Nearly-man Adams into Lakeside final
Saturday, 8 January 2005 16:48Martin Adams reached the final of the Lakeside World Championship for the first time in 12 appearances with a 5-0 whitewash of Australia's Simon Whitlock today.
The England captain, for so long the nearly man of darts having been a semi-finalist in 1995 and 2002, produced a near-flawless display to obliterate the challenge of the man nicknamed 'The Wizard'.
In each of his three previous matches at this year's tournament the 48-year-old from Peterborough needed to stage a recovery, including a superb fightback against former champion Ted Hankey last night.
But today he was on top from the moment he first stepped up to the oche, recording a magnificent three-dart average of 104 in the opening two sets and hitting eight doubles in as many attempts to take total control.
Whitlock, who has become as well known in the Frimley Green tournament for his ponytail and long Billy Connolly-style beard as for his darts, could never gain a foothold in the match and was comprehensively outplayed.
"I've seen Simon play quite a bit in the past and knew he was dangerous," said 'Wolfie', who has just completed a decade as skipper of the national team.
"But he just didn't perform and I was all over him like a rash. I feel absolutely wonderful to be in the final. I've worked long and hard for this and I've never won 5-0 in any nine-set match before."
Whitlock said: "Martin got on top early and I couldn't match him. He played awesome and was way too good for me."
