Kettering star Ricky Evans sets sights on another big World Championships scalp

Evans will take on world number 27 Daryl Gurney in the third round live on Sky Sports on Thursday night (December 28, 10.15pm), having clinched one of the best wins of his career in the second round on Saturday.

The man nicknamed Rapid made very quick work of world number six Nathan Aspinall, hammering the reigning World Matchplay champion 3-0.

Evans was in superb form as he cruised to victory at a packed Alexandra Palace, losing just two legs in the whole match.

After once again entering the arena to the sounds of Shakin Stevens' Merry Christmas Everyone, Evans drew first blood in a quick-fire opening set, before following up an 11-dart hold with a 104 checkout to double his lead.

Aspinall, who has twice reached the semi-finals of the World Championships, simply had no answer to the brilliance of Evans.

"Nathan is one of the best dart players in the world, and I've just done a job on him there," declared Evans, who averaged 99.38 to win the contest.

"I'm so so happy. I am the weirdest, most loveable idiot in the world, and I have just beaten Nathan Aspinall 3-0.

"I have another game now, and I am not worried about who, how, where or when, if I can play my darts, I will do some damage, and I showed what I can do there. I showed a little bit of steel as well.

"Yes there is a funny walk-on, there is a funny me, but there is a good dart player in there as well. Eventually it will come out."

And the 33-year-old also had a few words for his critics who feel he plays too quickly, and insists he will one day become the champion of the world.

"I always concentrate, it's just that it always looks good when you win," said Evans.

"When I lose, they all say 'oh, he's too fast'. All these pundits they say 'Ricky plays too fast, he should slow down'.

"They say 'he should stop being an idiot', well I will say that I am going to be the same idiot when I win this tournament.

"I will be the same idiot every day of my life, but I can play darts."

Evans will take on Gurney for a place in the fourth round, with the Northern Irishman seeing off Steve Beaton 3-1 on Saturday.

The clash between Evans and Gurney is the final match of the night and is scheduled to start at 10.15pm, with the two matches preceeding it seeing Gerwyn Price take on Brendan Dolan (7.15pm) and Luke Humphries do battle with Ricardo Pietreczko (8.45pm).

The matches now move from best of five sets to the best of seven.