We have a double header of action in the Premier League Darts this week with Rotterdam hosting the eight remaining players on both Wednesday evening and Thursday due to the cancelled round of matches earlier in the campaign.
We have to wait until Thursday for the eagerly anticipated all-Dutch battle but the card for Wednesday looks pretty tasty it must be said. It is a big night for the world champion Rob Cross and Gary Anderson as they both play twice on the evening.
Michael Smith vs Gary Anderson
It is the Scottish star Gary Anderson that gets us underway when he takes on his stablemate and protégé Michael Smith in what should be a cracking way to get the evening going. Smith sits in second heading into the evening while Anderson is fourth so both will want the points.
Smith bucked a trend of five successive defeats to his manager when they met on the opening night of the campaign but anyone who watched that match will know Smith was beaten at 5-1 down but then Anderson’s back gave in and the youngster took advantage to win 7-5.
I expect normal service to be resumed here. Anderson knows he needs to get something from this match as he will open the door to those behind him if he doesn’t and it will make his match later in the night a massive pressure one. Smith is in decent nick but we’ve seen a host of missed doubles creep into his game. Recent opponents haven’t punished him but I think Anderson will.
Rob Cross vs Daryl Gurney
The world champion Rob Cross goes into a night where he plays twice in third place in the league table but he can’t afford a bad night if he is going to continue his quest to appear at the o2 on his debut in the tournament. He takes on a Daryl Gurney who has already beaten him in this tournament and if he can do so again it would really open up the race for London.
Cross is playing some really nice stuff at the minute but we saw at the weekend that he still isn’t watertight and Gurney remains a dangerous opponent. I wouldn’t want to call a winner of this one although my instinct tells me that Cross could be a little short.
The bet I like here, much as I did in their previous meeting, is the 180s. They combined for 13 180s in their first match of the competition and neither of them have slowed down in the 180 hitting since then. The line for 180s in this match is 7.5 which based on recent weeks is very much achievable so I like the over here.
Raymond Barneveld vs Simon Whitlock
The first of the Dutch stars the crowds will be desperate to see competes in the third match of the night when Raymond Barneveld takes on the Australian player Simon Whitlock. Both these men go into the night outside the top four in the table so this is a big night for the pair of them.
It looked from the outside like Barneveld gave up with this tournament last week and that would be a concern here but if there is one thing that will spur him on to compete in this one it will be a raucous home side. Whitlock won his first three matches of the season but he’s only won one since and that was against a Gerwyn Price who was so out of his depth it is hardly worth bothering with.
Anywhere else and I would have given up on Barneveld but he walloped Gary Anderson 7-2 here last year with a 103 average so in case he gets inspired again I’ll take the Dutchman to thrill his countrymen again.
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Peter Wright vs Michael van Gerwen
The penultimate match of the night is a repeat of last year’s final as Peter Wright takes on Michael van Gerwen. Van Gerwen somehow won that final last year but Wright has already gained revenge this season and will be looking to do the double over the Green Machine.
Both these men had surprisingly early exits in the European Tour event at the weekend so they might feel they have a bit to prove but in fairness there isn’t a lot on this match. Wright needs snookers to realistically make it back into the top four while van Gerwen already has enough points to get himself to the o2. With little on this I’d expect MVG to win but the odds fully reflect that.
Rob Cross vs Gary Anderson
The final match of the night is the battle of the world champions as the current occupier of that title, Rob Cross, takes on a man who has won it twice in Gary Anderson. Depending on what happens earlier in the night this could be a big match for both or have little on it.
As I said last week I’m reluctant to get stuck into these second matches as far too much is swayed on the earlier result. Hopefully they both win earlier in the evening and both have enough left in the tank to produce a great spectacle here but my interest will be a purely viewing one.
Tips
WON – Back G.Anderson to beat M.Smith for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Betfair
WON – Back R.Barneveld to beat S.Whitlock for a 4/10 stake at 2.25 with Betfair
Back them here:
Back R.Cross vs D.Gurney – Over 7.5 180s for a 4/10 stake at 2.10 with Boylesports
Back it here:
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