Lewis' play-off hopes to be spellbound?

Liverpool welcomes the boys of the Premier League for week 12 of the tournament and it’s looking very much like squeaky bum time for those still with hopes of a play-off place.  This Thursday will shed a very bright light on who’s going to make it to finals day and everyone will be wanting to bask in it rather than cower away from it.

Webby v The Bull

Well this is pretty much a dead rubber as Webster now can’t qualify and it would take a minor miracle for Jenkins to make it to finals night, but that’s not to say that it won’t be an intriguing contest.

Mark will be absolutely desperate to add to his four points and try and drag himself off the bottom of the table before the competition ends.  He has had a torrid time of it over the last seven weeks since his last win and has looked like he wants to be anywhere but on the Premier League stage.  He will see The Bull as his chance to pick up at least one point and will hopefully be fully focussed on achieving that.

Terry will have other ideas though and he showed his trademark fighting spirit last week against Barney in claiming his second draw of the tournament.  He still can mathematically make the top four, but even if he couldn’t I would expect him to give his all in every match so this one will be no different.

Prediction: Webster 5 – 8 Jenkins

Betting Tip: Terry to get over 3.5 180s is evens

Priestley’s Pick: Bottom of the table clash. Neither player will want to finish bottom and time is running out if they want to make the play offs. Mark is having a terrible time of it and I think Terry will take full advantage. A steady opening game but Jenks to take the win. Jenkins to win 8-5

The Flying Scotsman v The Power

Could and should be the match of the night, as the reverse fixture was in Manchester all those weeks ago, it can’t make any difference to the league table, but there is certainly a psychological battle to be won between the two men everyone expects to be in the final.

Gary Anderson has been in sparkling form after his slight mid-tournament slump as was highlighted by his eleven 180s and 103 average against Whitlock last week.  He also beat Taylor in the UK Open Qualifiers just a week and a half ago so is very well aware that he can do it.

Taylor is one man that can respond to defeats though and he is often at his most dangerous when looking for revenge.  He knows he has qualified and will almost certainly take top spot, but he will not be taking his foot off the gas at all and will want to show Anderson who’s boss.

It’s going to be a very tight one again, just as the first match was, and as good as Gary’s scoring has been I think his missed doubles will cost him against The Power.

Prediction: Anderson 5 – 8 Taylor

Betting Tip: Anderson over 4.5 180s is evens (11 last week)

Priestley’s Pick: First plays second in this encounter and undoubtedly the most consistent players this season. Gary is scoring better than anyone at the moment and if he takes his chances he could switch the power off. Phil will not give away an inch and one break of throw could win it for him. Really close and entertaining game. Taylor to win 8-6

Barney v The Machine

This one has the potential to steal the show as the consistently good Dutchman faces off against the revitalised Machine who has fourth spot in his cross-hairs.

Barney has been solid throughout the tournament and it would take a bit of a collapse from him now to fail to qualify for finals night, but he isn’t quite secured a place there yet.  He scored an 100 average in the draw with Jenks last week and will need to be in three figures again this week you feel.

The Machine has finally been oiled up and got all his circuits working and could well have timed his run to perfection with three wins in a row putting him in fifth place and level on points with Whitlock just above him.

Wade hit his first three figure average last week against Webster with a hugely impressive 106 and if he keeps this up then he can beat anyone.  He seems focussed and capable of keeping up his sensational record in the Premier League.

Van Barneveld 6 – 8 The Machine

Betting Tip: Draw/James Wade is 13/2

Priestley’s Pick: James has started to show the type of form we all know he can produce and Raymond has probably had his best season for a couple of years. Plenty of 180s, high finishes and drama. I think that James will carry on his impressive form and take the win. Wade to win 8-6

Jackpot v The Wizard

These four fixtures must be the closest of any that could be thrown up at this stage of the tournament as the final match of the night is yet another one that is incredibly tight and tough to call.

