Palace stage. Could experience win the day here?

SEED IN DANGER Stephen Bunting (above) v Darren Webster Webster is the in-form man among the non seeded players after his run to the last four of the Players Championship Finals last month.

ORDER OF PLAY Seeds in bold

Final tussle: Maikel Verberk (left) and Jim Moston (right) will contest the JDC Grand Final on Saturday night something bigger. We practice two or three times a week, two hours at a time.

“It’s a big confidence booster to know that somebody that important and big in the darts world is willing to support me and take me seriously, rather than just a kid.

“It’s not a charitable thing. He’s not doing it for me to make my day, but actually he’s doing it for himself as well.

“Hopefully it goes well for me in the final and then I’ve achieved everything I could in the JDC.”

Friday December 16 (7pm): Jerry Hendriks (Net) v Warren Perry (NZ); (19) Gerwyn Price (Wal) v Jonny Clayton (Wal); (27) Steve Beaton (Eng) v Devon Petersen (Rsa); (3) Peter Wright (Sco) v Hendriks/Parry.

Saturday December 17 (1pm): Tengku Shah (Mal) v Masumi Chino (Jap); (18) Terry Jenkins (Eng) v Josh Payne; (31) John Henderson (Sco) v Andrew Gilding (Eng); (15) Benito van de Pas (Net) v Shah/Chino.

(7pm): Ross Snook (Can) v Kim Viljanen (Fin); (32) Cristo Reyes (Spa) v Dimitri van den Bergh (Bel); (16) Stephen Bunting (Eng) v Darren Webster (Eng); (1) Michael van Gerwen (Net) v Snook/Viljanen.

Sunday December 18 (1pm): Kevin Simm (Eng) v Gilbert Ulang

(Phi); (26) Justin Pipe (Eng) v Chris Dobey (Eng); (25) Mark Webster (Wal) v Joe Murnan (Eng); (14) Ian White (Eng) v Simm/Ulang. (7pm): John Bowles (Eng) v David Platt (Aus); (24) Daryl Gurney (Nir) v Jermaine Wattimena (Net); (21) Alan Norris (Eng) v John Michael (Gre); (4) Phil Taylor (Eng) v Bowles/Platt.

Monday December 19 (7pm): Qiang Sun (Chi) v Corey Cadby (Aus); (22) Mervyn King (Eng) v Steve West (Eng); (5) Adrian Lewis (Eng) v Magnus Caris (Swe); (28) Joe Cullen (Eng) v Sun/Cadby. Tuesday December 20 (7pm): Boris Koltsov (Rus) v Dragutin Horvat (Cro); (23) Brendan Dolan (Nir) v Christian Kist (Net); (12) Raymond van Barneveld (Net) v Robbie Green (Eng); (17) Simon Whitlock (Aus) v Koltsov/Horvat.

ORDER OF PLAY

Live coverage in the UK on ITV4

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Friday 16 December 2016 Darts Weekly

SPECIAL REPORT

Five women who are in the hunt for ladies’ darts supremacy in 2017

Christopher Kempf reflects on how 2016 has gone for the five leading players in the ladies’ game

n almost every competitive venue of professional darts today, there is one dominant player who wins the big titles, records the highest averages and whom every other darter looks up to with the intent to dethrone.

In the PDC that player is Michael van Gerwen; in the BDO men’s events it is Glen Durrant; Vincent D’Hondt is at the forefront of the nascent world of disability darts, and Justin van Tergouw, Beau Greaves and Corey Cadby have already begun to throw their weight around on their respective youth circuits.

The exception to this rule is ladies’ darts, in which no single competitor has achieved the preeminence of any of the above players.

In fact, not two but rather five players have the potential to break through in the coming year, on the basis of their 2016 exploits, and aim for the dominance that has eluded the ladies’ circuit since the end of Trina Gulliver’s World Championship winning streak in 2008.

The five clashed in the semifinals and finals of tournament after tournament, usually dispatching their lower-ranked opposition with relative ease.

Between them, the five carried away nearly every BDO title and trophy. In 2016, all five had notable successes and failures.

