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LAS VEGAS DESERT CLASSIC 2007 review by Andy Fairclough
Back to Las Vegas for the sixth time for the Las Vegas Desert Classic 2007. Added excitement this year with Phil Taylor looking to build on his recent Premier League title, whereas Barneveld as UK Open and World Champion would be looking to put the Premier League disappointment behind him. Reigning Vegas champ John Part would also be keen on retaining his title whereas new PDC players Mervyn King, Tony Eccles and Vincent van der Voort would obviously be keen to leave their mark on the tournament. ROUND ONE Short course darts and a race to six legs would see fancied players James Wade or Colin Osborne through to round two. A couple of early breaks saw the match poised at 1 apiece before Osborne had another key break of throw and then held to lead 3-1. A 180 in the next leg and an 81 checkout finishing on the Bull put Osborne 4-1 up. Wade won the next with a Bull checkout of his own before a crucial break back tied the match at 4-4 (both players averaging 98). Wade went ahead, before Osborne levelled the match leaving a sudden death leg to determine the victor. Wade had 5 darts to take the game before Osborne stepped in to book his pace in round 2, no doubt a relieved man. American Gary Mawson booked his place in round 2 courtesy of a 6-2 win over a nervous looking Stuart Holden, a seasoned local league player from North West England making his big stage debut. Andy Hamilton had of course been the preferred practise partner of Phil Taylor in recent months and he showed the pay off in leg 3 firing in a 180 and also a terrific 161 checkout to lead Steve Beaton by 2 legs to 1. Another 180 and a 104 checkout put 'The Hammer' 3-1 up. Beaton came back to 3-2 but was 8 points behind in the averages (86 to Hamilton's 94). Hamilton made it 5-3 needing just one more leg. Beaton won the next and showed why he was World Champion by putting in a 13 darter to level the game at 5-5. So another sudden death contest and remarkably it was Beaton through to the second round. No one could quite believe what happened next. Mark 'Flash' Dudbridge broke Phil Taylor's throw to win the first leg before 'The Power' stormed back with a 107 finish. Two more breaks of throw followed to leave the match at 2-2. Taylor went ahead 3-2 (92 average, Dudbridge 89) but it was clear this was not a vintage Taylor performance. A maximum helped Dudbridge keep in at 3-3 and the match stayed tight. Another sudden death leg with the match at 5-5 was on the cards. Could the unthinkable happen? Well it did. Despite a 180 from Taylor in the decider it was Mark Dudbridge who took the leg and the match for a memorable win over Taylor. As Dudbridge said afterwards, whatever he goes on to achieve in his career from this point, he can always look back and say that he beat Phil Taylor in a televised tournament, a real rarity to that point. Colin Lloyd's year or two of disappointment on the oche was to continue as he met a red hot Wes Newton in the first round. Newton took out 120 in the first leg and an 11 dart leg followed by a break of throw put him 3-1 up. Both players hit a maximum in the seventh leg but it went to Newton to put him ahead 5-2. 6-3 to Newton with over a 100 average and more grief for Colin Lloyd, the former world number 1. American hotshot Ray Carver hit a maximum and took the first leg against Terry Jenkins but 'The Bull's' usual grit and determination saw him turn this over into a 2-1 lead with a maximum 177 in leg 3. Carver came back to 2-3 having hit maximums in consecutive legs and even though he was to replicate that feat in the next two legs, it wasn't enough to catch Jenkins who forged ahead to 5-3. Jenkins took the match 6-3 but Carver could certainly go away from the match with his head held high. The great entertainer Wayne Mardle was next and he was hoping to regain his on screen form against qualifier John Ferrell. Ferrell took an early break to lead 2-1 but with a Bull finish Mardle broke back to 2-2. Mardle broke again to lead 4-2 and taking the next leg put him just one away from victory. A relieved Wayne Mardle made it through to round two by 6 legs to 3. John Part took a 2-0 lead against Steve Maish who clawed back to 2-2 with a 128 checkout. Part took the next leg with Maish then levelling again with a 100 finish. Darts stayed with throw and Part led 5-4, before a crucial break gave the Canadian the match. Mervyn King made light work of Canadian Gerry Convey winning 6-1 and who could have predicted that the next match was to be game of the first round. Many were silently (or not so) dreading the pace of the game between the two Dennis's Priestley & Smith, but what transpired was a tense and gripping encounter between these two seasoned professionals. Priestley got off to a great start leading 3-0 courtesy of a 134 checkout and he made it 4-0 averaging just under 102. Smith came back to 2-4 averaging 99 himself and a 90 finish on the Bull put him within 1 leg of Priestley. However