CULLEN WINS THE OPENER! 🎸 Joe Cullen looked to be cruising to victory but was made to work hard for his win by dogged debutant Mike De Decker. 📺 bit.ly/WM23Live | #WMDarts R1
World Matchplay opens with a bang as Cullen prevails from enthralling encounter with Mike de Decker
PDCSaturday, 15 July 2023 at 21:04
The 2023 World Matchplay is underway and Joe Cullen is the first man through to the second round, courtesy of a 10-7 victory over Mike de Decker in a quality encounter.
In the first match of the 2023 World Matchplay, Joe Cullen took on tournament debutant, Mike de Decker. It was the Belgian who took the opener, holding throw. Cullen roared back in the second leg, levelling up with a splendid 143 checkout but after he then missed three clear darts to break the throw in the third leg, it looked as if de Decker would retake the lead. When he also fluffed his lines, Cullen was able to return and take the leg.
Cullen came agonisingly close to replicating that 143 finish again in the next leg. Although he missed, he was able to return and move 3-1 up. After de Decker missed another opportunity at double 18 to pull back, 'the Rockstar' punished again, meaning he led 4-1 at the first interval.
After the break though, de Decker began to show some fight, breaking the Cullen throw to get back to 4-2 and once Cullen had missed the opportunity to break straight back, the Belgian fired in a 164 checkout to get back to within one. Cullen though, was throwing some top-quality arrows himself and thanks in part to three 180's in as many legs, he bounced back and moved 7-3 ahead at the break.
Again, a poor showing on the outer ring was proving costly for de Decker. Missing a dart at tops and one at double 10, Cullen made him pay, taking out 126 on the Bullseye to stretch his advantage further. Refusing to give in though, de Decker would grab both legs 12 and 13, getting back to 8-5 and when Cullen missed a dart at tops to move one leg away, it was the Belgian's turn to punish, making it 8-6.
Despite having the advantage of throw, de Decker was nowhere near Cullen in leg 15, the Rockstar taking it to go one leg away from the win. Cullen would fail to take that leg at the first time of asking, missing three darts for the match before de Decker made it 9-7. Needing 120 for the match in the following leg, Cullen nailed treble 20, double 20, double 10 to secure the 10-7 win.
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