Sky Sports select top 5 World Championship shocks in the history of the tournament

Ahead of the biggest spectacle in darts, the World Championship at the Alexandra Palace starting on Thursday. The main coverage providers of the tournament Sky Sports have provided a list of the top 5 shocks in the tournament ahead of it all starting. Could there be more this year that could throw the tournament wide open???
5. James Richardson (vs. Raymond van Barneveld from 2012).
The first one is James Richardson, now an established player in the PDC and once again taking part in the World's this year made a memorable debut at the event defeating Raymond van Barneveld where he enjoyed two 145 checkouts which set him up a clash against Kim Huybrechts in the last 32 and since then he has shown t was no fluke establishing himself as part of the PDC tour.
4. Michael Smith (vs. Phil Taylor from 2014)
Next up was Michael Smith tipping the apple cart by knocking the legend that is Phil Taylor. Taylor wasn't on his game in a poor performance from 'The Power' but the former World Youth champion showed why he was seen and still is seen as the future of World Darts by producing 11 dart and 13 dart legs to win and sensationally knock out Taylor
3. Kirk Shepherd (vs Wayne Mardle from 2007)
Number 3 was one of the biggest shocks on the world stage in a whole tournament sense alongside the game itself and that was Kirk Shepherd winning through to his first and only World Final against 'Hawaii 501' Wayne Mardle. Mardle was the heavy favourite but Shepherd got through winning 6-4 but lost to Part 7-2 in the final.

2. Gary Welding (vs Colin 'Jaws' Lloyd from 2005)
News came in last week that Colin Lloyd would be returning to the tour after two years out and will be attempting Q-School but in 2005 he had a moment to forget, he lost to a qualifier in Gary Welding 3-2 after being 2-0 up and top seed but it shows no matter how high you are in terms of rankings it doesn't give you a free pass.
1. Raymond van Barneveld (vs Michael van Gerwen from 2016)
This wasn't really a shock but it was in terms of van Gerwen being the heavy favourite that year. Barney turned back the clock to produce an amazing display with a 4-3 win to crush MVG with both men averaging in at least the early hundreds with MVG having up to last year when it was the complete opposite the highest losing average of 105.78 in the tournament.
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