The 2022 Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts continues on Monday night so check out Chris Hammer's match-by-match predictions, stats, best bets and a suggested acca.
The final games in groups A-D take place tonight, with Gerwyn Price facing Dave Chisnall in a crunch clash in which one of them will bow out.
Here's our match-by-match guide to all of the action...
Darts betting tips: Grand Slam of Darts day three
1pt Dirk van Duijvenbode to win, hit most 180s and highest checkout at 6/4 (Sky Bet)
1pt Mensur Suljovic to beat Danny Noppert at 21/10 (Ladbrokes)
1pt Price v Chisnall to have over 7.5 legs, high checkout of over 92.5 and over 3.5 180s at 6/4 (Sky Bet)
SL Acca: van Duijvenbode (-1.5), Smith (-1.5), Chisnall (+1.5) and Schindler all to win at 7/1 with Sky Bet
Grand Slam of Darts: Monday November 14
- Evening Session (1900 GMT)
- TV Coverage: Sky Sports
- Format: Group stage, best of nine legs
- In the below graphics and stats (courtesy of @CarlyFletch) and his @DartsTracker), the averages and 180 per leg data is for all PDC events in 2022, while checkout percentage is for stage events only. In terms of Lisa Ashton, the data is only for Women’s Series events, while Fallon Sherrock also has her World Series appearances included. Leonard Gates is the CDC Tour and Perez is the Asian Championship. Checkout percentage data is not available for Ashton, Gates or Perez due to their lack of stage tournaments.
Dirk van Duijvenbode (1/5) v Adam Gawlas (10/3) (D)
- Head to Head: (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- 2022 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2022): 97.11 - 89.57
- 180s per leg (2022): 0.38 – 0.25
- Checkout % (Stage Events 2022): 39.54% - 40.21%
- 100+ checkout per leg won (2022): 11.2% - 12.12%
- Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 36.43% - 20.88%
Dirk van Duijvenbode has already booked his place in the next round after two wins out of two and from what we've seen so far, you'd expect him to dominate all departments against winless Adam Gawlas.
The 180 machine has fired six maximums compared to his opponent's two while his averages of 101 and 95 are considerably superior higher than what Gawlas has managed; 82 and 90.
If this is as one-sided as the stats suggest, then this could well be 'match treble' fodder for a player who has won a whopping 36% of his matches this way in 2022.
Verdict: 5-2
Raymond van Barneveld (4/11) v Ted Evetts (2/1) (A)
- Head to Head: (TV): 1-0 (0-0)
- 2022 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2022): 93.3 - 90.87
- 180s per leg (2022): 0.19 – 0.21
- Checkout % (Stage Events 2022): 43.28% - 39.13%
- 100+ checkout per leg won (2022): 10.83% - 9.72%
- Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 12.77% - 13.89%
In my pre-tournament Group A preview, I wrote: "Two of the three Grand Slam winners taking part in this year's edition have ended up in the same group but I think it's fair to say only one of them has a realistic chance of lifting the trophy once again."
Obviously I was talking about Raymond van Barneveld being the realistic contender rather than Gerwyn Price!
Admittedly Barney was given a scare by Price on Sunday before claiming a 5-4 victory that guarantees his progress with a game to spare but he should have a more comfortable outing against the eliminated Ted Evetts and advance as group winner like we all expected at the start (!).
On a serious note, Barney played so well against Price that he branded it as "one of the best wins of my career" and while that might be a slight exaggeration given all his incredible title-winning achievements down the years, it's great to see him creating these kind of moments again.
He's always been a confidence player and although he probably didn't have much prior to last week's qualifying event, he's suddenly got more than at any point in the past few years and I'd expect him to wrap up a fairly routine victory over an opponent with nothing to play for.
