World Cup - First Round

FEMME FATALE Anastasia Dobromyslova applied the killer touch to Gibraltar's hopes in the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts, as she teamed up with Roman Konchikov to take a 6-4 victory.

Russia will now face Scotland in Friday night's second round following the hard-fought win, as they hit back from 4-3 down to win the final three legs without reply.

Sweden's Magnus Caris overcame travel problems to help Par Riihonen put their country into the second round of the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts with a 6-2 win over Slovenian pair Osmann Kijamet and Sebastijan Pecjak.

Caris had been left stranded in Stockholm on Thursday when his flight was cancelled, and had to travel via Dusseldorf to the UK before landing in Newcastle at 11am.

However, he put aside his late arrival to play his part in a fine win as the Swedes progressed to face the USA on Friday night.

Austria's Maik Langendorf took out a 161 finish as they came from 3-0 down to defeat Denmark 6-4, but a 141 checkout from Japan's Haruki Muramatsu was not enough to save them from defeat to Spain, who now face English pair Phil Taylor and James Wade in round two.

New Zealand's Warren Parry and Phil Hazel reeled off six successive legs to come from 2-0 down and defeat Poland, while Belgium defeated Finland by the same scoreline.

Ireland completed the first round with a 6-3 win over Slovakia, with youngster William O'Connor hitting 180s in the final two legs as they progressed to meet Australia.

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Cash Converters World Cup of Darts
First Round
8 x matches between teams ranked 9-24
Finland 2-6 Belgium
Austria 6-4 Denmark
New Zealand 6-2 Poland
Russia 6-4 Gibraltar
Sweden 6-2 Slovenia
Spain 6-3 Japan
Republic of Ireland 6-3 Slovakia
Best of 11 legs, 501 Doubles, Loser Throws First

BELGIUM 6-2 FINLAND
THE Belgian team of Rocco Maes and Patrick Bulen made a winning start to the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts, defeating Finland 6-2 in the opening match at the Rainton Meadows Arena.

The pair, who defied the snow across Europe by driving to the north-east of England for the tournament, set up a second round clash with Canada thanks to their win over Jarkko Komula and Marko Kantele.

Bulen got the Belgians off the mark in the opening leg on double 16, and then hit double five in the third, while Komula had won the second for Finland on double 16.

Bulen landed a 180 in the fourth, followed by a 140 from Maes as the Belgians were first to the double, but they missed three darts for the leg as Komula levelled the game on double ten.

Maes, though, won the fifth on double four before Bulen secured the game's first break to move Belgium 4-2 up, and double 16 moved them further ahead before tops secured victory.

Match Stats

Finland	2-6	Belgium
17	100+	10
4	140+	6
0	180	1
27.61	Ave1	27.98
82.83	Ave3	83.93
0	Legs Against Throw	2
54	High Finish	80

AUSTRIA 6-4 DENMARK
AUSTRIA came from 3-0 down to defeat Denmark 6-4 and move into the second round of the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts.

The Danish pair of Per Laursen and Vladimir Andersen made a superb start, with youngster Andersen winning the opening leg on double ten before they broke in the second.

After Mensur Suljovic missed double 12 for a 104 finish in the third, Laursen stepped in to hit double 14 for a 3-0 cushion.

Australia got off the mark in the fourth before both teams initially missed chances in the next, but Maik Langendorf - on his televised debut - hit double 16 to take the leg before producing a moment of magic with a 161 finish to win the sixth and level.

He also had a chance to edge Austria in front in leg seven, but missed three darts at double eight before Suljovic returned to hit the same bed.

Anderson missed two darts to take the eighth, but Laursen matched Suljovic from the previous leg by aiding his team-mate on double two to square the game.

Suljovic, though, opened the ninth with a 180 and landed double 16 to edge his team 5-4 up, before hitting another maximum and an 85 bullseye finish to seal victory.

Match Stats

Austria	6-4	Denmark
10	100+	13
7	140+	9
2	180	0
28.88	Ave1	27.62
86.63	Ave3	82.85
4	Legs Against Throw	3
161	High Finish	28

NEW ZEALAND 6-2 POLAND
NEW ZEALAND hit back from a 2-0 deficit with six straight legs to defeat Poland 6-2 in their Cash Converters World Cup of Darts first round clash.

The Kiwi duo of Phillip Hazel and Warren Parry performed a traditional Haka after entering the stage, but were punished for a slow start as the Polish duo of Krzsystof Kciuk and Krzsystof Ratajski hit double 12 and double ten to take the lead.

New Zealand, though, took out finishes of 91 and 93 to pull level, before Hazel punished two missed doubles from Ratajski to land double ten and edge the Kiwis in front.

Double top gave them a 4-2 lead before Ratajski missed two darts to win the seventh as Parry hit double four to grab the leg, and double 18 for the match.

