World Championship - Night Seven

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD overcame a scare against Steve Hine before powering into the second round of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship on Wednesday night.

The five-time World Champion lost the first set against the baker from Coventry, who took out two 76 finishes and an 88 in assuming control.

However, van Barneveld lost only four legs in winning the next three sets without reply as he began his challenge for a third PDC World Championship final in five years in style.

Van Barneveld will now return to Alexandra Palace on December 29 for his second round clash against Kevin McDine, who defeated Barrie Bates 3-1.

Earlier in the night, 2009 UK Open runner-up Colin Osborne held off debutant Chris Thompson's fightback to take a 3-1 win from their contest, with the qualifier from York having taken the third set before missing crucial doubles in the fourth.

South Africa's Devon Petersen hit finishes of 146 and 136 in taking a 4-3 preliminary round win over Guyana's Norman Madhoo, but saw his dreams of reaching the last 32 shattered by Jamie Caven.

Petersen won the opening set against world number 19 Caven, who hit back to win the next two before sealing victory with a 161 finish.

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Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship
First Round
Wednesday December 22 (7pm)
Colin Osborne 3-1 Chris Thompson
Devon Petersen 4-3 Norman Madhoo (Preliminary Round)
Barrie Bates 1-3 Kevin McDine
Raymond van Barneveld 3-1 Steve Hine
Jamie Caven 3-1 Devon Petersen

COLIN OSBORNE 3-1 CHRIS THOMPSON
(3-1, 3-1, 1-3, 3-1)
COLIN OSBORNE defeated debutant Chris Thompson in the first round of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a 3-1 victory.

The 2009 UK Open finalist led the match 2-0 before Thompson put together a mini fightback in the third set, but Osborne put the match to bed in the fourth to seal a spot in the second round.

Osborne held throw to win the first leg but missed four chances to win the second, allowing Thompson to win it by hitting tops.

Osborne hit the first maximum of the game in a 15-dart finish to win the third and then won the next with a two dart 65 checkout to seal the set after Thompson missed four darts at doubles.

Thompson made a winning start to the second set with a 74 finish after Osborne missed a chance for an early break of throw.

Thompson was then the one who missed opportunities at doubles in the second, which allowed Osborne to level by hitting double five with his last dart.

Osborne, who suffered a first round defeat to Simon Whitlock in last year's event, put together a 14-dart finish to win the third, and double 18 in the next gave the Derby man a two set cushion.

Osborne, the 14th seed, won the first leg of the third set before Thomson hit back to win the second with an 80 finish.

The Yorkshireman, a legal executive by trade making his debut in the World Championship, then hit a two-dart 96 finish to win the third and took the fourth 14 darts to secure the set and get back in the match.

The fourth set began with both players struggling to hit the winning double, but it was Osborne who gained an early lead by hitting double three.

Osborne broke throw in the second leg by hitting double top before Thompson won the third leg after his opponent missed a dart at bullseye to seal the match.

In the fourth leg Osborne hit his fifth maximum of the game to forge ahead and an accurate attempt at double eight secured the match.

"I felt a lot of pressure coming into the game and I'm very pleased to get the win," said Osborne. "It's a nice feeling as I can go away and enjoy Christmas, but I will come back prepared for my next game."

Colin Osborne	3-1	Chris Thompson
22	100s	26
9	140s	10
5	180	2
31.01	Ave 1	29.49
93.02	Ave 3	88.47
3	Legs Against Throw	1
65	High Finish	96

DEVON PETERSEN 4-3 NORMAN MADHOO
DEVON PETERSEN enjoyed a dream Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship debut as he defeated Norman Madhoo in a high-quality preliminary round match.

The South African will now take on 19th seed Jamie Caven in the first round of the competition later on Wednesday evening.

"I was really excited coming into the match and I just wanted to play well - which I did," said Petersen.

"Getting here a couple of days ago and soaking up the atmosphere really helped me on the big stage, and I will look forward to playing Jamie Caven now."

Petersen, the 24-year-old from near Cape Town, made a superb to the game establishing a 2-1 lead with checkouts of 136 and 146.

Madhoo hit a maximum in the fourth leg and went on to win it in 15 darts before Petersen regained the lead by winning the fifth, with the aid of a 180.

The sixth leg saw Petersen have four chances to win the match, but his attempts at the winning double were off-target and Madhoo hit double 18 with his last dart to set up a deciding leg.

Petersen had advantage of throw and left 160 after 12 darts. He hit two treble 20s but was unable to hit double top for a third ton plus finish.

However, Madhoo - making his third World Championship appearance - was not in a position to capitalise and Petersen hit double ten to end an excellent contest.

Devon Petersen	4-3	Norman Madhoo
8	100s	6
5	140s	4
1	180	1
30.05	Ave 1	27.35
90.16	Ave 3	82.05
0	Legs Against Throw	0
146	High Finish	36

KEVIN McDINE 3-1 BARRIE BATES
(3-2, 3-1, 1-3, 3-2)
KEVIN McDINE secured a second round spot at the 2011 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a 3-1 victory over Barrie Bates.

Bates, who became the seventh seed to fall in this year's competition, was made to pay by McDine for missed doubles throughout the course of the match as he failed to recapture the form which helped Wales to the World Cup of Darts final recently.

McDine missed five darts at doubles for an early lead which Bates capitalised on, hitting double top with his first dart to take the opening leg.

McDine made amends in the second leg by taking out 117 and then won the third, which included a maximum from the 25-year-old.

Bates managed to win the fourth leg after the youngster failed to set up a double, but McDine hit double seven to win the deciding leg and edge a tight opening set.

