World Championship Day Seven

REPORTS from Sunday's second round games at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

Alexandra Palace plays host to six more games as the second round continues in London.

Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship
Second Round - Sunday
Afternoon Session
Barrie Bates 4-2 Bill Davis
Ronnie Baxter 4-1 Denis Ovens
Andy Hamilton 4-2 Tony Ayres
Evening Session (7pm)
Jelle Klaasen 4-0 Jan van der Rassel
Raymond van Barneveld 4-1 Wes Newton
Mervyn King 4-2 Mark Walsh

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BARRIE BATES 4-2 BILL DAVIS
(2-3, 3-2, 2-3, 3-0, 3-2)
BARRIE BATES jumped into the last 16 of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a 4-2 defeat of Bill Davis.

Bates fell behind on two occasions to the American, but won three successive sets to reach the last 16 for the second consecutive year.

Davis, who defeated reigning World Champion John Part on the opening night, started the better of the two, breaking throw in the first leg and then winning the next to go 2-0 ahead.

Bates punished missed doubles to win the next two legs, which included a 141 checkout, but Davis made no mistake in the decider with an excellent 116 finish as the Welshman waited for his chance.

The second set proved to be a tight affair as both players held their own throws in the opening four legs.

Bates took the decider against the darts, hitting a maximum and following that up with a 121 checkout to level the game.

The Welshman opened up a 2-0 lead in set three, hitting a 106 finish in the second leg, before Davis pulled a leg back with a 120 'Shanghai' checkout.

Bates had opportunities to take the lead for the first time in the match over the course of the next two legs - but crucially was off-target with all six attempts and Davis stepped in to regain the lead with a two-dart 80 finish.

In the fourth set Bates, who reached the UK Open Final two years ago, managed to level the match once again, nicking the deciding leg against the darts with a 71 finish.

He then rattled through the fifth set to lead for the first time in the match thanks to finishes of 104 and 101 and a 13-darter, which included his fourth maximum of the game.

American ace Davis took the first two legs of the sixth set, before Bates took the next to cut back to 2-1.

Davis missed eight darts for the set in the fourth leg, and Bates took his chance on double two.

The American was made to rue those opportunities even more in the deciding leg when Bates hit a fantastic 121 checkout, landing the bullseye to win the match.

Match Stats

Bill Davis	2-4	Barrie Bates
46	100+	52
19	140+	19
2	180	4
29.02	Ave1	29.47
87.07	Ave3	88.42
120,116	High Finish	141,121x2, 106,104,101

RONNIE BAXTER 4-1 DENIS OVENS
(1-3, 3-0, 3-1, 3-2, 3-0)
RONNIE BAXTER came from a set down to defeat Denis Ovens 4-1 in the second round of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

Ovens ultimately paid the price for six missed darts for the fourth set, which would have levelled the game but saw him fall 3-1 down as Baxter pulled through for victory.

Ovens, who defeated Steve Maish in his opening game, broke throw at the start of the match and doubled his lead in the next, which included a maximum.

Baxter held throw in the third leg, but Ovens hit double top to take an early lead.

Baxter stormed through the second set without reply to level the match, hitting a 14-dart finish to wrap up the set.

Ovens won the first leg of the third set against the darts, but Baxter immediately broke back and then won the third by landing double ten.

Baxter then broke his opponent's throw once again, landing double top to lead for the first time in the match.

The Lancastrian then opened a 2-0 lead in the fourth set, which included another 14-darter before Ovens replied in 13 and then took advantage of a Baxter miss to level.

In the deciding leg, it was Ovens who crucially missed six attempts at double 16 to level the match, and Baxter stepped in to increase his lead.

Baxter then wrapped up the match in double quick time, hitting a maximum in the course of taking the opening leg and two 15-dart finishes in succession to seal victory.

"It was very much a case of job done," said Baxter. "I gave away the first set, which was a bit unlike me but I relaxed as the game went on.

"The fourth set was important and in the last set I played how I would like to all the time.

"It's been a long time since I've done that on stage and I can go a long way if I stay relaxed and do that again."

