Defending PDC World Champion Gary Anderson breezed through to the second round of the PDC World Darts Championships at London’s Alexandra Palace after a 3-0 win over Mark Frost otherwise known as ‘Frosty the Throwman’. Anderson looked ordinary in the first set averaging just 77 to take it by 3 legs to nil, finishing on double 1 just to emphasis the scrappiness.
However, the second set was more the Anderson that has taken the last two World titles as he blitzed his way through another set whitewash with an impressive 112 average. Then in the first leg of the third set Mark Frost won his first leg, cue the milking of the crowd from the Potter and from then was continuing the antics including in the final leg of the match bursting into fits of laughter before throwing. But it was Anderson who made his way into the post Christmas second round.
The final game of the evening session saw two of the quickest players go head to head as Michael Smith and Ricky Evans stepped up to the oche and the game lived up to Evans’ nickname “Rapid”. Evans was so quick that he hit a 180 in a staggering 2.16 seconds. He also took the first set with the darts and then after Smith pulling level he went in front yet again 2-1 in a race to 3. But Smith, quarter finalist last year then put on a spurt at the right time, pulling the tie from the brink to a second round birth for the St. Helens thrower.
The opening game of the championships Kevin ‘The Artist’ Painter won his first televised Darts match in nearly two years to defeat Jamie Caven by 3 sets to 1. Painter spoke after the game about how “the support of people kept me going, being out of the top 32, you have to work hard on the Pro Tour”. He went on to say that “You wouldn’t recognise me on the Pro Tour at times, you’d only know because I have my shirt on”. He also spoke about his upturn in from recently that “Over the last few months I’ve surrounded myself with good people”.
Painter could now face Phil Taylor in round 2 in what could potentially be a rematch of the 2004 final, which is argued to be one of the best World Championships finals of all time. He lost that game in the last leg and has not beaten the 16 time World Champion on television including a defeat in the second round last year.
The other game saw Jamie Lewis beat Irishman Mick McGowan 3-2. The Welshman Lewis has not been in the best form in 2016 and will be looking at this competition to turn his form around.
Henry Deacon
Henry Deacon Media 