Count continues crusade for third title
Ted Hankey 5 – 1 Martin Atkins
Ted Hankey kept his hopes of becoming a triple
World Champion very much alive with a resounding victory over Martin Atkins at
Lakeside.
Friday the 13th proved to be The Count’s
lucky day as he sunk his teeth into his opponent to reach his fourth world
semi-final.
Atkins hit his first 180 in the opening
leg but Hankey held
his throw. The next three legs also went with the throw to set up a decider
which Hankey won,
just missing a 170 checkout on the way.
The legs continued to go with the throw
in set two as The Count’s 86 checkout was followed by a 76 finish from the
Assassin. It was Hankey who
finally got the first break of throw, hitting double one to double his lead.
The two-time World Champion hit his first
maximum and opened up a two nil lead in the third set. Atkinson broke back to
keep himself in it but Hankey took
out 52 to do the same and move further ahead in the match.
The Count grabbed another break of throw
with a wonderful 90 checkout to kick off set four. The Assassin forced his way
back into the set by breaking back immediately but Hankey produced a fabulous eleven darter to do the same. He then hit double five to
move within a set of the semi-finals.
The 2009 winner held in the first leg of
the fifth set before Atkins took the next three legs to pull a set back. The
Count won the opening leg of set six against the throw and held to move within
a single leg of victory. He wasted no time in finishing the job, taking out 64
to progress into the final four.
Hankey faces Holland’s Christian Kist in
Saturday’s semi-final, while another Dutchman Wesley Harms takes on Tony
O’Shea.
Date : 14-01-2012
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