Gary Anderson and Adrian Lewis during the 2016 World Championship final

PDC World Darts Championship: Day two predictions, betting tips, acca, order of play and TV time

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Thu December 16, 2021 · 4y ago

The William Hill World Darts Championship continues on Thursday with two sessions so here's Chris Hammer's match-by-match predictions, best bets and a suggested acca.

A repeat of the 2011 and 2016 final is on the menu tonight as Gary Anderson takes on Adrian Lewis while Lisa Ashton is also in action. We preview all eight matches across two sessions...

Darts betting tips: World Championship day two

1pt Razma to win and Lennon hit most 180s at 5/2 (Sky Bet)

1pt Chas Barstow (-1.5 sets) to beat Norman Jnr at 5/4 (Sky Bet)

1pt Gurney to beat Evans and hit most 180s at 11/10 (Sky Bet)

1pt Lewis and Anderson both to hit 4+ 180s each at evens (Sky Bet)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

SL Acca: Lauby (+1.5), Ashton (+1.5) & Lewis (+1.5) all to win with Sky Bet

Thursday December 16: Afternoon session

TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1230 GMT)
Format: Best of five sets (Rounds 1 and 2)

Steve Lennon (1/1) v Madars Razma (4/5) (R1)

Head to Head (TV): 2-1 (0-0)
2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
2021 Titles (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
Three-Dart Average (2021): 92.7 – 92.11
180’s per leg (2021): 0.21 – 0.13
Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 33.33% – 33.33%
100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 9.87% – 11.01%

Statistically there's not too much between Steve Lennon and Madars Razma this season but the latter has been in slightly better form over the past few months and even reached his first Players Championship semi-final back in October.

On that occasion he hit one of the most ridiculous nine-darters you'll ever see when opting to juggle his final dart before hitting double 18 to complete comical perfection.

NINE DARTER! Madars Razma hits RIDICULOUS nine-darter at Players Championship 26!

Razma may lack a wealth of big-stage experience but at the UK Open back in March he averaged 100 in a brilliant 10-6 victory over David Evans before bowing out 10-8 to Krzysztof Ratajski while he put in a decent display in defeat to Dimitri Van den Bergh at the recent Players Championship Finals.

This is his third Ally Pally appearance having beaten Toro Suzuki last year before a 3-1 defeat to Gary Anderson 12 months ago whereas Lennon is here for the fifth time and is yet to go past the second round.

I'm going to give the edge to Razma but will also combine that with Lennon to hit most 180s given the Irishman has been considerably more potent on the maximums this season.

CLICK HERE to back Razma to win and Lennon to hit most 180s with Sky Bet

Predicted Scoreline: 2-3

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Scott Mitchell (4/11) v Chris Landman (11/5) (R1)

Head to Head (TV): 1-0 (0-0)
2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
2021 Titles (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
PDC Three-Dart Average (2021): 93.31 – N/A
PDC 180’s per leg (2021): 0.18 – N/A
PDC Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 37.04% – N/A
PDC 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 11.82 % – N/A

Former Lakeside champion Scott Mitchell has enjoyed a pretty impressive second season in the PDC ranks and will be confident of marking his Alexandra Palace debut with a victory.

Scotty Dog boasts a decent seasonal average of 93.31 this season and while he hasn't made too many TV appearances this season, you may remember him giving Michael van Gerwen a scare at the UK Open back in March before losing 10-8 with an average of 95.

His performances on the Pro Tour earned him a spot at the Players Championship Finals, where he beat Martijn Kleermaker before losing a poor contest with Jonny Clayton, while his many BDO World Championships campaigns mean he won't be fazed by the occasion.

He beat Chris Landman in both of their meetings during the BDO days but the Dutchman proved he can be a dangerous operator by defeating Niels Zonneveld, Geert de Vos and Jelle Klaasen at the West-Europe Qualifier to book his place here for the first time.

Landman did only average in the mid-80s during that tournament so he'll have to play beyond himself to give Mitchell a scare.

Predicted Scoreline: 3-1

Chas Barstow (1/2) v John Norman Jnr (13/8) (R1)

Head to Head (TV): 1-0 (0-0)
2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
2021 Titles (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
PDC Three-Dart Average (2021): 91.33 - N/A
PDC 180’s per leg (2021): 0.20 - N/A
PDC Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): Unavailable (non-tour card holder) - N/A
PDC 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): Unavailable - N/A

John Norman Jnr sealed his Alexandra Palace debut by topping the Canadian CDC Tour, which he did so by winning two titles and reaching another final.

