Raymond van Barneveld sets up Luke Humphries clash after thriller, Owen Bates breaks new ground in Cullen win

PDC
Friday, 21 June 2024 at 20:33
raymond van barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld is through to a clash against Luke Humphries on Saturday night at the European Darts Open after prevailing in an absolute thriller against Krzysztof Ratajski in one of Friday's nights top ties.
In the deciding leg, Ratajski missed darts for the win and the doyen of Dutch darts took aim at 64 sealing the win with a last dart at double 16 as he let out a huge roar and a Mensur Suljovic type headbutt showing pure emotion after a real battle.
Ratajski led the clash early on going 3-2 up with a 112 checkout in a high quality affair but with Ratajski breathing down his neck, Van Barneveld threw a 71 checkout on double eight to level it up. Ratajski went ahead again with an 85 checkout on the bull and one away with a 99 checkout on double 16 using treble 16 in a Shanghai treble for double route. But Van Barneveld hit a 14-darter on double 20 to send it all the way before claiming the win. A titanic tussle now awaits the Dutch legend in the next round. He hit a 96 average and despite no 180's, 15 140's in victory.
While Joe Cullen fell at the opening hurdle on Friday night at the 2024 European Darts Open with Owen Bates sealing his first win on the European Tour on his debut season in the PDC.
The player formerly known as 'The Master', he certainly led from the front in his final leg to claim it 6-4. He hit double 16 for a 13-darter in the best leg of the match to seal it. Bates led throughout going 4-2 up on Cullen and then 5-3 with a 108 checkout going treble 19, 11, double 20 to seal the deal. But he couldn't trouble the Cullen throw with a 14-darter from 'The Rockstar' sending a message to serve it out and he did just that.
Bates claim the win in the end and will now face Danny Noppert to open tomorrow night in Leverkusen as the evening session begins.
To begin the night, Kevin Troppmann delighted the home crowd in Leverkusen. In a poor match otherwise against Benjamin Pratnemer who made his big stage return, it was a monstrous finish which saw the former raise the roof.
Averaging 78 in the process, it was level throughout but it was Pratnemer who broke with a 23-darter after a myriad of misses from the poor. He hit double 16 to go 5-4 up. After match darts came and went, Troppmann hit double eight for 5-5 and sent it all the way.
He had the impetus from there in order to thump in a wonderful 167 checkout pinning the bull in style. He now faces off against Stephen Bunting on Saturday afternoon.
Callan Rydz will face off against Ross Smith in the second round after Nico Kurz couldn't take his spot in the tournament. A late withdrawal due to illness, he was not well enough to take to the stage to face him so Rydz now receives a walkover.

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