Only Darts...

Really alert I was not when my buzzer went off next morning. But I managed to reach the breakfast room and had my full English breakfast before I passed some more time at my computer. It was a pity - it was sunny outside and a walk would have been nice.



A short while after noon I got over my usual traffic lights obstacle course and settled myself again in the press room. The venue was not as full as the day before and the balcony stayed empty the whole day. But the atmosphere was great nevertheless.
On Sunday all groups played their second group matches - Groups E - H again in the afternoon and Groups A - D in the evening. The Groups losers would play one another and the Groups winners would meet as well - so there would be new winners and losers at the end of the day.
The new winners of the afternoon were Mervyn King, Andy Hamilton, Wes Newton and Ted Hankey who played quite impressive - so no real upsets there. Justin Pipe, Mark Webster, Michael Smith and Tony O'Shea - despite a great match against Raymond van Barneveld - were the new losers.

The only player who was qualified for the next round after the afternoon was BDO World Champion Scott Waites. Ross Smith, Mark Walsh and Dave Chisnall were definitely out of the tournament. Thornton, Whitlock and reigning champion van Barneveld had a good chance to progress but were not safe yet. They had to win their third matches to make sure.


In the break I was quite surprised it was already dark outside - the time had passed really quickly.


When the evening session started Bobby George appeared - well, not really but when I passed through the players bar before the practice room - which is more like a rather draughty hallway there he was talking to a to me unknown elderly man. It was not a surprise as his son George would play his second match. But rather astonishing every time I passed by the two still stood there talking. They never seemed to change their stance might be they moved a little bit to the left during the night.


Not really surprising was that Kim Huybrechts and Peter Wright ended as winners. Not by me expected was that Kevin Painter would lose to Steve Kellett nor that former BDO World Champion Christian Kist got a good win against Richie George.
I was most impressed with Ronny Huybrechts who in group C made short shrift with Adrian Lewis and was one of the players who had progressed into the last 16 even before the last Group matches. The other two were Phil Taylor and James Wade who both celebrated their second win. Sure out of the tournament were Wesley Harms and Adrian Lewis.

The next two evenings to be sure would be exciting!













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