First Round Matches
Klaasen v Burness, 7.15pm
They’re playing for the right to play Michael van Gerwen in the next round. Klaasen’s not been brilliant this year. He was the 2006 BDO World Champion, and his best performance at the PDC was in 2016 when he reached the semi-finals.
Last year, however, he went out in the second round to Keegan Brown.
Burness is a 54-year-old from Newtownards in Northern Ireland. He won the Tom Kirby Memorial to qualify for the World Championship and he has a record here, beating Paul Nicholson 3-0 in the first round last year before losing to Gary Anderson in the second round.
I think he can push Klaasen, but I’d back the Dutchman for victory at 1/3.
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 21: Jelle Klaasen of Netherlands throws in his second round match against Keegan Brown of England during Day Nine of the 2019 William Hill World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace on December 21, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Linnea Rheborg/Getty Images)
Huybrechts v Nentjes, 8.10pm
Geert Nentjes is a 21-year-old from the Netherlands who was knocked out in the first round here last year by Nathan Aspinall – who is my tip to win it all this year at a huge 40/1 price.
Hurricane Huybrechts blows into the Ally Pally this year but hasn’t really performed on the big stage in a while. He was beaten 4-0 by Dave Chisnall here to exit last year. He’s not playing particularly well at the moment but he should have too much for the youngster at 4/11.
Darts – Betway Premier League Darts 2016 – SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland – 17/3/16
General view of Raymond van Barneveld
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Humphries v Petersen, 9.05pm
Devon Petersen will be hoping to avoid the Sky Sports commentary box because that’s where he is heading if he loses!
The African Warrior, from Mitchells Plains in South Africa, via Bradford where he lives now, reached the last 16, losing 4-3 to Nathan Aspinall in the end.
Cool Hand Luke Humphries, from Newbury, is the 2019 PDC World Youth Champion and is playing great darts at the moment.
It’s 4/6 Luke Humphries, 6/5 for Petersen, and will the South African has the experience, but Humphries has the class to go through.
Second Round Pick
Van Gerwen v Klaasen, 10pm
If Klaasen wins tonight as I expect, he’ll play Michael van Gerwen in a second-round match around 10pm. They used to be pals but there’s been a lot of water under the bridge since then.
MVG is a red-hot favourite in that, naturally, and PaddyPower.com already has the two possible matches live to bet on. Van Gerwen to cruise through 3-0 is 4/7.
Dave Clark’s Friday fourfold pays out at over 7/2
Klaasen, Huybrechts and Humphries to win, MVG to win 3-0
*All odds correct at time of posting, all start times approximate
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