Harms sealed a 3-1 win a few minutes ago. Phillips becomes just the latest of a string of high profile Round 1 casualties.
Darryl Fitton (105.6 average over eight sets in the semi-final at Zuiderduin and beaten in a sudden death shootout in the final by Scott Waites)
John âBoyâ Walton (2001 World Champion and beaten in a sudden death shootout by Wolfie last year in probably the finest match ever seen at Lakeside)
Jan Dekker (last yearâs semi-finalist who had a 71% success rate on doubles at the GSOD)
Garry Thompson (Former Yorkshire captain)
Gary Robson (2005 Bavaria World Darts Trophy champion)
Fabian Roosenbrand (beat Gary Anderson here in 2008)
All gone. Not gone home mind as theyâll likely all stay behind for a couple of days at least to support the other players.
The high quality of the players going out in Round 1 sums up the stratospheric standard of Lakeside 2012. You wouldnât get it anywhere else.
A great evening for Belgian darts. As far as Iâm aware itâs the first win in a World Championship match for a Belgian player since the halcyon days of the 1990s when Erik Clarys and Leo Laurens were in their pomp. Thereâs a big divide in Belgium at the moment between the Flemish and the Walloon factions. Perhaps if Geert de Vos could go all the way and win the World Pro at Lakeside it could prove a significant unifying force there. Sport can be a great healer.
Thatâs the definitive darts music above. A stone cold classic. Itâs right up there with the BBCâs snooker theme music for great memories for me. Interestingly both the darts and snooker themes were composed by Doug Wood. Even if he never did anything else in his life heâs still a legend for coming up with those two pieces of music.
Englandâs Alan Norris is known as âThe Man From Nowhereâ. The double French Open champion has lived in Spain, Sweden, Scotland and Holland. Heâs the type of the type of person the BDO specialises in producing - entirely comfortable with other cultures and languages, outward-looking, unlike the Little Englanders of the insular BNPdc. What a cosmopolitan organisation the BDO is.
Some start by both players here, especially Norris.
Outstanding honesty by Alan Norris there as he corrected young Huw who had overcounted his score. Players in the BDO would rather die than gain an unfair advantage.
1-1 now between Van de Pas and Norris as the young accountancy student from Holland squares it up at the break. Yet another brilliant new Dutch player. Some talent for just an 18 year old as shown by his win in the German Open.
That is what darts is all about. Alan Norris is absolutely pumped up after taking the decider 3-1 in legs but he still didnât forget to raise Benitoâs arm. A truly brilliant match. Benito lost nothing in defeat. Heâll definitely be back in future years to try and win it. In my view a future champion. Chuck showed in that match why he was my tip for Zuiderduin. He may not have won that weekend but he looks a real contender for the title this week.
Normally Iâd agree but it sums up how even pdc insiders are growing disillusioned and turning away from their organisation. Itâs crumbling from the inside. Helen Chamberlain is welcome as long as she conforms to the superior standards required of a spectator at Lakeside.
