Improving Pole Krzysztof Ratajski can dance past Clayton

Last 16
Sky Sports Action, 7pm Thursday

Krzysztof Ratajski and Jonny Clayton are the warm-up act in Wolverhampton, but the Pole can grab his share of the limelight in round two of the Grand Slam of Darts.

James Wade, Gary Anderson and Michael van Gerwen are the evening headliners after Clayton and Ratajski have clashed in their best-of-19 dust-up.

Both arrive in the last 16 in good spirits having made significant statements in the group stage – Clayton beat Van Gerwen while Ratajski took care of Raymond van Barneveld.

That success for Clayton was a rare bright spot in a season which has been largely forgettable, whereas Ratajski is having an extraordinary campaign since he claimed his Tour card in January.

The 41-year-old, the 2017 World Master in the BDO ranks, has hoovered up eight titles on the Challenge and Eastern Euro­pean Tours and also won three main-tour events. He beat Ian White, Rob Cross, Daryl Gurney and others to clinch a UK Open qualifier in February and last month won two Players Champion­ship heats on the same weekend.

He has looked the better of the two in Wolverhampton and rather than bothering with the Pole at odds-on, take a punt on the 5-4 that he covers a 1.5 handicap.

It's hard to see past the big three after that.

Wade takes on Michael Unterbuchner, the debutant from Germany who announced himself on the world stage in January when he reached the semis at the Lakeside.

He overcame a nightmare against Anderson, averaging less than 79 in a 5-2 loss, before beating Steve Hine and Ian White, though his scoring shouldn't be threatening enough against Wade, who will put him under colossal pressure.

Anderson's showdown with Wesley Harms is probably going to be even more one-sided, which takes us to the game of the night, Van Gerwen against Michael Smith.

Bully Boy's 5-0 humiliation of Barney on Tuesday made it three wins out of three and he has beaten Mighty Mike twice in 2018. That said, Van Gerwen won their other six show­downs, five of which were serious drubbings.

Recommendation
K Ratajski -1.5 legs
2pts 5-4 Hills

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