The World Champ has been struggling over the last few weeks to pick up a result, and despite seemingly hitting some form against Taylor last time out still succumbed to a fairly heavy defeat.  He hasn’t thrown too badly at any stage of the league, but hasn’t brought out the World Championship winning form on a regular basis enough either, but I think he will need to this week to get a result he desperately needs.

The Wizard was unlucky to come up against a record-breaking Anderson last week as his performance would have won him matches on other days so hopefully his confidence won’t be too shaken by the result.  He’s still in the box seat of fourth place, but only just and will need to keep winning if he is to stay there, but he will know this and will be very focussed.

Whoever wants to win this game will have to be averaging three figures, and of course they are both more than capable of doing so, who is more likely to do it though, at the minute I would say it’s the Australian.

Prediction: Lewis 5 – 8 Whitlock

Betting Tip: Over 8.5 180s is 11/10

Priestley’s Pick: It seems a long time since Adrian last won a fixture and it’s not going to get any easier tonight against Simon. Both players came up against opponents in great from last week and didn't really do much wrong themselves. Lewis may be suffering from a lack of confidence of late and I think Simon will take advantage. Whitlock to win 8-6

Well me and Dennis fancy the same results for Thursday’s games and you can get the four match outcomes at 12/1 with SkyBet.  I do fancy them, but at the same time they are all so tight, tiny errors could prove the difference.

Records tumble in Birmingham as Anderson goes maximum mental

The Machine 8 – 1 Webby

The eleventh week of the Premier League commenced with a resounding victory for James Wade who looks like he might have just timed his run in the competition to perfection again this year as he moves into fifth place with three games to go.

I worried that complacency could have been an issue facing the man at the bottom of the league, but he showed this wasn’t going to be a problem for him as early as the first as a confident Shanghai 120 finish saw him go one up and a 110 check-out in the next gave him an early break.

He reeled off the next three with Webby having just one effort on the bull in the fourth to win a leg at all.  It looked like Webster might get only his second effort at a finish in the sixth but Wade wasn’t to be denied eliminating the highest finish on the board (170) and going in 6-0 at the break.

The Welshman came out of the traps after the interval with a 180 and made the maximum count as he showed real guts to get a leg on the board and avoid the whitewash.

That’s all he managed to achieve though as Wade was back to his fine finishing form, needing just one dart at double 8 in the eighth and then two darts at 87 in the ninth and the match was over at 8-1.

It was a dominant, merciless performance from The Machine which we haven’t seen in a long while from him, and although he said he didn’t enjoy it afterwards, I should think he loved it deep down.  His first three figure average of the competition shows that he’s peaking at the right time and I fancy him for the semi-finals.

Webster is out of it now, and it looks like he just wants the tournament to be over now so he can get off the big stage at least for a while.  I hope he picks up some more points before the end of the league, but I can’t necessarily see it happening.

The Bull 7 – 7 Barney

The draw specialist over the entire history of the Premier League was up to his old tricks again as he shared the spoils with Barney who remains in third place after just the single point.

The match started very evenly as the first two legs went with throw, the first break came in the third though as Barney took it with a 180 along the way.  It looked like the Dutchman might just be running away with it as he took the next on his own throw and opened up an early two-leg lead.

The Bull emphatically held throw in the fifth though with a fourteen darter including a classy 177, but Barney wasn’t looking like dropping anything throwing first and comfortably win the sixth, going into the break 4-2 ahead.

Jenks was not to be deterred and won the first leg after the break with a 105 checkout, but the man from Den Haag continued with his dominance on his own throw taking out 76 in two darts.

The Bull again held throw to make it 5-4, and then finally got the opportunity he’d been waiting for in the tenth as a 180 sent him on his way to his first break of the match, finishing on 88 and evening things up at five-a-piece.

The elation wasn’t to last long though as Barney immediately broke back with a cracking 106 finish to take the eleventh leg.  The excitement continued though as The Bull wasn’t going to be denied, breaking again, just, to make it 6-6.

