Cazoo World Darts Championship R32 day 3
The third day of the PDC Cazoo World Darts Championship R32 was another very interesting one! It was the first R32 day where we haven’t lost a former World Champion. Read here all you need to know about R32 day 3 on the Cazoo World Darts Championship.
Van Duijvenbode versus R. Smith
Before we knew it, both players had taken two sets. In the fifth set the tension increased and that was noticeable towards the end. At 2-2 in legs, Van Duijvenbode – who first threw a single 9 instead of 12 – missed no less than four chances to win the set. Smith escaped and took the lead: 2-3 in sets. It also went up and down in the sixth set. First, Aubergenius missed two chances to balance the game completely, then Smith got one chance to finish the job via double bull. That did not work, as Van Duijvenbode also escaped in the previous round when Sedlacek did the same. So it came down to a deciding set. Smith started strong (0-1), Van Duijvenbode then threw 85 under pressure (1-1). In the next leg, Smith hit an unbridgeable gap with two 180s (1-2). Moments later it seemed over for the Dutchman, when Smith got another three match darts. But the doubles remained troubles and again Aubergenius escaped: 3-3 in sets.
It finally came down to a decisive leg in the seventh set, at 5-5 in legs. Again Smith was allowed to moor for the win, again it went wrong, for the fifth time. And then there was still 71 on the board for Van Duijvenbode, who still had 40 points left after two arrows. One shot at double 20 before the match… And it hit the mark. The hall exploded, Van Duijvenbode too. He can now prepare for a clash against Michael van Gerwen.
Cross versus King
Rob Cross took on the experienced Mervyn King. Cross fired off the starting blocks and won nine of the first ten legs. As a result, within a curse and a sigh there was a 3-0 score on the board. After that, King got into the game a little better. With a high finish he managed to break and eventually King won that set 3-1. After that, however, the resistance was over. Cross won the last set 4-1 and thus qualified for the fourth round without any problems.
Bunting versus Chisnall
In the last afternoon game, Stephen Bunting was the better player compared to Dave Chisnall. The level was very high and in the end it was Bunting who made the decisive break in the sixth set. All legs in this set went against the darts, allowing Bunting to put the 4-2 final score on the board.
Humphries versus Van der Voort
At 2-0 in sets for Humphries, the Englishman got two darts to make it 3-0. That would probably have been the final blow for Van der Voort, but his opponent failed to throw the necessary double. The Dutch Destroyer, who up to that point had not lived up to his nickname in the party, took courage and returned fully to the fray; it became 2-2 in sets, with Van der Voort showing the necessary progression in both his three-arrow average and his doubles. Van der Voort then even got three arrows to take the fifth set, but this time he was unable to deliver under that pressure. Humphries escaped and Cool Hand Luke made it 3-2. The Englishman was allowed to start the sixth set himself, took a 2-1 lead in legs, but again the Dutchman showed resilience. On the verge of elimination, he switched up a notch and so it became 3-3 in sets. In the decisive seventh set, Van der Voort started badly and that cost him the head. He can go home with his head held high, but also with the knowledge that there could have been more to Humphries.