BDO World Darts Championship 2019 schedule: Saturday 5 January

For a while, there were some major doubts. But with the Lakeside secured as venue, the BDO's top tournament will be in the warm and familiar surroundings of Frimley Green. Eurosport and Quest will broadcast the World Championship, hoping to find a willing audience. On the oche, 40 men, 16 women and two youngsters will battle, before rapt audiences, to seal their spot in history. Three glorious campaigns start here. Mark McGeeney, so , starts again in the opening match of the tournament. The Gladiator meets Dutchman Derk Telnekes in round one. Flying the flag for the USA is Jim Widmayer. He takes on Nigel Heydon, twice a PDC World Championship competitor but a Lakeside debutant, with a first round place at stake. One of the standout ties of the opening batch of fixtures sees Lisa Ashton clash with Mikuru Suzuki. Ashton, who made , is the defending world champion. But she faces an almighty battle against Japanese ace Suzuki, who has dominated on her home continent and looks due a good major run. In the afternoon session's last tie, Conan Whitehead looks to topple 16th seed Martin Phillips, with McGeeney or Telnekes awaiting in round two. The evening session starts with a widely anticipated fixture. Wes Newton, three times a PDC world quarter-finalist and 12 times a competitor, has had an almighty fall from grace. He's back in a more modest environment, the qualifying round at the Lakeside, with Paul Hogan a seriously dangerous opponent. That tie's followed by Roz Bulmer looking to upset women's seventh seed Sharon Prins. The winner will want to establish some momentum for a mammoth quarter-final battle against Ashton or Suzuki. There's a World Championship rarity in the third evening match. It's an all-Australian tie, with Justin Thompson looking to claim bragging rights Down Under as he goes head-to-head with debutant Mal Cuming. Wesley Harms, maker of bizarre Grand Slam headlines, has all too often stunk the place out at the World Championship. Once a back-to-back semi-finalist, the Dutchman will be keen to avenge successive first round exits. He meets Tony O'Shea, a wily old campaigner competing at the Lakeside for the 17th time. The Silverback missed last year's tournament, but he's back with a vengeance in 2019. for more information about the 2019 BDO Lakeside World Championship.

13:00 - Mark McGeeney (ENG) v Derk Telnekes (NED)
14.15 - Jim Widmayer (USA) v Nigel Heydon (ENG)
15.30 - Lisa Ashton (ENG) v Mikuru Suzuki (JPN)
16.00 - Martin Phillips (WAL) v Conan Whitehead (ENG)

19:00 - Paul Hogan (ENG) v Wesley Newton (ENG) 20.15 - Sharon Prins (NED) v Roz Bulmer (ENG) 20.45 - Mal Cuming (AUS) v Justin Thompson (AUS) 22.00 - Wesley Harms (NED) v Tony O'Shea (ENG)