‘Between them, the five carried away nearly every BDO title and trophy’

I

Lisa Ashton, by any statistical standard, was the top ladies’ darter of 2016. Her commanding victory

in the World Trophy in May threw down the gauntlet for her rivals by setting the world record TV average in a women’s event, 98.85, in a thrashing of Corrine Hammond.

The most consistent heavy scorer in the game, Ashton reached a finish after four visits nearly 60 per cent of the time, and was the only woman to throw an 11-dart leg in 2016 in a BDO ranking event on TV, doing so on two occasions.

For all her technical prowess, however, Ashton may well look back on 2016 as something of a failure for being unable to win a third consecutive World Championship.

Her quarter-final loss in this year’s tournament saw her miss dozens of darts at doubles over the course of just 11 legs, revealing a catastrophic flaw in her game that allowed an underperforming Trina Gulliver to upset the top seed.

Deta Hedman won her 100th ranking title of her career in 2016 and continued to burnish her credentials as a legend of the game.

But though Hedman reached the final of all three major tournaments this past year, she lost all three.

Her rivalry with Lisa Ashton produced some of the most memorable games of the year, none more so than the British Open final in which Hedman began and ended the match with identical 113 checkouts to beat the Lancashire Rose 5-4.

Darts Weekly Friday 16 December 2016 No player hit more 180s in 2016 than did Deta, and more than once she began a leg with a string of perfect darts that hinted at the holy grail of ladies’ darts, the first televised or streamed nine darter.

But with a major title on the line, Deta could not produce her best performances.

An ignominious World Masters final saw Hedman lose to a Trina Gulliver averaging a paltry 64.

In 2017 her quest for a first world title, already more than 25 years in the making, will go on.

Anastasia Dobromyslova is entering 2017 in red-hot form, having won the Finder Darts Masters just last week and also produced flashes of brilliance throughout the year.

Though admittedly recorded in an exhibition match earlier this year, Anastasia’s 101 average boosted also by a 160 checkout turned heads and demonstrated a potential that has gone mostly unfulfilled.

This is a player equally capable of beating up one Dutch player (Sharon Prins) 4-0 in the Finder Masters, averaging 95, and of crashing out in a World Championship first round match to another (Anca Zijlstra) after missing 18 match darts.

This inconsistent form has seen her unable to match the year-end statistics of Hedman and Ashton, and even de Graaf, especially with respect to double efficiency, so it’s difficult to know which Anastasia

13 might turn up for any given match.

Since her recent play has been outstanding, however, she may be prepared to make a deep run at Lakeside next month.

Aileen de Graaf may not have won any major titles in 2016, and indeed failed to defend her crown as the 2015 Winmau World Master, but nonetheless became the number three ranked woman in BDO darts and made a name for herself as one of the best finishers in the ladies’ game.

Her average of 3.7 darts at double per leg won over 170 legs saved many legs from certain defeat after a slow start and challenged top two players Ashton and Hedman for their obligatory places in the finals of tournaments.

As she has done in years past, de Graaf put her best effort in on home soil. scoring an impressive victory over Ashton at the Finder Masters and nearly completing a final-set comeback to steal the title from Dobromyslova, registering a 156 checkout along the way in the final.

Though she cannot yet match Hedman or Ashton for their power scoring, her accuracy in the latter stages of legs allows her to win from unlikely positions.

That quality may serve her well as she seeks her first World Championship title.

Trina Gulliver MBE is now a 10-time world champion and a sixtime World Master.

How did she make off with the two most coveted titles in BDO darts while playing far below the standard of her chief rivals?

Deta Hedman, in particular, may wish to know the answer to that question.

While Gulliver has exhibited quite poor form all year, regularly averaging in the mid-60s and struggling to hit scores that were once so elementary for her, she has now become accustomed to losing, even to being badly beaten and whitewashed.

Her tenacity has seen her through some very difficult positions in her matches in 2016, allowing her to keep her head while her opponents, perhaps intimidated by playing the greatest female darter of all time, wilt under the stage lights.

