2012 World Cup of Darts: Round 2 Singles

With the round one matches having taken place in the afternoon, the second round began in the evening. The format splits the matches into two sessions. Each match consists of two singles matches which carry a point apiece followed by a doubles match which carries two points. The singles matches took place tonight with the doubles match taking place tomorrow.

Brendan Dolan and Michael Mansell are representing Northern Ireland, who set their stall out against Denmark. The better ranked player takes on the lower ranked player from the opposing team, this meant Dolan would take on Jann Hoffmann and Mansell would face Per Laursen. The matches were a race to four legs and Hoffmann took the opening leg against Dolan. Dolan turned it round to lead 2-1 and then 3-2 but Hoffmann fought back to win the game 4-3 and earn a surprise point.

The role reversal also happened in the second game as the lesser player overcame the higher player. Laursen did take the lead before Mansell found form to win the match 4-1. This levels the score at 1-1, meaning whoever wins the doubles match goes through to the quarter finals.

The success story of the World Championships, Kim Huybrechts, teamed up with Kurt Van de Rijck as Belgium took on Sweden. Dennis Nilsson faced Huybrechts and hit a wonderful 140 checkout to level the match up at 1-1. Huybrechts made it to the quarter finals in the Worlds and regained that form to take a 3-1 lead. Nilsson did pull a leg back before Huybrechts won the match 4-2.

The scoreline was matched in the other singles match as Van de Rijck faced Magnus Caris. Caris managed to get into a 2-0 lead and continued it to lead 3-1. Again Van de Rijck pulled a leg back before Caris won it 4-2. Again the doubles match will decide the victor of this match.

Second favourites, Australia, have Simon Whitlock and Paul Nicholson flying the flag. They took on Republic of Ireland in their second round match. Whitlock faced Mick McGowan and made short work of him. McGowan did make it 2-1 but Whitlock showed his class to win the match 4-1. Nicholson went one better and secured the first whitewash of the round against William O'Connor. This means Ireland must win the doubles match to force a deciding sudden death leg in order to make it through.

Mark Webster and Richie Burnett did a similar demolition job as Wales took on Croatia. Webster faced Tonci Restovic and wasted no time in whitewashing the Croat. Boris Krcmar was the most impressive in the first round and put up a better fight against Burnett. Krcmar did take a 2-1 then a 3-2 lead after initially finding himself 1-0 down. But Burnett isn't adverse to a battle and he levelled the match before taking the deciding leg to make it 2-0 to Wales.

Jyhan Artut and Bernd Roith are representing the hosts and they faced USA in their second round encounter. Artut took on Gary Mawson and managed to throw away a two leg lead. Artut led 2-0 and then 3-1 before Mawson fought back to force a decider. Mawson couldn't continue his momentum and Artut won the final leg in front of his home crowd.

Bernd Roith's participation has been a matter of some concern as questions have been raised as to why young Kevin Munch didn't make it. The questions may have got louder when Darin Young quickly took a 3-0 lead. But Roith did take a couple of legs back before Young completed the job to level the match up at one apiece.

Gary Anderson and Peter Wright are representing Scotland and they faced a decent South Africa duo in round two. Anderson produced the mother of all comebacks against a decent looking Shawn Hogan. Anderson completely dominated the scoring against Hogan but his trademark missed doubles saw him go 3-0 behind. But Hogan couldn't finish the job and Anderson came roaring back to win the match 4-3.

Perhaps the most impressive player in the first round, Devon Petersen, faced Wright in the following singles match. Petersen somehow managed to bust a score of 121, but he still ended up taking the leg to level the match at 1-1. But Wright showed why he is ranked much higher than Petersen and won the 4-1 to give Scotland the 2-0 lead.

The favourites of the tournament, England, took on Canada in a match that has a combined total of 20 World Championships. World number one and fifteen times World Champion, Phil Taylor, faced Ken MacNeil. World number two and reigning double World Champion, Adrian Lewis, took on three times World Champion Jon Part.

MacNeil took a surprise lead over Taylor with a 111 check-out in the first leg. Taylor returned the compliment by taking a 2-1 lead but MacNeil stayed in touch by levelling the score before retaking the lead. Taylor did force a deciding leg but Ken MacNeil provided what could already be the shock of the tournament, hitting double 19 to win the match 4-3.

Part and Lewis was definitely billed as the match of the night. Lewis looked like he meant business but didn’t start on song as Part took the first leg. Lewis missed countless doubles and Part moved to a 3-1 lead. But Lewis found his World Championship form and forced a decider but Part came up with a 140 check-out to win the match. Canada lead 2-0, probably the most surprising score-line yet.

The reigning World Champions, Holland, began their defence against Austria. There has been a member change as Co Stompe has been replaced by Vincent Van Der Voort. Raymond Van Barneveld kicked the match off against Dietmar Burger. Barney continued his deteriorating form and soon found himself 2-1 down after taking the first leg. But the Dutchman did manage to pull himself out of the mire to force a deciding leg and it was enough to propel him through to win the match 4-3.

The final contest of the night was a bit of a miss-match as one of the fastest throwers, Van der Voort, took on one of the slowest throwers, Mensur Suljovic. Van Der Voort managed a 140 check-out to take a 2-1 lead. But Suljovic wasn’t perturbed and made the Dutchman force a deciding leg and the Austrian won it, just as the fable states. The match remains nicely poised at 1-1.