PDC World Championship Preview - Day 11, afternoon session

Finally, all that Christmas nonsense is out of the way. We can get back to the darts. Before the festive break, the World Championship teased us with some high quality darting drama. Phil Taylor vs Justin Pipe provided plenty of talking points. Before that, there was the small matter of John Henderson dumping out the much-fancied Daryl Gurney. The afternoon session of day 10 featured a match between Rob Cross and Michael Smith that will go down as one of the best the Alexandra Palace has ever witnessed.
Play resumes after a three-day hiatus with two sessions of terrific tungsten tussles. Two of the most surprising first round winners play off for a last 16 spot - they'll know who lies in wait after the first match of the afternoon session. Sandwiched between the two is a British battle that could go either way.

Simon Whitlock vs Darren Webster

Revenge is on the cards for Simon Whitlock as he takes on Darren Webster. In fact, there are two previous World Championship defeats to make up for. In the 2015 edition, the much-fancied Australian crashed out in the first round against then-unseeded Webster. Their second clash was last year, in the second round. Again, Whitlock was the favourite. But the Demolition Man did a demolition job, averaging more than 104 in a 4-0 battering.
They meet at the same stage this year, with a massive opportunity to reach the quarter-finals ahead of them. The winner takes on one of the unseeded pair of Kevin Münch and Toni Alcinas, in a tie they will be a massive favourite to win. Neither had to be too impressive in the first round; Whitlock overcame a nervy Martin Schindler in a match that featured the worst leg the Championships will see this year, and one which many a mediocre pub player could sympathise with. Webster may be half the size of Devon Petersen, but easily towered over the South African in terms of performance. The Norfolk thrower looks more confident, particularly on doubles, and will feel that this time he is the one people will back. It could turn out to be a poisoned chalice.

Alan Norris vs James Richardson

There are only a few places in which 'Vindaloo' by Fat Les can be belted out with pride. The Ally Pally has joined the list, thanks to James Richardson. Kim Huybrechts was miles below his usual standard in the first round, yet Ruthless lived up to his nickname and put in a performance worth celebrating. A 96 average featuring 13 scores of 140, plus three maximums, meant the 18th seed only took two of the 11 legs played. Having gained revenge for his 2012 exit at the hands of the Belgian, Richardson's quest for a first foray into the final 16 continues against Alan Norris.
Norris notched up four 180s in his 3-0 win over Kim Viljanen, in which the Finn needed 13, 14 and 15-darters just to register winning legs. A 95 average from Norris was a good starting point, and he will believe that he can notch up a ton average if he can build momentum. This should be a tight one, though Chuck has more big stage experience. The pair both throw at a similar pace and love hitting the red bit, so this should be a real treat for those watching.

Kevin Münch vs Antonio Alcinas

If you're tuning in to see Adrian Lewis vs Cristo Reyes, don't bother. Both are gone, and instead a couple of surprise packages go head-to-head. Kevin Münch stunned the Ally Pally with a much-deserved 3-1 defeat of Adrian Lewis, in which the German checked out 118, 124 and 158. The former landscape gardener averaged 93 in a performance that showed some real nerve. He has reached the second round of the World Championship before, but will really fancy going further.
He takes on Toni Alcinas, who also deserves credit for keeping his cool. When his close friend Cristo Reyes completely crumbled in their first round tie, the Samurai delivered the killer blow quickly. He will have to play much better if Münch performs as he did against Lewis. The Spaniard's recent major showings don't suggest he's capable, but this one could still go either way depending on who can stay consistent.

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