HANKEY WINS OVER WOLVES CROWD AS WALSH, ANDERSON & JENKINS TASTE VICTORY
TED HANKEY^S love affair with the Wolverhampton Civic crowd continued on Thursday night as he won through to the quarter-finals of the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts, and he was joined by Terry Jenkins, Gary Anderson and Mark Walsh in progressing to the last eight.
Two-time World Champion Hankey had struggled to win over the Wolves Civic crowd in his first two years at the Grand Slam, but was left saluting over 1,000 fans who were singing his name following a thrilling 10-9 win over Michael van Gerwen.
In a see-saw contest, van Gerwen led 2-0 and 7-5 only to see Hankey peg him back to lead 9-8 - and although the young Dutchman forced a deciding leg it was the Telford ace who finished 100 in two darts to take victory.
Hankey now plays Mark Walsh in Saturday afternoon^s quarter-finals, and admitted: "I^ve had a bit of a rough time with the crowd in previous years but it was superb to hear them singing "Super Ted" - in fact it was hard to concentrate!
"They created a great atmosphere and we both rose to that. Michael played superbly but he gave me a couple of chances and I took them."
Walsh was another 10-9 winner after edging out Dean Winstanley in the match of the tournament so far, with the Yorkshireman averaging over 104 in a top-quality performance but missing five match darts in a dramatic ending.
"That was a great game to be involved in, a real rollercoaster," said Walsh. "It seems like I^m trying to entertain the crowd with close games but I don^t mean to! I never gave up and it paid off."
Gary Anderson came from 2-0 down to defeat 2010 runner-up James Wade 10-3 with a scintillating performance, hitting nine 180s in powering through to his fourth quarter-final in the event^s five years.
"My form^s building gradually and I^m getting closer to my best," said Anderson. "I^m improving and my scoring was great in this game, but if I can hit my doubles I could be a danger!"
Anderson will take on Terry Jenkins on Saturday, after the 2008 runner-up maintained his ever-present record in the last eight in Wolverhampton with a 10-8 defeat of home hope Wayne Jones.
Jones led 3-0 and 8-6 before Jenkins took the next four legs without reply to move into the quarter-finals.
"Wayne didn^t miss a lot in the first few legs and got an edge on me, but I broke him at the right time," said Jenkins.
"I^m chuffed to be in the quarter-finals again and I^ll look forward to having a good game with him on Saturday because Gary^s a great player."
The second round continues with the final four games on Friday night, including three-time Grand Slam winner Phil Taylor against Wes Newton and the high-profile clash between World Champions Adrian Lewis and John Part.
Paul Nicholson^s game with Steve Beaton opens the night, with Mark Webster then meeting Martin Phillips in a meeting of two Welsh left-handers.
William Hill Grand Slam of Darts
Second Round
Thursday November 17
Dean Winstanley 9-10 Mark Walsh
Michael van Gerwen 9-10 Ted Hankey
Gary Anderson 10-3 James Wade
Terry Jenkins 10-8 Wayne Jones
Friday November 18 (7pm)
Paul Nicholson v Steve Beaton
Mark Webster v Martin Phillips
Phil Taylor v Wes Newton
Adrian Lewis v John Part
Best of 19 legs
MARK WALSH 10-9 DEAN WINSTANLEY
MARK WALSH edged out Dean Winstanley in a thrilling deciding leg to win through to the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts quarter-finals with a 10-9 triumph.
The debutant pair produced the game of the tournament so far in a high-quality contest, with Walsh coming from 3-1 down to lead 6-3 at one stage.
Winstanley - who ended the game with an average of 104.55 - battled back to lead 9-8 but missed five darts at doubles to win the remaining two legs as Walsh firstly forced a decider before edging to victory.
After Walsh had won the game^s opening leg, Winstanley took the next three by finishing double top, hitting an 11-darter which featured a 177 and an 87 checkout to break and a 92 bull finish to lead 3-1.
Winstanley also landed a 180 in the fifth leg, but missed two darts at tops for a fourth successive leg and Walsh powered in a 138 checkout to begin his resurgence.
The former UK Open finalist then finished 96, 60 and 82 - on the bull - to lead 5-3 and saw double ten push him three legs clear with five in a row.
