2020 Players Championship Finals schedule: Friday afternoon session, featuring Smith, Petersen and Lewis

There's no rest for the wicked - or for darts players, either. It's Players Championship Finals time.

Just three days on from Jose de Sousa lifting the World Matchplay title, we kick off the penultimate major of the season. The likes of Michael Smith, Devon Petersen and Adrian Lewis feature on the first afternoon of the Players Championship Finals. A reduced Pro Tour season culminates in the chance to take home a £100,000 top prize.

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First round action will be split between the Main Stage and Stage Two in Coventry. World Grand Prix runner-up Dirk van Duijvenbode starts things off on the former, playing against William O'Connor. Michael Smith had a bright start to the Grand Slam; he'll want more of the same at the Players Championship Finals, preferably with a more enjoyable conclusion. The new world number four has a big banana skin in the form of Boris Krcmar.

Two all-English ties follow on the Main Stage, as Rob Cross clashes with Jason Lowe, and Joe Cullen is reunited with Adam Hunt, who surprisingly pipped him to Group A qualification at the Grand Slam.

Devon Petersen has never been in the top 32 seeds at the Players Championship Finals, and has never won a game at the event. This time he's 18th seed, and looking to continue his strong 2020 form - Luke Humphries stands in his way.

Dimitri van den Bergh has played some of his best stuff this year, and the Matchplay champion might need more of that magic even to get through round one, with the excellent Ryan Searle hoping to showcase the form that got him to 16th in the Players Championship Order of Merit.

The last tie on the Main Stage features Adrian Lewis and Simon Whitlock. The Wizard has made it to two major semi-finals this year, and you wouldn't bet against a third. Lewis, the two-time runner-up, will have something to say.

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While a lot of headliners are on the Main Stage, there's plenty going on over on Stage Two. Brendan Dolan opens on the secondary oche against Luke Woodhouse, followed by Ryan Joyce hoping to find the X Factor against Andy Boulton.

Stephen Bunting plays the Scot Ryan Murray, who has performed well to reach the Players Championship Finals in his first year on the Tour. After that British bout, there's a touch of European flavour as Polish ace Krzysztof Ratajski takes on Czech number one Karel Sedlacek.

There's a clash of the giants as Gabriel Clemens collides with Martijn Kleermaker, while Ian White plays Willie Borland.

Jonny Clayton, a former finalist, has Mickey Mansell first in his bid to go a step further. The winner of this one potentially gets a shot at Michael van Gerwen in the second round.

Daryl Gurney desperately needs some sort of catalyst to garner something positive from a rough season. The trophy he lifted two years ago is as good a target as any, but Callan Rydz - who has impressed massively, particularly during the Winter Series - is a mighty hurdle to leap for the stumbling Northern Irishman.

Last, but not least, is a meeting of two veteran stars. Dave Chisnall will take a shot at the King, with Mervyn casting his eye on the title that was so almost his a decade back.

Schedule 2020 Players Championship Finals

Friday November 27

First Round

Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)

Main Stage

13:00 Dirk van Duijvenbode v William O'Connor

13:30 Michael Smith v Boris Krcmar

14:00 Rob Cross v Jason Lowe

14:30 Joe Cullen v Adam Hunt

15:00 Devon Petersen v Luke Humphries

15:30 Ryan Searle v Dimitri Van den Bergh

16:00 Adrian Lewis v Simon Whitlock

Stage Two

13:00 Brendan Dolan v Luke Woodhouse

13:25 Ryan Joyce v Andy Boulton

13:50 Stephen Bunting v Ryan Murray

14:15 Krzysztof Ratajski v Karel Sedlacek

14:40 Gabriel Clemens v Martijn Kleermaker

15:05 Ian White v William Borland

15:30 Jonny Clayton v Mickey Mansell

15:55 Daryl Gurney v Callan Rydz

16:20 Dave Chisnall v Mervyn King