The Champions League of Darts concludes on Sunday with the last set of group matches taking place in the afternoon session in Leicester before the knockout stages of the event are played out in the evening session.
Once again time restrictions will deny us the opportunity to preview the knockout stages of the competition but we already know that our outright selection Peter Wright is through to give us an interest in it. We can go through the afternoon group matches though.
Rob Cross vs Peter Wright
The first match of the day is probably an inconvenience to both men as Rob Cross knows he is off home after this game while Peter Wright is already through and will be wanting the evening session to come round.
Technically Wright is playing for something here because if he wins he is guaranteed to win the group which could lead to avoiding Michael van Gerwen in the semi-final which is probably a better way to go deeper in the competition. It is guess work as to how Cross will approach this but he hasn’t looked remotely comfortable in this tournament yet. I wouldn’t put anyone off backing Wright but I’m no fan of betting in dead rubbers which this essentially is.
Daryl Gurney vs Gerwyn Price
The way that the results on Saturday played out means that we effectively have a quarter final in both groups and in Group B it sees Daryl Gurney taking on Gerwyn Price for a place in the semi-final, likely as runners up in the section.
Both men beat Rob Cross on Saturday and lost to Peter Wright but none of that really matters now as it is a straight winner takes all battle here. I favour Price in this one. He has the upper hand in their past meetings and averaged around and above for much of Saturday’s play. Gurney showed signs of being ordinary on his doubles and one of those was in a match he was under little pressure in. I’ve got to think he’ll be under it here and that could lead to more misses, which Price can take advantage of.
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Michael van Gerwen vs Gary Anderson
Such is the nature of this tournament that the best looking group match on paper in the competition is little more than a dead rubber as Michael van Gerwen takes on Gary Anderson with just top spot in the group for MVG at stake.
Anderson lost both his matches on Saturday and as a result he’ll be off home once he has played this one. Van Gerwen won both his games and he has enough legs in hand that you would think he would finish top of the group whether he wins this one or he loses it. Normally I would look to be on Anderson in one way or another because he always raises it against MVG but with little motivation here I’m not so sure he will. This is another one to sit out.
Michael Smith vs James Wade
The last group match of the competition has it all on the line as Michael Smith takes on James Wade for a place in the semi-final of the event. This is a straight knockout match with the winner going through and the loser off home.
You would suggest that it was Smith who played the better darts of the two on Saturday but there wasn’t a whole lot in it so the determining factor in this match could well be the head-to-head record between the two which is very much in the favour of Wade. These two have met on 20 previous occasions but Smith only has one win and a draw from the last 17 which is a pretty strong run against one man. That sort of thing becomes psychological so I have to think Wade is the value here.
Tips
WON – Back G.Price to beat D.Gurney for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with 888sport
Back him here:
Back J.Wade to beat M.Smith for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with William Hill
Back him here:
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