By Blake Bint
WORLD cup teammates Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton face their mouthwatering all-Welsh tie in the quarter final of the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton, tonight (Friday).
Both players come into the clash after topping their respective group stages.
Price won two and lost out to Martin Schindler when he had already qualified, with the ferret, Clayton, going unbeaten, – and recording a 100+ average on two of his three group stage occasions.
In the last 16, the world number one came through a 10-8 winner against the youthful Bradley Brooks who has had an impressive tournament, Price recording a 99 average in that game.
Clayton breezed through his tussle with Nathan Rafferty 10-2. The 21-year-old looked good in his group stage, including a close 5-4 loss to Price after missing a dart at the bullseye to win it. Clayton however looked unbeatable, as he recorded a 104 average.
The bookmakers can’t separate the former champion from the world number eight as they are both given 10/11 odds to win the upcoming race to 16 legs.
Coming into the tournament, both had their fair share of good results but Clayton looks to be in the form in his life.
With three titles in 2021 alone (Premier League, World Grand Prix and World Series of Darts finals), Clayton has recorded three out of four 100+ averages already in this competition.
But you can never rule out Price. As a world champion and two-time winner of this event, he knows how to win over the long format.
In recent head-to-heads, the pendulum has swung both ways. Clayton has taken the last two meetings, however he has never beaten Price in a match-up of more than best of 19 legs.
The winner of this one will set up a tie with either Rob Cross or the fourth seed James Wade, over a best of 31 legs once again.
As great friends, the two Welshmen will likely bring the best out of each other in what is a must-watch encounter on Sky Sports.