Cazoo Masters Darts 2023 | Day Three Preview and Order of Play
The final eight battle it out for the season’s first major silverware at the 2023 Cazoo Darts Masters in Milton Keynes on Sunday.
The annual invitational started out with 24 of the world’s top players on Friday, now just eight remain in contention for the £65,000 top prize at the Marshall Arena.
Day Three sees the Quarter-Finals contested in the afternoon, before the Semi-Finals and final take centre stage in the evening session.
Michael van Gerwen steps up his quest for a sixth Masters crown with a clash against in-form Rob Cross.
Van Gerwen enjoyed a sensational season of success in 2022, picking up the Premier League, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals, before being denied glory in a thrilling final at Ally Pally.
He last claimed this title in 2019 and began his latest campaign with a 104.7 average in a 10-7 victory over Jose de Sousa on Saturday.
Cross is making his sixth consecutive appearance at The Masters, with a Quarter-Final spot on debut in 2018 representing his previous best performance.
The two-time European Champion was runner-up in last November’s Players Championship Finals, as well as three European Tour events, and produced a blistering 112.3 average in defeating Gary Anderson 10-6 on Saturday – the second highest average in the history of The Masters.
Reigning World Champion Michael Smith aims to avenge his defeat to Danny Noppert in last year’s UK Open final when the pair collide in the Last Eight.
Smith was agonisingly beaten 11-10 in the final in Minehead as Noppert secured his first major title, but Bully Boy enjoyed a remarkable end to the year, opening his account at the Grand Slam before going on to achieve his darting destiny by lifting the world title at Alexandra Palace.
Noppert is making his debut at The Masters after a breakthrough 2022 which saw him follow up his triumph in Minehead last March by reaching the Semi-Finals of the World Matchplay and two European Tour finals.
Meanwhile, two former Masters winners go head-to-head as Peter Wright takes on Jonny Clayton.
Wright opened his account for the new season by claiming Nordic Masters glory in Copenhagen last weekend and picked up from where he left off by averaging 101.5 in a 10-8 success over Dave Chisnall in the Last 16 on Saturday.
Clayton claimed a career-changing Masters title in 2021 to secure a debut appearance in the Premier League – going on to win the event and follow up with World Grand Prix and World Series Finals titles later that year.
His sole televised triumph last year came at the New South Wales Masters, and he opened up his campaign here in Milton Keynes by thrashing 2014 champion James Wade 10-3.
The opening match of the afternoon sees first-time quarter-finalists Dirk van Duijvenbode and Chris Dobey collide.
Van Duijvenbode enjoyed his best season to date in 2022, picking up two ProTour titles and reaching the final of the Dutch Masters, as well as the Semi-Finals of the European Championship.
The lively Dutchman has dispatched Krzysztof Ratajski and former World Champion Gerwyn Price so far this weekend and remains in outside contention for Premier League selection should he claim the title this evening.
Dobey produced a pivotal 125 checkout on his way to dethroning reigning champion Joe Cullen in Round One with a 97 average, before edging out Luke Humphries 10-8 to continue his landmark run.
The action gets under way from 1pm GMT, with Quarter-Final matches to be contested over the best of 19 legs and Semi-Finals and final best of 21.
WATCH MASTERS DARTS STREAMED LIVE HERE
18+ | Geo Restrictions Apply | Gamble Aware
Cazoo Masters 2023 Day Three Schedule
Sunday January 29
Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm)
Quarter-Finals
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Chris Dobey
Michael Smith v Danny Noppert
Peter Wright v Jonny Clayton
Michael van Gerwen v Rob Cross
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Semi-Finals
Van Duijvenbode/Dobey v M Smith/Noppert
Wright/Clayton v Van Gerwen/Cross
Final
LATEST DARTS FREE BET OFFERS (18+ | T&Cs apply | Gamble Aware)
