Night 2 Previews
Final
Jonny Clayton v James Wade
The first ten matches these two played were evenly split at 5-5. They first played at the European Match Play in 2016 which Wade won. They avoided each other in 2020 before meeting up five times in 2021, Wade winning just one of those affairs, The Masters in February. 2022 saw them both play in the Premier League where it was much more even once more, finishing 3-3 across the tournament in head to head clashes, Clayton winning the last of the fixtures between the two 6-2. Thus Jonny Clayton leads the head to head match tally 12-9 over James Wade. This is Wade’s second World Series Final downunder whilst both players are overall winners of the World Series of Darts Finals.
Semi Final 1
James Wade v Gerwyn Price
The first time James Wade and Gerwyn Price was in a players championship in Crawley in September 2014 and Price would come away the victor, 6-4. Wade then won their next two battles before losing again the players championship in 2015. The Dubai Masters saw Price pick up another win over Wade after the Englishman had secured an earlier victory between the two in Germany. Wade would then go on a run of five wins and one draw with Price before the Welshman won two in a row over Wade for the first time in their careers. 2021 saw one win apiece with Wade winning at the UK Open and Price at the Grand Slam of Darts. 2022 saw six meetings in the Premier League which Wade won four of but their last meeting went the way of Price, 6-4. 15 wins for Wade, 1 draw and 10 losses overall against Price.
Semi Final 2
Jonny Clayton v Michael Smith
The 2018 Players Championships finals saw Michael Smith lose to Jonny Clayton for the first time, having defeated him on five previous occasions. Smith then won both their meetings in 2020. 2021 saw the players split results but the most important was Smith’s win in the World Championships on December 30th. This year they met 7 times in the Premier League with Clayton edging the record between the two at 4-3, the last match between the two ending in a 6-3 win to Smith though. Thus the overall record stands at 11 wins to Smith and 6 to Clayton.
Quarter Final 1
Dimitri Van den Bergh v James Wade
Dimitri Van den Bergh first defeated James Wade in Gibraltar in 2017 before losing int eh World Series of Darts Finals (10-6) in the quarter finals the same year. After a players championship win over Wade in 2019 a month later the two drew in the Premier League. They had a classic match at the Grand Slam of Darts in 2020 with Wade edging the match 16-15. Their two Premier League fixtures of 2021 finished in draws. Thus they don’t only share a manager, in Mac Elkin, they hold a 2 win 3 draw 2 loss record against each other.
Quarter Final 2
Gerwyn Price v Fallon Sherrock
Fallon Sherrock’s first win on Australian soil in the PDC was rewarded with a match against the world number one. They have not played each other before. Gerwyn Price made the final last week and Sherrock returns to the second round of the World Series of Darts for the second time this year.
Quarter Final 3
Simon Whitlock v Joe Cullen
In the PDC European season’s Dutch Darts Masters in May this year Simon Whitlock defeated Joe Cullen in a deciding leg, 6-5. Prior to that Whitlock had won 7 of their previous 10 matches, the first time they played on the PDC stage way back in 2010. Both players made the Quarter Finals at the Townsville event last week, Cullen being successful (6-4 over Van den Bergh) whilst Whitlock lost his quarter final against Gerwyn Price (3-6.)
Quarter Final 4
Michael Smith v Jonny Clayton
Michael Smith is the third of the eight quarter finalists (Wade and Whitlock the others) who are not debutants in Australia at the World Series of Darts. Jonny Clayton and Michael Smith. Between 2015 and 2020 Smith won all but one of their eight clashes, losing only in the Players Championships finals in November 2018. The two shared wins in 2021, the most important being Smiths victory over Clayton in the PDC World Championships. This year they have seen each other regularly at PDC tournaments, nine times in fact. Clayton has a 5-4 record this year and won their last clash at the players championships in July. 12-7 thus Smith’s record against Clayton now.
Final
Jonny Clayton v James Wade
The first ten matches these two played were evenly split at 5-5. They first played at the European Match Play in 2016 which Wade won. They avoided each other in 2020 before meeting up five times in 2021, Wade winning just one of those affairs, The Masters in February. 2022 saw them both play in the Premier League where it was much more even once more, finishing 3-3 across the tournament in head to head clashes, Clayton winning the last of the fixtures between the two 6-2. Thus Jonny Clayton leads the head to head match tally 12-9 over James Wade. This is Wade’s second World Series Final downunder whilst both players are overall winners of the World Series of Darts Finals.