He also missed double 12 in the tenth as Winstanley hit back on double ten, and after Walsh posted tops to lead 7-4 the duo traded double 12 finishes before the Lakeside Championship finalist sparked his own revival with a 138 checkout, the second of the match.
He then landed six perfect darts with back-to-back maximums in the 15th, which he won in 13 darts before levelling the game at eight-all on double eight.
The pair traded maximums in the next as Winstanley wrestled back the lead on double top for a 12-darter, moving a leg away from victory at 9-8.
However, he missed the bull for a 130 checkout and two further match darts as Walsh took out double ten to level and send the match into a final-leg decider.
The pair traded 140s with their opening visit before Winstanley landed a 180, but he would see two darts at double top land on the wire to allow Walsh in, and he posted double 18 to win a superb contest.
"That was a great game to be involved in, a real rollercoaster," said Walsh. "The five legs I took in a row turned the game at the time but I made it hard work for myself after that.
"It seems like I^m trying to entertain the crowd with close games but I don^t mean to! I never gave up and it paid off."
Winstanley had overcome World Champions Ted Hankey and Raymond van Barneveld during the group stage, and admitted: "It^s been my first time in the Grand Slam of Darts and I^ve loved every minute of it.
"It was a brilliant match with Mark and I^m as proud as punch to have played so well. The average was fantastic but that doesn^t win you the game, and unfortunately I missed my chance and Mark took his at the end."
TED HANKEY 10-9 MICHAEL VAN GERWEN
TED HANKEY won through a see-saw battle with Michael van Gerwen to reach the quarter-finals of the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts with a dramatic 10-9 victory.
The young Dutchman looked set to cause an upset when he took leads of 2-0 and 7-5 against the two-time Lakeside Champion, but Hankey produced some fine darts to hit back and lead 9-8.
Van Gerwen forced a decider with a 13-dart finish, but was unable to break in the final leg before Hankey took out 100 in two darts for a famous win.
Hankey now plays Mark Walsh in Saturday^s quarter-finals, having turned around the Wolverhampton Civic Hall crowd to end the contest hearing his name cheered following a fine contest.
"I^ve had a bit of a rough time with the crowd in previous years but it was superb to hear them singing "Super Ted" - in fact it was hard to concentrate!" said Hankey.
"They created a great atmosphere and we both rose to that. Michael played superbly but he gave me a couple of chances and I took them. I didn^t start well but it came together in the end."
Van Gerwen made a superb start to win the opening leg against the throw with a 13-darter - setting up double 16 with a 177 score - and then doubled his lead with a 76 checkout despite a 180 from Hankey.
Hankey got off the mark in the third with a 14-dart checkout, and punished three missed doubles from van Gerwen to level before posting double five for a 3-2 lead.
Van Gerwen levelled on double top and then finished 81 to break in 12 darts and 108 to move 5-3 up.
Hankey landed a 180 and took out 84 for a 12-darter in reply, but van Gerwen won two of the next three on double top to lead 7-5.
The Telford-based star finished 80 to take the 13th leg, and levelled the game in a dramatic next leg, with van Gerwen missing the bull, two darts at double eight and one dart at double four before Hankey posted double one to square the contest.
Hankey then checked out 78 for a 14-darter to regain the lead, only to narrowly miss the bull in the next as van Gerwen took out double nine to pull back to eight-all.
Hankey hit hit fifth 180 of the match in another 14-darter as he pushed one leg away from victory, but van Gerwen responded in style to win the 18th in 13 darts to force a deciding leg.
The Dutchman held the early advantage as Hankey suffered two bounce-outs, but van Gerwen saw his opening dart for a 164 finish suffer the same fate to allow his opponent in on 100, and Hankey made no mistake with a two-darter for victory and a quarter-final place against Mark Walsh.
"Saturday will be a different game against Mark," added Hankey. "He^s a great player and the format^s a little bit longer again, and I^m looking forward to it."
Van Gerwen admitted: "I missed too many doubles and gave too many legs away in the end. I^ve played well but I^m disappointed to lose this game.
"I^ll go away and build up now for the World Championship because I^m feeling good about my game at the moment."
