Michael van Gerwen loses to Simon Whitlock in New South Wales Darts Masters

On the opening night of the £60,000 tournament, home favorite Whitlock stole the show, edging out van Gerwen to become the lone Oceanic representative to triumph in Wollongong.

Australia’s World Cup hero Whitlock, who beat James Wade in Townsville last week, picked up another big scalp on home soil to celebrate his fifth straight win over van Gerwen.

The pair traded six straight throw breaks in a remarkable run of play, with Whitlock surviving a match dart in the penultimate leg when he converted a nerve-wracking 88 finish to equalize five a player.

The 53-year-old, who was roared at by a sold-out crowd at the WIN Entertainment Centre, delivered the goods in the decider, completing a 74 finish with the double eight to defeat last week’s Queensland Darts Masters champion.

“That was super good. Beating Michael five times in a row is sensational,” said Whitlock, who overruled the Dutchman’s 101 average to book a meeting with Joe Cullen in the last eight.

“I said to myself, ‘You’re playing the best again, so you have to perform.’ “I got a bit lucky but I’ll take it. It was a hard-fought win and it was all about faith.”

Smith stuns Heta

Michael Smith produced one of the performances of the night to oust Australian no. 1 Damon Heta in a thrilling shootout in the final game.

Smith fired in six 180s and averaged 106.33 to inflict a second 6-5 loss in a row on Whitlock’s championship partner Heta, who also lost to Gerwyn Price in the deciding leg in Townsville.

Despite Smith beating Heta for long stretches, the first ten legs all shot, but the pressure finally paid off when Smith crashed with a 12-darter in the decider to secure his place in Saturday’s quarters.

Price, a runner-up in Queensland, stormed into the final stages with a whitewash victory over Koha Kokiri on Saturday to set up an intriguing showdown against Fallon Sherrock.

The world number one enjoyed a stunning four-legged time after a slow start, firing three 180s and two 11-legs to triumph with a 104.86 average.

“I got out of the blocks really slowly in the first two legs,” said Price, who finished fourth this weekend. “I need to get out of those blocks a little faster but I’m playing well and my mind is in a good place.”

Sherrock next for the price

The Welshwoman will now take on Sherrock, the women’s World Matchplay Champion after the 27-year-old ousted World Series debutant Mal Cuming to secure her maiden win in Australia.

Sherrock struggled in the early changes but a brilliant 12-darter in the fifth leg sparked a streak of three straight legs and she stayed calm in the decider to prevail with a 16-dart hold.

James Wade also secured his first win at this year’s Roadshow Down Under with an impressive comeback win over Gordon Mathers, a semi-finalist in Queensland last weekend.

The ten-time TV title winner was down 3-2 after a stuttering start, only to reel off four straight legs in 15, 15, 12 and 15 darts and seal his progress with a clinical combination of 116.

Wade will now take on top seed Dimitri Van den Bergh in the quarters after the Belgian overcame a late wobble to defeat Australian qualifier Raymond O’Donnell 6-3 in the evening’s final.

Earlier in the night Jonny Clayton moved past former World Cup quarter-finalist Haupai Puha to avenge his loss to the New Zealander last week.

The reigning World Series of Darts final winner fired consecutive 13-darters midway through the tie and won five legs in a row to earn an emphatic 6-1 victory.

Elsewhere, Cullen defeated Dave Marland for the second straight week to confirm his spot at Finals Day in Wollongong.

Cullen, who averaged 108.65 to whitewash Marland seven days ago, defied a spirited comeback from the Australian veteran to complete a struggling 6-3 win.

New South Wales Darts Masters: schedule and results

Friday 08/19
First round (Best of 11 Legs)
Evening session (1900 local time, 1000 BST)

• Joe Cullen 6-3 Dave Marland
• James Wade 6-3 Gordon Mathers
• Jonny Clayton 6-1 Haupai Puha
• Fallon Sherrock cuming 6-5 times
• Gerwyn Price 6-0 Koha Kokiri
• Michael Smith 6-5 Damon Heta
• Michael van Gerwen 5-6 Simon Whitlock
• Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-3 Raymond O’Donnell

Saturday 20.08
Evening session (1900 local time, 1000 BST)

quarter finals

• Dimitri Van den Bergh vs James Wade
• Gerwyn Price vs Fallon Sherrock
• Simon Whitlock vs Joe Cullen
• Michael Smith versus Jonny Clayton

semifinals

final

• Winner SF 1 vs. Winner SF 2

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