Australia avert Japan scare, Northern Ireland impress as Germany send home crowd into raptures at World Cup of Darts

The opening night at the 2024 World Cup of Darts is complete with wins for Australia, Austria, Northern Ireland and Germany albeit in a mix of strong displays and also averting some scares for some of the bigger names in action.

Northern Ireland's new team of Josh Rock and Brendan Dolan were fired up against South African pairing of Johan Geldenhuys and Cameron Carolissen, the former denying Devon Petersen his spot in the team as a somewhat ever present.

It was Daryl Gurney for the victors who had to sit it out at home with Josh Rock not only usurping him but also taking top spot as the captain by ranking. He led from the front and was certainly convincing he hit a 100.95 average on his debut individually as they sealed a 4-1 win. It was a 94 average overall which is superb for pairs and could've been even better with 4/11 on the outer ring.

But against a team that aside from in the opening stanza didn't give much back, they showed their class and experience. As did Germany who delighted their home crowd albeit in a nervy win in Frankfurt against New Zealand pairing, Ben Robb and Haupai Puha.

Puha is now a PDC Tour Card holder and has teamed up with Robb for a few years now and a lot is often expected from them and they got off to a flier. They overturned a 2-1 deficit to go into a 3-2 lead with a 15 darter on double eight. But dramatically Germany had a skin saver with a 124 checkout on the bull averting a shock loss. Puha and Robb were sat ready on 42 with a 137 set up shot and Frankfurt breathed a sigh of relief.

As did Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock for Australia who saw off Japanese pairing Tomoya Goto and Ryusei Azemoto 4-3 with the latter missing fourth match darts in the decider. 'The Wizard' conjured up an 87 checkout for the former champions in the decider to save their skin and keep them in it.

Japan looked very much in the ascendancy throughout the tie and led 3-2 after a multitude of misses from Heta and Whitlock. The Australia pairing left 40 but missed their chance to send it all the way initially only for the chance at 90 for Japan to go begging and it went to 3-3. But as they say scores for show and doubles for dough and despite superb set up play, Azemoto on his debut failed to get over the line and Whitlock did.

While former finalists Mensur Suljovic and Rowby-John Rodriguez for Austria concluded the night and despite neither having the best time of it on tour at the moment, they led from the front as they do in this format.

They made light work of the China pairing 4-0 averaging 94 in the process to win four straight legs and in a group also with Guyana put themselves already in the drivers seat for a Last 16 spot.