WDF Lakeside World Championships - Day 3 Action and Results

Number one seed Brian Raman overcame a spirited Johnny Haines and won 3-2 in a last leg decider at the Lakeside in a match that saw a total of nine 180s. Luke Littler the eighth seed at fifteen years of age, won a thriller in the afternoon session as he defeated Ben Hazel 3-2 and became the youngest player to reach the third-round stage. 

Raman was arguably involved in the game of the tournament at the WDF World Championships with Haines producing some unbelievable darts on the oche. The Punk came close to a nine-dart leg in a leg that saw three maximums, as Haines closed out on 41 with his last dart at tops in the third set.

The Riddler showed why he’s a PDC tour card holder with some unbelievable arrows from himself, as he hit a thirteen-dart leg in the first leg of the fourth set to take a 1-0 lead and break the throw. A spirited pub player from Swindon stuck with him though and broke straight back taking out 116 on double 18.

The Belgian missed a match dart in the fourth set at tops which was severely punished by Haines as he nailed a 66 checkout on double four going an unorthodox route by hitting bull with his first dart.

Raman however held his nerve and closed out the match on 126 hitting double eighteen after setting it up with the treble twenty, in an outing that showed why he has a PDC tour card and the tournaments number one seed.

The Nuke Luke Littler was in superb form in the final game of the afternoon session as he reached the third round and included four 180s in his second-round outing with Ben Hazel.

The youngster was also in fine form on his finishing, as he hit a 126 to win the decisive fifth set on double 6. The Nuke also hit a 123 checkout on the bull to win the first leg of the fourth set, in what was the Englishman’s fourth leg on the spin in the match.

Ben Hazel certainly played his part in what was an absolute classic on the Lakeside stage, as Mr Ben produced on his doubles in the chances he was given by Littler. He raced into a 1-0 lead in the match spectacularly hitting 177 to leave himself on double 12 which he hit with his second dart.

Hazel also hit a checkout of 104 in the second leg of the decisive set hitting double 12 after his second dart found its way into the treble twenty.

The lady’s competition saw two matches take places with today’s winners going through to face each other in the third round at Lakeside.

Second seed Corrine Hammond was beat by a very impressive Rhian O’Sullivan 2-1 in the second match of the evening session as O’Sullivan hit a maximum in the first leg of the deciding set before winning it on double nineteen.

Hammond showed why she was the tournament’s second seed though as she won the second set by three legs to nil finishing the set on a 51 checkout which saw the Australian hit double sixteen with her last dart in hand.

The Welsh international included a 68 checkout on double eight with her last dart in her win and closed the match out on double four to send one of the tournament favourites packing in Surrey.

O’Sullivan will face seventh seed Maria O’Brien in the Quarter Finals as beating Marjolein Noijens 2-1 in the afternoon session coming from a set down to win.

OB was pushed on the oche, and the match saw every set of the match won by a score of three legs to one but showed moments of quality including a leg that saw two 140s from the seventh seed before closing out the fourth leg of the second set on a 46 checkout.

Two of the tournament favourites will meet in the third round of the tournament with Jim McEwan from Scotland facing Welshman Michael Warburton after both won their second-round matches in the afternoon session.

McEwan defeated Aaron Turner, husband of Sky Sports pundit Laura Turner 3-1 in the third match of the day with McEwan picking up from where he left off in his opening match with Landon Gardiner on Saturday, hitting two 140s to put Turner under pressure which showed as he took out double ten to take the second leg of the opening set.

McEwan won the match with a very impressive 157 checkout hitting trebles twenty and nineteen before finishing on double tops to send the Englishman home in Surrey.

Turner showed his moments of quality in the game as he included a 148 checkout of his own in the second leg of the third set to level at 1-1. Azza also won the second set against one of the tournament favourites hitting double four in the deciding fifth leg with opponent McEwan waiting on a hundred.

Michael Warburton won the opening match of the day, coming through a 3-2 winner against The Badger Dave Prins. Warburton included a 164 checkout in the third leg of the second set to make the score 2-1 in favour of Prins.

The Englishman hit a 160 checkout of his own to take a 1-0 lead in the same set in which he went on to win as a fourteen darter won a deciding fifth leg to level the match at one set a piece.

Warburton showed why he was one of the bookmakers favourites to win the tournament in Surrey as he won the match hitting back-to-back 140s and then taking out a 78 check out with his last dart at tops to win the decisive fifth set and send experienced veteran Prins home.

Jarred Cole won the opening match of the evening session as he beat sixteenth seed Antony Allen to set up a third-round tie with number one Brian Raman. Cole has emerged as a serious contender for the title at Lakeside after beating Martin Adams on Saturday and Allen tonight, with the Englishman yet to drop a set in the competition so far.

Richard Veenstra dropped just two legs as he beat Laszlo Kadar 3-0 in the other match of the day and sees the ninth seed set up a third-round clash with Luke Littler. Flyers hit the game’s only maximum in the second leg of the third set before closing out the match on a 52 check out, hitting his last dart in hand at double sixteen.

Action continues tomorrow as the men’s competition continues with twelfth seed Nick Fullwell beginning his World Championship campaign against Rory Hansen in the opening match on Day 4.

By Harry Masterson

WDF World Championship Round 2 Results:

Michael Warburton (12) 3-2 Dave Prins

Jim McEwan 3-1 Aaron Turner

Luke Littler (8) 3-2 Ben Hazel

Jarred Cole 3-0 Antony Allen (16)

Richard Veenstra (9) 3-0 Laszlo Kadar

Brian Raman (1) 3-2 Johnny Haines

WDF World Championship Women Round 2 Results:

Maria O’Brien (7) 2-1 Marjolein Noijens

Rhian O’Sullivan 2-1 Corrine Hammond (2)