Match Stats

Ronnie Baxter	4-1	Denis Ovens
24	100+	23
11	140+	13
3	180	4
29.82	Ave1	28.68
89.45	Ave3	85.97
82	High Finish	68

ANDY HAMILTON 4-2 TONY AYRES
(2-3, 3-0, 2-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1)
ANDY HAMILTON ended the brave challenge of qualifier Tony Ayres with a 4-2 comeback victory at the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

Number seven seed Hamilton, who was impressive in his first round win over Michael Barnard, struggled in the early stages of the match, but hit eight 180s and six ton-plus finishes to reel off three successive sets for the triumph.

Hamilton built up a 2-1 lead in the first set, breaking throw in the third leg before the qualifier broke back in the fourth leg on double seven and then coverted an 81 finish to take a 1-0 lead.

Hamilton started to find his range in the second set, breaking throw in the first leg, hitting a 104 finish in leg two and an 11-darter to win the set without reply.

Ayres won the opening leg of set three with a 100 finish, before Hamilton hit back with a 106 checkout of his own to level.

The man from Stoke then missed seven doubles in the third leg and fell 2-1 behind, but won the fourth to level the set.

In the decider Ayres missed two darts to win the set, but Hamilton was unable to land his one attempt at double top, and the man from Sussex came back to land double ten to lead again.

Hamilton put himself in command in the fifth set, breaking in the second leg for a 2-0 advantage before missing two darts for the set, Ayres taking the third leg and then levelling.

But in the decider Hamilton took out double 18 against the darts to bring the match back all-square at 2-2.

The Sussex qualifier started the fifth set well with an impressive 13-dart finish in the first leg, but Hamilton stepped up a gear, following up a 104 finish in the second leg with a fantastic 170 - the highest of the tournament so far - in the third.

He then wrapped up the set with a clinical 13-darter to lead for the first time in the contest.

Hamilton produced his best darts of the match in the sixth set to win the match in superb fashion.

He took out 111 for the opening leg, although he hit back-to-back maximums in the next only to allow Ayres back in after two missed doubles.

However, legs of 13 and 12 darts, including three more maximums and a 110 finish, sealed the Stoke ace's place in the last 16.

Match Stats

Andy Hamilton	4-2	Tony Ayres
33	100+	34
12	140+	18
8	180	3
30.84	Ave1	29.92
92.53	Ave3	89.97
170,111,110, 106,104x2	High Finish	100

JELLE KLAASEN 4-0 JAN VAN DER RASSEL
(3-2, 3-2, 3-0, 3-0)
JELLE KLAASEN produced an excellent performance to defeat fellow countryman Jan van der Rassel in straight sets at Alexandra Palace and book a third round place.

Klaasen has yet to drop a set in the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, following up his first round win over Colin Lloyd by hitting seven maximums in a superb win.

Klaasen missed three darts at doubles to break throw at the start of the match, but quickly took the next leg to level.

Van der Rassel led once again with a 12-dart finish, which included two maximums before Klaasen replied in 11 to level.

In the deciding leg the youngster hit another maximum and won the set with an 80 finish, with his opponent waiting on double four.

Van der Rassel managed to break Klaasen's throw at the start of the second set, but Klaasen won the next two legs, hitting a 93 finish for a 2-1 lead.

Van der Rassel, who defeated last year's runner-up Kirk Shepherd on Tuesday, hit his fourth maximum of the game in the process of taking the fourth.

But it was Klaasen who doubled his advantage by winning the deciding leg, hitting his fifth maximum of the game followed by a clinical 64 finish.

Klaasen started the third set superbly with another maximum, and then broke throw with an 88 finish to build up a 2-0 lead.

Van der Rassel's fifth maximum of the game was not enough in the third leg, as Klaasen landed double 16 to go one set away from the match.

Klaasen took the first two legs of the fourth set to tee up victory, and a superb 12-dart finish secured the win and a third round clash against Andy Hamilton.

Match Stats

Jelle Klaasen	4-0	Jan van der Rassel
18	100+	15
11	140+	11
7	180	5
31.65	Ave1	29.89
94.96	Ave3	89.67
93	High Finish	81

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 4-1 WES NEWTON
(3-1, 3-0, 1-3, 3-0, 3-1)
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD marched into the last 16 of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Wes Newton.

