Darts Tips
7.15pm: Cameron Menzies v Mickey Mansell – Mansell +2.5 leg handicap
8.45pm: Martin Lukeman v Rob Cross – Over 27.5 legs
- A double with these bets pays at approximately 5/2 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
WHERE: WV Active Aldersley, Wolverhampton
WHEN: November 9-17th
TV: Sky Sports Mix
Menzies v Mansell – Mansell +2.5 leg handicap
It has been a wildly unpredictable Grand Slam of Darts and, to me, the first quarter-final is a difficult one to call. However, the market disagrees as Cameron Menzies has been heavily backed into what I find a very surprising price.
Perhaps it is harsh to say he is lucky to be in the last eight, but after losing two of his group fixtures and averaging 93.5 in the round of 16, even he will be pinching himself.
James Wade had Menzies on the ropes in their match on Wednesday night, winning four legs on the bounce to lead 6-4 but the Scot, to his credit, somehow clawed his way back into it despite seemingly losing all concentration.
It looked as though Menzies had blown it when he missed two darts at tops in the final leg decider, but Wade couldn’t take out 98, and a maiden PDC major quarter-final beckons for the 2022 WDF World Championship semi-finalist.
The 35-year-old ranks 10th for overall average in 2024 and perhaps we are now seeing him bring his floor game to the big stage, but I don’t think we can declare that with any conviction given the level of performance he has got by with so far in Wolverhampton.
Mickey Mansell, meanwhile, needed all of his 99 average to see off Danny Noppert. Both players started superbly but the Northern Irishman outlasted the eighth-seed and appears completely unfazed by everything thrown at him this week.
Both are untested in this long format but Mansell’s level of focus bodes well, while Menzies could struggle with his opponent’s methodical approach.
It makes sense to get behind the man who has been more convincing this week, especially with a decent head start on the leg handicap.
Lukeman v Cross – Over 27.5 legs
Wednesday was a comfortable evening for Martin Lukeman and Rob Cross, both of whom have played consistently well throughout the Grand Slam without quite hitting the top of their respective games.
Finishing has been Voltage’s strength thus far. The first eight legs he took against Ritchie Edhouse were all won with his first attempted dart at double, and he ended up with an impressive 10 out of 12 on the outer ring.
It is a big ask for Cross to reproduce that and given that he is not scoring as well as he would like, there is certainly a chance for Lukeman to cause the former world champion some problems, just as he did when he beat him 5-3 in Group C on Sunday.
Lukeman holds an advantage of more than five points in their first nine darts average for the tournament, and while his doubling hasn’t been at the level of Voltage’s, he has statistically been the better finisher in 2024.
Cross deserves to be a comfortable favourite with all he has achieved, but this has the feel of a nip-and-tuck battle between two dartists currently playing to a similar standard.
Darts Tips
7.15pm: Cameron Menzies v Mickey Mansell – Mansell +2.5 leg handicap
8.45pm: Martin Lukeman v Rob Cross – Over 27.5 legs
- A double with these bets pays at approximately 5/2 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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