Magical performance from Wizard of Oz

Aussie bricklayer Simon Whitlock laid the foundations for a serious title assault, toppling Scot debutant Mark Barilli 3-2.

It was a spellbinding performance from the Wizard of Oz who fully justified his 12^th seeding to coast into the second round.

It took the 39-year-old Queenslander just 23 minutes to demolish the hopes of the Greenock player.

The opening leg went the full five leg distance as the two players tested each other out before the cool Aussie edged into the match lead.

Precision finishing steered him unchallenged to the second set and a comfortable 2-0 match lead.

And it was a similar story in the next as the Aussie plundered the 60 segment and again proved decisive on the double to sweep through the set unchallenged to demolish the Scot’s hopes 3-0.

Whitlock believes that he could take the title this year.

He said: “I’m pretty happy with that performance. I think Mark might have been a bit scared, because it is pretty scary up there on stage at Lakeside for the first time.

“I feel a lot more confident this year after finishing runner up last year but hope this week to go one better. I learn every time I go up on stage - Lakeside is definitely the place to be.”

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