Darts results: No surprises as Scotland and England among those to advance

On a night where all the seeded nations safely progressed, Wright and Henderson produced a professional performance to overcome debutants Lok Yin Lee and Ho Tung Ching.

Hong Kong’s Lee impressed on his big stage debut, but the 2015 quarter-finalists were unable to maintain their promising start, and a brace of 14-dart legs helped Scotland reel off the final four legs without reply.

“They were very dangerous opponents,” said Henderson. We didn’t know what to expect, but I believe Peter’s experience got us through there.

“I don’t see why we cannot win it again. I’m playing with one of the best players in the world, if not the best!

“We play with pride, we’re representing our country and we are here to win it.”

Wade buoyed by Smith connection

Michael Smith and James Wade impressed at the Eissporthalle, averaging almost 99 to dispatch the capable Czech pairing of Adam Gawlas and Karel Sedlacek.

Smith and Wade, featuring as a partnership for the first time, showed no sign of early nerves by drawing first blood with a 12-darter, courtesy of an 86 kill on the bull by Wade.

The left-hander provided an effective foil for Smith, who fired in three of England’s four 180s, and the Premier League duo reeled off the final three legs in emphatic style.

“I am playing with the best player in the world at the moment. I was buzzing up there,” admitted Wade, making his third World Cup appearance.

“All I have to do is back him up, and when Michael was producing, I was also scoring, so that was reassuring for me.

“I’ve not clicked with a player as much as I’ve clicked with Michael. We have connected and I believe we’re one of the teams to beat.”

Smith and Wade will play Latvia in the last 16, after Madars Razma and Nauris Gleglu posted an impressive 91 average in easing past Hungary.

Former Pro Tour finalist Razma converted a clinical 104 finish in leg two, catapulting the Latvians to a comprehensive 5-1 win in just their second World Cup of Darts appearance.

History evades Aussie pair

Simon Whitlock and Damon Heta came agonisingly close to landing the first pairs nine-darter in World Cup history during their opening round win over Lithuania.

The opening two legs were shared, before the Australian arrowsmiths opened up leg three with back-to-back 180s, only for Whitlock to wire double 18 for a spectacular 141 checkout.

Heta returned to clean up a magnificent 10-darter, and a 117 finish from Whitlock in leg four inspired the fifth seeds to a routine 5-2 success.

"It would mean the world to me to win this," admitted Whitlock, one of four World Cup ever-presents. "If we could finally lift this trophy for Australia it would be amazing.

"I've got a great partner in Damon, he's overtaken me in the rankings and I'm so proud of him. He's brilliant, a great guy and a great dart player.

"It would have been lovely to hit the nine-darter but we can try in our next match."

Jose De Sousa produced a brilliant barrage of power scoring to steer Portugal to a 5-3 win over Italian newcomers Guiseppe Di Rocco and Gabriel Rollo in a hard-fought contest.

De Sousa fired in four maximums and boasted an individual average of over 105, as he and Vítor Jerónimo overcame a late scare to book a meeting with holders Scotland on Saturday night.

Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts maintained Belgium’s impeccable first round record at the World Cup of Darts, breezing past Japan’s Tomoya Goto & Toru Suzuki 5-2 in Friday’s finale.

The fourth seeds were always in control, recovering from a late slump to triumph with a 91 average, as they look ahead to an intriguing second round showdown against Poland.

Austria survive match dart

Earlier in the night, Krzysztof Ratajski and Sebastian Bialecki survived a match dart in a dramatic final leg to edge out American debutants Danny Baggish and Jules van Dongen.

UK Open quarter-finalist Bialecki fired in a perfectly timed 180 in the final leg to leave Ratajski on tops, which Ratajski duly pinned after Baggish had missed the same target for a stunning 160 clincher.

Elsewhere, Swedish stars Daniel Larsson and Johan Engstrom punished a profligate display of doubling from South Africa to secure only their second World Cup win since 2014.

Despite firing in four maximums as a pair, Devon Petersen and Stefan Vermaak squandered 14 darts at double and paid the price, as Larsson sank tops to set up a meeting with Australia for a quarter-final spot.

Friday June 17
Evening Session (7pm local time, 6pm BST)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports
First Round (Best of nine legs - doubles)

• Latvia 5-1 Hungary
• Poland 5-4 USA
• Sweden 5-2 South Africa
• Portugal 5-3 Italy
• Australia 5-2 Lithuania
• England 5-1 Czech Republic
• Scotland 5-1 Hong Kong
• Belgium 5-2 Japan

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