His average across 23 matches on that tour was 87.77 which obviously makes him quite a handy player but how will his game hold together in this kind of atmosphere for the first time?

Chas Barstow is in the same inexperienced boat but has done brilliantly well to qualify for the World Championship via the Pro Tour Order of Merit despite failing to earn a Tour Card at Q School back in January.

He managed to reach a couple of quarter-finals and can even boast victories over the likes of Gerwyn Price, Jose de Sousa and Nathan Aspinall this year, while his seasonal average of 91.33 isn't too shabby at all.

The Englishman lacks consistency but his game didn't fall apart at the UK Open and Players Championship Finals, where he averaged around 90 across his four matches, so I expect him to be the cooler of the two debutants - especially if he can finish like in this clip below.

CLICK HERE to back Barstow (-1.5 sets) to beat Norman Jr with Sky Bet

Predicted Scoreline: 3-1

Where has this guy been? 🤯

Chas Barstow chucking another audacious checkout into the mix as he lands a double-double 131 finish to level at 3-3.

His second of this match! pic.twitter.com/MQ8zWXSpaE
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 18, 2021

Daryl Gurney (2/5) v Ricky Evans (2/1) (R2)

Head to Head (TV): 4-4 (2-1)
2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
2021 Titles (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
Three-Dart Average (2021): 94.6 – 91.09
180’s per leg (2021): 0.28 – 0.20
Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 37.5% – 16.67%
100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 9.13% – 11.61%

Ricky Evans lived up to his Rapid nickname last night by defeating Nitin Kumar in double quick time for the loss of just two legs - but the entertainment value of his darts, including a fantastic 167 checkout, was nothing compared to his comically brilliant version of Cristiano Ronaldo's celebration.

Suiiiiiii 🤣@goodevans180 X @Cristiano

Iconic. pic.twitter.com/foCWedOJIv
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 15, 2021

Goodness knows what he has planned for us this afternoon should he get the better of Daryl Gurney and book his place in round three for the third year in a row, but a performance similar to last night could be enough.

Evans averaged 96.2, hit four 180s in just 11 legs and pinned 56% of his doubles - although he did concede during his interview that the finishing area of his game has let him down during a largely mediocre season, and the stats back that up.

Daryl Gurney had also endured a quiet campaign by his lofty standards but reminded us of his big-stage abilities at the recent Players Championship Finals, where he averaged 104 in a brilliant 10-7 victory over James Wade before losing a classic quarter-final with eventual runner-up Ryan Searle 10-9 when both players averaged 101.

SuperChin could just be coming good at the right time and I'll back him to come through with the most 180s at evens with most bookies.

CLICK HERE to back Gurney to win and hit most 180s with Sky Bet

Predicted Scoreline: 3-1

Evening session

TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1900 GMT)
Format: Best of five sets (Rounds 1 and 2)

William O’Connor (2/5) v Danny Lauby (2/1) (R1)

Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
2021 Titles (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
PDC Three-Dart Average (2021): 91.61 – N/A
PDC 180’s per leg (2021): 0.19 – N/A
PDC Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 39.13% – N/A
PDC 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 9.88% – N/A

Danny Lauby is a rising prospect from the USA and I fancy him to cause a minor shock against Willie O'Connor.

This is his second Ally Pally appearance having lost a thrilling clash against Ryan Searle 3-2 last year, with an average of almost 90.

He sealed his place here by topping the CDC USA Tour Ranking after six events, winning two of them, but more importantly he's been over here a while competing in the online darts league to keep himself sharp.

Lauby has the potential to trouble O’Connor, whose seasonal average is in the very low 90s and hasn’t impressed too much this year.

Predicted Scoreline: 2-3

Ryan Meikle (2/5) v Fabian Schmutzler (2/1) (R1)

Head to Head (TV): 1-0 (0-0)
2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
2021 Titles (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
PDC Three-Dart Average (2021): 91.81 – N/A
PDC 180’s per leg (2021): 0.18 – N/A
PDC Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 44.44% – N/A
PDC 100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 15.92% – N/A

Remarkably Fabian Schmutzler isn't actually the youngest player ever to appear at the PDC World Championship despite being just 16.