The match had turned on its head by the thirteenth leg as neither man could hold throw as Barneveld broke Jenkins again to guarantee himself the point and have the darts to win it.  Both men hit maximums in the decider but it was Jenkins who pinched it, finishing off 83 on the bull under pressure as Barney waited on tops.

It was a tremendous game and both men deserved something out of it, and rightfully got it.  Jenkins showed what he is all about as he is out of the running for the play-offs but still battles hard.

The point isn’t too bad for Barney as he stays third and still looks pretty assured of qualification.

The Wizard 6 – 8 The Flying Scotsman

A record breaking encounter was served up in the third match of the night as Anderson and Whitlock went maximum mental in a contest of the highest quality.

It looked early on like it was going to be a real cracker as the Scot fired in two 180s in the first leg and broke throw at the first opportunity.  The Australian also took his first opportunity to do the same though, capitalising on missed doubles from Anderson to level things up.

Whitlock was getting into his stride as he needed just one dart at tops to go 2-1 up in the third, but then Anderson did the same, needing just one at double 18, despite a 180 from Whitlock.

Both men produced maximums in the fifth, but it was Anderson again who just pipped it and then hit his fourth 180 to claim the sixth and go 4-2 up before the break.

The first two legs after the break were comfortably held on the players’ own throw, the eighth being brilliantly won with a 104 finish.  The Aussie then threw the best leg of the match to that point as he took the ninth in just 11 darts.

Anderson wasn’t to be upstaged though as he hit his fifth and sixth maximum of the evening to re-open his two leg lead, but he was again pegged back by Whitlock (despite another 180 from Anderson) who made it 6-5 on his own throw.

The Scot just barely held throw on double 3 to secure the point and open up another two leg lead, before some real fireworks were set off in the thirteenth.  Anderson first equalled the Premier League record for 180s in a match hitting his ninth, and then immediately broke it with his tenth and was six darts in to a 9-darter.  He was then seven darts in to it, but missed double 19, and then missed six darts at doubles to incredibly lose the leg and take the game to a decider.

The final leg kicked off with Andersons’ 11^th 180 and eventually took out 59 to take the game 8-6.

It was an unbelievable encounter which also saw the most 180s between two players in the Premier League, which thanks to Whitlock’s 5 went all the way up to 16.  Anderson is back to his sensational best which saw him lead the league table in the first few weeks and has all but guaranteed himself second spot with that win.   

Having beaten Taylor in the UK Open Qualifiers on Saturday as well, he will very much believe he can win this tournament.

Whitlock is still part of the fiercely contested battle for fourth place and is the man in possession of the much sought after position, but can’t really afford any more defeats if he is to hang on to it.

Jackpot 3 – 8 The Power

An incredible display from both men finished off an amazing night of darts, but Taylor wasn’t to be denied the revenge he was looking for after his first week defeat to Lewis.

Jackpot had a chance in the first leg to break straight away, but missed double 18 and Taylor stepped in to go 1-0, taking out 68.  He then hit a sensational 139 to go two up with Lewis waiting on double 20 and took just one dart at double 14 in the third to go three up.

After three legs Lewis was averaging 116 but hadn’t won a leg, thanks to Taylor averaging 113 and not missing a single dart at a double.

Lewis finally got the leg he deserved in the fourth as he took out 86 and celebrated it appropriately as that finish took the World Champ’s average over 120.  The Power’s fifth 180 in five legs saw him on his way to 4-1 up though, but Lewis responded with his first maximum of the contest and kept within two legs at the break.

Lewis had a chance at tops to break throw and really put some pressure on but failed to do so and Taylor opened up a three leg lead again, he then broke Jackpot for the second time in the eighth and looked like he was going to stroll to victory.

He was certainly strolling there in the ninth as he was nearly 300 points ahead and with 50 left hit the bullseye with his first dart.  Lewis managed to hold in the tenth though and make the score a little more respectable, but The Power wasn’t to be denied on his own throw as he won the game in style with a 130 finish.

