PDC World Championship Preview - Day 12, evening session

There have been so many stories, and so many shocks at the 2018 PDC World Championship. Few have been more incredible or more impressive than Jamie Lewis' run to the last 16. He continues his quest for glory tonight while, at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Phil Taylor treads old ground for the last time. That's followed by Gary Anderson hoping to set up a meeting with the old master, though well aware that, clearly, nobody is safe.

Plenty of people were stunned by Jamie Lewis' 3-0 thrashing of Jonny Clayton, especially given his struggle in the PDPA qualifier and the preliminary match with Kenny Neyens. He averaged 99 in the win over his compatriot. The fact the Welshman raised his game to a 107 average, and dumped out world number two Peter Wright 4-1, is nothing short of miraculous. The way Lewis is playing, he will feel a semi-final berth is easily within grasp. Especially considering it is Darren Webster who stands in his way, and not someone with Wright's reputation.
First though, James Richardson stands in the way. His 4-1 win against Alan Norris was rich with big scores but lacking in composure on the doubles. Some were bad luck, but many legs were ruined by an inability to finish efficiently. If Lewis is looking for gaps in Richardson's game to exploit, he doesn't have to look far. But the real question is: can Lewis do it again? If he can, a quarter-final spot is his.

The route seemed to be clearly marked out for Phil Taylor, pre-Championship. Chris Dobey, then Justin Pipe, then James Wade or Mervyn King. Then would follow Anderson, Wright and van Gerwen. But after a bad-tempered 4-0 battering of Pipe, the final route has changed somewhat. Both King and Wade departed early, and it was the highly unfancied Keegan Brown who saw off Zoran Lerchbacher to be the next to try ending Taylor's career. Anderson is still in line but Wright isn't. It's unexpected, but Taylor won't care who he faces.
Brown has shown some of the class that marked him out as a future star when he burst onto the scene, and the nerve to hold off more experienced opposition. But this is the most experienced opponent of all. He will need the 95 average he managed against Wade as a starting point. Any weakness will be exposed by Taylor. But Michael Smith has shown in the past how a young hopeful can topple the 16-time world champion. Brown needs to retain some hope that yet another shock is in the offing.

Jamie Lewis' stunning defeat of Peter Wright will have affected Gary Anderson in two ways. For one, his run to the final is now much easier - on paper. But it was also a stern reminder that no seed is safe, not even the top three. John Henderson's triumph over Daryl Gurney was a victory for journeyman darts players everywhere. Steve West falls into that bracket. An ever-present in majors this year, West isn't one to be deterred by the big stage. But his World Championship record is poor. Anderson was a little surprised by Paul Lim's fine form in the second round - and would have celebrated alongside his opponent had THAT ninth dart flown into the double 12. He cannot afford to get complacent at any stage against West, who certainly knows how to pile on the pressure. Anderson's prolific scoring should be enough. But, after Wright's exit, who knows?