The 2007 World Champion ended the match with a 102.57 average, following up a strong opening victory over Mark Stephenson to set up a clash with Ronnie Baxter in the last 16.

Van Barneveld started the match well, winning the first leg in 13 darts before Newton landed his first maximum of the game in taking the second.

The Dutch star hit a 180 of his own in taking the third, and two missed doubles from Newton allowed him to wrap up the first set.

Van Barneveld stormed through the second set to double his advantage, breaking throw in the first leg, after Newton missed three darts at double five, and then hitting legs of 12 and 13 darts to move 2-0 up.

He also took the opening leg of the third set in fifteen darts, before Newton replied to take the next leg with a fine 122 checkout, finishing on the bullseye.

Van Barneveld missed a dart at double 16 in the third and Newton took advantage, hitting double top to break the Dutchman's throw and then a fine 102 finish to take the set and halve the deficit.

The five-time World Champion quickly restored his two-set advantage by winning the fourth set without reply, hitting a 13-darter in the first and the next two with Newton sat on a finish to go 3-1 up.

The duo traded 13-darters at the start of set five, but van Barneveld took the third and then landed double eight against the darts to seal victory.

"I'm very pleased with the way I'm playing," said van Barneveld. "My doubles are going in well and I feel good using my old darts again.

"As soon as I went back to them I felt great and got a lot of confidence back in practice, and having two averages over 100 on stage is very good.

"I've got Ronnie Baxter next and they are always good games against him, but it will be a battle."

Newton admitted: "Early on my finishing cost me some legs and if you don't take your chances against Raymond you won't beat him.

"I won the third set but I wanted to build on that and get back into the game, but it didn't happen. I'll take some positives from the game though and hopefully have a good 2009."

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	4-1	Wes Newton
21	100+	20
22	140+	15
6	180	2
34.18	Ave1	29.69
102.54	Ave3	88.77
47	High Finish	122,102

MERVYN KING 4-2 MARK WALSH
(1-3, 3-1, 2-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1)
MERVYN KING came from behind to defeat Mark Walsh 4-2 and reach round three of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

The match proved to be a tight contest for long periods before King put in a timely surge to reach the last 16, where he will now play Dennis Smith on Tuesday.

Walsh took a 2-1 lead in the opening set, courtesy of a 101 finish, which he then followed up with a break of throw to take a 1-0 lead.

King took the first leg of the second set with a 92 finish, but Walsh replied with a two-dart 96 to level matters.

Walsh missed two darts at doubles to break throw in third leg, allowing King to take a 2-1 lead, and the man from Watford missed two more darts to win the next leg as King hit double eight to square the match.

Walsh, who defeated Jamie Caven in the first round, started the third set well with a 13-dart finish, which included his first maximum of the game and
the next three legs of the set where shared before he held throw in the decider to regain the advantage.

King led 2-1 in the fourth set before making Walsh pay for a missed dart at double top by hitting double 12 to restore parity.

The Norfolk thrower hit a two-dart 100 checkout to start the fifth set, and took the second leg to start the set in fine style.

Walsh held throw in the third on double 18, but King landed double nine in the fourth leg to win the set and go ahead for the first time in the match.

Walsh hit his fourth maximum of the game at the start of the sixth set, but it was King who the leg, converting a 73 finish.

In the second leg Walsh was off-target on double top twice and King stepped in to go 2-0 ahead and within sight of victory.

Walsh managed to win the third leg on double four, but King wrapped up the win on double eight to secure his third round place.

"Mark had a good start but when I fell behind I did what I needed to do, took one leg at a time and clawed back into it," said King.

"I've been playing really well and thought I was up for this, but it didn't happen early on. I feel good and am practising well and I've lived to fight another day.

"If I can take my practice game onto stage then anything can happen in the next round."

Walsh admitted: "It hurts because I've lost and I feel I was the better player.

"My scoring was better and I was more consistent but my doubles cost me. I threw away the second set, which I should have won 3-0, and Mervyn was taking his chances when he got a dart at a double."

Match Stats