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EDWIN MAX 0 v SIMON WHITLOCK 3
Wizard of Oz Simon Whitlock
conjured up a spellbinding performance to topple 15th
seed Edwin Max of
Holland 3-0
in just 33 minutes.
The
Aussie number one showed glimpses of the form that had taken him to the last
four in 2005 in dashing the title hopes of debutant Max.
For the
large band of travelling fans from the
Netherlands
it has been a disappointing championship with “Mad Max” joining Niels de Ruiter
and top ladies seed Francis Hoenselaar from
Rotterdam
on the sidelines.
Whitlock said after the game: ”I
played alright, I’m just glad to get the first one out of the way. He put me
under a bit of pressure in the opening set and had me 2-0 down but I felt fairly
comfortable.
“The
first game is never easy and it is always nice to get it out of the way.Now I
can settle,” said the Aussie.
Former port worker Max sailed into
the match taking the opening leg against the throw with a superlative 149
finished on double 16 to shake the builder from Down Under.
He added the next but then the
Wizard of Oz blazed back with a 180 and 82 checkout, taking the fourth against
the throw and then hitting his second maximum as he claimed the first set.
Whitlock
who resembles Catweazle with his straggly beard and long pony tail twice trailed
in the next but displayed tenacious fighting qualities to level – including
notching his third maximum.
Despite
throwing second in the deciding leg the 14/1 unseeded Whitlock – a semi finalist
in 2005 – edged into a 2-0 match lead after hitting double tops with his second
dart.
The cool Aussie kept up the
pressure in the third set twice taking the lead, including a show-stopping 106
checkout, finished on double 16.
Battling Max hit double 18 to level
but “The Wizard” conjured up his fifth 180 as he won the race to the double,
easily finishing the match-winning 60 on double tops.
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