Averages matter little if one is able to win the leg in the end, and so often Trina was able to do just that.

The Golden Girl may well continue to strike gold in 2017, even if her pedestrian play continues.

Domination of the likes of Michael van Gerwen is thus almost impossible in ladies’ darts due to the short format. And that remains one of the great appeals of the game - the unpredictability, the volatile swings of advantage and fortune in short matches, and the ongoing contest between the top players which will likely remain, through 2017, too close to call.

2016 Ladies’ Leg Length Estimates Scoring

Setup

Finish

Total

Lisa Ashton

12.265

4.880

3.781

20.926

Deta Hedman

13.024

4.783

3.364

21.172

Aileen de Graaf

13.457

4.881

3.697

22.034

Anastasia Dobromyslova

13.445

4.892

4.183

22.520

Trina Gulliver

14.112

5.317

4.528

23.957

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Friday 16 December 2016 Darts Weekly

Durrant keeps his BDO future under wraps after latest win But to beat Jamie makes me really, really happy.

“It’s been a long weekend, I played till 20 to one last night (Saturday), very late game.

“Then this morning was really difficult to come up and get myself ready for that.”

At the conclusion of the post match interview on Dutch TV, Durrant was asked if he would be back to defend the title in 2017, to which he replied: “maybe”.

With rumours circulating around a potential switch to the PDC for Duzza next year, his unsure response will certainly add more fuel to the fire to suggestions the BDO number one will be leaving the organisation after Lakeside. ◊ Anastasia Dobromyslova claimed a third Finder Darts Masters ladies title after edging Aileen de Graaf 21 in Sunday’s final.

It was the fifth consecutive year that the Russian had appeared in the final, with her two previous triumphs, both against de Graaf, coming in 2012 and 2014.

Database WDF FINDER DARTS MASTERS (Hotel Zuiderduin, Netherlands) Men’s group stages - Group A - A Baetens bt S Waites 5-3; S Mitchell bt S Waites 5-1; S Mitchell bt A Baetens 5-3.

Group B - J Sparidaans bt J Hendriks 5-4; D Reynolds bt J Hendriks 5-2; D Reynolds bt J Sparidaans 5-2. Group C - C Whitehead bt W Vaes 5-1; M Adams bt W Vaes 5-1; M Adams bt C Whitehead 5-3. Group D - M Razma bt T O’Shea 5-1; G Durrant bt T O’Shea 5-2; G Durrant bt M Razma 5-2.

Group E - R Montgomery bt M Atkins 5-3; W Harms bt M Atkins 5-1; W Harms bt R Montgomery 5-3. Group F - J Williams bt R Veenstra 5-3; G de Vos bt R Veenstra 5-4; G de Vos bt J Williams 5-2. Group G - J Hughes bt M Kleermaker 5-3; D Labanauskas bt M Kleermaker 5-4; J Hughes bt D Labanauskas 5-2. Group H - M Phillips bt B Dawson 5-3; D Noppert bt B Dawson 5-4; M Phillips bt D Noppert 5-4. Quarter-finals S Mitchell bt D Reynolds 3-2; G Durrant bt M Adams 3-0; G de Vos bt W Harms 3-2; J Hughes bt M Phillips 3-0. Semi-finals - G Durrant bt S Mitchell 3-0; J Hughes bt G de Vos 3-1. Final - G Durrant bt J Hughes 5-3.

Ladies group stages - Group A - L Ashton

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Prediction League bt F Sherrock 4-2; A de Graaf bt F Sherrock 4-2; A de Graaf bt L Ashton 4-3. Group B A Dobromyslova bt S Prins 4-0; S Prins bt D Hedman 4-3; D Hedman bt A Dobromyslova 4-2. Final - A Dobromyslova bt A de Graaf 21. Youth group stage - Group A - W Nijman bt J Thomas 4-0; J van Tergouw bt J Thomas 4-1; J van Tegouw bt W Nijman 4-3.

Group B - M Verberk bt M van Velzen 4-3; O Maiden bt M van Velzen 4-3; O Maiden bt M Verberk 4-2. Final - J van Tergouw bt O Maiden 2-0.

