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Vegas boost for Fylde darts duo
FLEETWOOD'S Wes Newton and Blackpool-born Ronnie Baxter begin their challenge for darts' Party Poker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic today in fine form.
Baxter won yesterday's Las Vegas Players Championship at the same Mandalay Bay hotel casino venue, beating world champion Phil Taylor 6-2 in the final, while the bitter pill of Newton's 6-3 defeat by Colin Osborne was sweetened by the Fylde thrower's nine-dart leg in that fourth-round match.
It means that Newton's place in the Stan James World Matchplay in Blackpool later this month now looks safe, though the line-up will only be finalised after the Desert Classic.
Both Newton and Baxter feature in today's first session of the Sky-televised event, starting at 7pm UK time. Newton has a tough draw against St Helens' eighth-ranked Alan Tabern, while Baxter faces Dutchman Jelle Klaasen.
Baxter picked up his first tournament win of 2009 last night, having been pushed all the way to a deciding leg by Japan's Morihiro Hashimoto in the first round.
Baxter opened the final with a 121 finish and also led 2-0 before Taylor took out 104 to get off the mark.
Double eight and double 16 put Baxter 4-1 up before a 13-darter saw him move a leg away from victory.
Taylor fired in a 128 checkout for a 12-darter to stay in the game, but a 180 from Baxter sent him clear in the next, and he could afford to miss seven match darts before landing double one for the title.
After his first-round scare against Hashimoto, Baxter defeated Davis Snider (6-2), Wayne Mardle (6-4), Kevin Painter (6-1), John Part (6-3) and Peter Wright (6-2) to earn his showdown with Taylor.
Newton had wins over Dave Ladley (6-4) and Dieter Schutsch (6-2) before Osborne defeated him only to lose to Part in the next round.
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
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