A field of 52 players from across Australia entered the first qualifier for the World Series of Darts in Wollongong (the NSW Darts Masters) but it was a man from just up the road from the venue, in Dave Marland, that took out the position with a 7-4 win over Bailey Marsh in the final.
In the opening quarter final Marland and David Platt drew level after two legs at 1-1. Two tons mid third leg had Marland leave 138 for a hold of throw but 140 and 120 visits had Platt leave 38.
Marland could not convert the 138 in two visits and Platt pounced with a double 19 to take the throw. Three tons to Marland in the next leg left Marland chasing Shanghai whilst visits of 100, 140 and 100 had Platt requiring 60. Marland left tops on his next visit but did not get a shot at it as Platt converted the 60 with last dart in hand to lead 3-1.
Visits of 140 and 100 from Marland on throw in the next leg and he had a second successive leg attempt at 120. This time he got it to draw one leg closer to Platt. A 101 check out from Dave Marland in the next leg moved the match back into parity at 3-3. A 140 from Platt in the next leg left him requiring 156 as Marland moved from 196 to 16 with a maximum visit. Platt was unable to put the big check out away and with the next dart Marland was 4-3 up on throw.
Platt then threw for 114 but left 36 in the eighth leg. Marland was unable to check out the big 140 target this time but as his opponent busted he had a shot at the 80 he had left and converted with last dart at hand to lead 5-3 and set up an attempt to throw for the match. Both players opened with tons with Marland throwing 140 as Platt got another 100. Visits of 100 and 99 left Marland needing to secure 62 for the win, which he did in two darts. The final score finished 6-3 to Marland.
In the second quarter final Blake Hatchett and Koha Kokiri went 1-1 after two legs before Hatchett had visits of 100, 131, and 140 and in two darts got tops to hold throw and lead 2-1.
Kokiri then had a 138 visit to leave 40 and he got it to move the match to 2-2. Visits of 140 and 134 from Hatchett was then countered by 140 and 100 from Kokiri. Both players then missed multiple good opportunities at the leg before Hatchett finally held throw to move 3-2 up. Both players then had multiple treble figure visits before Kokiri threw 99 to leave 38 and got it with his first dart at the next visit to move the match to 3-3. Kokiri then broke the Hatchett throw but could only open with a 41 on his own throw. A 95 on his second visit looked to redress things only for Hatchett to throw 140.
Kokiri held throw to move 5-3 up before a maximum from Hatchett left him requiring 144. A 132 left him needing double six but Kokiri first had a shot at 76 and he threw it with his last dart in hand to take the match 6-3.
The third quarter saw Stuart Coburn hold throw before Sam Ballinger comfortably did the same. Coburn then threw 26 to open his next throw but still managed to hold throw. Ballinger then held throw in 15 darts before Coburn did the same in 12 darts with a 115 check out. Ballinger then beat that check out in the next leg with a 120 check out. In the 7th leg Ballinger broke in 13 darts to take a 4-3 lead. Ballenger then converted a 64 to hold throw and go within a leg of the match at 5-3 but Coburn had the throw in the ninth leg. A 140 from Ballinger was then matched by Coburn before visits of 137 and 100 from each player. Another ton from Ballinger and he was looking at a 124 check out as a 121 visit from Coburn left 58. Both players then missed target numbers on their next visit and with Ballinger missing once again Coburn checked out 30 to move to within a leg of his opponent.
He was then able to take the darts from his opponent after two visits in the next leg but a 140 visit put Ballinger back in the leg. 100 left Coburn needing 161, and with Ballinger not on a check out, he had first attempt at the leg. A 60 left him on 101 as Ballinger moved from 136 to needing tops for the match. Coburn left 8 on his next visit but Ballinger could not put the darts in the double 20 bed. Coburn threw the 8 for the leg and then opened the deciding leg with a ton visit. Both players required 241 after three visits each in the leg before both threw 140’s to leave 101. Coburn had first shot at that target and threw 49 whilst Ballinger got 61. Coburn threw 52 in two darts to take out the match 6-5.
In the last quarter final Bailey Marsh held throw at the first attempt and then broke his opponent in 15 darts. Marsh then had an attempt at 140 in leg three and collected 132 but got the remaining eight on his next visit to lead 3-0. He then broke Eagers in 15 darts before finally giving his opponent half an opportunity in the fifth leg but Eagers was unable to collect a 140 check out and Marsh pounced to go 5-0 up. Marsh then broke again in the sixth leg for a comprehensive 6-0 victory.
In the semi finals Koha Kokiri opened with 60 on throw in the opening of his semi-final as Bailey Marsh opened with a maximum. A visit of 99 on his third trip to the oche and Marsh left 140 as a maximum moved Kokiri to 96. Both players ended up requiring tops and it was Marsh who got the break with last dart in hand to take an early break. Marsh then opened with a 96 as Kokiri trumped it with a maximum. Marsh then matched it before Kokiri threw 100 and Marsh 125 to leave 100.
