Darts / David Croft / 13 November 2009 /

It's Grand Slam time in the sport of Darts as the build-up to a magical month of 'arrows' gathers pace in Wolverhampton. David Croft selects the best and don't forget, you can follow the action live on ITV4.

From Saturday the cream of the PDC and BDO slug it out for nine days in Wolverhampton for a £400,000 prize fund.

The Grand Slam of Darts features eight players from the BDO, 16 from the PDC - it's a pity it couldn't be 16 of each but hey, as this is the only tournament that throws together players from both sides of the darting fence we should be grateful for small mercies.

As fans we have an excellent week in front of the TV ahead of us. From a punters perspective there is, as ever one, problem. It's a problem the competition haven't been able to deal with in 22 out of 28 PDC tournaments in 2009. It's a problem that nobody has had an answer to in the majors either. Four words, Phil 'The Power' Taylor!

Phil's been awesome in the last 12 months and deservedly holds all the big titles in the PDC game at the moment - the first player, incidentally, to hold the five tournament grand slam. This week he sets out to defend his 'Grand Slam' win in Wolverhampton last year and (cue fanfare) he's [1.44] to do so with Betfair.

In a 32 player tournament, Taylor's odds may seem like the skinniest thing you've seen since the last series of Celebrity Fit Club but look at it this way; Taylor is in imperious form, winning far more than he's losing at the moment and can you honestly oppose him with confidence, even taking into consideration the quality line-up for this event? I didn't think so and if he was offered even shorter you'd still think it was worth taking.

The draw has even paired Taylor with Anastasia Dobromyslova in his first group game for the easiest start he could wish for. No offense to the Russian's ability - at this event last year she came mighty close to beating Wayne Mardle - but Taylor could give trounce her even if he played with two darts and stood on one leg.

So? I hear you ask, what's the point of getting involved here? Good question and thankfully the good people of Betfair have offered up a market for the winner without Taylor, because without it we'd all struggle for a spot of value.

You'll find the usual suspects at the top of the market. James Wade, Gary Anderson and Raymond Van Barneveld, who is spending far too much time of late tinkering with his darts. Because of that, and the fact that he finds himself in the same half of the draw as Taylor, I've struck him off my shortlist.

But a price of [2.5] on James Wade and [3.0] on Anderson to win without Taylor is worth a thought or two. Anderson for me has had a decent year in his first foray into the PDC and will only get stronger in years to come. Wade has shown his class on many an occasion and will be there or thereabouts at every one of the big tournaments.

Interestingly, the BDO champion Ted Hankey is priced up at [15.0] to win without Taylor and, given that he's in the bottom half of the draw, the bet screams out at me. He'll have a tough start against Scott Waites but should come through his group and if the 'real' Ted Hankey turns up, then he could force his way into the final.

Meanwhile, each group game has a market and whilst I could give you my thoughts on every match, I'm aware that you probably have far better things to be doing with your time. After all, that hair of yours won't wash itself. I would say though that I do like the look of the [1.95] on Scott Waites to beat Ted Hankey on Saturday (An all BDO clash which does the world champion no favours in his opening encounter). I also have an inkling that Kevin Painter will brush aside John Part and [1.86] for him to do so looks tempting.

Two go through from every group before we get to the quarter-finals. When we do I'll be back with the next Grand Slam column. But just for once I'll stake what's left of my reputation on the line and give you my two to go through from each group.

Crofty's two to go through:

Group A: Phil Taylor and Vincent Van der Voort
Group B: Tony O Shea and Colin Osbourne
Group C: Mervyn King and Darryl Fitton
Group D: Raymond Van Barneveld and Kevin Painter
Group E: Ted Hankey and Scott Waites
Group F: Gary Anderson and Steve Beaton
Group G: Terry Jenkins and Adrian Lewis
Group H: James Wade and Andy Hamilton

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