The PDC Home Tour II continues on Wednesday when the second of the phase two groups takes place with seven players looking to be one of the four men who will book their spot in the next stage over the course of the day.
We have probably the best player remaining in the competition in action on Wednesday ahead of the break for the weekend but we saw a competitive group despite the class involved on Tuesday and plenty more of the same is expected here.
The Format
Each day seven players will be in action on their home oches in a group stage format looking to progress. In every group in the tournament the seven players will each play each other once. In the first round the top three players in each group and the five best fourth-placed players go through to the second stage. Five groups are played out in the second phase with the top four in each making it through to the third stage along with the best fifth-placed player. The final stage begins with three more groups with the top two in each and the best third-placed player qualifying for the Championship Group where the champion is crowned. Each match throughout is the best of nine legs and the tournament will be streamed live on PDCTV or the consoles on the bookmaker websites.
Phase 2 Group 1 Recap
It was a day which went largely to the form book on Tuesday as Jonny Clayton followed up his run to the final of the German Darts Championship by topping the table. He won five of his matches as did Jermaine Wattimena and Chris Dobey and they finished second and third behind Clayton on leg difference. The other man to qualify for the third stage is Kim Huybrechts. Alan Tabern finished fifth and will have to wait and see if he has done enough to make it through to the next phase. It was a day to forget for Stephen Bunting and Daniel Larsson.
It wasn’t a day to forget for us from a betting sense though as our one bet for the day couldn’t have won any easier. We fancied Kim Huybrechts to reverse fortunes on his defeat to Stephen Bunting last week and he certainly did that. Even though he was only 5/16 on his doubles, Huybrechts still cruised through that match 5-0 to keep our winning run in this tournament going, something we hope can continue on Wednesday.
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Phase 2 Group 2 Line Up
The Favourites
If the odds for this group is to be believed then this is a two horse race between two of the European runners in Krzysztof Ratajski and Gabriel Clemens. I can certainly see why that is the case. Ratajski is clearly the best of this lot on paper and the last time he was in action in this tournament he only missed out on a clean sweep by one leg. Clemens is one of the best players on the floor as well so it wouldn’t be a surprise if these two battle it out for the group win.
The Outsiders
The rest of the players are all double figure prices. Kai Fan Leung gets to play at a perfect time for a darts player which might give him a bit of an advantage. Ted Evetts doesn’t really cut it for me here while Mickey Mansell and Martin Schindler are going to need their best darts and a bit of luck on top. Bradley Brooks comes into this group off the back of making it through to the World Youth Final which carries plenty of benefits with it.
Group Betting
On the face of it this group is going to be between Krzysztof Ratajski and Gabriel Clemens. I’m actually finding it hard to believe that Ratajski is odds against because he is by far and away the best player on show here. The one thing which might keep the rest of the field interested is the fact that he has been doing a lot of travelling recently and ultimately this is just about going through rather than necessarily winning the group.
I’m actually prepared to take a chance on Bradley Brooks winning this group. He can’t be more confident than two days after he made it through to the World Youth Final where ironically in the quarter final he beat Martin Schindler who he faces here. Brooks will need some help in running to get Ratajski beat but if he, Clemens and maybe Mickey Mansell all beat each other it could leave the door open for Brooks. Brooks is clearly in good nick and he looks a huge price at 20/1. I’ll pay to see how well he goes.
Match Betting
I’ll go with Bradley Brooks in the match betting department as well because he is a huge price to see off Ted Evetts in their match midway through the day. These two actually played each other in their previous group in this competition and although he didn’t have the throw Brooks won the match 5-4 courtesy of breaking in the final leg. You’ve got to think given all that has happened since then Brooks should be the favourite to win this match but instead he is a 6/4 shot.
That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. He didn’t have the throw in that deciding leg when he won and he does have it here. He is full of confidence after reaching the World Youth Final, where he beat better players than Evetts along the way and we know throughout lockdown that Brooks was a regular on the online darts scene. These odds make no sense whatsoever but I’m not complaining. I’ll happily take the 6/4 on him to beat Evetts.
Tips
Back B.Brooks to win Phase 2 Group 2 for a 1/10 stake at 21.00 with Coral
Back him here:
Back B.Brooks to win Phase 2 Group 2 for a 3/10 stake at 2.50 with William Hill
Back him here:
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