Grand Slam of Darts: Rod Studd picks out his five favourite matches

As the Grand Slam of Darts edges closer, Sky Sports expert Rod Studd selects his five favourite matches from the tournament.

A fiercely competitive field of players, featuring stars from the PDC and BDO, will battle it out for another major title at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall from November 7-15, live on Sky Sports. 

Rod Studd has watched the drama unfold from the commentary box over the years and picks out some memorable moments... 

Phil Taylor v Adrian Lewis, 2013 semi-finals

Every pundit, including Rod Harrington and Wayne Mardle all believe it is the greatest game ever played. It featured 32 180s and was an incredible standard. When the match was tied at 8-8 there had already been 24 maximums. Lewis averaged 111, with 18 maximums and lost 16-9, while Taylor averaged 110 and had 14 maximums himself.

As Wayne Mardle said in commentary, at one point it was literally 'laughable' it was so good.

From 8-8, Taylor ran off eight legs to win but the respect afterwards when both players stood on the oche and applauded each other said it all. As Wayne Mardle said in commentary at one point it was literally 'laughable' it was so good. It was just a breathtaking match and it was a privilege and a pleasure to be there, to watch it and commentate on it.

Raymond van Barneveld v Michael van Gerwen, 2012 final

'Barney' won his first major individual title for five years and people had been questioning whether he could win another title again. He beat Michael van Gerwen in the final, who went off as a red-hot favourite, having just won the World Grand Prix in Dublin.

It was really emotional. Barney's wife Sylvia was over and it was heart-warming and tearful as he finally beat Van Gerwen to win this first prize for five years in a really top quality final, which ended 16-14.

I remember 'Barney' missing three darts at double top for the match and people thought he had blown it and was going to be thwarted at the last again. But he then produced a brilliant 11-darter to win the championship. He threw his darts on the carpet in front of himself in an expression of total relief that he had finally won another big title.          

Kim Huybrechts v Michael van Gerwen, 2014 quarter-finals

It was the performance of Kim Huybrechts' life, a breath-taking, brilliant performance to defeat the man who was the favourite for the title, who everyone expected to win. Huybrechts was not given a hope of beating Van Gerwen. He hit his first ever televised nine-darter, 12 180s, and averaged 105 in an absolutely superb performance.

It was just a shame that he could not back it up and ended up losing to Dave Chisnall in the semi-final, but nevertheless it was a magical match and one which will surely live in the memory of Kim Huybrechts for as long as he throws darts. 

Live Grand Slam of Darts

Ted Hankey v Simon Whitlock, 2013 last-16 match 

Ted Hankey was widely regarded as past his best when he came to this Grand Slam. He was a two-times world champion, but hadn't really produced very much for many years. Whitlock was expected to beat him comfortably and went 6-1 up in a race to 10, whereupon Hankey put on a virtuoso, pantomime villain performance that would shake Whitlock completely out of his stride.

Hankey won it 10-9 and admitted afterwards that he could not believe how he did it - nor could anyone else.

It was a mesmerising match. The crowd who had started off booing Hankey, suddenly started thinking that they actually wanted him to win, so they could see more of this pantomime. They were loving and hating Ted at the same time, it was absolutely bizarre.

Hankey won it 10-9 and admitted afterwards that he could not believe how he did it - nor could anyone else. He got beaten by Scott Waites in the next round but that didn't matter because he treated us to a vintage Hankey performance, it was wonderful.

Paul Nicholson v Gary Anderson, 2008 Group stages

He turned up, this unknown qualifier from Australia, in these ridiculous sun glasses looking like a cross between the Terminator and the Mr Muscle advert - a sort of skinny little character. You first thought what on earth is this bloke?

He's gone on, giving it the big one and is playing Gary Anderson The crowd are bellowing: "Who are you? Who are you?" at him, but he puts his first three darts 60,60,60 for a 180 and turns round shushes the crowd, brilliant. Gary's face was a picture, he was laughing because he could not believe what he was watching.

Nicholson eventually won the game 5-4 and as it happened he did not get out of the group, but Paul 'The Asset' Nicholson's bad boy image was born in that very first appearance.    

Watch day one of the Grand Slam of Darts on Sunday November 7, starting at 1pm on Sky Sports 2.