It was a fantastic match but Painter paid the ultimate price for missed doubles. Both averaged nearly 87 throughout and there were 11 180s…..seven for Osborne and four to the Unicorn star.
In the end the first set proved absolutely crucial. Painter won the first leg with a stunning 155 check-out, then went two legs up…..but Osborne fought back to take into a decider, which turned into a real nail-biter. Painter missed six darts to take it. He looked crestfallen as Osborne stepped in.
The Wizard started to cast his spell and took the 2nd set but we witnessed more darting drama. Painter dug deep to win the next but missed doubles again came back to haunt him in the 4th set. At one leg apiece, Painter missed three darts to break the throw. Both players then traded 180s, before Osborne nailed double five to send the No.11 seed home.
It was only three years ago that Painter went so close to the ultimate prize in darts, when he lost 7-6 to Phil Taylor in that epic World Championship Final. He will now be forced to watch the rest of the tournament and reflect on what might have been.
He is still a class act but this will hurt Painter. He was desperate for a good run at the Circus Tavern and said that his preparation had been perfect. It’s a case of back to the drawing board now but Kevin Painter is a fighter and he will be back, giving it his all in 2007.
Osborne will now be gunning for another Unicorn star in the 2nd Round, because he will face Wes Newton on next Wednesday.
Newton had it easy against Japanese Champion Tetsuya Wada. He was never tested, winning nine consecutive legs to take the match.
He won the first set in style with a 121 finish on the bull and swept to victory inside half-an-hour.
Afterwards, Newton admitted it was a strange experience. “I just found it really hard to raise my game. I needed to be pushed because from the first set I knew I was going to win.”
The 2nd Round gets under way on Friday with some mouth-watering matches. Top of the bill is that blockbuster between Unicorn’s World No.1 Colin Lloyd and Raymond Van Barneveld. Lloyd has never beaten the Dutch ace…..what a time it would be to finally topple Barney. This match has been built-up for the last three weeks, since the draw was made….let’s hope it lives up to all the hype.
Before that, John Part takes on Chris Mason in a repeat of last year’s epic 2nd Round clash, when the Canadian won 4-3. There is that all-Unicorn clash between Peter Manley and South African Wynand Havenga and in the afternoon session, Adrian Lewis will be a big favourite to progress when he faces Wayne Jones.
Thursday’s 1st Round results (best of five sets):
Dave Askew 3-2 Martin Burchell
Friday’s order of play – 2nd Round (best of seven sets):
Rico Vonck v Brian Cyr
BY STUART PYKE
Photo : Lawrence Lustig/PDC