Verdict: 5-3
Simon Whitlock (1/8) v Christian Perez (9/2) (B)
- Head to Head: (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- 2022 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2022): 92.42 – 85.12
- 180s per leg (2022): 0.33 - 0.22
- Checkout % (Stage Events 2022): 36.36% - Unavailable
- 100+ checkout per leg won (2022): 8.22% - Unavailable
- Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 27.36% - Unavailable
There will be no hint of complacency from Simon Whitlock against one of the weakest players in the field tonight as he goes in search of a wide margin victory that will seal his place in the last 16.
A narrow win will mean he'll be sweating during Danny Noppert's clash with Mensur Suljovic so expect the Aussie to come out all guns blazing and produce the kind of standard we've seen in his last two games.
After firing in five 180s in a 5-2 victory over Suljovic, he still managed a 99 average during a disappointing 5-2 defeat to Noppert so a similar level of performance will be far too hot for Christian Perez to handle.
To his credit, the PDC Asian Championship winner came agonisingly close to pulling off one of the upsets of the tournament on day one but he missed a match dart in a deciding leg against Noppert, who averaged 10 points higher with 95, and paid the price.
He followed that up with a disappointing 5-2 defeat against a lacklustre Mensur Suljovic as he missed nine of his 11 attempts at doubles and averaged 82.
I'd be confident Whitlock can brush Perez aside and also hit most 180s and have the highest checkout - but even that is odds-on prices.
Verdict: 5-1
Danny Noppert (2/5) v Mensur Suljovic (7/4) (B)
- Head to Head: (TV): 4-3 (1-1)
- 2022 Head to Head (TV): 1-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2022): 95.39 - 92.87
- 180s per leg (2022): 0.28 – 0.14
- Checkout % (Stage Events 2022): 39.72% - 38.68%
- 100+ checkout per leg won (2022): 12.87% - 9.15%
- Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 26.28% - 8.89%
Danny Noppert has one foot through to the last 16 but he a defeat of 5-3 or worse would put his place at risk - depending on how heavy Simon Whitlock has beaten Christian Perez.
It could potentially really complicated but Noppert's equation right now is simple - four legs and he's definitely through, five legs and he's definitely group winner.
Mensur Suljovic hasn't produced the kind of darts this year to suggest he's a realistic major contender and that hasn't really changed over the course of the weekend. After losing 5-2 against Whitlock with a 92 average, he scrapped to a 5-2 triumph over Christian Perez with an 84 average.
He will take heart from how Noppert, who hasn't been at his brilliant best of late, needed to survive a match dart against Perez on the opening day and I expect this to be quite an arduous affair that Suljovic could thrive in, especially if there's a lot of pressure on the line. I'm tempted by the upset.
Verdict: 3-5
Gerwyn Price (8/15) v Dave Chisnall (11/8) (A)
- Head to Head: (TV): 6-5 (4-2)
- 2022 Head to Head (TV): 1-1 (1-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2022): 97.24 - 96.43
- 180s per leg (2022): 0.28 – 0.35
- Checkout % (Stage Events 2022): 40.6% - 39.81%
- 100+ checkout per leg won (2022): 15.48% - 10.87%
- Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 25.68% - 27.88%
What a match we have here. The winner goes through, the loser is out.
Having tipped Dave Chisnall each-way in my pre-tournament preview, this is obviously not a situation I wanted to see him in.
The most likely scenario in my head was that he'd beat Raymond van Barneveld in his opener, lose to Price on Sunday and then have to beat an already-eliminated Ted Evetts to book his place in the knockout stages.
Looking on the bright side, at least Chizzy has a better chance of knocking out the defending champion in a best-of-nine leg showdown than if they met over 31 legs in the quarter-finals.
If Chisnall plays like he did against Evetts on Sunday - when he averaged 101.5, hit four 180s and pin five of his nine double attempts - then I really think he can do a job on Price but he certainly won't if he misses 80% of his doubles like he did against Barney.