The Power continues his absolute dominance of the Premier League and it is hard to see him losing on that stage.  Lewis is in trouble as far as qualification is concerned as he is now down in sixth place, but there is still everything to play for over the next three weeks, and two wins could see him do it.

Webby to be undone & The Bull to be put down in Birmingham

With just four matches to go the Premier League rolls into the second city and if anyone hadn’t realised before, every match now is very, very important.  There could be some hugely decisive results in Birmingham, and every player is hoping to be on the right end of them.

The Machine v Webby

The first decision that could be made is the fate of the Welshman, who could be the first man to exit the competition if things don’t go his way on Thursday.  He has been languishing at the foot of the table and has shown very few signs indeed of turning it around, his 8-1 routing at the hands of Anderson last week certainly didn’t change anyone’s mind.  It’s only a matter of time before Webby is eliminated from the tournament, and I’m afraid it is most likely to be this week.

Webster’s fall from grace has coincided with James Wade’s sensational revival which he impressively continued in Sheffield against The Wizard.  It was always in the back of the mind that Wade might produce this, but hope for him was ebbing away until his two fine victories in the last two weeks have put him right back in the mix for the play-offs.  A win is unlikely to get him quite into fourth place, but it will continue his momentum and if he manages it you wouldn’t bet against him being at Wembley on May 19^th.

Webster will have to produce something very special to crack The Machine, and I think his only hope is if the former champion becomes complacent after beating two “superior” opponents.  It looks like Wade is on the charge though and I’m going to have to back him.

Prediction: Wade 8 – 3 Webster

Betting Tip: I fancy under 5.5 180s as neither of these two are prolific on the maximums

Priestley’s Pick: Another win last week for James and unfortunately for Mark another defeat. If Mark wants to reach the play-offs he must win all his remaining fixtures and the same could be said for James. It looks as though James is getting back to his best and I think he will carry on his run again tonight. Wade to win 8-4

The Bull v Barney

Much like his Welsh compatriot, Terry Jenkins was on the wrong end of quite a thrashing last time out and looks like he isn’t going to be extending his stay in the competition past week 14.  With just five points from ten games he simply hasn’t been up with the pace on a consistent enough basis and his famous fighting spirit hasn’t quite been evident enough.

I fear that unless The Bull can have a really good rest of 2011 and a decent next World Championships, this could be his last Premier League, so I really hope he doesn’t go out with a whimper.

Barney has been pretty sensational at times, although not the most consistent, however if, before a dart was thrown, you’d had offered him third place with 12 points at this stage of the contest he would have bitten your generous hand off.  You fear he can’t quite perform anymore in the really big matches, but I hope he will prove me wrong.  What he is having no problems anymore with is winning the games he should do, and this is one he really should.

Having said that he lost to The Bull in week one, but things have changed greatly since then and I can only see The Dutchman winning this.

Prediction: Jenkins 4 – 8 Barney

Betting Tip: You can go with mine and Dennis’ score pick at 5-1

Priestley’s Pick: Another win for Barneveld last week and a great performance. Terry will be smarting after another defeat at the hands of Taylor. Barney is flying again this season and I think he will be too good for Terry this week. Barneveld to win 8-4

The Wizard v The Flying Scotsman

Things really should start to hot up in the third match of the night as the Aussie will be looking to cement his place in the top four, but has the menacing presence of Gary Anderson in his way.

Whitlock last year seemed to be impervious to nerves and pressure, but has seems a totally different beast this campaign as he proved last week against Wade as he missed a ridiculous amount of doubles which eventually cost him the match.

He has still shown his brilliant best over the last ten weeks, but only in patches, and he will without a doubt have to produce it if he wants to defeat the Scot.

