Gerwyn Price was forced to win a deciding leg by Brendan Dolan on day 11 of the World Darts Championship.

He was pushed all the way by an inspired Dolan until he finished the job with his last dart in hand at tops.

Gary Anderson also had a tricky encounter, scraping through a bizarre match against Suljovic and his unorthodox antics.

Elsewhere, day 11 of the World Darts Championship saw:

  • Vincent van der Voort eliminate sixth seed Nathan Aspinall
  • Mervyn King whitewash the Grand Slam champion, Jose de Sousa
  • Improved Glen Durrant ends Baggish’s American dream
  • Dirk van Duijvenbode thrashes plucky Adam Hunt
Gerwyn Price playing at the World Darts Championship
Gerwyn Price survived a last leg decider on day 11 of the World Darts Championship. Credit: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

Price sees off Dolan in classic, ‘Angry Anderson’ grinds out win against Suljovic

Gerwyn Price won a last leg decider in what was an Ally Pally classic against Brendan Dolan.

Dolan looked up for it from minute one, responding to a strong opener from Price by nailing a 120 to equalise. After a couple of strong holds apiece, Dolan had two darts at D11 to break and take the first set but wired them. Meaning Price drew first blood.

It did not dishearten the Northern Irishman, who moved on to sweep aside Price in the second set without reply. Winning his legs in 14, 15 then 14 darts in what was a good indicator as to the standard he maintained throughout.

Perhaps in response to the previous set’s whitewash, Price ramped up the quality with a maximum to start and 99 finish on tops-tops. He went on to secure a 3-0 set of his own. The next set was the scrappiest of the match, with Brendan allowed to win a leg in 20 darts, then surviving a Price dart at D7 that would have made it 3-1 instead of the 2-2 that it became.

Set five looks easy at 3-0 on paper, but it all relied on the first leg. Dolan put tons of pressure on the throw and missed 161 on the bull, only to be crushed by a mesmeric 170 finish from Price to shut the door. But Dolan was not done yet, as he took out 88 on the bull and survived a match dart from a 145 attempt from Gerwyn in taking out a 104 of his own to take us all the way.

The ‘Iceman’ was miles ahead in the first leg of the final set, and was let off with dreadful doubling with Dolan nowhere near. Brendan held his throw twice with clutch 63 then 120 finishes with Price on a checkout in both occasions. A slow start in the last leg cost Dolan, who eventually caught up to the Welshmen with both sitting on 72. Up steps Price, 16-16-D20 to squeeze into Round 4.

An absolute classic, and with King up next it could be in for another.

 

 

Gary Anderson came out on top in a gruelling slog against his Austrian adversary.

From the first visit it was clear that Mensur intended to slow the pace of the game down to disrupt Gary’s rhythm. However, it was Suljovic that looked more out of sorts. Gary’s doubling was troubling, having to win two of the legs on the bull. Mensur should have won the set himself though, missing three clear at D8.

The Austrian was 2-0 down in the second set and yet managed to win it averaging only 79. Though his winning legs were 25 darts, then 18, then 16- hardly awe inspiring. Irked by the pace of the game, Gary let his feelings known to the officials at the interval.

There was another deciding leg in the third set, in what was incredibly similar to the first set. This time it was D16 that Mensur missed three clear for, allowing Anderson to land 69 on topsto edge ahead.

Suljovic took the fourth set 3-0, but it was still scrappy stuff. An 18-dart break was backed up with a 20 darter on the madhouse… and out of the blue an 11 darter was pinned to show what The ‘Gentle’ is capable of. Mensur was playing at a much quicker pace by this point, and he made it six legs on the trot by claiming the fifth set 3-0 in just 41 darts.

But as Mensur’s rhythm slowed down, so too did his momentum. This tale would see its final twist with Gary winning six legs without reply to blitz Suljovic in eventually finding his range on the trebles. The victory should ease Anderson’s frustrations in time for his meeting with either Devon Petersen or Jason Lowe.

Gary Anderson went through on day 11 of the World Darts Championship, despite a frustrating game against Mensur Suljovic. Credit: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

Van der Voort sends Aspinall packing, King conquers de Sousa

Day 11 of the World Championship saw Vincent van der Voort send the sixth seed Nathan Aspinall home.

Vincent flew out of the blocks, achieving back to back ton-plus outs in the first set (110,121) accompanied by three 180s as he won 3-0 in no time.

He made it six legs on the spin, despite having his standard drop down a touch. The only sniff that Aspinall had was short-lived when he missed D16 before the Dutchman pounced on it with a 113 finish.

