Colin Osborne is through to the last 16 at the World Championship.
He brushed aside the challenge of Jamie Caven in a one-sided all Unicorn clash at the Alexandra Palace.
‘The Wizard’ did what he needed to, but Caven will be desperately disappointed with his display, because everyone knows that he can play so much better.
It was a day to forget for Caven in the ‘Derby Dartting Duel’ but Osborne is through to the last 16 of the tournament for the first time since he reached the quarter-finals back in 2007.
“I dug in and got my reward,” Osborne said. “I always knew that it would be a scrap against Jamie and that’s exactly what it turned into.”
“I know I missed a lot of doubles again, but I hit them when it mattered and I will get better!”
Osborne breezed to a two set advantage. Caven just couldn’t keep pace in the scoring stakes, despite a 108 finish.
In the end, the match was effectively decided in a dramatic third set. Caven took out 121 on the bull and Osborne hit two 180s and it went to a deciding leg.
Osborne kicked off with a 140 but incredibly failed to find a single treble in his next 18 darts! It gave ‘Jabba’ a chance to win the set and get right back in the match.
But would you believe, Caven missed six darts to win it and Osborne stole the set in 24 darts in D12. It was ‘Daylight Darting Robbery!”
It certainly knocked the heart out of Caven and Osborne hit two more 180s in the fourth set, winning the match with a 14 darter to complete that comprehensive 4-0 victory.
He will have to improve on a 90 average in the 3rd Round against either Raymond van Barneveld or Kevin McDine…..but it was job done! Let’s hope it is Osborne against Barney in the last 16!
The other two matches were World Championship epics!
Gary Anderson edged out Dennis Priestley 4-2 in a thriller.
The Scot was coasting as he raced into a three set advantage, averaging nearly 110 at that stage. ‘The Menace’ got a set back, but Anderson was still in the driving seat.
He went two legs up in that fifth set – hitting back-to-back 180s in both legs! But that’s when the nerves hit home. He missed four darts to win the match and Priestley came back to win the set.
And the Yorkshireman looked like taking the match into a deciding set when he was two legs up in set six! Priestley though, started to miss his doubles and Anderson came back to win three consecutive legs – winning the match on ‘tops’ after Priestley had missed six darts to take it to that seventh set!
There were 22x180s in the match – 12 from Anderson and despite missed doubles, his end average was still a mighty impressive 104.
He will now play Andy Smith, after ‘The Pie Man’ secured the biggest win of his career over Mervyn King.
Smith hit six ton plus finishes and was 3 sets, but the pressure told as he missed four darts for the match and King fought back to level at three apiece.
In the decider, Smith missed another two to win it, but King wasted countless chances of his own to force a tie-break and ‘The Pie-Man’ finally nailed D8 to win another fantastic match.
Wednesday afternoon 2nd Round results:
Colin Osborne 4-0 Jamie Caven
Gary Anderson 4-2 Dennis Priestley
Mervyn King 3-4 Andy Smith
On Wednesday night, Barney takes on McDine, hoping to set up that all Unicorn 3rd Round showdown with Osborne, while the last 16 gets under way.
Phil Taylor is a big odds-on favourite against Peter Wright, while Mark Webster takes on Mark Hylton.
By STUART PYKE at the Alexandra Palace
Photos courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC