PDC European Championship preview - Friday afternoon session

Though highly fancied before the European Championship kicked off, Ian White is a goner. But Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross and Simon Whitlock were among those who avoided a first round banana skin. Half of the second round ties have been worked out. Now the Friday afternoon session is here, to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Two European Tour finalists kick off the session. Jonny Clayton, winner of the Austrian Darts Open, meets German Darts Championship finalist James Wilson. Then comes a familiar match-up; Darren Webster beat Stephen Bunting in the first round of the PDC World Grand Prix. He'll hope to do the same again in Dortmund.
Gerwyn Price and Kyle Anderson are very closely matched on paper. Like Joe Cullen and Jelle Klaasen, the pair could either serve up a game packed with high scoring, or riddled with errors. Cullen and Klaasen went more to the latter - hopefully it'll be the former for International Darts Open Price and 2017 European Championship semi-finalist Anderson.

Mensur Suljovic was installed as second-favourite for the title by European Championship sponsors Unibet. His first chance to prove why he's so well backed comes against Cristo Reyes. Then comes a match which could be over in a matter of moments. Even if it is, Daryl Gurney's game with Ricky Evans is likely to be explosive.
A pair of surprise entries meet in the next game. Max Hopp and William O'Connor are very much here on merit. The winner of the tie between the German Darts Open champion and the European Darts Matchplay runner-up will meet Clayton or Wilson in the next round.
A second homegrown hero then steps up in Germany. Martin Schindler takes on Mr Consistency, James Wade. The final game may save the best until last. Adrian Lewis squares up to Dave Chisnall, for the right to play Price or Anderson in the second round.

Jonny Clayton v James Wilson
Darren Webster v Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price v Kyle Anderson
Mensur Suljovic v Cristo Reyes
Daryl Gurney v Ricky Evans
Max Hopp v William O'Connor
James Wade v Martin Schindler
Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall