Final
Phil Taylor v Adrian Lewis
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=5&plbKey=1
Adrian Lewis and Phil Taylor have been down the road together for a long time. Stoke v Stoke (well almost), actually Stoke v Port Vale. Of 61 head to head clashes Taylor has not lost in a staggering 50 of them, winning 48 and drawing 2. One of those draws was in their last clash in this years Premier League 6-6. Taylor has the darts in this final. This year the head to head is two wins and one draw to Taylor.
Phil Taylor v Adrian Lewis
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=5&plbKey=1
Adrian Lewis and Phil Taylor have been down the road together for a long time. Stoke v Stoke (well almost), actually Stoke v Port Vale. Of 61 head to head clashes Taylor has not lost in a staggering 50 of them, winning 48 and drawing 2. One of those draws was in their last clash in this years Premier League 6-6. Taylor has the darts in this final. This year the head to head is two wins and one draw to Taylor.
Semi finals
Semi FInal 1
Taylor v Wright
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=1&plbKey=1463 (link to full statistics)
Of the 20 times they have met on the big stage, Taylor has dominated with 14 wins. There have been two draws and Wright has won four times, the last time in Wigan on July 5th this year, which is also the last time the two met. In fact this year two of the losses have come for Taylor against Wright, as well as their 6-6 draw in the Premier League this year. Two years ago at this stage Taylor dashed Aussie hopes as he defeated the Wizard 10-6 whilst last year he defeated another superb local in Kyle Anderson 10-4. For Wright this is the first time he has made this stage of the Sydney Darts Masters. Will Peter Wright be the equivalent of Brock Lesnar and break the streak?
Semi FInal 2
van Barneveld v Lewis
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=5&plbKey=2 (link to full statistics)
These two have met many times over the last decade. Barney has the head count at 27 - 15 with 2 draws. Two years ago Jackpot lost to another Dutch man at this stage (10-6 to Michael van Gerwen) and will be looking to redress this in the semi final. This year Lewis leads the head to head tally 3 2 on the big stage although Barney defeated him in their last clash with a comprehensive 7 2 victory in the Premier League in April.
Final
? v ?
Semi FInal 1
Taylor v Wright
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=1&plbKey=1463 (link to full statistics)
Of the 20 times they have met on the big stage, Taylor has dominated with 14 wins. There have been two draws and Wright has won four times, the last time in Wigan on July 5th this year, which is also the last time the two met. In fact this year two of the losses have come for Taylor against Wright, as well as their 6-6 draw in the Premier League this year. Two years ago at this stage Taylor dashed Aussie hopes as he defeated the Wizard 10-6 whilst last year he defeated another superb local in Kyle Anderson 10-4. For Wright this is the first time he has made this stage of the Sydney Darts Masters. Will Peter Wright be the equivalent of Brock Lesnar and break the streak?
Semi FInal 2
van Barneveld v Lewis
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=5&plbKey=2 (link to full statistics)
These two have met many times over the last decade. Barney has the head count at 27 - 15 with 2 draws. Two years ago Jackpot lost to another Dutch man at this stage (10-6 to Michael van Gerwen) and will be looking to redress this in the semi final. This year Lewis leads the head to head tally 3 2 on the big stage although Barney defeated him in their last clash with a comprehensive 7 2 victory in the Premier League in April.
Final
? v ?
Preview Match 1: James Wade v Peter Wright
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=11&plbKey=1463
These two met in the quarter finals at Perth where Wade went through 8 2 and Wade comprehensively leads the head to head count 12 3. Last year Wright lost to eventual finalist Stephen Bunting at this stage and Wade beat Warren Parry of New Zealand 8 2.
Preview Match 2 Phil Taylor v Stephen Bunting
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=192&plbKey=1
The above is a link to Taylor v Bunting head to head record. In short it stands at 1 win to Bunting, one draw and three wins to Taylor, including the final of this tournament last year when Taylor won 11-3. This year they have a draw and a Taylor victory between them. In their last clash they drew 6-6 for a point each in the Premier League. IN this stage last year Taylor defeated Dave Chisnall 8-2 and Bunting beat Peter Wright 8-6.
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=11&plbKey=1463
These two met in the quarter finals at Perth where Wade went through 8 2 and Wade comprehensively leads the head to head count 12 3. Last year Wright lost to eventual finalist Stephen Bunting at this stage and Wade beat Warren Parry of New Zealand 8 2.
Preview Match 3 MVG v RVB
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=2&plbKey=1395
These two have been playing each other since 2006. Van Gerwen leads the head 20 to 13 but in the last 12 fixtures Barney has won only once, a 7 3 win in this years Premier League. At this exact stage in Perth last week Barney showed some good signs but the younger man won out, 8 4. Barney and MVG both failed to make this round last year in the Sydney Darts Masters, and only MVG did the previous year, winning 8 1 over Clinton 'Tic' Bridge.
Preview Match 4 Adrian Lewis v Gary Anderson
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=5&plbKey=181
Of all the quarter finals these two have played off the most with 14 wins to Lewis, 3 draws, and 19 wins to the current world champion. Last weekend in Perth Lewis had the match seemingly wrapped up before Anderson went on a huge run to take the game 8 7. In fact of the seven clashes this year, Anderson has won six, with only a 6 4 win in Barnsley going in Jacpot's favour. Adrian Lewis defeated Wes Newton 8 5 at this stage of the 2013 version of the Sydney Darts Masters, that being the only exposure either man has had to this stage in Sydney.