Semi Final 1
James Wade v Gerwyn Price
The first time James Wade and Gerwyn Price was in a players championship in Crawley in September 2014 and Price would come away the victor, 6-4. Wade then won their next two battles before losing again the players championship in 2015. The Dubai Masters saw Price pick up another win over Wade after the Englishman had secured an earlier victory between the two in Germany. Wade would then go on a run of five wins and one draw with Price before the Welshman won two in a row over Wade for the first time in their careers. 2021 saw one win apiece with Wade winning at the UK Open and Price at the Grand Slam of Darts. 2022 saw six meetings in the Premier League which Wade won four of but their last meeting went the way of Price, 6-4. 15 wins for Wade, 1 draw and 10 losses overall against Price.
Semi Final 2
Jonny Clayton v Michael Smith
The 2018 Players Championships finals saw Michael Smith lose to Jonny Clayton for the first time, having defeated him on five previous occasions. Smith then won both their meetings in 2020. 2021 saw the players split results but the most important was Smith’s win in the World Championships on December 30th. This year they met 7 times in the Premier League with Clayton edging the record between the two at 4-3, the last match between the two ending in a 6-3 win to Smith though. Thus the overall record stands at 11 wins to Smith and 6 to Clayton.
Quarter Final 1
Dimitri Van den Bergh v James Wade
Dimitri Van den Bergh first defeated James Wade in Gibraltar in 2017 before losing int eh World Series of Darts Finals (10-6) in the quarter finals the same year. After a players championship win over Wade in 2019 a month later the two drew in the Premier League. They had a classic match at the Grand Slam of Darts in 2020 with Wade edging the match 16-15. Their two Premier League fixtures of 2021 finished in draws. Thus they don’t only share a manager, in Mac Elkin, they hold a 2 win 3 draw 2 loss record against each other.
Quarter Final 2
Gerwyn Price v Fallon Sherrock
Fallon Sherrock’s first win on Australian soil in the PDC was rewarded with a match against the world number one. They have not played each other before. Gerwyn Price made the final last week and Sherrock returns to the second round of the World Series of Darts for the second time this year.
Quarter Final 3
Simon Whitlock v Joe Cullen
In the PDC European season’s Dutch Darts Masters in May this year Simon Whitlock defeated Joe Cullen in a deciding leg, 6-5. Prior to that Whitlock had won 7 of their previous 10 matches, the first time they played on the PDC stage way back in 2010. Both players made the Quarter Finals at the Townsville event last week, Cullen being successful (6-4 over Van den Bergh) whilst Whitlock lost his quarter final against Gerwyn Price (3-6.)
Quarter Final 4
Michael Smith v Jonny Clayton
Michael Smith is the third of the eight quarter finalists (Wade and Whitlock the others) who are not debutants in Australia at the World Series of Darts. Jonny Clayton and Michael Smith. Between 2015 and 2020 Smith won all but one of their eight clashes, losing only in the Players Championships finals in November 2018. The two shared wins in 2021, the most important being Smiths victory over Clayton in the PDC World Championships. This year they have seen each other regularly at PDC tournaments, nine times in fact. Clayton has a 5-4 record this year and won their last clash at the players championships in July. 12-7 thus Smith’s record against Clayton now.
Match 1
Joe Cullen v Dave Marland
Marlo will be seeking revenge after such a magnificent performance from Cullen eliminated him from the Townsville event this year. Marland has not won a leg in the WSD two events he has played so he will be looking to start off in the first leg with that and then go on and win from there. The surprise was Cullen was unable to make the final last week and he will be wanting more this week. Marland has alot of home support this time around so will certainly be ready to do his best. He jumped 5 percent in the averages from first to second performance and he is used to being first at the event, as he was on debut in Melbourne, so he coudl no thave the circumstances made up for him better.
Joe Cullen v Dave Marland
Marlo will be seeking revenge after such a magnificent performance from Cullen eliminated him from the Townsville event this year. Marland has not won a leg in the WSD two events he has played so he will be looking to start off in the first leg with that and then go on and win from there. The surprise was Cullen was unable to make the final last week and he will be wanting more this week. Marland has alot of home support this time around so will certainly be ready to do his best. He jumped 5 percent in the averages from first to second performance and he is used to being first at the event, as he was on debut in Melbourne, so he coudl no thave the circumstances made up for him better.
Match 2
James Wade v Gordon Mathers
One winner and one loser from the first round last week. Mathers will have the confidence from the two wins last week whilst Wade would like to win in Australia, the country he has had success in before. Wade has played 35 won 20 and lost 15 in the WSD downunder. Mathers has played 5 won 2 and lost 3. Mathers will be aiming to make it two from two after his great mate Simon Whitlock knocked out James Wade in the first round last week.
