Vorsprung Darts Technik

Looking at the results from the first round there are no huge shocks really and I am still struggling to see how I lost money on it.  This is compounded when I glance over the statistics from the offending match which inform me that Mighty Mike van Gerwen lived up to his name averaging over 101 and checking out 80% but still managed to lose to the bang out of form Rocket.  

All’s fair in love and arrows though I suppose and Ronnie has always been one of my favourite players to watch so it is good to see him back in a good rhythm out on the oche.

With both men averaging over 101 that was arguably the highest quality match, but there were some top performances elsewhere in round one from some of the big guns.  Taylor, Barney and Whitlock all looked imperious, the Dutchman showing some great fight to get past the in-form Hammer.

Maybe the most impressive game, largely due to the surprise factor, was the wholly uninspiring sounding clash between Belgium’s Kim Huybrechts and Spain’s Antonio Alcinas.  I must admit, if I was in Dusseldorf I would have been getting the drinks in as these two arrived at the oche but I would have severely regretted it as they produced an exciting, high-quality match that Huybrechts took 6-2. 

Round Two shapes up like this this afternoon:

2.10pm Whitlock v Lloyd
3.10pm Jenkins v Nicholson
4.10pm Taylor v King
5.10pm Anderson v Wright

8.10pm Newton v Huybrechts
9.10pm Lewis v Chisnall
10.10pm Wade v Baxter
11.10pm van Barneveld v Walsh

As with any PDC event the last 16 is full of great matches and we are in for a whole day of top tungsten from Germany.  Some of the best performers from the opening round are unlucky to come up against an incredibly tough opponent, and as well as Chisnall, Baxter and Walsh played it is hard to back them against Lewis, 

Wade and Barney, although if there is one shock out of three there it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise.

My round two winners are: Whitlock, Jenkins, Taylor, Anderson, Newton, Lewis, Wade and Barney.

Nothing out of the blue there I’m afraid.  Obviously The Asset has a chance against Jenks but the rest seem nailed on.  If I was picking one potential shock I’d go for Chizzy knocking out the world champ.

Betting Tip

You can get Jenkins to beat Nicholson at 11/10.  The Bull looked very good in round one and is more than capable of beating The Asset if he can bring his A game.