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Aussie sensation Paul Nicholson booked his place in the last 16 of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship on Monday afternoon in a seven-set thriller with Adrian Lewis.

Nicholson – British-born but now based in Melbourne – whitewashed Adrian Gray in the first round at Alexandra Palace and produced another impressive display to power past the world number six.

Lewis led 3-2 before Nicholson – aided by six ton-plus finishes – held his nerve to win in a tie-break, checking out 129 and 121 in the game’s final two legs.

“It was a scrap from start to finish,” said Nicholson. “I don’t think there was anything between me and Adie and it was going to take something special to break his throw in that last set.

“I’m learning so much all the time, and I’m getting more experienced with every dart I throw up there.”

Nicholson will now meet two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley in round three, after the 58-year-old took a 4-1 victory from his clash with 67-year-old John MaGowan.

Vincent van der Voort completed a quartet of Dutchmen in the last 16 of the PDC’s World Championship for the first time with a 4-1 victory over Colin Osborne.

Osborne took the first set without reply, but only won four more legs in the remainder of the contest as van der Voort swept to victory.

He now meets either James Wade or Tony Eccles in round three, which begins on Monday night with the clashes between Phil Taylor and Kevin Painter and Mark Dudbridge against Barrie Bates.

Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship
Second Round – Monday December 29
Paul Nicholson (AUS) 4-3 Adrian Lewis (ENG)
Dennis Priestley (ENG) 4-1 John MaGowan (N.IRE)
Vincent van der Voort (NED) 4-1 Colin Osborne (ENG)

7.10pm – James Wade v Tony Eccles
Third Round
8.30pm – Phil Taylor v Kevin Painter
9.50pm – Barrie Bates v Mark Dudbridge

PAUL NICHOLSON 4-3 ADRIAN LEWIS
(3-2, 1-3, 3-0, 2-3, 1-3, 3-0, 6-4)
PAUL NICHOLSON sent number six seed Adrian Lewis packing 4-3 in a classic second round encounter in the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

Nicholson, the English-born Australian number one making his World Championship, debut fell 3-2 down but won the last two sets to end the hopes of the Stoke ace.

Both players started in blistering fashion, with Lewis taking the first leg in 11 darts and then Nicholson taking the second with a 125 checkout.

Lewis broke his opponent’s throw again in the third leg, but Nicholson leveled with a 12-darter and then won the decider thanks to a two-dart 87 finish to take an early lead.

Lewis hit a maximum in each of the opening two legs of set two in the process of taking a 2-0 lead.

Nicholson won the third, but Lewis landed double top to square the match.

But the Australian, who defeated Adrian Gray with a whitewash victory in the first round, moved ahead again by taking the third set without reply.

Nicholson then hit two 14-dart finishes to 2-1 up in the fourth set, and a leg away from a 3-1 advantage.

But Lewis hit a fantastic 124 checkout, finishing on the bullseye, to win the fourth leg and then hit double 12 in the decider to level the game.

In set five, Lewis recorded finishes of 12 and 13 darts to take a 2-1 lead before taking out an excellent 95 finish in the fourth leg to win the set and lead for the first time in the match.

That proved to be short-lived as Nicholson won the sixth set without reply and send the match into a decider, before superb finishes of 101 and 121 put him a leg away from victory.

A sixth maximum of the game pushed him clear in leg three, but a dart at double 18 for victory agonisingly fell into double four and Lewis survived to keep the match going.

The pressure was starting to tell on the Australian, and he missed four more darts for the match in the next leg before Lewis landed a pressure double eight to take the match into extra time.

Lewis missed five chances of his own to take a 3-2 lead and Nicholson converted his seventh dart to win the leg on double five.

The Stoke star leveled the set once again in the next leg, but missed two more darts to break his opponent’s throw and Nicholson went 4-3 ahead.

Lewis hit his ninth maximum of the game in the eighth leg and had to convert a pressure double ten with his last dart to keep the match going.

Lewis hit another maximum in the next leg, but it was not enough as Nicholson produced a fantastic 129 checkout to lead again.

The 29-year-old then hit a dramatic 121 finish against the darts and end an enthralling match.

“It was a scrap from start to finish,” said Nicholson. “I don’t think there was anything between me and Adie and it was going to take something special to break his throw in that last set.

“I was already confident with the 121 because I’d hit it earlier in the game and I hit the 51 for the 20 and as soon as I lined up the bull I knew it was going in.

“I had the game in my hands, let it go and then won it back again. I’ve still got work to do but it feels great and I’m glad to be through.”

