RUTHLESS RICHARDSON KNOCKS OUT VAN BARNEVELD AS THREE SEEDS TUMBLE

JAMES RICHARDSON caused one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship by sensationally knocking out Raymond van Barneveld in straight sets on his televised debut at Alexandra Palace.

The 37-year-old from Rushden, a bricklayer by trade, only turned professional in January but showed few nerves with a brilliant display against the five-time World Champion.

Van Barneveld started brightly by winning the first two legs before Richardson, aided by a 145 finish, took three in a row to win the set.

He then won the second set 3-1 courtesy of a 120 checkout and, although van Barneveld rallied briefly by winning two legs following a change of flights in his darts, Richardson hit another 145 finish in taking three more legs to complete a remarkable win.

"I^m speechless!" admitted Richardson. "Raymond^s a five-time World Champion and I^m just a bricklayer so to beat him is unbelievable.

"When the draw came out and I^d got Raymond I knew that even though he^s a great player I had to treat him as just another darts player.

"This will give me so much confidence and I just want to build on this now. I^ll take it one game at a time now and get ready to play Kim Huybrechts now after Christmas."

Belgian newcomer Huybrechts and St Helens^ Dave Chisnall also enjoyed debut World Championship victories as they knocked out two further seeds, Brendan Dolan and Mark Dudbridge.

Huybrechts dropped only two legs in seeing off October^s World Grand Prix finalist 3-0, while number 32 seed Dudbridge was only able to win three legs in his loss to Chisnall - who now takes on Phil Taylor after Christmas.

Former Lakeside Championship finalist Chisnall has enjoyed a dream year since winning a PDC Tour Card alongside Richardson in January, and will now play 15-time World Champion Taylor for the first time on December 27.

"I felt confident coming into this competition and if I can hit my doubles I^ll show what I can do," said Chisnall. "I scored well but I made a few silly mistakes, but I^ve got Phil Taylor next and am looking forward to that.

"I^ve always wanted to play Phil and I get my first shot on stage next week. You have to hit doubles early against him because he^ll punish you if you miss three or four doubles, but I can give him a game."

Mark Walsh, a semi-finalist in the Grand Slam of Darts last month, was the night^s other winner as he came from a set down to see off New Zealand^s Warren French.

French followed up his comeback from 3-1 down to win 4-3 against Ireland^s Connie Finnan in the preliminary round by winning the opening set of his first round contest, but Walsh proved too strong by dropping only two legs out of the next 11 to take victory.

The first round continues on Monday night, with number three seed James Wade in action against either Per Laursen or Petri Korte and Kevin Painter - who won his maiden major title at the Cash Converters Players Championship last weekend - facing Under-21 World Champion Arron Monk.

Stoke^s Andy Hamilton plays Spanish number one Antonio Alcinas, while Mervyn King meets Australian Geoff Kime, the Oceanic Masters winner making his World Championship debut.

 

Ladbrokes World Darts Championship
Preliminary (P) and First Round
Sunday December 18
Brendan Dolan 0-3 Kim Huybrechts
Connie Finnan 3-4 Warren French (P)
Mark Dudbridge 0-3 Dave Chisnall
Raymond van Barneveld 0-3 James Richardson
Mark Walsh 3-1 Warren French

 

Monday December 19 (7pm)
Andy Hamilton v Antonio Alcinas
Per Laursen v Petri Korte (P)
Mervyn King v Geoff Kime
Kevin Painter v Arron Monk
James Wade v Laursen/Korte

 

KIM HUYBRECHTS 3-0 BRENDAN DOLAN
(3-0, 3-0, 3-2)
KIM HUYBRECHTS enjoyed a dream Alexandra Palace debut at the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with a superb straight-sets victory over World Grand Prix runner-up Brendan Dolan.

Huybrechts won the opening six legs of the match to leave Dolan on the back foot, and the Belgian went on to take the third set and record a comfortable win.

"I^m happy that I won," said Huybrechts. "My doubles went well but I^m not happy with the average and it could have gone better for me.

"I was really nervous but I^ll be better in the second round."

