Van Gerwen thrashes Van den Bergh with 108 average, set to face Smith in 2022/23 PDC World Darts Championship Final

Michael van Gerwen was touted as the favourite for the 2022/23 PDC World Darts Championship pre tournament and has lived up to that billing in reaching the final.

Van Gerwen has only been troubled by Mensur Suljovic with a 6-0 thrashing over Dimitri van den Bergh to set up a tie against Michael Smith in the final.

Third times the charm for Smith or a fourth finally for Van Gerwen? The Green Machine will head into that tie as the favourite after a 108 average, nine 180's and 58% on the outer ring.

Both held throw with a 65 checkout from Van den Bergh making it 1-1. He hit a 170 checkout to break. Van den Bergh though failed to produce on his throw and a 180 and a 49 checkout made it 2-2 with MVG throwing for the set.

It was a first maximum for Van den Bergh but MVG took the set. Van den Bergh missed double six to hold to open the second set but MVG shaded 80 on the wire only to return anyway with Van den Bergh not able to hit double three. Double six saw MVG double his lead. A 62 checkout saw him seal it and go 2-0 up in sets.

A 70 checkout saw MVG lead in set three. He followed it up with a 170 after Van den Bergh had hit a third 180 as he looked to hold. Van den Bergh’s slowing up tactics were in vein as Van Gerwen took a 3-0 sets lead.

The Belgian stopped the rot hitting double four for 1-0 in set four. With MVG sat waiting to win the set, Van den Bergh hit a 121 checkout and was throwing for a set back.

But MVG had six darts at 122 only to spurn darts for the set. But two went for Dimi and Van Gerwen finally returned for 4-0.

Van Gerwen broke to continue the one way traffic and go one leg away from a 5-0 sets lead. A 53 checkout saw him seal just that.

Van den Bergh missed 90 on the bull for a hold but Van Gerwen missed two for the break but returned with Van den Bergh’s darts going array while trying not to hit the 51. He swept the tie from there with no resistance from Van den Bergh.