James Wade labours at Grand Slam of Darts
James Wade will have to up his game if he is to qualify from group H
Sunday, 15, Nov 2009 06:34
By Darren Plant.
James Wade began his assault on the Grand Slam of Darts title with an unconvincing 5-3 win over Gary Mawson.
Both players struggled early on, but the Machine ground out a 4-1 lead.
Mawson pulled two legs back, but Wade burst into life to take out 102 to see off the Mauler, but averaged less than 80.
Robert Thornton was victorious in the other game of the group, ousting former finalist Andy Hamilton 5-2.
Thornton raced into a 3-0 lead before Hamilton pulled two legs back.
However, missed darts prevented Hamilton edging in front and the Scot capitalised to take a 5-2 win.
Darin Young was the shock winner of the Sunday afternoon session, beating Adrian Lewis 5-2.
Young, from America, was 2-0 down to Lewis early on, before a 147 checkout gave him the momentum to take five straight legs to seal an impressive win, and Young believed the 147 checkout was the key to his victory.
Young said: "That checkout was a big turning point in the game. If I didn't take that shot out, Adrian could have gone 3-1up and it would have been an uphill struggle."
Terry Jenkins was the other winner in the group, beating Denis Ovens 5-1 with an 103 average.
Number two seed Ted Hankey lost his opening match of the Grand Slam in controversial circumstances against Scott Waites.
Waites checkout out 87 on the way to a 4-1 lead, as Hankey appeared to become distracted with the boisterous Wolverhampton crowd.
Hankey pulled two legs back as Waites missed 13 darts for the match, before nailing the double at the 14th attempt to win 5-3.
After the match, Hankey was outraged with his treatment from the crowd.
Hankey said: "I don't mind a bit of banter, but that was ridiculous. There was so much shouting after every throw. It was disgraceful."
In other game of the group, Simon Whitlock hit 2 ton plus finishes to beat Wayne Mardle 5-1.
The Australian opened a 2-0 lead, hitting a 142 checkout to punish missed doubles from Mardle.
Hawaii 501 pulled a leg back, but Whitlock hit 15, 14 and 12 dart legs, securing victory with a 141 checkout.
Steve Beaton and Gary Anderson won the opening games of Group F, with both players registering 5-2 wins.
The resurgent Beaton went into a 3-1 lead against Co Stompe at the break, including a 121 checkout for a 12 dart leg.
Both players continued to hold their throw, before Beaton hit an 18 dart leg for the win.
Anderson, semi finalist in the past two years, shared the opening two legs with Kevin McDine, before hitting a 140 finish to win the third leg.
He soon went 4-1 ahead, and despite McDine pulling one back, he sealed victory with a 16 dart leg to average 100.05.