The Belgian, a quarter-finalist in the European Championship this summer, made a superb start by taking out finishes of 91 and 68 to win the first two legs of the game.

The third saw Dolan miss four darts at doubles, allowing Huybrechts to step in and secure the set for an early advantage.

Huybrechts made a winning start to set two as he hit double top at the first time of asking, capitalising on three missed darts at doubles from Dolan.

The 26-year-old, who has made a big impression in 2011, took out 86 to win the second and then hit double 16 in the next to claim a two-set lead.

Dolan, who hit the first double-start nine-dart finish during his run to the World Grand Prix final in October, won his first leg of the match at the start of the third before Huybrechts took the second by hitting double eight.

Huybrechts also won the third leg to move within touching distance of victory but Dolan managed to land double five in the fourth to keep the match alive.

Dolan had the advantage of throw in the deciding leg, but the Belgian produced excellent scoring to leave 84 after nine darts and hit double six to seal a memorable debut win.

 

WARREN FRENCH 4-3 CONNIE FINNAN
WARREN FRENCH came from 2-0 and 3-1 down to defeat Connie Finnan in a seven-leg preliminary round thriller at the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.

The New Zealander, making his third appearance at this event, set up a clash with Mark Walsh later on Sunday following a gritty display.

Finnan, who won the Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay in October to earn a place in this year^s competition, hit double ten to win the first leg and then doubled his lead by landing double five.

Both players hit 180s in the third leg, but French hit back after the Irishman missed a dart to take a 3-0 advantage.

Finnan restored his two leg cushion by winning the fourth with an accomplished 12-darter, completed with a 121 checkout, before French took the fifth with a 70 finish to reduce the deficit to 3-2.

Finnan missed a dart at double 16 to win the match in the next, and French forced a decider by landing double ten.

The New Zealand number one had the advantage of throw in the final leg and made that count by hitting tops to end the contest.

 

DAVE CHISNALL 3-0 MARK DUDBRIDGE
(3-0, 3-1, 3-2)
DAVE CHISNALL produced a fine performance on his Alexandra Palace debut to knock Mark Dudbridge out in the first round of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.

Chisnall, who was runner-up at the 2010 Lakeside Championship, reduced the 2005 finalist to just three legs in the match and will now play Phil Taylor on December 27 in the second round.

Chisnall made a confident start to the match by taking the first leg in 12 darts before claiming an early break of throw to win the second.

The St Helens ace, who reached the quarter-finals of the Players Championship in Doncaster a week ago, hit a 180 in the third leg, which he followed by a 68 finish to wrap up the opening set.

The second set began with both players struggling to find the winning double, as Chisnall missed eight chances before Dudbridge managed to hit double four to win his first leg of the match.

Chisnall hit an excellent 12-darter to take the second leg and then won the third against the darts by landing double ten at the first attempt.

The fourth leg saw Chisnall miss three chances to win the set, but Dudbridge was off-target with two attempts at double ten and Chisnall accepted the reprieve to hit double five and lead 2-0.

The third set began with Chisnall missing a dart at the bullseye for a 161 checkout, and he then missed two more darts to win the leg, allowing Dudbridge to step in by taking out 82.

Chisnall missed the bullseye again for a 161 checkout in the second leg and the Bristol man hit double 16 to double his lead.

Chisnall took the third with a 62 finish and the fourth also fell in his favour with a superb 11-dart finish as he moved one leg away from the match.

The deciding leg of the set saw Chisnall hit his third 180, and he took out 90 to complete a 12-darter and seal an impressive win.

"I felt confident coming into this competition and if I can hit my doubles I^ll show what I can do," said Chisnall.

"I scored well but I made a few silly mistakes, but I^ve got Phil Taylor next and am looking forward to that.

"I^ve always wanted to play Phil and I get my first shot on stage next week. You have to hit doubles early against him because he^ll punish you if you miss three or four doubles, but I can give him a game."

 

JAMES RICHARDSON 3-0 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD
(3-2, 3-1, 3-2)
JAMES RICHARDSON produced one of the biggest shocks in the history of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship by knocking out Raymond van Barneveld with an amazing 3-0 win on his televised debut on Sunday night.