James Wade v Gordon Mathers
One winner and one loser from the first round last week. Mathers will have the confidence from the two wins last week whilst Wade would like to win in Australia, the country he has had success in before. Wade has played 35 won 20 and lost 15 in the WSD downunder. Mathers has played 5 won 2 and lost 3. Mathers will be aiming to make it two from two after his great mate Simon Whitlock knocked out James Wade in the first round last week.
Match 3
Jonny Clayton v Haupai Puha
As with Game 1 this is a repeat from Townsville. Up there Puha registered his first win in the competition after 5 attempts. He will be looking to double up with his wife in attendance at Wollongong. Clayton now knows the class of competition he faces and he will be looking to not make the same errors last week and put more pressure on Puha earlier in the match.
Jonny Clayton v Haupai Puha
As with Game 1 this is a repeat from Townsville. Up there Puha registered his first win in the competition after 5 attempts. He will be looking to double up with his wife in attendance at Wollongong. Clayton now knows the class of competition he faces and he will be looking to not make the same errors last week and put more pressure on Puha earlier in the match.
Match 4
Fallon Sherrock v Mal Cuming
Fallon was disappoitned with her efforst in Townsville and is looking to make ameands at her second attempt downunder. She actually played at Lakeside the same year as Cuming so knows that she is playing a good player. Cuming will be on debut, the only debutant of the night, and will be looking to learn quickly. He will probably look to his Team Rebel teammate in GG Mathers for inspiration as he was the one who eliminated her in the first round last week.
Fallon Sherrock v Mal Cuming
Fallon was disappoitned with her efforst in Townsville and is looking to make ameands at her second attempt downunder. She actually played at Lakeside the same year as Cuming so knows that she is playing a good player. Cuming will be on debut, the only debutant of the night, and will be looking to learn quickly. He will probably look to his Team Rebel teammate in GG Mathers for inspiration as he was the one who eliminated her in the first round last week.
Match 5
Gerwyn Price v Koha Kokiri
Both these players have plaeyd in the PDC World Championships before, albeit Price having much more success than his opponent. Kokiri played well in losing last week and really enjoyed himself. He has alot of experience on the big stage and wont be intimidated by the event. Price will want to go one better than last week and turn the headlines back to the darts.
Gerwyn Price v Koha Kokiri
Both these players have plaeyd in the PDC World Championships before, albeit Price having much more success than his opponent. Kokiri played well in losing last week and really enjoyed himself. He has alot of experience on the big stage and wont be intimidated by the event. Price will want to go one better than last week and turn the headlines back to the darts.
Match 6
Michael Smith v Damon Heta
A World Cup semi final rematch, Heta winning that fixture 4-3. Previous to that Smith had won 6-3 on the two occassions they have played through the pandemic. Smith seemed to be struggling on stage with sunburn last week whilst Heta took Price all the way to a final leg decider in an exhilirating match. This should be just as classy.
Michael Smith v Damon Heta
A World Cup semi final rematch, Heta winning that fixture 4-3. Previous to that Smith had won 6-3 on the two occassions they have played through the pandemic. Smith seemed to be struggling on stage with sunburn last week whilst Heta took Price all the way to a final leg decider in an exhilirating match. This should be just as classy.
Match 7
Michael van Gerwen v Simon Whitlock
Oh wow! What a draw. Simon was quick to point out he has defeated MvG the last four times they have played and he certainly goes out of his way to play well against the Dutchman whenever they meet. the 2020 World Matchplay went Whitlock's way but before that it was all van Gerwen won 34, drawn 1, lost 5. Phil Taylor won 7 WSD events downunder, if MvG can add the NSW Darts Masters title to his Townsville trophy he will move within a championship of that number.
Michael van Gerwen v Simon Whitlock
Oh wow! What a draw. Simon was quick to point out he has defeated MvG the last four times they have played and he certainly goes out of his way to play well against the Dutchman whenever they meet. the 2020 World Matchplay went Whitlock's way but before that it was all van Gerwen won 34, drawn 1, lost 5. Phil Taylor won 7 WSD events downunder, if MvG can add the NSW Darts Masters title to his Townsville trophy he will move within a championship of that number.
Match 8
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Raymond O'Donnell
Dimitri will want to improve on his efforts in Queensland and maintain his number one rank going into New Zealand. O'Donnell is yet to secure a win on the WSD stage but will be looking to improve on his 6-4 loss first time around. Both players are exciting to watch and this shoudl be a competitive match.