GARY ANDERSON 10-3 JAMES WADE
GARY ANDERSON powered into the quarter-finals of the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts, hitting nine 180s in a brilliant 10-3 defeat of 2010 runner-up James Wade.
Wade led 2-0 early on before the Scot turned on the style with a heavy-scoring display as he won ten of the next 11 legs to win through to the last eight once again in Wolverhampton.
He now plays Terry Jenkins on Saturday in a bid for a third semi-final in five years of the tournament, and said: "My form^s building gradually and I^m getting closer to my best.
"I^m improving and my scoring was great in this game, but if I can hit my doubles I could be a danger!"
The Scot opened slowly as Wade burst out of the blocks, hitting a 180 and winning the opening leg with a 122 checkout for a 12-darter and then finishing 76 to win the second.
He was left waiting on a two-dart finish in the third when Anderson landed double five to break, before the Premier League Darts champion took out 80 and double six to lead 3-2, hitting his first 180 of the game in leg five.
A second successive 14-darter moved him 4-2 up, and he took out double ten to win the seventh before kicking off the next with back-to-back 180s.
He also hit a seventh treble 20 only to see his dart at treble 19 miss, and although he missed the chance of a nine-darter he took the leg in 11 darts to move 6-2 up.
Anderson hit another 180, his sixth in five legs, before taking out 81 on double 13 to move five legs clear only for Wade to produce a sparkling 13-dart leg to end the Scot^s run of seven straight legs.
Anderson, though, regained his cushion in style by hitting another 180 and a 100 finish for a 12-darter which he bettered with another 11-dart leg in the next to move one away from victory at 9-3.
A ninth maximum of the game pushed him clear of Wade, who hit back with three tons but missed four darts at double 19 and Anderson hit double six to seal his quarter-final spot.
"The 180s really helped me and I was glad they came out," added Anderson. "James is a class act but he didn^t quite show it tonight and I took advantage."
TERRY JENKINS 10-8 WAYNE JONES
TERRY JENKINS won four successive legs to hit back from 8-6 down and win through to the last eight of the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts with a 10-8 defeat of home favourite Wayne Jones.
Jenkins maintained his record of reaching at least the last eight in every year since the Grand Slam was introduced in 2007 with a gutsy display.
Jones led 3-0 before being pegged back, and restored his advantage to move within two legs of victory only to see the Ledbury ace reel off four superb legs to snatch a quarter-final spot.
Jones made an ideal start in front of his home crowd at the Wolves Civic, posting double 18 to break throw in the opening leg - punishing three misses from Jenkins - before landing a 13-darter to double his advantage.
He then finished 122 to move 3-0 up before Jenkins fired in a 180 and tops to get off the mark with a 13-dart finish in reply.
Another double top finish saw Jenkins tak the fith leg, and after Jones took out double seven to lead 4-2 it was the 2008 runner-up who took out 40 and 76 to square the game.
Jones hit 180s in winning legs of 14 and 13 darts to move 6-4 up, with Jenkins taking out 78 to hit back in the 11th only to see the home hope win the next with ease courtesy of an 81 checkout.
Double six saw Jenkins pull back to 7-5, but he was unable to take advantage when - after the pair traded 180s - Jones missed three doubles, seeing two darts of his own miss at double 19 to allow his opponent back in on double six to lead 8-6.
Another 13-dart finish from Jenkins saw him cut the gap to 8-7, and when Jones again faltered on double 12 and six he then hit double ten to level.
Double top pushed Jenkins 9-8 up after he had hit a fourth 180 of the contest, and he went on to secure the victory on tops after Jones was unable to close out a 104 finish.
"That was a battle," said Jenkins. "Wayne^s the local chap and I knew it would be hard to play him, but I had to blank out the crowd and I managed to do that.
"Wayne didn^t miss a lot in the first few legs and got an edge on me, but I broke him at the right time.
"I^m chuffed to be in the quarter-finals again and I^ll look forward to having a good game with him on Saturday because Gary^s a great player."
Jones admitted: "I^m disappointed. I hit too many 60 scores during the game and double 12 let me down a bit too, there were too many poor shots.
"Sometimes it doesn^t happen for you but it^s my own fault. I felt good but it didn^t happen for me and although the crowd were fabulous I wish I^d given them more to cheer."