PDC LAS VEGAS DESERT CLASSIC IV 2005
review by Andy Fairclough
With only the top 12 PDC players qualifying by right for the Las Vegas Desert Classic, this is arguably one of the most open of the televised events with a massive 16 places open to qualifiers, plus 4 qualifiers from North America.
Television coverage as with the 2004 event started with the last 16 and that is where I start the report. Pleasing to see that crowds were larger this year and a little more vocal. On the downside Sky decided to play “fake” canned audience noise along with the tv pictures which did not add to the atmosphere and in fact caused annoyance to more than a few viewers.
First up was Roland Scholten against James Wade. Scholten has really improved over the past couple of years and he came from behind (1-0) to defeat ‘The Gladiator’ 3 sets to 1.
America’s Darin Young is a quality player who has moved from the soft tip game to ‘real’ darts. This was his second LDVC and he seemed to have benefited from the previous experience and from playing at the World Championships in December. However his adversary on this occasion was a returning to form John Part. Part led 2-0 averaging just over 90 and he took the 3rd leg of the set with a 124 checkout, needing only one further leg for victory. He had two darts at the double in the next leg, but it was Young who capitalised and went on to take his 1st set. Young took the next set as well to level the match and hew had upped his average also to 90. Part seemed to find his true form in the deciding set though and won the match 3-2.
Andy Jenkins did okay against Phil Taylor but I never expected him to be able to mount a serious challenge. Taylor stormed through the 1st set and by 2 legs to 0 up in the 2nd was averaging an incredible 112. Quite what Sid Waddell meant when he exclaimed, “It’s like shelling peas!”, we will never know. Jenkins made a brief indent in the 3rd set taking the 1st leg with a 121 checkout, but Taylor took the next and upped his average to 114. A 3-0 win to Taylor in a match where he hit 7 x 180s and a finishing average of 110.
Some fancied Andy Callaby to cause an upset against Wayne Mardle, but “Super Cally” wasn’t to repeat his achievements from last year’s World Grand Prix. Mardle blitzed through the 1st set checking out 112 and 121 in the process and then hit an 11 darter to lead 2 legs to 1 in set 2. Callaby squared the set averaging 97 (5 points higher than Mardle) but ‘Hawaii 501’ took the set and shortly afterwards the 3rd for a 3 sets to 0 win.
Erik Clarys won the 1st two legs against Colin Lloyd but then Lloyd came into his own and it was one way traffic after that with ‘Jaws’ winning 3-0.
Kevin Painter was suffering a recurrence of his damaged ankle condition and struggled in his match against Alex Roy. Painter took the first set, then Roy the next two to go in front. Painter dug in and the tense match went all the way to the last leg, won by Painter.
In the remaining matches of the day, America’s Ray Carver beat Adrian Gray and Wes Newton beat Mark Walsh for a place in the quarter-finals.
*
Into the quarter-finals and a cracker to start as Colin Lloyd took on Wayne Mardle. The latter came out flying before losing a bit of ground as Lloyd surged to make it one set apiece. Lloyd blitzed the 3rd set 3-0, with Lloyd also taking a 2-0 lead in the 4th. Mardle then hit an 11 dart leg and took the next two to level the match at 2 sets all. Into the decider with Lloyd taking the first leg, Mardle levelling and winning the next and then Lloyd making it 2-2. One final leg and Mardle kicked off with a 180 which helped set him on track for victory in this memorable match. 3-2 to Mardle.
Roland Scholten against John Part by contrast was a very poor game with neither player displaying their known quality. Part won 3-1.
Taylor v Painter always has an edge to it and Kevin played well early doors to tie the match at a set each. Then Taylot clicked into gear upping his average to 98 and going ahead 2-1. Painter went 2 legs to 1 up in set 4 with a 108 checkout but Taylor took the next two legs and the match pushing his average up to 100.
Ray Carver got off to a slow start against Wes Newton who took advantage and the 1st set. Despite the odd moment from the American he never really looked like winning the match and Newton progressed with a 3-1 win, finishing in style by checking out 102.
*
Wayne Mardle got off to a poor start in his semi-final against John Part, causing Sid Waddell to exclaim, “Wayne is a purple patch player, but at the moment it is pale, pale puse.” Part took the 1st set, before ‘Hawaii 501’ fought back to take the 2nd. A bit of magic from Mardle in set 3 as in the 2nd leg, he checked out 132 – Bull, Bull, D16. The set soon followed. Part picked up to win the next set and level the match (Averages – Part 94, Mardle 98). Mardle blitzed the next set 3-0 and though the 6th went to 2-2, Mardle took the crucial leg and the match. 4-2 to Mardle.
A good start for Fleetwood’s Wes Newton as he took the 1st leg against the darts off Phil Taylor with a 101 checkout. Sadly not much more to cheer about for Newton as Taylor romped on to a 3-0 lead, until the 4th set which Newton brought back to 2 legs each winning again against the darts. Taylor broke back though and took the match with a 109 finish. 4-0.
*
Many expected a closer match in this repeat of the 2004 final, but Mardle just wasn’t up to it on the day. Taylor stormed to a 6 sets to 1 win averaging over 100 for pretty much the whole match and at times going over 110. So another Desert Classic win for Taylor and just two tournaments away from a potential ‘grand slam’ of all PDC televised events.