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Raymond O'Donnell
Dimitri will want to improve on his efforts in Queensland and maintain his number one rank going into New Zealand. O'Donnell is yet to secure a win on the WSD stage but will be looking to improve on his 6-4 loss first time around. Both players are exciting to watch and this shoudl be a competitive match.
NSW Darts Masters – Early Preview:
On August 19 and 20 the World Series of Darts return to NSW for the first time since 2013 – 2016. Those were all played in various venues around Sydney and was known as the Sydney Darts Masters. The NSW darts Masters will be played at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong.
Phil Taylor is the only player to have one the Darts Masters in NSW as he won all four Sydney Darts Masters so a new winner will be crowned this time around.
The eleven players coming from the UK are Damon Heta, GG Mathers, Simon Whitlock, James Wade, Gerwyn Price, Johnny Clayton, Fallon Sherrock, Dmitri Van den Bergh (replacing Peter Wright), Joe Cullen, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith.
The local Wollongong qualifiers are Mal Cuming, Dave Marland, Raymond O’Donnell, Koha Kokiri and Haupai Puha (New Zealand.)
Whilst Heta has played a lot in NSW the World Cup winner has only played the one match in the World Series in NSW – losing 6-0 to Dave Chisnall in 2014. His colleague GG Mathers has also played only the one match in NSW versions of the World Series, also losing 6-0 (to MvG.) That day he was one of two pairs of brothers playing as his brother Jamie lost to another Aussie in Simon Whitlock 6-0. (The other brothers were Beau and the late, great Kyle.) Whitlock has played seven times in this competition in NSW, winning three and losing four, having won 33 legs and lost exactly the same. He has played in every World Series competition in his home state and made the semi final in the original version (2013), losing to Phil Taylor 10-6.
On the PDC side of the draw Sherrock, Cullen, Price, Van den Bergh and Clayton all make their debuts in NSW as they are on their first trip with the World Series to Australia and New Zealand. Although Michael Smith has made it down here he has not played in NSW at these events. On the PDC side six of the eight Premier League 2022 line up are playing, the highest representation of that competition in one event downunder ever.
That leaves only MvG and James Wade to return in this series to NSW. Van Gerwen has the second best record in the state with 11 matches, 7 wins and 4 losses in all four tournaments totalled. He has won 57 legs and conceded just 21 and apart from Taylor is the only player to average over 100 in the tournament in NSW WSD events (100.8.) He was the finalist last time around in Sydney, losing 11-9 to Taylor, which was an improvement on his 2013 effort when he lost 10-3 to the same man (Taylor averaged 109.46 that final.)
James Wade has played three of the four competitions in NSW. He has got a 50% record with three wins and averaging 95.636 throughout the tournaments. None of the five local qualifiers have played in the NSW versions of the World Series of Darts, although all five will have been on the World Series Stages elsewhere.
Tenof the 16 players in the field have played at the World Series before in Australia or New Zealand, and if you add global World Series events it will only be Mal Cuming making his debut on the big stage at this event. The field’s record in Australia and New Zealand events are:
Van Gerwen 47 matches 36 wins 11 losses 8 finals 4 times champion
Wade 34 matches 20 wins 14 losses 1 final
Smith 12 matches 6 wins 6 losses 1 final
Whitlock 32 matches 15 wins 17 losses
Heta 12 matches 6 wins 6 losses 1 final 1 time champion
Mathers 2 matches 2 losses
Marland 1 match 1 loss
O’Donnell 1 match 1 loss
Kokiri 4 match 4 losses
Puha 5 match 5 losses
In terms of head to head in the WSD locally Heta has played Wade, Van Gerwen and Whitlock before downunder in the World Series of Darts. Kokiri has faced Wade before, Mathers has faced off against Van Gerwen and Whitlock has Wade, Heta, and Van Gerwen as possible repeat opponents.
The last time a World Series event was played in NSW the line up was:
Gary Anderson, David Platt, Phil Taylor, Corey Cadby, Adrian Lewis, Rob Szabo, Dave Chisnall, Harley Kemp, Michael Van Gerwen, Cody Harris, Kyle Anderson, Raymond van Barneveld, Rhys Mathewson, James Wade, Peter Wright and Simon Whitlock (only MvG and the Wizard remain for this field.)
The last time any World Series event was played in Australia the line up included:
Simon Whitlock, Mick Lacey, Raymond Van Barneveld, Haupai Puha, Daryl Gurney, Kyle Anderson, Gary Anderson, James Bailey, MvG, Damon Heta, Simon Whitlock, Tim Pusey, Rob Cross, Peter Wright, Corey Cadby and Robbie King Thus only Heta, Puha, Whitlock and Wright play back to back (with three years in between.)
