I'm also looking forward to seeing how the likes of Webster and Newton go this time around, done really well to get where they did at Bolton be interesting if they can do it again or whether it was a one off or not. Really if they want to make a big push up the rankings and stay there they need to be consistent now.

Didn't Webster get to semi finals of worlds last year

He's reached the semi final of the World Championship the last two years.

He needs to be more consistent, he reached the WC semi's last year and was then awful in the Premier League, what I was saying was it'll be interesting to see if he can hold it together in back to back TV majors, as it will with Wes Newton.

Matchplay 2011 draw

Last 32
Phil Taylor V Mark Hylton
Wayne Jones V Scott Rand
Wes Newton V Andy Smith
Mervyn King V Justin Pipe
Gary Anderson V Andy Hamilton
Colin Lloyd V John Henderson
Simon Whitlock V Peter Wright
Ronnie Baxter V Denis Ovens
Adrian Lewis V Kevin Painter
Vincent van der Voort V Alan Tabern
Terry Jenkins V Steve Beaton
Mark Webster V John Part
James Wade V Jamie Caven
Mark Walsh V Dave Chisnall
Raymond van Barneveld V Steve Brown
Paul Nicholson V Colin Osborne

Webby v Darth maple is the match for me, love to see John Part make a comeback, dropped down to world number 31 yet you cant help thinking a 3 time world champ is better than that, be interesting...and Barney Brown might be close, you heard it here first

I am a big John Part fan too mate.Still think his mistake is not taking up residency in the U.K. all that flying must be knackering.

Been counting down to this for a while now
Have tickets for the 2 evening Quarter Finals (a week on Friday)

Speculating on who could make them has led to some excellent possible ties that should any of them be the ones we see will make for a great night of darts.

It has killed his career not moving here, I can see why he doesn't want too but Whitlock relocated and, barring his recent lapse, it's worked well for him. The flying in for tournaments days before hasn't really worked. He could've kicked on from his World Championship wins if he had relocated.

Your not wrong even if he had just relocated for the Premier League it would have been a start but alas he did not and he's not the first to lose his form completely in that competition then not recover for the rest of the campaign and see his ranking plummet.

Part competed with the best for years while flying across the Atlantic. His dip in form was due to other factors., i.e. an increase in the quality of the opposition. He has upped his game on the floor recently and been participating in far more tournaments than he used to so fingers crossed he can give a good account of himself at the Matchplay.

other factors in 2010 included getting divorced and being invlolved in a legal matter over his money....free of that now, a new sponser and a decent 2010 off camera, hope he can bring that form to the camera,,,dont really bbuy the increased ability of opposition...he's never been worse than Painer, Ovens, Baxter, Beaton, Tabern, Dudbridge etc, yet fell like a stone in the rankings, am told on good authority he didn't practice much in 2010...but now has the hunger back

Exactly mate. I think it would've made a huge difference had he even relocated just for the Premier League, I can't believe he was travelling that distance every week, it had to have had a major impact on his game.





I'm not saying other factors didn't contribute to his falling in the rankings but the travelling for every tournament has to be a major one. Had he relocated over here I believe he'd definately have been more consistent and had more majors. Travelling for the Premier League was just stupid, there's noway he was ever going to perfom consistently travelling like he did. I think, and always have, that Part's one of the most naturally gifted players there's ever been so the increase in competition he should've upped his game then, I'm not convinced just because the competition improved Part fell away, as Dons says he's better than most anyway. I'm with you two though I really hope he's got it together again and starts to perform - cracking player and is a great personality. About time he was back on the tele.

Part is never one of the most naturally gifted players I have seen. His throw is horrible and he frequently pulls the dart closer to the bullseye than the T20.

And as you know, I am one of Part's biggest supporters...

I do and it'd be nice to see him back at the top of his game and for us to be discussing him more often. That's true, his throw is horrible but in terms of his ability he's a class player. Another factor in his downfall, his throw?

66/1 for the Matchplay.

Looking forward to the Matchplay tonight. Part on last against Webster, should be a cracker.

First class bottle job as usual by the Artist

See his post match interview? He was fuming, only himself to blame for the loss though, so many chances and he bottled everyone.



Missed John Part's 9 darter though, turned over for the boxing

With Colin Osborne going out gallantly last night to Paul Nicholson, looks like all I have left to cheer on is the Rocket tomorrow night.

Was in a pub in Blackpool after the Northern Rail Final on Sunday and 2 blokes and a woman were playing darts, thought one of them looked quite handy as he was peppering the treble 20 but did not pay much attention then realised it was Ronnie

Im told by a friend who knows a few players on the circuit that Baxter is a miserable ****.

You should have put Queen on the jukebox in the pub to see what he did !

To be honest was more bothered about watching the darts on Sky and willing Caven to win a leg.

Went last night and was very impressed by Hylton, Pipe and to a lesser extent Rand and the likes of Baxter, Jenkins, Caven, Osbourne, King etc will have to buck their ideas up if they want to avoid a Mardle/Manley type slide down the rankings.

Thought Hylton played well last night, at 9-5 I thought it was well in the bag for Taylor. Pipe played well too but King's been below par for a while now, he really needs to step his game up, I realise his Dad's death took a lot out of him but he did say a few months back he was getting his game back together and people best watch out.

Talking of Mardle, I'm glad to see him back on Sky regular as a guest. He's very knowledgable and experienced in the modern game rather than Bristow chuntering on about the 80's years all the time and Taylor.

Hoping Whitlock can get off to a good start tonight too.

Not watched it back off Sky yet but I do like Mardle as a commentator and his entusiasm is there in spades, hopefully he can get his act together in the way Beaton for example did but once you fall away it is very hard to get back as I think a number of "big" names are on their way to finding out.

He talks a lot of sense and with the money, competitions and lifestyle difference in darts now to early 90's it's nice to have someone on the team who has been involved in the modern era as a player. I'd rather he was playing too, Denis Ovens has done it recently too, playing really now probably the best he ever has. You're right he's so enthusiastic about the sport and his excitement is genuine.

Oh well, The Rocket is out too.

Thats my interest in the tournament for another year !!

Andy Hamilton - Outstanding. The bull was his friend tonight.