Another TDF scoop

[Dicie]

Richardson feeling 'right at home' after first Pro Tour final
James Richardson was denied his first PDC Pro Tour title after going down 6-2 to Colin Osbourne in the final of Sunday’s German Darts Classic in Gladbeck.

Wins over Adam Smith-Neale (6-4), Co Stompe (6-4), Simon Whitlock (6-3), Steve Brown (6-2), Steve Farmer (6-4) and Paul Nicholson (6-3) took him into his first professional final.

However, it was Osbourne who ran out 6-2 winner on the day, with the Rushden thrower pocketing £3,000 prize money for his efforts to lift him up to 88th on the PDC Order of Merit.

It was a fine turnaround for the 37-year-old, who had been knocked out in the last 128 of Saturday’s Pro Tour event.

“Saturday was just a bad day at the office,” said Richardson, whose previous best performance was the semi-finals of the Irish Masters the previous weekend.

“I had an early night and got up feeling good. The first game could have gone either way but I hit my doubles and went through 6-4.

“Against Stompe and Brown I was in control, and then playing Nicholson on the main stage was unbelievable. He’s a player in form.

“It was just my day where everything clicked and it all came together.”

Richardson led the final after breaking Osbourne’s throw with a 14-darter in the opening leg.

But then Osbourne took out 160 to level and punished misses from his opponent to win the next and lead 2-1.

He levelled on double four, but Osborne took out 80 in two darts to lead 3-2 and won the next two following missed doubles from Richardson to move 5-2 up.

Richardson hit a 180 in the eighth leg, but missed two darts at double 16 to keep the game alive and Osborne took out double 18 for a 14-darter to secure victory.

He said: “It was my third game on the stage and it was hot up there. My shirt was sticky, my darts were sticky and I just couldn’t release them as I had been.

“I didn’t have any nerves or anything. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I felt right at home up there.”

The result means Richardson is now ranked 39th on the one-year ranking list as well, putting him in with a great chance of qualifying for the Ladbrookes World Championship in December at the Alexandra Palace.

Irthlingborough’s Kevin McDine was edged out 6-5 in the last 128 by John Henderson in Saturday’s tournament.

He had a better day on Sunday though, beating Matt Padgett (6-2) and Arron Monk (6-1) before going down 6-5 to Terry Jenkins in the third round.

The players now head to Spain this weekend for the next two Pro Tour tournaments in Benidorm.

[Justin Credible]

I think he had a tougher run to the final than osbourne, and were it not for crucial missed doubles he could and maybe should have won the final.
Fair play to the guy.