A 121 left Kokiri requiring 100 as well and with Marsh leaving 40 Kokiri had a shot at the leg but left 20. Marsh then secured the score on his next visit to lead 2-0. In the third leg Marsh threw 140 and two visits later a ton and left himself needing 116 which he checked out in three darts to lead 3-0. In the fourth leg Kokiri opened with two tons and a 136 but missed a chance to take out 70 as Marsh pounced on his next visit to hold his throw once more and lead 4-0.
Marsh then opened with another maximum as Kokiri threw tons around that visit. A 134 visit left Marsh requiring 128 and although he missed the bull on his next visit he took out 25 in two darts. Facing a whitewash Kokiri threw 140 and 180 to leave 181 against the Marsh throw.
Marsh was not out of it even then as a 140 visit left him needing 167. Kokiri could only secure 41 to leave 140 as Marsh threw 97 to leave 70. With Kokiri requiring 80 Marsh left 16 and Kokiri pounced to win his first leg. Kokiri then opened with 140 and 100 on his own throw and Kokiri had soon picked up his second leg.
Marsh then opened with 43 and Kokiri threw 121 to take the impetus for the third leg in a row. A 140 from Marsh third visit up left him needing 222 and another 100 had him on the first finish of the leg. Whilst the 122 did not go away on first attempt Marsh was far enough ahead to have another go and he put it away with last dart in hand to win 6-2.
The second semi final was fought out between Dave Marland and Stuart Coburn. Coburn held throw in 12 darts before Marland did the same in 14 darts. Visits of 140, 100 and 100 and a
101 check out saw Marland take the first break of the match. Coburn then broke straight back in 13 darts before Marland had visits of 100, 140 and 140 to help secure the fifth leg in 14 darts. Coburn then failed to break the Marland throw in the sixth leg before Marland threw 100, 180 and 140 and then secured 81 in two darts to secure the seventh leg in 11 darts. Marland was only one leg away from the final and despite opening with 45 he still managed to secure it in 14 darts after visits of 140, 140 and 100 and a check out of 76.
The final was a best of 13 affair and saw Marsh hold throw before visits of 100, 180 and 140 left Marland requiring 81 in the second leg which he collected with his 12th dart. Against the throw Marland threw 140 in the second leg before hitting 180 to leave 181 after six darts.
Another 140 from Marland on his third visit and on his next visit took the leg, and the break, with last dart in hand. On throw he could only secure 40 and Marsh pounced with a 140. Visits of 100, 97 and 99 got Marland back into the leg but Marsh had a shot at 103 to take the leg back. He was unable to convert and Marland took out 68 with last dart in hand to move to a 3-1 lead.
Marsh then opened with 120 and a 96 later in the leg left him requiring 167 for the leg. Marland was out of contention for much of next leg but did enough to stay in it and threw 48 to take a leg out he should not have been in.
Marland then opened poorly in the sixth leg on throw and Marsh moved to a good lead. Marsh had a chance at 156 and although he could only halve the score he was well enough ahead to have a go on his next visit but this time left 20. Marland required 110 but there was no heroics this time around as he failed to take it and Marsh threw a double five with his second dart to take one of the breaks back and move the match to 4-2.
The Western Australian then opened with a 125 and 140, with Marland throwing 140 and then 100. A maximum from Marsh and he required 56 as 100 left Marland needing 161. Both players missed out on the next visit before Marsh collected double 10 to move the match to 4-3. Marland then opened with a maximum on throw and backed it up with a 140 which was matched by his opponent.
Another 140 and Marland required 41 after nine darts for the second time in the match. A 140 from Marsh left him requiring the big fish but Marland hit the double bed with last dart in hand to move back to a two leg lead at 5-3. A 140 from Marsh on his second visit had him take a good lead in the next leg and he followed it up with a maximum to leave 98.
It took him three visits, but Marsh finally took the leg. Marland then opened with 47 on his own throw as Marsh collected a ton and 140. Visits of 100 and 132 left Marland requiring 132 and then a 108 left Marland needing 24. Marsh failed to take out the leg on his next visit and with his second dart on his next time to the oche, Marland moved to a 6-4 lead. Marsh opened with 83 in the eleventh leg which his opponent failed to better.
A follow up of 121 looked good only for Marland to hit 180 and take a small lead in the leg. A follow up 100 and Marland sat at 162 as 140 took Marsh to 116. Marland hit 130 to leave 32 and threw it on his next visit to the oche with his second dart to take the win 7-4 and secure a place on stage in Wollongong.
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