Nicholson, whose tournament odds have now been cut to 20/1 after the win, added: “I’m learning so much all the time, and I’m getting more experienced with every dart I throw up there.

“I’m going to keep practising with Jelle Klaasen, because that seems to be working for both of us, and if I can beat Adrian Lewis, and with the people I’ve beaten in the last two months since I’ve been over in the UK, I can go far.”

Lewis said: “He took out some good shots and it was one of the best games of the tournament. He played well and deserved to win.

“Every time I had a chance to go in front I’d wire the double and I couldn’t put them any closer! It wasn’t my day and I’ve got to get back on the practice board.”

DENNIS PRIESTLEY 4-1 JOHN MAGOWAN
(3-0, 3-1, 3-2, 0-3, 3-2)
DENNIS PRIESTLEY came out on top in the battle of darts’ veterans to move into the last 16 of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a comfortable 4-1 victory over John MaGowan

The Yorkshireman will now take on Paul Nicholson in the third round as he bids for a third World Championship title.

A two-dart 60 finish gave Priestley the opening leg, and a maximum in the next helped to break his opponent’s throw for a 2-0 lead.

The two-time World Champion then wrapped up the set by landing double four to take an early advantage.

MaGowan opened his account at the start of the second set, before Priestley hit finishes of 14 and 15 darts to go 2-1 up in the set.

Priestley, the younger of the two players at 58, then hit double five in the fourth leg to extend his lead to 2-0.

The Northern Irishman started set three well, breaking throw with a 14-dart finish.

But Priestley replied in kind with a 14-dart finish of his own and then hit double top to go 2-1 ahead.

MaGowan managed to take the fourth leg, but Priestley hit two maximums at the start of the decider and was on course for a nine dart finish.

That attempt was not successful, but he went to win the leg in 11 darts, completing it on double 20 to go 3-0 up and one set away from the match.

Priestley missed five darts at double twelve to win the first leg of the fourth set and 67 year-old MaGowan won that leg and went on to win the next two and reduce the arrears to 3-1.

Both players took out two-dart finishes to hold their throws at the start of the fifth set, before Priestley hit double 12 to go within touching distance of victory.

In the fourth leg Magowan missed three darts to level the set, and Priestley converted double 16 to progress.

VINCENT VAN DER VOORT 4-1 COLIN OSBORNE
(0-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1)
VINCENT VAN DER VOORT produced an excellent performance to come from a set down and defeat Colin Osborne 4-1 in round two of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

The Dutchman lost the opening set but won four in a row to complete a quartet of Dutchmen in the last 16.

Osborne was the better of the two players at the start of the match, breaking the Dutchman’s throw in the second leg and then converting a 64 finish to wrap up the first set.

Van der Voort hit finishes of 76 and 97 in the process of taking a 2-0 advantage in the second set but wasting eight darts to wrap up the set in leg three.

However, he landed two maximums in the fourth leg, and took out double 16 for a 12-darter to level matters.

Van der Voort, who defeated Hungarian Nandor Bezzeg in the first round, began set three superbly with a 125 finish to break throw in the first leg, and a 93 finish gave the Dutchman a 2-0 lead before Osborne hit back with an 11 dart finish.

But van der Voort landed double 16 in the fourth leg to take the set and seize the advantage.

The opening three legs of the fourth set where held with throw, giving the van der Voort and 2-1 lead, but another maximum and a 121 finish put him 3-1 up in the contest.

Van der Voort hit another maximum at the start of the fifth set, but missed two darts to break throw and Osborne held on by landing double 12.

Van der Voort leveled the set with a 14-dart finish, and then broke throw for a 2-1 lead after Osborne had missed three darts at doubles to win the leg.

In the fourth leg, van der Voort hit fifth maximum of the game, but Osborne hit one of his own.

Osborne had a dart at bullseye for a 161 finish to save the match, but he was off-target and van der Voort stepped up to land double top and seal victory.

“It was very hard work and didn’t feel like such a big win,” said van der Voort. “I didn’t play well or get into my rhythm.

“But I’m through and I feel I can play a lot better, so hopefully I will on Tuesday.”

Osborne admitted: “After winning the first set 3-0 I was full of confidence and I wanted to kick on from there, but it didn’t happen for me.

“Vincent didn’t miss any doubles but it’s back to the drawing board for me now.

“It’s frustrating not that it’s not happened for me on the biggest stage of all in the World Championship, but I’ll be back.”

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