World Championship Semi-Final Results
Michael Smith 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Gary Anderson
Final (New Year's Day, Sky Sports, 8pm)
Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith (Best of 13 sets)
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After tonight's drama, I've put together a guide ahead of the New Year's Day final featuring both players' tournament stats, routes to the final and head-to-head stats, while I've also thrown in a few predictions and best bets. Just click on the image below if you'd like to check it out!
So tonight's starter was indeed tastier than the main course but if both winners repeat their performances on New Year's Day then we'll surely have a showstopper to round off a largely thrilling World Darts Championship.
Averages
180s
Doubles
Highest Checkouts
Averages
180s
Doubles
Highest Checkouts
Averages
180s
Doubles
Highest Checkouts
Averages
180s
Doubles
Highest Checkouts
Leg Five
It's first blood for MVG as his third 180 of the match and further visits of 97 and 100 leave him 40, which he pins at the third attempt for a 15-darter. That was pressure, with Anderson waiting on 44.
MVG 3-2 Anderson
Leg Four
The pair exchange 180s in another high-quality leg which Anderson takes with a 104 checkout to complete a 12-darter.
MVG 2-2 Anderson
Leg Three
Anderson shambles around in this leg with three visits under 60 and MVG easily makes him pay as he pins double 14 with his opponent back on 216.
MVG 2-1 Anderson
Leg Two
Van Gerwen breaks straight back in 13 darts thanks to four 100+ visits and a 36 checkout. Awesome start from both players.
MVG 1-1 Anderson
Leg One, MVG to throw first
Anderson brings the crowd to his feet instantly with a 180 and 127 checkout - which immediately followed MVG's first maximum - to complete a 12-dart break of throw.
MVG 0-1 Anderson
2105 No harm in sharing (again) another couple of reminders why we can expect fireworks next...
2100: If that wasn't exciting enough, now it's time for Michael van Gerwen v Gary Anderson!
If you scroll right down you'll find some pre-match stats and facts but it might be quicker to click on the image below for a full preview.
2055: Before we crack on with the next semi-final, which may not be as tasty as the 'starter', let's here from Bully Boy.
Averages
180s
Doubles
Highest Checkouts
Averages
180s
Doubles
Highest Checkouts
Averages
180s
Doubles
Highest Checkouts
Averages
180s
Doubles
Highest Checkouts
Averages
180s
Doubles
Highest Checkouts
Averages
180s
Doubles
Highest Checkouts
Leg Three
Wow. After just four minutes and 42 darts, Smith takes the opening set. If you haven't worked out the maths, that means he won the third in 15 darts, helped along by his third 180.
Smith 3-0 Aspinall
Leg Two
Another maximum from Smith helps the St Helens thrower break the Aspinall throw with a 13-darter.
Smith 2-0 Aspinall
Leg One, Smith to throw first
Michael Smith throws a 180 in his second visit and follows it up with a 140 as he races away to a 1-0 lead in 14 darts.
Smith 1-0 Aspinall
1915: Right, time to turn our focus back to Michael Smith v Nathan Aspinall as they are now about to take to the stage.
1900: The irony of a Michael van Gerwen v Gary Anderson semi-final in a World Championship of shocks and underdog stories isn't lost on anyone.
And if whoever wins does indeed face Premier League and World Series of Darts Finals runner-up Michael Smith, who has won three titles during a brilliant season, then anyone tuning in for the first time on New Year's Day will have no idea of the drama that's gone before.
Many feel the second semi-final is effectively the 'final' and while that would be disrespectful to Smith and Aspinall, we can expect fireworks.
The duo have obviously been involved in many great battles down the years there were a couple this season which produced two incredible legs. Firstly in the Premier League...
And also in a Champions League of Darts group match...
1845: Let's remind ourselves of how all four players got this far and their tournament stats, starting with Nathan Aspinall and Michael Smith.
TOURNAMENT STATS (Smith first)
ROUTES TO THE SEMI-FINALS
(Click here for full tournament results)
Michael Smith
Nathan Aspinall
Now lets look at Gary Anderson and Michael van Gerwen...
TOURNAMENT STATS (MVG first)
ROUTES TO THE SEMI-FINALS
Michael van Gerwen
Gary Anderson
1830: There's no doubting which of tonight's semi-finals is the 'headline' attraction but there's no reason to think the first can't produce just as much drama.
Nathan Aspinall has played one of the leading roles in making this World Championship so memorable with his stunning comebacks and performances that belied his pre-tournament odds of 750/1.
The 27-year-old from Stockport, who used to be a trainee accountant for a toy company, showed no sign of being fazed on the big stage despite precious little televised experienced in previous years and the way he refused to be intimidated by Grand Slam of Darts winner Gerwyn Price in 'that' thrilling second-round match was a joy to behold, even when he faced match dart at 2-0 down.
He also overcame a two-set deficit against Devon Petersen in between too classy displays to beat Kyle Anderson and Brendon Dolan 4-1 and 5-1 respectively so he'll need to produce more of the same tonight.
I tipped Michael Smith at 16/1 in my pre-tournament preview so I'm obviously not surprised to see him here - although I am relieved after my other picks were earlier victims of shock defeats (less said about them the better).
I still feel it's Bully Boy's time to take his career to the highest level by winning one of the big majors - and it obviously wouldn't come any bigger than this should he go all the way on New Year's Day.
He's proved he's got the star quality over the past couple of weeks but can he handle the pressure of expectation?
He needs to get a move on with winning a world title too because he has a four-year old son called Junior who's already hitting 180s.
1800: Welcome to our live coverage of what should be enthralling night of darts as Michael van Gerwen battles it out with Gary Anderson for a place in the New Year's Day World Championship final after underdog Nathan Aspinall looks to extend his dream debut one step further against Michael Smith.
Before the action gets under way at around 7pm, you can take a look through all the stats, facts I've compiled ahead of both semi-finals as well as all their routes to get here.
There's also some predictions thrown in, although trying to get anything right during this most unpredictable of tournaments - which has somehow ended up with three quite predictable semi-finalists - has been very tough!
Click on the image below (or here) for my semi-final preview while you can also refresh yourself with all the tournament results by clicking here.
Tuesday January 1
Evening Session (1900)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts
Full World Darts Championship results and round-ups