Hankey out to avoid ‘slump of the seeds’
Tuesday 5th January 2010, 2:32PM GMT.
Shropshire’s world champion Ted Hankey continues his bid to retain his BDO darts crown when he faces Dutchman Willy van de Wiel at the Lakeside tonight (7pm, BBC2), writes CHRIS HUDSON.
Two-time champion Hankey, from Aqueduct in Telford, will start as a big favourite to progress against the little known darter from Holland.
The No 5 seed, who cruised past Gary Robson with a 3-0 whitewash in the first round, is a best-priced 4-1 on to book a place in the quarter-finals this evening.
But van de Wiel is sure to offer a serious examination, having eliminated the 2001 world champion John ‘Boy’ Walton in his first round encounter.
Hankey’s clash is the headline match in an evening schedule that also sees last year’s runner-up Tony O’Shea face Stephen Bunting for a place in the last eight.
The other matches this evening see Brian ‘Pecker’ Woods face Norwegian Robert Wagner and Tony West up against Dave Chisnall – who has already taken the scalp of the much-fancied Darryl Fitton in the opening round.
Hankey and O’Shea are two of just five seeds to come through the first round unscathed – with a remarkable 11 of the top 16 already out of the championship.
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