Great odds on The "Wizard of Oz"

Darts / David Croft / 12 January 2008 / 1 Comments

BBC commentator David Croft on why Simon Whitlock and Simon Webster are the guys most likely to be in the BDO World Championship final come Sunday night

What a week it's been down here at the Lakeside. From the smile on the face of Glenn Moody as he tried to walk the wrong way onto the stage and into a wall, to the agony on the faces of Martin Adams and Robert Thornton as they played out one of the all-time classics. We have had - in the words of my colleague in the commentary box, Tony Green - had it all.

Alas for me, Gary Anderson once again succumbed to his Lakeside voodoo and went out in the first round, and my outside tip Robert Thornton was on the wrong end of that classic with Wolfie. Which means that to avoid blowing all the money I made on John Part to win the PDC, I'm looking to Mark Webster and Simon Whitlock to take the title so that my Nationality of the Winner punt comes up. I plumped at the start of the week for any nationality other than Dutch or English and that bet is trading on Betfair currently at [1.51] having been as high as [2.98] at one stage. It's still an attractive price as I believe that both Mark Webster (Wales) and Simon Whitlock (Australia) could be the two men in tomorrow's final and here's why.

MARK WEBSTER V MARTIN ADAMS

The 24 year old from Denbigh has really impressed me this week. Saddled with the added pressure of being the number one seed Mark, bar a little blip halfway through his second round tie with Glenn Moody, has hit the scores and more importantly his doubles, and looks in good nick. Likewise Martin Adams who didn't drop a set in the first two rounds but then almost blew it against Robert Thornton in the quarters. I expect Webster to hit Adams with the same high scoring, but unlike the Scot, he's far more at home leading from the front and should he get ahead today, the defending champion might struggle to get back into it. I know Darryl Fitton had problems with his finishing against Webster but the Welshman was no slouch at the business end and if he picks up where he left off last night, I can see him taking the first semi final by a couple of sets. Betfair punters can back Webster at [1.81] to win outright and [7.0] to win by 6 sets to 4.

SIMON WHITLOCK V BRIAN WOODS

Right then, hands up who had Brian Woods to reach the semi finals? Quick check and yes I thought so, not many of you. That's not to say he hasn't played well this week. He has and had the highest average of the first round to prove it. But he's benefited from being in what I perceive was the weaker part of the draw to get this far. Whitlock too would have been encouraged by the defeat of Gary Anderson who he would have played in the second round. But his demolition in the quarters of Ted Hankey, despite Hankey once again pressing the self destruct button, was as good a battering on the dart board as you'll ever witness. I was so impressed as well with how he ignored the antics of The Count and Ted's own personal 'battle with the boos' to remain fully focussed, never once wavering from the task in hand.

He may be unorthodox constantly aiming for 19's rather than 20's, but he starts each throw knowing exactly where he's going even if his first dart misses the intended target and that focus is what wins you the big matches.

Woods has been tremendous on his doubles, averaging nearly 50% success for the tournament so far, today's match though may be one game too many for him with the experience of Whitlock coming into play as well. Remember the Wizard has played in the semis here before and whilst Martin Adams may have battered him that afternoon, I think he returns a far better player. So I take Whitlock at [1.59] to win the match outright and [6.2] to win by 6 sets to 3, although that bet may have to wait until I know who's throwing first. If it's Simon who gets us underway then that's my prediction, if Brian starts I'll take the price of [5.8] for Whitlock to win 6-4. The advantage of first throw, as in tennis I suppose, can make a big difference.

So it's Webster against Whitlock in the final for me, the Welsh Wonder against the Wizard from Down Under and I may have to take the price of [3.2] for Simon Whitlock to take the title and become the second Antipodean to win here after Tony David back in 2002. So after Anastasia Dobromyslova won the women's championship on Friday evening, that would give us a Russian and an Australian world champ, and who'd have thought that before we started?

Comments (1)

1. Mike Norman | 14 January 2008

   Great selections David, well done.