World Matchplay Darts: Peter Wright and Dave Chisnall lose in first round

Former champion Peter Wright’s torrid 2024 continued as he lost to Andrew Gilding in the first round of the World Matchplay in Blackpool.

The two-time world champion struggled through the Premier League, finishing bottom of the table, and his troubles continued as he went down 10-5 to Gilding.

Wright, who won the Matchplay in 2021, went a break down early but recovered to get back on throw at 4-4.

However, poor finishing saw him broken again and Gilding, the world number 20, pressed on to hand Wright his first round-one exit at the Matchplay since 2014.

Wright was not the only high-profile player to fall at the first hurdle as seventh seed Dave Chisnall was thrashed 10-2 by Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski.

Ratajski raced into a 7-0 lead and proceeded to inflict Chisnall’s heaviest defeat at the Matchplay.

The speed of Ratajski’s victory also delighted the Blackpool crowd, with the match finishing in time for them to watch England play Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Meanwhile, Rob Cross survived a major scare before beating Gian van Veen in a final-leg shootout.

Dutchman Van Veen threw for the match three times and missed six match darts before Cross came through to win 13-12 and advance to the second round.

Sixth seed Cross has only made it out of the first round twice in the last four years and, despite averaging 100.42, looked set for another early exit.

But 22-year-old Van Veen, on his Matchplay debut, repeatedly let him off the hook and Cross produced a dominant leg on throw in the decider.

Former BDO world champion and Masters winner Stephen Bunting was also made to work before earning his spot in the next round.

The Liverpudlian hit seven 180s but needed extra legs before beating world number 35 Ryan Joyce 12-10.

There was no such drama for 2007 champion James Wade as he overcame Dutchman Danny Noppert, ranked 12th in the world, 10-5.

There were a combined 15 maximums as Belgium’s Dimitri van den Bergh beat Martin Schindler of Germany 10-6 – Van den Bergh also had a nine-darter – while Ross Smith backed up his win at the Players Championship with a 10-4 win over Josh Rock.

Joe Cullen also cruised into round two with a 10-4 win over Northern Ireland’s Brendan Dolan.