Michael van Gerwen and Krzysztof Ratajski came through sensational matches to make the quarter finals on day 12 of the World Darts Championship full of drama.

Down 3-1, The Green Machine survived two match darts to beat Joe Cullen 4-3 in the last 16. It’s the fifth straight year Van Gerwen has made the last eight.

Ratjaski is into the quarter finals for the first time in his career. He saw Gabriel Clemens squander seven match darts to book his place in a tension filled game.

Elsewhere, day 12 of the World Darts Championship saw:

  • James Wade hit the first nine darter at the event for four years, but still lose his third round game to Stephen Bunting
  • Dave Chisnall fight back to defeat Danny Noppert
  • Devon Petersen and Daryl Gurney produce comfortable wins to reach the last 16
Michael van Gerwen playing a
Michael van Gerwen continued his march towards a fourth World Darts Championship on day 12, with victory over Joe Cullen. Credit: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

Van Gerwen and Ratajski survives seven set thrillers

Van Gerwen was pushed all the way in an utter epic against Cullen, who produced one of the matches of his career including hitting 19 180s.

The Rockstar managed to take the first set on double 10, despite miscounting the leg before. He then created an opportunity to win the second set, but missed double nine to increase his lead, as Van Gerwen then took out 52 in two darts to level.

Cullen though would not go quietly. He put that missed chance behind him, holding throw three times to take the third set and lead 2-1. In the fourth set, a break and a hold from each saw a deciding leg required. MvG uncharacteristically missed three darts to take it, and Cullen found double 14 to finish off 85 and go within one of the match.

The three time World Champion would answer right back though. After taking a 2-0 lead in the fifth set, he punished two missed darts from Cullen to break back and throw for the match, hitting a double eight to trail 3-2. The world number one had the darts in the sixth set, which also went to a deciding leg. The Rockstar missed a shot at bull for the match, as MvG hit tops to level and force a decider.

In the seventh set, Cullen held twice to make the score 2-1, before missing yet another dart at bull, this time for a 164, to close out the biggest win of his career. Van Gerwen hit double eight to force a deciding leg, and the pressure clearly got to Cullen. He could not find a treble, as MvG hit double eight to win the set 3-2 and the match 4-3, bringing to an end an epic contest.

Krzysztof Ratajski survived seven match darts in the last leg to beat Gabriel Clemens 4-3 in the first last 16 game of the tournament.

The Polish Eagle went 2-0 down in the opening set, but 50 darts later had recovered to take the set 3-2 and lead 1-0. Clemens though would level, eventually finding double four to clean up 25 and take the second set 3-1.

The German Giant once again went 1-0 up in the third set, but missed a dart at double 18 to take it. Ratajski eventually found double eight to win the third, before going 2-1 up in the fourth. However, roles reversed he missed double 16 for the set. Clemens then found a 59 outshot, before hitting double six to level the contest.

In an attritional fifth and sixth set saw both players hold throw ten consecutive times, to make it three sets all and send it to a last set. The Polish Eagle missed two match darts in the fourth leg, and Clemens punished him with a 47 checkout to make it 2-2 and send the match into a one leg shootout. In a tension filled final leg, Ratajski and Clemens each missed seven match darts, before the Polish Eagle hit double one to bring the curtain on an utterly compelling contest.

Wade hits nine but loses, Chisnall fights back to win

In the four third round games on day 12 of the World Darts Championship, James Wade hit the first nine dart finish at the tournament in four years. However, he surrendered a two set lead to Stephen Bunting, as The Bullet won 4-2 to make the last 16.

The Bullet missed two darts for the opening set, as The Machine swooped in for a 62 outshot to take the lead. Despite Bunting hitting a 121 checkout, he missed chances again in the second set to take it to a deciding leg. Wade then pinged a two tops finish to go 2-0 in front.

The former BDO World Champion continued to score well, and eventually began to find shots on the outer ring. A double 18 saw him take the third set 3-1, and while The Machine won the opening leg of the fourth, Bunting reeled off three straight legs in 41 darts to make it 2-2.

