Sporting Life
James Wade is in action on Wednesday night
James Wade is in action on Wednesday night

World Darts Championship: Wednesday preview, predictions, odds, betting tips, order of play & TV times

By Chris Hammer
Darts
Fri December 20, 2019 · 6y ago

Our guide to Wednesday's action at the William Hill World Darts Championship includes the order of play, match-by-match previews, predictions and a suggested acca.

Have you caught your breath from last night's historic drama?

As much as I'd love to write some more about Fallon Sherrock's victory over Ted Evetts, we've got eight more matches to look forward to.

As ever here's my preview for every match while I'll also be entering my scoreline predictions for each one in the free-to-play Fantasy Darts game, so get involved yourself and challenge me!

World Darts Championship: Wednesday December 18

AFTERNOON SESSION

Ron Meulenkamp (4/9) v Ben Robb (7/4)

Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 0-0
PDC World Champ appearances: 3-0

Ron Meulenkamp is probably still best remembered for knocking Gary Anderson out of the 2016 Players Championship Finals, where he reached the last 16, and this remains his best performance at a major.

The 31-year-old has yet to win a PDC title either but this year he's shown genuine signs that his first might not be far away.

Four semi-final runs at Players Championship events, including the penultimate one of the season, helped him comfortably qualify for his fourth World Championship on the Pro Tour Order of Merit, while he also made a couple of quarter-finals.

He's beaten the likes of Daryl Gurney, Dave Chisnall, Jermaine Wattimena, Chris Dobey and Ian White across those tournaments so he's clearly a dangerous player.

His opponent, Ben Robb, you might remember watching at the New Zealand Darts Masters on ITV4 this summer as he beat Simon Whitlock with an impressive mid-90 average before bowing out to Rob Cross.

The 31-year-old triumphed at the DPNZ qualifier to earn his debut at the Alexandra Palace but this is going to be a tough assignment.

Prediction: 3-1

Mickey Mansell (1/1) v Seigo Asada (4/5)

Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 0-0
PDC World Champ appearances: 5-3

Seigo Asada was the innocent party in one of last year's most controversial matches against James Wade, who was accused of bullying by the pundits for celebrating in the Japanese star's face and later issued an apology.

Asada took the Machine all the way to a tie-break in a heated contest, eventually losing 4-2 in the deciding set, but he had at least enjoyed the winning feeling against Krzysztof Ratajski in the previous round.

The Ninja also helped Japan reach the World Cup of Darts semi-finals alongside Haruki Muramatsu before bowing out to eventually champions Scotland while he finished second on the PDC Asian Tour behind Lourence Ilagan.

Asada is expected to go to Q School in January in an effort to earn a Tour Card and he certainly has the ability to go from strength to strength.

He comes up against Mickey Mansell, who pinched the last of the 32 qualification spots via the Pro Tour Order of Merit following a very mediocre season.

The Northern Irishman has never gone beyond the last 64 in five previous appearances at the Ally Pally and last year's performance against Jim Long was so bad - averaging 74.45 - that he was fined by the Darts Regulation Authority.

Ordinarily I'd go for a heavier victory but I just sense Mansell will come out all guns blazing after what happened 12 months ago and make this one close.

Prediction: 2-3

Harry Ward (11/10) v Madars Razma (8/11)

Head-to-head: 1-1
2019 Meetings: 1-0
PDC Titles this season: 1-0
PDC World Champ appearances: 0-0

Madars Razma is widely regarded in the darts fraternity as an extremely dangerous prospect and heads into this clash of the debutants as favourite to progress.

However, since earning his Tour Card at European Q School, the Latvian hasn't exactly delivered on his potential and finished so low down on the Pro Tour Order of Merit that he had to rely on topping the PDC Nordic and Baltic standings to earn his spot at the Ally Pally.

Harry Ward also won his PDC Tour Card back in January at UK Qualifying School and enjoyed a superb start to being on the circuit full time, claiming his maiden Players Championship title in May.

The 21-year-old even beat Razma, Michael Smith and Nathan Aspinall en route to defeating Max Hopp 8-7 in the final while he'd also managed other lengthy Players Championship runs.

His form tailed off since then but that could partly be down to a hectic season for the youngster. With plenty of rest, he's hopefully recharged and ready to show off his talents again.

Prediction: 3-1

Stephen Bunting (2/7) v Jose Justicia (13/5)

Head-to-head: 0-1
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 0-0
PDC World Champ appearances: 5-0

Stephen Bunting made it into the staking plan of my pre-tournament betting preview - albeit at a speculative 28 - to win the first quarter of the draw.

