World Matchplay darts: Day two predictions, odds, betting tips, accas, order of play & TV times

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There's eight first-round matches at the Winter Gardens on Sunday split over two sessions, with tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen getting his campaign under way tonight.

Here, I'll run through this evening's four games and throw in some predictions and best bets.

World Matchplay: Sunday July 21

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AFTERNOON SESSION

• TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1300 BST)
• First Round: Best of 19 legs

Darren Webster (2/1) v Krzysztof Ratajski (2/5)

Head-to-head: N/A
2019 Meetings: N/A
PDC Titles in 2019: 0-1
Career PDC Titles: 2-4

Now I must concede I've changed my mind about this fixture since publishing my player-by-player guide, in which I loosely predicted Darren Webster would be going home after one game.

Not that I was expecting big things this week for Krzysztof Ratajski, who hasn't really impressed enough on the big stages to suggest he can go all the way at the Winter Gardens.

Webster is a seasoned campaigner with plenty of experience of televised tournaments and has reached the quarter-finals here in each of the last two years whereas this is Ratajski's Blackpool debut.

The Polish Eagle has of course been more successful than Webster on the circuit this season, adding a fourth Pro Tour title to the three he managed in 2018 without being a PDC Tour Card holder, but this is a different arras game compared to the floor events.

As far as a bet goes, 2/1 seems generous enough about the underdog seed but I quite like 5/1 on there being over 16.5 legs, a high checkout of over 127.5 and more than 6.5 total 180s.

Prediction: 10-7

Dave Chisnall (2/5) v Max Hopp (2/1)

Head-to-head: 5-2
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles in 2019: 3-0
Career PDC Titles: 15-3

The phrase "there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house if" is used far too much in sport for my liking but it would be true if Dave Chisnall ever won a televised major.

Chizzy has certainly built up a lot of confidence this season, ending a two-year title drought by winning three of them, including the first on the stage since his maiden European Tour triumph of 2013.

The mental blocks and fragilities that seem to get in the way at the biggest tournaments only seem to arise towards the business ends of them and he's reached the quarter-finals in Blackpool five times and as recently as 12 months ago.

Chisnall has comfortably won all four of his previous meetings with Hopp on a stage environment, including last year's World Series of Darts Finals and World Grand Prix, so I expect a similar result this afternoon.

The German star has risen up the rankings with encouraging results on tour and also reached his first major semi-final at last year's European Championship on home soil but apart from that he hasn't been good enough on TV.

Chisnall to win, score over 4.5 180s and have a checkout of over 97.5 at 5/4 seems a pretty safe bet.

Prediction: 10-6

Ian White (4/9) v Joe Cullen (7/4)

Head-to-head: 8-3
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles in 2019: 2-0
Career PDC Titles: 12-2

Joe Cullen has certainly shown glimpses of promise on the big stage and were it not for Gary Anderson's pet fly that flew across his eyeline during a match dart in last year's epic quarter-final, he may well have gone on to be a major winner.

But ultimately those signs of promises haven't materialised into anything more and the way he squandered a golden chance to reach the European Championship final last year is a worry.

Time is very much on his side however, which can't be said for Ian White, who is seemingly making up for lost time in a big way in a bid to crack the stage environment.

The 48-year-old had always been known as a 'floor man' but three European Tour in less than 12 months - including back-to-back triumphs this season in which he defeated Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright in last-leg deciders - have been massive for his self belief.

This is why I've backed him for the tournament each-way, so clearly I'm going to be siding with him for what should be a captivating contest.

Prediction: 10-8

Michael Smith (4/7) v Jamie Hughes (11/8)

Head-to-head: N/A
2019 Meetings: N/A
PDC Titles in 2019: 0-1
Career PDC Titles: 11-1

This promises to be the match of the first round and I must say I'm taking a big risk backing Michael Smith for the title with such a tough opener.

Jamie Hughes had already won many admirers on his debut season as a PDC Tour Card holder with his superb scoring stats but he converted that into title success at the recent Czech Open which also earned him a spot in Blackpool at the last possible opportunity.

Handling all that extra pressure is highly commendable and he'll be relishing his first appearance at the Winter Gardens against one of the most naturally gifted players in the sport.

Smith needs to start backing up his talents with major success sooner than later but I think the tougher games can bring the best out of him so maybe an early clash with Hughes is a blessing in disguise.

I'm going for this match to have over 16.5 legs, a high checkout over over 127.5 and more than 9.5 total 180s at 3/1.

