Friday, July 23, 2010
Column HR14
£40,000 at 1/40 on Lloyd to beat Painter!
The media reported that a punter bet £30,000 pounds on Kevin Painter in his match against Colin Lloyd. Toeing the Oche asked “what was he thinking when Painter was 8-2 down in the race to 13?” The light of day, actually an email, now reveals that someone bet £40,000 at 1/40 on Lloyd to win. What was he doing when Lloyd was up 8-2?
First thing he might have done is yell at “the significant other” for another lager. “And while you’re about it take out the garbage, feed the dog, mow the lawn and bring me my pipe. Be quick about it or I’ll turn you in for three 20’s.” Then Lloyd lost and the punter is not only cleaning house, mowing the lawn, feeding the dog and taking out the garbage but he’s quit smoking and drinking along with taking his love and her mother out for tea and shopping and dinner, followed by a revival of the movie “Green Friend Tomatoes.”
By far the best match of the tournament was Kevin Painter against Mark Walsh. Forget high averages, it’s all about drama. This one had enough for 10 seasons of Dynasty. Painter stared slow against Colin Lloyd then got a break, but with Mark Walsh that probably wouldn’t happen. Walsh got the jump 4-1 which should have been 5-0 except for 4 missed darts in the third leg. Painter took the second set of 5 when he took 4 legs using just 5 out shots before Walsh got the ship back on course to level at 5. Walsh just doesn’t seem to be able, like women tennis players, to hold serve. After stealing one for 8-6 down, Walsh finally held going into the third break trailing only 8-7. Painter moved to just 2 from the big “W” at 11-9. The ODC had been quiet mostly but finally yelled at the TV. Why?! One of the announcer’s opined when Painter wanted 50, “he’d like the bull but more often than not he hits the 25. I wonder why?” “It’s bigger you moron.”
Painter got it to 12-10 when Walsh finished at 81 to move within a leg at 12-11. The next leg had more drama than a young girl’s first kiss. Great anticipation, then nothing, and then, held breath with fingers crossed… Painter missed 8 darts at a double for the match which gave Walsh the tie at 12. Walsh missed a couple in the next leg to go up 13-12 then bowed out 14-12. Great match.
To quote Gertrude Stein, “there was no there… there.” Old Gertie was taking about Oakland California. Nasty old witch her. The same could have been written when Ronnie Baxter met Wayne Jones. As they say “if the shoe fits… wear it.” The ODC had picked Baxter. “Silly Old Coot.” The Convention Wisdom, which is usually neither, was that Baxter would outscore Jones but struggle on doubles. Baxter had a terrible time with doubles but surprisingly was also out scored by Jones (90.29 to 89.52) losing 13-9. The scoring average doesn’t reflect that Jones had 42 trips to the oche with a score of 100+ while Baxter had only 22. Jones led 3-0, never trailed, and was only level at 7. Baxter takes the short trip home – he lives in Blackpool – with £7,500 while Jones takes the next step, assured of £15,000.
In the first round Co Stompe built a lead, saw it fade, then came back for the win. Same scenario in round 2 just a different day. In the words of Sid Waddell, “he’s in his boat on the canal of Holland with his honker going saying let me through.” Stompe built up a10-4 lead over former plumber/Lakeside world champion (one may be more impressive than the other) Mark Webster. Then in leg 15 Webster “put a pipe in the dike” according to Waddell, closing the match to 11-8. Stomp held serve winning 13-9. “I would rather run a marathon than play up there” said Stompe.
James Wade over Vincent van der Voort was a workman-like 13-9. After losing the first 5 (2-3) Wade dominated the next two sets 8-2. Wade was able to subtly slow down van der Voort just a tick but that may have been “just” enough. Legs 16 and 17 also went Wades way as he led 11-6. The next three went to the fast throwing Dutchman with him getting to 13-8 with a nifty 121 finish. In the end it was Wade’s finishing that held the day as he was outscored 94.98 to 92.34. The best close of the day for Wade came in the 16th leg. There are times when a player makes a shot that seems impossible. Leading 10-5, Wade needed double 2 to offset a van der Voort 180 and some missed doubles. Wade wanted double 2 but blocked it with his first two darts on the wire with shaft and flights covering the “red zone.” Some how he got the third dart up and over for the leg. Heck of a shot.
If round one was kind to the Orange Shirts the second wasn’t. Baxter in his “bright orange” went out, followed by Alan Tabern. Tabern could attribute his loss to the orange shirt but with few buying in. More realistically his draw of Raymond van Barneveld is what “got ‘er done.” Anyone at this stage who bets on anything but a Barney-Taylor final needs to seek a psychologist. Tabern held his own trailing 3-2 going into the first break. From then all it was the smooth throwing Barney who held the day. He would win 13-5 averaging 103.85, the highest of the first night. Tabern played well as his average of 96.47 was the second highest of the evening. Barneveld next will play fellow countryman Co Stompe who he should devour.
Gary Anderson and Jelle Klaasen are both known to throw lots of score but sometimes get the “wobbles” at the finish. Funny old game as both had trouble scoring with any consistency. All-time their meetings broke down evenly at 3-3. The one mystery was how a guy from Holland, Klaasen, could be called The Matador. A blogger wrote, “where & why did he come out with the Spanish bull fighter cr** and the rose? That’s not very Dutch.” The Old Dart Coach jumps in “Now I have seen guys walk around Amsterdam with a cape but then that’s a different story.”
Klaasen mucked about during the 9th leg allowing Anderson to win but then won the 10th for a 6-4 lead. Anderson appeared to injure his right shoulder during the 9th leg. The injury would follow him until Klaasen finally hit a double in the 26th leg for the 14-12 win. As is so often the case this was one of those “could of” games. Anderson had 6 darts to go up 12-10 and 7 to level at 13. He missed 40 missed darts in all at a double.
With a Phil Taylor match, against anyone, it’s always difficult to come up with “new and improved” superlatives. There is though always one point in a match when Taylor’s opponent has a change to break into the power supply. For Steve Beaton that came in the third leg when he missed four doubles to go up 3-0. From that point Beaton was along for the ride. He did contribute a 136 finish but that only got him to 3-8 down in leg 11. Taylor can straight back with a pair of T80’s – he would collect 9 for the match – but then miscounted throwing at the wrong double. No worry as he converted for 9-4. The final, preordained, was 13-4. While the win was workmen-like Taylor still averaged 105-plus with a checkout rate of almost 60%. Not too Chablis.
Closing the show after more than 5 hours is no easy task. Simon Whitlock and Steve Brown had that appointment. Simon “The Thunder from Down Under” was the “wise guy’s pick” to meet and maybe beat Taylor but off his 13-10 win it came to mind that most wise guys are broke. This match was a rather dull affair until the 21st with the score 11-9 for Whitlock. Brown wanted 76 with Whitlock back in the mid-200s. Brown tried the double 18-double-top but missed the first double. Brown won the leg for 10-11 down. Simon paid him back for this “show boating” – spanked him and sent him back home to Bristol 13-10.
The question for Whitlock is can he overcome the sickness that has made him sub par. He’s been ill so he’s “dodgy” next against Jelle Klaasen.