Match Stats

New Zealand	6-2	Poland
15	100+	11
2	140+	4
0	180	0
27.91	Ave1	24.79
83.73	Ave3	74.37
5	Legs Against Throw	2
93	High Finish	60

RUSSIA 6-4 GIBRALTAR
FEMME FATALE Anastasia Dobromyslova applied the killer touch to Gibraltar's hopes in the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts, as she teamed up with Roman Konchikov to take a 6-4 victory.

Russia will now face Scotland in Friday night's second round following the hard-fought win, as they hit back from 4-3 down to win the final three legs without reply.

Dobromyslova had some early double trouble, although Konchikov stepped in to win the opening leg on double one before Dyson Parody hit a 180 and double 16 to level.

Double ten gave Gibraltar a 2-1 lead before the Russians levelled - only for Dobromyslova to then miss double top for a 115 finish as Parody took out 112 on double 16.

Konchikov hit double 16 to level in the sixth, but Dylan Duo took out 56 to lead 4-3 and put his team two away from the win.

Dobromyslova, though, stepped up with double six to level in the eight, a 180 in the ninth as Konchikov hit double ten for a 5-4 lead before she punished two misses from Duo to secure the win on double four.

Match Stats

Russia	6-4	Gibraltar
9	100+	14
7	140+	2
1	180	1
24.82	Ave1	23.87
74.46	Ave3	71.61
2	Legs Against Throw	1
39	High Finish	112

SWEDEN 6-2 SLOVENIA
SWEDEN'S Magnus Caris overcame travel problems to help Par Riihonen put their country into the second round of the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts with a 6-2 win over Slovenian pair Osmann Kijamet and Sebastijan Pecjak.

Caris had been left stranded in Stockholm on Thursday when his flight was cancelled, and had to travel via Dusseldorf to the UK before landing in Newcastle at 11am.

However, he put aside his late arrival to play his part in a fine win as the Swedes progressed to face the USA on Friday night.

Caris hit double top to win the opening leg, only for Slovenia to level with a brilliant 146 finish from Kijamet, who competed in the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship last year.

Riihonen took the third on double 12, and Caris finished 70 on tops for a 3-1 lead before the Swedes produced a brilliant 12-dart leg, with Caris opening with a 180 and Riihonen following a 140 with an 81 checkout.

Riihonen then hit double nine for a 5-1 advantage before debutant Pecjak finished double 16 to keep the gae alive,

However, the Swedes replied with back-to-back 180s to open the next leg, and Caris secured victory with double eight.

Match Stats

Sweden	6-2	Slovenia
11	100+	10
4	140+	2
3	180	0
28.86	Ave1	23.50
86.58	Ave3	70.49
4	Legs Against Throw	0
81	High Finish	146

SPAIN 6-3 JAPAN
SPANISH duo Carlos Rodriguez and Antonio Alcinas set up a second round clash with England at the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts with a 6-3 win over Japan's Haruki Muramatsu and Taro Yachi at the Rainton Meadows Arena.

The Spanish performed superbly to open up a 5-1 lead before Japan raised hopes of a fightback by winning the next two, only for Rodriguez to kill off their challenge.

Rodriguez took out 63 to win the game's opening leg and also landed a 180 in the second before Alcinas finished 81 on double 16 for a 12-darter.

Yachi hit double top to get his side off the mark in the third, but Alcinas applied the finishing touch in the next two as Spain moved 4-1 up.

Muramatsua posted a 177 score in the sixth, but both he and Yachi missed their chances to pull back a leg as Rodriguez hit double top to take Spain a leg away from the win.

He missed the bull to seal victory in the next as Yachi finished 62 before Muramatsu checked out 141 to reduce the gap to 5-3.

Spain, though, hit three ton-plus scores in the next and Rodriguez secured victory with a 97 checkout for a place in the last 16.

Match Stats

Spain	6-3	Japan
14	100+	16
7	140+	5
1	180	0
29.29	Ave1	21.27
87.87	Ave3	81.80
3	Legs Against Throw	1
97	High Finish	141

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 6-3 SLOVAKIA
THE Republic of Ireland won through to the second round of the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts, defeating Slovakia 6-3 at the Rainton Meadows Arena.

Young star William O'Connor continued his promising emergence on the big stage alongside Mick McGowan as the duo set up a clash with number three seeds Australia on Friday night.

The Cappamore ace stepped in to win the first two legs, firstly following Slovakian misses as he landed double five before taking out tops for a 2-01 lead.

Peter Martin opened Slovakia's account on double top in the third, after team-mate Zmelik missed the same bed, before McGowan and Zmelik also hit tops in the next two as Ireland edged 3-2 up.

Martin then missed two darts to level in the sixth, with O'Connor posting double four to keep Ireland ahead - and he missed the bull for a 135 finish in the next as Slovakia hit back.

O'Connor, though, hit 180s in the next two legs as a brace of double ten finishes put Ireland into the last 16.

Match Stats