Anderson has got his rhythm back after his patchy mid-season spell and is all but secure for a play-off spot.  Whatever happens in this match he is still likely to be in second place when the players travel to Liverpool the travelling week so pressure will be off to an extent.  However, this doesn’t mean he won’t be giving his all, because he certainly will and will be as tough an opponent as any for the Australian.

It’s going to be a really close one and although I thought I’d given up on predicting these, I’m going for the draw.

Prediction: Whitlock 7 – 7 Anderson

Betting Tip: Anderson is 11/10 to be over 4.5 180s, Whitlock is 6/5. I fancy both.

Priestley’s Pick: Two of the top scorers in the game come head to head this week. Expect 180s a plenty! I think Gary has got over his mid-season lull and is going to be hard to beat. A defeat for Simon last week makes this a must win. Close to call but Anderson to win 8-6

The Power v Jackpot

What odds will anyone get on a repeat of the score from week one?  Very long ones indeed I should think, and I am certainly not predicting anything like that happening again.  Lewis’ 8-2 thrashing of Taylor on the opening night will never be forgotten, but The Power will be trying to go some way to at least partially erase the memory in Birmingham.

Taylor has been sensational ever since that night, defeating everyone that has dared to step in front of him in the Premier League, and if that wasn’t scary enough has carried on his immense form away from the TV cameras as he was in both UK Open Qualifier finals at the weekend, winning the second one.  It’s hard to see the great man averaging under 100 at the minute and I don’t think he will on Thursday.

The World Champion’s form has been quite patchy of late and his fairly limp defeat to Barney last week will have been a worry to his fans.  Another loss here could potentially leave him three points off a play-off spot with just three games to play and two of those are against Whitlock and Anderson.  Jackpot will be giving it his all, but will it be enough?  I’m not so sure.

Prediction: Taylor 8 – 5 Lewis

Betting Tip: Under 7.5 180s is 10/11

Priestley’s Pick: Phil had another comfortable win last week and Adrian lost another match. Adrian beat Phil early on in the season but I think Phil will get his revenge this week. Close start with Taylor pulling away. Taylor to win 8-5

My four picks come in at 15/1 and I think it’s worth a couple of quid although obviously the draw is a risk.  Dennis’ choices are at 6/1 if you choose to back the Scot over the Aussie.

The top three break away as the battle for fourth commences

The Machine 8 - 5 The Wizard

The night in Sheffield kicked off in supreme style as two men still with serious hopes of grabbing a play-off spot squared off and the Aussie looked to lay a marker down right from the off as he won the first leg with a 170 finish.  It was £1000 in the back pocket of The Wizard straight away, but that wasn’t what he’d come for he’d come for the two points.

Wade had other ideas though as he kicked off the second leg with a maximum and won it by finishing off 80.  Whitlock hit his first 180 of the match in the third, but The Machine showed he can finish on the bull as he pinched the third leg.  He didn’t have to pinch anything in the fourth as he hammered home 112 to go three up.

Wade flinched in the fifth missing three darts at tops to let The Wizard take the leg, but he wasn’t going to miss his trusty double 10 before the break as he made it 4-2 and gave the Aussie a lot to think about.

Both men struggled on their return to the oche but it was Whitlock who stumbled over the line to claim the leg against the throw and really put the Wizard amongst the pigeons.  Up next though, he missed five darts at double on his own throw, including busting his score which you just don’t see at this level, and was two legs down again.

The Machine then held throw and was three up, Whitlock wasn’t giving up though as double 10 gave him the tenth leg and he made it even more interesting needing just one dart at tops to take out 80 and go within one leg at 6-5.

The Wizard’s charge ended in the twelfth though as he missed four darts to level things up and Wade capitalised to secure at least a point.  This seemed to dent Whitlock’s confidence and he missed his twentieth dart at a double in the final leg to let Wade in again to win the game 8-5.

It wasn’t the highest quality of game with the averages only 88.5 and 90.8 to Wade and Whitlock respectively, but it was a very entertaining one which the crowd in Sheffield lapped up.  These two are in a real scrap for fourth place now – GAME ON!!

