EThere were 130 points she still had on the scoreboard. The score in the decisive fifth set was 1: 1. The decision was imminent. Lisa Ashton threw her first arrow in the triple-20, as did the second. There were ten points left, but the third dart ended up in double 12 instead of double 5. Ashton had fallen out. It would have been the break with which she could have won the match at the subsequent throw-off.
It was more possible for the Englishwoman in her first round match at the Darts World Championship against Adam Hunt. But in the end there was only the subjunctive and a 2: 3 next to an average of 91.3. “I’m very relieved,” said Hunt after the best match in the World Cup so far: “Lisa was brilliant and demanded my best game from me.”
Fair loser: Lisa Ashton congratulates Adam Hunt on a narrow victory
Quelle: Getty Images/Luke Walker
For the third time, the Professional Darts Corporation held two of the 96 starting places at the Darts World Cup for women. After no player reached the second round at the 2019 World Cup, Fallon Sherrock stormed into the third round last year and caused a sensation worldwide as the “Queen of the Palace”.
Lisa Ashton prepared on Wednesday evening that she might be able to follow a similar path. After Hunt missed winning the first set on double-20 when the score was 2-2, the Lancashire Rose checked 70 points over the bullseye to make it 1-0.
The assumption of some critics that women, as in the Sherrock case at the World Cup, could only keep up with their male colleagues with the support of the audience, was impressively refuted by Ashton. After 300 fans had attended the World Cup kick-off the evening before, the games took place on Wednesday without an audience. Due to the current developments in the pandemic in Great Britain, spectators at Alexandra Palace are excluded until at least Christmas.
Ashton has long been beyond any doubt about her skill level. Since the four-time women’s world champion became the first woman to win the tour card in January and has already conquered a number of large calibers, she has been a recognized part of the scene.
Hunt, 30 places ahead of Ashton at 76th in the world rankings, screwed his average to 102.19 after losing the first round and equaled to 1-1 after winning three legs. Ashton kept up with the level and had her chances, like two legdarts to 2-0 in the third set, but then completely lost the thread. Her throwing average dropped from 96 to 88. Hunt, also with problems, used the phase to lead a 2-1 set.
But Ashton countered, made a high finish of 101 and kept all chances until the 2-2. She started the decision leg with her third 180, followed by a 140 and a 100 and scored with eleven darts to equalize the set.
After the missed chance in the fifth round, Ashton missed the double 8 three times to make it 2-2. Hunt then deleted 120 points to victory.
Durrant and Rydz with victories
The 50-year-old will now keep her fingers crossed for her colleague and long-time competitor Deta Hedman, who will try to take the path of Fallon Sherrock on Saturday in her first-round match against Andy Boulton (to be seen live on the DAZN * streaming service).
The first German had already made his appearance in the first match of the evening. Max Hopp easily defeated Gordon Mathers 3-0 and wasn’t bothered by the fact that the board lost a not unimportant part in the second set.
No problems: Max Hopp moved into the second round after a concentrated performance
Quelle: Getty Images/Luke Walker
Then the second Australian lost his start. Callan Rydz moved into the second round with a 3-1. At the end of the third session, Glen Durrant won another match on the professional tour after seven defeats in a row.
The number twelve seeded Englishman, who had trained a lot with Gabriel Clemens in preparation, prevailed in a second round match with X: X against Diogo Portela and ended the Brazilian tale.
The results from Wednesday
1 round
Ryan Joyce (ENG) – Karel Sedlacek (CZE) 3:2
Ross Smith (ENG) – David Evans (ENG) 3:0
William O’Connor (IRL) – Niels Zonneveld (NED) 3: 0
Max Hopp (GER) – Gordon Mathers (AUS) 3: 0
Callan Rydz (ENG) – James Bailey (AUS) 3: 1
Adam Hunt (ENG) – Lisa Ashton (ENG) 3:2
2nd round
Chris Dobey (ENG/22) – Jeff Smith (CAN) 3:2
Glen Durrant (ENG / 12) – Diogo Portela (BRA)
The games on Thursday
from 1 p.m.
1 round
Madars Razma (LAT) – Toru Suzuki (JPN)
Mike De Decker (BEL) – Edward Foulkes (JPN)
Ryan Murray (SCO) – Lourence Ilagan (PHI)
2nd round
Daryl Gurney (11) – William O’Connor (IRL)
from 19 clock
1 round
Luke Woodhouse (ENG) – Jamie Lewis (WAL)
Ron Meulenkamp (NED) – Boris Krcmar (CRO)
Ryan Searle (ENG) – Danny Lauby (USA)
2nd round
Jose de Sousa (POR / 14) – Ross Smith (ENG)
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