The Flying Scotsman 8 – 6 The Machine
The first match of the night was easily the closest and most exciting contest, which wasn’t what I was expecting to be honest, but it was the favourite that pinched it in the end.
Anderson banged in a maximum in the first, but showed the nerves that occasionally cost him early in games by missing three darts at double and letting Wade back in to win the opener. There were no such nerves in the second though as he comfortably held his own through to level up.
The Machine showed that he was more in rhythm than he has been in recent weeks though as he took out 102 in the third, but the Scot wasn’t far behind next as he demolished 94.
A maximum each in the fifth showed the quality that was on offer, but Wade couldn’t finish off d9 and Anderson took the first break of throw of the contest. The second wasn’t far behind though as a stunning 141 finish saw the two go in all square at the interval and set the second half up perfectly.
Anderson immediately broke again though when the two returned as Wade missed d16 to let his opponent in on d20 and he only needed one dart for it. The Machine showed how deadly he is on tops though as he again broke back taking out 65 in two darts to make it four-a-piece.
Last year’s finalist only needed one again at tops to go into the lead for the first time in the ninth leg. The turning point came in the next though as Wade had three darts at double, starting on his favourite d10 to take a two leg lead, but he fluffed it and the score was levelled up again.
Yet another double top for Wade put him back ahead in the eleventh leg, but Anderson had no trouble holding his own in the next to make it six all and take the game to its maximum length.
This is where Anderson showed his real quality though as two maximums set up an 11-darter, the best of the match and at the most crucial of times as then he just had to hold his own throw in the last, which despite a maximum from Wade, he did.
An incredible match, which produced 11 maximums in total and showed that Wade is still a force to be reckoned with, although his average was still a disappointing 92, compared to Anderson’s 101.5.
Things don’t look good at all for The Machine now as he is bottom of the table, five points off the play-offs and running out of games. If he continues to play like he did last night then he will pick up some wins before the tournament is over, but I think it will be too little too late unfortunately.
The Flying Scotsman got his campaign back on track before it was too badly derailed and he’ll be very happy with ten points at this stage. As Sid mentioned in commentary he’s at a juncture where just draws from here on him would do him fine, but of course he won’t be playing for that and this performance could well get him back into winning ways.
The Wizard 8 – 3 The Bull
The battle of the two men on the fringes of the play-offs came on second in Cardiff, and there was one man who very strongly stated his claim for one of the top four spots, whereas the other will be a little dejected.
The Aussie was two-nil up in no time as he held throw comfortably in the first and then a exhibition 100 finish in the second (20, d20, d20) saw him break The Bull early on.
Jenkins was not going to give up early though as he then hammered home two maximums in the third to get on the scoreboard against the throw, another 180 in the fourth saw him on his way to level things up at two all.
Both missed chances in the fifth, but Whitlock eventually took out d8 to move 3-2 up and then was fortunate to finish on d2 after four missed darts at tops from The Bull and The Wizard went in at the break two up again.
Whitlock came out firing after the break and only narrowly missed a huge 170 finish, but still took the eighth leg, Jenkins wasn’t done either though as he finished 74 to keep within touching distance at 5-3.
The Wizard wasn’t going to lose his own throw, even if it had to be on d4 as he won the ninth leg, he then came a whisker away from 170 again in the tenth and finished again on d4 to secure at least a draw.
The big Australian then showed why he deserved to win the game as another maximum and a 122 finish as he finally hit the bullseye saw him clinch the game.
The Wizard has kept himself very much in touch with the play-off positions with that win and, although still not quite at his best form (just a 92 average) he is very competitive at the minute and could be the one to gate crash that top four.
The Bull has lost a crucial game there I’m afraid, there seems to be a top five breaking away, and he is just outside it. He wasn’t playing too badly as his four 180s showed, but he still took a fairly heavy defeat which will be demoralising. There’s still time for Jenks, but he needs to get something next week, which won’t be easy against Gary Anderson.
The Power 8 – 3 Barney
The headline act of the night was, for most people anyway, the Barneveld v Taylor clash, but it again wasn’t all it was expected to be as the league leader picked up another comfortable victory.
It didn’t look like it was going to be this way as after The Power took the first leg, Barney was seven darts into a nine-darter but narrowly missed d19, still winning the leg on d4.
Again Taylor held his own throw easily enough, but Barney’s fourth 180 of the evening in just the fourth leg saw him level it up again.
A pattern was developing as again there wasn’t much pressure on the Taylor throw as he picked up his third leg, but the Dutchman wasn’t going to get such a luxury as The Power hit a maximum and then finished 128 on the bull to break for the first time and go in to the interval 4-2 up which will have dented Barney’s confidence badly.
It was clear that that is what had happened, as not only that The Power came back out firing and rattled off the next three legs without allowing Barney a shot at a double and in no time at all was 7-3 ahead.
It was sheer class from the man from Den Haag in the eleventh though as he finished off 119 to keep himself in the game, but it was too little too late as Taylor hit his third maximum and eventually hit d4 to take the game 8-3.
The Power averaged 104.5 and in fact it was higher than that for much of the game and there simply aren’t many players who can compete with that, including, it seems, Barney. The Dutchman looked great in the first two legs, but his confidence against Taylor seems fragile as it has been so long since he’s beaten him, and losing the sixth leg seemed enough to break him entirely. I still think he’ll make the play-offs, but I can’t see him winning it as he can’t beat Taylor.
There is very little else to say about Phil Taylor, he’s going to win this league comfortably, and if an on-form Barney can’t trouble him then no one can, good luck to Mark Webster next week.
Jackpot 8 -1 Webby
To say the final match of the night was an anti-climax is some-what of an understatement. The Welshman was out to impress is home crowd, but spectacularly failed to do so as he buckled under the pressure, and the World Champion did the complete opposite and produced a stunning display.
Webster’s problems began in the second leg, having lost the first on Lewis’s throw he had six darts to level things up and failed to do so letting Jackpot break at the first opportunity. The Englishman then held his throw and hit two 12-darters in a row to be 5-0 up in no time at all.
Webby had a chance to get on the scoreboard before going in at the break but his miss on double 15 was enough to let Lewis in and lead 6-0 with the whitewash still very much a possibility.
Lewis yet again held his own throw to lead by seven, but Webster showed some real fight by nailing a maximum and then a 62 finish to prevent the humiliation of not winning a leg at all.
That was as good as it got though as Jackpot claimed the ninth leg and ran out an 8-1 winner.
Things aren’t looking good at all for mark Webster I’m afraid, he has shown what he can do, but it has been all too fleeting and there have been more bad performances than good. Unless he can really turn his form around and quickly, the best he can hope for is avoiding the disappointment of finishing bottom.
Adrian Lewis, on the other hand is looking very good indeed, averaging over 100 in this encounter and winning at a canter. There really does seem to be a break-away of the top five, and he is sat nicely in fourth in that group. He has another chance to exact revenge over someone who beat him earlier in the tournament next week as he faces James Wade, and there won’t be many who are betting against Jackpot being on the money again.
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