Our guide for Sunday's semi-finals at the Boylesports Grand Slam of Darts includes match-by-match predictions, Sky Bet odds and a suggested double.
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Just four players remain in the hunt to lift the Eric Bristow Trophy as we prepare for the climax of the Grand Slam of Darts.
Gerwyn Price is still going strong in his bid to defend the title but he faces hot favourite Michael van Gerwen in this afternoon's semi-finals after Peter Wright's clash with Glen Durrant.
Grand Slam of Darts: Sunday November 17
SUGGESTED DOUBLE
- Wright (-2.5 legs) and Price (+3.5 legs) at 4/1
- Click here to build your acca at Sky Bet
AFTERNOON SESSION
- TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1300 GMT)
- Semi-finals: Best of 31 legs
Peter Wright (8/13) v Glen Durrant (5/4)
Group Position: 1st Group F – 2nd Group H
Last 16: 10-3 Rob Cross – 10-9 Gabriel Clemens
Quarters: 16-12 Dave Chisnall - 16-12 Michael Smith
Tournament Average: 100.13 - 94.91
180s: 11 - 11
Checkout %: 43.62% (41/94) - 45.35% (39/86)
Head-to-head: 2-2 (TV: 1-1)
2019 meetings: 1-1 (TV: 0-0)
Titles this season: 4-2
Glen Durrant's fairytale debut year in the PDC has been so good, the novelty of him reaching the latter stages of these televised majors has almost worn off.
This is the three-time Lakeside champion's third big semi-final since cross from the BDO, who he's 'representing' at this tournament of course, and that's even more remarkable when you consider this is his only his fifth televised event of the season.
Beating MVG during his run to the last four at the World Matchplay was matched by his exploits at the World Grand Prix but he's desperate to go one step further in Wolverhampton.
Should he triumph over the in-form Peter Wright, he'd technically become only the second different 'BDO' player to reach the Grand Slam of Darts final after 2010 champion Scott Waites also managed it in 2009 - although a rather large asterisk would have to go by that statistic for obvious reasons.
Duzza's brilliant finishing was key to winning his grudge match against Michael Smith in the quarter-finals, averaging 98.15 and pinning 16 of his 29 attempts at doubles to avenge his defeat in Blackpool, while he displayed excellent battling qualities against Gabriel Clemens in the last 16.
He'll need a combination of both to deny Peter Wright a place in his 13th major final because Snakebite has so far been superb.
The Scotsman, who came to Wolverhampton on the back of winning four tournaments and setting a new average record during a glorious second half of the season, breezed through his group with a perfect record before thrashing Rob Cross 10-3 and repelling Dave Chisnall's barrage of 180s to win their quarter-final 16-12.
His tournament average of 100.13 is comfortably superior to Duzza's 94.91 and he's evidently brimming with confidence right now.
As far as predicting a winner is concerned, anyone who followed my pre-tournament preview advice will be rooting for Peter Wright, although we did also cover anyone from Group H at 9/1 - so a finalist is guaranteed.
I do think Snakebite will come through this with room to spare and siding with him on the handicap (-2.5 legs) at 11/10 will form part of my semi-final double.
As far as a single bet goes, how about Wright to win, score over 6.5 180s and have a checkout of over 125.5 at 4/1.
Prediction: 16-12
Michael van Gerwen (1/4) v Gerwyn Price (11/4)
Group Position: 1st Group A – 1st Group C
Last 16: Ian White 10-7 – Darren Webster 10-1
Quarters: Adrian Lewis 16-6 - Gary Anderson 16-9
Tournament Average: 102.97 - 94.81
180s: 26 - 15
Checkout %: 36.94% (41/111) - 38.68% (41/106)
Head-to-head: 18-0, 1 draw (TV: 10-0, 1 draw)
2019 Meetings: 5-0, 1 draw (TV: 3-0, 1 draw)
Titles this season: 13-4
Gerwyn Price never seems to catch Michael van Gerwen on a bad day, does he?
Either that or his style of play and showmanship brings out the very best in the world champion, who has never lost in their 19 previous meetings.
MVG has averaged 102.88, 102.32, 104.23, 105.54 and 101.11 in all five of their matches this year and they all went to the final leg, including at the recent Champions League and World Series of Darts Finals.
Michael van Gerwen still yet to lose to Gerwyn Price after 19 matches.
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) November 2, 2019
MVG has averaged 102.88, 102.32 (draw), 104.23, 105.54 & 101.11 in their last 5 matches this year & they've all gone to deciding legs.
Great rivalry, just needs some Price wins! pic.twitter.com/6ijERqGZXA
💚🎯 Michael van Gerwen has still never lost to Gerwyn Price but their 18th thrilling meeting went right to the wire!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) October 20, 2019
👏 What a game of darts.pic.twitter.com/jMc7RiHHK2
The Welshman lost all five of those legs and I just wonder if the most recent defeats would have seen a different conclusion had he pinned one of the two match darts he spurned in the decider of the 7-7 Premier League draw back in April - a match in which he'd previously led 5-1.
DRAW!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) April 4, 2019
What an incredible game that was... Michael van Gerwen digs himself out of deep trouble against Gerwyn Price to snatch a draw!
The wait for a win over MvG for Price goes on!#Unibet180 pic.twitter.com/LOA3WnIciC
He really needed to put this mental block to bed during a shorter format and now it looms as large as ever ahead of this latest encounter over a dauntingly long best of 31 legs.
Although Price won't be fazed considering he's one of the few players who can really MVG at the moment, the defending champion must markedly raise his game this afternoon if he's to stand a chance of playing for the title tonight.
His tournament average of 94.81 is significantly lower than his usual standards - let alone MVG's mark of 102.97 that could be even higher had it not been for some sloppy finishing along the way.
Price's finishing has been better albeit hardly sparkling but part of this will be down to his opponents, including a lacklustre Gary Anderson, not pushing him into his A-game - and there's no doubt MVG will do that.
I am tempted to go with the Iceman but the safer play for what I think will be another close contest is be backing him on the handicap with a 3.5 legs start at 6/5.
Sky Bet's 7/2 on there being over 26.5 legs, a high checkout of over 139.5 and more than 15.5 total 180s also has appeal.
Prediction: 16-14
EVENING SESSION
- TV Coverage: Sky Sports (1900 GMT)
- Finals: Best of 31 legs
Who will win?
It's as tough an ask as ever for ay of the other remaining three players to stop Michael van Gerwen from winning a 14th title of the season and a six major.
The Dutchman, who has already collected the Masters, Premier League, World Grand Prix, Champions League and World Series of Darts Finals, is hot favourite to beat Gerwyn Price again but if he's put through the mill by the Iceman during that second semi-final then maybe the lack of rest and mental tiredness will give Peter Wright or Glen Durrant a glimmer of hope.
As previously mentioned, followers of the pre-tournament preview do at least have a finalist in the bag from the first of today's matches and there's no doubt who they'd rather face.
Wright has lost nine of his 12 previous major televised finals to MVG while the only one he managed to win was against Gerwyn Price at the 2017 UK Open.
Durrant, however, won't have the same kind of mental blocks thanks to winning both of their previous meetings - a Players Championship event in May and that thrilling World Matchplay clash in Blackpool.
