Number 16

I still wouldn't put a penny on who will win after eight sets!

What.A.Leg!

... as did MvG, who also finished like a house, and in between set the whole block aflame. Stunning. Dimi wasn't too shabby either, but he was absolutely outgunned. For tonight I'll stupidly go for heart over head and back Bullyboy. To win he needs the first set and probably the second, which could get the demons going in the Dutchman's head.

Can you confirm you posted this in 2023.

I suspect you're spot on and if I had an ounce of sense I'd have said the same myself, but I'm always heart over head, often to the point of idiocy. I agree about Dimi. When he first burst on the scene he was a breath of fresh air, but nowadays how he presents himself comes across as being contrived. MVG has been awesome this year and particularly at the Ally Pally, but he does have the occasional wobble!

Stick my neck out here. A cool and calm Dimi to get the better of the occasionally underperforming MvG. Smith is often inconsistent, but rarely twice in row, so this could be curtains for Clemens. ... But my prediction of Dimi v Smith should guarantee a Dutch / German final!!!!

The PDC is awash with inappropriate player nicknames, and none moreso than Price's. He certainly ain't a chilled Iceman!

Bunting's 44 missed doubles lost it for him!!!!

The averages are getting crazy nowadays. You need almost mid-90s to progress to Round 3 and then more beyond. Oddly I reckon the really high averages are down a bit, but for good reason. The days of having the luxury of playing like in a exhibition is long gone. The pressure on even the best is immense.

Darts was and still is national and it's now global as well, with the exception of London! Why isn't our capital producing top quality players nowadays.

Bunting just won the Snellen's Cup prelim round against Chizzy. Could meet Bullyboy in the QF to decide the Snellen's champion!

Could well do as he's still quality! But Price has fallen away a bit these past few months since winning the World Series. He may have to find some form from nowhere.

He did... sort of! However, he wasn't away long. Barney's back and very much rejuvenated. He's beaten Price three times recently so he's in decent form.

There are some real quality Third Round match ups coming up this week. Has there ever been a stronger Last 32? Looking forward to The Asp/Rock, Price/Barney, DvD/Ross Smith and the Snellen's derby of Chizzy/Bunting. My predictions in bold! Dimitri Van den Bergh v Krzysztof Ratajski Nathan Aspinall v Josh Rock Jonny Clayton v Brendan Dolan Jim Williams v Gabriel Clemens Gerwyn Price v Raymond van Barneveld Peter Wright v Kim Huybrechts Ryan Searle v Jose de Sousa Danny Noppert v Alan Soutar Gary Anderson v Chris Dobey Joe Cullen v Damon Heta Michael van Gerwen v Mensur Suljovic Michael Smith v Martin Schindler Dirk van Duijvenbode v Ross Smith Rob Cross v Mervyn King Dave Chisnall v Stephen Bunting Luke Humphries v Vincent van der Voort

Not taken with the new additions to the commentary team! The Aussie woman is dour whilst Dan Dawson is Mr Cliche, Mr Intense and Mr Statto rolled into one!

Fallon blew it against Rapid Ricky. Barney looked good beating Miekle and meets Price in the 2nd Round, who he recently defeated twice in the Grand Slam.

But will the result be any different?

I know very little about either club, however, good luck to all involved. But, imo, mergers nearly always result in fewer players and fewer teams.

Ordered. Looking forward to reading it

A man in the pub asked me to name three Qatar players. I said Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and George Harrison.

Then cometh the honorary Man of Cumberland!

That was then!

Gretna and Annan are villages, with neither being large enough to sustain a RL club. Union 7s is still big in the Borders, and it's this that RL could build on, via our 9s. Why couldn't the RFL, with willing union clubs, organise four 9s competitions over the course of the summer. One each in (for example only!) Hawick, Gala, Jedforest and Melrose, and four invited Sassenach teams to each. Start simple in 2023 and 2024, and try and expand in the next WC year. Costs would be negligible. Benefits could be huge.

The oddest thing about him busting his leg is that before the game, which was towards the end of the campaign, our physio, Michele Preston (nee Snares, of the Snares clan) said that the only player she'd not had to attend to on the pitch that season was... Ken!

In 1997 I was one of three who started South London Storm. We decided to do it in the bar at the Stoop, in a spirit of enthusiasm, after London had defeated Canberra. Two years later I started the club's juniors as somewhere for my own kids to play. As a result of our endeavours and achievements Development Officers were appointed to our club/Service Area, and they established satellite junior clubs which included Brixton Bulls and Croydon Hurricanes. KPP is the jewel in the crown. Strange to think that had the Raiders defeated the Broncos that balmy July evening twenty-five years ago then there'd probably be another name on today's England team sheet. Butterfly wings...