PDC WILLIAM HILL WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP (Alexandra Palace) First round - K Painter (85.13) bt J Caven (81.51) 3-1; J Lewis (91.08) bt M McGowan (87.01) 3-2; G Anderson (96.16) bt M Frost (73.74) 3-0; M Smith (96.78) bt R Evans (93.20) 3-2.

FIXTURES PDC WILLIAM HILL WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP (see page 11) DARTS ON TV - WILLIAM HILL WORLD DARTS CHAMPONSHIP (Sky Sports)

During the William Hill World Darts Championship we will be running our very own prediction league on Twitter. As we went to press we had close to 100 entries, with the winner of the prediction league winning a set of darts from our friends at A180Darts. Here is how the standings look after day one: 1. Danny.C - 8 = James Randall - 8 3. Finlay Ferguson - 7 = James Robinson - 7 = Graham Lockhart - 7 = David Judge - 7 = Sarah Collins - 7 8. The Wack - 6 = Jack Curtis - 6 = Ryan garraton - 6 = Craig Flynn - 6 = TheRealArba - 6 = Lal Moss - 6 = Keith O’Neill - 6 =-6 = Jabba - 6 = Kev McAlpine - 6 = James Ferry - 6 = Oche Balboa - 6 20. Warren Allsworth - 5 View the full standings at darts-weekly.com

BAS VEN DEN BERK

Glen Durrant remains guarded about his future in the BDO after answering “maybe” when asked if he will be playing in the Finder Darts Masters next year.

The BDO number one retained the Finder Darts Masters title after beating Jamie Hughes 5-3 in the final on Sunday, capping a fine fortnight which has also seen the Teesside thrower complete backto-back triumphs in the Winmau World Masters.

And with the Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship now firmly in his sights, Duzza will be the big favourite to be crowned world champion for the first time next month.

“It’s absolutely wonderful,” Durrant reflected. “To defend the World Masters last week and now to defend the magnificent Finder Masters, I’m really, really happy.

“I didn’t play my best. It’s not easy when you play one of your good friends.

“I tried to block all that out, but I didn’t play at the top of my game.

Darts Weekly Friday 16 December 2016

15

CHRISTOPHER KEMPF MATCH OF THE WEEK - A DOBROMYSLOVA 2-1 A DE GRAAF (FINDER DARTS MASTERS)

Dobromyslova clinches the title at the wire

Graaf to come from behind to win a last-leg decider.

But more errant setup darts from Dobromyslova put the match within reach for de Graaf, who made light work of 56 and 60 finishes.

In the decider, de Graaf produced four disastrous scores to start the leg, and Dobromyslova appeared to be cruising toward victory, having reached a double after 16 darts and with her rival 200 points behind.

The suspense increased as Dobromyslova bust her score, then missed four darts all to the north of the double 20 bed.

De Graaf inched closer and closer, eventually scrapping her way to a dart at tops for an unlikely victory.

The Dutch crowd’s encouragement was no help, and Dobromyslova killed off the set with her 25th dart.

BAS VEN DEN BERK

These past two years have been lean ones for Anastasia Dobromyslova, the ladies world champion in 2012 and 2013, as well as the winner of nearly every other major BDO event in 2014.

Recent first round exits in major events have seen the Russian champion fail to match the high standard of play set by Lisa Ashton and Deta Hedman, crashing out unexpectedly quickly in the 2016 World Championship and the recent World Masters.

When a player struggles for two years to continue in her winning ways, especially after performing for more than a decade, there is always some reason to speculate as to whether that player is in the terminal decline of her career.

Although she lost 4-2 to Hedman and did not face Ashton this past weekend at the Hotel Zuiderduin, Dobromyslova played authoritatively in a 4-0 demolition of Sharon Prins, which saw her record a 95.4 average on Dutch TV, a possible personal televised best.

That performance put her through to the final after Prins beat Hedman, setting up a showdown with Aileen de Graaf on the Dutch woman’s home soil.