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=11&plbKey=1463
These two met in the quarter finals at Perth where Wade went through 8 2 and Wade comprehensively leads the head to head count 12 3. Last year Wright lost to eventual finalist Stephen Bunting at this stage and Wade beat Warren Parry of New Zealand 8 2.
Preview Match 2 Phil Taylor v Stephen Bunting
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=192&plbKey=1
The above is a link to Taylor v Bunting head to head record. In short it stands at 1 win to Bunting, one draw and three wins to Taylor, including the final of this tournament last year when Taylor won 11-3. This year they have a draw and a Taylor victory between them. In their last clash they drew 6-6 for a point each in the Premier League. IN this stage last year Taylor defeated Dave Chisnall 8-2 and Bunting beat Peter Wright 8-6.
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=11&plbKey=1463
These two met in the quarter finals at Perth where Wade went through 8 2 and Wade comprehensively leads the head to head count 12 3. Last year Wright lost to eventual finalist Stephen Bunting at this stage and Wade beat Warren Parry of New Zealand 8 2.
Preview Match 3 MVG v RVB
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=2&plbKey=1395
These two have been playing each other since 2006. Van Gerwen leads the head 20 to 13 but in the last 12 fixtures Barney has won only once, a 7 3 win in this years Premier League. At this exact stage in Perth last week Barney showed some good signs but the younger man won out, 8 4. Barney and MVG both failed to make this round last year in the Sydney Darts Masters, and only MVG did the previous year, winning 8 1 over Clinton 'Tic' Bridge.
Preview Match 4 Adrian Lewis v Gary Anderson
http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/HeadToHead.aspx?plaKey=5&plbKey=181
Of all the quarter finals these two have played off the most with 14 wins to Lewis, 3 draws, and 19 wins to the current world champion. Last weekend in Perth Lewis had the match seemingly wrapped up before Anderson went on a huge run to take the game 8 7. In fact of the seven clashes this year, Anderson has won six, with only a 6 4 win in Barnsley going in Jacpot's favour. Adrian Lewis defeated Wes Newton 8 5 at this stage of the 2013 version of the Sydney Darts Masters, that being the only exposure either man has had to this stage in Sydney.
| preview_darts_2015.docx |
Preview
Match One
Can Barney win in Sydney? In 2013 he went out to Tic Bridge, in 2014 Kyle Anderson. This time he faces Cody Harris, the captain of the all conquering Kiwi darts team and rising star of New Zealand darts. Harris won the Russell Stewart classic on Monday and won the New Zealand Open this year. After a slow start in the Premier League Van Barneveld stormed through to make the semi finals of the Premier League. His last big tournament win was in June 2014.
Match Two
Stephen Bunting has had a tough road since being a finalist in last year’s Sydney Darts Masters. He takes on David Platt who impressed in Perth last week against MVG. Australia’s number two DPA ranked local player, this is Platt’s third Sydney event. He lost 6-3 to Wes Newton, before last year losing 6-2 to Simon Whitlock. Platt was the practice partner of Phil Taylor around Stoke. Whilst always being consistent, Bunting is yet to win a major PDC tournament.
Match Three
James Wade performed strongly in Perth to make the final. He faces New Zealand star Craig Caldwell who lost to Phil Taylor in round one this year in Perth. In May Caldwell won the Canterbury open. Wade will be confident coming up against the big Kiwi.
Match Four
Gary Anderson v Warren Parry is an interesting match. Last year when Parry was down to the then world champion MVG he stormed home to win 6-5 (he had been 5-1 down). Anderson is the new world champion, can NZ veteran Parry repeat the dose? He is in good form having helped the Kiwis beat Australia in the test match, make the final of the Russell Stewart classic, and beating John Weber in the third qualifying tournament, all in the last week! He would also probably like to have people talk about more than him beating MVG last year.
Match Five
Wright v Ryder round two. Last year Australia’s number one ranked DPA local player lost 6-0 to Wright and in Perth he lost to Adrian Lewis 6-1. However he is better than these scores suggest as his ranking shows so Wright can not write Ryder off, he is out for revenge for 12 months ago!
Match Six
Clinton Bridge caused the first major shock of the first ever Sydney Masters when he bounced out Raymond Van Barneveld 6-5, he was then defeated 8-1 by eventual finalist MVG. He now faces another legend of the sport, Phil Taylor. Bridge has had a quiet year locally but roared back in the qualifiers to see off John Weber, who lost to eventual finalist Stephen Bunting in last years tournament. Taylor remains undefeated in the World Series in Australia.
Match Seven
Adrian Lewis and Simon Whitlock is a big time match up and could well be the tightest match this round. With Whitlock outside the top eight he now faces greater challenges in round one. He has made it through round one in both other years. Head to head on the main stage in singles matches they are level with 11 wins each and 2 draws. February 2014 was the last time they met and Whitlock was the winner. Can the local Sydney boy repeat the dose?
Match Eight
MVG would not have been pleased to have been put on last on the first day after last year. He was home and back in the hotel room seemingly before Warren Parry turned the tables so dramatically and won the match. Paul Nicholson may not be in that kind of form but anything is possible. However it is likely MVG will be out for revenge and to win a tournament he has never won. Of the 11 times these two have played on the big stage, MVG has won eight, including the last three in a row.