Whitewash for Ted Hankey at Lakeside
Telford's Ted Hankey admitted he has never felt so tense at the oche after returning to the BDO World Championship with a straight sets victory.
The two-time Lakeside champion saw off spirited Canadian David Cameron 3-0 in the last game of this afternoon's session,
BBC2 viewers looked on live for Hankey's 16th tournament appearance in Frimley Green, but his first since defecting to the PDC in 2012.
'The Count' was an 80-1 outsider with the bookmakers, despite lifting the title in 2000 and 2009, after sneaking back into the competition through the last place, 28th, of the BDO world rankings.
The 47-year-old, who lives in Aqueduct, will now take on steady Welshman Martin Phillips in the first round proper tomorrow night, after his preliminary whitewash over Cameron.
Hankey said: "It's brilliant to be back, but I felt more nervous up there than in both of my worlds finals. Four years is a long time to be away.
"The stage and the atmosphere is still incredible, but he dragged me into his game a little bit. I rushed some of my darts, I don't think I've ever played so quickly up there!
"It's going to be a bigger test tonight, Martin is a quality player and I need to be ready. I'll have to play a lot better than I did there."
It was like he'd never been away when Hankey emerged clad in his cape and he's still not afraid to assert his authority.
The start of play was delayed with Hankey demanding the board be put straight, before Cameron held his throw on double 10 to strike first blood in the opening leg.
A 180 from Hankey set him up to reply on double four, before Cameron responded with a maximum of his own before taking out 74 on double five.
Hankey settled the first set with a splendid 124 on the bullseye and then took command, re-starting with the lead again on double 10.
Cameron hit back with another 180 before erasing 41 on double 15 to level in the second set but outshots of 80 and 60, both secured on double 20, saw Hankey move to within a set of victory.
The Shropshire thrower then missed double 10 for 140 in the very next leg after a pair of treble 20s but Cameron, growing increasingly desperate, restored parity on double five for 89.
Tops again put Hankey back in front, before his third dart hit the barrel for what would have been a third maximum. He made sure of victory on double 10 for 35.
Hankey, who averaged 85.00 to Cameron's 85.17, will be back at the Lakeside oche for the last game of tomorrow night's proceedings. His clash with Phillips will be broadcast live on BT Sport.
