Van Gerwen's a flying Dutchman in Blackpool

Michael van Gerwen aced into the BetVictor World Matchplay quarter-finals with an 11-3 win over Kyle Anderson at Blackpool's Winter Gardens last night.
Michael van GerwenMichael van Gerwen
Michael van Gerwen

Reigning champion van Gerwen had whitewashed Jamie Caven 10-0 in the first round on Saturday and was in equally ruthless mood against Australia’s Anderson, who found himself 5-0 down as the Dutchman made an explosive start.

A 160 checkout saw Anderson get off the mark and he also took out a 13-darter to pull back to 7-2, with van Gerwen finishing double 19 and 100 to edge away once more before completing a heavy win.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Van Gerwen meets Dave Chisnall in the quarter-finals tomorrow, after the St Helens ace won through to the last eight for a fourth successive year with an 11-2 romp against Scotland’s Robert Thornton.

Thornton had won his first-ever game at the World Matchplay in his seventh appearance when he defeated Josh Payne on Saturday, but never recovered from seeing Chisnall open up a 7-1 lead, including a 132 bull finish.

2013 finalist Adrian Lewis claimed revenge over Gerwyn Price for last year’s second round defeat by the Welshman as he took an 11-5 win.

After the pair bandied words on social media ahead of the game, it was Lewis who landed the early blow by taking a 3-0 lead.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Price hit back to trail 3-2, but Lewis won four of the next five legs to move into a 7-3 lead before sealing victory.

Lewis now faces number five seed Peter Wright, the Scot having beaten Ian White 11-6 with a dominant display.

Wright opened the game with a 116 finish, broke throw in leg two and landed a 174 in the third before White reduced the gap to 4-2.

Wright had an 11-darter in a run of three successive legs and he led 10-3. White won the next three to delay victory for last year’s semi-finalist.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It wasn’t my best game and I was battling myself,” said Wright. “The heat on stage felt hotter than when we played outside in Dubai.”

The second round concludes tonight with four ties: Mervyn King v Brendan Dolan, Michael Smith v Steve Beaton, Phil Taylor v Mensur Suljovic and Gary Anderson v Terry Jenkins.