BDO World Championships: Martin Adams wins opener

Three-time winner Martin Adams beat Jan Dekker 3-1 on the opening day of the BDO World Championships at Lakeside.

The third set proved pivotal, with Dutchman Dekker missing six darts that would have given him a 2-1 lead.

England's Adams, the champion in 2007, 2010 and 2011, clinched the set and went on to secure a last-16 spot.

Latvia's Madars Razma upset fifth seed Martin Phillips, while women's champion Lisa Ashton beat Deta Hedman 2-1 in a repeat of last year's final.

Adams, making his 22nd consecutive appearance at the World Championships, lost to Dekker at the quarter-final stage in 2014 and their rematch was the main attraction for a sell-out crowd on the first afternoon of the nine-day event in Frimley Green.

Number three seed Adams began in style, clinching the first set with a 12-dart leg against the throw.

Dekker, twice a Lakeside semi-finalist, levelled at 1-1 but missed doubles proved costly for the 24-year-old and Adams took advantage to close out victory.

"I knew I'd got a tough game to start with," Adams told BBC Sport.

"You don't get any easy games here. You've got to prepare well, I felt I'd done all the hard work and I got the result."

Wales captain Phillips, who won the World Masters in October, was far from his best against an inspired Razma, who is into the last 16 for the first time in his career following a 3-0 win.

Sweden's Peter Sajwani beat Sam Head by the same scoreline in the preliminary round and will play top seed James Wilson in round one on Monday.

Meanwhile, Bolton's Ashton and Essex-based Hedman produced a high-quality contest in the first match of the women's' competition.

Number one seed Hedman took the game into a deciding third set with a 152 checkout, but Ashton responded with finishes of 90 and 156 to book her place in the last eight.