The Iceman has averaged well over 100 in both of his games so far and weighed in with seven 180s in just 15 legs so expect plenty of maximums tonight as well as some showstopping finishes. Price may not have hit any 100+ checkouts yet but he's one of the best in the business at those - winning 15.5% of his legs this season like that - especially in pressure situations.
Verdict: 3-5
Joe Cullen (1/9) v Lisa Ashton (5/1) (C)
- Head to Head: (TV): 1-0 (0-0)
- 2022 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2022): 94.33 - 81.23
- 180s per leg (2022): 0.29 – 0.11
- Checkout % (Stage Events 2022): 38.2% - N/A
- 100+ checkout per leg won (2022): 13.79% - 8.42%
- Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 27.52% - Unavailable
Lisa Ashton is still searching for her first ever win on the Grand Slam stage having now lost 11 matches in a row dating back to 2019 - and few will be expecting her to end this drought against Joe Cullen.
Her fortunes in this competition were summed up in her last match with Ritchie Edhouse when she busted 64 in the opening leg and watched her opponent pin the bullseye for a 90 checkout and from then on it was pretty much one-way traffic in a 5-2 defeat.
Her average of 82 was better than the 77 she managed against Michael Smith but she will probably need to produce the performance of her life to get anything here. Cullen needs a win and with only a +1 advantage over Edhouse on leg difference, he'll come out all guns blazing just in case Smith has a bad day at the office.
The Rockstar may have only hit a couple of 180s so far - which is the same tally as Ashton - but given his usual prowess on the maximums, I'd expect him to win that particular battle as well tonight.
Verdict: 5-1
Michael Smith (2/9) v Ritchie Edhouse (3/1) (C)
- Head to Head: (TV): 4-1 (0-0)
- 2022 Head to Head (TV): 2-1 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2022): 96.66 - 91.47
- 180s per leg (2022): 0.35 – 0.23
- Checkout % (Stage Events 2022): 39.28% - 32.56%
- 100+ checkout per leg won (2022): 10.52% - 13.29%
- Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 31.74% - 24.21%
Michael Smith got off to a sluggish start when allowing Lisa Ashton to take three legs off him with a 77 average but he didn't exactly play that much better in thrashing Joe Cullen 5-1 to all but seal his place in the last 16.
Only a 5-1 defeat or worse tonight will put him in grave danger but while Smith has been fairly mediocre for his standards, Ritchie Edhouse has averaged in the mid-80s in both of his matches so far, so I can't really see an upset.
Strangely, Smith has only managed a solitary 180 so far but that kind of ratio can't last much longer considering how prolific he usually is, so expect him to fire in most maximums as well as picking up the win.
Verdict: 5-2
Rob Cross (8/13) v Martin Schindler (6/5) (D)
- Head to Head: (TV): 5-3 (1-0)
- 2022 Head to Head (TV): 1-1 (0-0)
- Three-Dart Average (2022): 96.55 - 95.01
- 180s per leg (2022): 0.25 – 0.33
- Checkout % (Stage Events 2022): 36.17% - 38.92%
- 100+ checkout per leg won (2022): 8.22% - 10.3%
- Match Treble % (Win, most 180s & high checkout): 20.98% - 35.82%
The final match of the night is another winner-takes-all showdown, with Rob Cross rated the marginal favourite to see off Martin Schindler and join Dirk van Duijvenbode in the last 16.
I backed Schindler to qualify from the group in my pre-tournament preview and he's certainly played well enough to do just that having agonisingly lost 5-4 to DVD in his opening match - in which he missed a dart for a 5-3 win - before a fairly comfortable 5-3 victory over Adam Gawlas kept his hopes alive.
Cross averaged 100 in his 5-2 win against Gawlas but only managed 89 in his 5-3 defeat to DVD yesterday - and it would have been a heavier defeat had his opponent not missed nine of his 14 darts at doubles.
I still fancy Schindler to progress and finally begin what could be a breakthrough major TV run for him.
Verdict: 3-5
Click here for this year's Grand Slam of Darts draw and results
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