World Matchplay First Round 20th Jul

In the third part of our guide to the first round of the World Matchplay Darts we look ahead to the sunday evening session. The opening game (19:00) sees Justin Pipe take on Michael Smith with the latter the 4/5 favourite and the former evens outsider with bet365. Those who read the outright preview piece will know we are high on Smith to go far in this tournament and I think he looks a good thing at these prices to see off Pipe. These two players have met five times before and Smith has come out on top four times including victory in their only meeting this year. Pipe has shown real talent on the Players Tour though has yet to transfer this across to television. Smith meanwhile seems to excel in front of the cameras including the notable defeat of Phil Taylor in the World Championships this year and it is he who is the bet of the night.

Wes Newton and Ronnie Baxter do battle in the second game of the evening with Newton the 4/7 favourite to progress while Baxter is an 11/8 chance. Av It (Newton) leads the head-to-head record 10-7 though it is the Rocket who has won the last two meetings including the only battle between the pair this year. Newton was a part of the Darts Premier League season and did not have the best of times in that tournament. Baxter meanwhile has had a disappointing year though has shown some signs of life in recent Players events, making a couple of quarter-finals. This could be a close battle and with the total leg markets set at 16.5 and the winner needing ten legs I think going over is the way to play this game.

Phil Taylor will begin his quest for a seventh consecutive title at Winter Gardens with a match against Darren Webster. Webster is not a full time professional and might not be as well known to the casual fan. Known by the nickname Demolition Man he had a great 2007 making the last 16 of the UK Open and the quarter finals of the Worlds where he came unstuck against Taylor. Since then he has done little of note though and despite the Power not being at his best I can not take him on here at 8/1 while odds of 1/12 on Taylor offer no appeal. With better bets elsewhere then this is a game I would recommend missing.

Rounding off the evening is the clash of the Dutchman as Raymond van Barneveld takes on Vincent van der Voort. Barney is the 1/4 favourite having won 14 of the 16 meetings between the pair including each of the last four. The return to form of Barney has been one of the welcome features of the circuit this year and his victory in the Premier League was a great moment following a few years in the wilderness. He should have few problems seeing off his countryman here with van der Voort though the prices reflect this. The man who is nicknamed the Dutch Destroyer did win the Austrian Open in June so does have some form to his name and this could be a game that goes a little longer than expected. In that case be sure to take the over 16.5 legs which can be backed at evens with bet365.

RECOMMENDATION: Micheal Smith to beat Justin Pipe, 4/5, bet365
Over 16.5 legs Newton and Baxter, 8/11, bet365
Over 16.5 legs van Barneveld and van der Voort, evens, BET365

Go To bet365

#Ad

20/07/2014     © Frixo 2024