Sunday in Wigan - a quick write-up

[Deleted User]

Haven't done one of these for a while and old age must be affecting my memory as I don't seem to remember the games as vividly as in the past.
So, for that reason, I'm doing the write-up now whilst it's still fresh in the aging mind.

UK Open Qualifier 6
Usual start to a Protour event. Roll up at venue, greet old (very old some of them) faces, take the mick out of the usual suspects, wager on the non-seed doing best, then wait for Tris Vernon to arrive.

Board 11 today.

Last 256
Ross Smith 6-3 Magnus Caris - Magnus was steady but Ross hit maximums at important times and deserved the win.

Alan Derrett 6-5 Ting Chi Royden Lam - strange game this one. Marked for Royden at Q-school last year and he can throw, so when he went 3-1 up I thought that was the end of it. I thought wrong. Alan took a 148 c/o out of nowhere to level at 3-3 and ground out a win. Both players patchy with moments of superb darts and some ropey ones too.

Dick van Dijk 6-3 Lee Moffat - another strange one. Lee plays in my local league and is a handy thrower, he hit 4x180s in the first 5 legs but also hit a bunch of 5s & 1s and Dick proved the more consistent of the two.

Last 128
Ross Smith 6-1 Dave Chisnall - Chizzy really struggled to find any form on the big trebles and Ross punished him for pretty much every error, and the score reflected that fact.

Alan Derrett 6-5 Dick van Dijk - Alan showed his grinding qualities again after Dick broke for a 5-4 lead with a 12-darter, he broke back immediately and held his nerve in a scrappy 11th leg.

Last 64 - board final
Ross Smith 6-3 Alan Derrett - From 2-2 Ross upped the scoring on the big trebles and chucked in a couple of nice finishes for good measure, this time Alan had no answer or comeback.

Last 32
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Ross Smith - Ross was moved to board 10 along with MvG and me. Ross did well but at 2-2 Michael did what he does best and started powering in the big scores, finishing the match off with a 13-darter, despite hitting a 41 second visit to the board (actually missed 1 at D16 for a 12!!). 177, 41, 134, 133 (T20, T19, S16), D8 in 1.

Quarter final
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Mervyn King - game was closer than the scoreline suggests with Adie's finishing proving the difference including a 95 c/o of 19, D18, D20 with Merv sat on a double. Merv still struggling with the bad back that he was suffering with in Eindhoven last weekend but still had a good run to the QFs on the day.

Stayed for the Lewis v MvG semi-final which went 6-3 Michael's way but Adie missed a hatful of doubles and could and perhaps should have won it.

Also had a long chat with Huw Ware who was with some of the Welsh players. What a top fella he is, frank, open and honest and a darts man through and through, and glad to finally get the chance to thank him in person for the personal message he sent when my youngest daughter was so ill last year.

And from there to the car park that is the M6 southbound on a Friday at the end of half-term.......

[Welshwizard79]

Cheers David. Good read.

[Chizzyfan]

Enjoyable read.

[Rout]

When will the 'quick' write up be posted?

[Deleted User]

When will the 'quick' write up be posted?

Rout forgetting just how long my write-ups used to be, there.

[Rout]

[Lee Taylor]

Good work David.

Let the piss taking ensue, but I actually enjoy the markers write up's.

[Deleted User]

Good work David.

Let the piss taking ensue, but I actually enjoy the markers write up's.

Lee, my friend, if the mick-taking bothered me I'd have stopped writing them years ago!