Webby 1 - 8 The Flying Scotsman

This was only ever going one way I’m afraid, no one was backing Webby, and everyone was right as he took another hammering at the hands of The Flying Scotsman, with things looking especially ominous as Anderson smashed in a 136 finish to win the first against the throw.

The Scot took the second and then capitalised on Webster’s first missed double to then go three up.  The Welshman did stem the tide in the fourth though getting a leg on the board with double tops.

This proved to be a pretty lowly highpoint for Webby though as he missed an incredible eight darts at doubles in the fifth to let a misfiring Anderson in to win it on double 2.  This was the only invitation Gary needed though as 13-darter saw him go 5-1 up at the break.

Webster then topped his previous record by missing 9 darts at a finish and Anderson, who was also struggling, took it on double one.  After that debacle Anderson wasn’t in the mood to mess about and took the last two legs without allowing Webby a go at a double and bagged an 8-1 victory.

Webster’s confidence seems shot and he is all but out of the tournament now, only a minor miracle will see him qualify for the play-offs.  Anderson on the other hand is back on course to qualify with ease, and I fully expect him to do so.

The Bull 2 - 8 The Power

Just like the last one there was no money on going on one man for this contest and again everyone knew what they were doing as Taylor swept aside Jenkins very easily.

The Power wasn’t quite at his best in the early exchanges but he still managed to finish off 72 and 65 to be two up in no time.  Jenkins kicked off the third leg with the 250^th maximum of the tournament and then was very close to taking out 170, but you can’t afford to miss anything against an in-form Taylor who stepped up and took out 130.

The world number one reeled off the next three and went in at the break a full 6-0 up with very real hopes of the first whitewash of the tournament.  The Bull wasn’t having any of it though as he polished off 61 in style with just two darts and reduced his arrears to five legs.

Taylor wasn’t deterred though comfortably winning the eighth leg, but a third 180 from Jenkins helped him keep the game alive at 7-2.  It was barely breathing in truth though as Taylor hit his third maximum and 

finished off 63 to win yet again.

Taylor is indomitable at the minute and if he is on any two figure score he is near enough guaranteed to get it.  He’s not the biggest 180 hitter in the league but it’s his scoring around the board that’s incredible and is what wins him so many matches.  The Power is still on, but The Bull may well be put out of his misery next week.

Barney 8 - 3 Jackpot

The final match of the night could have been the highlight, but was a bit of an anti-climax in the end.  Raymond van Barneveld won’t mind though as he cantered to victory and left Lewis reeling.

Things started well for the Dutchman as he comfortably held throw in the first and then lit up a pretty shocking second leg by finishing on the bull to go two clear.

Jackpot just about claimed the third as both missed great chances to take it earlier on as the standard of the game was dropping well below what was expected of these two great players.  Lewis proved his quality in the fourth though as he took out 136 to level things up and looked like he was starting to find some rhythm.

This seemed to wake Barney back up as well though as he got five darts into a 9-darter, eventually going out in 13 to go back in front.  The Dutchman was then gifted the sixth leg as Jackpot missed six darts to win it, with Barney eventually grabbing it on double 7.

The interval didn’t slow the 5-time World Champ down as the first leg back he won in style with a 156 finish.  He then narrowly missed a 148 finish, but Lewis was ready to pounce and did so with double 8 to make it 5-3.

Both players had an absolute shocker in the ninth leg which was no better than legs I play in my local, and much like one of my games Barney finish on double 1, but most importantly this put him 6-3 up.  Lewis seemed to have capitulated by this stage as Barney then comfortably broke throw to go four up and then was in a comfortable position as he finished off 70 in the last to wrap up the game 8-3.

The game was one of the lowest quality of the whole tournament which was quite a surprise, neither player averaging over 87, but Barney won’t care as he marches on towards the play-offs.  The World Champ is in trouble though as he is now in a real scrap for fourth place and will have to rediscover his form very quickly.