Will Rob Cross and Gerwyn Price meet in the final?

PDC World Darts Championship: Predictions and reflections ahead of the post-Christmas action at the Ally Pally

By Paul Nicholson

Darts

Mon December 27, 2021 · 4y ago

The William Hill World Darts Championship takes a three-day break for Christmas so Paul Nicholson looks back at the tournament so far and assess the state of play.

Ally Pally highlights

Willie Borland’s nine-darter was a history-making moment because we’d never previously seen one that wins a match. It is a dream scenario for all players but we’ve never really talked about it happening because it always seems so far-fetched, especially to someone on their debut.

I did have the pleasure of commentating on his perfect leg for talkSPORT2 although he did almost cause me to lose my voice like Fallon Sherrock managed to do two years ago!

Sure, he couldn’t back it up in his next match but for him to go back to Scotland with that piece of history behind him is quite incredible and a moment that will inspire him for the future.

"He couldn't, could he?!" 😱

"Double 12, and he's won the match with a 9-dart leg! History by @WBorland9!!" 🤩

Here's how a memorable moment at Alexandra Palace sounded live on @talkSPORT2 👏#DartsOnTheRadio continues at 7pm! ⬇️

📲 Live Coverage ☞ https://t.co/cj37eFbude pic.twitter.com/ueMRqN3GPd
— talkSPORT 2 (@talkSPORT2) December 18, 2021

William Borland winning a World Championship match on debut in a deciding leg with a NINE-DART FINISH!!

Absolutely sensational! pic.twitter.com/SxfgYhgOfB
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) December 17, 2021

I do think we will now get a historic third nine-darter considering we’ve just got so much more darts left to play although your guess is as good as mine as to who will get it.

Apart from that, I have to pick out Jonny Clayton’s performance against Keane Barry as one of the highlights so far because of the 10 ton+ checkouts between then as well as the overall finishing in that match.

There was a lot of pressure on Jonny coming into this tournament and there was none on Keane, who played tremendously to really give one of the best players in the world right now – and arguably the player of the year – a real scare.

For Jonny to serve up that quality in such circumstances shows just what a kind of force he is and why he’s a real contender for this title.

My third highlight of the tournament is actually Rob Cross, even though his average wasn’t as high as many other performances.

He was up against the crowd, his own pressures and a nightmare draw so it wasn’t too much of a surprise to see him fall one set down against Raymond van Barneveld and in real danger of an early exit.

However the way he responded in a tricky situation will make him feel 10 feet tall when he digests that over the Christmas break.

Who will come through each quarter?

Quarter One

(1) Gerwyn Price v Kim Huybrechts (32)
Ross Smith v Dirk van Duijvenbode (17)
(8) Jonny Clayton v Gabriel Clemens (25)
(9) Michael Smith v Willie O'Connor

Michael Smith produced the best statistical performance of the tournament so far with an average of 106 against Ron Meulenkamp but he’s not yet forced me to change my mind over my pre-tournament prediction that Gerwyn Price will come through this quarter.

He is destined to have a big run as the defending champion and that will probably mean he has to come through a classic with either Smith or Jonny Clayton to do it.

It’s very hard to call whether it will be the Bully Boy or the Ferret but I’m sure they will serve up a treat as well should they both win their next matches.

CLICK HERE to back Price to win his quarter at 6/5 with Sky Bet

Just caught up with Paul Nicholson after another late night in his @talkSPORT2 studio about who will come through each quarter of the draw after the Christmas break.

Do you agree with @TheAsset180's final prediction of Price v Cross? pic.twitter.com/1UPvL6ZOA8
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) December 23, 2021

Quarter Two

(4) James Wade v Vincent van der Voort (29)
(13) Joe Cullen v Martijn Kleermaker
Florian Hempel v Raymond Smith
Steve Lennon v Mervyn King (21)

This is the most open quarter of the lot and most people will be looking at James Wade or Joe Cullen now that Dimitri Van den Bergh and Ratajski have already crashed out.

Don’t rule out Mervyn King – look at the way he came back against Ryan Joyce from 2-0 sets down by reeling off nine legs on the bounce. That really doesn’t happen too often and on that evidence he will be a threat.

I was impressed with how Cullen bounced back after a difficult start against Jim Williams and I fancy him to come through this quarter rather than the highest ranked player in it, which is Wade.

CLICK HERE to back Cullen to win his quarter at 10/3 with Sky Bet

Quarter Three

(2) Peter Wright v Damon Heta (31)
(15) Ryan Searle v Danny Noppert (18)
(7) Jose de Sousa v Alan Soutar
(10) Nathan Aspinall v Callan Rydz

Before the tournament began I predicted Peter Wright would win this quarter in the quest to defend £500,000 of ranking money from two years ago, and that hasn’t changed.

The quality he can produce and the experience he has to do it over long format matches will be invaluable against players such as Ryan Searle, Jose de Sousa and Nathan Aspinall who will give him scares a long the way.

CLICK HERE to back Wright to win his quarter at 7/4 with Sky Bet

Quarter Four

(3) Michael van Gerwen vChris Dobey (30)
(14) Dave Chisnall v Luke Humphries (19)
(6) Gary Anderson v Ian White (27)
(11) Rob Cross v Daryl Gurney (22)

This is the quarter everyone has been talking about from day one and although Michael van Gerwen is favourite to come through it, I’m still looking at Rob Cross in the bottom section of it.

I tipped him to win the tournament at the start and I’m going to keep the faith with that.

He’s done his first job to get rid of Raymond van Barneveld but it doesn’t get any easier against Daryl Gurney, which I think could be the tie of the third round.

I’m not going to deviate away from Voltage and if he can get a much higher average around the 100 mark then his confidence will soar for the remainder of the tournament.

Michael van Gerwen is favourite in most people’s eyes but he has a tricky clash with Chris Dobey, who came back brilliantly to beat Rusty-Jake Rodriguez in the last match before Christmas.

CLICK HERE to back Cross to win his quarter at 4/1 with Sky Bet

Who will win the title?

I predicted a Gerwyn Price v Rob Cross final at the start of the tournament based on long term form over the winter and also their respective experience of success on this stage, and nothing has yet happened for me to deviate from that.