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PDC 2014 World Championship Day Four Premium Picks.
Last night gave us a bit of a shock, with Dave Chisnall going out to John Henderson, but to be fair to Hendo, he played the kind of darts we know he’s capable of, and Chisnall didn’t play poorly – it was unfortunate it had to be a first round match, but I think both men will meet again on the TV soon enough, if this heralds a return to form for Henderson. We also saw Brendan Dolan progress at the expense of Colin Osborne, who beat the shocking Dennis Lindskjold in the Prelim Match. Raymond van Barenveld played some extremely solid, high-scoring darts, and Jamie Caven punished Jelle Klaasen for a raft of missed doubles. So, last night, we made a profit of 1.41 units. We’re now 6-6 with a small profit of 0.11 units.
Tonight, on paper, is another weak night, starting with experience against youth, with Ronnie Baxter taking on Ricky Evans. Then we have the Prelim Match of Devon Petersen against Mohd Latif Sapup, followed by the Battle of the Brothers, as the Huybrechts take to the stage, Ronny and Kim. And then we have the winner of the Prelim Match taking on Steve Beaton, with Mervyn King finishing the night against “Big Daddy” Darin Young.
Ronnie Baxter Vs Ricky Evans.
This is one of the interesting matches of the night, as it’s potentially a turning point in the careers of both men. A defeat here for Ronnie Baxter could see his career in the top 32 slowly coming to an end, while a win for Ricky Evans would give him the boost he needs on the big stage to take his game to the next level. That being said, it’s a daunting prospect for young players playing on the stage at the Ally Pally, and as Jamie Lewis showed last night, hitting the doubles under so much pressure isn’t easy. Baxter’s experience should pay off, but Evans should give him a decent game now that he’s starting to get time on the TV. It won’t be easy for Baxter, but he should have enough to get through, even with his customary mid-match lapse.
>Ronnie Baxter to beat Ricky Evans 3-1 Best price 3/1.
Recommend: 1 unit.
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Prelim Match:
Devon Petersen Vs Mohd Latif Sapup.
Devon Petersen is a short, short price here against Mohd Latif Sapup, the Malaysian who lost 4-1 in the Prelim Round last year to Paul Lim. Sapup has got a terrible draw, as we know Petersen is a class act. The only downside is that Petersen has taken time off to heal from a shoulder injury. That being said, if he’s even 80% fit, he should have more than enough to get past Sapup. But Petersen’s far too short to be of any interest. Like most of the Prelim Matches, just take notes and prepare for the winner’s match against Steve Beaton.
Recommend: No bet.
Kim Huybrechts Vs Ronny Huybrechts.
Two Majors and it’s two matches between the two Huybrechts brothers. Ronny was smashed 10-5 at the Grand Slam of Darts, with Kim hitting 8 maximums, while building up an 8-3 lead at one point. Ronny wasn’t too bad, but Kim was on a different level, and that’s the way it is – at this moment in their fledgling careers, Kim is a level above Ronny. Kim’s power scoring got him over the line at the Grand Slam of Darts, and I think we’ll see the same again tonight. Kim’s a power scorer when he’s in the groove, and he looks good to outperform his brother on the maximums comfortably.
Kim Huybrechts -1 to score more 180s than Ronny Huybrechts Best price 10/11 @ Paddy Power.
Recommend: 2 units.
Steve Beaton Vs Petersen/Sapup.
Steve Beaton will be hoping that Petersen doesn’t show any form in his Prelim Match, or he could be in a spot of trouble. In fact, The Adonis will be hoping Satif Lapup can win, as he’ll fancy his chances more against the Malaysian. So, if Beaton has to face Petersen, the South African might be worth a dabble. But, as usual, since there’s no prices available, I can’t advise.
Recommend: No bet.
Mervyn King Vs Darin Young.
Last match of the night, and it doesn’t have the appeal of previous nights’ main events. However, it’s good to have Big Daddy back at the Ally Pally, as he’s one of the characters that the game has been lacking recently. Unfortunately he’s up against Mervyn King, who’s not been playing too poorly recently. His form has been patchy at times, but he’s definitely improved and got over his personal problems that had plagued him for some time. He’ll be looking to bring at least his B-Game, and I don’t think Young has enough in his locker to trouble him. A few years ago, you’d have fancied Young to get a set or maybe even two on the board, but with so long between TV appearances these days, I think Young might just be out of the groove. I see a comfortable win here for King, and he can begin his 2014 PDC World Championship campaign with a flourish.
Mervyn King to beat Darin Young 3-0 Best price 2/1.
Recommend: 1 unit.
That’s all for Day Four of the Premium Picks. I’ll have more for you tomorrow.
