BDO World Championship Preview - Day Six, evening session

After this, there are just three days of World Championship drama left. But the focus is on tonight's four games, with two men's last 16 ties and two women's quarter-finals deciding the respective quarter-final and semi-final lineups. The women's games features a repeat of a world final and two top class talents facing off. In the men's, a surprise package tries to continue his run and there is an intriguing Netherlands versus Belgium battle.

In a repeat of the 2015 final, Lisa Ashton takes on Fallon Sherrock. Sherrock was the youngest ever BDO world finalist when they met, for a final that Ashton won 3-1. But now the Milton Keynes ace is three years more experienced, and used all of it to dump 2017 finalist Corrine Hammond out in round one. Ashton was in fine fettle in her first match, cruising past the dangerous Rhian Griffiths. Her 77 average was the highest in her half of the draw, but the fourth highest overall. A step up in her game might be needed to defeat Sherrock. It'll definitely be needed for Ashton to win another world title. The winner takes on Deta Hedman in what will surely be a superb semi-final.

Michael Unterbuchner is rewriting the history books. The Munich man was the first German to win on the Lakeside stage when he beat David Cameron. But that wasn't good enough. A gripping, thrilling victory in the first round set third seed Jamie Hughes crashing out. Unterbuchner scored well, and would have had a 90 plus average had he not missed a raft of doubles. The giant-killer's next target is the veteran 14th seed, Martin Phillips. The 57-year-old was apologetic after a 3-1 win over Daniel Day. Having averaged 83, Phillips did not feel he had earned the win. To get past the second round for the first time since 2011, the Welshman will have to earn it against Unterbuchner.

There have been some ties this week that look, on paper, like they should be semi-final or even final match-ups. Lorraine Winstanley vs Anastasia Dobromyslova is one of them. The supremely talented pair have to settle for a quarter-final clash. Neither of them come into this with any sort of darting fatigue. Winstanley dropped just one leg against Tricia Wright. Dobromyslova, meanwhile, didn't drop any against Anca Zijlstra. Winstanley and Dobromyslova averaged 80 and 83 respectively in those wins, avoiding complacency in impressive fashion. Both of them have an A-game which entails 90 plus averages. If we see the two friends battling each other at their very best, this will be a World Championship classic.

It's currently 1-0 to Belgium against the Netherlands at the BDO World Championship. Geert de Vos held off Derk Telnekes in round one, and now he faces another Dutchman in Richard Veenstra. The only way this particular head-to-head can be won is if Veenstra reaches the final and meets Andy Baetens. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Firstly, sixth seed Veenstra must overcome 11th seed de Vos in a very tasty clash. The Dutchman performed well in round one, and had to; Kyle McKinstry's stirring comeback would have toppled some players. De Vos also faced a real challenge in the form of Telnekes, but had the ruthless finishing necessary to go through. This one will be a tight tie, with neither player willing to give anything up. A moment of magic, or one player blinking first, will decide who faces Unterbuchner or Phillips in a very promising quarter-final.