The world number 85, who only turned professional in January when he won a PDC Tour Card, will now face Belgian ace Kim Huybrechts, for a place in the last 16 of the tournament following a thrilling display.

Richardson, a 37-year-old bricklayer from Rushden in Northamptonshire, hit a brace of 145 checkouts in the process of sending five-time World Champion crashing out of the competition.

"I^m genuinely lost for words after what^s happened", admitted a stunned Richardson, who lived up to his ^Ruthless^ nickname.

"I^m a bricklayer whose just beaten the five-time World Champion in the most important tournament in darts.

"When the draw came out I really fancied the task and believed I could beat Raymond. Tonight has capped off what has been a fantastic 2011 for me."

Van Barneveld came out of the blocks quickly, hitting a 180 with his first three darts and then taking the opening leg with a 130 checkout.

The Dutchman hit double four to take the second before Richardson won the next by hitting double top at the second time of asking.

The fourth leg saw Richardson take out a fabulous 145 finish, and he then won the fifth to take the set and put van Barneveld under pressure.

The second set began with Richardson claiming a break of throw after van Barneveld was off-target with two darts at doubles.

Richardson hit double 16 to win a fifth successive leg before van Barneveld stopped the rot by landing double nine.

But Richardson, who has produced some impressive displays in his debut year in the PDC, hit a clinical 120 checkout to take the set in style and move 2-0 up in the match.

Van Barneveld hit two maximums in an 11-darter to take the opening leg of set three, and the second soon followed to give the Dutchman a 2-0 lead.

Both players hit 180s in the third leg before the Dutchman missed three darts to win the set and Richardson hit tops to hit back.

The Northamptonshire player then hit a superb 145 checkout, for the second time in the match, to level and move a leg away from victory.

The deciding leg saw the Dutchman miss three more chances to win the set - six in all - and Richardson ended the contest by hitting double 16 to record an incredible win.

"This will give me so much confidence and I just want to build on this now," added Richardson. "I^ll take it one game at a time now and get ready to play Kim Huybrechts now after Christmas."

 

MARK WALSH 3-1 CONNIE FINNAN
(2-3, 3-1, 3-0, 3-1)
MARK WALSH came from a set down to defeat Warren French 3-1 in the opening round of the 2012 Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.

The Grand Slam of Darts semi-finalist looked set to become a fourth seed of Sunday evening^s play to be knocked out when he lost the first set to the New Zealand national champion.

However he battled back well to win nine of the next 11 legs for victory, and will now play either Kevin Painter or Arron Monk in round two.

French, who defeated Connie Finnan in a deciding leg earlier in the evening in their preliminary round match, held throw with a 60 finish at the start of the match and then took the second by landing double top.

Walsh hit a 180 in the process of taking the third leg against the darts and then hit double top to win the fourth.

The New Zealander produced some excellent scoring in the decider as a 177 left him 24 after 12 darts, and hit double 12 at the first time of asking to claim the first set.

Walsh defied a 180 from French to take the first leg of the second set and then won the second by landing double seven with his third dart.

The world number 11 missed four darts to win the set in the third leg and French made his opponent pay by taking out 70 to stay alive.

The fourth saw Walsh hit back-to-back maximums and he went on to win the leg in 14 darts to level the match.

Walsh secured a break of throw at the start of set four by landing double top, and the second soon followed, with the aid of his fourth 180 of the game.

The Hertfordshire player, who enjoyed an excellent run to the semi-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts last month, won his fourth leg in a row to win the set and lead 2-1 in the game.

Both players held throw in the opening two legs of the fourth set before Walsh hit an 11-darter to move one leg away from victory.

Walsh then duly sealed the win in the fourth leg by hitting double top to end the New Zealander^s hopes and progress to the last 32.

"When I lost the first set I did start to worry a little bit, but I buckled down and got the win because it^s the result that counts," said Walsh.

"There was something missing in my game tonight, the darts weren^t consistent and they didn^t feel right in my hand."

 

 

Images Courtesy orf Lawrence Lustig/PDC