The ‘Asp’s revival began in set three, but it was brought about more so by Vincent having more stray darts than Nathan raising his own game. The Dutch Destroyer missed three clear at D8 in the first leg, with Aspinall then breaking in 16, holding in 18 and sealing it with a 12 darter.

Nathan levelled the tie at 2-2 when he won a deciding leg in the fourth set. The ‘Asp’ opened up the decider with a maximum en route to a 13 darter as he looked to kindle his inner darting fire.

They key leg in the match came in the next set, as Aspinall threatened a nine-darter before fluffing his doubles and being broken. Vincent claimed the set and the one after despite scrappy darts being a common theme in both.

Van der Voort found 8 maximums, but due to 22 missed doubles his average stood at just 93. If he were to tidy up on the outer ring, there is no reason why he could not repeat the feat against Dobey or Gurney.

 

 

Mervyn King proved that he could still mix it with the new boys as he railroaded Jose de Sousa 4-0 in the afternoon session.

King’s clinical form was evident from the off, as he punished a missed Double 13 from ‘The Special One’ in leg two for a vital hold. King went on to claim the opening set after Jose missed tops.

From that point on King did not look back, breezing through the second set 3-0. The second set saw the 54-year-old hit a maximum in every leg in wrapping it up in 38 darts.

The third set was a tighter affair, with every leg going on throw. Jose had a half-chance to steal the decider with a 151 out but could not convert. Mervyn offered no second chances with 60 checkout to get the set done in only 42 darts.

The fourth set included a bizarre miscount as Jose attempted to hit 84 with a 16-18-D20, but his opponent showed no mercy and claimed the whitewash.

It was a brilliant standard with both men averaging 103 and having 15 180s combined. But it is the former World Master that will face Gerwyn Price in the last 16.

 

 

Durrant holds off Baggish comeback, van Duijvenbode cruises past Hunt

A much improved Glen Durrant brushed off a spirited Danny Baggish comeback on day 11 of the World Darts Championship.

Duzza looked closer to his usual self in the early stages, capitalising on three missed doubles for the American in the opener before walking the set 3-0.

The second set was closer, and with Durrant on D8 to move 2-0 up, Baggish reeled in a 127 out to deny him an easy hold. He couldn’t back it up though, and a 16 darter was enough to grant that 2-0 advantage.

A bit of magic came with an 11 darter to kick off set three, and then Duzza did his usual professional job to stroll the set. The fourth set was claimed by the American though as a brilliant 15 darter secured it on D6.

The momentum had very much switched in favour of Baggish as he made it two sets in a row. Durrant wasn’t allowed a dart at a double on the legs that Danny won, who had stamped his scoring authority on this match.

All of a sudden Durrant looked like a bag of nerves as his throw broke down. The set went on throw and forced Duzza to hold with his last dart in hand at D16 to pinch the set and win 4-2. Huge character that we have come to expect from Durrant at this point.

Dirk van Duijvenbode announced himself as one of the frontrunners in this tournament as he whitewashed a spirited Adam Hunt.

It was Hunt that landed the first punch, landing a 145 out to break in the opening leg. The entire game may have swung on the second leg, with Hunt missing the bull before Dirk reeled in the second 170 of the World Championship. The first set went to a fifth leg which the Dutchman cruised as his opponent was stuck on 298.

The second set was Dirk’s worst, taking 48 darts to complete. However he was not put under enough pressure in being allowed a 20 dart hold followed by a beautiful Shanghai 120 out.

The Aubergenius had no come from 2-0 down in the next set, but this was the point in the match where he hit the turbo. Firing in three maximums over two legs and then sealing it with a 114 finish.

Dirk kept up this form in the final set, getting four match darts before he nailed the fifth. 4-0 seems a little harsh on Hunt who played consistently well, averaging 97 to his opponent’s 104. But Dirk’s timing early on in the match was impeccable, and in the later sets he found his form.

 

 

World Championship Day 11 Results

Afternoon Session

Mervyn King 4-0 Jose de Sousa

Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-0 Adam Hunt

Vincent van der Voort 4-2 Nathan Aspinall

Evening Session

Gary Anderson 4-3 Mensur Suljovic

Gerwyn Price 4-3 Brendan Dolan

Glen Durrant 4-2 Danny Baggish

Day 12 Schedule of Play

Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)

James Wade v Stephen Bunting

Daryl Gurney v Chris Dobey

Jason Lowe v Devon Petersen

Evening Session (1800 GMT)

Dave Chisnall v Danny Noppert

Gabriel Clemens v Krzysztof Ratajski

Michael van Gerwen v Joe Cullen

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