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Grand Slam of Darts: Peter Wright outclasses Fallon Sherrock, Michael van Gerwen wins but Josh Rock is beaten | Darts News


The 16th staging of the Grand Slam of Darts sees star-studded 32-player field competing for a record-breaking £650,000 in prize money and the coveted Eric Bristow Trophy watch the tournament live on Sky Sports every day through to the final on Sunday, November 20

Last Updated: 12/11/22 11:59pm

All the best finishes from Saturday evening's session on Day One of the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton

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All the best finishes from Saturday evening’s session on Day One of the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton

All the best finishes from Saturday evening’s session on Day One of the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton

World champion Peter Wright outclassed Fallon Sherrock on the opening day of the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton as Michael van Gerwen laid down an early marker with a blistering display of arrows.

Wright – a three-time Grand Slam runner-up – finished five doubles from 11 attempts in a 5-1 win over Women’s World Matchplay champion Sherrock.

“It was a good start for me today – Fallon gave me chances and I took them,” said Wright. “I used a new set of darts and I feel really good with them, but they didn’t quite go how I wanted.”

Laura Turner sympathises with Fallon Sherrock after a frustrating 5-1 loss to World Champion Peter Wright

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Laura Turner sympathises with Fallon Sherrock after a frustrating 5-1 loss to World Champion Peter Wright

Laura Turner sympathises with Fallon Sherrock after a frustrating 5-1 loss to World Champion Peter Wright

He will next face Alan Soutar in an all-Scottish tussle after ‘Soots’ took out a superb 145 checkout in the deciding leg of his opener against Nathan Aspinall to make a winning Grand Slam debut.

Saturday, November 12 – Evening Session Results

Groups E-H Opening Matches Ross Smith 4-5 Luke Woodhouse
Ryan Searle 5-4 Josh Rock
Damon Heta 2-5 Jermaine Wattimena
Nathan Aspinall 4-5 Alan Soutar
Luke Humphries 5-2 Scott Williams
Peter Wright 5-1 Fallon Sherrock
Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Nathan Rafferty
Jonny Clayton 5-0 Leonard Gates

Three-time Grand Slam winner Van Gerwen averaged almost 102 and missed just one dart at a double in his clinical 5-2 defeat over Northern Ireland’s emerging star Nathan Rafferty.

“To get the first win out of the way always gives you a little bit of confidence but there’s still a long way to go,” said Van Gerwen.

“Everyone knows how hard this tournament is to win – it’s been too long since I won this but I feel good and there’s more in the tank.”

John Part analysis Van Gerwen's performance against Rafferty and believes that he might be the best in the world right now

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John Part analysis Van Gerwen’s performance against Rafferty and believes that he might be the best in the world right now

John Part analysis Van Gerwen’s performance against Rafferty and believes that he might be the best in the world right now

Van Gerwen will now meet Luke Woodhouse in their second Group G contest on Sunday, after the qualifier took out 104 in the deciding leg of his tie with European Champion Ross Smith.

Sixth seed Luke Humphries, a four-time European Tour winner this year, made a confident start to Group H with a 5-2 win over debutant Scott Williams, sealing victory with a 121 finish.

Humphries’ second group match will see him face Ryan Searle on Sunday, following the Somerset ace’s narrow 5-4 win over arguably the most talked about player in darts – Josh Rock.

Josh Rock showed a glimpse of his talent with this 111 checkout during his defeat to Ryan Searle

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Josh Rock showed a glimpse of his talent with this 111 checkout during his defeat to Ryan Searle

Josh Rock showed a glimpse of his talent with this 111 checkout during his defeat to Ryan Searle

Jonny Clayton provided the only whitewash win of the day, restricting North American Champion Leonard Gates to just one dart at a double in their Group F opener.

Clayton will come up against Jermaine Wattimena in Sunday’s second matches, after the Dutchman produced a fine 5-2 win over World Cup winner Damon Heta.

Saturday, November 12 – Afternoon Session Results

Groups A-D Opening Matches Simon Whitlock 5-2 Mensur Suljovic
Dirk van Duijvenbode 5-4 Martin Schindler
Joe Cullen 5-1 Ritchie Edhouse
Dave Chisnall 3-5 Raymond van Barneveld
Rob Cross 5-2 Adam Gawlas
Danny Noppert 5-4 Christian Perez
Gerwyn Price 5-1 Ted Evetts
Michael Smith 5-3 Lisa Ashton

Raymond van Barneveld won his opening match in Wolverhampton

Raymond van Barneveld won his opening match in Wolverhampton

Raymond van Barneveld – the 2012 champion – managed to get the better of Dave Chisnall in the opening Group A game to complete a hard-fought 5-3 success in a game of missed doubles.

The doyen of Dutch darts will take on world No 1 Gerwyn Price next after the defending champion proved too classy for World Youth Champion Ted Evetts.

Gerwyn Price has won all three Grand Slam events staged at the Aldersley Leisure Village

Gerwyn Price has won all three Grand Slam events staged at the Aldersley Leisure Village

‘The Iceman’ who is seeking his fourth title in five years ran out a 5-1 winner with a 101.39 average, hitting four maximums and 42 per cent on his doubles.

Michael Smith kicked off his Group C campaign with a 5-3 success against Women’s Series Order of Merit winner Lisa Ashton, while Masters champion Joe Cullen defeated debutant Ritchie Edhouse 5-1 with a clinical performance.

All the best finishes from the afternoon session on Day One

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All the best finishes from the afternoon session on Day One

All the best finishes from the afternoon session on Day One

In Group D, Rob Cross reeled off five consecutive legs to defeat Adam Gawlas 5-2, while Dirk van Duijvenbode held off Martin Schindler 5-4, recovering from 4-3 down to seal the win.

The German came close to causing a shock after reeling off a hat-trick of legs, including a 12-darter and pinning D14 for a 133 finish, but ‘Aubergenius’ took out a sensational 127 checkout on the bullseye on his way to victory.

Simon Whitlock is up and running in Group B, averaging 97 on his way to a 5-2 success over Mensur Suljovic with ‘The Wizard’ taking on UK Open champion Danny Noppert next after the Dutchman came through a last-leg decider against Asian Championship winner Christian Perez.

Sunday, November 13 – Fixtures (1300 GMT)

Groups A-D Second Matches Ritchie Edhouse vs Lisa Ashton
Martin Schindler vs Adam Gawlas
Mensur Suljovic vs Christian Perez
Dave Chisnall vs Ted Evetts
Danny Noppert vs Simon Whitlock
Rob Cross vs Dirk van Duijvenbode
Gerwyn Price vs Raymond van Barneveld
Michael Smith vs Joe Cullen

Sunday, November 13 – Fixtures (1900 GMT)

Groups E-H Second Matches Josh Rock vs Scott Williams
Damon Heta vs Leonard Gates
Ross Smith vs Nathan Rafferty
Nathan Aspinall vs Fallon Sherrock
Jonny Clayton vs Jermaine Wattimena
Michael van Gerwen vs Luke Woodhouse
Peter Wright vs Alan Soutar
Luke Humphries vs Ryan Searle

Sunday’s second group matches will see Saturday’s winning players lock horns while the losing players also meet, before the final group matches are held on Monday and Tuesday.

The top two players from each group will progress to the knockout stage of the event, with the last-16 action beginning on Wednesday, November 16 and running through to the semi-finals and final on Sunday, November 20.

Watch the Grand Slam of Darts at Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton all the way through until the final on November 20 – with every session live on Sky Sports & don’t forget the World Championship is coming from December 14 until January 2.





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