PDC World Darts Championship day two: Phil Taylor starts with unconvincing win
A review of the action on the second night of the PDC World Darts Championship as Phil Taylor avoided a first-round slip-up.
Power lacking as Taylor scrapes through
Phil Taylor made an unconvincing start to his final PDC World Darts Championship appearance as he beat Chris Dobey 3-1.
The 16-time champion, who will retire after this final attempt to make it 17, looked to be cruising into round two despite playing several levels below his best for much of this encounter.
But a spirited fightback from Dobey, touted as a potential future star but arriving here in search of form, briefly threatened to force a final set before Taylor, 14/1 for the title with Sky Bet, did just enough.
Dobey missed two darts for the fourth set, both at double 16, and while he needed all three Taylor was ultimately able to hit the same target to force a deciding leg in which he was to throw first.
At last, Taylor was able to produce high-quality darts, eventually taking out 44 back on double 16 after a single 12, with Dobey waiting on 36 should he have failed to.
Taylor averaged 96.33 and hit 11 of his 25 attempts at double as he avoided what would have been his first opening-round exit at World Championship level.
He was fortunate here that Dobey, who won the first leg of the match in 21 darts in an indication of what was to come, was also far from his best.
The likes of Gary Anderson, James Wade and even Justin Pipe, the latter seeded to be Taylor's second-round opponent, might all sense an opportunity to be the final man to beat the greatest player in the history of the sport on this performance.
Taylor, however, will know that this was ultimately a case of job done as he feels his way into the event. Whether that's enough to worry Michael van Gerwen is another matter.
Van den Bergh ousts Bunting
Dimitri Van den Bergh showed just why he's considered a world champion of the future with a sensational performance to beat Stephen Bunting 3-1.
The Belgian won the World Youth Championship last month and warned afterwards that whoever awaited in London would "need to be ready".
And so it proved, as the youngster laid down an immediate marker with an opening throw of 177 as he raced into a 2-0 lead, before showing tenacity beyond his status to hold off a fightback from his opponent.
Bunting, a former BDO champion whose form has returned in recent weeks, was beaten, despite hitting the first 170 checkout of the tournament, landing eight of 15 doubles and averaging just shy of 99, by an opponent who could go a long way on this evidence.
There was a moment of concern for fans of Van den Bergh as Bunting took the third set before a 144 checkout saw him add the first leg of the fourth as the momentum swung following the interval.
However, at 2-2 and throwing to stay in the match, Bunting opened the door with a series of loose darts and Van den Bergh needed no invitation, opening with his fourth 180 of the match and adding another before finally hitting double three for victory.
In winning, the 23-year-old averaged 104.17 as he reached the second round for the second time in his career, having beaten Ian White at this stage in the 2016 edition.
Next for Van den Bergh will be a clash with either Jelle Klaasen or Jan Dekker.
Cross eases through
Rob Cross eased into the second round of the PDC World Championship with a straight-sets victory over Seigo Asada.
Cross, tipped up for the title by our Chris Hammer at 16/1 and now into 14/1 with Sky Bet, hit his straps at the Ally Pally early, averaging over 104 in his opening match as he piled in six 180s and 13 140s.
He was at least made to fight by the Japanese though. Asada led the second set 2-1 and was 2-0 up in the third before succumbing to a form player who goes through to meet either Michael Smith or Steve Lennon
Asada had earlier used his experience advantage to use to beat Gordon Mathers in their preliminary match.
Friday's results
- Seigo Asada 2-1 Gordon Mathers (P)
- Stephen Bunting 1-3 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Phil Taylor 3-1 Chris Dobey
- Rob Cross 3-0 Seigo Asada