Friday Evening Grand Slam Of Darts Preview

It was a tough night for us last night. Jose De Sousa should have won vs Peter Wright in one of the worst games of the tournament. Fallon Sherrock knocked Suljovic out again but there wasn’t enough 180s for us to land our bets. Gary Anderson turned up in good form against MVG and pushed him all the way, scuppering our -3.5 bets. That’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes, James Punt is aiming to bounce back tonight. Check out his Friday Evening Grand Slam of Darts preview and tips below.

Friday Evening Grand Slam of Darts: Quarter Finals

James Wade vs. Rob Cross

Our last man standing, Rob Cross, is up against a player who thrashed him 5-2 in the group phase just four days ago. He faces him again here, but is there any chance he can turn around that form?

James Wade averaged 111.7 in that match, the highest he has averaged for something like 12 years. We can safely say that he is unlikely to hit those heights again. Wade followed that fantastic score with a 98 average when beating Rowby-John Rodriguez 10-2 in the second round on Wednesday night. He checked out at 66.7% in that match and it was a very complete performance, just with a few less fireworks.

Wade was limping quite badly with a gouty foot, a very painful condition, but not something to stop him throwing a dart, unless it spreads to other joints. Believe me, when you get it in your elbow, wrist or fingers, there is very little you can do, never mind throw a dart. However, most gout sufferers only get it in the foot, mostly the big toe joint, and he should have medication to reduce the inflammation and be in better shape tonight. Injury should not be an issue.

Stats Are Similar

So far James Wade is averaging 98.7, better than his 95.7 seasonal average, checking out at 53% and hitting 180s at 0.257 per leg. Cross is averaging 99.25, like Wade better than his seasonal average of 96.4. Cross is checking out at 43% and hitting the 180s at 0.20 per leg. All very close but with Wade being clearly better on the doubles. Cross has improved his averages with each match played, so hopefully he is playing himself into top form for the business end of the competition.

This will be James Wade’s fifth GSOD quarter final and he has won three of the previous four. Cross has only played one, losing 13-16 to MVG in 2017. James Wade has won seven of his last ten matches, Cross six. In their last ten matches, Wade had two ton plus averages, Cross three; 95-100 averages Wade 3, Cross 4; 90-95 averages Wade 4, Cross 2 and both had one sub 90 average. Wade’s best was a 111.7, Cross 112.9 and the lows, a 85.9 for Wade and a 86.5 for Cross. Again not a lot in it but Cross has been more consistently hitting in the over 95s.

Their H2H record is 9-9 and in 2021, 2-1 to Wade.

Tricky To Price Up

This is a tricky one to price up. The H2H record suggests it is a toss-up. Cross is by and large the better scorer but that doesn’t necessarily mean too much. The better checkout rate of Wade balances it out. Wade’s recent win will be fresh in both players minds, but the fact that it was such an outlier in terms of Wade’s scoring suggests it is not a great guide.

The market has made Rob Cross the 1.73 favourite and James Wade 2.10. I would make it a little closer than that, but still have Cross the marginal favourite.

Familiar Foes

This tournament is unusual in that you can meet the same player twice. Last year Wade played Damon Heta in the group stage and the quarter final and won both. In 2017, Rob Cross played MVG in the group and quarter final and lost both. It doesn’t always happen that the same result is repeated. Last year Smith beat De Sousa in the group but lost to him in the quarter final.

Over the last five years there have been 12 occasions where the two group qualifiers have met again in the quarter finals. The same result happened seven times, a different result five times, so a slight positive for the group winner repeating the feat, which isn’t really a surprise.

Looking at the scores in the last five years’ quarter finals we have 11 matches which went over 27 legs and 9 which went under 27 legs. So there is a slight tendency towards the longer match. With two top class players who are playing at a very similar level I would expect this to be one that tended towards a longer match. The odds on over 27.5 legs are 1.85 so there isn’t any value in those odds.

We are on Cross for the tournament so hopefully he can turn around the result, but it will not be easy. I can’t see any value in the match odds or side markets, so this is a no bet match.

Friday Evening Grand Slam of Darts Tip: No Bet

Gerwyn Price vs. Jonny Clayton

The two great Welsh rivals meet again on the big stage. This will be their fourth H2H meeting in 2021 and Clayton has won two, the last two, both on TV. There was a 5-1 thrashing at the World Grand Prix and a deciding leg winner at the World Series finals. Price beat Clayton 11-3 at the World Matchplay. Overall, it is 11-7 to Price and he had won eight in a row from 2019 to that World Grand Prix win this October. The worm has turned after a long period of Price dominance.

In terms of recent form, it is Clayton who looks the better player. He has won eight of his last ten matches and won the last two televised tournaments he has played in. Price has lost four of his last ten matches, two of them to Jonny Clayton. Before his defeat to Clayton in the World Series finals, Price had had five consecutive matches with ton plus averages (103.6 across the five).

In this tournament his average is 95.75, down on his recent form and down on his seasonal average of 99.24. Both players are checking out at 39.5% but Clayton is way ahead in terms of hitting 180s, hitting 13 at 0.35 per leg compared to just 7 at 0.17 for Price. Clayton is averaging 102 so far this week which is above his seasonal average of 98.8.

Below Par Price

Price just isn’t at his best. He was taken to a deciding leg by Nathan Rafferty in the first group match. Rafferty played well, averaged 95, but he is no Jonny Clayton. Price then lost 4-5 to Martin Schindler and struggled to beat Bradley Brooks 10-8 in the second round. Brooks averaged just 88.5.

Jonny Clayton also played Brooks and Rafferty. He beat Brooks 5-3 in the group stage, but Brooks averaged 95.7 against him and not the 88.5 he managed against Price. Clayton then played Rafferty in the second round and won 10-2 with Rafferty averaging just under 92. Clearly against the same two opponents it was Clayton who was the more dominant player.

Clayton is the marginal favourite at 1.91 which looks generous to me. He is playing better and at the top of his form, confident and Price is not. His B-game is good, but not good enough against Clayton’s A-game.

I will be a bit more ambitious, or greedy if it goes wrong, and back Clayton to win and have the most 180s (you will find it in the GetAPrice section)

Friday Evening Grand Slam of Darts Tip: 2 points Jonny Clayton to win and have the most 180s @ 3.25 with Ladbrokes

Just for a bit fun, and because he has come close already, a small bet on Clayton to have his second 9 darter of the season. It’s a bit of a mug’s bet but I just feel that there is one coming this week and why not Clayton?

Friday Evening Grand Slam of Darts Tip: 0.5 point Jonny Clayton to hit a nine dart leg @ 41.00 with Boylesports

-JamesPunt