2021 PDC World Darts Championship schedule: Friday December 18, evening session including Van Duijvenbode and Wade

We've got legends aplenty on Friday night under the Alexandra Palace lights.

Why not kick off with a bit of the Aubergenius? Dirk van Duijvenbode has had a breakout year, reaching the final of the Grand Prix and two more stage quarter-finals besides. Amazingly, this is only his second appearance at the World Championship - five years ago, he bust 140 by hitting a maximum and lost 3-0 to Raymond van Barneveld. This is likely to go a bit better.

Bradley Brooks stands between the Dutchman and a second round meeting with Rob Cross. The Blackburn ace excelled on the big stage just recently, beating Joe Davis to the World Youth Championship title. It's worth remembering that, despite being a debutant, Brooks has plenty of Pro Tour and Development Tour experience to call upon.

Who doesn't love a bit of John Henderson? The Highlander is looking leaner, though not meaner, than ever before. Unfortunately, he has had quite the drop in form over 2020, and isn't a seed this time. A couple of wins would get him back on the right track.

Marko Kantele is back for a fourth pop at the World Championship, 12 years after winning the only set he's eked out so far. Two 3-0s have succeeded it - incidentally, one was against Henderson three years back. Kantele, replacing compatriot Kim Viljanen, will be out to fly the flag for Finland.

Now for the moment we've all been waiting for. The COVID-19 crisis threatened his involvement, there were questions as to whether he could again emerge from a packed field in Asia, but yes - Paul Lim is back for a 25th tilt at a World Championship.

The story that isn't often told is that Lim's record in this tournament is pretty poor. Luke Humphries, by contrast, is a back-to-back quarter-finalist. Form and confidence can often wax and wane for Humphries - if he's up for the challenge of the old master, a massive tie against fellow former world youth champion Dimitri van den Bergh is in the offing.

Youth clashes with experience as Friday night comes to a close. Callan Rydz is quickly becoming a must-watch player; the fast-flinging Geordie turned on the style to down James Bailey in an entertaining first round duel.

The prize for Rydz is a tie against James Wade, who is possibly the best player never to reach a World Championship final. Why not this year? If there's one thing we know about Wade, it's that he's lethal when given opportunities. Should Rydz fail to find his feet early on, the Machine will know how to take full advantage.

2021 PDC World Darts Championship schedule

Friday December 18

Evening Session (18:00 GMT)

18:10 Dirk van Duijvenbode v Bradley Brooks (R1)

19:10 John Henderson v Marko Kantele (R1)

20:10 Luke Humphries v Paul Lim (R1)

21:10 James Wade v Callan Rydz (R2)