It was a very impressive performance - arguably the best at the World Championship so far, as Andy Hamilton laid down a marker that HE means business at the Ally Pally!
Unicorn’s World No.7 looked in great shape as he brushed aside the challenge of qualifier Michael Barnard, to set up a 2nd Round clash against either Andy Smith or Tony Ayres next Sunday.
Hamilton averaged 102. “I felt very comfortable and there is a lot more to come. It is good to send out a message to the rest, because I am in good nick at the moment. There is certainly no reason why I can’t go a long way!”
He added: “In the build up, I have been practicing a lot with Adrian Lewis. We bounce off each other and it has done me good to have some fun while practicing!”
Hamilton set the tone with a 14 darter and dropped only four legs in the match. He hit five 180s and on this performance you can see why punters have put a lot of money on ‘The Hammer’ at odds of 16/1 or better to reach the final.
But if there was joy for Andy Hamilton, there was total despair for Peter Manley.
Three times the Unicorn star has reached the World Championship Final but he has fallen at the first hurdle this year.
Despite a blistering start, Manley was beaten by top European Mensur Suljovic.
‘One Dart’ lived up to his reputation as he went one set and two legs in front with a brilliant check-out rate of 83 per cent.
But it then went horribly wrong for Manley, who lost his range and he was totally outscored by Suljovic who claimed the next two sets.
Manley though is a fighter…..he won the fourth set without reply and we thought he would raise his game again in the decider.
But it just wasn’t to be….Suljovic set up a 2nd Round clash with Mark Dudbridge by breaking the Manley throw to win in on D10 in that fifth set.
It could be a massive blow for Manley, who now faces the prospect of dropping out of the world’s top 16 for the first time.
It could be a tough 2009 for Peter Manley.
Elsewhere on day three at the Alexandra Palace, Ladies World Champion Anastasia Dobromyslova came very close to causing an upset against Remco van Eijden. The much-hyped clash lived up to expectations, with the Dutchman edging it by 5 legs to 3.
On Sunday afternoon, Wes Newton hit four 180s in his 3-1 victory over Denmark’s Per Laursen. Newton will now play Raymond van Barneveld in the 2nd Round on Sunday.
Barney has gone back to the darts that won him the World Championship two years ago and he was in imperious form against Geordie Mark Stephenson. The Dutchman averaged 101 and that would have been five points higher but for six missed match darts, before he finally hit D2.
And Mark Walsh missed D12 for a 9-darter in his win over Jamie Caven. Walsh won in a final set tie-breaker, as did former World Championship finalist Mark Dudbridge against Nick Fulwell.
On Monday, it’s Adrian Lewis’ turn to take centre stage….will this be the tournament that Lewis finally hits ‘The Jackpot’? He faces Australian veteran Russell Stewart.
Sunday night results:
Andy Hamilton 3-0 Michael Barnard
Remco van Eijden 5-3 Anastasia Dobromyslova (Preliminary Round)
Wayne Mardle 3-0 David Fatum
Raymond van Barneveld 3-0 Mark Stephenson
Peter Manley 2-3 Mensur Suljovic
Sunday afternoon 1st Round results:
Mark Walsh 3-2 Jamie Caven
Mark Dudbridge 3-2 Nick Fulwell
Wes Newton 3-1 Per Laursen
Denis Ovens 3-0 Steve Maish
Monday’s schedule (evening session only):
Chris Mason v John Magowan
Marko Kantele v Lourence Ilagen (preliminary round)
Adrian Lewis v Russell Stewart
Colin Lloyd v Jelle Klaasen
Mervyn King v Shi Yongsheng
By STUART PYKE at the Ladbrokes.com World Championship
Photo courtesy of Lawrence Lustig / PDC