Polly James is back to preview the final two World Matchplay Quarter-Finals from The Winter Gardens, with Dutchman Michael Van Gerwen in action, bidding to claim The Phil Taylor Trophy for a fourth time.
World Matchplay Quarter-Finals: Polly’s Picks
Roll up, roll up! Friday night at the darts where we wrap up the quarter-finals and will have confirmation of our last 4 standing! And what a belter to start with. Can you get more juicy than this? As Michael van Gerwen continues his bid for a fourth World Matchplay title against Andrew Gilding, where he also hopes to destroy Goldfinger’s dream of buying a bungalow if he wins the World Matchplay. Darts is so charmingly British, isn’t it?
World Matchplay Quarter-Finals: Dream Bungalow
That, combined with Andrew’s victory meal of choice, being his infamous hankering of pot noodles! Gilding told the darting media after his round two win he wants to buy himself and his wife a brand new bungalow if he bags the coveted Phil Trophy and a £200,000 whopping cash prize. When I put this to Michael on Wednesday night he quite hilariously clapped back with ‘Keep dreaming Andrew, he isn’t going to beat me, he isn’t going to win the World Matchplay, it’s as simple as that’.
I did also remind Michael that once upon a time he would affectionately refer to Gilding as ‘The Assassin’ for the manner in which he would take out some of the perhaps ‘bigger’ names in big tournaments. That would come back to haunt him ironically enough with ‘Goldfinger’ beating MvG in the final of last year’s UK Open.
World Matchplay Quarter-Finals: Lightning Strike Twice?
It was insane, and dubbed one of the biggest darting shocks of the decade, which sent the fans in Milton Keynes into a frenzy! I would be EXTREMELY surprised if lightning did indeed strike twice but stranger things have happened. Mighty Mike is after a fourth World Matchplay Title – only Phil Taylor has won the trophy named after The Power more!
Michael Smith and Rob Cross are next and meet in a repeat of the 2019 World Matchplay Final. Cross is playing with nothing to lose after surviving multiple match darts in his first round match against Dutch wonderkid Gian Van Veen. He fully capitalised on that good fortune when defeating Ryan Searle with a 107+ average in the second round, and looks poised for a good run towards Sunday’s final.
World Matchplay Quarter-Finals: High Voltage
If ‘Voltage’ can duplicate that level of form this evening, then Michael Smith is in trouble! It was great to see ‘BullyBoy’ look back to his best again on Monday, playing beautifully in his opening game victory over Gary Anderson, to beat his former mentor with relative ease. There was plenty of was relatively flat in a nervy win against Chris Dobey on Wednesday. He said he had to dig deep and pull inspiration and motivation from his kids (wait until Junior gets his Tour Card!) to stumble over the line again Dobey.
Such mentality has to be applauded, with Smith showing the type of tenacity and resilience that saw him becoming World Champion 18 months ago. Bully Boy will need to be clinical throughout and play close to his best darts tonight to send Voltage packing, which I’m not to sure Rob is ready to do just yet. A happy man in a happy place, with a new shirt and new walk on song is not ready to hit the road just yet! His new fit fits Blackpool; maybe it’s written in the stars for Rob this week?
World Matchplay Quarter-Finals: Recommendations
Michael Van Gerwen to beat Andrew Gilding @ 1.11 with kwiff
Rob Cross to beat Michael Smith @ 1.57 with kwiff
Polly’s Pick (Double) @ 1.74 with kwiff
By Polly James
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