Day 1 Players Championship

Posted: 30.11.13 in Tournament Analysis Blog category

John Part and Andy Hamilton steal the limelight, for the wrong reasons!

It is generally accepted that John Part is great in the commentary box. We all have our favourites and we all have ones we loathe! But, overall they all do a great job.  John Rawling joined the ITV4 team last night and I liked him.  He needs to be given more of an airing when the darts are on.

Back to Part though. He demonstrates via his commentary that you do need strategy and tactics to succeed in darts. The amount of knowledge, stage craft and wisdom that he has built up over the years comes tumbling out when he discusses what is happening on the stage whilst safely ensconced alongside Stuart Pyke or one of the other Sky commentators. He is a darting sage!

However, the Darth Maple was more like the Daft Maple last night, losing a 5:1 lead to be edged out 6:5 by Andy Hamilton and JP missed 18 darts at the double. In mitigation John was trialling a set of spectacles on stage for the first time. We all remember the nightmare The Power had when he tried out glasses for the first time.

John Part has proved he has great vision in the commentary box, he needs to get this aspect right when he is playing too!

Testing

Talking of The Hammer, he played last night with a bruise on his right arm described by my friend Krispy as “the size of Cyprus”! That is a big bruise. Hamilton had needed a blood test a few days ago and his right arm was selected as the one to be utilised for the test!

Apparently it is all to do with being able to find a suitable vein. You can nominate which arm you would like the blood to be taken from (presumably The Hammer volunteered his left) but if the nominated arm doesn’t have a suitable vein then the other one is used!

This did seem to affect Hamilton and with his partner in crime John Part produced a truly shocking game until the final leg. The Hammer took out a magnificent 158 to seal the win. He will have to produce a better vein of form to overcome Brendan Dolan in the next round!

Afternoon Session (12.45pm)
Brendan Dolan v Andy Hamilton
Terry Jenkins v Ian White
Jamie Caven v Justin Pipe
Steve Beaton v Wes Newton

Evening Session (7pm)
Jelle Klaasen v Gary Anderson
Robert Thornton v Raymond van Barneveld
Peter Wright v Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen v Adrian Lewis

Tips

A couple of thoughts on this afternoon’s games.

Back to Hamilton again. Aside from his 158 finish he did struggle. His opponent on the other hand Brendan Dolan is full of confidence. Dolan at 13/8, simply on the evidence presented to us yesterday is worth speculating on!

Two “quiet” men when 180’s are discussed who frequently fly under the radar are Ian White and The Bull. Both are more than capable and the 9/10 from Boyles on the pair hitting 8 or more in this first to 9 encounter is also worth a go!

Image courtesy of Ambro/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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