Van den Bergh produces highest average of 2020 PDC World Championship so far in straight sets victory over Payne

Fallon Sherrock may have been the story of the evening but in and amongst the media scrum which ensued inside the Alexandra Palace, Dimitri van den Bergh was serving up some top tungsten defeating Josh Payne in straight sets.

Van den Bergh averaged 103.8 and hit 53 percent on doubles en route to victory over the Gravesend ace as he sets up a tie with Luke Woodhouse.

While history was being soaked up by the Alexandra Palace crowd, Van den Bergh was playing brilliantly taking the first set in a deciding leg with a 103 average and a high checkout of 124 e route to claiming it.

He continued this by taking the next set in consecutive legs to double his lead and go towards the finishing line. At the time he was averaging 109 in one of the best performances so far on the Alexandra Palace stage with 66 percent on the doubles.

Payne led the next set with a 120 checkout but Van den Bergh broke with an 11-darter to put it back on level terms as his high average continued. Payne missed a 102 checkout in a good leg but left double 10 with Van den Bergh well back which he hit.

He had a shot at double 18 for a 156 checkout which he missed but he came back to mop it up on double nine and claim victory.

Click here for more information on the PDC World Darts Championship, which takes place at the Alexandra Palace between December 13 and January 1.

PDC World Darts Championship 2020 schedule

Saturday December 21, evening session (all games are Second Round)

Daryl Gurney (96.02) 3-0 (90.41) Justin Pipe

Glen Durrant (95.36) 3-0 (87.63) Damon Heta

Mensur Suljovic (92.31) 1-3 (90.67) Fallon Sherrock

Dimitri van den Bergh (103.81) 3-0 (97.52) Josh Payne

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