Prediction: 10-8

EVENING SESSION

• TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1900 BST)
• First Round: Best of 19 legs

James Wade (8/15) v Jeffrey de Zwaan (6/4)

Head-to-head: 4-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles in 2019: 4-1
Career PDC Titles: 34-2

James Wade is back to being quite a winning machine having bagged back-to-back televised titles (European Championship and World Series of Darts Finals) late in 2018 to end a near five-year drought since his last.

This year he's won four Players Championship titles so heads into this clash with Jeffrey de Zwaan as clear favourite but I feel there's every chance of a mini upset to open the evening.

After an incredible run to the semi-finals as a 750/1 outsider here 12 months ago, where he knocked out MVG for the second time in a televised event, he's continued his upward curve in the game.

He won his second PDC title at a Players Championship event earlier this year - a few weeks after reaching a final - while he's still competing on the Development Tour to hone his skills and also the European Tour to get used to regular stage environments.

If you're not convinced about an upset then how about backing this match having over 15.5 legs, a highest checkout of over 116.5 and moe than 6.5 total 180s at 11/10.

Prediction: 8-10

Mensur Suljovic (4/11) v Jermaine Wattimena (11/5)

Head-to-head: 5-0
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles in 2019: 0-0
Career PDC Titles: 5-0

The clash of styles in this one couldn't be more contrasting but as yet, the Machine Gun's fast throwing has never come out on top.

This is why Gary Anderson has previously said he doesn't like playing Mensur Suljovic as it slows him down more than he can speed the Austrian up, although the Flying Scotsman has just about managed to work out how to cope.

Wattimena has enjoyed a fairly positive season and he showed during the World Championship, where he gave Anderson a real scare in a pulsating clash, that he's getting more accustomed to the televised stage.

He's quite a big price at 11/5 and surely his first triumph over Suljovic has to come sooner than later?

Over 7.5 180s in the match also seems quite a steal at 13/8.

Prediction: 8-10

Michael van Gerwen (1/10) v Steve Beaton (6/1)

Head-to-head: 17-4
2019 Meetings: 0-0
PDC Titles in 2019: 8-0
Career PDC Titles: 124-5

I don't think Steve Beaton will be the latest player to shock Michael van Gerwen in the early rounds of a major tournament but at 6/1 he could be worth a small flutter.

The world number one may have won eight titles this year, including the Premier League and Masters to take his career tally to 124, but on current form he's as vulnerable as he's ever been and has now gone 11 matches without averaging over 100. That's obviously unheard of for him.

Even when things were looking rosy earlier in the season, he was stunned by Mervyn King over best-of-19 legs at the UK Open on the same day Beaton shocked Gary Anderson, while last year he failed to win seven of the televised majors including the World Matchplay where Jeffrey de Zwaan of course pulled off a huge first-round exit.

The fear factor isn't the same as it used to be so we shouldn't be afraid to back against him either.

Prediction: 7-10

Adrian Lewis (11/8) v Glen Durrant (4/7)

Head-to-head: 2-1
2019 Meetings: 2-1
PDC Titles in 2019: 1-2
Career PDC Titles: 25-2

Glen Durrant is my 11/1 pick to win the tough first quarter of the draw, so I'm obviously going to side with him to get past Adrian Lewis in the final match of the night.

Since emulating the late, great Eric Bristow's record of winning three successive BDO World Championship titles at the top of the year, just about defied the nerves of Q School to earn a PDC Tour Card before setting the circuit alight by reaching a final in his second tournament before winning his fourth.

His dream debut season on the PDC got even better at another Players Championship tournament in May when defeating Michael van Gerwen in their first ever meeting en route to claiming his second title of the season.

As with Jamie Hughes, it's remarkable they've both managed to qualify for Blackpool so quickly in their PDC journeys and I don't think Duzza's will end any time soon, even though Adrian Lewis has shown encouraging signs that he could become a force again by winning a first title since 2017.

I'm going for Duzza to win the match, score over 3.5 180s and checkout over 96.5 at 6/4.

Prediction: 6-10

Sunday's darts accas

• Webster, Chisnall, White & Smith at 8.5/1
• De Zwaan, Wattimena & Durrant at 11.57/1
• De Zwaan, Wattimena, MVG & Durrant at 87/1
• Chisnall, White, Smith, De Zwaan & Durrant at 11.48/1
• Click here to build your acca

Schedule for Monday July 22

Monday July 22 (1900 BST)
First Round (best of 19 legs)
TV Channel: Sky Sports

• Jonny Clayton v Keegan Brown
• Simon Whitlock v John Henderson
• Daryl Gurney v Ricky Evans
• Peter Wright v Vincent van der Voort

Full World Championship draw and schedule

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