The moment of the match came in the second leg of the fifth set. Wade produced the magical nine dart leg, hitting double 12 for the first at the event since Gary Anderson in 2016. However, he would still lose the set, as Bunting found a 16 darter to go in front. The Bullet completed the comeback in another set deciding leg. Against the darts, he produced a 14 darter to clean up 48, making the last 16 for the second straight year. He will face Ryan Searle next.

Dave Chisnall also had to come from 2-0 down to make the last 16. He eventually beat Danny Noppert 4-2 to be the last man into round four.

Noppie started well, only giving Chisnall one dart at a double in the first set. After throwing 50 darts, he was 1-0 up, hitting double five for a whitewash set. Chizzy stepped his game up in the second set, but once missed three darts across two legs to get on the board. The Dutchman continued his good start, finding another whitewash set with back to back 120 finishes in just 45 darts, to go halfway to winning the match.

Chisnall finally got going after the second interval. His scoring from the second set improved, and so did his doubles. After not winning a leg in the first two sets, he reeled off 12 of the last 14 legs, hitting eight maximums in the process. Noppert could not raise his level, as Chisnall completed a fantastic comeback with a 14 darter to take the sixth set and win the contest. He faces Dimitri Van den Bergh in the last eight.

Comfortable wins for Petersen and Gurney on day 12 of the World Darts Championship

Devon Petersen made the fourth round for the second time in three years, defeating Jason Lowe 4-0.

The first set was won by Petersen 3-1, cleaning up 25 on double eight on to go one set ahead. However, the biggest moment of the match came in the second set. Lowe, who was excellent on the doubles against Michael Smith and hit a 135 to go 2-1 up in the set, missed eight darts to level the match across two legs. The African Warrior found double four for a 17 dart leg, to steal the set 3-2 and go 2-0 in front.

Lowe missed four darts to break the Petersen throw at the start of the third set, before The African Warrior held in 21 darts. A 13 darter, followed by an outstanding 160 outshot, gave him a 3-0 whitewash set and moved him one from the contest.

Petersen would win two more legs, before Lowe levelled the fourth set at 2-2. However, once again, his double shooting let him down, missing tops for a 119 and ending up 5/20 on the outer ring. South Africa’s number one cleaned up 78 to whitewash the man from Cradley Heath, and set up a meeting with Gary Anderson in round four.

Daryl Gurney beat Chris Dobey 4-1 to make the last 16 of the World Darts Championship for the first time since 2017.

After both held throw twice in the first set, it came down to a deciding leg. Gurney almost found a big fish 170 outshot, but came back to clean up 25 and go one set up. Dobey had the darts in the second set, but with the score at 1-1, missed bull for a 130 finish. Gurney, who’d hit 116 the previous visit to set up double 16, hit it to break. Superchin then found an 11 darter leg on throw to win the set 3-1 and double his advantage.

The third set also went to a fifth and deciding leg. Dobey missed double 13 for the set, and the Northern Irishman swooped in, cleaning up 50 to go one away from the match.

Hollywood got on the board with a 3-1 fourth set, hitting double 10 to secure it. However, Gurney reeled off the fifth set with three straight 14 darters, to win and move into a game against Vincent van der Voort.

World Darts Championship Day 12 Results

Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)

Round Three

Stephen Bunting 4-2 James Wade

Daryl Gurney 4-1 Chris Dobey

Devon Petersen 4-0 Jason Lowe

Evening Session (1800 GMT)

Round Three

Dave Chisnall 4-2 Danny Noppert

Round Four

Krzysztof Ratajski 4-3 Gabriel Clemens

Michael van Gerwen 4-3 Joe Cullen

Day 13 Schedule of Play

Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)

Round Four

Vincent van der Voort v Daryl Gurney

Stephen Bunting v Ryan Searle

Devon Petersen v Gary Anderson

Evening Session (1800 GMT)

Round Four

Dirk van Duijvenbode v Glen Durrant

Gerwyn Price v Mervyn King

Dave Chisnall v Dimitri Van den Bergh

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