Smith missed 6 doubles to win the next leg with Priestley taking the finish to go 5-3 ahead. Smith wasn't finished though as he broke throw again to tie the contest and put it into sudden death (averages Priestley 94, Smith 96). Dennis Smith took the decider to seal this incredible comeback and chalk up a memorable victory in his career. An early break by Darin Young put him 3-1 up against Tony Eccles and there seemed to be no way back for the PDC's latest recruit as Young stayed steady to win 6-3. Fast paced chucking came next as Peter Manley took on UK Open finalist Vincent van der Voort. The Dutchman disappointed as Manley raced 5-1 ahead. Although Voort clawed back impressively a 180 and a 112 checkout from Manley wrapped up the match 6-4. A tough opener for Kevin Painter as he had to face World Champion Raymond van Barneveld. Barney was in fine form and he raced to a 4-0 lead averaging 104 to Painter's respectable 93. There was no way back for 'The Artist' as Barney capped off his impressive performance with a 116 checkout to win 6-1. John Kuczynski took an early break to lead 2-1 against Alan Tabern. However 7 perfect darts of a possible 9 darter from Tabern levelled the game. Tabern then checked out 110 to take the lead and he held on until leg 10 when Kuczynski popped in an 11 darter to tie the game at 5 apiece. Tabern took the decider though to book his place in the next round. Steve Smith the talented Londoner was expected to give an early test of Adrian Lewis' form. Lewis broke early to lead 2-0 having hit maximums in both legs. Smith broke straight back and then levelled the game at 2-2, despite another maximum from 'Jackpot'. Lewis broke again to lead 4-2 and then held throw in the seventh leg (with another maximum en route) to make it 5-2. No way back for Smith as Lewis took the match 6-3 hitting a total of 6 180s in the 9 legs played. Last match of the first round saw Roland Scholten take a 3-1 lead over Andy Smith, having successfully broken throw in the opening leg. Smith clawed back to 3-3 with a maximum helping him on his way in the 6th leg. Scholten broke back straight away hitting his third maximum and he wrapped up in style winning 6-4 with a 144 finish.
ROUND TWO A 103 checkout sent Roland Scholten flying high at the start against qualifier Steve Beaton and he held throw to then make it 2-0. Beaton pulled back to 2 apiece with a maximum helping his cause in the fourth leg. Beaton missed 6 doubles allowing Scholten to break throw again and a second break soon followed giving Scholten a 6-3 lead. Although Beaton got one of the breaks of throw back, Scholten held on for an 8-5 win Wes Newton had an early break against Terry Jenkins to lead 2-0 and he held on until Jenkins broke back in the eighth leg to tie the match 4 each. Newton broke again to lead 6-5 but Jenkins came straight back to make it 6 apiece with a 142 finish. The match then went to 7-7 with Terry Jenkins taking the deciding leg. Many fancied Colin Osborne to upset the applecart against Peter Manley but 'One Dart' had other ideas as he capitalised on Osborne's poor finishing to start with a 2-0 lead. Two successive breaks of throw saw Manley lead 3-1, before Osborne broke again to take the next leg. An 86 bull finish and fourth successive leg against throw saw Manley ahead 4-2 and he then capitalised breaking Osborne again to make it 6-2. Osborne broke throw to win the next leg but it was too late as Manley soared to the winning post the 8-4 victor. Wayne Mardle didn't do much wrong in his encounter with Raymond van Barneveld, but with the World Champion in this kind of majestic form there is not much any top player could do about it. Barneveld went 3-0 up and it took 2 x 180s and an 11 darter for Mardle to win his only leg of the match. By 7-1 Barneveld was averaging 101 and he capped off his 8-1 win by taking the next leg. Impressive stuff and with Taylor out of the competition, could anyone stop Barney? Adrian Lewis against Mervyn King was always a tasty prospect and at 2-2 it was living up to all expectations. Lewis whacked in a 146 finish to make it 3-2 before King levelled. A 124 finish from Lewis followed and still no break of throw at 5-5 after the first two legs. Lewis hit a 155 finish to lead 6-5 but King held on. At 7-6 one final push from 'Jackpot' saw him over the line the winner by 8 legs to 6. Could Mark Dudbridge follow on from his amazing knockout of Phil Taylor? John Part tried to put paid to any thoughts of that checking out 160 to take the first leg. Dudbridge replied in kind taking out 124 to level the match (both legs against throw). All legs then went with throw with Part taking out 124 to tie the match at 4-4. Part then followed an important break of throw with a 105 checkout to lead 6-4. Dudbridge clawed back to 7-7 after Part missed 4 darts to win. The Canadian persevered though hitting a 180 in the deciding leg to win the match 8-7. Dennis Smith came from behind to beat Darin Young 8-7 and Gary Mawson built greater confidence taking out fancied Alan Tabern 8-5.