Repeating what I wrote in that article, the Bullet has shown real signs that he's getting right back to his best this season and after reaching two non televised finals this year, he impressed greatly at the World Matchplay, where he beat Gerwyn Price and Ian White in thrillers before being edged out by eventual champion Rob Cross in the quarter-finals.

More recently he averaged 100+ in three consecutive matches at the recent Players Championship Finals, with the last of which being in an 10-3 defeat to Price, whose mark of 108.75 would pretty much have beaten anyone.

He'll have far too much for Jose Justicia, who didn't even need an average of over 90 to thrash a very poor Aaron Monk on Sunday, and I can see a whitewash on the cards.

Prediction: 3-0

EVENING SESSION

James Wilson (4/11) v Nico Kurz (11/5)

Head-to-head: 0-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 0-0
PDC World Champ appearances: 3-0

Nico Kurz may only be 22 and preparing for his World Championship debut, but don't let that fool you into thinking he might suffer from stage fright.

The youngster showed no fears when taking on the great Gary Anderson in front of 8,000 fans at the televised German Darts Masters, hitting a 170 checkout en route to a famous shock.

It was a crazy night, with Martin Schindler coming from 5-1 down to beat Michael van Gerwen 6-2, but 24 hours later they both crashed out in the quarter-finals.

Kurz was edged out 8-6 by Peter Wright after another creditable performance while later in the year he saw off Schindler in the German Superleague final to earn his Ally Pally spot.

James Wilson is in the field thanks to a late flurry of form on the Pro Tour which lifted him up into the qualification spaces.

Jammy Dodger, who struggled during the first half of the season, has upped his game recently with a few decent runs, while he knocked Peter Wright out of the Players Championship Finals.

Prediction: 3-1

Josh Payne (1/3) v Diogo Portela (23/10)

Head-to-head: 0-1
2019 Meetings: 0-1
PDC Titles this season: 0-0
PDC World Champ appearances: 2-2

Diogo Portela would make a highly popular addition to the full-time PDC ranks if he was finally able to earn a Tour Card.

'Braziliant', who is here for a third time after winning the South American qualifying event, has come agonisingly close to succeeding at Q School on a couple of occasions and that'll be key in helping him fulfil his potential.

This season he's spent most of his time on the Challenge Tour without ripping up trees and you'd have to fancy Josh Payne to get the job done comfortably enough tonight.

A winner of two Players Championship events in 2016 and 2018, the 26-year-old won't consider this as his finest season by any means but he did reach the UK Open quarter-finals back in March and much more recently he came close to beating Adrian Lewis at the Players Championship Finals before 'that' acrimonious finish.

Prediction: 3-1

Gabriel Clemens (1/3) v Benito van de Pas (23/10)

Head-to-head: 2-0
2019 Meetings: 2-0
PDC Titles this season: 0-0
PDC World Champ appearances: 1-5

Without wanting to blow my own trumpet too much, Gabriel Clemens was one of my tipping highlights of the season having backed him at 80/1 each way to win the German Darts Masters.

The Gentle Giant beat Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross and Mensur Suljovic to set up a final with my 10/1 tip Peter Wright, and although he lost it was still a highly profitable weekend for anyone who took the advice.

Clemens has also reached two Players Championship finals this season as he seeks his maiden PDC title and there are many darts fans who now believe he's actually usurped Max Hopp as Germany's best player - despite what the Order of Merit says.

He played brilliantly at the recent Grand Slam of Darts before bowing out 10-9 to Glen Durrant and he really should have too much in the tank for a struggling Denito van de Pas.

The Dutchman was on the brink of a huge upset to Jim Long this time last year but he survived and then beat Antonio Alcinas before a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Brendan Dolan.

Since then he's endured a miserable season which has seen him slide way down the rankings to 59 and he's now in danger of losing his Tour Card.

He earned his spot by coming through the final PDC qualifying event but I'm not sure that's going to fill him with enough confidence to trouble Clemens too much.

Prediction: 3-1

James Wade (1/5) v Ritchie Edhouse (7/2)

Head-to-head: 1-1
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles this season: 5-0
PDC World Champ appearances: 15-0

James Wade entered 2019 as a resurgent force again and the two televised titles he won towards the back end of the previous season earned him a spot in the Premier League.

By the time the Machine had reached the play-offs, where he'd lose in the semi-finals, he'd already picked up three Players Championship titles and went on to pick up another two in a superb year on the floor.

However, his form in the big televised events has been disappointing of late, losing his grip on his European Championship and World Series of Darts titles following early defeats while he didn't get behind the last 16 of the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts or the Players Championship Finals.

He'll need a good run at the Ally Pally to rubber stamp his Premier League place and he should get off to a flyer against Ritchie Edhouse, who averaged just 87.83 in his first-round win on Tuesday night.

Prediction: 3-0

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