That record - I've been reliably informed by Paul Nicholson - belongs to Australia's Mitchell Clegg, who was a few months younger when losing to Raymond van Barneveld in 2007.

If you're wondering what happened to Mitchell, well he never been back here since but he's still only 31 and this year won three events in the DPA New South Wales Bubble so you never know, he could one day return to this level!

Back to far more relevant matters, Schmutzler is here via his performances on the European Development Tour as he won two of the six events he entered with an overall average of around 84.

At this rate he's bound to have a bright future but he's not yet at the same standard as the improving Ryan Meikle, who stunned everyone with a 109 average during a 6-5 victory over Dirk van Duijvenbode at the Players Championship Finals last month.

The 25-year-old from Suffolk dropped off significantly when losing to Gary Anderson in the next round but he should fancy his chances of reaching round two for the first time at his third attempt.

Predicted Scoreline: 3-1

Ron Meulenkamp (4/11) v Lisa Ashton (11/5) (R1)

Head to Head (TV): 1-1 (0-0)
2021 Head to Head (TV): 1-0 (0-0)
2021 Titles (TV): 0-0 (0-0)
Three-Dart Average (2021): 91.48 – 86.41
180’s per leg (2021): 0.29 – 0.14
Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 20% – 37.5%
100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 10.88% – 11.04%

Lisa Ashton has shouldered a lot of hype and pressure during her previous two appearances at the World Championship due to the absence of Fallon Sherrock and although she was unable to create her own slice of history on the Ally Pally stage, she still put in superb performances against Jan Dekker and Adam Hunt.

Last year was particularly galling as she lost a deciding set 3-1 and she may well be embroiled in another tense affair against Ron Meulenkamp tonight.

At least this time it seems as if the media have forgotten about her due to Sherrock's hyped up return and that can only be a benefit to her focus and preparations.

As brilliantly as the Queen of the Palace has performed on the TV stages in recent months, we must remember Ashton has been competing with the men week in week out on the PDC Tour over the past two seasons and was only marginally second best during the Women's Series.

Ashton has beaten Meulenkamp once before - albeit in September 2020 - while she was averaging around 90 in all her Grand Slam of Darts matches last month despite defeat, so a similar performance level can give the Dutchman a real run for his money.

I'm siding with the Lancashire Rose but the safer play is to back her on the handicap at +1.5 sets.

Predicted Scoreline: 2-3

Gary Anderson (8/13) v Adrian Lewis (6/4) (R2)

Head to Head (TV): 27-15, 3 draws (15-10, 3 draws)
2021 Head to Head (TV): 0-1 (0-1)
2021 Titles (TV): 0-1 (0-0)
Three-Dart Average (2021): 95.25 – 94.38
180’s per leg (2021): 0.26 – 0.26
Checkout Percentage (Stage Events 2021): 35.25% – 44.71%
100+ checkouts per leg won (2021): 11.29% – 13.98 %

Two of the greatest Ally Pally finals of all time were contested by these two legends but if you'd been told back in 2016 that one of them would have fallen outside the world's top 32 by 2022, you wouldn't believe it.

If you had to predict which one it would be, you'd probably have gone for Adrian Lewis considering Gary Anderson is the type of person who'd pack it well before he slipped that low down the rankings, especially at his age, but Jackpot had the game to stay up towards the top for an entire career.

He still has the talent, obviously, to climb back up and we saw plenty of flashes of that last night when he came from a set down to battle past the dangerous Matt Campbell 3-1 with a 94 average, winning two of those sets in deciding legs.

Anderson's season has been very disappointing by his standards, especially because he promised everyone he'd take the game more seriously in 2021 after reaching the world final, and it's not as if we can even say he's saved his vintage form for the big stages. He's not even reached a quarter-final of any of them and even lost to Adrian Lewis at the Masters in their only 2021 meeting.

Statistically they've been very similar this season so I think it's as hard to predict as their classic finals back in 2011 and 2016. I think we could see at least four closely fought sets tonight and if so, the even money available on both players to hit four or more 180s attracts the eye. Lewis managed five in 18 legs last night but four of those came in the last 13 after he'd found his rhythm.