Friday 14 November 2014 12:14, UK
Ian White sprung a surprise at the World Matchplay in Blackpool as he easily beat Robert Thornton to advance to the second round.
Potteries thrower White claimed a comprehensive 10-3 victory over his Scottish rival with Thornton paying a heavy price for his inability to hit doubles throughout.
Thornton failed to find the target with any of his first 11 darts at double and quickly found himself 4-0 behind as a consequence.
He finally stopped the rot to take the next two, but White broke again to move 6-2 ahead after producing five perfect darts to start leg eight.
The highlight of his win came in the next, though, the Englishman conjuring an exhibition finish to take out 125, hitting bull, outer ring and then bull again - a feat that even had his opponent applauding.
With Thornton continuing to prove profligate at the business end of legs, White closed out the contest with finishes of 64 and then 81 - again using the bull - and will now face either Andy Hamilton in the next round.
Hamilton was an emphatic 10-1 winner against veteran Ronnie Baxter. Indeed, 'The Hammer' looked on course for a whitewash victory as he stormed into a 8-0 lead.
Baxter did at least avoid that indignity as he took out 76 to win the ninth leg, but it merely delayed the inevitable as Hamilton took the next two, the last with a fine 111 checkout, to complete a facile triumph.
Two-time world champion Adrian Lewis was a long way from his scintillating best, but still did enough to record a 10-5 win over Belgium's Ronny Huybrechts.
Lewis seemed to be rather dragged down by his opponent who struggled for fluency and both men could find no real scoring consistency.
But Lewis showed flashes of class when he needed to and, when Huybrechts missed a dart to close to 4-3, he checked out 127 to pull clear.
Huybrechts did have further chances to put his rival under pressure, but a 90 finish (bull followed by double-top) saw Lewis ease into a 7-3 lead and from there he cantered to a regulation win.
Jamie Caven produced an inspired comeback to clinch a thrilling 10-8 success over local favourite Wes Newton.
Newton - hailing from just down the road in Fleetwood - looked to be in control of proceedings as he pulled away in the middle part of the contest to open a 7-4 lead and had darts to extend the advantage.
But Caven came storming back and, having levelled at 8-8, then broke his opponent with a 14-darter that commenced with five straight treble-20s to move within one of victory.
He completed a fine win with a composed 13-darter to secure a second round clash with Dave Chisnall.
