Thornton test for Taylor

Nine-time champ handed testing opener in Blackpool

Last updated: 4th August 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Thornton test for Taylor

Taylor: Early test

DARTS BETTING
Sky Bet are offering a huge array of markets World Matchplay, which gets underway on Sunday. Apart from offering more than 13 markets in each of the first round matches, the bookmaker also have a series of special markets to tempt punters including outright, outright without favourite Phil Taylor and winning nationality. Sky Bet are also offering an enhanced multiple bet each day starting with Lewis, King and Lloyd all to win their round one matches at 3/1. To bet on the World Matchplay click here.

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Phil Taylor will kick off the defence of his World Matchplay title against Robert Thornton when the tournament begins in Blackpool on July 19.

The draw for the first round of the tournament, staged at the famous Winter Gardens venue, was made shortly before the final of the Las Vegas Desert Classic.

Nine-time World Matchplay champion Taylor has been handed a testing opener against Scottish world number 17 Thornton, a player whom 'The Power' overcame 16-9 in the final of the Players Championship earlier in the year.

Elsewhere, a mouth-watering all-Dutch battle was picked out of the hat as world number three Raymond van Barneveld was drawn against compatriot Michael van Gerwen.

2007 champion and last year's runner-up James Wade will play Jamie Caven while John Part has been handed a sticky first round match against Vincent van der Voort.

First round draw:

P Taylor v R Thornton
K Painter v W Newton
A Lewis v C Stompe
C Lloyd v W Jones
M King v M Dudbridge
M Walsh v A Jenkins
C Osborne v S Beaton
J Part v V van der Voort
W Mardle v T Eccles
J Wade v J Caven
A Hamilton v G Anderson
R Baxter v J Klaasen
A Tabern v A Smith
T Jenkins v P Wright
D Priestley v D Ovens
R van Barneveld v M van Gerwen