Van de Pas can strike handicap gold

Sky Sports 1, 7pm

Benito Van de Pas is threatening to end the best year of his career in style and has the game to give former Grand Slam finalist James Wade a test in Wolverhampton.

Van de Pas, who has recorded three wins on tour this year, fended off Chris Dobey in a tight opener before battering Scott Mitchell and Adrian Lewis to finish top of Group H.

Wade lost one of his three group games – beaten by Dave Chisnall when, for once, his doubles let him down – but is also throwing well and has a soft spot for the event.

However, he has been beaten in three of his last four matches against Van de Pas – including last week at the televised World Series. This promises to be an absorbing contest and even if you can’t quite bring yourself to back the Dutchman off scratch, he can at least strike handicap gold.

Having advised BDO star Glen Durrant as an outright tip at the start of the tournament I see no reason to desert him.

Pipped by Gary Anderson in his one group defeat, the Middlesbrough man dropped just one leg in his two other matches and looks a model of consistency.

He will have to be at his best to take care of Raymond van Barneveld, who has been throwing as well as ever, but the Smoggie looks overpriced at 11-8.

The layers just prefer local hero Jamie Hughes in the night’s opener against Chris Dobey and you can easily make a case for either man.

Hughes showed steel to beat James Wilson in a winner-takes-all shootout on Tuesday, while Dobey was outstanding seeing off both Adrian Lewis and Scott Mitchell to reach round two.

Recommendations
B van de Pas +2.5 legs
3pts 5-6 Hills
G Durrant
2pts 11-8 general