Coventry Darter Scott "Cool Hand" Rand won his First Round of the Ladbrokes 2013 PDC World Championships tie 3-2 at Alexander Palace tonight.
The former lorry driver, in his second year, took on Kim Huybrechts and missed a 103 check out to lose the first leg of the the first set, then double sixteen in the second and a 147 checkout from a potential nine darter in the third which allowed Huybrechts to take the first set 3-0.
Rand won the first leg of the second set, chipping out with double eight, before the Belgian hit his first 180 and Rand followed suit with his second of the match. Rand needed double sixteen and hit it to win the second leg. it was double sixteen which saw Rand win the third leg and the second set to make 1-1 in this first of three.
Huybrechts, whose nickname is The Hurricane, started the third set off with a 180 and won the first leg with a double ten and the second leg with double top and double top again to win the set 3-0.
Rand, needed to win the next set to stay in the match and just missed a 161 check out. However, he finished on double sixteen to take the first leg. Huybrechts, who was averaging 100, threw another 180 in front of a raucous audience and took the second leg with double top. Rand came back again to take the third leg. He missed a 152 check out but won the leg and the set to make it all to play for in the final set.
Huybrechts finished on double nine to take the first leg of the fifth set. Rand missed a 170 check out hitting the 25 instead of the bull but he checked out to win the second leg and then finished on double fifteen to take the third leg.
Rand now required one leg to win. He just missed a 146 check out but with his next dart hit double sixteen to book his place in the next week's second round against number six seed Wes Newton.
Pictures copyright and courtesy of “Lawrence Lustig/PDC”