PREMIER League Darts was back with a bang last time out in Aberdeen with three of the five matches going the distance. Can we expect more of the same in Nottingham? Player/coach, commentator and all-round darts personality Paul "The Asset" Nicholson is here you to pick through the bones of Week 2. Enjoy!
Week 2: Nottingham
The Banker
Week two in Nottingham is upon us and already we are expecting big things from the stalwarts, and it can be categorical that we expect from this week's challenger too, but more on that later. Everyone is showing ‘large glimpses’ of form so early in this season, some more consistent than others but in this best of 12-leg format, we have to decipher who is stronger in the start to mid phase of a typical game, and when it comes to Gary Anderson and Peter Wright, I cannot think of one scenario where this game doesn’t go all 12 legs.
Gary was imperious last week with a 37-dart 3-leg kick to steal the game away from Daryl Gurney, and Snakebite was somewhat unfortunate that he was hitting the wires of the doubles later in his Aberdeen game with MVG, when Michael chose to fire in a stack of ton-plus outs.
Form over the weekend in the Barnsley Players Championship events showed us that high levels are being attained on the stat sheet by both, and in Gary’s case in the win column too, but in this match I feel a close one will ensue with the fans at The Motorpoint in Nottingham getting excellent value for their money. 7-5 either way or a draw will get you to the chequered flag with what I feel is this weeks banker.
Selection: Over 11.5 Total Legs (EVS)
Match odds: Anderson (17/10), Draw (16/5), Wright (6/5)
Players Championship 1
Top 10 highest match averages..
Michael Smith 110.34
Gary Anderson 107.48
Peter Wright 107.36
R Joyce 106.35
G Anderson 106.13
L Humphries 105.99
D van Duijvenbode 105.06
G Anderson 104.41
R Smith 103.84
G Price 103.69 pic.twitter.com/AQzL98GEso— Darts News (@DartsNewsStats) February 8, 2020
The Punt
If you didn’t see the Rob Cross vs Gerwyn Price game from last week, please re-visit it and don’t just look at Rob's numbers and think that he played well with a 100.10 average. In spots he was excellent, but consistency is what he strives for right now and the last seven days have not delivered that, YET! If he can eliminate the odd wild dart, he has huge scope to improve in lots of areas but after a point in Aberdeen and some decent darts at the weekend, he will need to up it all because his opponent has never played better in his life.
Yes, everyone knows that Nathan Aspinall is a newly appointed elite player, but not even he thought he would attain the heights of the 115+ average club in a competitive environment. He did that with a sumptuous 117.5 average against Snakebite on Sunday, a game that delivered a 9-darter and eventually a Players Championship victory about 90 minutes later. People will be lumping their pennies on The Asp to win this game and I don’t blame them. He is the kind of player to soak up more confidence if its out there and with a 170 out against Hendo last week, who’s to say he won’t get another in an arena that often delivers one?
Selection: Match Winner & Highest Checkout – Aspinall (11/5)
Match odds: Cross (8/5), Draw (13/4), Aspinall (5/4)
Click here for all Premier League Darts Week 2 betting
The Longshot
This week's longshot is all about being the longshot. Nottingham welcomes the biggest darts story in a generation and it is there that Fallon Sherrock will look to write more history. I hate the fact that she is being called “The History Maker,’ because that is Brendan Dolan’s nickname, so she needs something catchier and unique, like the hashtag that followed her around those amazing games she won at Alexandra Palace. She was “Fallontastic” according to her friends and followers. Does she have any chance in this game? Of course, but this is a huge step up.
Sherrock's opponent couldn’t have had a more typical Duzza performance last week in Scotland. It’s a good job it was Glen Durrant that delivered it I suppose. A mid nineties average and a hugely successful doubles percentage (78%) saw him sweep Michael Smith aside for his first 2-point grab in Premier League Darts. Simply put, if he does that again, he wins this match.
Here is the caveat though, after Sherrock saw off a field of over 200 players to qualify for the up and coming UK Open at Minehead, it has been proven that her darts are still talking loud and clear above all the media and hype. So, there is scope for the possibility of an upset. Added to that, when Sherrock does get going, she hits a fair few 180s. Just ask Ted Evetts, Mensur Suljovic and Chris Dobey – they saw it first hand in December.
Sherrock has been exposed to huge arenas and big time opponents on a regular basis since the World Championship via exhibition shows and has held her own, so this crowd will not be a huge shock to her system. With all of that in mind, it’s still a long-shot for her to succeed and bag a bonus cheque, but not insurmountable.
Selection: Match Winner & Most 180s – Sherrock (12/1)
Match odds: Durrant (1/3), Draw (5/1), Sherrock (11/2)