QUARTER FINALS John Part broke throw in the second leg hitting a maximum along the way to lead 2-0 against Dennis Smith. Smith came back with a 120 checkout to level the match. Both hit 180s in the fifth leg, but it was Smith who took it on a break of throw. A 102 checkout put Smith 4-2 in front but Part came back with a break of throw to level at 4 apiece. The next break was in Part's favour as he hit a maximum on the way to the 12th leg and a 7-5 lead. Smith again came back to level the match. At 8 apiece, Part was averaging 94 to Smith's 87. The match went all the way to a deciding leg with Part winning the tight encounter. Dennis Smith though went away happy having rediscovered his best form during the tournament. Something was definitely in the air again between Adrian Lewis and Peter Manley, even if it didn't quite ignite the way their contest did in the World Championships of 2006. Lewis checked out 118 to lead 2-0 and then took the next leg as well. Manley broke back and levelled the game and a second break put 'One Dart' 4-3 up. Manley kept on top courtesy of a 130 finish to lead 6-4 and a further break put him 7-4 to the good. Back to back 180s and a 12 dart leg put Lewis back in the hunt at 5-7 and he then made it a total of 4 legs on the spin to lead 8-7. Manley came back again though with three legs on the spin to win the tense encounter 10-8. After a bright start Roland Scholten disappointed against Raymond van Barneveld soon slipping 4-1 behind. Barneveld capitalised to a 7-2 lead and ultimately a 10-4 victory with little fightback from 'The Tripod'. Terry Jenkins finally put an end to Gary Mawson's dream run by winning the last quarter final 10-7.
SEMI FINALS Peter Manley kept tight to Terry Jenkins early doors taking out a 104 finish to level at 2-2. Jenkins immediately followed with a 136 finish and then a 121 to break throw. Holding his throw then put Jenkins 5-2 up and he was averaging 101 to Manley's 86. Another break made it 6-2 and it was going to be a hard road back for 'One Dart'. An 88 Bull finish would have given Manley some confidence to pull back to 3-7 and indeed he broke Jenkins' throw in the next leg. Jenkins kept the two leg advantage until another break in Manley's favour in the 17th leg made it 9-8 to 'The Bull'. Jenkins hit a 180 in the next leg and broke straight back and he then held throw to book his place in the final 11-8. A repeat of last year's final for the second match with John Part taking on Raymond van Barneveld. The match went off in style. Part threw a maximum in the opening leg but Barneveld still broke throw. Part cam right back though breaking throw in leg 2. Barneveld hit a 102 finish to keep it level at 2 apiece and then a break put him 3-2 up. At 4-3 to Barneveld both players were averaging 105 in this top quality encounter. Barney hit another maximum and made it 5-3 having a 100% checkout rate at that point. Part came back within a leg checking out 130, before Barneveld replied with the same finish and keeping the 100% statistic. Both hit 180s in the next leg but it was another break to Barneveld to give him a crucial 7-4 lead (Barneveld average 104, Part 102). Part broke back in the 16th leg to make it 7-9 but the Dutchman rubbed salt in the wound with another break to make it 10-7. The final leg went to Barneveld who won through this fantastic match by 11 legs to 7.
THE FINAL With the first few legs, it looked like we were going to get a classic final between Raymond van Barneveld and Terry Jenkins, but alas it didn't quite keep its initial impetus. Both players hit a maximum in the opening leg and it was Jenkins who took out 94 on the Bull. Barneveld went 2-1 up with a 161 finish and then 3-2 up with a 112 outshot. Another break put Barneveld up 5-2 and he was averaging 98 to Jenkins 91. Both players broke each other's throw in the next two legs, but a further advantage to Barneveld came in the 11th leg when he made the match 8-3. Starting the 13th leg with a maximum helped him break throw again and put the match beyond Jenkins reach at 10-3 (Barneveld averaging 103, Jenkins 92). Small consolation in the next leg as Jenkins broke throw to make it 4-10 and it was the 18th leg kicking off with another 180 that surely put the match beyond any remaining doubt as Barneveld went 12-6 up needing just one more leg. He took it with the very next leg having what was ultimately quite a comfortable victory and finishing with a 101.5 average. Another title in the bag for Barneveld and talk of him doing the grand slam of Sky televised titles was certainly on the cards (Word Champs, UK Open, Las Vegas so far). Next stop, Blackpool…
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