Dobromyslova dominated the first set of the final, breaking her opponent’s throw twice and winning three consecutive legs in 18, 20 and 15 darts to finish the set with a formidable 85 average.

De Graaf’s final dart of the second leg could have broken Dobromyslova’s throw on the bullseye, but it flew well off to the northeast of the centre of the

board. That was as close as she got to her opponent in the set, as she needed nearly three extra darts per leg, on average, just to reach the same finish as Dobromyslova.

De Graaf won her first leg of the match after the Russian failed to clean up after missing an 89 checkout on the bull, catching up in the leg after taking 16 darts to reach a finish.

A rejuvenated de Graaf then produced one of the biggest finishes of 2016 in ladies darts, spectacularly checking out from 156 in three darts.

So emphatic was her celebration after her dart landed in double 18 that the TV cameras struggled to keep her in the frame.

An impressive finish such as de Graaf’s thus not only roused the Zuiderduin audience, but served as a reminder for that struggling player that the match wasn’t over yet.

Dobromyslova responded in kind, producing a 15 darter of her own with a coolly executed Shanghai finish.

But that was not enough to save the set. Poor setup play, which plagued her throughout the match, saw Dobromyslova leave 56 after six darts from 167. This allowed de Graaf the seven darts at double she needed to level the match.

Again, Dobromyslova charged into the lead, and again de Graaf effectively parried her opponent’s assault.

Two clinical legs, won in 16 and 17 darts, put the pressure on de

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Friday 16 December 2016 Darts Weekly

DAVE McNALLY DARTS WRITER

My darting heroes have varied over the years My mum always told me to never hero worship anybody; I never listened.

Sporting heroes are defined by people for many different reasons and not all people can agree on the reasons why.

It may be because of their greatness or simply a trait you like in their character, maybe it offers a chance to glory hunt, like a Manchester United or Liverpool fan from Kent. Or it’s defined in childhood; sometimes you just can’t explain it.

My first hero was Bob Latchford, the Everton centre forward, but as my interest in darts grew via Saturday TV programmes such as World of Sport and Grandstand, I started to realise that there were other greats in this world called darts.

Step forward, John Thomas Wilson, or Jocky as he was known.

The man in my eyes was a true sporting hero. A hero is distinct by their actions “legendary figures often endowed with great ability.”

This perfectly summed up Jocky for me, he was everything I wanted to be and knew I never would, even at that early age.

An awkward throw and style and the most unlikely looking sportsman to grace a stage.

I loved him, he launched my love for all things darts.

Fast forward a few years and I took the chance to put someone new on to a pedestal.

My new hero “the central figure in an event, period, or movement” was Kevin Kenny, the BDO World Championship semi-finalist in 1991 and 1992.

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Ironically beating Jocky Wilson in the 1991 quarter-finals, I even left a girl I was “well in with” in a pub so I could get home and watch the BBC highlights of the match.

Kevin Kenny? Now I had a reason for this. He lived not far from where I was brought up and was the first person that I was aware of who was making a name for himself in darts from ‘our’ area.

‘My next idol on the oche was Chris Mason, a total mercurial player’ This sort of thing only happened to people from places I’d never been to, not blokes who live close by.

He wasn’t around long on the TV scene and darts was losing its way for the broadcasters as well as the other well documented problems, so the worship faded.

My next idol on the oche was

Chris Mason, I loved his style, a total mercurial player if there ever was one. I like that sort of player.

Temperamental and excitable, genius and impulsive and capable of massive losses of form all in the one match. Magic.

I always willed him on to win and was always disappointed when he crashed out of a tournament.

I still love Mason and willed him on in the recent BDO World Championship Qualifiers but it wasn’t to be sadly.

Today, I don’t have heroes. I’ve moved onto a glowing respect and a liking for players that excite me by their attitude and the way they play.

Brian ‘Doggy’ Dawson is where I’m at now.

A tremendous momentum player if ever there was one; flawed in many ways but confident enough to know he’s as good as anyone on his day.

My mum always said to me ‘heroes will let you down’. I still don’t listen.