Kayden Milne stuns Fallon Sherrock at the New Zealand Darts Masters 

At the TAB New Zealand Darts Masters, Kayden Milne had a dream big stage debut, coming back from being 5-3 down to defeat Fallon Sherrock on the event’s dramatic opening night in Hamilton.

The 22-year-old came back from deficits of 2-0 and 5-3 to win in Friday’s opening round of the World Series of Darts competition at the Globox Arena, becoming the lone representative of Oceania to advance to the quarterfinals.

Sherrock took the lead right away and closed in on victory with finishes of 94, 83, and 72. However, she was denied a second victory in the August tripleheader because she lost her range in the closing stages.

Milne recovered from a slow start to tie the match at 2-2 with a 109 finish. After surviving a match dart at double 16 in the last leg decider, he pinned the same target to seal a historic victory.

“I’m so happy,” said Milne, who becomes only the third New Zealander in World Series history to triumph on home soil.

“Just to be playing on stage is an awesome experience for me. I never expected to win that game.

“I was definitely nervous early on, but the crowd were unbelievable. I cannot wait for tomorrow. I want to play again now!”

Kayden Milne stuns Fallon Sherrock at the New Zealand Darts Masters
Kayden Milne stuns Fallon Sherrock at the New Zealand Darts Masters

The third-seeded Michael Smith, who defeated veteran New Zealander Warren Parry in a gritty match, will face the 22-year-old on Saturday in the quarterfinals.

Despite missing 22 darts at double, Smith resumed his quest to win his first World Series championship in Australia with a 6-3 victory.

On his return to New Zealand, Michael van Gerwen put on a strong performance, opening the defence of his NZ Darts Masters crown with a 6-3 victory over Bernie Smith.

The Dutchman prevailed with a 99 average, hitting a superb ten-darter in leg seven, before securing the victory with a clean 70 kill. Smith had previously thrown three 180s and two 12-darters.

Van Gerwen now plays Jonny Clayton in a heavyweight last eight showdown, after the Welshman began his bid for back-to-back World Series titles with a crushing 6-1 win over Mal Cuming.

Clayton, who won the NSW Darts Masters last week in Wollongong, rattled off five straight legs to secure a convincing victory. He opened the action on Friday with an 11-darter in the penultimate leg.

However, Gerwyn Price gave the best performance of the first night in Hamilton, defeating DPNZ No. 1 Ben Robb with an average of 104.95.

World number one Price followed up a 14-dart break with a sensational ten-dart hold as he stormed into a 4-0 lead, yet Robb remained undeterred, producing a spirited fightback

The number one player from New Zealand followed after 126 and 94 finishes with a 13-dart break to cut the lead to 5-3, but Price responded to his sixth 180 with a fantastic 124 finish to put an elegant cap on the match.

After the left-hander defeated Gordon Mathers in a nail-biting last-leg shootout, Price will now face fourth seed James Wade in a replay of last weekend’s NSW Darts Masters semifinals.

Gerwyn Price in his winning match against Ben Robb during the first round of PDC World Series of Darts – New Zealand Darts Masters, at Globox Arena, Hamilton, New Zealand. Friday 26 August 2022. © Copyright Photo: Stephen Barker / www.photosport.nz

Wade, who had been down 4-1 at one point, tied the score after eight legs of play with a magnificent 145 checkout, then finished a 16-dart hold on tops to win in a thrilling conclusion.

In a different match that featured nine maximums, top seed Dimitri Van den Bergh outlasted Australian legend Simon Whitlock with an incredible late push.

After a chaotic opening in which the pair traded four straight breaks, Van den Bergh won the final two legs in just 23 darts to progress with a 100.37 average.

Whitlock launched the penultimate leg with back-to-back 180s, but Van den Bergh followed up an 11-dart break with a 123 finish on the bullseye to maintain his chances of winning a third World Series championship in Hamilton in 2022.

The Masters champion forced Australia’s top-ranked Damon Heta to lose in the first round for the third time in a row in Australia, setting up the Belgian’s match against Joe Cullen for a place in the semi-finals.

Cullen won leg four with a masterful 120 combination to take a 3-1 lead. With a third maximum and an 11-darter, he sealed a convincing 6-2 triumph.

Whitlock launched the penultimate leg with back-to-back 180s, but Van den Bergh followed up an 11-dart break with a 123 finish on the bullseye to maintain his chances of winning a third World Series championship in Hamilton in 2022.

The Masters champion forced Australia’s top-ranked Damon Heta to lose in the first round for the third time in a row in Australia, setting up the Belgian’s match against Joe Cullen for a place in the semi-finals.

Cullen won leg four with a masterful 120 combination to take a 3-1 lead. With a third maximum and an 11-darter, he sealed a convincing 6-2 triumph.

 

2022 TAB New Zealand Darts Masters

 

Friday August 26 First Round

Jonny Clayton 6-1 Mal Cuming

Joe Cullen 6-2 Damon Heta

James Wade 6-5 Gordon Mathers

Kayden Milne 6-5 Fallon Sherrock

Michael Smith 6-3 Warren Parry

Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Bernie Smith

Gerwyn Price 6-3 Ben Robb

Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-4 Simon Whitlock

 

Saturday August 27 (1900 local time, 0800 BST)

Quarter-Finals

 

Dimitri Van den Bergh v Joe Cullen

James Wade v Gerwyn Price

Michael van Gerwen v Jonny Clayton

Michael Smith v Kayden Milne

Best of 11 legs

Semi-Finals

Best of 13 legs

Final

Best of 15 legs