Some tickets are still available for Wollogong at:
https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/search?q=darts
On August 19 and 20 the World Series of Darts return to NSW for the first time since 2013 – 2016. Those were all played in various venues around Sydney and was known as the Sydney Darts Masters. The NSW darts Masters will be played at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong.
Phil Taylor is the only player to have one the Darts Masters in NSW as he won all four Sydney Darts Masters so a new winner will be crowned this time around.
The eleven players coming from the UK are Damon Heta, GG Mathers, Simon Whitlock, James Wade, Gerwyn Price, Johnny Clayton, Fallon Sherrock, Dmitri Van den Bergh (replacing Peter Wright), Joe Cullen, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith.
The local Wollongong qualifiers are Mal Cuming, Dave Marland, Raymond O’Donnell, Koha Kokiri and Haupai Puha (New Zealand.)
Whilst Heta has played a lot in NSW the World Cup winner has only played the one match in the World Series in NSW – losing 6-0 to Dave Chisnall in 2014. His colleague GG Mathers has also played only the one match in NSW versions of the World Series, also losing 6-0 (to MvG.) That day he was one of two pairs of brothers playing as his brother Jamie lost to another Aussie in Simon Whitlock 6-0. (The other brothers were Beau and the late, great Kyle.) Whitlock has played seven times in this competition in NSW, winning three and losing four, having won 33 legs and lost exactly the same. He has played in every World Series competition in his home state and made the semi final in the original version (2013), losing to Phil Taylor 10-6.
On the PDC side of the draw Sherrock, Cullen, Price, Van den Bergh and Clayton all make their debuts in NSW as they are on their first trip with the World Series to Australia and New Zealand. Although Michael Smith has made it down here he has not played in NSW at these events. On the PDC side six of the eight Premier League 2022 line up are playing, the highest representation of that competition in one event downunder ever.
That leaves only MvG and James Wade to return in this series to NSW. Van Gerwen has the second best record in the state with 11 matches, 7 wins and 4 losses in all four tournaments totalled. He has won 57 legs and conceded just 21 and apart from Taylor is the only player to average over 100 in the tournament in NSW WSD events (100.8.) He was the finalist last time around in Sydney, losing 11-9 to Taylor, which was an improvement on his 2013 effort when he lost 10-3 to the same man (Taylor averaged 109.46 that final.)
James Wade has played three of the four competitions in NSW. He has got a 50% record with three wins and averaging 95.636 throughout the tournaments. None of the five local qualifiers have played in the NSW versions of the World Series of Darts, although all five will have been on the World Series Stages elsewhere.
Tenof the 16 players in the field have played at the World Series before in Australia or New Zealand, and if you add global World Series events it will only be Mal Cuming making his debut on the big stage at this event. The field’s record in Australia and New Zealand events are:
Van Gerwen 47 matches 36 wins 11 losses 8 finals 4 times champion
Wade 34 matches 20 wins 14 losses 1 final
Smith 12 matches 6 wins 6 losses 1 final
Whitlock 32 matches 15 wins 17 losses
Heta 12 matches 6 wins 6 losses 1 final 1 time champion
Mathers 2 matches 2 losses
Marland 1 match 1 loss
O’Donnell 1 match 1 loss
Kokiri 4 match 4 losses
Puha 5 match 5 losses
In terms of head to head in the WSD locally Heta has played Wade, Van Gerwen and Whitlock before downunder in the World Series of Darts. Kokiri has faced Wade before, Mathers has faced off against Van Gerwen and Whitlock has Wade, Heta, and Van Gerwen as possible repeat opponents.
The last time a World Series event was played in NSW the line up was:
Gary Anderson, David Platt, Phil Taylor, Corey Cadby, Adrian Lewis, Rob Szabo, Dave Chisnall, Harley Kemp, Michael Van Gerwen, Cody Harris, Kyle Anderson, Raymond van Barneveld, Rhys Mathewson, James Wade, Peter Wright and Simon Whitlock (only MvG and the Wizard remain for this field.)
The last time any World Series event was played in Australia the line up included:
Simon Whitlock, Mick Lacey, Raymond Van Barneveld, Haupai Puha, Daryl Gurney, Kyle Anderson, Gary Anderson, James Bailey, MvG, Damon Heta, Simon Whitlock, Tim Pusey, Rob Cross, Peter Wright, Corey Cadby and Robbie King Thus only Heta, Puha, Whitlock and Wright play back to back (with three years in between.)
Some tickets are still available for Wollogong at:
https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/search?q=darts