There were more thrills and spills on another action packed night at the partypoker.com World Darts Grand Prix. Picking up on all the action was The Daily Shift’s Joel Slattery…
Day 3 at the partypoker.com Darts Championship
The result of the night saw defending world champion Adrian Lewis defeated convincingly by Michael van Gerwin by three sets to one.
The Dutchman was quick out the blocks winning the first set to love. However, Lewis fought back like the champion that he is by taking the second set by the same score line.
Van Gerwin won the first leg of set three however it looked like the tide was turning as he missed a guilt edged opportunity to go 2-0 up. This time it was the turn of the 23 year old from Boxtel in Holland to fight back which he did to win the set 3-1.
Lewis started well in the fourth set leading 1-0 and then 2-1. But a strong finish from “Mighty Mike” meant he took the next two legs and therefore the match and a place in the last eight.
In the quarter final he will play Andy Hamilton, who beat Steve Beaton in the only five set match of the night. This match went backwards and forwards as neither man could get a stronghold on their opponent.
Beaton, however, will feel he should have won as he led 1-0 and 2-1 in sets before Hamilton, who averaged a respectable 93 in the match, won six of the last eight legs to leave his opponent wondering on what might have been.
Paul Nicholsen also progressed last night, this time at the expense of Colin Osbourne. This was another keenly contested match with the first three sets all going to five legs. There was an interesting contrast also as Osbourne was much better on his doubles, with Nicholsen scoring better.
Osbourne finished with a check figure of 80%. However he only managed to win eight of the 19 legs played. Paul Nicholson killed his opponent with the big scores, hitting 13 140+ scores and 3 180’s.
Nicholson’s four set win sets him up with a match with Wes Newton tonight. Newton also won last night in four sets beating Ian White. This was a keenly contested game also but the superior finishing power of Newton meant he progressed, despite having a lower average than his opponent.
Tonight (Friday sees the quarter finals take place. All remaining have realistic chances of making it to Sunday’s final. Also with Taylor and Wade out of the tournament we are guaranteed a first time Grand Prix winner in Dublin.
Ireland’s Brendan Dolan is still in the running. He takes on Justin Pipe in the opening match of the night.