McDine, who reached the semi-finals of the 2007 Grand Slam of Darts, won the opening leg of the second set against the darts after Bates missed a handful of opportunities to win it himself.

McDine, who reached the third round of last year's competition, won the second leg, which included his second maximum of the game, but then wasted six darts for the set in the next as Bates managed to hit double one with his last dart to keep the set alive.

McDine missed two more darts for the set in the fourth leg, but Bates wasted two of his own and McDine returned to the oche to hit double five to double his lead.

The first three legs of the third set went the way of throw which put McDine 2-1 ahead and within touching distance of a straight-sets victory.

Bates continued that sequence by hitting double 18 to win the fourth leg and then won the fifth against the darts by hitting double nine to keep his hopes alive.

The Welshman, a quarter-finalist at this event two years ago, took the first leg of the next with a clinical 116 finish.

Problems on the doubles returned for Bates in the second which allowed McDine to win it by hitting double five.

Bates regained the lead by hitting double 16 to win the third leg but McDine won the fourth, landing double five for the second time in the set, to go one leg away from victory.

Bates had the advantage of throw in the deciding leg but McDine produced excellent finishing at the right time with a 'Shanghai' 120 checkout to close out the game.

Barrie Bates	1-3	Kevin McDine
29	100s	24
10	140s	8
0	180	2
26.07	Ave 1	25.88
78.80	Ave 3	77.65
2	Legs Against Throw	2
116	High Finish	120

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 3-1 STEVE HINE
(2-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-2)
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD came from a set down to defeat Steve Hine in the first round of the 2011 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

The 2007 World Champion, buoyed by his recent victory at the World Cup of Darts alongside Co Stompe, will now take on Kevin McDine in the second round after Christmas following a strong display.

Hine made an excellent start to the match by winning the first two legs with finishes of 88 and 76 to put the five-time World Champion under pressure.

The third leg saw the 41-year-old from Coventry miss three chances for the set and van Barneveld won his first leg of the game by hitting double 16.

The Dutchman hit double 20 to win the fourth leg but missed a dart at double 18 for the set and Hine took out a 76 finish for the second time to win the opening set.

Van Barneveld hit back from that setback well at the start of the second set as he hit an 11-darter before stepping in to double the lead after Hine missed double top for a 160 finish.

Hine won the third leg after his opponent missed two darts at double eight, but van Barneveld made no mistake in the fourth as he hit double top at the first attempt to level the game.

Hine began the third set well with a 14-dart finish, but van Barneveld won the next two legs with consecutive two-dart 76 finishes.

Van Barneveld landed his first 180 of the contest in the fourth leg and went on to hit double eight to win the set and lead for the first time in the match.

The Dutchman showed his class in the fourth set as he hit a ten-darter in the second leg to move a leg away from victory.

Hine hit a 14-dart-finish to win the third and then took the fourth after van Barneveld missed a dart at double top for the match.

But van Barneveld made no mistake in the deciding leg as he hit double ten to win the match.

"It wasn't easy out there," said van Barneveld. "Steve played well in the first set and put me under pressure.

"I improved my game, played well the next two and from then on I was in charge."

Raymond van Barneveld	3-1	Steve Hine
21	100s	29
18	140s	6
2	180	1
31.43	Ave 1	28.57
94.28	Ave 3	85.70
5	Legs Against Throw	3
81	High Finish	88

JAMIE CAVEN 3-1 DEVON PETERSEN
(2-3, 3-1, 3-2, 3-2)
JAMIE CAVEN came from a set down to reach the second round of the 2011 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a 3-1 victory over Devon Petersen.

Petersen, who defeated Norman Madhoo earlier in the evening, produced an excellent standard in the early stages of the match and had chances for a 2-1 lead.

But opportunities to win the third set went begging and Caven kept his nerve to confirm a return to Alexandra Palace after Christmas, where he will face his Derby rival Colin Osborne.

Caven hit a maximum in the opening leg of the contest but missed five darts to win it, and Petersen stepped in to hit double top to pinch the leg.

Caven won the next two legs, which included a 100 checkout to win the third leg, before Petersen held throw to send the set into a deciding leg.

A dramatic finale to the first set saw Caven miss a dart at double to win the set, and the South African hit double 16 for an early advantage.

Caven broke throw at the start of the second with a clinical two-dart 92 finish before winning the second leg with a successful attempt at double top.

Petersen took the third leg with the aid of his second 180 of the match but Caven wrapped up the set in the next by hitting double top to square the match.

Caven, who has won two titles on the Pro Tour in 2010, began the third set with a 180 but wasted three darts at double 12 and Petersen made his opponent pay by taking out 96 to win the leg against the darts.

Petersen hit a 70 finish to win the second leg before Caven managed to win the next by hitting double top, but the South African missed two chances to win the set in the fourth leg and Caven hit a pressure double five with his last dart.

A competitive deciding leg saw both players hit maximums but it was Caven who won it, hitting double 16 to lead the match for the first time.

Caven broke throw at the beginning of the fourth set, but Petersen hit straight back to win the second after both players missed numerous opportunities at doubles.

Petersen hit double top to win the third leg before Caven replied in kind to win the fourth leg and go one leg away from victory.

The deciding leg saw the Derby ace finish the match of in style with a 161 checkout to set up a second round clash against Colin Osborne.

"The 161 at the end was nice and a lovely way to finish the game," said Caven. "It was a long night waiting for the other games to finish and I was pretty drained at the end.

"Devon had nothing to lose and he played really well, and he's got a good future. I'm happy to get the winning feeling back and I can look forward to playing Colin after Christmas."