Yesterday's action at the Winter Gardens witnessed all four encounters going the distance with Co Stompe, Mark Webster, James Wade & Alan Tabern all progressing to the second round. Aussie Simon Whitlcok begins his quest for glory tonight.
Terry Jenkins v Steve Brown
Amongst his seven TV finals, Terry Jenkins has gone the distance twice on the Winter Gardens stage and he begins his campaign tonight against debutant Steve Brown. Despite maintaining his place in the world’s top five, it’s been a difficult period for the Ledbury man and he is without a win on tour since January 2009. 2010 has seen ‘The Raging Bull’ progress to the last eight in off the TV tournaments on just four occasions with his best return coming as runner up to Phil Taylor in Derby in February. Jenkins, 24th on the list of money earned on the Pro Tour in 2010, is a 4/11 poke to take care of business against Bristolian Brown tonight. ‘Bomber’ is one of those ranked higher than Jenkins on the aforementioned list (20th) and comfortably qualified for what will be his third appearance on TV. The previous two ended in defeat to Chris Mason and James Wade at Alexandra Palace, averaging 77 & 92 respectively. 6 Pro Tour quarter finals in 2010 suggest that he may have his followers at 5/2 tonight or at even money with a 3.5 leg head start.
Simon Whitlock v Tony Eccles
Simon Whitlock has enjoyed a bit of a fairytale since his run to the final of this year’s World Championship. The Aussie, now ranked at number 12 in the PDC, can often be found averaging over 100 on the box (7 in 20 outings since December) and appears to possess the all round game to be adjudged as the closest challenger to Taylor over the coming months and years. His form away from the screens is bettered by no-one. He heads Taylor in money earned on the Pro Tour this year, having reached no less than seven finals – winning four and losing three. Big hitters may be attracted by the 2/11 dangled by the tournament sponsors. In contrast, Tony Eccles scraped into the Matchplay as the 32nd qualifier to ensure a hat-trick of appearances at the Winter Gardens. He has been on the receiving end of some hefty beatings, losing to Raymond van Barneveld 13-3 in 2008 and 10-1 to Wayne Mardle last year. ‘The Viper’ finds little respite in the head to head records between the pair with Whitlock having chalked up victories in all of their meetings to date. On the face of it, the Australian should take this at canter and although no gifts are found in the 2/11, the highest checkout market may be the way to go. With Whitlock’s fondness of taking out the big three-figure shots on a regular basis coupled with Eccles’ forecasted lack of legs won, he is highly likely to have the edge and is available at 4/9 to prevail.
Robert Thornton v Gary Anderson
The two top Scots in world darts face off for the first time on TV in tonight’s third game on stage. Robert Thornton had a dream start after his switch to the PDC just over two years ago in reaching the European Championship semi final and the Players Championship final – performances that resulted in the world number 13 being invited to take part in a Premier League exhibition following the withdrawal of Wayne Mardle due to illness. His form has been patchy since (not helped by a broken hand suffered in autumn 2009) and his best return on the Pro Tour for the season is a brace of quarter finals in March of this year. His opponent – now based in Somerset – looks for all the world like the one most likely from north of the border to go on and join the game’s elite. A lot are often made of the averages but 7 105+ averages on TV isn’t half bad from ‘The Flying Scotsman’. The latest of these came during his run to June’s UK Open Final which followed an impressive seven tour finals (three of which were victories). Anderson will have made it into the world’s top 16 in just 18 months on the PDC circuit by the end of this tournament and is on a collision course with qualification for next year’s Premier League. Totesport are a standout 3/10 about Anderson which is probably about right. Should he get firing early on the treble 20 bed, it may be worth taking a punt on the 4/7 about him notching the first of many maximums.
Mervyn King v Jelle Klaasen
Mervyn King enters this week’s World Matchplay knowing that if he was to equal or better James Wade’s performance, then the 44-year old would move up to number three in the world. It would certainly not be a status lost on the East Anglian who is a six-time PDC TV semi finalist since moving over from the BDO at the start of 2007. It was Phil Taylor who ended his Matchplay dream in one of those semi finals this time last year but ‘The King’ will have his work cut out to emulate that performance. He should make light work of Jelle Klaasen tonight but will then probably need to take out Anderson, Whitlock & Taylor in order to reach the final. King had a remarkable start to 2010 in reaching the televised Players Championship Final, challenging Taylor at the top of the Premier League table and claiming back-to-back tour wins in Swindon – all within a four week period. His form dipped slightly in the second half of the Premier League where he averaged 95 or below in each of his last nine outings but he should have more than enough to take out the 2006 BDO World Champion. En route to that title, Klassen claimed his only notable win against King with the latter having took all other televised clashes between the two, including an 8-1 mauling in January of this year at the Circus Tavern. The 25-year old has reached just one televised quarter final since his switch (a month earlier than King) to the elite and languishes at number 28 in the rankings. King is a 4/9 shot to win tonight but given the logic that all games must be won by two clear legs anyway, King (-2.5) will be attracting our support at 4/6 to take care of the additional leg required to weigh in.
Verdict
Simon Whitlock to hit highest checkout against Tony Eccles at 4/9 (Skybet/Paddy Power)
Mervyn King (-2.5) to beat Jelle Klaasen at 4/6 (Various)
